The crimson sword soared into the sky, showering the earth in a downpour of sword light. The chaotic ambient spirit energy seemed to have found an anchor and rushed toward it from every direction. 

Amid the storm of sword light, a white-robed figure flickered in and out of sight. His features were impossible to make out, but there was no mistaking the contemptuous laugh they had heard earlier.

Yu Xu's face drained of color. "Wilderness Hermit!"

Whoosh!

Heavengazer appeared beside her and grabbed her arm. Without wasting a moment on explanations, he uttered only a single word, "Go!"

A small beast resembling a pangolin flew from his side and opened its mouth. It swallowed both of them, then flipped over and burrowed into the earth, vanishing underground in an instant. 

Elsewhere, the others had subtly closed in around Shi Ju after discovering that he had been secretly collecting illusory cores. The sudden disturbance created an opening,...