Tasks

The nine of them split into three teams, advancing from the west, south, and southwest. They switched routes periodically to ensure no area was missed. Within each squad, one scout moved swiftly ahead, another stayed in the middle to relay communications, and the last one traveled under covert cover.

In less than a day, they had covertly eliminated every hostile within half the range around their camp. To avoid alerting the enemy, they decided to march through the night, aiming to wipe out this entire gathering point before dawn.

By the midway point, most enemies had been cleared, though all nine members had sustained various injuries. After a brief discussion, they regrouped to rest momentarily, gathering their strength for one final, thorough sweep.

During the short rest, Fan Cang had repeatedly raised false alarms. Once, at the original main camp, Yan expanded his divine sense back there but found nothing amiss—only some insects and lizards where she had indicated. Several other times near the campsite, it was the same: just lizards and other small creatures. After informing Lan Jinxi of the specific locations and having her leave markers, they thought little more of it.

Then, Yun Feng and Qian Dan also had several false alarms. Sensing something was wrong, they began a slow retreat, moving in the opposite direction. Meanwhile, Chi tried contacting Senior Brother Yutian, but after several messages went unanswered, a growing unease settled in. They quickened their pace involuntarily. Lan Jinxi also began casting divinations one after another, her expression grim. She discreetly had Yan place spirit stones at specific spots, then tried to use her arts to send a message, but communication was still blocked.

Chi handed each person a prismatic crystal resembling ice, instructing them to store a portion of their soul essence and blood within it. Yan also began activating his Immortal Seed in advance. Dun produced a small box containing a black liquid metal, asking Qian Dan and Yun Feng to extract some from deep underground if possible.

Qian Dan remained expressionless, silently wrapping several layers of cloth around the handle of his giant axe, binding it to his hand. He then stirred the iron sand within the surrounding soil. Yun Feng scooped up a handful of earth, tasted it, licked his lips, and held his dagger ready before his chest. Mo Wenxi made no grand movements, but the wind around them noticeably intensified. Fan Cang placed a leaf by each person's ear, and his own skin took on a wooden grain texture. Shaheluo was on high alert, his blood burning with intensity as he closed his eyes, awaiting the coming storm.

Suddenly, they all felt their bodies grow heavy. They scattered swiftly in different directions. Just then, Lan Jinxi completed her final divination. Raising two fingers before her face, she whispered, "Detonate." The heavy sensation vanished, but they knew the enemy's assault would follow swiftly.

Sure enough, a meteorite crashed down precisely where they had been standing moments before. Fortunately, having already scattered, they avoided the impact.

Acting on their prior covert communication, they quickly dispersed further, moving toward the periphery to split the enemy's focus, hoping at least one of them could escape to seek help.

Yan seemed to be a primary target; countless hostile presences instantly surrounded him. Fortunately, Yan had earlier overlaid his 'Pseudo-consciousness' on each member, so he at least knew the others were still proceeding according to plan.

"Those fortune-tellers said you're a variable, but we prefer certainties. So, sorry about this!" a voice called from the woods. Several flying daggers shot forth, followed by a barrage of silent, concealed projectiles from every treacherous angle. Yan had no choice but to saturate the entire area with his own 'Pseudo-consciousness'.

But Yan felt an abrupt, inexplicable tension in his nerves. Those assailants were attacking his 'Pseudo-consciousness' through some special method, damaging his very soul.

Despite the pain, Yan flashed a strange grin. He instantly teleported to a specific spot in the forest, then drew the great blade from his Immortal Seed. With a single swing, he struck. While they could directly wound him, Yan could also pinpoint their location through the damaged areas of his Pseudo-consciousness to launch his own attack.

But when the third sting of pain came, Yan sensed something was off. He instantly appeared at the source of the attack, yet found no one there. Immediately, a torrent of concealed projectiles filled the air around him. Clearly, someone had instantly deduced his trick and turned it against him, luring Yan straight into a trap.

Just then, a sharp snap echoed from the distance. All the projectiles spontaneously ignited without any visible flame. From afar, Shaheluo arrived just in time—or perhaps Yan had deliberately moved to this location.

"Brother Yan, seems you've run into some trouble?" Shaheluo untied his headband and wrapped it around his wrist. Instantly, his blood turned to molten lava, his hair became raging flame, and his skin resembled flowing volcanic rock.

"There's one scurrying about everywhere. Brother Shaheluo, lend me a flame!" Yan withdrew his dispersed Pseudo-consciousness and flashed to Shaheluo's side, extending a hand. With a mere thought from Shaheluo, the air above Yan's palm spontaneously combusted. "My thanks!" Yan drew back his hand, now bearing the flame. With a twist of his other hand above the ember, the fire rapidly expanded, sweeping through the forest without scorching a single plant—yet it failed to hit any person either.

From the blind spot of the two, more hidden projectiles came flying.

Yan blocked them with his greatsword, while Shaheluo simply let them burn and evaporate.

"What did your fire sense?" Seizing a brief lull, Shaheluo quickly asked.

"Nothing!" Yan found it incredible, yet that was the fact.

"Are they getting the same projectile treatment over there?"

"Not certain, but they've all stopped moving. Must be in trouble too, but they're okay for now."

The two conversed in hushed tones while fending off attacks.

"This isn't sustainable. Can we just burn this whole place down?" Chi was clearly growing impatient, the surrounding temperature rapidly rising.

"Wait a bit longer, but move farther from Yun Feng!"

Chi looked at Yan with some disbelief, but knowing his own weakness in detection, he chose to trust him.

Fighting as they moved, the pair finally put enough distance between them and Yun Feng. At Yan's nod, they snapped their fingers simultaneously. The surrounding trees were instantly incinerated to ash, revealing bare earth—Crimson Severance Blaze!

As the smoke cleared, figures suddenly appeared all around them, their eyes fixed hungrily on the pair.

"They must have mastered some technique. The exact principle is unclear, but they can likely hide within insects or reptiles!" Yan immediately conveyed this to the others via a whisper through the nearby leaves.

"Quite a few enemies, huh?" Chi surveyed the surroundings, straightening his posture. "Cowards, scram! Anyone with a death wish, stay!"

He then passed another flame to Yan. Under the enemy's disdainful gazes, the same technique was cast again. This time, however, flames also erupted where it was first cast and rapidly converged on their current position—Stormwind Dual Severance.

"Right. The same technique only works once; the second time it gets countered. But their response seems completely rigid. Even a slight tweak might make it work again!" Another piece of intelligence was shared.

"Brother Yan, spot-on!" Chi nudged Yan's arm with his elbow, utterly unfazed as the group emerged unscathed.

"They're likely some sort of projection. They can hurl physical objects, but can't use actual spells." Chi conveyed this to Yan by some unknown method.

"A feint!" Yan dodged backward, yanking Chi with him. Earthen spikes erupted from the ground where they had just stood.

"Brother Chi, something's strange!" Yan replied while simultaneously checking Dun's situation, detecting a familiar aura from that direction.

The two immediately sprinted backward, only to run into Dun coming from the opposite direction. Just then, several others arrived too, but a few were conspicuously missing.