Mò Xī Jiàn was openly held in Jian Dan's hand.
Jian Mao looked back at the group and said, "This seems like the bottom of a pit. Let's head up and see."
Because of Jian Dan's earlier anomaly, they'd stayed put. The place was unfamiliar, and with no spiritual energy to use, it was best they didn't split up.
"Let's go!"
Everyone drew their true swords and began ascending. Jian Mao led the formation in a 1-2-4 line, with Jian Dan in the rear and Xiao Yue following behind her. Wu Siyuan, Kuang Dao, and Jian Xu were in the same line as Jian Dan, moving upward while observing their surroundings.
Jian Dan frowned slightly as she looked around. The area was clearly a battlefield aftermath—sword slashes etched deep, scorch marks from spells leaving holes, burnt earth, destroyed vegetation, and shattered rocks. Yet the damage seemed old. The sword slashes had no lingering energy, and the blasted areas gave off no magical residue. To these seasoned fighters, it was clear the destruction had happened long ago.
Jian Mao was first to reach the top of the slope. His eyes widened at the scene before him. Jian Xu and Jian Jing in the second group mirrored his expression. When the four and the wolf climbed up, they too were stunned.
Through Jian Dan's eyes, the area looked like a junkyard. Everywhere she looked were remains, including insectoid corpses: giant black beetles, flying centipedes, huge mantises, and enormous spiders. Among the insect carcasses were the tall, white bones of human cultivators, gleaming like jade and radiating a terrifying pressure. Jian Dan could feel it clearly, though she didn't know if others could.
In the distance, rolling mountains and flattened peaks stretched out, and even farther away was a lake. The water was a murky green, with patches of life and decay along the shores and mountain slopes. Red mist floated around, adding an eerie tint.
The sky was gray and overcast. Suddenly, explosions in the air drew everyone's attention.
They all looked up. Gray clouds churned violently, and an opening in the center turned black. Something fell from it, crashing loudly and stirring layers of gray mist. The falling debris piled into a small hill. Surprisingly, a giant spider survived, though two legs were broken and half its sac destroyed. It struggled to stand on its remaining four legs.
The gap in the clouds closed as black mist spread outward.
Jian Dan narrowed her eyes at the insect corpses. A cold shiver ran through her for Jian Jun. If they were trapped here for a century, survival odds were slim.
"Senior Brother, those are insect corpses. How are we supposed to find Jian Jun in this mess?" Jian Jing's worry was clear.
Jian Mao's expression was equally heavy. Here, they couldn't use spiritual energy—only their bodies could protect them, which was deadly. Before he could speak, the sky rumbled with thunder, and red light pierced through the gray clouds, bathing them in a crimson glow.
Then red stones, burning like meteors, fell from above. One seemed to have eyes, crushing the four-legged spider to ash.
Jian Dan felt like the world was ending. It was like a comet striking a planet. She realized why space rifts formed here—the environment itself was unusually resilient. The stones fell like a sudden downpour, rolling toward the pit where they stood.
"Senior Brother, get us out of here! We'll be dust if we get hit!" Jian Dan shouted.
Everyone understood the danger and waited for Jian Mao's order.
"Southwest, there's a dense forest. It can block some of the stones. Watch out for the flaming rocks."
"Let's move!"
They pushed off the slope and sprinted toward a sparser shower of fiery debris.
Jian Dan leapt onto Xiao Yue's back and said to Kuang Dao, "Get on! Watch the stones from above!"
Kuang Dao jumped up skillfully, gripping his true blade.
"Xiao Yue, time to show how well you've trained!"
Xiao Yue realized the danger and pushed off with his hind legs, leaping down the slope.
"Xiao Yue, dodge the big rocks! We'll handle the small ones. Move fast—we'll open the path ahead!"
"Got it!"
With a few agile jumps, Xiao Yue moved ahead of them. His advantage was clear. Despite his large size, he was extremely nimble. Years of training by the Black Robe Guards had honed him to find safe footing, dodge falling stones, and advance quickly.
Jian Mao, Jian Jing, Jian Xu, Jian Chun, and Wu Siyuan followed his planned path, focusing only on dodging stones while maintaining formation.
As they approached vegetation, a ten-man team spotted them.
"Boss, they've got a spiritual beast!" a sharp-featured man said, eyes fixed on Xiao Yue.
Most teams here had only dead insect corpses. Groups with spiritual beasts were rare and usually powerful. A spiritual beast meant they'd find resources faster, so Xiao Yue was their first target.
"Seen it, no need to remind me," a tall, pale-faced man said, following the group's progress with his eyes.
"Boss, looks like they just came in and must have good stuff. We should strike first, or if they reach Mao Wu's territory, we won't get a chance," another agreed.
The rest nodded silently, waiting for orders.
"Hold. Let them enter the forest. We'll ambush after. The flaming stones will weaken them, so we'll conserve energy," the leader said.
"Smart move, boss!" Monkey Three immediately flattered.
The ten-man team moved toward the seven from the Heavenly Sword Sect.
Meanwhile, Xiao Yue led, Jian Dan and Kuang Dao ready on his back. Jian Dan swung Mò Xī Jiàn, and Kuang Dao brandished his blade, smashing stones in their path. Mò Xī Jiàn, held by Jian Dan, struck out continuously, hitting each stone—big or small.
Kuang Dao, trained in martial arts since childhood, slashed precisely, diverting rocks and keeping the path clear for Xiao Yue and the group.
Xiao Yue was extraordinary. His noble blood showed even in the shine of his fur, making it hard to imagine him being harmed.
The group was nearing the ancient forest to the southwest when a fifty-meter-wide flaming boulder suddenly plummeted from above.