In the depths of the canyon, the roaring aftershocks finally subsided into a deathly silence.
In the air, the gray smoke, potent enough to corrode one’s Divine Sense, had not dissipated. Instead, following the demise of the Qi Cultivation Third Layer Shadow Beast, it grew even thicker.
Chu Bai stood in the very center of the battlefield, his chest heaving violently. Every breath brought a fiery, stinging pain to his lungs.
Behind him, three figures slowly drew closer, their steps incredibly heavy.
"Brother Chu... that last move of yours was truly incredible."
Jin Changyu put away his long halberd. His once-neatly fastened hair crown was long gone, and his long hair was disheveled, leaving him looking utterly wretched.
He plopped down on a pile of rubble, gasping for breath. "I watched helplessly as Liu Ziqi from Class Six was swallowed by that smoky inferno, not even a bone left. I really thought we were all done for today."
Dong Feng and Lin Xuewei also sat down.
Dong Feng glanced at the spot where the Shadow Beast’s remains had long since been obliterated into the Void. The trace of rivalry he once held for Chu Bai deep in his eyes had now completely transformed into complex awe.
He spoke in a low voice, "From what we saw before, a total of ten of these Shadow Beasts were deployed. Chu Bai just killed two, I killed one, and Lin Xuewei killed one... there should be six left on the field."
"Six." A bleak, bitter smile appeared on Lin Xuewei’s pale face. Her eyes, once as clear as tranquil waters, were now bloodshot. "At least two of them are at the Qi Cultivation Third Layer. In our current state, forget two of them—a single one at the Qi Cultivation Second Layer could probably finish us all off."
For a moment, a deathly silence fell between the four of them.
The Teleportation Array had failed. Something that should have only existed in frightening rumors was now a crushing reality weighing down on each of them.
This was no longer a contest for points; it was a blood sacrifice for survival.
Lin Xuewei bit her lip, as if having made a major decision. From an exquisite Jade Scroll at her waist, she took out a porcelain bottle, emerald green from top to bottom.
As the bottle was uncorked, a deeply refreshing fragrance instantly wafted out, spreading several yards in every direction and temporarily dispelling the nauseating, burnt smell.
"This is a family heirloom, the ’Jade Fall Nourishing Pill.’ It’s specifically for repairing meridians and rapidly replenishing Spiritual Power." Lin Xuewei poured out the four emerald-green Pills from the bottle and distributed them. "Don’t be frugal. This is to save our lives."
Chu Bai accepted the Pill but didn’t take it immediately. Instead, he first appraised it carefully.
He cultivated the Guiyuan Technique, which had extremely high requirements for the purity of one’s Spiritual Power.
The moment the Pill touched his hand, he sensed a gentle, water-like vitality, even a few degrees purer than the Spiritual Cuisine from the second floor of the cafeteria.
"Thank you." Chu Bai didn’t stand on ceremony and swallowed it in one gulp.
As the Pill entered his system, a warm torrent instantly surged into his nearly depleted meridians.
The fine cracks in his meridians, caused by overexerting himself while casting, began to slowly heal under the nourishment of the Pill’s power. His once-empty Dantian began to radiate a faint, gray Spiritual Light again.
For half a day, the four remained in the deathly silent canyon, guarding a pile of smoldering embers and taking turns on watch while they performed Breath Regulation.
Chu Bai stood up, sensing that he had recovered about seventy percent of his Magical Power. Then, he did something that stunned everyone.
He pressed his hands lightly against the crack-covered Golden Scale Armor he was wearing. With a crisp CLICK, he slowly took off the Treasure Artifact that had saved his life.
"Chu Bai, what are you doing?" Dong Feng shot to his feet. "The Shadow Beasts could return at any moment! Are you trying to get yourself killed, taking off your armor now?"
Chu Bai folded the Golden Scale Armor neatly, held it in his palm, and offered it to Dong Feng.
"It’s good armor."
Chu Bai’s gaze was calm and profound. In that moment, the aura he exuded made the other three feel a sense of inadequacy. "I borrowed your Treasure Armor to withstand that beast’s killing blow. Now, my Magical Power has recovered, and I can still fight. I’m returning this armor to you."
"Alright. I’ve recovered a great deal as well. I can still fight."
Dong Feng accepted the Golden Scale Armor. He knew better than anyone the advantage a Dharma Artifact provided in actual combat.
In this Death Land, with the teleportation disabled, every last bit of defense was a flicker of hope for survival.
"When we make it out of this alive... I’ll be sure to seek your guidance in the Martial Arts Arena, Brother Chu."
Just as this moment of warmth flowed through the ruins, Chu Bai’s brow suddenly shot up.
’Extreme danger warning!’
"They’re here!"
The words had barely left Chu Bai’s mouth when a black shadow shot out from the impenetrably thick smoke to their right, lunging toward Jin Changyu like a phantom.
"You beast! How dare you!"
Jin Changyu was already suppressing a bellyful of rage. Now with his Magical Power restored, he gave his long halberd a fierce shake, transforming it into a sky-filling flurry of attacks.
Chu Bai, Dong Feng, and Lin Xuewei followed up seamlessly, almost in the same instant.
The four now shared a tacit understanding. Lin Xuewei’s Profound Ice Cold Qi first sealed off the path, immediately followed by Dong Feng’s Red Sun Sword Aura.
Chu Bai didn’t use his Spirit Water Needle, instead directly using Formless Cloud Hand to seal off all of the black shadow’s escape routes.
BANG!
It was just a Qi Cultivation Second Layer Shadow Beast, one that had seemingly sensed the battle here and rushed over.
The area they could move in was shrinking, making an encounter with the remaining Shadow Beast projections inevitable.
Under the combined assault of four top-tier geniuses, it didn’t even have time to let out a cry of pain before Jin Changyu’s long halberd pierced its chest. Immediately after, Chu Bai’s Guiyuan Force shattered it into dust.
However, after killing this Shadow Beast, Chu Bai’s expression showed no sign of relief.
He looked up, scanning his surroundings.

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