In the depths of the valley, the lingering waves of smoke and flame had yet to disperse. The scorched breath of destruction churned in the air, like invisible blades slicing at the skin. Beneath the surface of a deep pool, Lin Tian hid, the low murmur of the water flowing in his ears unable to drown out the tension in his heart—a barely perceptible howl echoed in his mind, like a blade hanging above his head, impossible to ignore.
Holding his breath, he spread his hands slightly, feeling for the undercurrents at the bottom of the pool. Above him, the massive form of the Purple-Eyed Demon Python circled restlessly. Wounded and enraged, it lashed the waters into tsunamis that crashed in all directions. Lin Tian's eyes narrowed, and he allowed his body to sink slowly along a faint whirlpool he had discovered earlier—an entrance to an underwater passage that might lead him away from this place of peril.
But he was not the only prey. Above the water, Elder Zhao Xipei of the Zhao family stood on a fractured cliff face, his eagle-like gaze locked on the center of the pool. At his feet, several Zhao family disciples rapidly set up a sealing formation, aiming to cut off all escape routes. Zhao Xipei's voice was low and sharp:"Whoever it is—no one leaves here today."
Below, Lin Tian's hand brushed against cold rock. The crack was narrow, but even under the crushing water pressure, he forced himself through. The long, narrow channel was like the spine of some forgotten serpent, winding deep into the unknown. In the darkness, a strange sense of familiarity rose within him, as though a certain presence here had been linked to him long ago.
The python's tail swept downward, smashing a massive boulder at the bottom of the pool, sending currents roiling violently. Lin Tian seized the chaos to quicken his pace. Just as he was about to vanish entirely into the passage, a frigid spiritual sense abruptly enveloped him—it was not Zhao Kun's aura, but something far older and more severe. That presence probed lightly, not striking immediately, as though confirming something.
Lin Tian's heart tightened, teeth clenched—A true Innate-stage master had arrived!
He did not dare hesitate, pushing forward with greater urgency. At the far end of the tunnel, a faint bluish light shimmered like a ghostly flame from the deep sea, guiding him onward. Its ripples carried a warm, familiar pulse—he could not explain why, but instinct told him this light was tied to his fate.
At the same time, Zhao Xipei above suddenly looked toward the valley's entrance. There, a tall, slender figure walked unhurriedly forward, each step seeming to fall precisely upon the threads of time. Though the figure had not yet arrived, his presence pressed down like a mountain, making everyone present feel their hearts grow heavy.
"It's… him?" Zhao Xipei's eyes flashed with a complex light.
The mountain wind surged. Deep within the tunnel, Lin Tian felt the water turn icy cold in an instant. The bluish glow was now within arm's reach. As his fingers brushed against it, a deep voice seemed to sound in his ears—ancient and distant, yet carrying a faint warmth of familiarity.
"At last… you've come."
Lin Tian's heart jolted violently, his pupils contracting to pinpoints.
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