Chapter 629: Strong Assault

As fellow disciples, Senior Brother Qin and the others had some understanding of Ghost Shadow's abilities. This junior ghost cultivator possessed an extraordinary perception for potential dangers.

For instance, recalling their previous entry into the mine shaft, if Ghost Shadow hadn't suddenly sensed danger and warned them in time, Senior Brother Qin, who was leading the way, would have suffered far more than just minor injuries.

"What did you sense?" Senior Brother Qin asked.

The crimson glow in Ghost Shadow's eyes intensified. He shook his head and said, "I don't know, but it's extremely dangerous!"

Since he began cultivating, this innate talent had allowed Ghost Shadow to avoid many fatal perils. Whether in the Myriad Poison Forest of the Spirit Stream battlefield or the hunting grounds of the Cloud River battlefield, Ghost Shadow always sensed dangerous auras in advance and withdrew in time. It had proven that his caution was precisely what allowed him to escape one calamity after another, turning grave dangers into minor incidents despite his meager cultivation. Those who enjoyed the spectacle, those who watched from the sidelines, and even those with higher cultivation than him, had long since had grass three feet high growing on their graves.

Yet never before had the warning in Ghost Shadow's heart been so intense!

This made him vaguely feel that if they truly entered the mine, the danger they encountered this time would likely be far more ferocious than any before.

Senior Brother Qin was still hesitating, and Senior Sister Hu was also indecisive.

Ghost Shadow persuaded him, "Senior Brother, with so many people involved in this, even if we succeed, the benefits we gain won't be substantial. It's not worth risking our lives for such a small gain! Even if I'm wrong, we'll only lose a few resources... But what if I'm right?"

If he was right, it meant they would have avoided a catastrophe in advance.

These words undoubtedly swayed Senior Brother Qin. He patted Ghost Shadow's hand, nodded, and said, "Alright, then we'll wait outside."

Ghost Shadow finally breathed a sigh of relief. Honestly, if Senior Brother Qin hadn't listened to his warning and insisted on going inside, he wouldn't have had any good solutions. At most, he could only ensure he didn't participate himself; he couldn't force anyone else, not even a fellow senior disciple.

Fortunately, his senior brother was someone who could be reasoned with.

Senior Sister Hu asked, "Should we also warn them?"

Senior Brother Qin shook his head. "Who would believe us? The Myriad Demon Ridge cultivators gathered here are all like cats drawn to fishy smells, swarming into the mine shaft. It's enough that we're not going in ourselves. Warning others at this point would only invite ridicule, and they might even suspect us of ulterior motives."

The number of cultivators outside steadily dwindled until, finally, only Senior Brother Qin's group of five remained. The once noisy environment suddenly became quiet, making it somewhat disorienting.

Muffled sounds continued to emanate from deep within the mine shaft. Song Zhui and the others had already caught up with Si Nan, who was leading the way, and witnessed a breathtaking scene.

Si Nan continued his steady advance. Ahead, explosive arrays were constantly triggered, loosening the surrounding rock walls and sending rubble showering down. They immediately reached the same conclusion as Si Nan: the array layers were clearly aware that their formations could no longer stop Si Nan, so they intended to collapse the mine shaft using these arrays to buy themselves some time. However, the power of these arrays was ultimately insufficient. Thus, although the mine shaft was now covered in rubble, it remained relatively stable and wouldn't collapse anytime soon without further external force.

Furthermore, even if a section did collapse, it wouldn't be a major issue. Everyone present was a Cloud River Realm cultivator; as long as they weren't buried alive on the spot, their lives wouldn't be in danger. With some time and effort, the passage could eventually be cleared.

After several miles of winding mine shaft, there was finally an end.

When the hum of the explosive formations ceased and the last burst of flame died out, an excavated cavern appeared before their eyes.

Si Nan was the first to step inside, followed closely by Song Zhui and the others. Behind them came the vast, continuous stream of Myriad Demon Ridge cultivators.

The cavern was pitch black, but Song Zhui and the others immediately sensed a familiar aura and looked up in that direction.

Someone cast a spell, which, though not very destructive, was incredibly bright. It slowly ascended, like a rising sun, and its light illuminated the entire cavern, revealing everything within.

The cavern was spacious and strewn with various rocks. In the deepest part of the cave, a figure sat cross-legged, clad in a blood-soaked robe. The blood on the garment had long since dried, making the crimson fabric stiff.

He sat there quietly, calmly observing the uninvited guests who had suddenly rushed in.

"Lu Yiye!" A low cry echoed through the crowd, immediately followed by a stir. Although most Myriad Demon Ridge cultivators had largely concluded that Lu Ye was hiding here, no one had actually seen him. It was only now that the person they had been eagerly searching for finally appeared in their sight.

As the words fell, streams of spells and artifacts pierced through the air, all striking towards Lu Ye. However, the distance was ultimately too great. Although Lu Ye's position was within their attack range, the attacks had significantly weakened by the time they reached him. A shimmering light screen suddenly appeared in front of Lu Ye—a protective formation. The weakened spells and artifacts struck this defensive array, sending ripples through it, yet they couldn't harm him in the slightest; they couldn't even break the formation.

The cultivators who had attacked were filled with indignation, finally understanding why Lu Ye had hidden so far away.

Immediately, someone roared furiously, "Lu Yiye, come out and face your death!" Others shouted, "Lu Yiye, there's nowhere for you to run this time!"

In such a confined environment, with such a vast disparity in power, no one believed Lu Ye had any hope of escape, unless he could summon the Heavenly Secret Pillar again and use its power to return to the Nine Provinces. However, at that moment, there was no sign of the Heavenly Secret Pillar by Lu Ye's side.

Yet these individuals were only shouting; they dared not advance rashly. After Lu Ye had set up so many formations in the mine shaft, who knew if there were more formations within the cavern? There certainly must be, and no one dared to act without breaking through them first.

"Brother Si Nan, Lu Yiye can set up teleportation arrays. Could you check if there's one near him?" Song Zhui leaned closer to Si Nan and whispered.

Previously, in Returning Heaven Valley, Lu Ye had used a teleportation array to escape.

Although there was no Heavenly Secret Pillar visible now, Lu Ye could still escape if he had set up a teleportation array here in advance. However, this possibility was unlikely. According to the information Song Zhui had received, Lu Ye had inadvertently revealed his whereabouts and was hiding here to heal. There was no reason for him to have set up a teleportation array, unless he had foreseen this situation and prepared an escape route beforehand.

Si Nan observed carefully for a while before shaking his head. "I don't see any traces of a teleportation array, but that doesn't rule out the possibility that they've deliberately concealed it."

The distance was a bit far, so Si Nan couldn't see clearly.

Song Zhui said, "At this point, if he had truly set up a teleportation array, he would have already used it to escape. Why would he need to conceal it? Since we don't see one, it's certainly not there."

In such a desperate situation, Lu Yiye was surely doomed to die. It was a pity that Ying Wuji had failed back in Returning Heaven Valley; otherwise, he wouldn't have to worry about his cultivation resources ever again.

"Killing him won't be easy. He's set up many formations in this cavern. Do you want me to break the formations, or should we launch an all-out assault?" Si Nan asked.

A hint of doubt suddenly arose in his mind. Logically, if the opponent truly intended to put up a desperate resistance, the entrance of the cavern would have been the most suitable place to set up formations. Yet, surprisingly, there were no remnants of formations near the entrance, as if the opponent had deliberately left an area clear for the Myriad Demon Ridge cultivators to stand. However, Si Nan didn't dwell on it, merely assuming the opponent had run out of formation flags. The number of formations the opponent had laid out both in the mine shaft and inside the cavern must have consumed an immense quantity of flags.

At this very moment, Myriad Demon Ridge cultivators were still continuously emerging from the mine shaft and stepping into the cavern. After all, with nearly two thousand people and a narrow mine shaft, it would take some time for everyone to enter.

Song Zhui said, "While breaking the formations is safer, it would also take a long time. Lu Yiye is cunning, and this matter shouldn't be delayed too long. Let's go for an all-out assault. What do you all think?" The last sentence was directed at the other Ninth-Level cultivators.

Ning Zizai said, "Brother Song can make the decision." Wei Zhong and the other two Ninth-Level cultivators also had no objections.

Song Zhui nodded. "Then an all-out assault it is!" This way, although there might be some casualties, it shouldn't be a major problem as long as they were careful enough.

With this thought, Song Zhui raised his arm and shouted, "Fellow Daoists, Lu Yiye is right ahead! Those who wish to share the bounty, attack with me, break his formations, and take his life!"

As he spoke, he was the first to strike, unleashing an attack towards the open space ahead. He couldn't decipher formations like Si Nan, nor could he see where they were laid, but by maintaining sufficient power, he could level everything in front of them, rendering any hidden formations ineffective. He couldn't achieve this alone, but if all the Myriad Demon Ridge cultivators worked together, no matter how many formations Lu Ye had laid here, they would eventually be destroyed.

Following Song Zhui's lead, numerous Myriad Demon Ridge cultivators attacked simultaneously. Immediately, spiritual energy churned chaotically within the cavern, and vibrant lights continuously erupted. The outpouring of spiritual energy plowed the ground ahead repeatedly, and all hidden formations were forcibly breached before they could even be activated.

Some impatient Myriad Demon Ridge cultivators leaped up, intending to fly towards Lu Ye and attack him. However, as soon as they rose less than three zhang high, immense pressure descended from above, making it impossible to breathe. Evidently, a flight-restriction array had also been set up within this cavern.

Rumbles echoed ceaselessly. The Myriad Demon Ridge cultivators, pouring into the cavern, formed an arc, continuously attacking and pushing forward, inching closer to Lu Ye's position, bringing with them an aura of despair.