Chapter 1273: The Great Hand in the Darkness

No one expected the steps beneath their feet to suddenly vanish. This place had stripped everyone of their ability to fly, causing them all to lose their balance and plummet downwards.

At that moment, everyone also noticed the churning pool of blood below. Their faces all changed; it had been crystal clear moments before, so how had it transformed into this? Although they didn't understand what exactly this blood pool was, the terrifying killing intent and the chilling dread it sent through their souls made it clear that falling into it would be far from a wise decision.

Zu An no longer bothered to conceal his abilities. He immediately summoned his Wind-Fire Wheels and stepped onto them, barely managing to stabilize himself. However, the flames on the wheels flickered erratically, as if they could extinguish at any moment. His flight speed and maneuverability were far inferior to normal, clearly suppressed by the rules of this place. Simply maintaining the ability to fly was already quite an achievement.

He immediately grabbed Yu Yanluo, who was closest to him, and said, "Hold onto me tightly!"

Knowing the urgency of the situation, Yu Yanluo instantly leaped onto Zu An's waist, clinging to him like a koala. This way, she wouldn't occupy his hands and hinder him from rescuing others.

Zu An hurriedly propelled his Wind-Fire Wheels and rushed towards the two women.

On the other side, Yun Jianyue and Yan Xuehen were also falling. Yun Jianyue could barely stabilize herself, using various methods to slow her descent, but Yan Xuehen, too severely injured to maintain her balance, plummeted directly downwards. Yun Jianyue attempted to save her, but as soon as she grasped Yan Xuehen, the latter's rapid descent caused Yun Jianyue to lose her own balance, sending both of them falling further.

Yan Xuehen was momentarily stunned, never expecting her sworn enemy to try and save her. After a brief moment of distraction, she intended to use her palm force to push Yun Jianyue away, sending her to the side. Yet, Yun Jianyue held her hand in an unbreakable grip, giving her no chance to exert force.

Frantic, she asked, "Do you want to die together?"

Yun Jianyue snorted, "If you push me away, *you're* the one who'll surely die. You can only die by my hand; I won't let you die so easily."

Yan Xuehen was about to retort, but Yun Jianyue cut her off. "Don't move around," she said. "That guy will come to save us." As she spoke, she actively tried to control the airflow, slowing their descent and striving to buy as much time as possible.

Yan Xuehen was startled and instinctively looked up. She saw Zu An rushing toward them on his Wind-Fire Wheels. For that brief moment, she felt a dizzying sensation, as if he was glowing all over.

The next second, Zu An had already reached them, wrapping an arm around each of their waists before flying them directly to the side. Feeling the steady strength of his large hands, both women's hearts skipped a beat in unison, even though they knew he was merely rescuing them. Yan Xuehen looked up at Zu An's profile, and her gaze became incredibly complex as she thought about their relationship. Yun Jianyue also observed Zu An from a different angle, thinking that normally in the sect, female disciples would often gossip about handsome men, but to her, they all looked pretty much the same. However, this young man, Zu An, was indeed quite handsome.

Just as her heart fluttered, she suddenly noticed Yan Xuehen's infatuated expression on the other side. She immediately snapped back to reality. What was she thinking?

"Save me!" A panicked voice cried out from nearby. The group looked back and saw Kong Nanqing desperately clinging to Princess Solun's thigh. Princess Solun couldn't break free, and the two of them were falling together into the blood pool. Kong Nanqing, seeing that Zu An could still fly, urgently called for help. Her face was covered in red, swollen slap marks, clearly Yun Jianyue's recent handiwork. Princess Solun, whose face was usually composed, now only showed panic and unease, her eyes filled with hope as she looked towards Zu An.

Zu An hesitated for a moment, then immediately summoned his Hun Tian Ling. He wrapped it around Princess Solun's hand and, with a swift pull, yanked her to the side. Kong Nanqing naturally followed, thus escaping the danger as well.

Yun Jianyue grumbled indignantly, "You want to save *this* kind of woman?" She was, of course, referring to Kong Nanqing, whose behavior just moments ago was still fresh in her mind.

Zu An replied, "I have old ties with her clan members; it wouldn't be right to stand by and watch her die." Seeing that he wasn't acting out of desire for women, the other women exchanged faint, knowing smiles.

"Thank you, Young Master!" The group landed on a stone platform, temporarily safe from the encroaching blood pool. Princess Solun, still visibly shaken, thanked Zu An. Kong Nanqing, utterly terrified, was too scared to utter a single word.

Zu An nodded, his attention returning to the scene above the blood pool.

The other demon clan members also displayed their unique abilities. Jin Shi and Qiao Heng, both with wings on their backs, couldn't fly as usual but could still glide by utilizing air currents. Both landed on sculptures embedded in the wall, steadying themselves. Seeing this, several people cast a disdainful glance at Kong Nanqing. They were all members of the Feather Tribe; others could find a way, but this one was completely petrified, only knowing to cling to someone's thigh and face death together.

Bear One and Bear Two, despite their seemingly clumsy appearance, displayed surprising astuteness. Having also lost their balance and unable to fly, they instinctively clashed their weapons together. Using the recoil force, they propelled themselves to the walls on either side, clinging to the decorative elements and hanging in mid-air.

Duan Tiande, meanwhile, utilized shadow-jumping to hide on a crossbeam. Ma Huang also appeared nearby at some point.

The rest of the individuals, however, were not so lucky; those led by Prince Silver Shark all plummeted into the blood pool. Prince Silver Shark revealed his true form, attempting to use his aquatic abilities to swim to the shore. However, a sharp pain suddenly surged through his body. He looked down to see his flesh and blood melting away as if they were wax being consumed by fire.

A series of shrill screams echoed through the chamber. Other demon experts instantly dissolved into bare skeletons. Prince Silver Shark, being more powerful, managed to endure a bit longer, but this only prolonged his agonizing suffering. His desperate screams soon faded until he no longer had the strength to cry out. He gazed despairingly in Princess Solun's direction, his eyes filled with a piteous plea.

Princess Solun bit her lips until they nearly bled. She understood his silent plea. She raised a finger, and a streak of purple light shot forth, piercing directly through Prince Silver Shark's forehead. Prince Silver Shark died instantly, though a faint smile of relief appeared on his face in his final moments. Princess Solun, however, trembled slightly, her face deathly pale. Although she had never harbored affection for him, he had been exceptionally attentive and supportive to her during this period. Seeing him meet such a tragic end, it was hard for anyone, not made of stone, to remain indifferent.

The entire great hall fell silent once more. Prince Silver Shark's flesh and blood were completely corroded away, leaving behind only a massive skeleton. A realization dawned on everyone: all the skeletons they had encountered on their way here had presumably been formed in this very place before being washed out.

Everyone's gaze then turned to the center of the blood pool, where the Three-Three Flower still floated on the surface. Visibly, new blood-red veins had appeared on its petals.

"This is no immortal flower; it's a deadly trap!" Princess Changning, Kong Nanqing, exclaimed, her face pale with terror.

Everyone shared the same terrifying realization: the so-called immortal flower was merely a lure to draw them in, intending to trap them all at once. Everyone wanted to leave, but below them churned a vast sea of blood that would mean certain death or severe injury upon contact. And with flight impossible here, no one could escape.

All eyes turned to Zu An. Everyone remembered him on his Wind-Fire Wheels just moments ago, making him the only one in the area who could still fly.

At this moment, Duan Tiande chuckled. "Never mind," he said, "my life is more important. You can have any treasures here; I'm not staying for this." He could travel through shadows, so this predicament posed no challenge to him.

No sooner had he spoken than he leaped through several shadows consecutively. Just as he was about to burst out of the great hall, a large, hairy hand suddenly reached out from ahead. Duan Tiande was horrified and immediately tried to dive back into the shadows. However, the hairy hand seemed capable of piercing through all illusions; it reached directly into the shadow and dragged him back out.

"Ugh… ugh… ugh…" Duan Tiande's neck was gripped by the massive hand, suspending him in mid-air. His face turned purple as he desperately clawed at the hand, his legs kicking wildly. Unfortunately, the large hands were as firm as bedrock, showing no sign of loosening.

With a sickening 'crack,' the large hand twisted, and Duan Tiande's head instantly slumped. His entire body went limp like noodles, utterly devoid of any further movement.

A chill ran down everyone's spines in the great hall. Duan Tiande's cultivation was considered among the best of them, and his shadow-jumping technique was so masterful that he was practically invincible. Yet, he had been crushed like a mere chick?