326: embers gather fuel

A pillar of ghostly blue light pierced straight into the night sky like a wedge driven between heaven and earth, forcibly prying open this chaotic darkness.

Above the ruins of Bing Seven, the originally violent and rampaging Spiritual Qi flow field underwent a bizarre distortion due to the appearance of this light pillar.

Within three zhang of the light pillar, the air became as thick as glue, and countless tiny electric arcs leaped across the ground, crackling and popping.

A few stray Dark-Gold Hunter Insects tentatively approached. As soon as their sensitive antennae entered the radiation range of the light pillar, they jerked back as if struck by lightning, emitting anxious hisses from their mouthparts. It wasn't because the light pillar possessed such powerful lethality, but rather because the extremely chaotic, constantly collapsing, and recombining spiritual power turbulence within the pillar caused these insects, which relied on sensing Spiritual Qi fluctuations, to feel instinctive fear.

Su Ming stood directly beneath the pillar of light.

His face was as pale as paper, a sign of weakness following the depletion of his essence blood.

He didn't look at the red eyes lurking and peeking in the darkness. Instead, he crouched down and, using his finger as a brush, dipped it into the blood seeping from the corner of his mouth to quickly sketch on the rubble-strewn ground around the light pillar.

As his fingertips brushed across the rough ground, scraping his skin and flesh, he remained completely oblivious.

"Micro-Dust Labyrinth Array."

This was a basic obfuscation array, but in Su Ming's hands, those simple lines were imbued with extremely tricky angles. He utilized the overloaded Spiritual Pressure emitted by the light pillar itself as an energy source, weaving these lines into a constantly shifting maze.

"Disciple, this light is too bright."

In the Sea of Consciousness, Lin Yu's voice was uncharacteristically devoid of banter, carrying a hint of gravity instead. "We're like holding a torch in a pitch-black forest. Those who come might not be reinforcements, but more likely hungry wolves."

"That's still better than freezing to death in the dark."

Su Ming didn't even look up as his fingertip finished the final stroke.

Buzz.

The ground vibrated slightly, and a thin layer of gray mist rose around the light pillar, slightly obscuring the piercing ghostly blue light, making it hazy and blurred.

The moment the array was completed, a series of hurried and chaotic footsteps echoed from the shadows of the ruins to the east.

It was the sound of boot soles crushing rubble, accompanied by heavy breathing and suppressed low cries.

Su Ming's grip on his sword tightened slightly. Though his body was weak, muscle memory allowed him to instantly adjust to a power-generating posture.

One, two, three.

Over a dozen bedraggled figures stumbled out of the darkness.

Most were wounded, their dharma robes tattered, and some had even lost arms, with cloth strips crudely tied to stop the bleeding. Their eyes were vacant, pupils still clouded with lingering terror.

However, when they saw the light pillar standing firm in the gray mist, and the figure beneath it who, though covered in blood, still stood tall with a sword, everyone stopped in their tracks simultaneously.

In that instant, their wills, which were on the verge of collapse, seemed to have found an anchor to cling to.

No one spoke; they just silently moved toward the light pillar, instinctively seeking the protection of the light like moths to a flame.

Su Ming didn't drive them away, nor did he offer comfort. He simply scanned the surroundings coldly and pointed to the perimeter of the Labyrinth Array he had just drawn.

"If you don't want to die, go move stones and surround this circle of Array Patternss."

His voice was hoarse, yet it carried an unquestionable calmness.

The survivors froze for a moment, then, like a top lashed by a whip, they immediately sprang into action. In this desperate moment, even a cold command was more reassuring than helpless comfort.

An old soldier with a broken leg, panting against a ruined wall, was stunned for a moment before silently struggling to crawl toward the nearest pile of rubble.

Unable to stand, he used his one functional hand to drag stones over one by one, piling them at the edge of the Array Patterns, his movements slow but exceptionally determined.

Another young soldier, his face covered in blood and looking no more than fifteen or sixteen, had been curled up in a corner trembling with his head in his hands. Seeing the old soldier's actions, he gritted his teeth, stood up, and staggered over to help move the stones.

About the time it takes to drink half a cup of tea passed.

The sounds of shouting and killing to the east suddenly became intense.

Unlike the previous one-sided slaughter, this commotion was the head-on clash of clashing metal.

"Get lost!!"

A roar like a thunderclap pierced the night sky.

Immediately after, a giant battle-axe with a chipped blade whistled through the air, drawing a mournful arc and slicing a Dark-Gold Beetle that was trying to pounce clean in half.

Stinking insect blood splattered all over the ground.

A tower-like figure crashed through the ruined walls blocking the way, charging into the range of the light pillar, covered in blood.

Zhao Tieji.

This captain of the Bing Qi Camp was currently unrecognizable from his original appearance.

His heavy armor had long since vanished, leaving only half a heart-protecting mirror hanging from his shoulder.

The black iron heavy shield he valued as much as his life was also gone, replaced by a claw mark on his left arm so deep that the bone was visible.

Behind him followed over twenty veteran soldiers.

Every one of them was wounded, their weapons either chipped or bent, but their formation remained stubbornly intact, like a piece of gristle that had been chewed up but couldn't be swallowed.

"Brother Su!"

Zhao Tieji immediately spotted Su Ming standing under the light pillar.

This man, who usually bled but never cried, felt his eyes redden instantly. A smile that looked more painful than crying appeared on his blood-stained face as he strode over.

"I knew it! I knew there was something unusual about your place!"

Seeing Zhao Tieji leading his men out of the darkness, Su Ming slowly exhaled a breath of turbid air tinged with the scent of blood.

His back, which had been held ramrod straight, swayed imperceptibly for a fleeting moment when no one was watching.

Only he knew how much essence blood and mental energy it cost to maintain the Beacon Light Pillar and the Labyrinth Array.

In his Sea of Consciousness, Lin Yu's soul fire had also dimmed slightly, clearly having shared part of the pressure.

He lowered his head, a cold sense of exhaustion seeping from deep within his marrow, but he forcibly suppressed it.

He couldn't collapse.

If he fell now, not a single one of these people would survive.

Zhao Tieji rushed close, wanting to clap Su Ming on the shoulder, but his hand stopped halfway and retracted—he was afraid his uncontrollable brute force would shatter the currently fragile-looking Su Ming.

"Big Brother Zhao."

The corners of Su Ming's mouth curled up slightly. Though the smile was faint, it finally allowed Zhao Tieji's heart, which had been hanging in suspense, to settle back into his chest.

"It's good that you're still alive."

"That was damn close!"