216: Chapter 216 Heart

A long, ancient horn blast echoed through the vast underground jungle, carrying a strange penetrative power that seemed to act directly upon the soul.

The sound did not resemble anything a modern instrument could produce; it was ancient, solemn, and possessed a metallic texture, as if a war song from the Bronze Age had traversed eons of time to resound once more in this Inner World.

"Pathfinders? Indigenous people?"

Lin Tianyi felt his brain was reaching its limit. Tomb Guardians, traitors, Inner World, the key... He hadn't even fully digested this subversive information, and now a so-called "indigenous people" had appeared?

"Who are they? Are they friend or foe?"

"Hard to say."

Zhang Qilin's gaze became unprecedentedly grave. His hand had already gripped the black gold ancient blade on his back; this was the first time since entering this jungle that he had actively adopted a combat stance.

"In the fragments of memory I've recovered, information about the 'Pathfinders' is very vague; I only know they do not come from our 'present world.' They... are a tribe that drifted into this Inner World through other 'Gates' much earlier."

"They have survived here for countless years and built their own civilization. They call themselves 'Pathfinders' and refer to us, those who came in from outside the 'Gate,' as... 'invaders.'"

Invaders!

This word caused the hearts of Lin Tianyi and Wang Xianzhi to sink instantly.

This meant that not only would they have to face the pursuit of the "Tomb Guardians" traitors, but they might also have to confront the hostility of this world's indigenous people.

Their situation was a hundred times more dangerous than they had imagined!

The horn blasts continued.

Moreover, they were not coming from just one direction.

Soon, horn blasts of response began to sound from all directions in the jungle, rising and falling in succession, echoing one another. It was as if an invisible net was rapidly closing in.

"They have been alerted," Wang Xianzhi judged calmly. "Is it us, or... your 'kinsmen'?"

"Both are possible." Zhang Qilin's gaze swept across the surrounding jungle like a hawk. "The opening of the South Heaven Gate caused a massive energy fluctuation, enough to alert any powerful entity in this world. And the traitors—their style of operation has always been flamboyant; they have likely already clashed with the 'Pathfinders.'"

Just then, the sleeping Fat Guy and Song Yiqing were awakened by the continuous horn blasts.

"What's going on? What's that sound? Is there a play going on?" The Fat Guy rubbed his sleepy eyes, looking bewildered.

Song Yiqing, the moment he woke up, sensed that the atmosphere was wrong. Looking at the three people who were on high alert, and at Zhang Qilin, who had stood up with an entirely different aura, he immediately understood something.

"Xiaoge, you..."

"We'll talk on the way."

Zhang Qilin was concise and immediately issued orders.

"We must leave here immediately! The horn blasts are closing in; this place will soon become a battlefield. Follow me!"

Without the slightest hesitation, he identified the direction and immediately chose the path where the horn blasts were sparsest, rushing into the shadows of the jungle first.

The others did not dare to delay and followed immediately.

Although the Fat Guy hadn't fully grasped the situation, he knew things were urgent. He quickly packed his things, supported the still-weak Song Yiqing, and followed closely behind the group.

While moving rapidly, Lin Tianyi used the briefest language to quickly tell the Fat Guy and Song Yiqing about Zhang Qilin recovering part of his memory, the feud between the Tomb Guardians and the traitors, and the possibility of "indigenous people" existing in this world.

"Holy shit!" After hearing this, the Fat Guy stumbled, nearly falling. "So after all this, we aren't tomb raiding, we're caught in a battle between immortals?! Xiaoge, you... you are actually a legendary figure?!"

Looking at the familiar back running at the very front, he felt both strange and intimate.

Song Yiqing had a look of sudden realization; he finally understood, and all the confusing points along the way now had answers. Zhang Qilin's bloodline, the faint "Dragon Qi" on him, and his resonance with the ancient formations... so that was the root of it.

They traveled rapidly in silence.

The vegetation in this Inner World jungle was far denser and taller than on the surface. Huge ferns, with leaves like palm-leaf fans, blocked out the sky. Unknown vines, like giant pythons, coiled around towering trees; in many places, they even needed to use blades to clear a path.

After running for about ten minutes, Zhang Qilin, who was at the front, suddenly raised his hand. The entire team stopped instantly and quickly hid behind a large, mushroom-shaped plant.

"There are people ahead," Zhang Qilin lowered his voice.

Everyone held their breath and looked forward through the gaps in the plants.

They saw that in a forest clearing about a hundred meters ahead, a standoff was taking place.

One side consisted of seven or eight people wearing black high-tech combat suits and holding uniquely shaped energy weapons. They were well-equipped, their tactical positioning was extremely professional, and they clearly looked like well-trained elites.

On their chests, all of them had a ferocious... dragon head mark, which seemed to be composed of countless twisted runes!

"Traitors!"

Upon seeing that mark, Lin Tianyi's eyes instantly turned blood-red, and his fists clenched until they cracked. It was this group of people who had orchestrated the entire operation and caused the deaths of all his team members!

Opposite them stood another group—the so-called "Pathfinders."

Their appearance was not much different from humans, except that their skin had a slightly pale color from long periods without sunlight, but their physiques were exceptionally tall and burly, with an average height of over two meters.

They wore rugged-style armor made from a mixture of some unknown metal and giant beast leather, and the weapons they held were varied. There were huge battle-axes flickering with energy light, powerful bows capable of firing solid energy arrows, and some people even held things similar to "staves," with glowing crystals embedded at the tips.

Their technological level seemed to be a product... that strangely fused primitive tribal civilization with some kind of unknown energy technology.

Leading them was a "Pathfinder" leader with blue totems painted on his face and holding a giant bone spear. Looking at the traitors opposite, he shouted in a deep voice in an ancient and stiff language, similar to some ancient Sino-Tibetan language:

"Outsiders! Drop your weapons, hand over the 'Sacred Object,' and accept the judgment of 'Mother Earth'! Otherwise, die!"

"Sacred Object?" The leader of the traitors, a man wearing a half-silver mask on his face, let out a cold laugh. "Is this what you're talking about?"

He slowly raised his hand, and in it, he held a rock the size of a human head that was emitting a soft, white light.

The stone was crystal clear, and inside it seemed to be a flowing galaxy, filled with pure and majestic life energy.

The moment he saw that stone, Song Yiqing's expression changed abruptly!

"Xirang?!" He whispered in shock.

"What is that?" the Fat Guy asked in a low voice.

"A divine object recorded in the Classic of Mountains and Seas! The legendary soil that can grow endlessly and nourish all things!" Song Yiqing's voice trembled with excitement. "That is... the core that builds a stable ecological cycle! The existence of this Inner World is very likely based on this piece of 'Xirang'!"

The masked traitor clearly could not understand the other party's language, but he could feel their hostility and their desire for this "Sacred Object."

"A bunch of rats living in the dark dare to make demands of us?" He said contemptuously, then spoke in standard Mandarin to the air, as if speaking to someone in the distance:

"Zhang Qilin, I know you're nearby."

"The taste of pulling out the 'Dragon-Slaying Nail' wasn't pleasant, was it? Your memory should have recovered some."

"Stop hiding. Hand over the 'key,' and this piece of 'Xirang' will be yours. With it, your body, which is on the verge of collapse, might be able to last a few more years."

"Otherwise... do you think that with these 'ants' from the surface, you can escape from our grasp?"

His voice was not loud, but it clearly spread throughout the entire forest area and reached the ears of Zhang Qilin and his group.

This was a blatant open conspiracy!

He not only exposed Zhang Qilin's position but also tried to use the 'Xirang' to shake his heart, while simultaneously completely intensifying the conflict between the 'Pathfinders' and Zhang Qilin!

Sure enough, after hearing his words, the 'Pathfinder' leader's gaze immediately swept toward the direction where Zhang Qilin and his group were hiding, like a sharp sword!

"So, there are accomplices!"

He raised the bone spear in his hand high and let out an earth-shattering roar:

"For Mother Earth! Kill these damned invaders! Take back the Sacred Object!"

"Roar—!!!"

All the 'Pathfinder' warriors roared in unison, and the totems on their bodies and the crystals on their weapons instantly erupted with dazzling light!

A three-way melee was on the verge of breaking out!

"Do it!"

The masked traitor did not hesitate in the slightest and gave the order to his subordinates.

*Chi, chi, chi!*

Several high-energy particle beams shot out from their weapons, instantly burning the bodies of the two 'Pathfinder' warriors charging at the front into charcoal!

The 'Pathfinders' were also fearless; their archers fired energy arrows like meteors, and the warriors with giant axes charged like heavy tanks!

"What do we do?!" The Fat Guy was sweating profusely. "Now both sides are treating us as enemies!"

Lin Tianyi also quickly analyzed the battlefield situation: "The traitors have too much firepower, and the 'Pathfinders' are numerous and familiar with the terrain. No matter which side we help, there is no benefit for us!"

"We won't help either side."

Zhang Qilin's voice was terrifyingly calm.

He looked at the battlefield ahead that had completely fallen into chaos, and at the masked traitor holding the 'Xirang,' a sharp murderous intent flashing in his pitch-black eyes.

"Their target is me and the 'key'."

"And my target..."

He paused, his gaze falling on the 'Xirang' emitting pure life energy.

"Is it."

His body was currently on the verge of collapse from forcibly invoking the Dragon Might and removing the 'Dragon-Slaying Nail.' He knew better than anyone that without external help, let alone fighting the traitors, he might not even be able to survive the next battle.

And that piece of 'Xirang' was his... only hope for recovering his strength!

"Lin Tianyi, Wang Xianzhi!"

He quickly issued orders.

"I need you to help me create chaos, the bigger the better!"

"Fat Guy, Song Yiqing, you two find an opportunity to flank around from the side and prepare to provide support!"

After speaking, his entire body lowered slightly, like a leopard coiled and ready to strike.

He was going to snatch the prey from the jaws of the tiger in the gap between the two forces!

He was going to seize that piece... the 'heart' that belonged to this world, on this chaotic battlefield!