The Crisis

"Where are Lan Jinxi, Qian Dan, Mo Wenxi, and Fan Cang?" Shaheluo quickly took a headcount, noticing those few were missing.

"They're not here..." Yan scanned their surroundings and said with a hint of alarm, "You all feel it too, right? This place... it's strange. I think maybe..."

"It's a separate pocket dimension!" Shaheluo, Dun, Yan, and Yun Feng all spoke at once, leaving Chi momentarily bewildered.

"Wait, wait. Are you saying we got ambushed and are now stuck inside some spatial treasure that forms its own little world?" Chi scratched his head, asking incredulously.

The others nodded.

"Then the missing ones weren't caught..." Shaheluo suddenly grew worried; after all, their team's main combat strength had just been taken out of the equation.

"Probably not luck. We were specifically targeted!" Though Chi's perception was poor, his mind worked just as quickly.

"I knew those surrounding figures felt off! They're probably just projections sent in from outside somehow. They can't cast spells, only keep hurling things, but it's still a pain!" Another volley of projectiles flew in. Cursing, they dodged again.

"Old Sha, Dun, can we build some kind of shelter here? Something to block these things?" Yan suddenly had an idea and asked.

"With Yun Feng here too, it's possible. But we'll need you to cover us!" Shaheluo ducked a flying dagger and glanced at Yun Feng.

Chi's body temperature surged again. He slammed his hands into the ground, summoning a circular wall of flame around the five of them. "Brother Yan, anything that gets through is yours to handle!"

Seeing this, Shaheluo and the others didn't hesitate, immediately beginning to weave a spell and construct a rounded barrier. Yan expanded his spiritual sense, zipping around to clear any incoming projectiles.

In less time than it takes for an incense stick to burn, a sloped, dome-shaped temporary shelter was completed. They hurried inside, listening to the relentless *ping ping pang pang* from outside, a chill running down their spines.

"It's endless! If this goes on, we'll die of exhaustion or starvation!" Chi immediately swallowed a replenishment pill, his body reverting to normal. He took a quick stock of his pill reserves and punched the ground in frustration.

Upon hearing this, Yan promptly entered a meditative state on the spot, sending his spirit out to probe the size of this pocket world. However, his spirit was attacked the moment it extended beyond their shelter. While the damage was minor, the feedback of pain was nearly unbearable.

The group was still brainstorming countermeasures when everyone except Chi simultaneously looked into the distance—Lan Jinxi was likely being surrounded and besieged; the situation didn't look good.

Yan had the clearest view, so he directed Fan Cang and Qian Dan to go assist. Dun, relying on a faint trace of energy he'd left on Qian Dan, barely managed to connect with the outside world and created a metallic clone to provide support.

Yun Feng's method was the most straightforward; what had been trapped here was merely a wooden clone. Her consciousness now directly returned to her main body.

Shaheluo had earlier placed a grain of sand carrying a wisp of his spiritual sense on each person. Though he couldn't create a full clone like Dun, he could remotely manipulate it to form a set of protective armor.

That left only Chi on-site, pacing anxiously, frustrated at being unable to connect with the outside and too wary to unleash his flames recklessly.

"Brother Yan, quick, use your invincible Immortal Seed to think of something!" Chi finally couldn't hold back, whispering urgently to Yan.

"The Immortal Seed... I only brought in a replica from the outside. That was the only way to accurately maintain contact!" Yan also wished to consult the great power within the Immortal Seed, but to avoid accidents earlier, he had returned it after using its energy to communicate and his own spiritual sense to scout the camp. "If the 'Pseudo-consciousness' is separated from its main body by an entire world, there's a high chance of complete disconnection! To prevent that, I left it outside. We can only hope it notices something's wrong and can act on its own..."

The group fell silent. Providing remote aid was already immensely taxing on their spiritual energy. Moreover, the foes surrounding Lan Jinxi seemed quite powerful. Soon, blood began to trickle steadily from the corner of Shaheluo's mouth. Yan also noticed Lan Jinxi's condition was worsening, but for now, they could only watch helplessly.

Suddenly, Dun was sent flying, blood spraying from his mouth. Struggling to rise, he spoke with a trace of fear, "The Danfeng City Lord is here too! This place might be very close to their hidden base. We also can't..." He didn't finish, but the implication was clear: communication with the outside was impossible; this entire area must be sealed off...

For them, this was nothing short of despair. The City Lord's appearance also meant Senior Brother Yutian was likely held up as well...

"Some news from outside: Yun Feng and the others managed to escape with Lan Jinxi! The bad news is there are many pursuers, and Lan Jinxi's condition might not be great... Qian Dan seems off somehow, while Fan Cang and Yun Feng appear relatively normal." Seeing there was little else they could do, Yan simply sat down cross-legged and began relaying the external situation.

To cover their escape, Qian Dan chose to hold the rear alone. His energy aura felt somewhat strange, but he succeeded in delaying the enemy.

Meanwhile, Yun Feng's group was also not far from the previously arranged secondary camp.

Countless red dots suddenly appeared before Yun Feng and the others. They had walked into an ambush. However, it seemed Yun Feng had kept a trick up her sleeve; the figures heading that way were mere decoys. Their real bodies had changed direction and hidden in a tree hollow back when Qian Dan was holding the line. But Yan's signal had just cut off; he could no longer sense their auras.

"...External communication is cut... Two possibilities. One, the great power within the Immortal Seed has awakened—we're saved. Two, the Immortal Seed has been discovered—we might not make it back this time!" After a moment of silence, Yan spoke, his tone tinged with dark humor.

No one made a sound.

Time stretched on interminably. Despair spread through each person's heart, growing heavier and more oppressive. Yan still couldn't re-establish contact with the Immortal Seed.

"Brother Chi, can your flames be transferred? If so, could I then unleash your technique?" Yan gritted his teeth, looking at Chi as he asked.

"It should be possible, though the effect varies from person to person..." Chi hesitated before replying, "But I'm not proficient with the technique part. I think it's doable, just with a greater cost. We're at the end of our rope now; it's worth a shot!"

"Alright. When you get my signal, ignite me and my soul spirit completely." After a nod to Chi, Yan turned to Shaheluo and Dun. "Old Sha, Dun, can you block the incoming hidden weapons from outside?"

Shaheluo pressed his lips together, seeming hesitant. "Your soul spirit is connected to your fundamental essence..."

"We don't know the situation outside. The Immortal Seed has likely been discovered. Qian Dan is locked in a bitter struggle. Lan Jinxi's state is poor. They can't hide forever, and breaking through after revealing themselves will be hard. As things stand, it's unlikely any of us can hold out until masters from the Sub-Institute come to rescue us!"

Shaheluo gave a slow nod.

"What's the plan?" Unlike Shaheluo, Dun didn't ponder deeply; he had already activated his cultivation, ready for action.

"Using Chi's fire, we'll refine this entire space!"

"That's madness!" Shaheluo blurted out reflexively. He looked at Yan, then at the other two, sighed, and produced a flask of wine from who-knows-where he'd been hiding it.

"There's a tradition where I come from. Before doing something foolish, you have a drink. To see if Heaven and Earth permit it. If they do, it grants a boon. If not, you get drunk." Though it's not impossible he just wanted one last cup.

The few of them poured the wine full, shared a look and a smile, then raised their cups and drank them dry in one go.

They didn't get drunk. So, it was time to get to work.

"Wait a moment!" That horizontal piece of wood transformed back into Yun Feng's form, though she looked somewhat weak. The woody grain and mottled brown bark on her skin were clearly visible. "Yan, releasing your soul now is very likely to be detected. Wait until Fan Cang and I sneak this sphere sealing you all out and hide it, then you can use your magic to break it!"

"The defenses are tight. How do you plan to break through?" Dun looked at Yun Feng.

"We have our methods. But you all need to get out quickly!" Yun Feng looked at everyone with reluctance. Before leaving, she handed Yan a fairly large leaf, saying it could help conceal them once they were out.

The group had no choice but to wait anxiously once more. For now, waiting was all they could do.