Chapter 67: Fatal Underestimation

Unfortunately, none of them valued Ye Liuyun's suggestion.

Tie Sen sneered at Tian Yuan, saying, "What's up, Tian Yuan, you also believe that guy's nonsense?"

Tian Yuan nodded and said, "He isn't a coward! So I trust him!"

After being defeated by Ye Liuyun, Tian Yuan was given a pill. Since then, his impression of Ye Liuyun improved, and he kept a discreet eye on Ye Liuyun.

He found that although Ye Liuyun was young, he was very steady, unshaken by honor or disgrace, and not a timid, pusillanimous person.

"Hah, a coward speaking so self‑righteous!" Tie Sen said disdainfully.

"Ignore them; it's fine they don't go in, so they won't share the credit with us," another captain said.

Wu Gang glanced at Ye Liuyun and the others, hesitated a moment, but still feared being mocked as a coward, so he didn't leave. Yet his squad was the last to enter the Cave.

Tie Sen led his men into the Cave first, followed by Shi Jing Tian, and finally Wu Gang's squad.

The moment they entered the Cave, the scent of blood grew even stronger.

They held their breath and continued deeper down the Cave.

"The Cave really does extend downward! Ye Liuyun was right!"

At that thought, Wu Gang immediately halted his men.

The Cave's eerie, gloomy atmosphere and the nauseating scent of blood made his heart uneasy, and he no longer cared about being ridiculed.

He said at once, "Perhaps Ye Liuyun is right. I won't go down, but I'll stay with my men to guard the entrance."

After speaking, he turned his back and led his men away, yet he did not leave the area, instead remaining at the entrance.

The others, hearing this, only sneered a few times before continuing downward.

Outside, Ye Liuyun, seeing only a handful of people emerge, frowned.

"Junior Brother Liuyun, could there really be beings beyond the True Essence Realm here?" Yu Wenlong asked aloud.

Ye Liuyun replied slowly, "Just this Formation is already quite complex! If these people ignore the warning, few will make it back. I don't understand why the Gold Armor Guard didn't pull everyone back!"

The Gold Armor Guard following them was speechless.

At that moment, Ye Liuyun's Divine Sense sent a Transmission Voice asking, "Didn't you report the information?"

The Gold Armor Guard could only reply, "It's already reported; the Palace Guard will handle it."

"Please report again, sir. This burial ground is a high‑level Formation; it won't be breached in a single strike! The disciples inside are in grave danger," Ye Liuyun transmitted again.

"Got it!" The Gold Armor Guard didn't hesitate and immediately reported via a Transmission Talisman.

Thus Ye Liuyun fell silent, contemplating silently how to act if an emergency arose.

Suddenly, Ye Liuyun and the others all sensed an extremely strong True Essence fluctuation coming from below.???

"Is there a fight below?" Lin Feng asked in alarm.

"This True Essence fluctuation cannot be produced by someone in the True Essence Realm!" Ye Liuyun said after feeling it.

Then the fluctuation reappeared, and together with it, the Formation on the ground activated!

"The Formation has activated!" Ye Liuyun transmitted to that Gold Armor Guard.

In an instant, fierce winds swirled over the ground, ominous qi rose, and the soil began to tremble…

The Cave has only a single passage, no branches, and no guards midway.

Those who entered the Cave quickly reached its bottom.

But when they saw the scene at the bottom, some couldn't help but vomit.

The entire floor was covered with fresh blood and corpses—thousands of bodies piled like a mountain, the bloodwater waist‑deep.

Anyone witnessing such a sight could not remain calm.

Even more terrifying was a rotting, skeletal humanoid perched atop the corpse mound, its hollow eye sockets staring at them. Though eyeless, its gaze sent chills down their spines.

"Heh heh heh!" a strange laugh echoed.

"Sir, a finer blood‑feast has arrived! I can immediately help you achieve full resurrection!"

At that moment, a man cloaked entirely in a black robe suddenly appeared before everyone.

"Kids, offering your fresh blood to me is an honor!" After speaking, he unleashed a pressure from his entire body.

The pressure immobilized them all.

Even Shi Jing Tian felt his internal true qi solidify, unable to circulate at all.

Just from that pressure, he knew the opponent's realm truly exceeded the True Essence Realm.

Ye Liuyun didn't deceive them. It's laughable that they still mocked Ye Liuyun for being cowardly.

Now they all regret endlessly, terrified. Their fate, like the other corpses here, will become nourishment for that skeleton.

At this moment, they are all lambs awaiting slaughter; before the black‑robed man, they cannot even strike back.

In that critical instant, two Gold Armor Guards suddenly appeared, jointly attacking the Black-clothed Person.

"Heh heh, you thought I didn't notice you? What about the Palace Guard? It's all the master's blood‑feast!"

The black‑robed man spoke while casually delivering a palm strike.

With a booming crack, the two Gold Armor Guards' combined attack was shattered by his single palm. Both were blasted away, spitting blood.

The two exchanged a glance, their hearts filled with terror. The black‑robed man's strength far exceeded their expectations. They had underestimated him!

"Beyond the True Essence Realm, retreat quickly!" one Gold Armor Guard shouted.

The other Gold Armor Guard produced a Transmission Talisman, not to request aid but to inform the others that the enemy's realm far surpasses the True Essence Realm, and that no matter how many they send, they cannot match it; sending more would only feed that skeleton.

Then the two desperately resisted the black‑robed man's pressure, buying time for the others to withdraw.

Immediately, everyone felt the pressure on them lessen, allowing them to move again.

Thus, everyone instantly sprinted outward.

Shi Jing Tian, the fastest, ran ahead. Behind him, people even began to stampede.

The black‑robed man let out a cold laugh and continued to strike at the two Palace Guards.

Let's see how many of my attacks you can block?

Pfft—pfft! two sounds, the two palace guards spat blood and collapsed, unable to fight back!

But at that moment, the black-clothed person came before them, grabbing each with one hand; with a lift of the hand, their bodies were torn apart by True Essence and thrown onto the corpse pile.

The black-clothed person smiled with satisfaction and continued chasing the others.

Those running at the back were swept down in a swath by his single palm strike. He did not kill them outright, but knocked them all unconscious, then continued chasing these disciples. He seemed to be enjoying the chase.

In the end, only Shi Jing Tian, another captain, and over ten members managed to escape the cave.

"Run!" Shi Jing Tian called out to the dazed Wu Gang, who immediately ran toward Ye Liuyun's direction outside the tomb.

Wu Gang immediately realized there was danger inside and hurriedly followed.

But at that moment, the trembling ground kept cracking open, and then rotting skeletons crawled out from underground.

The sight made everyone's flesh creep.

At that moment, two more palace guards appeared, together with over ten gold-armored guards, all showing up around the tomb.

"You stay outside to guard the remaining disciples. I'll go in to save them."

One of the palace guards gave an order, then charged into the formation.