Chapter 221: Sudden Change

Jiangnan furrowed his brow, trying various methods, but he could never uncover the secret of the Pixiu Stone Carving.

"Looks like I'll have to study it later."

Jiangnan muttered to himself; although he was doubtful in his heart, he didn't dwell on it too much.

After all, there were more important things to do at the moment.

However, at that moment, the entire secret chamber began to tremble violently again!

"Boom—"

A tremendous roaring sound came from all directions, deafening.

"What's going on?"

Jiangnan's face changed, and a strong sense of unease welled up in his heart.

The ground beneath his feet began to crack, spreading rapidly like a spiderweb.

The stone walls above also started to shed rubble, as if the entire secret chamber might collapse at any moment!

"Oh no! This place is going to collapse!"

Jiangnan's heart jolted; he immediately realized he could not stay here any longer!

He had to leave as quickly as possible!

He no longer hesitated, turning and running toward the entrance of the secret chamber.

That was the passage Su Mo had come through.

"Boom!"

With a tremendous bang, a huge stone fell at the entrance of the secret chamber, blocking the passage completely.

"Damn it!"

Jiangnan cursed under his breath, he swung his fist, unleashing the Zhengyang Divine Fist, hoping to shatter the huge stone.

However, the huge stone didn't budge; instead, the surrounding vibrations grew even more intense.

"This won't work!"

Jiangnan felt anxious; he knew that if he continued to forcefully break the stone, it would likely cause the entire secret chamber to collapse completely.

By then, even if he possessed greater strength, he would hardly escape death!

He forced himself to calm down and began to search for another way out.

His gaze swept quickly across the secret chamber, hoping to find a glimmer of hope.

Suddenly, his gaze fell upon a corner of the secret chamber.

There, there was an inconspicuous depression that seemed to conceal something.

"What is that..."

Jiangnan's heart stirred; he hurried over and examined it closely.

He discovered that behind the depression was actually a narrow passage!

"This is..."

A flash of hope appeared in Jiangnan's eyes; without hesitation, he immediately slipped into the passage.

The passage was narrow and dim, allowing only one person to pass.

Jiangnan bent his waist and walked forward cautiously.

He didn't know where this passage led, but he knew it was his only hope!

"Boom—"

Behind him, the sound of the secret chamber's collapse grew louder, and Jiangnan's heart grew heavier.

He quickened his pace, moving swiftly through the passage.

After who knows how long, he finally saw a glimmer of light ahead.

"Exit!"

Jiangnan felt a surge of joy; he increased his speed and rushed toward the light.

"Whoosh—"

He finally burst out of the passage, arriving in an unfamiliar environment.

This seemed to be a huge cavern, with strange plants growing on the surrounding stone walls, emitting a faint glow.

"Where is this?"

Jiangnan looked around, his heart full of doubt.

He could be certain that this was no longer the ruins of the Zhengyang Sect.

"Boom—"

Behind him, a muffled thud came—it was the sound of the secret chamber collapsing completely.

Jiangnan looked back and saw that the entrance to the passage had been sealed off by rubble.

"Looks like I can't go back."

Jiangnan let out a soft sigh; he knew that his fate with the Zhengyang Sect was probably at an end.

Although there was some regret, he did not regret it.

After all, he had already obtained the Zhengyang Secret, the Zhengyang Pill, that mysterious jade slip, and the Zhengyang Mirror; these gains were already substantial.

"Now, I should think about how to get out."

Jiangnan gathered his thoughts and began to search for a way to leave the cavern.

He cautiously explored along the edge of the cavern.

Suddenly, he heard a noisy sound, seemingly coming from deep within the cavern.

"Anyone there?"

Jiangnan's heart stirred, he immediately walked toward the direction the sound came from.

Soon, he arrived at the depths of the cave, and the sight before him shocked him greatly.

In the center of the cave lay a huge pit, with a crowd gathered around it.

These people, dressed in black robes, were members of the Qijiu Sect!

"How could they be here?"

Jiangnan felt doubtful, he carefully observed and found that these Qijiu Sect members were all panicked, as if something major had happened.

"Run! An earthquake!"

"This place is going to collapse!"

"Where is the Sect Leader? Where is the Sect Leader?"

Qijiu Sect members shouted in terror, fleeing in all directions, the scene was utter chaos.

"An earthquake?"

Jiangnan froze, then he realized that the earlier tremor was not only in the secret room but the entire Heifeng Mountain was experiencing an earthquake!

"Could this earthquake be related to the ruins of the Zhengyang Sect?"

Jiangnan speculated in his mind, feeling that there must be some connection.

"Boom—"

Just then, the earthquake occurred again, and it was even more violent than before!

At the edge of the pit, cracks began to appear, and rocks kept rolling down.

"Ah!"

Several Qijiu Sect members failed to dodge, were struck by falling rocks, and screamed as they fell into the pit.

"Run! This place is going to collapse!"

Seeing this, others became even more terrified and all ran toward the cave's exit.

Jiangnan mingled with the crowd and ran out with them.

He knew that now was not the time to entangle with the Qijiu Sect members; survival was paramount!

Soon they reached the cave's exit.

However, the exit was blocked by a huge boulder.

"What's going on?"

"The exit is blocked!"

"Quickly move the stone!"

Qijiu Sect members panicked, they tried to move the boulder but found it utterly unmoving.

"Let me try!"

A burly Qijiu Sect member stepped forward; he was an elder of the Qijiu Sect, with considerable strength.

He took a deep breath, struck the boulder with both palms, his qi surged, trying to push the boulder aside.

Yet the boulder remained completely unmoved.

"This..."

The elder's face darkened; he hadn't expected this boulder to be so heavy!

"Boom—"

The earthquake grew ever more violent, stones began to fall from the cave's ceiling, and it could collapse at any moment.

"What do we do? We can't get out!"

"We'll die here!"

"I don't want to die!"

The Qijiu Sect members were utterly desperate, they cried out in fear, the scene was utter chaos.

The feeling of despair spread among the Qijiu Sect members like a plague.

They usually committed many evils, oppressing the weak,

but when truly faced with the threat of death, they were no different from ordinary people.

"Shut up, all of you!"

That elder roared, trying to maintain order.

"Don't panic! We haven't reached the point of no return!"

"Everyone, put your strength together and move the stone!"

Under his reprimand, some Qijiu Sect members rekindled a glimmer of hope.

They stepped forward one after another, wanting to jointly move the boulder blocking the cave mouth.

Yet human strength before a natural disaster appeared so insignificant.

The boulder remained utterly unmoved; instead, due to everyone's pushing,

it caused the loose rocks around the cave mouth to start shifting and continually fall.

"Don't push! If we push again the cave mouth will collapse!"

Someone shouted in terror.

"Then what should we do? Are we really just going to wait to die?"

"I don't believe it! I don't believe I will die here!"

Just as everyone fell into despair,

a strange aura quietly appeared in the cave.

That was… the Black Fog!

The Black Fog that had only been drifting around the outskirts of Heifeng Mountain suddenly began to surge into the cave's interior!

It even started to rush into the cavern's interior!