24: The oriole in the background and the ancient beast

Wen Youyi and The core five people, like civets merging into shadows, used the jagged strange rocks and the effects of the Turtle Breath Qi Concealment Art to silently approach the combat zone. The fragile "Spiritual Power Linkage" sustained them like an invisible thread, providing negligible Spiritual Qi but effectively counteracting the interference of the chaotic external Spiritual Qi, allowing them to move more swiftly and stealthily.

After bypassing several massive rock pillars that looked as if they had been snapped by immense force, the scene before them suddenly opened up.

On a relatively flat, rocky clearing, the four Blazing Sun Sect Disciples, led by Blazing Edge, who had provoked them earlier, were locked in a bitter struggle. Their opponents were not other Cultivators, but three strange-looking creatures!

These creatures were about half a person's height, lizard-like in appearance, but covered in dark red rock-like carapaces. Their tails resembled heavy stone hammers, and their four limbs were short, thick, and powerful, with claws and teeth glinting with metallic coldness. Their movements weren't fast, but their strength was immense; every pounce or tail whip came with a dull whooshing sound, leaving a shallow pit when they struck the ground. Even more troublesome, they seemed capable of somewhat manipulating the chaotic fire-attribute Spiritual Qi around them, spewing scorching yet extremely unstable dark red flowing flames from their mouths.

"They're Lava Lizards! Troublemakers common in the Ancient Ruins, with rough hides, great strength, and they can breathe fire!" Wang Wu recognized the creatures, his voice low.

At this moment, Blazing Edge and his four companions stood back-to-back in a small formation, fending off the encirclement of the three Lava Lizards. Their ornate crimson robes already bore several scorched and torn marks, making them appear quite disheveled. Blazing Edge, acting as the main attacker, wielded a flaming long saber with powerful sweeps, each strike carrying scorching Saber Qi that sparked against the Lava Lizards' carapaces but failed to inflict fatal wounds. The other three were responsible for defense and distraction, their Spell lights flickering, but in this chaotic Spiritual Qi environment, their power was greatly diminished, leaving them struggling.

"Great Master, this won't do! Our Spiritual Qi is depleting too quickly!" a Disciple anxiously cried out, his protective spiritual light violently shaking after being grazed by a stream of fire.

"Shut up! Maintain the formation! Look for opportunities to attack their eyes and abdomen!" Blazing Edge roared, forcing back one Lava Lizard with a saber strike, only to be shaken by another's tail whip, his Qi and blood churning.

They had clearly underestimated the dangers of the Ancient Ruins and the harshness of the environment.

Wen Youyi hid behind a rock, calmly observing the battle. He noticed that during intense fighting and Spell casting, Blazing Edge and his companions emitted an extremely faint, almost "signal-boosting" fluctuation. The connection to the invisible "spirit net" became clearer, and the rate of Spiritual Qi loss noticeably accelerated.

"Indeed, the more vigorously one uses Spiritual Qi, the more severely one is 'harvested,'" Wen Youyi realized. In these Ancient Ruins, due to environmental interference, the "spirit net" signal was poor, but if one desperately "sent signals" (used a large amount of Spiritual Qi), it would instead expose oneself and accelerate consumption.

In contrast, the three Lava Lizards seemed naturally adapted to this chaotic environment. Their attacks relied more on their formidable Physical Body and the unstable external Spiritual Qi they could draw upon, while their own core Spiritual Qi fluctuations were very subtle, and they seemed less affected by the "spirit net."

"Interesting..." Wen Youyi mused. Perhaps this revealed some survival technique in this world? Or rather, were these Ancient Ruins creatures themselves an evolutionary direction for "anti-harvesting"?

In the arena, the battle grew increasingly fierce. One Lava Lizard was caught by Blazing Edge's Opportunity, who cleaved it at the relatively vulnerable neck joint, causing it to let out a painful shriek. Dark red blood flowed, and its movements slowed. However, on the Blazing Sun Sect's side, one Disciple, due to insufficient Spiritual Qi, had a gap in his defense and was struck on the thigh by another Lava Lizard's claw. He immediately bled profusely and screamed as he fell to the ground.

The formation was instantly broken!

"Junior Brother Li!" Blazing Edge's eyes were bloodshot; he wanted to rescue him but was firmly entangled by the other two Lava Lizards.

It looked as though the fallen Disciple was about to be devoured by the Lava Lizard's gaping maw.

Just then, an unexpected change occurred!

A jade pendant at the waist of the fallen Disciple suddenly erupted with dazzling red light, forming a solid flame shield that protected him. The Lava Lizard bit into the shield, emitting a grating sound that set teeth on edge, but it couldn't immediately shatter it.

"It's a protective Magical Artifact!" Wang Wu exclaimed softly.

Seeing this, a hint of heartache flashed in Blazing Edge's eyes, but more so, ruthlessness. He knew he couldn't drag this out any longer.

"Go all out! Use 'Blazing Sun Burst'!" Blazing Edge roared, and simultaneously, he and the other two Disciples who could still fight chanted incantations. Fire Spiritual Qi surged wildly around their bodies, even drawing in the surrounding chaotic fire Spiritual Qi, forming three continuously compressing, extremely unstable crimson light spheres!

This attack was clearly immensely powerful, but it required a slightly longer preparation time and consumed a terrifying amount of Spiritual Qi. Wen Youyi could clearly "feel" that the moment they condensed the light spheres, their connection to the "spirit net" suddenly strengthened severalfold, and Spiritual Qi poured out like water from an open floodgate!

"Now!" Wen Youyi's eyes lit up, and he gestured to Zhao Iron Pillar and the others.

They maintained the "Spiritual Power Linkage," like venomous snakes poised to strike.

"Boom! Boom! Boom!"

The three crimson light spheres shot out almost simultaneously, accurately hitting the three Lava Lizards!

Violent explosions rang out, flames shot into the sky, and shattered rocks flew everywhere! The powerful shockwave even reached Wen Youyi's hidden location.

As the smoke and dust cleared, the three Lava Lizards were seen, mangled and bloody, their carapaces shattered, lying motionless on the ground—clearly beyond saving.

As for the four Blazing Sun Sect members, their faces were pale, and their auras were weak, especially the injured Disciple, who had directly fainted. Blazing Edge leaned on his saber, panting heavily, clearly having expended most of his Spiritual Qi in that last attack.

Just as they relaxed their guard, preparing to collect their spoils of war (Lava Lizard carapaces, sharp claws, and other Materials were quite valuable) and treat their companion—

"Move!"

Wen Youyi's voice was like a bugle call to charge!

Five figures shot out from behind the rocks like phantoms!

No shouts, no warnings, only perfectly precise coordination!

Zhao Iron Pillar's target was clear: he lunged directly at the unconscious Disciple and the nearby Disciple in the worst condition, his massive fists descending with a fierce wind!

Wang Wu and Senior Brother Li, meanwhile, tangled with the other two Disciples who still had fighting strength, throwing out Mud Swamp Technique and Entanglement Technique without hesitation, not aiming to injure but only to interfere and restrict!

And Wen Youyi and Senior Brother Zhang, like two shadows, went straight for the core—Blazing Edge!

Blazing Edge had just endured a bitter battle and expended a powerful move, making him at his weakest. He had barely raised his flaming saber when Senior Brother Zhang's Gentle Wind Talisman (standard version) swept dust into his face, while a Mud Swamp that had appeared beneath his feet at some point caused him to falter!

And in that flash of lightning, Wen Youyi had already closed in! He didn't use any Spells; he simply condensed the faint but pure, five-person share of Spiritual Qi gathered within his body through the "Spiritual Power Linkage" onto his fingertip, like a surgical knife, precisely tapping a certain Acupoint on Blazing Edge's wrist that held the saber!

This tap was fast! Accurate! Ruthless!

"Ugh!" Blazing Edge felt a numbness in his wrist, and an extremely cunning force penetrated it, instantly making his entire arm go limp and powerless. His flaming long saber clattered to the ground, slipping from his grasp!

He stared in horror at Wen Youyi, who was now so close. The other's calm, unruffled gaze sent a chill down his spine.

Wen Youyi gave him no chance. His other hand, like a spirit snake emerging from its hole, instantly snatched the Storage Pouch from his waist and the qualification token that served as his proof of identity.

"You..." Blazing Edge had just uttered one word when Wen Youyi swiftly retreated, reuniting with Zhao Iron Pillar and the other four, who had quickly dealt with their respective targets.

The entire process, from ambush to success, took only two or three breaths! Clean, crisp, and flawlessly coordinated!

By the time Blazing Edge and the other two still-standing Blazing Sun Sect Disciples recovered from their shock and weakness, Wen Youyi and The core five people had retreated to a safe distance, watching them coldly.

Blazing Edge looked at his empty waist, then at his unconscious Junior Brother and his terrified companions. An unprecedented sense of humiliation and rage surged within him, making him tremble with anger as he pointed at Wen Youyi: "You... you all... shameless! Taking advantage of others' misfortune!"

Wen Youyi weighed the Storage Pouch in his hand, his tone still calm: "Senior Brother Blazing Edge, Opportunities in the Ancient Ruins are for those with the ability. These words, you said them yourself."

He paused, looking at the other's eyes, which seemed to want to devour him, and added: "As for the Materials from these Lava Lizards, consider it our... hard-earned fee for helping you out."

After speaking, he ignored the other's fiery gaze and gestured.

"Let's go!"

The five figures leaped a few times and then disappeared into the intricate maze of strange rocks, leaving the four Blazing Sun Sect members in the desolate Ancient Ruins, facing a scene of devastation and a heart full of frustration.

Having successfully played the "Oriole," Wen Youyi was in a good mood. More importantly, they had validated the value of "Spiritual Power Linkage" in practical stealth and surprise attacks, and... they had acquired their first "Ancient Ruins windfall."

(End of Chapter)