Slender willows sway in the breeze

Chapter 138 Rats
Tong Lei snorted coldly and stepped forward. "You've already lost, yet you're still stubbornly clinging to your delusions?"

After saying that, Tong Lei formed a hand seal, preparing to use the Soul Searching Technique.

A flicker of fear flashed in Lin Yan's eyes, but it was quickly overshadowed by madness. He used his last bit of strength to try to resist Tong Lei's soul-searching technique.

The veins on Tong Lei's forehead bulged as he channeled his spiritual power to the fullest extent, unleashing a powerful surge of mental energy towards Lin Yan.

The two were locked in a stalemate, the surrounding air seemingly frozen by this invisible force. Suddenly, Lin Yan let out a shrill scream; Tong Lei's mental power had successfully breached part of his defenses.

However, Lin Yan's mental strength was beyond imagination. Tong Lei only had time to search for some fragmented information before he was repelled by a powerful counterforce.

Tong Lei was pale and staggered back a few steps before Gao Kuo quickly helped him up.

He took a few deep breaths and slowly said, "This Lin Yan is not the true ruler of Xuanji Hall. There is a more mysterious figure behind him controlling everything. Moreover, their goal is not just the 'Chaos Gathering Pill'. The royal holy land is their most coveted target."

Upon hearing this, everyone's expression changed drastically. Gu Changzhou asked solemnly, "Brother Tong, have you found out what they intend to do with the royal holy land?"

Tong Lei shook his head helplessly, "The time was too short, and I only obtained this much information. But for someone as crazy as Lin Yan to be willing to be driven by them, the person behind them must be extremely powerful, and their plans for the royal holy land have probably been in the works for a long time."

Liu Sijun frowned, pondered for a moment, and then said, "The royal holy land has always been mysterious, and it is said to hide many powerful restrictions and ancient remnants. Since they have their eyes on that place, they must want to obtain something that can change the situation."

Speaking of this, Liu Sijun recalled his experience during his last cultivation in the Holy Land.

I'm increasingly convinced that the rumors are true.

Su Jinghuan gripped his long sword tightly, a ruthless glint in his eyes. "No matter what their schemes are, we cannot let them succeed. We must inform His Majesty of this matter as soon as possible and take precautions."

Gu Changzhou nodded: "Brother Su is absolutely right. But we cannot act rashly. Since Xuanji Hall has been planning for a long time, it must have already infiltrated the royal family."

Just then, the unconscious Lin Yan suddenly let out a strange laugh, slowly opened his eyes, and his eyes flashed with a crazy light.

Ignoring his injuries, he suddenly stood up, muttering to himself.

The surrounding space instantly distorted, and black mist spread out again. Tong Lei's expression changed, and he shouted, "Oh no! He's going to self-destruct! Everyone, retreat!"

Everyone quickly retreated, each casting a protective shield of spiritual energy. Lin Yan's aura surged wildly, black mist condensing into a massive black sphere that enveloped him. The sphere continued to expand, emanating a chilling aura of destruction.

With a deafening roar, the black sphere exploded, its powerful impact sweeping outwards like a surging wave.

The spiritual energy shields began to crack under the impact of this force. Everyone gritted their teeth and did their best to maintain the shields.

As the aftershocks of the explosion gradually dissipated, Lin Yan had vanished without a trace, leaving behind only a devastated battlefield.

Looking at the scene before him, Gu Changzhou said gravely, "Lin Yan's actions are likely intended to destroy clues and prevent us from obtaining more information. But this only further proves how sinister their plot is; we cannot afford to delay any longer."

Everyone nodded in agreement, knowing the situation was urgent.

Looking at the mess, Liu Sijun felt a pang of worry and said, "If we head to the palace now, we might encounter an ambush by the Xuanji Hall on the way. After all, they won't easily let go of those who know such secrets." Tong Lei took a deep breath, stabilizing his somewhat disordered spiritual energy, and said, "Miss Liu is absolutely right. Since the Xuanji Hall is so meticulous, they must have planted many spies in the shadows. But in any case, this news must be conveyed to His Majesty as soon as possible so that the royal family can take precautions in advance."

Su Jinghuan gripped his long sword tightly, his eyes resolute: "Even if the road ahead is full of thorns, we must forge ahead."

Gu Changzhou pondered for a moment and said, "We can't all go to the palace together; that would make us too conspicuous. It would be better to split into two groups. Miss Liu and I will go ahead first, trying to avoid the Xuanji Hall's eyes and ears, and inform His Majesty as soon as possible. Brother Tong, Brother Su, and Gao Kuo, you will lead the other Shadow Guards and pretend to be our main force behind us to attract the Xuanji Hall's attention and buy us time."

Everyone thought the plan was feasible, so they quickly put it into action as Gu Changzhou had arranged.

Gu Changzhou and Liu Sijun used their spiritual power to conceal themselves and quietly headed towards the palace.

Along the way, Liu Sijun, with her keen senses and skillful use of the surrounding environment, led Gu Changzhou to avoid several ambush points that were suspected to be spies of Xuanjitang.

Tong Lei, Su Jinghuan, and Gao Kuo deliberately made a big show of their advance, intentionally creating openings to attract the Xuanji Hall members to intercept them.

Sure enough, they hadn't gone far when a group of people dressed in black robes with their faces covered in black cloth emerged from all directions and surrounded them.

Su Jinghuan looked at the group of uninvited guests and sneered, "You cowards, you've finally arrived!"

The leader of the men in black chuckled sinisterly, "You've learned things you shouldn't have known. Today is your death day!" With that, he waved his hand, and the men in black drew their weapons and pounced on Tong Lei and the others.

Tong Lei and his men showed no fear, quickly got into position, and engaged in a fierce battle with the men in black.

Tong Lei, a cultivator at the peak of the Integration Realm, possessed immense strength. He formed hand seals, and beams of silver spiritual energy shot out from his hands, instantly striking several men in black who were sent flying backward.

Su Jinghuan brandished his long sword, its blade flashing, and wherever it went, the men in black scattered in fear.

Gao Kuo worked closely with the other shadow guards, using spiritual energy shields to block the black-clad men's sneak attacks from the side and looking for opportunities to counterattack.

The battle intensified, with numerous men in black charging relentlessly towards Tong Lei and his companions. They coordinated seamlessly, forming various unpredictable formations in an attempt to break through their defenses.

While dealing with the attacks from the men in black, Tong Lei kept an eye on the battlefield situation.

He discovered that although the men in black outnumbered him, their individual strengths varied greatly, and it was not impossible to break through their formation if he found the right opportunity.

Tong Lei seized the opportunity, quickly changing his hand seals, and a huge silver spiritual energy rune appeared above his head.

The runes shone brightly, illuminating the entire battlefield.

Immediately afterwards, the talisman transformed into countless tiny silver specks of light, like a swarm of lively fireflies, flying towards the man in black.

These tiny specks of light contain powerful spiritual energy. Once they touch the man in black, they unleash a powerful spiritual energy shock that sends him flying.

(End of this chapter)