Lin Ye's figure landed with precision.
Suddenly, more than ten dark figures simultaneously charged toward him.
Without hesitation, Lin Ye drew the Nihil Ghost Sword and unleashed a series of deadly strikes.
Swish! Swish! Swish!
The Eight-Limbed Golden Mantis, with its scythe-like limbs, attacked Lin Ye's head.
However, the sharpness of the Nihil Ghost Sword effortlessly severed each of its limbs.
Blood splattered everywhere, but the beast, unbothered by its injuries, continued to lunge at Lin Ye's head with its massive body, nearly five meters in length.
"Break!"
Lin Ye swung his sword with force, cutting the Eight-Limbed Golden Mantis in half in a single stroke.
Clang!
The creature's body split open, falling to the ground, blood pooling beneath it.
Despite being cleaved in half, the beast continued to twitch, its internal organs spilling out.
"Is this it?"
Lin Ye had expected the wild beast to be stronger, but it seemed to be just another upgraded version of a regular monster. Its speed and reflexes were faster than usual, but otherwise, it was no different from any other dangerous beast.
"A sharp sword indeed," Lin Ye muttered as he admired the Nihil Ghost Sword in his hand.
The group, having been sent flying earlier, quickly gathered around. Upon seeing Lin Ye's handiwork, their eyes widened in awe.
"What... it's dead already? Quickly, quickly, put it away! This Eight-Limbed Golden Mantis is worth at least a few thousand spirit crystals!"
Iron Flying Horse quickly ordered his subordinates to pack up the beast's carcass. Lin Ye had no interest in the spoils and simply followed them.
"Let's move on."
After a brief glance, it was clear that although the group looked disheveled, there were no serious injuries.
Zhu Yue, however, looked at Lin Ye's Nihil Ghost Sword with evident curiosity in her bright eyes. She didn't dare ask more questions, sensing that Lin Ye was the type of person who wouldn't speak unless absolutely necessary.
Someone who could casually kill a Sword Master of the Sky Sword Sect like Song Yanqing was definitely someone not to be crossed. Zhu Yue couldn't help but wonder if she could even escape from Lin Ye's grasp if things turned south. His strength and methods were so overwhelming, it made her feel utterly powerless.
With Iron Flying Horse's professionalism, the risks were minimized, and the group encountered very few wild beasts. When they did, Iron Flying Horse and his men were able to defeat them, leading to some valuable gains.
Finally, the group stopped at a location roughly 130 miles into the forbidden zone.
"If we go any further, it will be impossible to assist you. We are unfamiliar with the path ahead," Iron Flying Horse said seriously. "Also, I must warn you, at night, the number of wild beasts will increase tenfold, and their strength will be far greater than during the day."
Lin Ye nodded.
"We understand. You've been very accommodating," he replied. Originally, they had only promised to escort the group for 100 miles, but now they had reached 130 miles. The Three Sects Alliance had also expanded their blockade, increasing the risks for Iron Flying Horse and his men.
Once Iron Flying Horse and his team left, the next part of the journey would be solely in Zhu Yue's hands.
"I'll take over from here," Zhu Yue said, unfazed. She led the group forward.
Both Zhu Yue and Luo Gui were experts in stealth, but Lin Ye was no slouch either. Using the Nine Turn Asura Technique, he concealed his presence as they continued their journey.
After traveling nearly 30 more miles, the number of wild beasts steadily increased. Lin Ye had already killed a fair number of them along the way.
Luo Gui, with his sharp eyes, also found a considerable amount of medicinal herbs.
His face broke into a broad smile.
"Are you a pill master?" Zhu Yue asked, surprised, as she watched Luo Gui identify and gather the herbs. The herbs he found were of high quality—Level Seven herbs.
"Me? A pill master?" Luo Gui chuckled. "I'm barely a Fifth-Rank one. That person over there, though," he nodded towards Lin Ye, "he's the real pill master."
Zhu Yue looked at Lin Ye with disbelief. A person this strong and composed was also a pill master? Based on Luo Gui's tone, it seemed that Lin Ye was at least a Sixth-Rank pill master. This was too impressive, especially for someone so young.
Zhu Yue's heart stirred with awe. What kind of future achievements could someone like Lin Ye reach?
Suddenly, Lin Ye stopped and raised his hand, signaling for the others to be alert.
"There's a camp ahead."
The trio moved past a dense forest and saw a valley below. In the center of the valley were several tents, with swords randomly planted around them, forming a defensive sword formation.
"They're guarding the entrance," Zhu Yue said.
Behind the camp lay a narrow gorge, with steep cliffs rising hundreds of feet on either side. Although it would be easy to bypass or climb over the peaks, doing so would take too much time.
Luo Gui let out a soft sigh. He knew things were about to get more difficult for them.
Lin Ye wouldn't waste any time.
"Do we charge through?" Zhu Yue asked, tightening the laces of her boots. Her legs were long and graceful, a sight to behold. She unsheathed her twin swords and practiced a few swift swings, getting ready.
"I'm ready," she said.
"You're bold," Lin Ye remarked as he glanced at her.
"Down there, there are at least thirty experts, and with their sword formation, charging in will leave you with no one to collect your body," he added coldly.
Zhu Yue sheathed her swords, turning to Lin Ye for a solution.
Lin Ye didn't waste a moment. He took out the Windbreaking Crossbow, attaching a small vial to one of the bolts.
Earlier, on their journey, Lin Ye had crafted a special powder that had a strong effect on attracting wild beasts. This powder could spread the scent of blood across a large area.
Since the wild beasts were sensitive to blood, Lin Ye figured they could use this to their advantage.
He carefully secured the vial and aimed, shooting the bolt toward the camp below.
Whoosh!
Though the distance was around a kilometer, Lin Ye's spiritual power guided the shot, and it landed precisely in one corner of the camp.
"What's that sound?"
Several experts in the camp noticed the noise. One of them unleashed a powerful mental scan, sweeping through the area, but found nothing amiss.
Suddenly, there was a loud bang.
The vial exploded, releasing a dark red powder that rapidly spread throughout the camp.
"Someone's attacking!"
A Sky Sword Sect expert rushed forward, seeing the eerie red powder. His face changed drastically, and he tried to control the powder with his spiritual energy, but the powder grew more active, spreading rapidly.
Boom!
In the blink of an eye, the entire camp was engulfed.
"What's happening?"
"The smell of blood is overwhelming!"
Some of the men stepped out of the tents, frowning as they realized something was wrong.
Then, one of them made the connection. They weren't in just any ordinary place; they were in a region haunted by wild beasts.
The strong scent of blood could only mean one thing—the beasts would soon arrive.
Roar!
Suddenly, over a dozen massive creatures charged toward the camp.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
The Sky Sword Sect's defensive sword formation sprang to life. The scattered swords gleamed, forming a dazzling barrier.
More than thirty experts from the Sky Sword Sect appeared, forming a circle around the camp.
"Hold the sword formation!"
A middle-aged man with a calm expression barked orders.
This man was the guardian of the Dragon Scale Hall, Yan Wanjue.
"Don't use spiritual energy—use fire! Burn everything!" he commanded.
"Stay calm! Our sword formation will hold these wild beasts off!"
The swords in the formation emitted brilliant light, forming an impenetrable wall. The wild beasts charged, but their attacks were futile.
"What now? It seems like it's not enough?"
Zhu Yue's eyebrows furrowed slightly.
Just then, Lin Ye flicked his finger.
A surge of powerful spiritual energy struck the highest point of the defensive sword formation.
Boom!
One of the swords at the top shattered instantly.
The entire formation trembled. With dozens of wild beasts relentlessly crashing against it, the barrier gave way.
Boom!
The sword formation shattered.
Yan Wanjue's eyes flickered with cold fury.
"Someone's breaking the formation! Full force, everyone, defend the entrance!"
"You three, follow me! I'm going to find the one who attacked us!"