Chapter 106

“These several junior brothers are…” Wang Yu asked casually.

“Outer disciple, Meng Yu.”

“Outer disciple, Tian Jia.”

“Outer disciple, Wang Jiao.”

“Outer disciple, Sun Shi.”

The four outer disciples bowed slightly in midair, each stating their name.

Wang Yu nodded, clasped his fists in greeting, said nothing more, but a faint glimmer flashed in his eyes.

At the same moment, Feng Xue secretly glanced at Wang Yu, whispering to Feng Rui beside her.

The other two outer disciples who had come from the Four Symbols Sect were both muscular men in their thirties; one wore a half-body black armor and carried a short spear, the other dressed as a scholar, carrying a heavy bundle.

Neither spoke, merely silently activating their levitation technique to follow the yellow-haired woman.

In an instant, the group landed below the high slope.

Looking at the bare, treeless summit of the slope, Feng Xue and the others wore expressions of confusion.

The yellow-haired woman merely pressed her palm against the circular disc a few times, then waved it toward the slope.

“Puff.”

A white beam erupted from the disc; where it passed, the air rippled, and the slope vanished instantly, replaced by rolling white mist—yet split cleanly in two by the beam, revealing a narrow passage.

“Let’s go. The seal here remains intact; we only need to check whether the array devices inside are damaged.” Ximen Mei adjusted her disc again, speaking confidently, then led the way forward.

Wang Yu and the others naturally followed.

The passage was not long—only two or three hundred meters. Beyond the fading white mist, a stone platform half a zhang tall suddenly appeared.

Around the platform were engraved silver spiritual runes; at its center stood a one-meter-tall green banner, glowing faintly.

Seeing this, the yellow-haired woman smiled and walked toward the platform with Wang Yu and the others—but after only seven or eight steps, she suddenly flung her disc backward, landing squarely between Min Long and Zhang Li.

“Boom.”

The disc exploded, spewing countless silver needles that instantly pierced the two men, turning them into honeycombs.

Yet strangely, the two remained standing motionless, their bodies not falling, their facial expressions unchanged.

Not just them—the other four outer disciples from Tianlan Lake also froze in place, yet all six fixed their eyes on Ximen Mei, unblinking.

The Feng sisters stared, dumbfounded.

Wang Yu’s expression shifted slightly; a small iron essence shield had already appeared in his hand, held before him.

“Ding Hun Zhen. When did you discover us?” The six spoke in unison, their voices and expressions identical, as if spoken by one person.

“Do you think I’ll answer you, giving you time to delay?” Ximen Mei, no longer dull, smiled lightly. “My two senior brothers, your turn now.”

As soon as she spoke, the two outer disciples behind the yellow-haired woman flickered forward, lunging at Min Long and Zhang Li; one’s black armor and short spear burst into flames, the other’s bundle tore open, revealing a crimson short axe that spun through the air.

Their cultivation energy showed no change, yet their bodies suddenly swelled into towering giants mid-stride; a storm of spearheads and crimson blade-light swept over Min Long and Zhang Li in a single breath.

“Puff. Puff.”

Min Long and Zhang Li’s bodies instantly dissolved into clouds of black mist, their faces glowing translucently, becoming two white jade masks.

Not just them—the other four Tianlan Lake disciples also transformed: black mist surged over their bodies, their faces gleaming like jade, terrifying as nightmares.

Seeing this, Feng Xue and her sister turned pale; each slapped a belt pouch, producing a yellow longsword and a green umbrella respectively. With a swift spin, both summoned a green light barrier that shielded them.

Wang Yu, witnessing this eerie scene, narrowed his pupils; his grip tightened on the iron shield.

Crimson spear shadows and axe blades rained down repeatedly on the two black mists; each strike cracked their surfaces, yet the mist immediately resealed as it churned—though the mists slowly shrank.

At that moment, the two white masks began emitting a “click-click” laugh, grating on the nerves.

“Noisy.”

Ximen Mei snorted, flicked her sleeve, and another circular disc appeared in her hand. After a few adjustments, she waved it toward the black mist formed by Min Long.

A crimson beam shot from the disc, striking the mask atop the mist.

“Crack.”

A cry echoed from within the black mist; a fissure split the mask’s brow, revealing a black spiritual rune.

“Wang Shi-di, come here.”

The yellow-haired woman gestured to Wang Yu, her tone leaving no room for refusal.

Wang Yu’s face flickered with surprise, then stepped forward.

“What does Senior Sister require?”

“Wang Shi-di, do you recognize the spiritual rune on that mask?” Ximen Mei asked.

“I do.”

After a brief glance, Wang Yu replied calmly.

“Good. Master Sun personally assured me you’re a forging prodigy capable of inscribing runes in short time. Don’t disappoint me.” Ximen Mei spoke coolly, then withdrew a silver-white pearl and a crimson inscription needle from her sleeve, offering them.

“I’ll make all six masks reveal their runes. You’ll inscribe them all—no mistakes allowed. If you succeed, great rewards await you upon return.” Ximen Mei said solemnly.

“Was I recommended by Master Sun?”

Wang Yu was startled, but after glancing at the six eerie masks and then at the woman before him, something clicked—he said nothing more, took the pearl and needle, sat cross-legged on the spot, and began inscribing.

Though there was no furnace or earth fire here, it was clear Ximen Mei wasn’t asking him to forge an actual artifact.

Feng Xue and her sister watched all this, still utterly bewildered.

Suddenly, they felt that among everyone here, only they two were truly ordinary outer disciples.

At that moment, Ximen Mei adjusted her disc again and waved it toward the black mist formed by Zhang Li; another crimson beam shot out, striking the mask atop it.

After a cry, the mask split open again, revealing a completely different black spiritual rune.

The spear- and axe-wielding disciples immediately turned and charged the other two black mists, slashing wildly at them.

Fifteen minutes later.

Wang Yu wiped sweat from his brow and handed the pearl, now inscribed with six crimson runes, to the yellow-haired woman.

“Excellent. To inscribe six runes in such a short time, with no errors—just this skill alone, calling you the top apprentice in forging isn’t boasting.” Ximen Mei took the pearl with bright eyes, smiling.

“It’s nothing. These six runes, though linked, are far simpler than those on a Six-Rune artifact.” Wang Yu replied impassively, glancing toward the black mists nearby.

The two black mists—once shrunk by attacks—had now returned to their original size; the cracks on their white masks had sealed, and the black runes vanished entirely.

The spear- and axe-wielding disciples now rushed back, continuing their furious assault on the mists.

Then, a thunderous roar echoed from afar, shaking the ground; the white mist formed by the nearby seals rapidly receded.

“That side is done too. Perfect timing.” The yellow-haired woman smiled, pressing the silver pearl into her disc. Instantly, thunder cracked as silver lightning arcs surged into existence.