The chamber trembled as the townspeople closed in.
Mo Xuan, Ling Yue, and Han Wei stood back-to-back beneath the towering statue, its green eyes glowing brighter with every passing second. The oppressive force in the air thickened, pressing down like invisible chains.
"They're coming all at once!" Han Wei shouted, bracing himself.
The possessed townspeople surged forward.
At that exact instant—
A violent tremor rippled through the air.
Crack.
The invisible barrier sealing their cultivation fractured.
Mo Xuan felt it immediately.
Spiritual energy returned to his meridians like a rushing tide.
Ling Yue gasped as her qi responded once more.
Outside the chamber, Lan Jian and Lan Xue had succeeded. The weak node of the barrier had shattered under their combined talisman strike.
Han Wei's eyes sharpened.
"Now!"
Peak Foundation Realm power erupted from his body. He unleashed a binding spell — Azure Gale Suppression Palm — sending a wave of compressed air outward that halted dozens of attackers mid-stride.
Ling Yue leapt forward.
Frost Whisper glowed in her hand.
She focused on the statue's eyes.
"Then we destroy the source!"
Her sword traced a clean arc through the air.
Frost Veil Crescent Slash.
The blade struck the glowing eyes of the statue directly.
For one breath—
Silence.
Then the statue cracked violently.
A shrill spiritual screech echoed through the chamber as the artifact shattered.
But destruction came with backlash.
A burst of chaotic energy exploded outward.
Ling Yue was thrown backward, her body lifted into the air by the shockwave.
"Ling Yue!"
Mo Xuan reacted instantly.
He moved like a shadow through the shockwave, reaching her just before she collided with the stone wall.
One arm wrapped around her waist.
The other braced beneath her legs.
He turned mid-air, absorbing the force through his own body, boots skidding across the floor as he landed.
For a moment—
Time seemed to slow.
Ling Yue's eyes met his.
The green glow had vanished.
Only moonlight and dust swirled between them.
He steadied her gently.
"Are you hurt?"
She blinked, breath uneven.
"No… I'm fine."
Han Wei cleared his throat loudly.
"If you two are done, perhaps we confirm the town is no longer trying to kill us?"
Ling Yue flushed faintly and stepped back.
The possessed townspeople had all collapsed.
The green marks at the back of their heads faded like mist under sunlight.
Mo Xuan knelt briefly beside one of them.
"They're unconscious. The artifact's influence is gone."
Moments later, Lan Jian and Lan Xue entered the chamber.
Lan Jian grinned.
"Looks like we arrived at the right moment."
Lan Xue glanced at the broken statue pieces.
"You destroyed the source."
Ling Yue nodded.
"If you hadn't broken the barrier, we couldn't have used our power."
Lan Jian waved casually.
"Teamwork."
Gradually, townspeople began to stir.
A small girl sat up first, confusion clouding her eyes.
Ling Yue approached gently.
"Are you alright?"
The girl nodded weakly.
"I… I remember someone telling us this statue would bring fortune…"
Her voice trembled.
"And then everything became blurry."
More villagers awakened, murmuring in confusion.
Han Wei asked loudly, "Did any of you see the person who brought this statue?"
An elderly man shook his head.
"He wore a hood. We never saw his face."
Lan Xue frowned slightly.
"One week ago, you said?"
"Yes," another villager replied. "He claimed it was a blessing."
Mo Xuan's gaze darkened.
A hooded figure distributing an artifact capable of large-scale domination.
This was no coincidence.
The villagers bowed deeply.
"Thank you, cultivators!"
Han Wei scratched his head awkwardly.
"It's our job."
Lan Jian asked, "Do you know the safest path toward the restricted mountain?"
Fear crossed several faces.
"No one who enters that place returns," one villager whispered.
Ling Yue glanced at Mo Xuan.
They had heard that warning before.
An elderly woman finally spoke.
"If you head south, you'll reach the Mistbound Forest. Beyond the endless mist lies the mountain."
"Endless mist?" Ling Yue asked.
"Yes. Thick and unnatural."
Han Wei clapped his hands.
"Sounds exciting."
Lan Xue sighed.
"Or fatal."
After brief discussion, Han Wei proposed, "We all head to the mountain together. Strength in numbers."
Lan Jian agreed immediately.
Ling Yue looked at Mo Xuan.
He nodded slightly.
"Together."
Decision made, the five cultivators departed from Stoneveil Hollow under the grateful gazes of the townspeople.
They flew southward beneath a dimming sky.
The air grew colder as they approached the forest.
Han Wei flew slightly ahead, speaking casually.
"So, Yue Chen… how did you recognize artifact domination so quickly?"
Mo Xuan answered evenly, "I studied formation texts in my sect's library."
Lan Xue observed him thoughtfully.
"And barriers?"
"The same."
Lan Jian glanced sideways.
"You and Ling Yue come from the same sect?"
"Yes," Ling Yue replied.
"Childhood friends?" Han Wei asked with a teasing grin.
Ling Yue shook her head quickly.
"We only met a month ago."
"A month?" Lan Jian blinked.
Mo Xuan nodded calmly.
"I joined her sect recently."
Han Wei laughed.
"That's impressive trust for only one month."
Ling Yue forced a light smile.
"We happened to meet by chance. He wished to join our sect, and I brought him in."
She did not elaborate.
She would not mention the Abyss.
Or his lost memory.
Mo Xuan glanced at her briefly but said nothing.
The group pressed forward.
As night approached, the outline of a vast forest emerged ahead.
Mist already clung to its edges.
Lan Jian spoke confidently.
"We can reach the forest before full nightfall. Better to enter together."
The five descended slightly, conserving energy.
Mo Xuan slowed his pace, drifting closer to Ling Yue.
"Why didn't you tell them the truth?" he asked quietly.
She looked forward, voice low.
"Your memory hasn't fully returned. If others learn too much, danger might follow."
He was silent for a second.
"You're protecting me."
She gave a small shrug.
"I don't want unnecessary risks."
For a brief moment, he felt something unfamiliar.
Warm.
"…Thank you," he murmured softly.
"What?" she asked, leaning closer.
"Nothing."
She narrowed her eyes playfully.
"You definitely said something."
He accelerated slightly, moving ahead.
Ling Yue huffed and chased after him.
Behind them, Lan Xue noticed the exchange.
Lan Jian simply smiled knowingly.
Before them—
The Mistbound Forest waited.
Thick white fog rolled like waves between ancient trees.
And beyond that mist—
The true danger of the mountain awaited.
End of Chapter 17...