When Lu Xiaoyu heard that Zhang Ergou was leading others to resist the beast tide with all their might, not only did Chi Yu show anxiety, but even the Heavenly Dao Elder, who had always appeared extremely calm, could no longer maintain his detached demeanor.
"Tell me in detail, what exactly happened?"
Lu Xiaoyu felt a flash before her eyes, and a figure appeared beside her.
"Elder Heavenly Dao, disciple, greets the Elder..." Lu Xiaoyu focused and immediately bowed.
The Heavenly Dao Elder casually reached out, stopping Lu Xiaoyu from performing her full salute. "Quickly tell us carefully what happened in the secret realm, and how are Zhang Ergou and the others?"
The other elders were also looking at Lu Xiaoyu with nervousness. Even the elders of the Liuhai Sect were the same, because their Saintess Ling Feng'er was still in the secret realm. If they were caught by the beast tide... everyone dared not to imagine further.
Lu Xiaoyu, being stared at by so many powerful figures, felt immense pressure, and cold sweat broke out on her forehead. Seeing this, the Heavenly Dao Elder raised his hand and gently stroked her, and Lu Xiaoyu's condition stabilized considerably.
"Thank you, Elder." Lu Xiaoyu knew that this was not the time to delay.
She quickly recounted the events in the secret realm in a few words.
"Just as Zhang Ergou emerged from that altar, when everyone's mood relaxed, suddenly the secret realm trembled in one direction."
"We only then realized that it was the exit to the secret realm. After staying inside for so long, seeing the exit open, we were all excited."
Lu Xiaoyu's face showed a trace of fear and unease as she spoke. Su Dan Novel Network.
"However, when we reached the exit, it was already surrounded by demonic beasts, the highest of which had reached the early Golden Core stage."
Hearing that it was only early Golden Core demonic beasts, the elders' expressions immediately eased a little. After all, among those who entered the secret realm, both the Misty Sect and the Liuhai Sect had several disciples in the mid-Golden Core stage. Dealing with early Golden Core stage demonic beasts would be more than enough.
"Initially, the number of demonic beasts was not very large, only a few dozen. We were eager to get out, so everyone began to slay the beasts."
Lu Xiaoyu seemed to recall something, and her face showed a look of lingering fear.
"But as we killed them, we gradually realized something was wrong. The number of demonic beasts was slowly increasing, and there were as many as a hundred early Golden Core stage demonic beasts."
"What, a hundred?"
Chi Yu's eyes widened. At this moment, the elders realized the gravity of the situation.
"Look, more people are coming out."
Just as Lu Xiaoyu was about to continue, several blood-soaked figures, covered in wounds, emerged from the secret realm exit. At this point, it was impossible to distinguish who was who.
"How could this be?"
The faces of the elders of the Misty Sect and the Liuhai Sect were not good. No one had expected such a result. After all, secret realm explorations had been carried out for many generations, but this was the first time such a situation had occurred.
...
In the secret realm, Zhang Ergou was fighting the swarm of demonic beasts with Chen Gong and the others. His whole body was covered in blood, but upon closer inspection, the blood on Zhang Ergou's body was all from the demonic beasts. He himself had not sustained a single injury. He merely looked somewhat pathetic with his blood-soaked appearance.
As for where these demonic beasts came from, one had to ask Zhang Ergou. When he used the core of the secret realm to open the exit, he realized that leaving the secret realm so easily increased the risk of his secrets being exposed. But he decided to let the disciples who entered the secret realm experience an unforgettable battle. Perhaps then, his experience in the altar would not seem so conspicuous. Following this, Zhang Ergou subtly manipulated the turtle shell-shaped item, drawing the nearby demonic beasts to the secret realm exit. Then, the disciples of the Liuhai Sect and the Misty Sect engaged in a thrilling battle.
...
"Er Gou, are you alright?"
When Zhang Ergou and the others emerged, they were also startled by the scene before them. They hadn't expected that the elders of the Liuhai Sect and the Misty Sect wouldn't return to their sects but would be waiting for them at the exit.
A sly smile flickered across Zhang Ergou's face, and he immediately put on a weak appearance.
"Master, I finally see you, old man. I almost didn't make it out alive."
Zhang Ergou, covered in blood and looking as if he were about to die.
"Er Gou, what's wrong? Let Master take a look."
Chi Yu leaped forward and landed in front of Zhang Ergou, reaching out to examine his condition. Chen Gong and the others following behind Zhang Ergou looked at him with confusion. Didn't this kid seem full of energy just a moment ago? Now he's about to die?
However, as Chi Yu lunged at him, Zhang Ergou immediately gave her a subtle glance. He secretly transmitted his voice: "Master, quickly ask Elder Heavenly Dao to take us back to the sect." His tone was filled with urgency.
Chi Yu, though she didn't understand why Zhang Ergou was in such a hurry, assumed he had his reasons. She had always trusted her disciple in this regard. Although Zhang Ergou was often unreliable in his actions, he had never overstepped his bounds in important matters.
Chi Yu found an opportunity and relayed Zhang Ergou's words to the Heavenly Dao Elder. The Heavenly Dao Elder glanced subtly at Zhang Ergou, seemingly understanding something, and nodded. Zhang Ergou's heart immediately settled. If the disciples of the Liuhai Sect were to react and reveal what happened in the altar, with these old guys' experience, he would surely be treated specially. Zhang Ergou could only feign weakness, even gesturing to Lin Yichen and the others to act as if they were on their last legs. Lin Yichen and the others understood immediately and put on a show of being half-dead.
"Fellow Daoist Liu Xun, several disciples of my sect are on the verge of death and urgently need to return to the sect for treatment. Any delay is a grave risk, so we bid farewell now."
Saying this, the Heavenly Dao Elder waved his hand, and all the disciples of the Misty Sect were brought onto the backs of the tiger-eagles they had arrived on. Although the elders were somewhat bewildered, the Heavenly Dao Elder's decision was not something they could question. They all ascended the tiger-eagles. Before the Liuhai Sect could react, the Heavenly Dao Elder commanded the tiger-eagles to take flight.
Ling Feng'er stared at Zhang Ergou, who was already leaving, until the figures of the tiger-eagles disappeared from her sight. She continued to gaze in the direction they had departed.
"Saintess, what is it?" Liu Xun was the first to notice Ling Feng'er's abnormality, looking curiously in the direction the Misty Sect had left. He seemed to have sensed something from the behavior of Ling Feng'er and Zhang Ergou.
"Yes, that..." Ling Feng'er pondered how to speak.