Chapter 154

An elder of the Haoran sect furrowed his brows deeply. “Strange… where exactly is the eye of the formation?”

Tian Xianzi, rarely seen without a smile, now looked down silently, his usual cheer absent.

In an instant, black energy enveloped the mountain peak, condensing beside Qi Han into a ferocious dragon, ready to strike at any moment.

In the past, Ning Ning might have panicked and lost her composure. But ever since witnessing the blood tree riot in the ancient forest and facing off against Xuan Ye, another Demon Lord, in Jialan City, her courage and resilience have been honed. She was no longer the naive girl she once was.

She covertly gathered her sword energy and whispered to Pei Ji, “Be careful.”

As soon as she spoke, a black mist surged forward like a roaring dragon. Ordinary people would only see the thickening black fog charging forward with unimaginable speed.

With her cultivation, Ning Ning saw countless razor-sharp shards suspended in mid-air, each one as sharp as a knife, glinting menacingly in the moonlight.

With a low growl from Qi Han, the overwhelming demonic energy surged forward like a thousand arrows, aiming straight for Ning Ning and Pei Ji’s vital points.

The demonic energy came too fast; there was no time to escape or hide. Pei Ji stood in front of Ning Ning, quickly biting his fingertip to draw a talisman on his sword, then held the sword horizontally before them.

As the black energy surged forward, engulfing the night, the sword emitted a loud hum, and the talisman burst into blinding red light. The demonic energy split and dispersed just inches from them, not touching them at all.

Qi Han’s eyes flashed with a cold light.

This young man in black was actually a descendant of the demon clan, using his own demonic blood to repel the attack. However, their power disparity was vast, and Pei Ji wouldn’t hold out for long.

Qi Han understood the situation perfectly, as did Ning Ning, who was being protected by Pei Ji.

Although the difference between the Golden Core and Nascent Soul stages was just one level, the strength gap was immense. Pei Ji was already using all his strength to fend off the demonic energy. Once his spiritual energy was exhausted, they would be doomed.

The silhouette of the young man in front of her was slender but upright, casting a thin shadow that enveloped her entirely in the moonlight.

Ning Ning couldn’t see Pei Ji’s expression, only his back trembling uncontrollably.

Unexpectedly, she heard Pei Ji’s voice.

He was always strong, never showing pain. Even now, he suppressed the tremor in his voice, speaking weakly but firmly, “Run.”

Ning Ning’s heart skipped a beat.

Pei Ji must have reached his limit. When the demonic energy surged, they would be gravely injured. He had no way out and could only urge her to escape.

But if she left, with his remaining spiritual energy, he would surely die in the demonic energy wave.

The demonic energy showed no signs of dissipating, and Pei Ji’s sword was now cracking, the fissures spreading like a spider web.

Just as the sword was about to shatter, amidst the surrounding chaos, Pei Ji caught a familiar scent of gardenias.

He thought Ning Ning had already escaped.

But she was still behind him. In that critical moment, he heard her voice say, “How could I leave you… Don’t underestimate your senior sister.”

Then, there was a flash of sword light.

Ning Ning stepped forward, drawing her sword to face the oncoming wave of demonic energy. Though she didn’t possess demonic energy like Pei Ji, her sword intent exploded at that moment, creating a temporary barrier against the demonic energy tide and blocking the lethal attack for Pei Ji.

The clash between sword energy and demonic energy created a violent backlash, exploding with a thunderous sound.

Both Ning Ning and Pei Ji were knocked back, coughing up blood. Qi Han’s expression also stiffened as he retracted his demonic energy.

“Frustrated, aren’t you?”

Qi Han casually flexed his wrist, a leisurely smile playing on his lips. “Don’t be sad. The Fox clan will soon join you. In their half-human, half-ghost state, they’ll all be dead within ten days.”

He paused, his smile widening. “It’s a pity you’ll never know where I placed the formation’s eye… It’s only natural. No one can guess that place.”

A place no one could guess.

Ning Ning was exhausted, her bones feeling like they were out of place, ready to shatter. She had never been so gravely injured, struggling to keep tears of pain at bay and forcing herself to remain calm and think.

Where could it be that no one would think to look?

Water? A mirror? Or—

…Ah.

A wild idea sparked in her mind. Ning Ning tightened her grip on her sword, taking a deep breath.

The demon clan was unfamiliar with the secret realm, and Qi Han, as their leader, wouldn’t have explored it thoroughly.

Moreover, considering the crisis at that time, even the slightest delay could lead to death. There was simply no way he could have had enough time to deliberately search for a hidden place to use as the formation’s eye.

In other words, that place is related to “water” or “mirror,” and although it is in plain sight, it wouldn’t make people associate it with the formation.

… It’s more than just not associating it with the formation.

Ning Ning smiled in relief. Such a place would usually be beyond anyone’s imagination.

What was her first thought when she saw the lake after emerging from the dense forest?

It wasn’t “the water in the lake is so clear,” but “the sky is as clear as a mirror.”

And what was the first thing Qi Han said after seeing her and Pei Ji?

“Tonight’s weather is nice; the sky and the moon are quite beautiful, aren’t they?”

This wasn’t small talk; it was a blatant taunt, signaling their inability to find the formation’s eye.

Their access points to the real secret realm were various bodies of water, which meant that the entire mirror surface was actually located underwater in the real world.

Since “water” enveloped the entire secret realm, the thing is now hanging above their heads, covering everyone and everything—

Isn’t it the “sky”?