99: Chapter 99 Joining Forces to Defeat the Enemy

As the dust settled slightly, a slender figure leaped out from the hole.

The newcomer wore a water-blue outfit that accentuated her graceful figure. A light veil of the same color covered her face, leaving only a pair of clear, aloof eyes visible.

She held a sheathed longsword; the icy blue streak of light from earlier had been emitted by this very blade.

The aura emanating from her had surprisingly reached the Yuan Condensation Second Layer, but her True Yuan attribute was extremely peculiar—icy, cold, and agile.

This woman appeared very abruptly, and her first move solved the problem of the Demon Armored Beetles that had been giving everyone a headache, instantly drawing everyone's gaze.

A trace of vigilance flashed in Shi Feng's eyes. He cupped his fists and said, "Thank you for your help, young lady! May I ask who you are..."

The blue-clad woman's gaze swept over the crowd, pausing for a brief moment on Ye Tian, seemingly surprised by his performance just now. Then she spoke: "Just passing through."

"The nests of these Soul-Erosion Insects were disturbed by the earlier tremor, causing them to swarm out."

"This place is not safe to stay for long; more of their kind will gather here soon."

She was concise, pointing out the danger without revealing her identity or purpose.

Sure enough, as soon as she finished speaking, a scalp-numbing buzzing sound began to emanate from the surrounding honeycomb-like holes. Clearly, more Demon Armored Beetles were being disturbed and were gathering toward them.

Shi Feng's expression changed, and he immediately said, "Thank you for the warning! Let's retreat!"

The team helped up the injured members and prepared to retreat back the way they came.

However, misfortunes never come singly. The path they had come from was now mostly blocked by several collapsed boulders, leaving only a narrow gap!

With a collapse ahead, pursuers behind, and the honeycomb stone forest with the impending insect tide on the flanks!

The team was instantly plunged into a dilemma!

"Captain, what do we do?" a team member asked in panic.

Sweat appeared on Shi Feng's forehead as his eyes darted around, finally landing on the hole the blue-clad woman had just emerged from: "Miss, where might this hole you came from lead?"

The blue-clad woman pondered for a moment and said, "This cave leads in all directions. I also entered it by chance and lost my way."

"But just now inside, I seemed to feel a faint airflow moving in a certain direction. There might be an exit."

Right now, this seemed to be the only path left.

"Let's gamble! Into the cave!" Shi Feng made a prompt decision.

The crowd no longer hesitated and quickly squeezed into the hole that only allowed one person to pass at a time.

The blue-clad woman was somewhat familiar with the paths inside the cave and took the lead, while Shi Feng brought up the rear.

Ye Tian guarded the middle of the team, his Divine Sense fully expanded, staying alert for dangers within the cave.

The inside of the cave was pitch black, dark, and damp, with many forks like a labyrinth.

Using some unknown method, the blue-clad woman was always able to make the correct choice at the complex junctions.

But the sound of the Demon Armored Beetles' wings behind them was getting closer.

Suddenly, the blue-clad woman leading the way stopped and whispered, "Something is blocking the way ahead!"

Everyone focused their gaze and saw a black-purple giant python, as thick as a water bucket, coiled in a wider area of the passage ahead!

The giant python had a fleshy crest on its head, and its tongue flickered in and out, emitting the ferocious aura of the Ningyuan Second Layer Peak!

It had clearly claimed this passage as its territory.

With a Purple-Scaled Python blocking the front and the Soul-Erosion Demon Armored Beetles pursuing from behind, the situation was critical to the extreme!

"We must deal with it as quickly as possible!" Shi Feng gritted his teeth and was about to step forward.

"Wait!" the blue-clad woman suddenly spoke, looking at Ye Tian. "Your finger techniques are precise and your True Yuan is refined. Are you willing to coordinate with me?"

"I will take the lead to distract it; you find an Opportunity to strike its Seven-inch mark and its eyes!"

Ye Tian was slightly taken aback. He hadn't expected this mysterious woman to take the initiative to suggest teaming up, and that she could see at a glance that he was skilled in Acupoint-striking and Meridian-severing techniques.

The situation was dire and left no room for second-guessing. He nodded: "Alright."

"Good!" The blue-clad woman said no more, her figure turning into a blue shadow as she lunged straight at the Purple-Scaled Python!

The longsword in her hand instantly left its sheath. The blade was icy blue and overflowing with cold energy. With one thrust, it transformed into several sword shadows aimed at the python's head!

"Hiss!"

The Purple-Scaled Python was enraged. Its massive tail swept across with the force of a thousand pounds toward the blue-clad woman, while its mouth spat out a cloud of foul-smelling poisonous mist!

The blue-clad woman's movement was agile and her swordplay exquisite. She maneuvered around the Purple-Scaled Python in the narrow space. Cold energy and poisonous mist collided, producing a "chi chi" sound.

She clearly wasn't using her full strength, intending only to pin it down.

Ye Tian quietly circulated his Blood Shadow Step, searching for the perfect moment.

He held his breath and concentrated, highly compressing his True Yuan at his fingertips.

The Opportunity arrived!

Just as the Purple-Scaled Python opened its mouth again to spit poisonous mist, its head leaning back slightly for an instant!

Ye Tian's Blood Shadow Step erupted, and he lunged to the side of the Purple-Scaled Python. With his fingers held like a sword, a streak of True Yuan finger wind shot toward the python's vital Seven-inch mark!

At the same time, the blue-clad woman gave a soft cry, and her sword style changed abruptly. A streak of icy Sword Qi pierced straight toward the python's right eye!

The Purple-Scaled Python sensed a fatal crisis and tried to dodge, but the blue-clad woman's Sword Qi blocked its main escape routes, and Ye Tian's ruthless finger wind had already reached its body!

Puff!

The finger wind hit the weak point of the scales at the Seven-inch mark!

Although the scales were hard and deflected most of the force, the True Yuan still penetrated through, destroying the internal muscle tissue!

Almost simultaneously, the blue-clad woman's Sword Qi pierced through the python's right eye!

"Aow!"

The Purple-Scaled Python let out a cry of pain, its body thrashing violently, causing rubble to fall from the passage walls.

Having succeeded in their strike, Ye Tian and the blue-clad woman did not linger and quickly retreated.

"Go!" the blue-clad woman shouted low, pointing to a small side path partially blocked by the python's body.

The team took the Opportunity to quickly pass through the fork.

The Purple-Scaled Python was heavily wounded and temporarily unable to pursue.

After many twists and turns, a faint light and the scent of fresh air finally came from ahead!

Everyone's spirits lifted, and they accelerated their pace, finally leaving that suffocating underground labyrinth and returning to the canyon.

Although their position had deviated from the original route, at least they were alive.

After surviving the ordeal, everyone breathed a sigh of relief, their eyes filled with gratitude as they looked at the blue-clad woman.

The blue-clad woman only gave everyone a faint glance, her gaze resting on Ye Tian once more as she nodded slightly: "Pleasant cooperation. Farewell."

After saying that, she didn't wait for a response before disappearing into the depths of the canyon.

Seeing this, Shi Feng hurriedly asked, "Miss, could you tell us your name?"

A moment later, the blue-clad woman's voice drifted back from afar: "Mu Sisi."

She had come suddenly and left just as decisively.

Ye Tian looked in the direction she had disappeared, lost in thought.

This woman's strength was impressive and her identity unknown, but she likely wasn't an ordinary Loose Cultivator.

Shi Feng walked over to Ye Tian's side, patted his shoulder, and said with emotion, "Brother Ye, it's all thanks to you today!"

"And that Miss Mu... sigh, it's a pity we couldn't thank her properly. Let's find a safe place to rest and recover first."

Ye Tian withdrew his gaze and nodded.

After the ordeal just now, everyone was exhausted, and their True Qi was heavily depleted.

They found a hidden corner to rest and reorganize, and the injured members received simple bandages.

About half an hour later, the group discussed and decided not to return to the Cliff-top Market yet.

After all, they had already come this far and experienced a life-and-death situation; no one wanted to return empty-handed without gaining anything.

They went deeper into a more remote area of the Wind Erosion Canyon, a region not marked on the map.

This was a group of weathered rock pillars, with strangely shaped pillars standing tall like a maze.

"Captain, it seems we've deviated too far from the route."

A team member looked at the compass in his hand, which had lost its sense of direction, and spoke with concern.

Shi Feng's brow furrowed as he carefully observed the surroundings: "The aura of this place is extraordinary; perhaps there is another Opportunity."

"But everyone must be careful and stay alert at all times."

Just then, Leng Yue, who was scouting ahead, suddenly signaled.

The group followed her lead and saw a cave entrance half-hidden by wind and sand at the base of the thickest, sword-shaped rock pillar!

There were traces of manual excavation around the edges of the cave entrance. Although ancient, it faintly emitted waves of a Restriction.

"It's a ruin! And it seems to be extremely ancient!" A flash of excitement appeared in Shi Feng's eyes.