Chapter 878: Cheater!

**Chapter 878: Liar!**

Two fewer people were following Ying Wuji, indicating they had likely met a grim end.

Lu Ye was somewhat caught off guard by this sudden development, never expecting such a dangerous place in a supposed treasure trove.

Seeing the pursuers behind Ying Wuji and his group, Lu Ye raised an eyebrow in surprise.

The Fire Spirit race.

He had read about this race in a book in his master's library.

On the land of Kyushu, humans and demons were currently the dominant races, but there were also other smaller races, such as the Five Elements Spirits. The Five Elements Spirits were uniquely gifted, naturally proficient in many mystical secret arts. Many of the Spirit Runes currently mastered by humans had been developed by successive generations of sages who studied the secret arts of the Five Elements Spirits. This was also why the book in his master's library documented the Five Elements Spirits.

However, the Five Elements Spirits were extremely rare; an ordinary cultivator might never encounter one in their lifetime. Yet, there were more than a hundred Fire Spirits pursuing Ying Wuji and his group at this moment.

The unique environment of this place made it normal for such peculiar beings as Fire Spirits to be born, but their sheer number was unsettling. This suggested that the Eight Extremes Demon Sealing Array in the city was imprisoning the Fire Spirits. If that were true, there might be far more Fire Spirits in this place than what he currently saw.

A shiver ran down Lu Ye's spine as the thought crossed his mind. He instinctively reached for his waist, but his hand found nothing.

Seeing Ying Wuji and his group rush towards him, he could only raise his hand and cast a spell towards their pursuers, slightly delaying the Fire Spirits' chase.

In an instant, the two groups converged.

"Let's go!" Ying Wuji immediately changed direction, heading towards the entrance.

The others followed closely.

However, a desperate scene unfolded. As the Eight Extremes Demon Sealing Array in the city failed, numerous Fire Spirits emerged from the churning magma in the various trenches. Among the Five Elements Spirits, the Fire Spirit race was inherently volatile. Coupled with being sealed for an unknown number of years, they had long lost their sanity. Sensing Lu Ye and his group, they swarmed from all directions, instantly encircling everyone completely.

Lu Ye and Ying Wuji led the charge, Lu Ye's spells roaring from his hands, while Ying Wuji's two curved blades flashed as they fought their way forward.

"Ah!" A scream suddenly erupted from behind. Someone had fallen victim, overwhelmed by the surrounding Fire Spirits, instantly transforming into a spray of blood. The others looked grief-stricken, indignant, and fearful, but were powerless to help.

Lu Ye and Ying Wuji pressed on without looking back, but more and more Fire Spirits attacked from the front, seemingly having understood their intention and blocking their path. With interceptors ahead and pursuers behind, it was a near-desperate situation.

"Down!" Ying Wuji made a decisive call, shouting as he plunged downwards first. Being in mid-air meant attacks came from all directions; if they descended to the ground, at least they wouldn't have to worry about attacks from below.

A few breaths later, they finally landed in the dilapidated city. A vast number of Fire Spirits surged from all directions, like a raging tide. Even more Fire Spirits continued to emerge from different areas, joining the hunt. Constant screams filled the air. The Cloud River Realm cultivators who had descended with Ying Wuji simply couldn't withstand such an onslaught; in mere moments, they were all dead or wounded.

Ying Wuji's eyes were bloodshot. He had never imagined that what was supposed to be a great opportunity would turn into such a massive crisis in such a short time. This truly showed how unpredictable circumstances could be. What gave him some reassurance was that "Niu Meng" by his side was performing exceptionally well, with outstanding strength, at least able to cooperate with him.

Under normal circumstances, he would have noticed something unusual, because the strength "Niu Meng" displayed was far too great for an unknown individual. His mastery of spells was no less than that of Lu Qing from the Myriad Arts Pavilion, perhaps even surpassing it. Lu Qing had ranked fourth in the Cloud River Hegemony back then, and "Niu Meng" was certainly no worse, yet there was no record of a "Niu Meng" in the Cloud River Hegemony at all. But at this critical moment, with the risk of being overwhelmed by the surging tide of Fire Spirits at any second, Ying Wuji couldn't afford to think too much.

While resisting, he shouted, "Brother Niu, hold on! I've already sent a message back to the sect; reinforcements will be here soon."

Lu Ye remained silent, only casting spells to repel the enemies. The Fire Spirits weren't actually too strong; compared to human cultivators, most were at the Spirit Stream and Cloud River levels, with few at the True Lake Realm. However, Lu Ye could clearly sense even stronger auras gradually reawakening within the crisscrossing trenches. It wasn't that the Fire Spirits lacked powerful individuals; it was just that the Eight Extremes Demon Sealing Array hadn't completely failed yet, and those strong entities remained sealed. But as time passed, these powerful Fire Spirits would eventually break free. Therefore, they had to quickly carve out a path to survival; waiting for rescue from Lone Mountain Pass was not a reliable option. What made it particularly difficult for Lu Ye was that these Fire Spirits seemed to have a natural resistance to fire-based spells, making them somewhat troublesome to defeat.

Thirty breaths later, Ying Wuji grunted. He had been struck by a True Lake Realm Fire Spirit in close combat. Fire Spirits were naturally proficient in many fire-based secret arts, each one a powerful fire spellcaster, but that didn't mean they only cast spells. Some Fire Spirits were tall and imposing, clearly skilled in close-quarters combat. Although the two now relied on each other, two fists were ultimately no match for four hands.

As he stumbled back, his defense was left wide open. Numerous fire-based spells assailed him from the front, and the aura of death enveloped him. Ying Wuji's face showed despair. He thought to himself that he had only recently advanced to the True Lake Realm, and the exciting part of his life had just begun; he never expected it to end here. Early in his cultivation, the elders of the Senluo Temple had taught him that the path of cultivation was full of thorns, and life and death were unpredictable. Every battle required a resolute determination and courage, as if facing certain death. He had always followed this principle. Yet, at this critical juncture, Ying Wuji still felt a degree of unwillingness. His promising life had just begun; how could he die here? But what good was unwillingness? His cultivation level was set; no matter what, he couldn't display strength far exceeding his own.

Then he saw a flash of brilliant saber light cut across his vision. The incoming spells were actually detonated in mid-air, and a wave of heat swept over, impacting Ying Wuji's body and stirring his spirit. He stared blankly at the familiar back that had suddenly appeared in front of him, and at the familiar long saber, his mind a jumble of thoughts.

The spellcaster, Niu Meng... a cultivator from Myriad Demon Ridge, Eastern Hills Pass. A liar!

From the first moment he saw this guy, he had suspected it was Lu Ye, but after seeing the battle imprint on the back of his hand, he had to dismiss his doubts. Because the battle imprint was a gift from Heavenly Mystery, how could someone from Haotian Alliance possess a Myriad Demon Ridge battle imprint? But he actually did!

Several times, he had felt as if the other party wanted to kill him. He had thought it was a delusion, but now it was clear it wasn't. It was a warning sign in his heart! His instinct for survival! It really was him! It was actually him! Even in this perilous moment, Ying Wuji was shaken to his core by what he saw.

"Keep up!" Lu Ye had already reverted to his original voice. He exhaled softly as his weapon box at his waist sent out flying artifacts. At the same time, the Mountain Cleaving Saber unleashed fierce slashes, cutting through enemies like waves as he charged forward. Indeed, the Mountain Cleaving Saber suited him best. Especially against enemies like the Fire Spirits, spells were too unreliable; a spell cast at full power would lose at least half its effectiveness when striking a Fire Spirit, as these creatures had a natural resistance to fire-based spells. With the long saber in hand, Lu Ye transformed. Spiritual power surged around him, and wherever he passed, Fire Spirits fell like straw in the wind.

Though Ying Wuji's heart trembled, he knew that if he didn't keep up with Lu Ye now, he would surely die. He clearly understood why Lu Ye would help him at this crucial moment. It certainly wasn't due to their insignificant acquaintance on the Peerless Continent, but because at this very moment, it was better for two of them to fight together than for one to struggle alone. Lu Ye needed someone to block attacks from behind him. And he cooperated perfectly, just as they had teamed up on the Peerless Continent.

Currently, the stronger Fire Spirits had not yet fully revived, making this a good time to escape. If they continued to delay, even Lu Ye wouldn't be able to leave this place alive.

From a high vantage point, countless dense Fire Spirits filled the vast cavern. More Fire Spirits continued to emerge from the crisscrossing trenches of the dilapidated city. Within that world teeming with Fire Spirits, two figures, one in front and one behind, forged an unstoppable path towards the entrance.

However, just as they neared the entrance, about a hundred feet away, magma suddenly surged forward and swiftly transformed into a giant hand, slamming down fiercely towards Lu Ye and Ying Wuji. The immense palm strike was astonishing in its force. Fire Spirits in its path were sent reeling, and many instantly exploded into a bloody mist. Lu Ye, leading the charge, felt a strong surge of alarm. He looked up at the giant palm, sensing its power, and knew that a powerful Fire Spirit had secretly acted. Although it might not have fully escaped its confinement, it could already manipulate spells. If it possessed such power without being fully unsealed, who knew what astonishing techniques it could unleash once completely free?

In such a situation, one either faced it head-on or retreated a good distance. With a vast number of pursuers behind them, retreating was clearly not an option. Having fought so hard to reach this position, if they were to retreat now, they might truly never escape. So, Lu Ye didn't hesitate at all; he charged straight towards the giant palm. His mind raced as the power of his Talent Tree activated, unseen roots emerging from his body. At the same time, he channeled spiritual power into the long saber in his hand. In an instant, the Mountain Cleaving Saber was wreathed in fiery light, as if truly ablaze. He slashed fiercely forward with the saber. The tiny figure against the colossal hand created a stark visual contrast.

Immediately after, the giant palm engulfed both Lu Ye and Ying Wuji.