The branching path's end was not the path to life imagined, but a thick stone wall covered in cracks, spiritual light completely dimmed—a dead end! Behind, the Shadow Snake Pavilion demonic cultivators' pursuing auras got closer and closer, mixed with the corridor's continuing collapse roars.
Desperate situation!
A trace of despair flashed in Xiao Qi's eyes, but survival instinct made him not give up. His gaze rapidly swept around, finally fixing on a damaged gap revealed by collapse above the stone wall, constantly dripping turbid muddy water. There seemed to connect to the temple complex's foundation structure, even able to feel a trace of outside aura!
No time to hesitate! He suddenly stomped the ground, his body like an arrow leaving the string shooting upward, while the Crimson Flame Sword inserted into a wall crack for leverage, narrowly drilling into that gap only passable for one person.
Beyond the gap was not a passage, but an even more chaotic, rot-filled dark space, seeming to be a layer between the temple foundation and mountain body, everywhere broken spiritual vein pipes and rotting support wood, turbid muddy water seeping from all directions, forming a knee-deep mud marsh.
"Chase! He can't escape!" Behind came Shadow Snake Pavilion demonic cultivators' flustered and angry roars. They had also discovered this gap and were trying to drill in.
Xiao Qi couldn't care about filth, deep step shallow step struggling forward in the mud marsh, relying on the jade pendant's faint guidance and sense for life force, desperately moving toward the direction of air flow. The rabbit spirit in his arms uneasily twisted, also extremely unadapted to this environment.
Not knowing how long he struggled in the darkness and mud, finally a glimmer of light appeared ahead, and faint sounds of killing and intense energy collisions!
An exit! And an exit where battle was happening!
Xiao Qi's spirit lifted, gathering his last strength, rushing toward that light. When he finally cleared away a pile of collapsed stones, struggling to crawl out of that suffocating layer, the scene before him made him suck in a cold breath.
Here was not the valley entrance they entered from, but a massive crack exit in the mountain belly. Beyond the exit was the familiar Cloud Mist Secret Realm world, yet at this moment, this world was like a purgatory!
He saw dozens of powerful figures hovering in mid-air beyond the exit perimeter, in various attire—precisely the elders from major sects left outside the secret realm! Qingxu Temple's Xuan Lin Zhenren, Mysterious Mechanism Holy Land's Ice Soul Venerable, Flaming Sun Sect's Crimson Flame Ancestor... all were there! They were currently fully exerting themselves, sword radiance, spells, and magical artifact lights crisscrossing, constructing a powerful defense line.
Their opponents were over a hundred black-robed, ferocious-looking Shadow Snake Pavilion demonic cultivators! These demonic cultivators were clearly support personnel lurking outside after the secret realm opened. Now at the moment of secret realm anomaly and core collapse, they received orders, frantically charging the righteous sects' defense line, trying to stop disciples inside from escaping, or... intercepting specific targets!
Further away, large numbers of cultivators who fortunately escaped from various parts of the secret realm were like headless flies rushing toward the exit, yet blocked by the battle ahead, in a dilemma, cries and screams endless. Some out-of-control demon beasts eroded by demonic energy also charged from the forests, killing anyone they saw, further intensifying the chaos.
The entire secret realm exit area had transformed into a massive, bloody meat grinder!
Xiao Qi's appearance didn't attract much attention. At this moment he was covered in mud, his aura withered, mixed among those rogue cultivators and small sect disciples who similarly fled in sorry state from various collapsed corners, inconspicuous at all.
His gaze anxiously swept across the battlefield, quickly spotting Qingxu Temple's team! They seemed to have also just rushed out from another path, currently gathered in an area under Xuan Lin Zhenren's sword light protection, forming a formation defending against demonic cultivator and out-of-control demon beast attacks. Mu Qingfeng and Liu Yun were fighting desperately at the formation front, both bearing wounds, clearly having also broken through with extreme difficulty.
Xiao Qi's heart slightly settled, at least his big brother and the others safely got out. He had to quickly rejoin the team!
However, just as he was about to rush toward Qingxu Temple's position, the rabbit spirit in his arms suddenly let out urgent "squeak squeak" sounds, forcefully pulling at his clothes. At the same time, the jade pendant at his chest also transmitted a strong warning heat!
Danger had locked onto him!
Xiao Qi suddenly turned his head, only to see from the side rear, three black-robed, vicious-eyed Shadow Snake Pavilion demonic cultivators, like venomous snakes finding prey, passing through the chaotic crowd, straight pouncing toward him! One of them was impressively a mid-Golden Core cultivator! They had clearly received internal communication, recognizing him as the primary target!
"Found him! Capture him!" That Golden Core demonic cultivator sneered, striking a palm from across the air. A pitch-black demonic palm seal carrying a bloody wind covered down!
Xiao Qi's face changed. At his current condition, let alone mid-Golden Core, even one peak Foundation Establishment he would struggle to handle!
No way to avoid!
A ruthless look flashed in his eyes, just about to disregard everything once more channeling imprint power to fight to the death—
"Evil creature! How dare you!"
A clear cold angry rebuke like nine-heaven mysterious ice suddenly descending! Immediately following, a sword radiance seeming capable of freezing souls, arriving later but first, precisely slashing on that pitch-black demonic palm!
"Crack!"
The demonic palm was instantly frozen, then inch by inch shattered! That attacking Golden Core demonic cultivator was like being heavily hit, grunting, staggering backward, looking in shock toward where the sword radiance came from.
He saw Mysterious Mechanism Holy Land's Mu Xue, somehow already separated from the main formation, holding a crystal-clear ice crystal longsword, blocking between Xiao Qi and those three demonic cultivators. Her dress was blood-stained, her cold face showing a trace of exhaustion, but her eyes were still sharp as cold stars.
She glanced at the mud-covered, aura-withered Xiao Qi, a trace of indiscernible complexity flashing in her eyes, then sword pointed at the demonic cultivators, coldly saying: "Get lost!"
Those three demonic cultivators were clearly very wary of Mu Xue, especially that ice crystal longsword in her hand emitting extreme cold aura. Looking at each other, they actually didn't dare advance for a moment.
Seizing this gap, Xiao Qi didn't dare neglect, casting a grateful look at Mu Xue, then using his last strength, rushing toward Qingxu Temple's position.
"Xiao Qi!"
"It's Junior Brother Tang!"
Mu Qingfeng and Liu Yun also saw him, surprised and delighted, immediately directing disciples to respond, sword light sweeping aside several out-of-control demon beasts blocking the way, protecting him into the formation.
"Good that you're okay! Good that you're okay!" Mu Qingfeng looked at Xiao Qi's sorry state, heavily patting his shoulder, tiger eyes slightly red.
Xiao Qi returned to the team, his heart slightly settled, but looking at the still tragic battle situation at the exit, and that secret realm entrance hovering in mid-air, constantly collapsing and expanding, he knew the crisis was far from over.
Demonic cultivators intercepting outside, secret realm collapsing inside... could they truly leave safely?