Chapter 1090: Unexpected

Han Wuxian thought to himself that if he remained trapped here, he could not continue to consolidate his cultivation and the constantly severed ley‑line Qi might cause his internal spiritual energy to go chaotic. He scanned the increasingly intense array light and weighed his options for escape.

"Hmph, that free cultivator carries a heavy treasure; if we can capture it, our trip won't be in vain!" the Hua Shen cultivator snorted, altered his hand technique, and the power of the Lock‑Spirit array surged a few notches. The massive stone sheltering Han Wuxian trembled even more violently, as if it could be crushed at any moment by the overwhelming force.

"Sir, the Falling Star Abyss is extremely treacherous; if that free cultivator panics and leaps over the wall, he might trigger the abyss‑bottom seal..." a mid‑Nascent Soul cultivator said, his face pale, whispering the warning.

"What's there to fear! We set this Lock‑Spirit array precisely to prevent his escape and to block the seal power at the abyss's bottom. He won't get away today!" the Hua Shen cultivator's eyes gleamed with greed and confidence.

Han Wuxian frowned; the Lock‑Spirit array was indeed tricky, and in his current state, forcing a breakthrough would surely draw their attention, guaranteeing a fierce battle. He inhaled deeply, activated the Star Spread Technique, and searched for a weak point in the array.

The Light Dao Mark swirled around him, intertwining with the surrounding ley‑line Qi, and Han Wuxian seemed to merge with the Falling Star Abyss. Amplified by the Light Dao Mark, his perception became razor‑sharp as he probed the Lock‑Spirit array for flaws.

"Found it!" Han Wuxian thought with joy; in the array's northeast corner, a ley‑line spiritual energy fluctuation was slightly abnormal, clearly due to a minor clash between the ley‑line and the array, creating a tiny gap in its power.

He carefully guided his internal spiritual energy, condensing it into a hair‑thin star‑energy thread and slowly probing the weak spot. The thread, upon touching the array, merged like water, silently seeping in.

"Sir, the array's fluctuations seem abnormal…" another cultivator noticed the irregularity, nervously looking at the Hua Shen cultivator.

"Why panic! The Falling Star Abyss's ley‑lines are inherently unstable; minor fluctuations are nothing to fear. Keep your eyes on him; once that free cultivator appears, strike at once!" the Hua Shen cultivator sounded harsh, yet a hint of wariness flickered in his eyes.

Han Wuxian seized the distraction, accelerating the star‑energy thread's infiltration. As the thread pressed deeper, the array's gap widened, and a faint glimmer seeped through.

"Bad! Someone's breaking the array!" the Hua Shen cultivator finally reacted, his face turning pale as he rushed toward the array's northeast corner.

Han Wuxian knew he could wait no longer; he sprang up, and the Light Dao Mark around him burst into intense light, enveloping his form. Simultaneously, he altered his hand technique, and the star‑energy thread surged, ripping the array's gap wide open.

"Think you can run? Not so easy!" the Hua Shen cultivator roared, brandishing a black artifact that transformed into a streak of black light, firing at Han Wuxian.

Han Wuxian remained calm; the shattered star blade in his hand quivered slightly, releasing a sharp sword aura that collided with the black streak, producing a deafening blast. Using the impact, he flashed forward, dashing deeper into the Falling Star Abyss.

"Give chase! We must not let him get away!" the Hua Shen cultivator led the others in relentless pursuit, and for a moment the Falling Star Abyss glittered with light as shouts and battle cries thundered.

Han Wuxian weaved through the stone forest at the abyss's bottom, using his keen perception of the surroundings to deftly avoid numerous dangerous ley‑line traps. The pursuers behind him, unfamiliar with the Falling Star Abyss, kept triggering seals and were left in a sorry state.

"Sir, there are too many seals at the abyss's bottom; continuing the chase this way won't work!" a late‑Nascent Soul cultivator panted.

"Hmph, that free cultivator can survive in this Falling Star Abyss, so he must know how to evade the seals. If we keep up with him, we'll surely discover a way to break them! Keep chasing!" the Hua Shen cultivator gritted his teeth, his murderous intent deepening.

Han Wuxian sighed inwardly; these people were truly troublesome. While pondering an escape plan, he kept an eye on his surroundings. Suddenly, he spotted a massive cavern ahead, exuding a mysterious aura.

"Perhaps there I can shake off these troubles," Han Wuxian thought, and without hesitation he flew toward the cavern.

The moment he stepped into the cavern, a crushing pressure slammed against him, as if invisible eyes were scrutinizing him. Han Wuxian inhaled deeply, activated the Star Spread Technique, warded off the pressure, and slowly advanced toward the cavern's depths.

"Sir, he's entered that cavern!" the pursuers behind also reached the cave entrance, and each felt a hint of fear looking at the dark maw.

"Why fear? That free cultivator dared to go in, so why not us? Perhaps a world‑shaking treasure lies inside; once we deal with him, the treasure will be ours!" the Hua Shen cultivator gritted his teeth and was the first to step into the cavern.

Seeing this, the others could only steel themselves and follow inside. Yet as soon as they entered, Han Wuxian's figure vanished, replaced by a spreading mist.

"Bad, we've been tricked!" the Hua Shen cultivator realized the danger, and as he turned to leave, found the exit completely sealed by the mist.

"What kind of haunted place is this?" a cultivator shouted in terror, his voice echoing ominously through the cavern.

Han Wuxian was already concealed in a corner of the cavern; the Light Dao Mark allowed him to blend perfectly with the surroundings. He watched the panicked crowd struggling in the mist and sneered coldly.

The mist was a naturally formed illusion mist within the cavern, capable of confusing minds and inducing hallucinations. Han Wuxian had sensed this the instant he entered and, relying on his powerful divine soul force, forcibly resisted the mist's intrusion.

"I hope these troubles stay trapped here for a while," Han Wuxian whispered, taking advantage of the mist‑confused pursuers to slip deeper into the cavern, hoping to find a way out of the Falling Star Abyss and escape the sudden chase.