Ye Liuyun led the group in body tempering within the canyon, but he couldn't afford to wait indefinitely for everyone to reach the central area.
Too much ti had already been wasted, and he was growing anxious about potential changes on Li Daoyuan's end. So, he set a two-month deadline for everyone—how much they could improve would depend entirely on their own efforts and fortune.
A month later, Ye Liuyun's physique had absorbed a massive amount of tallic energy at the canyon's center, rendering him impervious to the razor-sharp winds and blade-like rain. The benefits went beyond his skin; even his internal organs had absorbed substantial tallic energy, forging his entire body into sothing as tough as solid steel.
Though his absorption rate had slowed considerably, he remained in place, determined to take in every bit of energy he could.
anwhile, the Dragon Maiden, Lei Ming, and the Nine-Headed Demon Dragon had all reached the central area and were consolidating their gains. With another month, they would have just enough ti to elevate their physiques to match Ye Liuyun's level.
His doppelgänger and Hei Shan were still a short distance from the center. It was estimated that they would arrive with a little ti to spare.
When the deadline arrived, those who hadn't made it to the central area were reluctant to leave. So, Ye Liuyun decided to leave his doppelgänger behind to guide them in continuing their body tempering there.
He, on the other hand, set out ahead with the Demon Vine, Dragon Maiden, Hei Shan, and the Stone Ape to scout the path forward. The Dragon Maiden's absorption rate had slowed to a crawl, and staying behind wouldn't yield significant progress for her. Lei Ming and the Nine-Headed Demon Dragon returned to the doppelgänger's spatial realm to absorb bloodline orbs.
As they advanced, Ye Liuyun, accompanied by the Dragon Maiden and the Stone Ape, engaged in fierce battles along the way—perfect opportunities to hone their skills. The beasts ahead were of higher realms, so the Demon Vine and Hei Shan frequently stepped in to assist.
During their journey, Ye Liuyun spotted two green wolves in the distance. However, the wolves kept their distance, rely observing from afar, and he saw no need to pursue them.
When they reached the next destination, they were halted by a series of defensive formations. With Qiong Qi still tempering his body back in the canyon, Ye Liuyun had no choice but to summon a formation master from his spatial realm to dismantle the barriers.
Everyone remained on high alert, expecting ferocious beasts to erge once the formations were broken. But after the first layer was dismantled, they waited for a long while—only to be t with utter silence from within. The formation master had already moved on to breaking the second layer.
Even after the second layer was breached, there was still no movent or sound from inside.
"Hmm? What exactly is in there?" Ye Liuyun murmured, growing increasingly puzzled.
Now that the second barrier was gone, he couldn't sense any aura emanating from within. The Dragon Maiden and the Stone Ape detected no trace of wild beasts, while the Demon Vine and Hei Shan found no hint of demonic energy.
This only heightened the tension among Ye Liuyun and the others. They instinctively backed away, fearing that the third layer of the formation might suddenly unleash so terrifying creature.
Out of nowhere, a pack of green wolves charged at them from behind. Having been entirely focused on the formation ahead, they had paid little attention to the beasts behind them—never expecting an ambush.
"Kill them quickly!" Ye Liuyun commanded, swinging his blade as he led the others into the fray. They needed to eliminate the wolves swiftly to focus entirely on the dangers within the formation.
But in their haste, they had strayed too far from the formation master. Seizing the opportunity, the alpha wolf of the pack—appearing as if from thin air—launched a streak of green light from a distance, striking the formation master directly.
"Aaaagh!"
A piercing scream echoed as the green light corroded a gaping hole through the formation master's body.
Realizing the wolves were retaliating, Ye Liuyun imdiately targeted the alpha. A beam of white light shot from his hand toward the creature.
But the alpha, having succeeded in its strike, vanished at incredible speed. Ye Liuyun's attack was too slow and too distant—it only managed to strike down a larger wolf beside the alpha, which had already disappeared without a trace.
The remaining wolves tried to flee, but demon vines surged from the ground, encircling and slaughtering every last one of them.
"Damn wolves, getting their revenge!" Ye Liuyun warned the others to stay alert for more attacks as he hurried over to check on the formation master.
"It's a corrosive poison attack."
By the ti he arrived, the formation master was already unrecognizable—long dead, his body still dissolving under the spreading green liquid. In monts, his entire physical form had lted away completely.
Just as Ye Liuyun sighed and prepared to summon another formation master, a massive, ethereal hand erged from the formation and reached for him.
He slashed at it with his blade, but the weapon passed straight through the spectral hand. He then tried a beam of black light, yet it, too, had no effect.
The hand was dense with primordial energy—neither fully physical nor purely spiritual. Desperate, Ye Liuyun activated his control over ti, hoping to slip free from its grasp. But to his shock, even ti itself had no power over the phantom hand.
The massive hand slamd shut, enveloping Ye Liuyun and dragging him toward the formation. In that instant, all of Ye Liuyun's abilities seed to fail him, leaving him at a loss for how to counter it.
A demon vine lashed out, coiling around Ye Liuyun in an attempt to pull him back. The Dragon Girl, Heishan, and the Stone Ape all charged toward the giant hand, but they hesitated to strike with full force, fearing they might harm Ye Liuyun.
But the hand's power was overwhelming. Not only did it yank Ye Liuyun inside, but it also dragged the demon vine along with it. Unwilling to release Ye Liuyun for fear of what might happen to him, the vine allowed itself to be pulled in alongside him.
"Don't panic—wait for my doppelgänger to arrive!" Ye Liuyun managed to call out just before he vanished. In the sa mont, he released Li Kuo and over a dozen other Unity Realm experts from his spatial treasure.
anwhile, Ye Liuyun's doppelgänger had no idea what had captured his original self. All he knew was that the mont Ye Liuyun was pulled in, their ntal connection severed abruptly, as if he had been dragged into another dinsion entirely.
He imdiately gathered everyone. "The original has been taken—captured and pulled into another realm!"
At once, all cultivation ceased. The doppelgänger stored everyone into his spatial world and raced toward the scene.
"What happened?" the group asked anxiously.
"I'm not sure," the doppelgänger replied, speeding forward as he shared what little he knew. "A massive hand ford from imnse natural energy seized the original and dragged him into another space."
"This is our fault for being greedy," soone lanted. "If we had stayed together, this might not have happened."
"Those azure wolves—they've taken their revenge," Zhuque muttered, recalling the alpha of the pack.
"Trouble! The Dragon Girl and the others are under attack by the wolf pack again!"
The doppelgänger's heart sank. Through Heishan's slave seal, he sensed that the azure wolves, seeing Ye Liuyun captured, had regrouped and were now launching a full assault on the Dragon Girl and her companions.
Pushing his speed to the limit, the doppelgänger raced toward their location. The original was already in danger—he couldn't let the others fall too.
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