When the net fell from above, Jian Dan leapt up without hesitation, swinging her sword to slice a clean hole through it.
Xiao Yue rolled on the ground to dodge the ropes aimed at him, landing gracefully before springing up to catch Jian Dan as she came down.
Meanwhile, Kuang Dao was already locked in combat with the ambushers. Jian Mao and the others from the ancient forest charged in silently, two at a time, swords at the ready, diving into the fray.
Jian Mao jumped next to Kuang Dao, and the two of them immediately began countering the attackers. Jian Dan leapt down from Xiao Yue and joined the fight against the four surrounding them.
The ten ambushers hadn't expected such fierce resistance. They weren't amateurs, though. Realizing they couldn't capture anyone alive, they decided to strike with deadly intent.
Jian Mao and the others sensed it immediately. Their eyes darkened as Jian Mao said coldly, "Leave one alive, kill the rest."
With that, their strikes became even faster and deadlier.
Jian Mao and the others had initially hoped to take prisoners to gather information, but once the enemy showed no mercy, they naturally wouldn't hold back either. Following Jian Mao's orders, the remaining fighters stopped holding back. Their sword strikes leveled up in speed, and the attackers immediately felt the pressure. In just a few rounds, six of them had fallen.
The leader and the sharp-faced, monkey-like man realized they were facing serious opponents and began thinking of retreat, but Jian Dan wouldn't give them that chance. She had already figured out these two were the team leaders.
With a few swift steps using her Shadow-Linked Movement, Jian Dan killed two of them, leaving only the blue-faced man and the sharp-faced monkey-looking one.
Xiao Yue leapt and pinned the two under his claws, baring his fangs to intimidate them.
The blue-faced man scowled and threw a black dagger at Xiao Yue's paw, trying to make an escape.
But Xiao Yue's sharp claws swiped it aside and left three deep, bone-deep slashes across the man's chest. He screamed in pain.
The monkey-faced man froze, too scared to move, silently hoping to survive.
Jian Dan stepped to Xiao Yue's left claw and decapitated him with a single sword strike. She grabbed his storage ring and personal talisman before kicking the body aside.
Jian Mao and the others finished off their opponents and regrouped with Xiao Yue.
Kuang Dao dragged the monkey-faced man from under Xiao Yue's claws, muffling his mouth while stripping off all his storage items.
The poor guy nearly passed out from shock.
"The smell of blood's too strong. Let's move and find a safer spot," Jian Mao said, eyes scanning cautiously.
No one disagreed. Kuang Dao carried the prisoner, and Jian Dan had Xiao Yue lead the way, hoping to find the enemy's hideout.
Xiao Yue twitched his nose and wagged his tail, stepping over broken rocks and through gray-white grass, weaving around shattered trees until they reached a narrow stone crevice.
The monkey-faced man's expression darkened as he realized they'd found their hideout.
The group was experienced, advancing cautiously and keeping an eye on the environment while checking the prisoner. They noticed that even the outer perimeter had almost no guards. How had they done their surveillance?
The prisoner knew his luck had run out. They were just low-level lackeys scavenging scraps, and they'd never seen anyone this ruthless. Silent and deadly—they just killed.
If Jian Dan could hear his thoughts, she'd probably scold him:
"The blood energy on your body is so heavy. You've killed plenty, right? Did you think we were blind? Every strike is lethal. Did you expect mercy? Do you think the core disciples of Heavenly Sword Sect are freebies?"
A movement came from the crevice. One person squeezed out, spotting the monkey-faced man and Xiao Yue, ready to shout.
Kuang Dao flung his blade, pinning the man to the stone wall. He only managed a single scream before dying.
"Try not to spill too much blood, or we might attract something else," Jian Dan reminded calmly.
"Yes, Zūnshàng,"
She pressed Xiao Yue's claw onto the monkey-faced man's head, turning his face bright red.
Kuang Dao sheathed his blade and slipped into the crevice like the last attacker had. Wu Siyuan and Jian Chun followed. Sounds of fighting erupted inside, fading within fifteen minutes.
Kuang Dao reemerged, bowing slightly.
"Zūnshàng, four remained inside. We killed three and left one alive."
Jian Mao nodded in satisfaction. This confirmed the situation. Relying on a single prisoner's word could be misleading.
Kuang Dao dragged the monkey-faced man back inside. Jian Mao, Jian Jing, and Jian Xu followed. Jian Dan stayed last.
She patted Xiao Yue's head and smiled.
"Scared?"
"No, this place is rough, but the fights help me!" Xiao Yue replied.
"Good. It's tight inside, so if you can't go in, stay outside and keep watch."
"No problem," he said. Jian Dan scratched under his chin before finally entering the crevice.
Inside, the space was surprisingly wide and divided into three areas. The first room was a spacious hall where her senior brothers were sitting on meditation cushions, talking quietly.
In the center knelt the monkey-faced man, obedient and rigid. He didn't dare speak, only darting his eyes around, thinking of escape. Another man had been tied up by Kuang Dao in the adjacent living area, rolling on the floor like a wriggling worm.
"Junior Sister, come sit," Jian Jing called.
"Coming," Jian Dan said, placing her Spirit-Gathering Meditation Cushion on the floor. She sat gracefully and addressed everyone,
"I've got Xiao Yue on guard outside. He'll alert us if anything happens."
The chatter stopped. Jian Mao turned to the kneeling monkey-faced man.
"Do you want to tell us yourself, or shall we read your mind?"
The man's eyes widened in surprise. "You can read minds?" he whispered, then realized he'd spoken and clamped his mouth shut.
"Why not? Even if you block spiritual power, the Divine Sense can still be used," Jian Dan said casually, studying his expressions.
The man's eyes narrowed, forming a new theory.
"You specialize in Primordial Soul? No, you seem like sword cultivators…"
In just two sentences, he revealed multiple pieces of information.
"Whether we're sword cultivators or soul specialists doesn't matter. You're our prisoner now. Answer my questions properly, and maybe you'll survive. We're in unfamiliar territory, so we need a guide," Jian Dan said.
The others listened silently, clearly trusting her completely.
"I-I'm Hou San, willing to obey you," he said quickly, bowing to save his life. One companion was detained elsewhere. If his answers displeased them, they had a backup.
"What is this place?"
"This is a small domain that fell from the Immortal Realm, a tiny corner of it!"