An unknown amount of time passed before a system prompt popped into Xu Yunfan's vision, filling him with joy.
'It worked.'
Sure enough, he focused on his Attribute Panel. There, in the Skill Bar, the Linn Character Technique (Uninitiated) was listed, grayed out.
'As long as it can be added to the Skill Bar, mastering the basics is just a matter of time.'
Only then did he realize how utterly exhausted his Heart and Spirit were; even his thoughts felt sluggish.
'Cultivating this Exotic Art consumes too much of my Heart and Spirit. I can't keep draining it like this, or I'll completely deplete my mental energy.'
Xu Yunfan rolled over and fell into a deep sleep.
After an unknown amount of time, Xu Yunfan's eyes snapped open. His ears twitched. Over the whistling of the cold wind outside the stone house, he could faintly make out other noises.
CLANG!
The clash of metal, like the tolling of a great bell, suddenly erupted outside the stone house.
"Lian Yuanzhang, I knew you would come! With this Heaven and Earth Net laid, there is no escape for you!"
The voice boomed like a clap of thunder, filled with glee and triumph.
Xu Yunfan got up and turned to see Li Haomiao's deep, knowing eyes, his expression one of certainty.
Seeing Xu Yunfan look his way, a faint smile touched Li Haomiao's lips.
"Our chance is here."
Everyone in the stone house was startled awake by the commotion outside. Xu Yunfan could see clearly that while many were surprised, most seemed to have anticipated something like this.
They just hadn't expected it to happen so soon.
"In the Far North, once winter sets in, it's nearly impossible to travel. A surprise attack at this time, though rushed, is still logical."
Someone in a corner analyzed the situation calmly, his eyes shimmering with excitement.
The new Empress had only just taken the throne. Although she had purged the imperial court, a significant resistance movement still remained.
CRASH!
A deafening crash exploded through the room. The stone wall was smashed open by a man as tall as an iron pagoda, who looked like a Fierce Beast. His muscles were knotted, and veins pulsed on his skin. The heat radiating from his body even raised the temperature in the stone house by several degrees.
The burly man brandished a giant hammer, his eyes darting around before his gaze settled on a thin young man standing silently in the corner. He grinned.
"Young Master, I've come to save you."
The previously silent, thin young man had a calm expression. He nodded and started to walk forward, but before he could say a word, the burly man scooped him up with a hand as large as a cattail fan, turned, and strode away.
THUD!
The ground seemed to tremble slightly. The burly man shot out like an arrow loosed from a bow, vanishing into the battlefield in the blink of an eye.
Looking out through the hole in the wall, he saw countless men in black Iron Armor clashing with the Supervisors. The most eye-catching sight was two massive men, clad head-to-toe in Heavy Armor, locked in a duel. Both wielded long, heavy weapons.
The heavy weapons seemed weightless in their hands, and every single move they made displayed an unparalleled, ferocious power.
Each collision of their weapons was like a deafening thunderclap, and no one dared to venture near them.
The massive man wielding the long Mo Saber laughed aloud.
"Her Majesty long predicted you would raid the mining camp. You're not getting away! Lian Yuanzhang, if you surrender now, I can still put in a good word for you with Her Majesty. You might even be reinstated to your former post and lead the Xiao Wei once more."
Lian Yuanzhang, wielding a Coiling Dragon Long Spear as thick as a man's wrist, parried the Mo Saber and let out a cold snort.
"You once served by the Emperor's side, and he treated you well. Yet you bow your head to that demoness. Zhang Shuyang, you have brought complete shame to the Zhang Family."
Zhang Shuyang retorted, "A wise bird chooses its tree. It has always been so. After Her Majesty took the throne, she brought order from chaos. The government is righteous, and the people live in peace. Naturally, I will serve her."
The two wasted no more words, their weapons blurring as they clashed head-on, neither giving an inch.
Onlookers didn't dare approach. Every gesture they made contained terrifying power—a mere graze would wound, a direct hit would kill.
The men from both sides gave Lian Yuanzhang and Zhang Shuyang a wide berth, not daring to get near.
"Both of them have achieved Great Mastery of the Three Trainings of Tendons, Bones, and Skin. Lian Yuanzhang, in particular, is on the verge of achieving the Outer Three Harmonies—integrating the power of his tendons, bones, and skin and refining it into his very flesh. Once he steps into the Muscle Training Realm, Zhang Shuyang won't last a single exchange against him."
"Although Zhang Shuyang's Martial Arts Realm is slightly weaker, he is exceptionally talented with an astonishing physique. His innate Blood Qi is significantly more vigorous than an ordinary person's, so it's hard to say who will win for the time being."
Li Haomiao's eyes darted around, carefully observing the scene. His gaze then fixed on Fang Mushan, who was preparing to get up.
"This is our chance! Everything is in chaos. Follow Fang Mushan."
Li Haomiao urged, seizing the opportunity.
Xu Yunfan didn't hesitate. The place was in utter chaos, powerful experts were attacking, and the entire Ninggu Tower was a chaotic mess—at least on the surface. If he missed this opportunity, he might never get another one.
He hoisted Li Haomiao onto his back, then used the Relic Shell he'd found in the mine as a rope to secure him tightly.
CREAK. CREAK.
Watching Xu Yunfan strain to tie the Relic Shell into a knot, Li Haomiao's eye twitched, and he looked pained.
"Be careful not to damage it! That might be the Relic Shell of an expert who surpassed the Extreme Daoist realm. It could be incredibly useful."
Xu Yunfan paid him no mind. The shell was incredibly tough and resilient, impervious to blades. He had even tried to tear it with his full strength in private and failed. It was perfect for use as a rope.
By now, everyone else in the stone house had reacted. With looks of excitement, they all began scrambling to escape. This was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that no one wanted to miss.
Not far away, the lean-looking Fang Mushan also began to move. After a listless stretch, he plunged into the stream of fleeing people.
'Interesting.'
'In this situation, anyone who stands out will be cut down immediately. The only chance is to stay with the crowd.'
Xu Yunfan was no exception. However, carrying a person on his back made him conspicuous no matter how he tried to blend in, and he earned many sideways glances.
Li Haomiao said, "If you abandon me, the Sunrise Qi Technique goes with me."
"..."
It wasn't just the people from their stone house; huge crowds rushed out from the other houses. Seeing the situation, they erupted into a clamor and then scattered in all directions like startled animals.
Li Haomiao couldn't help but sigh at the sight. 'Even if they escape, how many can survive The Eight-Hundred-Mile Desolate River Ice-Plains?'
There were martial artists among them, but those who had made any real progress—those who could activate their Blood Qi—were few and far between.
Moreover, in this extremely harsh environment, they had a desolate wasteland ahead of them and the Mining Supervision Office in pursuit from behind.
Their chances were slim.
Xu Yunfan glanced around, his eyes landing on Fang Mushan's back. Without further hesitation, he followed closely behind him.
On the battlefield, the fight between the men in black and the Supervisors instantly reached a fever pitch.
The men in black were all clad in jet-black Iron Armor that gleamed coldly in the dim light. The plates of their armor clanked against each other with every movement.
This Iron Armor not only added to their intimidating presence but also served as a solid defensive barrier.
The Supervisors swung their long sabers, slashing furiously, but each blow that landed on the Iron Armor merely sent sparks flying, failing to cause any substantial harm to the men in black.