122: Chapter 122 Someone came in

A hundred thoughts raced through Chen Zilong's mind, yet on his face, he merely offered a faint smile, following her lead as he asked:

"In that case, Fellow Daoist Long, what exactly do you need us to do?"

Seeing that Chen Zilong seemed persuaded, Long Tianjiao's spirits lifted slightly, and she said:

"The most urgent task is that we must separately go and investigate the locations of the true Formation Eyes, to thoroughly understand the operational mechanism of this grand formation."

"Only by finding and destroying the core Formation Eye that sustains this 'Sacrifice' mechanism can we truly leave this place safely, rather than waiting to be selected and sacrificed."

At this moment, Wei Guodong couldn't help but interject, his voice tinged with barely suppressed fear:

"But... but aren't those Unclean Things lingering near the Formation Eyes?"

"If we go, wouldn't that be... walking right into a trap?"

He uttered the last four words with extreme difficulty, as if his throat were being choked.

Long Tianjiao looked at him, her gaze firm, yet unable to conceal a trace of helplessness:

"We must take the risk!"

"Staying here is simply waiting for death, for the butcher's blade to fall on us at an unknown time."

"By taking the initiative, we still have a sliver of hope."

"Otherwise, all of us will ultimately be unable to escape the fate of becoming Sacrifices!"

Just then, Chen Zilong's gaze shifted past Long Tianjiao and settled on another Qingyun Sect disciple who had been sitting quietly in the corner all along—Lin Yue.

Since they had entered the Yingxian Pavilion, this Lin Yue had hardly spoken, like a soul-less jade sculpture.

Moreover, Chen Zilong clearly remembered that Lin Yue was the first to actively propose and enthusiastically persuade everyone to channel their spiritual power into the 'Formation Eyes.'

More crucially, she had mentioned that this was not her first time entering Tianji Village.

"Fellow Daoist Lin Yue,"

Chen Zilong's voice softened, carrying a hint of inquiry, "regarding this matter, won't you say something? After all... you understand this place better than we do."

Lin Yue seemed not to hear, still hanging her head low, her long hair obscuring her profile.

Only after Chen Zilong called out "Fellow Daoist Lin Yue?" once more did she startle awake, raising her head with an extremely slow, stiff, and delayed motion.

When her face was exposed to the lamplight, those standing nearby couldn't help but gasp in shock.

It was an exceedingly delicate face, now utterly devoid of color, pale like a crumpled piece of paper.

Her eyes were hollow and vacant, like two bottomless black holes, containing no sparkle, only a dead silence of confusion and brokenness.

Her lips trembled slightly, but no sound emerged. It was as if all her vitality had been drained, leaving behind only an empty shell.

"Enough, Fellow Daoist Chen."

Long Tianjiao spoke up at the right moment, her tone carrying a barely perceptible sigh. "Junior Sister Lin... did indeed come here once before, but it seems she lost some crucial memories because of it."

"In her memory, she and her fellow disciples 'timely' channeled spiritual power into the various Formation Eyes, 'successfully' protected the eyes, then 'returned safely' to the village and were treated with hospitality..."

"This memory, as we see it now, was likely a falsehood forcibly implanted."

Long Tianjiao's voice lowered:

"When we told her the truth we deduced, trying to piece together what actually happened that year, Junior Sister Lin..."

"...completely broke down. She couldn't accept it, stubbornly believing that it was her own 'suggestion' and 'guidance' that personally led her trusted fellow disciples to their doom..."

Chen Zilong gazed at the fragile-looking Lin Yue not far away. Her figure, curled up in the chair, appeared frail and helpless, her hands unconsciously clutching her own lapels tightly, knuckles twisted.

Occasionally, a flash of extreme anguish and self-loathing would pass through her hollow eyes.

That was indeed the state of someone whose spirit had completely shattered, crushed under the weight of heavy guilt.

He remained silent for a moment, ultimately refraining from further questioning.

The group discussed their subsequent action plan in low voices for a while longer, but the atmosphere remained oppressive.

After roughly the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, Chen Zilong rose and, along with Ye Xishui, Lu Bingyun, and Tu Shan Xiaoxiao, bid farewell and left the main hall, preparing to return to their rooms on the sixth floor for a brief rest.

They ascended slowly along the carved wooden staircase, the sound of their footsteps echoing clearly in the empty stairwell.

Ye Xishui and Lu Bingyun followed behind Chen Zilong, one on his left, one on his right. Both women had tall, slender figures and perfect posture.

Ye Xishui was like a lotus emerging from water, pure and ethereal, her light steps carrying an innate air of immortality.

Lu Bingyun, meanwhile, was like a proud plum blossom in the snow, cold and stunningly beautiful. Whether sitting or walking, her back remained straight, her demeanor exceptionally graceful.

Even now, with heavy hearts, they maintained their elegant bearing, though their slightly furrowed brows and tightly pressed lips betrayed the tension and unease within.

Tu Shan Xiaoxiao brought up the rear. The fox-girl had also shed her usual liveliness, her pretty face now grave, her fox ears slightly drooping as she vigilantly monitored any movement around them.

They finally reached the sixth floor. The corridor was even dimmer than downstairs, with only a few Night Pearls embedded in the walls emitting a faint glow, barely illuminating the path ahead.

The doors on both sides were tightly shut, silent, as if all vitality had been devoured by this eerie building.

Chen Zilong walked to his room door, reached into his robe, and retrieved a Jade Token inscribed with simple runes—this was the key to the room's Basic Restriction.

He pressed the token against an inconspicuous indentation on the door. A faint light flashed, and the door swung open.

However, the moment Chen Zilong stepped into the room, his figure abruptly froze as if struck by a paralysis spell, rigidly halting in the doorway.

Ye Xishui, following behind him, noticed his abnormality. With light steps, she moved forward, her graceful neck tilting slightly as she asked softly with a hint of confusion:

"Young Master, what's wrong?"

Her voice was like a clear mountain stream, yet now carried a barely detectable tension.

Chen Zilong did not answer immediately. His gaze, sharp as a hawk's, swiftly scanned every corner of the room.

The furnishings in the room appeared no different from when they had left. The table and chairs were neatly arranged, the bedding on the bed still smooth.

But an extremely subtle, indescribable sense of incongruity, like a cold snake, quietly coiled around his spine.

He slowly raised a hand, signaling the three women behind him to stop. His voice was low and icy, carrying unmistakable vigilance:

"Someone has been in our room."

Upon hearing this, the expressions of Ye Xishui, Lu Bingyun, and Tu Shan Xiaoxiao changed drastically.

Ye Xishui instinctively raised a hand to cover her lips lightly. Her clear, water-like beautiful eyes instantly widened, filled with astonishment and a rapidly spreading fear.

Lu Bingyun's pupils contracted sharply, the aura around her instantly turning icy cold.

Her slender fingers were already resting on the hilt of the Frost Soul Sword hanging at her waist.

Her flawless face seemed covered by a layer of frost.

Her gaze swept sharply over the dim interior of the room, as if trying to find the hidden intruder.

Tu Shan Xiaoxiao's fur even stood slightly on end, a very soft, warning growl emerging from her throat.

Her keen perception allowed her to sense the lingering, unfamiliar, and unsettling aura more acutely than the others.

In the air, it was as if invisible strings had been abruptly pulled taut. A sense of crisis flooded over the four at the doorway like a tidal wave.