329: The way to survival lies in Kun

Su Ming glanced at that group of Cultivators' signature movement techniques, his heart stirring slightly.

That Golden Core Deacon, who was always aloof and high-and-mighty, had ultimately not completely abandoned the outer defensive line.

"Go!"

Su Ming wasted no words, leading the team as they charged out from that gap.

There were only five hundred zhang left until Lingshu Hall.

The air here had become viscous to the extreme; the massive Spiritual Pressure made everyone's breathing difficult.

Ahead, the grand architectural silhouette of Lingshu Hall was already faintly visible amidst the firelight.

The massive defensive light screen was covered in cracks, and every flicker was accompanied by a heart-palpitating hum.

Right at that moment.

A sudden, unheralded burst of intense pain exploded in Su Ming's mind.

It was like a red-hot steel needle ruthlessly stabbing into the depths of his Sea of Consciousness.

"Ugh!"

Su Ming's footing faltered, nearly making him fall, as two streams of blood instantly flowed from his nostrils.

"Disciple!" Lin Yu cried out in shock, "This is Divine Thought Transmission! Someone is burning their Divine Soul to forcibly Breakthrough the Spiritual Pressure blockade!"

That intense pain did not last long.

An extremely weak, intermittent Divine Thought, which felt as if it would snap at any moment, rang out directly in Su Ming's mind.

That voice was aged and exhausted, yet it carried a sense of determination.

"kun position... secret passage... quickly..."

The voice stopped abruptly, like a snapped lute string.

"Elder Mo!"

Su Ming snapped his head up, looking toward the most dazzling Formation eye at the top of Lingshu Hall.

He could feel what kind of agony the owner of this Divine Thought was currently enduring. Sending a message through that chaotic storm of Spiritual Pressure was no different from placing one's Divine Soul on a millstone to be crushed.

"kun position..."

Su Ming didn't bother to wipe away his nosebleed, quickly constructing a topographical map of Lingshu Hall's surroundings in his mind and comparing it with the orientation of the Formation Plate in his hand.

"Over there!"

Su Ming reached out and pointed toward the side-rear of Lingshu Hall, where there was an area of long-collapsed ruins that looked unremarkable, even blackened by the fire.

"Follow me! Not the main gate! Go to the side!"

Su Ming roared, forcibly changing the team's direction.

Although Lu Jun and the others were puzzled, their trust in Su Ming after everything they'd been through was deep-seated, and they followed immediately.

The group stumbled as they charged into those ruins.

Following the guidance of the 'kun position', Su Ming stopped beneath a half-collapsed stone Formation Stele.

This place was piled with rubble and charred wood; it looked like an ordinary dead end in the ruins.

But Su Ming keenly discovered that the soil beneath the Formation Stele showed signs of being overturned, and... he saw a corpse beside the pile of rubble.

It was a corpse wearing the attire of a Lingshu Hall Deacon, with a broken jade talisman still clutched tightly in its hand. Several insect carcasses were scattered around the body; clearly, a fierce battle had occurred here not long ago.

Someone had fought to the death to open the entrance here, or perhaps died to defend it.

"Clear it away!"

Su Ming gave the order.

Zhao Tieji led the few remaining soldiers who still had strength and rushed forward. Ignoring the scalding hot stones, they frantically dug through the rubble.

A moment later.

A bluestone slab carved with ancient cloud patterns was revealed.

There was a faint crack on the stone slab, through which traces of cool air were seeping out.

"Found it!" Lu Jun shouted in surprise.

Su Ming stepped forward, condensing a trace of Water Spiritual Energy on his fingertip and letting it seep into the crack.

Click.

The sound of a mechanism rang out, and the bluestone slab slowly moved aside, revealing an opening only large enough for one person to pass through.

This was the path to survival.

"Quick! Everyone inside!"

Su Ming turned and urged them.

The wounded soldiers and Formation apprentices entered one by one.

"Big Brother Zhao, you go first..."

Su Ming turned to look at Zhao Tieji, who had been guarding his side all along, but he got stuck halfway through his sentence.

Zhao Tieji still maintained his standing posture, holding that battle-axe in his hand.

But he did not move.

At some point, a fist-sized bloody hole had appeared in his chest—a mark left by being pierced by some kind of sharp claw.

Blood had already soaked half of his body, dripping down his trouser legs and pooling on the ground.

He had been holding his breath and enduring it just now, guarding everyone's flank.

Now that they had reached the destination, that breath had dissipated.

"Big Brother Zhao!" Su Ming's pupils constricted as he reached out to support him.

Zhao Tieji's body swayed, like a collapsing mountain, falling heavily into Su Ming's arms.

"Brother... Su..."

Zhao Tieji's eyes began to glaze over, yet that honest smile still hung on the corner of his mouth. He labored to lift his hand and pointed at the opening, "I... can't walk anymore..."

"Shut up! I'll carry you!"

Su Ming roared, trying to lift the burly man onto his back.

But Zhao Tieji grabbed Su Ming's wrist with surprising strength.

"Don't... bother..." Zhao Tieji panted heavily, every breath bringing up bloody froth, "My internal organs... are all shattered... taking me... would just be a burden..."

He suddenly pushed Su Ming, shoving him toward the opening.

"Take... Lu Jun and those kids... and go..."

"I'll... block the door here..."

In the distance, the dense sound of insect chirping approached once more.

The insect swarms that had been briefly delayed by the Earth Patrol Division were closing in again.

Su Ming looked at Zhao Tieji's eyes, which were gradually losing their light yet remained resolute. He felt as if a piece of red-hot coal was stuffed in his throat, burning so much he couldn't make a sound.

How many times had this been?

From Old Zhou to Zhao Tieji.

This entire path had been paved with lives.

"Go!!" Zhao Tieji roared with the last of his strength.

Su Ming clenched his teeth so hard the corners of his eyes split.

He took one deep look at this man he had fought alongside for several months, then suddenly turned and jumped into the dark opening.

The bluestone slab slowly slid shut.

Before the last sliver of light vanished, Su Ming saw Zhao Tieji struggle to roll over, using his broad back to firmly brace against the mechanism above the opening, his battle-axe held across his front.

Like a guardian door god.

Darkness descended.

Only the dull thudding sounds came from above—the sound of the insect swarm crashing against the stone slab, and also crashing against Zhao Tieji's corpse.

Su Ming leaned against the damp, cold stone wall, gasping for breath.

In the darkness, no one spoke; there were only muffled sounds of sobbing.

"Instructor Su..." Lu Jun's voice came from the darkness.

"Don't talk."

Su Ming's voice was terrifyingly raspy, a calm born of extreme suppression, "Save your strength for the journey."

He lit a piece of Fluorite.

The faint light illuminated this narrow, long secret passage.

Ahead was an unknown depth; behind were the bones of his comrades.

"Go."

Su Ming gripped his sword and stepped forward.