In a moment of crisis.
A flash of resolve appeared in Elder Huo’s eyes; he had no choice but to stay behind and cover their retreat.
The Detection Array he had just deployed for exploration was not yet fully retracted; the Array Flags still hovered and flowed in midair.
This, in turn, saved him the precious time of setting up a new Array Formation.
With a light wave of his sleeved arm, the dark-colored Array Flags that were about to be recalled suddenly froze. Then, as if pulled by an invisible force, they shot through the air once more!
The Pet Beast shaped like a Glazed Array Plate, which had been hovering by his shoulder, immediately emitted a soft halo, precisely channeling and amplifying the energy of each Array Flag.
In an instant, two great Arrays, both exuding a boundless aura but with vastly different structures, hummed as they took shape!
One Array erupted with lightning. Countless violent, golden bolts of thunder interwove like a cage over the cave entrance, crackling with a sound that made one’s scalp tingle, poised to strike.
The other Array flowed with an earthen-yellow light, forming the phantasm of a thick barrier that firmly sealed off any other potential opening.
Elder Huo’s white beard fluttered in the turbulent spiritual currents. His back, at this moment, seemed unusually tall and imposing, like one man holding the pass.
He suddenly turned and spoke to the nervously retreating students in a deep voice. It wasn’t loud, but it reached every ear clearly.
"You all go first. I will stay here and fight it!"
His tone was indisputable, carrying the unique authority and responsibility of an elder.
Elder Huo knew full well that retreating with the entire team was no longer possible.
That thing was too close. It had locked onto everyone’s aura.
Besides, within the Yichuan Ruins, the residual Illusion Realm from the Primordial Dream Butterfly was far too terrifying. Keeping people here would only hinder his ability to fight.
He had to stay.
What’s more, thanks to Cyan Treasure’s Breathing Technique operating at a near Quasi-Path Level,
the chaotic will and violent Spiritual Qi that filled the nest’s core had been mostly absorbed.
The safe space and pure Spiritual Qi Environment left for Elder Huo to operate in were now far more vast and stable than at any point before, enough for him to temporarily cast aside his worries, let loose, and fight with all his might!
Gu Ming thought it was a pity. ’I can’t stay and watch this battle.’
He had to lead the team and rely on the Breathing Technique that Cyan Treasure was struggling to maintain, carving a path of survival through this still-chaotic and dangerous labyrinth of caves.
He said to the others, "Follow me. Don’t look back."
After speaking, Gu Ming glanced at Lu You. Seeing that she was keeping pace, he lowered his head and charged forward.
The students suppressed the terror and worry in their hearts and followed closely behind.
The group fled with all their might along the winding tunnels. They could still faintly hear the distant, muffled booms of thunder and some indescribable, sharp shrieking from behind them.
「About an hour later.」
The suffocating pressure gradually weakened.
Only then did they dare to stop. The club president, Ruan Qitian, created a spatial rift, and they ducked inside to hide.
Everyone was drenched in sweat, their faces still pale with fright. They stared anxiously in the direction they had come from, silently praying for Elder Huo.
They waited for another hour.
A light blue system prompt, like a stream of text, quietly scrolled into view at the edge of his vision:
[The Terror Executioner, who should have been nearly invincible with its home-field advantage and mental corruption, has been forcibly suppressed by Elder Huo for unknown reasons.]
Not long after the text faded...
...the sound of steady footsteps came from behind them.
Elder Huo’s figure slowly emerged from a dark corner. His steps were a bit heavy, his breathing slightly rushed, and his face was somewhat pale. He had clearly expended a massive amount of energy.
The students exchanged glances. The president took the initiative, saying, "I’ll go out and see."
’What if it isn’t really Elder Huo? What if it’s the monster in disguise?’
This was a time when someone needed to step up and verify his identity.
A moment later, they saw Ruan Qitian wave to them.
Only then did everyone let out a huge sigh of relief. Many of them ran right out of the spatial rift and hugged Elder Huo, their faces showing the pure joy of having survived a disaster.
Elder Huo had a smile on his face as he patted the emotional students.
His tone was slightly cheerful, but it couldn’t hide his deep-seated exhaustion.
"Students, I have defeated it completely.
"For now, let’s end this expedition here."
’The expedition is over, just like that?’
’He actually beat that terrifying monster?’
But when they thought about it, the battle had lasted for quite a long time.
Duels between High-star Beastmasters were usually over in a flash and didn’t last long.
This one had lasted nearly four hours, which was exceptionally long.
Even Gu Ming could guess that Elder Huo must have used his advantage in Arrays to engage in a long, drawn-out battle of attrition with that terrifying existence, only barely managing to grind it down in the end.
A war of attrition based on the Array Dao was a contest of Array Dao Understanding and Mana recovery efficiency. As long as one’s Mana reserves were deep and recovery was fast, one could literally wear an opponent to death.
After his victory, Elder Huo had followed the path that Cyan Treasure had purified, which had less residual Memory Essence, to catch up with them.
Gu Ming had also deliberately left secret markers to guide him.
Now that the two parties had regrouped, it was indeed time to head back. The spoils from the nest alone were considerable.
If they explored further, not only would they be mentally exhausted, but Elder Huo also needed to recover his mental and Physical Strength, and the Pet Beasts needed to rest.
After a short rest, the group cautiously followed Elder Huo and Gu Ming back to the nest’s core area.
Upon entering the cave, the scene before them was stunning.
All over the cavern walls were shocking, residual golden arcs of Refinement lightning.
They were etched deep into the stone walls like brands.
Even now, four hours after the battle had ended, they still flickered and jumped intermittently, emitting faint "ZZZT" sounds, as if recounting the ferocity and scale of the recent fight.
The air was filled with a strange, burnt smell, mixed with an indescribable sense of violence.
The terrifying monster that had been shrouded in black mist and a psychic veil was nowhere to be seen.
’I wonder if it was completely suppressed or killed by Elder Huo.’
No one dared to ask for details.
Gu Ming saw someone use an Identification ability, so he copied them, using his own mysterious Identification Technique. He formed a ritual prayer gesture with his fingers and performed an Identification on the spot.
His gaze swept over the scorched marks, and his mind trembled as images of blood-stained, ancient torture instruments appeared in his head.
There was no sign of the monster’s appearance at all—only torture instruments, nothing else.
However, based on the knowledge from his mysterious Identification, the information he deciphered was—
This creature was an Executioner Fiend from an ancient era. It enjoyed using mental control, entering a Pet Beast’s spiritual sea of death, and executing them with torture instruments to enslave them and create puppet doppelgängers.
HISS.
’This monster is no simple foe.’
Its preferences and abilities alone were extraordinary.
Forget about the previous era.
Even in this era, it would be considered a top-tier Talent Ability.
’Probably the kind of thing an Evil Cultivator would love most.’
Additionally, in modern Beast Taming science, there was a field dedicated to puppet-type Skills, but Gu Ming didn’t know much about it.
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