Chapter 894: Chapter 894

Ding Fan carried Mei Zhi into the mountain cave hidden behind the formation.

Before making his move, Ding Fan had already used his Divine Sense to probe the surroundings. After all, Gui Zhen and Feng Shanxing—either of them alone—were top-tier experts. Ding Fan had no choice but to be thorough in his preparations.

The mountain cave was filled with numerous branching paths, and both Divine Sense and Telekinesis were blocked. Ding Fan resolved to rush into the labyrinthine cave with Mei Zhi. With the complex network of paths as cover, he believed Feng Shanxing and Gui Zhen would be unable to catch him.

Previously, when Ding Fan was fleeing Gui Luo's pursuit, he had escaped through the winding underwater paths beneath a waterfall. This time, he planned to simply repeat that strategy.

Watching Ding Fan rush into the cave with Mei Zhi in his arms, Gui Zhen's face turned ashen with rage. "Chase them! We absolutely cannot let them leave alive!"

Tomorrow was a crucial day. If Ding Fan and Mei Zhi truly escaped, it would definitely affect their major plans.

However, Feng Shanxing showed no intention of pursuing. He merely stared in the direction where Ding Fan and Mei Zhi had disappeared.

"Aren't you worried they'll expose your secret?" Gui Zhen asked, somewhat surprised, looking at Feng Shanxing.

Feng Shanxing gave him a contemptuous smile. "This is the Spirit Sect Forbidden Land, the ancient resting place for Elders and Sect Masters. There is only an entrance here; there is no exit. If they venture inside, they are destined to perish."

Gui Zhen glanced at Feng Shanxing before turning to leave. Before disappearing, he left behind one final remark.

"You best ensure nothing goes awry. Otherwise, you'll reap eternal damnation."

Feng Shanxing smirked indifferently. "Anyone who enters the Forbidden Land is doomed to die…"…

Ding Fan carried Mei Zhi and ran wildly through the maze-like cave for a while. Sensing that no one was pursuing them, Ding Fan finally set Mei Zhi down.

Just as Ding Fan placed Mei Zhi down, she suddenly struck at his chest with her palm.

Ding Fan hadn't expected that after saving Mei Zhi, she would not only show no gratitude but would actually try to kill him.

As Mei Zhi's palm was about to hit Ding Fan, he swiftly grabbed her right hand.

Mei Zhi was momentarily stunned. She knew that her palm was imbued with Inner Strength, carrying enough power to split stones and shatter monuments, yet Ding Fan easily caught it with one hand.

Mei Zhi struggled to pull her hand back, but no matter how much force she used, she couldn't break free. Her hand felt as though it was fused to Ding Fan's palm.

Ding Fan cast a glance at the struggling Mei Zhi and said coldly, "If you continue your nonsense, I'll take your life."

Ding Fan's icy tone carried no trace of emotion, and his chilling voice sent a shiver through Mei Zhi's body.

At that moment, Mei Zhi recalled the twenty-odd dried corpses outside the Spirit Sect's passageway, sucked dry of their flesh and blood. Though she tried to maintain a bold facade, her face had already turned ashen.

Ding Fan had spoken these words intending only to frighten Mei Zhi.

Upon entering the cave, Ding Fan immediately sensed the unusual nature of the place. The complex network of paths seemed to align with some sort of formation, which made it exceptionally baffling to decipher.

In such a perilous situation, Ding Fan had no time to deal with Mei Zhi's antics, so he could only resort to intimidating her.

Ding Fan flung Mei Zhi's hand away. Given their dangerous predicament and the weight of his earlier warning, Mei Zhi indeed refrained from causing further trouble.

"What is this place?" Ding Fan asked Mei Zhi.

Mei Zhi glanced at Ding Fan with some surprise, wondering how he could not know where they were. Earlier, when Ding Fan had rushed here with her in tow, she had assumed this was his intended destination.

When Ding Fan brought Mei Zhi to this place, her initial attack stemmed from her belief that Ding Fan intended to harm the Forbidden Land, prompting her to act with desperation.

Ding Fan looked at Mei Zhi again, and it was evident she had no intention of answering him.

Ding Fan decided not to ask further. "From now on, follow me closely."

The cave's many branching paths made it impossible to find Mei Zhi again if they became separated.

Although Mei Zhi was reluctant to follow Ding Fan, the Spirit Sect Forbidden Land worried her. Fearing any harm might come to it, she obediently kept pace behind him.

The maze of caves was extensive. Ding Fan continuously probed the layout with his Divine Sense. After nearly a full day of exploration, he finally discerned the logic behind the path's design.

The branching paths were arranged according to the interplay of the Eight Trigrams and Five Elements.

Ding Fan couldn't help but admire the ingenuity of the individual who designed the Great Formation. Its brilliance left him deeply impressed. If not for his background in the Cultivation World and his considerable expertise in formations, he likely would never have found his way through in his lifetime.

He then led Mei Zhi toward the Life Gate. After another quarter-hour of walking, the two finally exited the maze-like paths.

A relatively spacious corridor appeared before them.

At the corridor's entrance, Mei Zhi spotted a pile of bones—it was impossible to tell how long they'd been there. Beside the skeleton lay a long sword.

Seeing the sword, Mei Zhi's eyes lit up.

Three Gold Stars were engraved on the hilt of the sword.

The Spirit Sect had a strict hierarchy. The swords used by its disciples were marked accordingly. Generally, ordinary disciples' swords bore a single Gold Star, Elders' swords had two, and swords with three Gold Stars were reserved for Sect Masters.

The three Gold Stars on the sword hilt revealed that this skeleton belonged to a once-prominent Sect Master of the Spirit Sect.

Mei Zhi immediately knelt before the remains and solemnly kowtowed twice.

Once Mei Zhi had finished paying her respects, Ding Fan led her deeper into the cave corridor.

On both sides of the corridor, more skeletons were scattered. Judging by the Magic Artifacts near the remains, these individuals had been highly esteemed in life—at least of Elder Level rank.

Ding Fan and Mei Zhi followed the corridor until they reached a spacious stone chamber.

The chamber was roughly a hundred square meters, and at its center stood an altar-like structure bearing a long sword.

When Mei Zhi saw the sword, she dropped to her knees and began kowtowing fervently.

The swords scattered outside were marked with Three Gold Stars, but the sword enshrined here bore Five Gold Stars.

Five Stars Longsword!

While Mei Zhi remained kneeled in reverence, she suddenly felt her neck tighten—she was lifted off the ground.

Mei Zhi instantly became infuriated.

She was known for her beauty and celebrated talent within the Sect, often the object of adoration and pampering. Yet Ding Fan had treated her dismissively throughout their journey and now handled her with startling roughness...

Just as Mei Zhi was about to erupt in anger, a beam of light streaked toward them.

The light struck the spot where Mei Zhi had been kneeling moments earlier, carving out a pit over a meter deep.

Seeing this, Mei Zhi's face turned pale. The chamber was made of Adamantine Stone, yet the beam had gouged a one-meter-deep crater. If it had struck her, she would surely have perished.

If not for Ding Fan's timely intervention in lifting her up, she might have truly lost her life.

While Mei Zhi was lost in thought...

Bang… A deafening boom suddenly erupted.

Mei Zhi looked up to see a massive piece of Adamantine Stone, as tall as a person, hurtling toward them like a bullet shot from a cannon.

The chamber's confined space left little room to evade the incoming rock, and Ding Fan, carrying Mei Zhi, had virtually no way to maneuver.

Seeing the massive stone barrelling toward them, Mei Zhi's mind went blank. Though she had a Heavenly Level cultivation, enduring a strike stone would surely result in grave injury.

"Halt!" At that moment, Ding Fan unleashed a powerful palm strike.

Boom… Boom… Waves of potent energy surged from Ding Fan's palm, reverberating throughout the chamber. Mei Zhi felt slightly unstable on her feet behind him.

Ding Fan's energy collided fiercely with the massive stone.

The stone had incredible momentum, forcing Ding Fan to retreat several steps before he could stabilize himself.

When Mei Zhi looked again, the stone, astonishingly, had been knocked back by Ding Fan.

Seeing this, Mei Zhi's mouth hung wide open in shock.

She had always known Ding Fan was strong, but she had never imagined he was this powerful.

The strength of that stone would have overwhelmed most of the Spirit Sect's senior Elders, yet Ding Fan, barely in his twenties, had managed to deflect it.

Spurt… Ding Fan suddenly coughed up fresh blood.

The stone's overwhelming force had still caused him some internal injury. The most update n0vels are published on 𝔫𝔬𝔳𝔢𝔩·𝕗𝕚𝕣𝕖·𝘯𝘦𝘵

"Hmm?" Just then, a voice filled with curiosity echoed.

Ding Fan was startled. He hadn't expected anyone else to be present. Immediately, he drew the Nine Profound Iron.

Mei Zhi also heard the voice, becoming tense as she drew her sword.

Right then, a dark shadow swept forward and stood before Ding Fan and Mei Zhi. Upon closer inspection, they realized it was a Soul Body.

"Who are you two?" The Soul Body spoke in an icy tone, addressing Ding Fan and Mei Zhi.

"Who are you?" Ding Fan replied contemptuously.

"I am Ouyang Shangfang, the first Sect Master of the Spirit Sect. After my death, I refined my main soul to continue guarding the Forbidden Land. And who are you?"

"I am Mei Zhi, a disciple of the Spirit Sect. Greetings, Patriarch." Mei Zhi had heard of Ouyang Shangfang's name before. She obediently knelt before him.

Ouyang Shangfang's remnant soul ignored Mei Zhi and instead turned to Ding Fan. "Who are you?"

The soul appeared momentarily surprised. "You are not a disciple of the Spirit Sect?"

Ding Fan nodded. "That's correct."

"What a pity, what a pity…" Ouyang Shangfang shook his head in disappointment. "I had thought the Spirit Sect had produced another peerless genius in future generations. To think you're not one of ours."

Despite his youth, Ding Fan had already achieved a Profound Level cultivation. Within Hidden Sects, such a feat was unheard of, hence Ouyang Shangfang's lament. If Ding Fan had been a Spirit Sect disciple, Ouyang Shangfang would have been ecstatic.

"Why are you here? This is the Spirit Sect Forbidden Land," Ouyang Shangfang queried.

"The Spirit Sect is in danger, leaving me no choice but to come here," Ding Fan replied calmly.