The night deepened, and the mist within the secret realm seemed to grow even thicker.
The group from the Five Elements Dao Sect was exhausted after a day of traveling and fighting. They had set up a concealment array in a relatively hidden hollow, deciding to take turns keeping watch and rest for the night.
However, their luck was clearly not on their side; the location they had chosen happened to be just outside the edge of the shrinking elimination circle.
In the latter half of the night, it was Duan Xianxing’s turn to keep watch.
He was bored, munching on a spirit fruit while keeping a vigilant eye on their surroundings.
Suddenly, the jade pendant in his robe issued an urgent hum. Simultaneously, at the distant horizon, a crimson light curtain advanced toward them like a tidal wave at a speed visible to the naked eye!
Duan Xianxing was instantly terrified. The spirit fruit in his mouth lodged in his throat, making his face turn red from choking, but he forced out a distorted, shrill howl.
"Holy crap! The elimination circle is shrinking! Wake up! Run—!"
That yell was so sharp it nearly cracked, instantly jolting everyone from their deep sleep!
Thump! That was the sound of Li Nanzhu, startled out of her dreams, rolling right off her makeshift grass mat.
"Huh?!" Jiang Yifan and Zhu Yinxi snapped their eyes open. Their bodies moved faster than their brains, launching into a sprint immediately.
Feng Qingping and Ling Suxin also rose instantly, their movements swift.
Liu Qingyang was so startled he jumped up, his sleepiness vanishing instantly!
"Not good! Move!" Zhu Yinxi, the quickest to react, barked an order.
Everyone leaped from the ground. Without even stopping to pack their things, they bolted in the direction opposite the advancing red curtain, running for their lives!
The speed at which that red curtain was shrinking was incredibly fast, nearly matching the full-speed travel of a cultivator in the golden core stage!
Although they knew the elimination circle would shrink, they hadn't expected it to move so fast—and they had happened to pick a spot right outside it!
"My god! Did this circle eat a thunderclap bead? Why is it moving so fast!" Liu Qingyang screamed while frantically trying to straighten his crooked hair ribbon as he ran.
"Stop talking nonsense! Liu Qingyang! Run! Run with everything you've got!" Duan Xianxing had already zipped far ahead. He looked back and shouted anxiously, finally swallowing the half-chewed spirit fruit and thumping his chest.
Zhu Yinxi reacted quickly, scooping up Feng Weilan, who was moving a bit slower due to his injuries. "Don't try to be brave!" he said coldly.
A flash of embarrassment crossed Feng Weilan’s face, but he didn't struggle, letting his senior brother carry him along.
Jiang Yifan was quick-handed, grabbing Liu Qingyang by the back of his collar just as he was about to trip. He hauled him up like a little chick. "Junior Brother Liu, keep up! If you fall behind, you really will become points for someone else!"
Liu Qingyang wanted to cry but had no tears. His legs were spinning like wheels. "Senior Brother Jiang, slow down the pulling! You're—you're strangling me!"
Feng Qingping’s hands flew in a series of gestures, and several arrays of light for lightness and acceleration landed on everyone. She pulled Li Nanzhu along, keeping close to the team. "Little Junior Sister, concentrate and follow my lead!"
Duan Xianxing, relying on his superior movement techniques and a speed comparable to the golden core stage—plus the empowerment of talismans—didn't need help. He even managed to look back occasionally to observe the situation.
Ling Suxin’s movements were light and graceful, and she was able to keep up as well.
Even so, the group only barely managed to stay ahead of the rapidly advancing crimson light curtain. They were practically sprinting right against the edge of the light!
The group exerted every ounce of their strength, running desperately. They finally managed to hang onto the very edge of the crimson elimination circle. That destructive red light was nearly at their heels, its scorching aura making their hair stand on end!
Everyone was gasping for breath, their composed images long gone.
According to the rules, being touched by the red light wouldn't result in immediate elimination. Instead, there was a short warning period lasting about one minute.
If one failed to leave the red light's range within that minute, they would be judged as eliminated and teleported out of the secret realm.
But that one minute, in this life-and-death sprint, felt incredibly brief and precious!
"One minute?! This circle runs faster than a rabbit! What is one minute enough for? Is it enough for me to finish a spirit fruit?!" Duan Xianxing wailed.
Liu Qingyang spoke with a sob in his voice, "I—I feel like my legs aren't mine anymore... Old man, save me..."
However, misfortunes never come singly. As they fled for their lives, a group of people suddenly bolted out from the forest to their front-left. They were also running desperately, clearly forced into a panicked retreat by the elimination circle!
Both sides were stunned as they caught sight of each other mid-sprint.
The leader of that group was none other than Huineng, the monk from the Mingguang Sect who had previously chased Duan Xianxing!
Behind him were two golden core stage cultivators and three disciples in the foundation establishment stage.
Huineng and his companions clearly hadn't expected to run into the Five Elements Dao Sect here, especially in such a disheveled and desperate moment of flight.
Huineng’s bald head reflected a strange luster under the moonlight.
The moment their gazes met, a flash of surprise crossed Huineng's eyes. He quickly exchanged a look with the other Mingguang Sect disciples—a look as complex as seeing a piece of fat meat while simultaneously sensing a trap.
Under the threat of the red circle's elimination, any encounter could turn into a fatal conflict!
Especially when the strength of both sides was relatively equal, and each could become a tool to slow the other down or even serve as a 'borrowed knife' for a kill!
"Watch out for the Mingguang Sect!" Zhu Yinxi’s cold voice immediately rang in everyone's ears, carrying a strong warning tone.
"What bad luck! Why is it them!" Duan Xianxing spat in a low voice.
Jiang Yifan’s gaze darkened. "Maintain speed, don't let them interfere! But watch out for them playing dirty!"
"Amitabha. Fellow benefactors, this is truly... serendipity!"
Huineng shouted as he ran. Fine beads of sweat had already broken out on his shiny bald head, yet he managed to squeeze out a seemingly kind smile. However, under the red light and the frantic pace, that smile looked exceptionally eerie.
His voice was loud, attempting to convey a message over the noisy sounds of their flight. "This elimination circle is coming on strong. Why don't we join forces for now and discuss other matters once we've escaped the danger?"
His words were high-sounding, but would the people of the Five Elements Dao Sect believe him so easily?
"Pah! Who has serendipity with you? You're just a weasel paying a New Year's call on a chicken!" Duan Xianxing muttered as he ran. His voice wasn't loud, but it was enough for the few people near him to hear. "This bald monk definitely has no good intentions! He's probably waiting for us to lower our guard so he can shove us into the red circle!"
Zhu Yinxi’s expression was solemn. While maintaining his high-speed run, he quickly sent a divine sense transmission to everyone: "Huineng’s words cannot be trusted! Keep your distance and watch their movements! Be ready to react at any moment!"
"Understood!"
Jiang Yifan responded coldly. He shifted his position slightly, shielding Liu Qingyang on the inner side while keeping the corner of his eye locked on the golden core martial monk from the Mingguang Sect who was closest to them.
Feng Qingping said nothing, but the seals in her hands changed slightly. Several inconspicuous threads of spiritual energy were quietly laid out on the ground between her group and the Mingguang Sect.
At this moment, Liu Qingyang truly felt like crying. He felt like a leaf in the wind, being dragged along by Jiang Yifan while having to stay alert for the bald monks nearby. In his heart, he had called out to his father and senior brothers countless times.
Seeing no response from the Five Elements Dao Sect and noticing their increased vigilance instead, a flash of sinister intent crossed Huineng’s eyes, though the smile on his face remained unchanged.
He gave a look to a burly golden core martial monk beside him who was carrying a demon-subduing pestle.
The martial monk understood. Suddenly, his footwork changed. He appeared to stumble, but his massive frame carried a hidden force as he violently lunged toward Jiang Yifan at the edge of the Five Elements Dao Sect’s formation!
If this collision landed, Jiang Yifan would surely be knocked out of the team and fall into the crimson elimination circle that was only inches away!
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