17: Chapter 17 Desperate Situation

Lin Wan and the other three fled a hundred miles, found a hidden crevice, set up several layers of concealment and warning Formations, and finally caught their breath.

Deep in the crevice, Lin Wan sat cross-legged, holding the jade bottle of wu earth marrow. He circulated both the Great Five Elements Sword Art and the Five Elements Body Refining technique, slowly absorbing the viscous, heavy spiritual power of the wu earth marrow.

With every bit absorbed, the dark golden drop of earth-attribute spiritual liquid in his Dantian grew stronger and more solid, while his flesh and bones felt a strange sensation of numbness and comfort as they were nourished and tempered by the wu earth marrow spiritual power; his injuries healed rapidly and his wu earth body steadily improved.

Han Lingtian, Third Senior Brother Lei Meng, and Xu Feng also took Medicinal Pills to heal and meditated silently.

They were heavily injured, especially Third Senior Brother Lei Meng and Han Lingtian, who had withstood multiple heavy blows from the Vicious Beast lizard king, damaging their internal organs and cracking their Meridians. It would likely take half a month to fully recover.

But with crises lurking and strong enemies surrounding them, they didn't have that much time.

Half a day later, Lin Wan finished his cultivation first.

He had absorbed nearly half of the wu earth marrow. Not only had he recovered from the previous battle and the consumption of refining the Dragon spirit, but his earth-attribute spiritual power had surged, his Five Elements Dao base was more harmonious and stable, and he had faintly touched the Peak of the Foundation Establishment Early Stage.

His Physical Body strength had also improved significantly; the jade-like luster beneath his skin was subdued but gave an impression of being as immovable and indestructible as a mountain.

He estimated that relying solely on his Physical Body, the Spells of ordinary Foundation Establishment Early Stage Cultivators could hardly hurt him.

Opening his eyes, he saw his three Senior Brothers were still healing. Though their breathing was stable, their faces remained pale.

Lin Wan felt heavy-hearted. The road ahead would likely be even harder.

Ghost Hand Daoist, Elder Sun, Elder Zhou—three Golden Core Cultivators, plus their Disciples, Puppets, and Spirit Beasts... This force was certainly not something four Foundation Establishment Early Stage and Middle Stage Cultivators could contend with.

"We must contact Revered Master as soon as possible, or... find another way out," Lin Wan pondered.

He took out the thousand-mile sound transmission conch and tried to input spiritual power.

From the conch came clearer noise and intermittent human voices; it seemed the people from Spirit Beast Mountain and the Yin Kui Sect were frequently communicating and were not too far away.

"... Those four brats from Tianjian Peak... can't escape..."

"... Five Elements Intersection... key..."

"... Senior Ghost Hand has already set up a net... just waiting for them to walk into the trap..."

The intermittent words confirmed Lin Wan's guess. The enemy was indeed laying an ambush at the Five Elements Intersection, and their goal was clear: to capture him, the "key," to open the so-called Five Elements Sect ruins.

"The key... is it because I have a Five Elements Foundation Establishment, and my spiritual power attributes match?" Lin Wan frowned.

This ruin was likely more of a curse than a blessing. But now that he was the target, there was no avoiding it.

He put away the transmission conch and looked at his three Senior Brothers. Han Lingtian happened to open his eyes, and their gazes met, both seeing the gravity in each other's eyes.

"Junior Brother, how is the situation?" Xu Feng also finished his meditation and asked, his complexion still poor.

"Not good." Lin Wan relayed the fragments he had heard and his own deductions.

"Three Golden Core Cultivators... Damn it, they are trying to force us to our deaths!" Third Senior Brother Lei Meng cursed angrily, which aggravated his injuries, causing him to cough up a mouthful of stagnant blood.

"The Five Elements Intersection, it seems we cannot go there," Xu Feng said in a deep voice.

"The only plan now is to try to leave the Secret Realm or hide here and wait for the Secret Realm to close. But since they have set up a net, they probably won't let us leave easily. Hiding... although this place is large, it is not a long-term solution under the Divine Sense searches and tracking techniques of Golden Core Cultivators."

"To leave the Secret Realm, we must wait for the entrance to open again, which is another twenty days or so. Hiding is not a good strategy either," Han Lingtian's voice was cold.

"Rather than sit and wait for death, it is better to take the initiative."

"Take the initiative? What does Second Senior Brother mean..." Lin Wan looked at him.

"They want to capture Junior Brother to act as the key to open the ruins. Then we will play along." A flash of severity crossed Han Lingtian's eyes.

"Junior Brother, you have a keen sense for Five Elements Spiritual Qi. Can you find the specific location of the ruins?"

"The ruins are at the core of the Five Elements Intersection. The Five Elements Spiritual Qi there is chaotic and violent, and there is a natural Formation covering it. I'm afraid it won't be easy to find," Lin Wan recalled the map and rumors.

"It doesn't matter. We don't need to find the ruins; we only need to make them 'believe' that we have found the ruins and are preparing to open them," Han Lingtian smiled coldly. "Set a trap, and counter-kill."

"Lure the snake out of its hole and eliminate them one by one?" Xu Feng's eyes lit up.

"Exactly. Although they have three Golden Core Cultivators, they are not a monolith and each has their own agenda. We can create a false impression, leak the 'location' of the ruins to one party, lure them into conflict with the other two parties, or lure them into a trap we have pre-set. Then, we might be able to escape in the Chaos, or even... bite back," Han Lingtian's Killing Intent was awe-inspiring.

Lin Wan was moved. Although this plan was risky, it was the only way to fight for a glimmer of survival in this desperate situation.

Moreover, he had some ideas about the environment of the Five Elements Intersection and the capabilities of his own Five Elements Dao base.

"I can try to set up a 'fake' ruin entrance, simulating the Five Elements Spiritual Qi riot and Formation fluctuations. It should be able to fool them for a while. But it will take time, and it will require a large amount of Five Elements spiritual objects to maintain," Lin Wan said.

"Five Elements spiritual objects... we already have quite a few. Gold, Wood, Water, Fire, Earth—you have obtained the Essence of Geng Metal, heart of wood, Spirit of Gui Water, Crystal of Li Fire, and wu earth marrow. Plus what we gained from killing Yao Beasts and looting, it should be enough," Xu Feng took stock.

"The location needs to be chosen on the edge of the Five Elements Intersection. It is both reasonable and convenient for us to set up and retreat," Han Lingtian looked at Lin Wan.

"Junior Brother, your sense of the Five Elements is the sharpest, so you will lead this matter. Third Senior Brother Lei Meng, Xu Feng, and I will be responsible for setting traps, keeping watch, and... covering our retreat when necessary."

He said the words "covering our retreat" calmly, but with a sense of determination. Clearly, he had already prepared for the worst.

Lin Wan felt warmth in his heart, but also felt heavy. He shook his head: "No, if we leave, we leave together. If anyone covers the retreat, it should be me, the 'key.' They might not kill me immediately."

"Alright, stop arguing," Xu Feng interrupted. "First, let's leave this place and find a suitable place to set up. Time is tight; we need to complete it before the enemies find us."

The four said nothing more, quickly packed up, erased their tracks, and with Lin Wan sensing the flow of Five Elements Spiritual Qi, they quietly sneaked toward the edge of the Five Elements Intersection.

The Five Elements Intersection is located at the center of the Secret Realm and is a strange area spanning hundreds of miles.

Here, the Five Elements Spiritual Qi is chaotic to the extreme: sometimes gold and iron clash, and Sword Qi runs rampant; sometimes ancient trees tower, and vines grow wildly; sometimes weak water floods, and ice is piercingly cold; sometimes earth fire gushes, and lava flows; sometimes sand and stones fly, and the earth shakes.

Various attribute Spiritual Qi storms and natural disasters erupt randomly here, making it extremely dangerous. But it is also the place where the most and highest-quality Five Elements spiritual objects are nurtured.

Lin Wan and the other three were cautious, avoiding the raging Five Elements turbulence, and it took them a full day to reach the edge of the intersection.

They chose a relatively hidden canyon where the rock walls on both sides showed strange five-colored hues.

Although the Five Elements Spiritual Qi in the valley was chaotic, the intensity was relatively mild, and the terrain was complex, making it convenient for hiding and setting up.

"This is the place," after careful sensing, Lin Wan made his decision.

He took out the Essence of Geng Metal, heart of wood, Spirit of Gui Water, Crystal of Li Fire, wu earth marrow, and a large number of other Five Elements attribute Spiritual Plants and Ore.

He began to set up deep in the canyon, following a secret technique recorded in the Great Five Elements Sword Art for simulating Five Elements circulation and creating Spiritual Qi anomalies.

He used his own blood as a guide and Five Elements Spiritual Qi as a pen to carve complex and mysterious Five Elements Formation patterns on the selected rock walls.

With every stroke, he embedded the corresponding Five Elements spiritual object.

For the Metal-attribute area, he used the Essence of Geng Metal as the core, supplemented by Black Iron Ore; for the Wood-attribute area, he used the heart of wood as the core and planted catalytic Spiritual Plant seeds; for the Water-attribute area, he used the Spirit of Gui Water as the core and channeled underground undercurrents; for the Fire-attribute area, he used the Crystal of Li Fire as the core and ignited the earth fire; for the Earth-attribute area, he used the wu earth marrow as the core and gathered the energy of the earth veins.

As the last Formation pattern was finished, the five Formation eyes lit up with blinding light simultaneously.

Gold, green, blue, red, and yellow—five-colored brilliance shot into the sky, interweaving and rotating above the canyon, forming a huge, slowly rotating five-colored vortex!

Within the vortex, faint phantoms of pavilions and immortal birds and beasts flashed, emitting an ancient, vast, yet chaotic and violent Five Elements aura, which was seven or eight tenths similar to the scene of the real Five Elements Sect ruins opening!

Even better, this five-colored vortex drew on the already chaotic Five Elements Spiritual Qi around it, causing the Spiritual Qi in the entire canyon to become completely violent.

Spiritual Qi storms and natural disasters of various attributes occurred frequently, with power sufficient to threaten Foundation Establishment Cultivators.

From a distance, this place looked as if the ruins were about to appear, triggering heaven and earth anomalies.

"It's done!" Lin Wan's face was pale, his breath weak.

Setting up this Formation had almost exhausted his newly recovered Spiritual Qi and Divine Soul power. But his eyes were shining.

"This Formation can last for three days. After three days, the spiritual objects will be exhausted, and the Formation will collapse on its own. It's enough to lure them over."

"Good! Next, it's about how to 'leak' the news," Xu Feng said.

"Use this," Lin Wan took out the thousand-mile sound transmission conch, a cold sneer on his face. "Since they like to eavesdrop, let's give them a big gift."

He mimicked the voice and tone of a Spirit Beast Mountain Disciple he had heard earlier, and spoke into the transmission conch in a panicked, excited, and deliberately lowered voice to "transmit the message":

"Senior Brother Sun! Senior Brother Sun! We are at the southeast edge of the Five Elements Intersection and have discovered strong anomalies! Five colors are shooting into the sky, and there are phantoms of ancient buildings. It is suspected that the entrance to the ruins has opened early! Those four from Tianjian Peak seem to be lurking nearby too! Requesting immediate reinforcements! Repeat, requesting immediate reinforcements!"

After speaking, he smashed the transmission conch hard against the rock wall, causing it to shatter, but left some fragments behind, disguised as if it had been dropped and damaged in a hurry.

At the same time, he also left some traces of "hurried evacuation" nearby, as well as a faint trace of Spiritual Qi residue belonging to the Tianjian Peak Cultivation Technique.

"Next, it's just waiting," Han Lingtian said coldly.

Together with Third Senior Brother Lei Meng and Xu Feng, he set up several killing Formations, trapping Formations, and escape routes in the hidden areas around the canyon.

Lin Wan took the time to consume Medicinal Pills to recover his Spiritual Qi while familiarizing himself with the power that had surged due to the wu earth marrow and Dragon Qi Body Refining.

Time passed second by second in tense waiting.

One hour, two hours...

The sun set and the moon rose; the light in the Secret Realm dimmed, but the five-colored vortex above the canyon remained dazzling, attracting countless prying eyes.

Finally, near the hour of the Rat (midnight), several powerful auras quietly approached the canyon from different directions.

They were here!

Lin Wan and the other three held their breath, hiding within the pre-arranged Formations, observing the outside world through a recording stone.

The first to arrive was Elder Sun and his party from Spirit Beast Mountain.

Elder Sun stepped on a giant wolf that was silver-white all over and had wings on its back, followed by three Foundation Establishment Disciples and several Spirit Beasts.

Seeing the five-colored vortex above the canyon and the faint phantoms within from afar, his eyes suddenly erupted with burning greed.

"Sure enough! The ruin entrance! Hahaha, Heaven helps me!" Elder Sun laughed, but did not immediately rush into the canyon.

Instead, he cautiously released several Spirit Beasts with keen senses to scout the periphery.

Soon, the Spirit Beasts discovered the "dropped" transmission conch fragments and the "hurried" traces.

"It seems that the Disciples under my command did indeed discover this place, but they may have been scared away by the people from Tianjian Peak or have met with misfortune," a Disciple said in a low voice.

"The brats from Tianjian Peak are lucky to have found this place. However, it just happens to make a wedding dress for this old man," Elder Sun sneered, his eyes sweeping over the canyon.

"The Spiritual Qi here is violent, and the ruin entrance seems unstable. We need to enter as soon as possible to avoid long delays."

He was about to give the order to enter when suddenly, a sinister laugh came from another direction.

"Fellow Daoist Sun, such a good thing, how can you enjoy it alone? Those who see it have a share."

Black mist surged, and Ghost Hand Daoist appeared like a ghost with two Disciples and three Puppets.

He looked greedily at the five-colored vortex, a smile squeezed onto his gaunt face: "This ruin seems to require a special 'key' to open. Fellow Daoist Sun, where is the key?"

Elder Sun's face sank: "Fellow Daoist Ghost Hand, what do you mean by this? This place was discovered by the Disciples of my Spirit Beast Mountain first!"

"So what if you discovered it? If you can't open it, it's just a flower in a mirror," Ghost Hand Daoist chuckled, "Besides, Fellow Daoist Zhou has also arrived. Why not listen to his opinion?"

As soon as he finished speaking, Elder Zhou of Heavenly Array Peak also appeared with a gloomy face, bringing two Disciples.

His gaze swept across the canyon, lingering for a moment on the "hurried" traces and Spiritual Qi residues, and the Killing Intent in his eyes grew even stronger.

"The feud of Zhou Yiming, and this ruin, are inseparable from Tianjian Peak. Fellow Daoist Sun, Fellow Daoist Ghost Hand, since you are both here, why not join forces, enter the ruins first, and then discuss the distribution. As for those few brats from Tianjian Peak, they must be hiding nearby, waiting for an opportunity. We can just happen to catch turtles in a jar."

The three parties, each with their own ulterior motives, formed a subtle standoff outside the canyon.

Obviously, no one was willing to let the other take the lead, but they were also wary of the dangers of the ruins and the four from Tianjian Peak who might be hiding.

Lin Wan and the other three, who were observing in secret, had their hearts in their throats.

The first step of the plan, luring the snake out of the hole, had succeeded.

But how to make these three poisonous snakes tear at each other, or step into the trap, was the key.

"It seems we need to add fuel to the fire," Lin Wan said in a low voice, giving Xu Feng a look.

Xu Feng understood and quietly manipulated the fake ruin Formation deep in the canyon.

Suddenly, the five-colored vortex accelerated its rotation, the phantoms of ancient buildings within became clearer, and even a faint, desolate Dao sound that seemed to come from ancient times was emitted.

At the same time, the Five Elements Spiritual Qi storm within the canyon suddenly intensified, and streaks of golden spears, vines, ice cones, fireballs, and meteorites bombarded the outside of the canyon indiscriminately!

"The ruins are about to open completely! The entrance is absorbing Five Elements Spiritual Qi to stabilize itself!" Elder Zhou exclaimed.

"Can't wait anymore! If we wait any longer, the entrance might stabilize, or it might collapse! We must enter immediately!" Elder Sun was also anxious.

Ghost Hand Daoist's eyes flickered with a ghostly light, and he suddenly laughed sinisterly, "Since everyone is in such a hurry to enter, then let us rely on our own abilities. However, before we go in, shouldn't we first clear out the rats hiding in the shadows?"

Before he had even finished speaking, one of the three Puppets shrouded in gray mist suddenly turned its head. Its hollow eye sockets "looked" in the general direction where Lin Wan and his three companions were hiding, and it opened its mouth to spew a grayish beam of light, carrying intense corrosion and Death Qi, blasting it toward that rock wall!

"We've been discovered!" Lin Wan felt a jolt in his heart. This Ghost Hand Daoist was indeed cunning and cautious, having been using a secret technique to scout the surroundings all along.

"Attack!" Han Lingtian shouted explosively. Having long been prepared, his blood-red Sword Qi soared into the sky, shattering the gray beam of light. Third Senior Brother Lei Meng and Xu Feng also struck simultaneously; lightning and vines intertwined, attacking Ghost Hand Daoist and his group.

Since they could not hide, then they would fight! Furthermore, they had to thoroughly muddy the waters!

"So they were here! Kill them!" Upon seeing this, Elder Sun and Elder Zhou were not alarmed but delighted. It was more reassuring to have the people from Tianjian Peak reveal themselves than to have them hiding in the shadows. Moreover, this was the perfect opportunity to capture, kill, or expel them in one fell swoop.

The silver wolf beneath Elder Sun's feet let out a long howl and transformed into a streak of silver light, pouncing toward Han Lingtian. Elder Zhou formed hand seals, instantly laying down several layers of trapping and killing Formations around them, intending to wipe out Lin Wan and the other three in one net. Ghost Hand Daoist's three Puppets also moved simultaneously; two pounced toward Third Senior Brother Lei Meng and Xu Feng, while one headed straight for Lin Wan, clearly having identified him as the "key."

The great battle erupted in an instant!

Outside the canyon, the Five Elements Spiritual Qi was already violent, and now it was further augmented by the light of countless Spells, Sword Qi, and Magic Treasures. The sounds of explosions, beast roars, and the clashing of metal were incessant, creating a chaotic scene.

Facing the Foundation Establishment Middle Stage Puppet that was pouncing toward him, Lin Wan's expression was solemn. This Puppet was even more powerful than the Yin Kui Sect Puppets he had encountered before. Its entire body was shrouded in gray mist; its movements were stiff yet it possessed immense strength. Its fingernails were pitch-black and gleaming, carrying deadly poison and corpse baleful Qi, and it would occasionally spew gray poisonous fire from its mouth, making it difficult to defend against.

He dared not be careless. He activated his Wu Earth Body, his skin taking on a jade-like luster. The Wu Earth Sword Qi flickered on his Flowing Light Sword, and he parried with the Puppet using a profound and steady swordsmanship. At the same time, he secretly attached a wisp of Divine Sense to the Puppet, quietly investigating its structure.

On the other side, Han Lingtian fought Elder Sun and his silver wolf alone. Although he was at a disadvantage, his blood-red Sword Qi was incomparably sharp and fearless, so for a time, he did not actually fall behind. Third Senior Brother Lei Meng and Xu Feng joined forces to confront one Puppet and two Disciples from Spirit Beast Mountain, barely holding their ground.

But everyone knew this was only temporary. The opposing side had three Golden Core Elders who had not yet truly unleashed their full power; they were merely restraining each other while observing the situation. Once they decided to deal with the people from Tianjian Peak first, the battle situation would collapse instantly.

"I must make them fight each other!" Lin Wan felt anxious. While entangled in battle with the Puppet, he observed the movements of the three Golden Core Cultivators.

Ghost Hand Daoist, Elder Sun, and Elder Zhou appeared to be surrounding and attacking Tianjian Peak, but in reality, each harbored their own intentions, holding back in their attacks and occasionally glancing at the five-colored vortex, clearly more concerned with the ruins.

An opportunity!

A fierce look flashed in Lin Wan's eyes. He suddenly exposed a flaw and was struck on the shoulder by the Puppet's palm. He let out a muffled groan and, using the force of the blow, his body flew backward "in a sorry state" like a kite with a broken string, heading toward the direction of the five-colored vortex. He even "spat" out a mouthful of blood, his aura appearing "withered."

"The key is trying to run!" Ghost Hand Daoist's eyes narrowed. He could no longer care about anything else; his body transformed into a wisp of black smoke and he lunged straight at Lin Wan. His withered, ghostly claws tore through the air, reaching for Lin Wan's back. He wanted to capture him before Lin Wan could "escape into" the ruins.

"Ghost Hand! Don't even think about hogging it all for yourself!" Seeing this, Elder Sun also became anxious. Abandoning Han Lingtian, his silver wolf roared and intercepted Ghost Hand Daoist. Elder Zhou also let out a cold snort, and the light of his Formation flared, trapping Ghost Hand.

The fragile balance between the three was instantly shattered by this "unexpected" move from Lin Wan! In order to compete for the "key," they finally shifted from restraining each other to direct conflict!

"Now is the time!" Lin Wan shouted inwardly. In the instant before he was about to be grabbed by Ghost Hand's ghostly claws, his figure twisted strangely. He pushed Floating Light Sweeping Shadow to its limit, narrowly avoiding the claw wind. At the same time, he struck back with his sword, the five-colored Sword Qi transforming into a stunning rainbow. It was not aimed at Ghost Hand, but rather it struck a hidden Formation eye beneath the five-colored vortex that he had previously set up!

"Boom—!!!"

The Formation eye was detonated, and the fake ruins Formation lost control prematurely! The five-colored vortex suddenly expanded and twisted, and the massive amount of Five Elements Spiritual Qi contained within lost its balance and erupted violently! The destructive energy of the five attributes—Metal, Wood, Water, Fire, and Earth—like wild horses breaking free from their reins, poured out crazily in all directions indiscriminately! The entire canyon was instantly engulfed by the tidal wave of five-colored energy!

"Not good! We've been tricked!"

"This is not the entrance to the ruins! It's a trap!"

Ghost Hand, Sun, and Zhou's expressions changed drastically. In their haste, they could no longer care about capturing Lin Wan and hurriedly unleashed their strongest defensive means to resist this sudden, massive explosion of Five Elements energy.

Meanwhile, as Lin Wan struck that sword blow, he had already followed the pre-planned route, his figure like lightning, rushing toward a crack on the other side of the canyon where space was relatively weak, which he had already scouted. Han Lingtian, Third Senior Brother Lei Meng, and Xu Feng had also received the signal long ago, each shaking off their opponents and retreating rapidly toward the designated direction.

"Want to run? Stay!" Ghost Hand Daoist was furious. Disregarding the impact of the energy tidal wave, his ghostly claws surged, piercing through the chaotic five-colored spiritual light, and still reached toward Lin Wan. Elder Sun's silver wolf also spat out a beam of silver light, and Elder Zhou's Formation also descended to cover them once more.

"Second Senior Brother, Third Senior Brother, Fourth Senior Brother, you go first!" Lin Wan gritted his teeth and turned around, pouring all the Spiritual Qi in his body, along with the sliver he had just recovered, entirely into his Flowing Light Sword. On the sword body, the five-colored brilliance was more intense than ever before. Metal, Wood, Water, Fire, and Earth—the Five Elements Spiritual Qi no longer circulated, but instead, in a resolute and tragic manner, forcibly collided, compressed, and fused!

This was a forbidden killing move he had conceived while deducing the Great Five Elements Sword Art, one that transcended his own Realm—Five Elements Annihilation! At the cost of the collapse of his Five Elements Dao foundation, it instantly erupted with destructive energy far exceeding his own by several, or even ten, times. Once unleashed, at best it would damage his Dao foundation and cause his cultivation to regress, and at worst, it would lead to death and the dissipation of his soul.

But at this moment, he had no other choice.

"Five Elements Annihilation!"

With a low roar, as if he had used up all his strength, the Flowing Light Sword flew from his hand, transforming into a gray sphere of light only the size of a fist. Yet, it contained within it Chaos, destruction, and a feeling as if it were about to reopen the world, meeting the incoming ghostly claws, silver light, and Formation.

There was no sound, and no explosion of light. Wherever the gray sphere of light passed, space seemed to be wiped away by an invisible hand, leaving behind a trail of absolute nothingness. The moment the ghostly claws, silver light, and Formation touched the sphere, they melted like ice and snow, silently annihilating and vanishing.

Ghost Hand Daoist, Elder Sun, and Elder Zhou simultaneously let out muffled groans, looks of horror flashing across their faces. They were actually forced to retreat repeatedly by the destructive aura of that gray sphere of light, not daring to take it head-on.

Taking this opportunity, Lin Wan endured the excruciating pain of his Meridians tearing and his Dantian feeling as if it were about to shatter, along with the sensation of his Divine Soul being almost completely drained. Using his last ounce of strength, he rushed into that spatial crack.

"Pursue!" Ghost Hand Daoist's face was livid, and he was about to give chase.

"Boom—!!!"

However, the fake ruins Formation completely collapsed, and the accumulated Five Elements energy finally reached its limit, exploding violently! A five-colored energy storm, ten times more intense than before, instantly swept across the entire canyon, engulfing everything within it. Ghost Hand Daoist and the other two had no choice but to retreat again, defending with all their might.

When the energy storm subsided slightly, where could there be any sign of Lin Wan and the other three? Even that spatial crack had twisted, closed, and vanished in the explosion.

Inside the canyon, it was a scene of utter devastation. The fake ruins Formation was gone, leaving only ashes on the ground after the spiritual materials had been exhausted. The three Golden Core Elders, as well as the Disciples, Spirit Beasts, and Puppets under their command, were all more or less injured, their expressions extremely ugly.

The cooked duck had flown away. Not only had it flown away, but they had also been played, suffering no small losses.

"Tianjian Peak... Lin Wan..." Ghost Hand Daoist gritted his teeth, the Killing Intent in his eyes almost solidifying. "Very good, very good! Once we leave the Secret Realm, I will certainly refine you into a Ghost Puppet with my own hands, extract your soul, refine your spirit, and ensure you never reincarnate for all eternity!"

Elder Sun and Elder Zhou also had faces as dark as water. This time, not only had they gained nothing, but they had also lost personnel, cracks had appeared in their relationships with Heavenly Array Peak and Yin Kui Sect, and worse, they had let those four juniors from Tianjian Peak escape. It was truly a case of losing both the wife and the soldiers.

"They cannot have escaped far; they must still be in the Secret Realm. Block the exit of the Five Elements Intersection, and search every inch! Even if we have to dig three feet into the ground, we must find them!" Elder Zhou said coldly.

However, what they did not know was that Lin Wan and the other three had not escaped far, or rather, they had not escaped in the direction they had anticipated.

That spatial crack was not formed naturally. Instead, it was a "shortcut" that Lin Wan had barely managed to find while scouting earlier, by combining his Wu Earth Body's sensitivity to the earth's veins and the interference of Five Elements Spiritual Qi on spatial fluctuations. It was extremely unstable and connected to a natural cave deep underground. The crack twisted and closed during the explosion, but instead, it had sent them deeper and into a more hidden underground location.

At this moment, hundreds of zhang deep underground, in a naturally formed cave filled with stalactites.

Lin Wan's face was as pale as gold paper, his breath as thin as a gossamer thread. He lay on the cold ground, covered in blood, his aura weak to the extreme. Forcibly unleashing "Five Elements Annihilation" had almost drained him of everything. The Five Elements Dao foundation within his Dantian was dim, covered in cracks, and seemed as if it would collapse at any moment. His Meridians were broken inch by inch, his Divine Soul was severely wounded, and his consciousness was blurred.

Han Lingtian, Third Senior Brother Lei Meng, and Xu Feng were in slightly better condition, but each was also severely injured. They gathered around Lin Wan, their faces full of anxiety.

"Junior Brother! Hold on!" Xu Feng hurriedly and clumsily stuffed the best healing Medicinal Pill he had on him into Lin Wan's mouth, and then, using his own gentle Wood Spiritual Qi, carefully combed through Lin Wan's chaotic Meridians.

"This place... is not suitable for staying long... they... will find us soon..." Lin Wan used all his strength to say intermittently, his vision blacking out in waves.

"I know. Don't speak for now, stabilize your injuries." Xu Feng said with red eyes, inputting more Spiritual Qi into Lin Wan's body.

Han Lingtian silently checked Lin Wan's injuries, his expression growing increasingly grim. His Dao foundation was on the verge of collapse, his Meridians were completely severed, his Divine Soul was severely wounded... With injuries like these, even if he could be saved, his cultivation would likely be ruined, and it might even damage his very foundation, greatly reducing his Lifespan.

"It is I... who have implicated... my Senior Brothers..." Lin Wan's consciousness became increasingly blurred, his heart filled with unwillingness and longing for his family. Ruyan, Qing Yao, his unborn child... He had promised to return...

No, he could not die here!

A strong desire to survive allowed his remaining consciousness to erupt with its final strength. He struggled to communicate with the System in his mind—this was his last hope.

"System... save... me..."

[Detected that the host is in critical condition, Dao foundation is collapsing, and Divine Soul is severely wounded. Meets the conditions for emergency rescue.]

[Activating emergency rescue plan: Consume all remaining Fortune Points (2000 points) to redeem one "Life Creation Pill (Damaged)." It can preserve the host's life, stabilize the Dao foundation, and repair some damage. Do you wish to redeem?]

"Re...deem..."

[Redemption successful.]

An emerald green Medicinal Pill, the size of a dragon's eye, exuding immense vitality and profound Dao charm, appeared out of thin air in Lin Wan's mouth. It dissolved instantly upon contact, transforming into a warm, vast, and endless torrent of medicinal power that instantly surged throughout his entire body.

Wherever this medicinal power passed, his severed Meridians were forcibly reconnected and nourished. His dim and fractured Dao foundation was wrapped and repaired by a gentle yet tenacious force, and his severely wounded Divine Soul was also soothed and stabilized. Although he was still far from a full recovery, that fatal trend of collapse was finally halted. Lin Wan's aura also stabilized slightly; although still weak, it was at least no longer like a candle flame that could be extinguished at any moment.

"Cough, cough..." He coughed up a few mouthfuls of stagnant blood. His complexion improved slightly, and he struggled to open his eyes, meeting the faces of his three Senior Brothers who were full of surprise and worry.

"For now... I won't die..." He smiled weakly.

The three of them finally breathed a sigh of relief, but their hearts remained suspended. Although the medicinal power of the Life Creation Pill was strong, Lin Wan's injuries were too severe; it could only sustain his life and repair the most fatal damage. The cracks in his Dao foundation, the fragility of his Meridians, and the trauma to his Divine Soul all required a long time and rare treasures to slowly recuperate. Moreover, their crisis had not yet been resolved.

"We must leave this place as soon as possible and find an absolutely safe location for Junior Brother to recuperate." Xu Feng said in a deep voice.

"The outside must be blocked. We can only head deeper underground and see if we can find another way out, or... wait for the Secret Realm to close and be automatically teleported out." Han Lingtian said.

"Then what are we waiting for? Let's go!" Third Senior Brother Lei Meng gritted his teeth and prepared to carry Lin Wan on his back.

However, just at this moment, deep within the cave, in the previously silent darkness, two eerie, emerald green lights like ghost fires suddenly lit up. A terrifying aura that was cold, decaying, yet as vast as an abyss, like an ancient Vicious Beast that had been sleeping, slowly began to awaken.

"How many years has it been... Finally... there are living creatures... delivered to my doorstep again..."

An old, hoarse voice, as if it had come from the Nine Serenities Underworld, echoed eerily in the cave.

The four of them instantly felt as if they had fallen into an ice cellar, their hair standing on end all over their bodies.

There was actually a living creature deep in this cave?! And this aura... far exceeded the Golden Core Realm! Could it be... an old monster at the Nascent Soul Stage?! Or some kind of Vicious Beast spirit left over from ancient times?

Pursuers in front, and a "dead" end behind.

Could it be that Heaven truly wants to destroy me?