235: Chapter 235: Inanimate Objects Can Pass

The Shadow Leopard was also observing the battlefield; it was clearly blocked by those wandering Phantoms, just like Xiao Ran.

Its breathing was very light, almost inaudible.

Its claws moved across the ground without making a sound.

"Good grief, it's quite cautious."

Xiao Ran thought to himself.

He lay there silently, motionless, suppressing even his breathing to the minimum.

The breath-concealing ability of the Guixu Body was pushed to its limit at this moment; his aura was completely retracted, making him like a lifeless stone.

The Shadow Leopard observed for about the time it takes to drink a cup of tea before finally moving.

It stepped out from behind a giant rock, approaching the edge of the battlefield with light steps.

Every step it took was on gravel, yet it made no sound; the pads on its claws acted as perfect shock absorbers.

Xiao Ran watched it, an idea forming in his mind.

"Buddy, you go first; I'll cover the rear."

The Shadow Leopard naturally had no idea someone was plotting against it.

It cautiously approached the battlefield, avoiding several wandering Phantoms before stepping onto the edge of the battlefield.

First step, safe.

Second step, safe.

Third step, safe.

The Shadow Leopard grew bolder and increased its speed.

The moment it took its fourth step, a faint hum suddenly sounded in the air.

The sound was very light, like a bee flapping its wings.

But on the deathly silent wasteland, it was exceptionally clear.

The Shadow Leopard stopped alertly, its vertical pupils scanning everywhere.

No abnormalities.

It hesitated for a moment and then took another step.

"Hum—!"

This time, the sound was louder.

A strand of Sword Qi, almost invisible to the naked eye, emerged from the Void Realm, traveling at extreme speed directly toward the Shadow Leopard's neck.

The Shadow Leopard's reaction was fast; the moment the Sword Qi appeared, it leaped backward while a layer of eerie light surfaced on its body for protection.

But it was useless.

The Sword Qi sliced through its neck, cutting through the protective light like a knife through tofu, slicing through scales, flesh, and bone.

The Shadow Leopard's head flew up, spinning three times in the air before landing on the ground and rolling several times.

Its body maintained its backward leaping posture, running three steps before crashing to the ground; blood gushed from its neck, splashing all over the place.

"Thud."

The sound of the corpse hitting the ground echoed across the wasteland.

That strand of Sword Qi in the Void Realm did not dissipate after killing the Shadow Leopard but instead circled once in the air.

Then it slowly vanished, as if nothing had ever happened.

Xiao Ran lay behind the earthen slope, looking at the Shadow Leopard's corpse, his entire body going numb.

What the hell?

Why is there still Sword Qi here? Is it immortal for ten thousand years?

He recalled that ten-thousand-year-old golden Sword Intent on the Sword Qi Great Wall.

That was left by Li Qinglian.

And since this was the Ancient Battlefield where Li Qinglian had fought back then, it didn't seem impossible for one or two strands of ten-thousand-year-old Sword Qi to remain...

"This place is way too dangerous."

Xiao Ran swallowed hard.

The Shadow Leopard's pathfinding behavior taught him a lesson.

One cannot barge into this Ancient Battlefield; those Phantoms are only the threats on the surface, while there's no telling how many strands of ten-thousand-year-old Sword Qi and Restrictions are hidden in the dark.

If one isn't careful, even a Peak Soul Transformation Stage expert could be killed instantly.

He decided not to move yet and first find a safe place to observe.

...

Xiao Ran lay behind the earthen slope for half an hour without moving.

He discovered some patterns.

Those wandering Phantoms weren't drifting randomly; they had fixed routes.

Or rather, they were repeating the combat trajectories from ten thousand years ago.

Some Phantoms would walk from east to west and then turn back.

Some would dash back and forth within a certain range.

Some would swing their weapons in place, never moving.

Their paths intersected with each other, forming a complex grid.

And those invisible strands of Sword Qi seemed to be related to the Phantoms' movements.

He noticed that every time a Phantom swung its sword to slash, a strand of Sword Qi would appear in the Void Realm, flying out in the direction the Phantom's sword tip pointed.

The distance wasn't far, about ten zhang or so, before it dissipated.

But if a person or a member of the Yao Race passed through that direction, the Sword Qi would change direction and head straight for the target.

"So... these Phantoms aren't just gesturing blindly; they're repeating the actions of slaying the Yao Race from ten thousand years ago?"

Xiao Ran pondered.

"And those strands of Sword Qi truly exist; as long as someone steps into their attack range from back then, they'll be locked on?"

The more he thought about it, the more likely it seemed.

This Ancient Battlefield was frozen in time, with the battles of ten thousand years ago playing out here over and over again.

And those strands of Sword Qi also repeated continuously over the ten thousand years, never ceasing.

"This is too terrifying. How many of the Yao Race did Li Qinglian kill back then for this Sword Qi to not dissipate even after ten thousand years?"

Xiao Ran shook his head, no longer dwelling on this question.

He now had to consider how to cross this battlefield and find the valuable things in the ruins.

The Shadow Leopard's corpse was still lying on the ground, blood still flowing.

But strangely, not a single Phantom went in that direction.

They continued repeating their own combat trajectories as if they couldn't see the Shadow Leopard's corpse.

"Wait, do the Phantoms only attack living beings?" Xiao Ran narrowed his eyes.

After some thought, he took out a piece of dried Yao Beast meat from his Storage Ring and threw it forcefully toward the battlefield.

The jerky traced an arc and landed on the ground.

No Phantom paid it any mind. He threw another piece, still no reaction.

"As expected, they only attack things with a life aura." Xiao Ran now understood.

He looked at his palm, where the Guixu Vortex was slowly rotating.

There was no life aura within his body.

Or rather, his life aura was completely swallowed by the Guixu Body and would not leak out.

"Does that mean... I can just walk across?"

Xiao Ran hesitated for a moment and decided to try.

He stood up, walked out from behind the earthen slope, took a deep breath, and stepped into the battlefield.

First step, safe.

Second step, safe.

Third step, safe.

No Sword Qi appeared.

Those Phantoms were still repeating their actions, not giving him a single glance.

Xiao Ran grew bolder and increased his speed.

He moved between the Phantoms, avoiding their paths of travel, and broke into a light jog.

Sword Qi occasionally appeared near him, but it always flew past his side, never aiming at him.

"Indeed, the Guixu Body can shield my life aura; these ten-thousand-year-old strands of Sword Qi can't sense me."

He was overjoyed.

He sprinted all the way and quickly crossed this Ancient Battlefield.

Looking back, those Phantoms were still wandering in the same place, and the Shadow Leopard's corpse had already shriveled up.

Xiao Ran frowned but didn't think much of it, turning around to continue forward.

Ahead, the ruins of a massive palace were faintly visible.

That was his goal for this trip.

The equinox flower that the Wanhua Society's president wanted was said to grow deep within that palace.

He quickened his pace.

Through the Soul Link, Li Changsheng's voice suddenly came: "Xiao Ran, how is it on your end?"

Xiao Ran replied as he walked: "Just crossed an Ancient Battlefield, almost got sliced by ten-thousand-year-old Sword Qi. How about you?"

Li Changsheng was silent for a moment: "I fell into a pit."

Xiao Ran: "...What kind of pit?"

Li Changsheng: "A pit full of Yao Beast skeletons; the bones move and bite people."

Xiao Ran: "And you can still chat with me?"

Li Changsheng: "I smashed them all to pieces."

Xiao Ran laughed: "Alright, you're impressive. I'm heading to a palace now; I'll come find you when I'm done."

Li Changsheng: "Don't bother. There are ruins on my side too; I'll explore them myself."

"Be careful yourself, don't die."

Xiao Ran: "Don't worry, I'm tough to kill."