Far from the Tianjue Sect, a mountain range stretched endlessly, coiling like a slumbering dragon beneath the vast sky. The ancient trees stood like solemn sentinels, their branches woven so thickly that they swallowed much of the sunlight. The air was damp, cold, and eerily still. Only occasionally was the silence disturbed—by the distant call of a bird or the haunting cry of a beast hidden deep within the wilderness.
Yet, there were figures walking along a lonely mountain path. Among them were a middle-aged man in a red linen robe and a beautiful woman clad in a yellow robe. They were Elder Chi Yang and Yao Yue of the Liuyao Pavilion. Though their steps were steady, their eyes were sharp, alert—like prey who sensed a predator stalking them from the shadows.
"Elder Chi Yang, something feels wrong," Yao Yue said softly. Her gaze swept the forest around them, wary and tense, like a fawn that had caught the scent of a lurking wolf.
"Pavilion Mistress, I feel it as well," replied the young woman walking beside her.
This young woman wore a robe of yellow and green, her beauty elegant and serene, no less dazzling than Yao Yue herself. She was Liu Ning, the foremost genius of the Liuyao Pavilion. But now, the girl who was usually confident gripped her sword more tightly, knuckles pale.
Elder Chi Yang suddenly halted. His usual calm voice carried a faint edge of tension. "You are both correct. Something is misleading us."
His words caused the other geniuses to exchange glances, unease rising within them. Their original destination had been the Tianjue Sect, where they were meant to attend the opening of Mount Tianling. But now, it felt as though an unseen hand had diverted their path, guiding them away from their destination—and into a strange, desolate place.
"Elder Chi Yang, wasn't the road we followed the right one?" one of the geniuses asked nervously.
The wind seemed to fall silent. The shadows cast by the trees grew longer, draping the forest in gloom. Yao Yue and Liu Ning felt their hearts pounding, as if the entire world had stopped to listen.
Chi Yang released a long breath and spread out his spiritual sense. Like waves crashing through the forest, his consciousness swept every inch of land around them. But when his gaze returned, it had only grown more grim.
"It seems we have stepped into a teleportation array without realizing it," he said heavily. "We are now farther from the Tianjue Sect—much farther from the Liuyao Pavilion."
He narrowed his eyes and added coldly, "In fact, I believe we are now near the border between the Northern Region and the Central Region."
"W-what? That far?" one of the geniuses gasped, his voice trembling.
Yao Yue bit her lip, a dark premonition gnawing at her chest. Ever since Yifan had left, trouble seemed to descend upon her without pause. Her heart longed for protection—longed for him—but there was no time to dwell on it. A sudden thought struck her.
"We are inside a restricted domain," Yao Yue said.
Chi Yang turned toward her, eyes widening slightly. Yao Yue's perception had grown sharper. A flicker of pride passed through him, but there was no time to savor it.
"A restricted domain? Aren't domains like this usually used for assassinations?" Liu Ning whispered, her voice soft as wind through grass.
Her words froze everyone where they stood. Their heartbeats thundered in their ears. Even the sound of leaves drifting to the ground felt like knives scraping against stone. The very air seemed to tighten, as though the forest itself was holding its breath.
And then—
"Hehehe… what a clever little girl."
The voice came from everywhere at once, echoing through the air, making the hairs on their necks stand on end. Yao Yue and the others immediately assumed battle stances, scanning the surroundings with wide eyes.
"Who?!" one of the geniuses shouted.
But before any answer came, a chill pierced his chest. He looked down in shock—an inky black hand had torn through his body. Blood sprayed into the air, glittering red beneath the faint light. His eyes widened in disbelief before his body crumpled to the ground, life already gone.
"Hehehe, such a delicious taste… but lacking in talent," the voice sneered again.
Half a figure emerged from the void—cloaked in a black robe, face obscured.
"Retreat!" Elder Chi Yang roared.
He shot forward like lightning, his strike splitting the air and creating a gust that shredded leaves from the branches. But the black-robed figure vanished an instant before the blow landed, as if mocking his efforts.
The ground trembled faintly. In the next heartbeat, the figure reappeared—right behind Liu Ning.
"Liu Ning!" Yao Yue cried.
But Liu Ning had already reacted, her sword flashing as it unleashed a crescent-shaped light like a silver moon. The figure leapt back, and Liu Ning's strike carved through empty space, leaving a smoking scar on the earth.
Yao Yue drew a sharp breath and commanded everyone to form a protective array. A thin barrier of light surrounded them, pulsing faintly like a shield, and Elder Chi Yang reinforced it with his own power, making the very air hum.
"Coward! Show yourself!" Yao Yue demanded, her voice trembling yet firm.
The temperature seemed to plummet. Then, slowly, the black-robed man emerged fully, as though stepping out of the shadows themselves. His mask concealed his face, but his presence was suffocating, like a storm pressing down on the land. The ground cracked under his steps.
"Hehehe… after this, there will no longer be anyone called Yao Yue."
Had Yu Tianlei been present, he would have recognized him instantly—an assassin of the Hei Zuzhi, the same who had appeared in the Yusheng Dynasty.
"Hei Zuzhi…" Yao Yue murmured, narrowing her eyes. As the Pavilion Mistress of Liuyao, she knew their methods well.
"Hei Zuzhi, what is the meaning of this?!" Elder Chi Yang's voice turned harsh, his aura exploding outward like fire. The wind roared, scattering leaves into a frenzy.
But the assassin merely flicked his hand, and Chi Yang's aura was snuffed out, as though swallowed by mist.
"Old man, are you stupid—or just pretending? We are assassins. If we are here, do you really need to ask why?"
Chi Yang clenched his fists. He could feel the man's cultivation—it was on par with his own, third-stage Heavenly Sovereign. He could hold his ground, perhaps even win, but Hei Zuzhi never acted alone. And in his group, only he held such power. Protecting the others while fighting was another matter entirely.
"Hei Shan, finish this quickly. Why are you wasting time?"
A new voice sounded. Several more black-robed figures stepped out from between the trees, their presence heavier than Hei Shan's. Each step they took made the earth groan, as if unwilling to bear their weight.
Cold sweat trickled down the foreheads of the Liuyao Pavilion geniuses.
"Elder Hei Qin, I have no intention of delaying," Hei Shan said, bowing his head respectfully, as though that voice were law itself.
Seeing their numbers, Elder Chi Yang drew a deep breath. There was no choice left but to fight with everything he had.
"Yao Yue," his voice sounded directly in her mind, "if you find an opening, escape with Liu Ning and the others. I will hold them back."
"No! I will fight here. Let Liu Ning and the others escape instead!" Yao Yue replied instantly.
"Yao Yue, this is not the time to be stubborn! Go!"
"No!"
"Yao Yue!" Chi Yang's voice grew sharp.
"I said no, Uncle!" Yao Yue's eyes glistened, her shoulders trembling, but her feet stood rooted firmly in place.
Chi Yang looked at her for a brief moment, then sighed. "Foolish girl…"
"Uncle… you are the only family I have left. I can't lose you too."
Chi Yang closed his eyes for a breath. Then suddenly, his aura erupted, wind howling as if the forest itself were about to be torn apart. Quietly, he activated a small teleportation formation behind them. A dim light flared on the ground. It would not break them free of the restricted domain entirely—but it was hope.
"Go!!" Elder Chi Yang roared.
A mystical force pushed Yao Yue backward. In the final instant, she saw her uncle rush forward alone, meeting the Hei Zuzhi head-on. Tears spilled down her cheeks as she reached out a trembling hand—trying to grasp his retreating figure.
"No!!" Yao Yue's cry echoed just as her body vanished into the light.
BOOM!
The battle erupted. Chi Yang's sword technique cleaved the earth, leaving a deep fissure in the ground. Hei Shan darted aside, countering with a claw strike wreathed in black energy that hissed as it sliced the air. The clash of power sent sparks flying, scorching nearby trees until smoke filled the air.
Chi Yang's situation quickly turned dire as he faced multiple opponents at once.
Hei Qin merely stood with arms folded, a faint smile on his lips. "Ah… such touching family loyalty. And yet, it is all in vain."
"Elder, is this mission truly so important?" Hei Shan asked in between strikes.
"The Young Master requested it personally," Hei Qin said casually. "Yao Yue has ties to that man. And since Yu Tianlei paid for her death, we can conveniently pin the blame on him—and perhaps draw that man out. Kill two birds with one stone."
"Hahaha… I see." Hei Shan laughed darkly, his next strike shattering Chi Yang's protective barrier, the explosion shaking the ground violently.
Meanwhile, Hei Qin began walking toward the place where the teleportation light had just faded. His eyes were like blades, cold and sharp. In this restricted domain controlled by Hei Zuzhi, it would not be difficult to find Yao Yue and the others.
The air grew thick with dread. What awaited Yao Yue and the rest? In this world, nothing was certain.