Chapter 668: Strongly Twisted Melons Are Not Sweet

Following the woman, they delved deeper, walking about thirty zhang until they reached a dead end. Their current location seemed to be inside the mountain, in a space that wasn't particularly wide. Although the light was dim, it didn't hinder Lu Ye's ability to observe his surroundings.

Finding himself suddenly in such a predicament, Lu Ye almost suspected the mysterious woman had sworn a false Heavenly Oath. He had expected that by following her, they would enter a hidden area or a safe refuge, but it now seemed that was not the case at all. Spiritual energy fluctuations and the sound of chatter were already approaching from behind, indicating that the Ten Thousand Demon Ridge cultivators had caught up. However, they hesitated to charge in before confirming there were no ambushes. But they would undoubtedly storm in eventually, leaving Lu Ye with no escape and a certain death.

"Come here!" the mysterious woman called out, seeing Lu Ye frozen in place, seemingly lost in thought. Despite his suspicions, Lu Ye stepped forward and stopped a short distance from her. "Closer!" the mysterious woman said impatiently. Lu Ye's posture, constantly wary of her, clearly made her uneasy. In reality, the space wasn't very wide, making it awkward for Lu Ye to stand too close. But at her insistence, Lu Ye simply moved to stand right beside her. A faint, delicate fragrance instantly reached his nostrils...

Suddenly, the mysterious woman's spiritual energy surged around her. As it pulsed, intricate patterns beneath their feet began to glow, illuminating the dim space with a bright light. Lu Ye stared in astonishment at the complex designs on the ground, then looked incredulously at the woman beside him. However, her face was hidden by a mask, so Lu Ye couldn't discern her expression. Before he could utter a question, the space enveloped by the light began to distort. The very next instant, both figures abruptly vanished.

The commotion alerted the Ten Thousand Demon Ridge cultivators who had arrived outside. After a brief probe, they confirmed there were no hidden traps or arrays inside, and the pursuers quickly swarmed in. The passage, over thirty zhang long, soon reached its end, but inside, it was completely empty; not a single person was in sight. "Where are they?" someone asked, bewildered. They had clearly watched Lu Ye and the mysterious woman enter, and there was no way forward, yet they had simply vanished without a trace. How could two living people just disappear like that?

"A teleportation array!" someone exclaimed, crouching down to examine the lingering array traces on the ground, revealing their hidden function. At his words, another person suddenly understood. "I've long heard that Lu Yiye can set up teleportation arrays, and it seems it's true!" In such a dead-end environment, two living people couldn't possibly vanish without reason, but if they utilized the power of a teleportation array, it would make perfect sense.

What puzzled them, however, was... "Lu Yiye actually left a teleportation array here? When did he do that?" Since he had been on the run ever since leaving Heavenly Secret City, it clearly couldn't have been set up this time. It must have been something he left behind previously. "No matter when he did it," someone declared, "his current cultivation isn't high. Even if he left a teleportation array, the distance it can transport won't be far. He must be within a three-hundred-li radius right now!" Consequently, the Ten Thousand Demon Ridge cultivators who had rushed in quickly withdrew, and messages spread outwards. Numerous cultivators from the Ten Thousand Demon Ridge mobilized en masse to search for Lu Ye's whereabouts within this three-hundred-li radius.

Meanwhile, in another hidden location, Lu Ye's expression was complicated. The Ten Thousand Demon Ridge cultivators believed the teleportation array in the mountain's core was his, but in reality, it wasn't. This was why Lu Ye had been so shocked earlier. He had always believed that in the entire Kyushu world, at the Cloud River Realm level, he was the only one capable of setting up such arrays. Only today did he realize he had been somewhat conceited and ignorant. At the Cloud River Realm level, he wasn't the only one who could deploy teleportation arrays; there were others! Kyushu was vast, with countless capable individuals. It seemed he had, after all, been like a frog in a well, seeing the sky only as big as its opening.

Instead of feeling defeated that something he considered his exclusive skill was being displayed by others, Lu Ye was quite intrigued. After recovering from the discomfort of the teleportation, he quickly turned to the mysterious woman beside him. "Daoist friend," he began, "that teleportation array..." "I didn't set it up," the mysterious woman replied, seemingly knowing what he was about to ask, cutting him off before he could finish. "Then..." "I don't know who set it up either. You don't need to ask further." Lu Ye was quite speechless; it was his first time encountering such a woman. And claiming she didn't know who set up the array? What kind of answer was that? If she didn't know, how could she have led him to that specific spot to use it for their escape? Lu Ye instinctively felt that the mysterious woman simply didn't want to tell him too much. This was very strange. She had actively come to rescue him, even exposing an extremely hidden location, yet her attitude towards him wasn't exactly warm. What exactly was her motive? Moreover, the mysterious woman gave Lu Ye a sense of superiority, making him feel as if he wasn't facing a fellow cultivator of his generation, but rather a senior from the True Lake Realm or even the Divine Sea Realm.

Suppressing his doubts, Lu Ye said, "Thank you, Daoist friend, for your assistance this time. May I ask your esteemed name?" "I was merely following orders; you don't need to know my name," the mysterious woman replied, scanning her surroundings. From her demeanor, it appeared she was also visiting this place for the first time, which made Lu Ye somewhat believe her previous statement. But her words undoubtedly left Lu Ye feeling suspicious and perplexed once more. Following orders? Whose orders? Since she had saved him, it implied she either thought highly of him or wished to befriend him. Why then be so secretive? She not only withheld her name but also concealed her face, leaving Lu Ye utterly bewildered and confused. While a life-saving favor didn't necessarily require him to pledge his life in return, Lu Ye at least wanted to know who he owed this debt of gratitude to.

The woman had already turned and walked in one direction. This was a cave, dim but not damp, and much more spacious than the mountain's core they had just left. In the quiet environment, the sound of their light footsteps was still clearly discernible. Lu Ye followed behind the woman, with many questions he wanted to ask, but her cold demeanor made it clear that asking would be futile. Before long, they reached the deepest part of the cave. The mysterious woman stopped, glanced at Lu Ye, and said, "You should return to Kyushu. Many in Ten Thousand Demon Ridge are searching for you now. If you show yourself, you will inevitably invite endless pursuit, so only by returning to Kyushu will you be truly safe."

Lu Ye naturally didn't want to return to Kyushu; if he had, he would have done so long ago. The mysterious woman didn't fully understand his methods, assuming he was cornered by the pursuit this time. In reality, though the situation was perilous, it was still largely under his control. Furthermore, at this time and place, even if he truly wanted to return to Kyushu, he couldn't. But soon, Lu Ye's expression froze. Not far in front of them, a Heavenly Secret Pillar stood silently. There was actually a Heavenly Secret Pillar here! This wasn't the Heavenly Secret Merchant Alliance, nor was it some spiritual land. For such a hidden place to conceal a Heavenly Secret Pillar, it was clearly meant to handle crisis situations, just like the current one. First a teleportation array, then a Heavenly Secret Pillar—Lu Ye was desperate to know who this mysterious benefactor assisting him from the shadows truly was. The mysterious woman claimed she was following orders. Who was this person behind the scenes? What was their objective? The locations of those teleportation arrays had been exposed, and now a Heavenly Secret Pillar was revealed before him. Despite such significant exposure, the benefactor showed no intention of revealing their identity. What exactly were they plotting?

"What are you staring at?" the mysterious woman asked, seeing Lu Ye frozen in place, urging him. "I won't!" "What?" "I said I won't go back to Kyushu." A flicker of surprise crossed the mysterious woman's eyes beneath her mask. She sized up Lu Ye, then patiently said, "Perhaps you haven't fully understood your current predicament, or perhaps I haven't been clear enough. But you just need to know one thing: if you continue to stay in the Cloud River Battlefield, it will be very dangerous." "I'm well aware," Lu Ye replied. 'You know, yet you won't leave!' the woman silently grumbled, losing her patience entirely. She said coolly, "That's not up to you!"

Saying this, she raised a hand and lunged towards Lu Ye. Judging by her stance, it seemed she intended to tie Lu Ye up and drag him back to Kyushu if necessary. Even when the woman fought against several Eighth or Ninth Layer cultivators from Ten Thousand Demon Ridge earlier, Lu Ye knew she was very strong, but he didn't have a clear idea of just how strong. Until this moment! When her fair hand reached out, Lu Ye had no time to react at all. The clang of a blade rang out, and a fiery red saber light flashed as Lu Ye instinctively unleashed a strike. This was purely the power of the Insight Secret Art. Facing this saber attack, the woman didn't dare to take it head-on. The long sword in her other hand suddenly popped out, blocking the strike. As the saber and sword clashed, a crisp sound echoed, and sparks flew. Lu Ye floated backward, looking awkward. "Apologies, just muscle memory..." Then he thought, 'Wait a minute, that's not right. This woman just swore a solemn Heavenly Oath that she bore him no ill will, yet now she's attacking him.' What was going on?! "Don't interfere with me completing my mission!" the mysterious woman said, her aura growing colder with the sword in hand. "I'll give you two choices: either you obediently return to Kyushu on your own, or I knock you out and drag you back!" Lu Ye stubbornly retorted, "Daoist friend, a forced melon isn't sweet." This woman must have some screw loose; why was she so insistent on him returning to Kyushu? She had just saved him, and now she was resorting to force? However, the only thing Lu Ye was certain of was that the other party genuinely held no ill will towards him. After all, the Heavenly Oath was still valid; if she truly had malicious intent, she would certainly face punishment from Heaven.