Chapter 1205: Beehive

Where the Dao resonance passed, the four fierce gray‑mist giants, like sand sculptures blown apart by wind, began to disintegrate and melt inch by inch from their edges, reforming into ordinary gray mist, which the Dao resonance then completely eradicated, turning it into nothingness!

The countless chained resentful souls, like ice and snow under sunlight, evaporated instantly!

Evil runes lit up on the ground, their light flickered wildly, then "Clap! Clap! Clap!" they shattered in succession!

The entire plaza's suppression field collapsed instantly!

The purple‑robed elder's white bone staff went "Crack!" as cracks appeared along it; the elder himself seemed struck hard, spitting a mouthful of black blood, staggering backward, his hollow eye sockets filled with incredulous horror!

"You… what is this power?! How can you eradicate the holy mist?!" His voice was sharp and grating.

Han Wuxian gave no reply; with a flash, he appeared before the elder, pointing a finger at his brow.

The elder let out a scream, his body explosively burst, turning into a dense purple‑black mist attempting to flee—his life‑saving technique, turning his body into toxic mist, impervious to ordinary attacks.

However, Han Wuxian's finger seemed to lock onto his essence; the fingertip's hazy Chaos Return‑to‑void Qi twitched faintly.

"Extinguish."

The purple‑black toxic mist let out an extremely mournful wail, instantly contracting and solidifying, finally turning into a purple bead the size of a longan, covered with strange patterns, which Han Wuxian casually pocketed. It was the condensed essence of the elder's cultivation and dark arts, perhaps useful later.

The plaza instantly returned to deathly silence.

Han Wuxian returned to the force field; Wang Tie and Qing Lin's complexion had improved considerably, their gazes toward Han Wuxian filled with awe. Xiao Ran's heart also surged; Han Wuxian's strength, each display surpassed his imagination.

"Proceed onward." Han Wuxian's expression remained unchanged, as if he had merely performed a trivial act. He sensed that the direction indicated by the black fragment was already near.

Crossing the plaza, the gray mist ahead seemed slightly thinner, faintly revealing the outline of an enormous black structure resembling a beehive, sprawled deep within the ruined mountain range. There, a richer scent of blood, resentment, and… an unsettling, massive energy fluctuation emanated.

The Shadow Pavilion's true core stronghold, and the so‑called "altar," were likely there.

Passing through the plaza guarded by the purple‑robed elder, the gray mist ahead thinned slightly, yet the oppressive and evil aura in the air grew heavier. The black fragment's guidance became ever clearer, pointing straight to the massive black structure resembling a giant beehive deep within the ruins.

The four grew increasingly cautious; Han Wuxian's Return‑to‑Void field contracted to envelop only a one‑zhang radius around him, reducing energy fluctuations.

As they drew nearer to the beehive structure, its scale far exceeded its distant appearance. The building's surface was riddled with holes of varying sizes, as if hollowed out, constantly leaking pure Silence Extinction death qi and resentment into the surrounding gray mist. Within some holes, twisted silhouettes and flickering eerie lights could be faintly seen, as if conducting some vile ritual.

"This place… is literally a demon's lair!" Wang Tie's face turned pale; as a healer, he was especially sensitive and uneasy to the dense death qi and resentment.

Xiao Ran gripped his sword hilt, fire burning in his eyes: "Who knows how many fellow cultivators have been poisoned here!"

Qing Lin's long spear hung low, its tip emitting green glints, ready at any moment to respond to sudden situations.

Han Wuxian's divine sense, like the finest tendrils, silently probed the beehive structure. He deliberately avoided the deep, dormant Grand Ascension aura, focusing on the building's inner and outer layers.

Soon, he pinpointed a region where energy fluctuations were unusually active and the guards exceptionally fierce. It lay in the mid‑upper part of the beehive, featuring a massive, mouth‑like cavern, within which faint mournful wails and massive energy extraction waves resonated.

"That should be one of the core areas where the 'ritual' is performed," Han Wuxian transmitted, "The guard force is not weak; there are at least four Refinement Void cultivators, two of whom are in the later stage. There's also a very strong combined formation."

"Charge straight in?" Xiao Ran's battle spirit surged.

Han Wuxian hesitated briefly, shaking his head: "Storming in would stir the grass and scare the snakes; if we rouse that deep existence, even if it cannot come directly, it may trigger uncontrollable changes. We'll sneak in, rescue the captives first, then sabotage."

He clasped his hands, the Chaos Return‑to‑Void Qi circulating, adding an even more subtle "Shadow Veil" effect beyond the existing field, temporarily blurring the four's auras, forms, even their karmic threads, as if merging with the surrounding gray mist and environment.

The four moved like four invisible shadows, silently climbing the rough outer wall of the beehive, evading the patrolling Shadow Pavilion sentinels and hidden detection wards.

Soon, they reached an inconspicuous fissure on the side upper part of the massive cavern. Looking inward, the cavern's scene sent chills down their spines!

Inside, the cavern was vast; at its center rose a gigantic altar constructed from black skeletons and unknown metal. Countless writhing blood‑colored runes were etched on the altar, now emitting eerie crimson light.

Around the altar, dozens of cultivators were bound! Each looked withered, eyes desperate, their spiritual energy forcibly drawn by the altar's runes into streams that fed a continuously rotating, house‑sized dark crimson crystal atop the altar. Those mournful wails were the pain of having their spirit power extracted and their primal souls eroded.

Around the altar stood four powerful Shadow Pavilion Elders, all at the Refinement Void level; two black‑robed elders had even reached the later stage, fully concentrating on maintaining the altar's operation. Throughout the cavern, hundreds of Shadow Pavilion elite disciples formed formations, guarding the cavern like an impregnable fortress.

"They're feeding that crystal with the essence and souls of living cultivators!" Wang Tie's eyes bulged, his healer's compassion unable to endure such cruelty.

Xiao Ran clenched his teeth, "These beasts!"

Han Wuxian's gaze was icy, his killing intent set. He swiftly transmitted orders: "I'll handle those four Refinement Void Elders and destroy the altar. Brother Xiao, Qing Lin, you clear the formation disciples, create chaos, and cover the rescue. Brother Wang, seize the right moment, use your medical skill to keep the victims alive as much as possible."

"Action!"

As the words fell, Han Wuxian's figure, like a phantom, appeared directly above the altar! The Shadow Veil effect vanished instantly, and the terrifying pressure of a peak‑stage Refinement Void descended like a mountain.

"Enemy attack!!"

The four Shadow Pavilion Refinement Void Elders reacted swiftly, shouting in unison; the light around the altar surged instantly, and the defensive formation activated!

However, Han Wuxian's speed was even greater!

He pointed his finger like a sword at the dark crimson crystal atop the altar, and struck with a single point!