Chapter 1201: The Abyss of No Return

Han Wuxian's gaze swept the surroundings, his divine sense spreading like mercury flowing over the ground, alert to any possible follow‑up attacks.

"It's not a calculation, more like… waiting by a tree for a rabbit," Han Wuxian analyzed calmly. "They may not know exactly who will come, but they have certainly set sensing traps at multiple key points on the way to Zhong Tian Zhi Yu. Once they sense 'demonic aura' or a specific target, this lethal formation will be triggered."

He looked at Xiao Ran: "The demonic aura in your body is probably the best beacon."

Xiao Ran's complexion changed, and he immediately looked inward at himself, but found nothing.

"No need to search; that aura is extremely subtle, almost merged with your Nascent Soul, and unless my technique is special, it's hard to detect," Han Wuxian said. "The one who set this trap has a profound grasp of formation arts and the Dao of Space, and their use of demonic aura is even more exquisite. Their strength… is probably not below mine."

A chill ran through everyone's hearts. Having just entered Zhong Tian Zhi Yu, they were already met with such deadly and bizarre ambush; the opponent's power and tenacity far exceeded expectations.

"Then what should we do next?" Wang Tie asked anxiously.

Han Wuxian paused briefly, flipped his palm, and the black metal fragment obtained from the Fallen Star Hall appeared in his hand. At this moment, the fragment emitted a faint, almost imperceptible warmth, subtly pointing toward the northwest.

"The fragment's sensitivity to demonic aura seems enhanced," Han Wuxian's sharp gaze turned northwest. "It appears someone doesn't want us to go forward, yet they've pointed us in a direction."

The four of them followed the fragment's faint guidance, cautiously advancing northwest. Zhong Tian Zhi Yu is vast and sparsely populated; the deeper they went, the more desolate it became. Though the spiritual energy was dense, it carried an undercurrent of restless agitation.

After roughly half a day of flight, the terrain below gradually turned into an endless expanse of red Gobi strewn with jagged rocks. At that moment, a violent burst of spiritual power and a roar erupted from the distant front.

Everyone's divine sense instantly swept the area.

About a hundred li away, dust and smoke billowed, spiritual light flickered chaotically, clearly indicating a fierce battle.

One side comprised seven or eight cultivators of varying attire, their levels ranging from late Flower God to early Refining Void, forming a broken defensive formation, each wounded, faces frantic, fighting desperately.

Pressing them were over ten cultivators clad in uniform gray armor, wearing featureless masks, their attacks ruthless and bizarre. Their techniques were odd, bodies like smoke, their strikes laced with corrosive spiritual energy and mind‑disturbing effects—clearly assassins of the Shadow Pavilion! Leading them, a black‑clad figure whose aura had reached mid‑Refining Void, wielded a twisted gray short blade; each swing generated rippling space distortions, forcing the few defenders into peril.

The besieged cultivators were clearly at the end of their strength; their protective light shields flickered erratically, about to collapse at any moment.

"It's the Shadow Pavilion!" a cold glint flashed in Xiao Ran's eyes, his hatred for these long‑time pursuers seething.

Wang Tie, ever the compassionate healer, hurried, "Comrade Han, the besieged companions are about to give out!"

Han Wuxian's gaze swept the battlefield; the besieged cultivators' eyes were desperate yet unwilling, not great villains. The Shadow Pavilion's methods, like the ambush he had just encountered in the spatial corridor, stemmed from the same source—insidious and ruthless.

"Qing Lin, protect Brother Wang. Brother Xiao, follow me to rescue them."

Before the words finished, Han Wuxian's figure had already vanished.

In the next instant, he appeared behind the mid‑Refining Void Shadow Pavilion leader like a phantom, without causing any spatial disturbance.

The leader was sneering as he thrust his blade toward a Flower God female cultivator's vital point, when suddenly his heart chilled; an indescribable, all‑ending icy will instantly invaded his soul!

His sneer froze, terror exploding in his eyes; he tried to struggle but found the surrounding space completely sealed, not even a finger could move.

Han Wuxian extended his finger like a sword; the gray‑hued chaotic void‑destruction qi at his fingertip flashed and vanished, lightly tapping the back of the leader's head.

Puff!

Without any earth‑shaking clamor, the mid‑Refining Void leader's body trembled slightly, his eyes dimmed instantly, his aura dissipated like a punctured bubble, and his corpse sagged softly to the ground.

Instant kill!

At the same time, Xiao Ran boldly struck! Fully healed and even stronger, his raging fury had nowhere to vent; his sword aura surged like a rainbow across the sky, bearing unparalleled vengeful sword intent, instantly shredding the two Shadow Pavilion Flower God assassins into fragments!

The leader was instantly killed, the two companions perished at once, and the remaining Shadow Pavilion assassins were thrown into disarray, their assault stalled.

The besieged cultivators, who had already closed their eyes in despair awaiting death, suddenly realized the expected attack never came, and, stunned, opened their eyes to witness this unbelievable scene!

"Who…?!"

"So… so strong!"

Seizing this brief respite, they hurriedly reinforced their defenses, looking at the suddenly appearing Han Wuxian and Xiao Ran with both astonishment and suspicion.

Han Wuxian was too lazy to even glance at the remaining riff‑raff, and said coolly to Xiao Ran, "Clean them up."

"Leave it to me!" Xiao Ran let out a long howl, his sword light unfurled like a tiger entering a flock of sheep; the leaderless, disoriented Shadow Pavilion assassins were powerless to resist, and were cut down completely in an instant!

The battle began swiftly and ended even faster.

In the blink of an eye, the once ferocious Shadow Pavilion pursuit squad was completely annihilated, leaving only a field of wreckage and stunned survivors.

The few cultivators stared blankly for a moment, then snapped back to their senses, quickly withdrew their protective shields, and the eldest among them—a Refining Void early‑stage elder with a faint aura—stepped forward, bowed deeply to Han Wuxian and Xiao Ran, and said emotionally, "Thank you, senior brothers, for rescuing us! We are members of the Flowing Cloud Alliance; had you not intervened today, we would surely have perished! Your great kindness is unforgettable!"

The others also bowed in gratitude, their faces full of relief at having survived the calamity.

Han Wuxian gave a slight nod, his gaze sweeping over them: "Flowing Cloud Alliance? Why were you chased here by the Shadow Pavilion?"

The elder's face instantly turned sorrowful and angry: "Comrade, you don't know! The Shadow Pavilion and the Grey Mist Yanluo behind it have become increasingly rampant in Zhong Tian Zhi Yu in recent years! They capture cultivators everywhere, especially those who have achieved cultivation, for some unknown evil scheme! Our Flowing Cloud Alliance refuses to submit, so we have been brutally suppressed and besieged! We were merely a resource‑gathering team from the Alliance, but our whereabouts were exposed, and they chased us here…"

Another middle‑aged cultivator added, still trembling: "Their techniques are extremely bizarre; they can corrupt artifacts, erode a person's Yuan Spirit, and they are fearless to death, like puppets! They're like maggots in the heel bone!"

Han Wuxian and Xiao Ran exchanged a glance, confirming that their accounts and suspicions matched. The Shadow Pavilion is conducting large‑scale captures of cultivators, and its purpose is certainly not simple.

"Do you know why they capture cultivators?" Han Wuxian asked further.

The elder shook his head, his face showing confusion and fear: "No one knows the exact purpose. But rumors… all cultivators they seize seem to vanish from the world without a trace. Only some scattered, unverified reports say… it may be linked to a forbidden place called 'Abyss of No Return'; Grey Mist Yanluo's lair might be nearby, but no one can confirm it—those who have gone there… never returned."

Abyss of No Return? Han Wuxian noted the name.

At that moment, Wang Tie and Qing Lin also flew over.

The Flowing Cloud Alliance cultivators, seeing two more arrive and sensing no weakness, felt considerably reassured.

Wang Tie stepped forward: "Fellow cultivators, you've all been frightened; I have some medical knowledge and can tend to your injuries."

The Flowing Cloud Alliance cultivators heard this and were immensely grateful, quickly offering thanks.