Yun Lintian took the first step—carefully avoiding an almost invisible ripple in the air. The others followed in single file, their breaths held.
Behind them, Qian Jinglei and her group watched intently.
Nie Tong's frost energy coiled protectively around Ling Xuan. "Stay close."
Xiong Yu grabbed Xiong Ba's shoulder, his voice uncharacteristically tense. "Don't wander."
Step by step, Yun Lintian guided them forward. At one point, he held up a hand, stopping them just as a temporal distortion flickered across their path—a trap that would have aged them centuries in an instant.
Tang Wei's watery form trembled. "This place... it's even more dangerous than I remembered."
Yun Lintian didn't respond. His focus remained razor-sharp as he navigated the deadly corridor.
Then—
Buzz!
A low, resonant hum filled the air. The runes on the walls brightened, shifting like living ink.
Long Chen's voice was tight with alarm. "The formations are activating!"
