Chapter 67: The Emerald Smoke Bone Part 3

Unlike the bug whistle, this sound was high-pitched, feeling as if it could pierce eardrums and soar into the heavens.

There seemed to be no change in the surroundings at first, but Zhou Gui’s pupils contracted. She secretly gathered inner energy in her palm. Suddenly, she wrenched her head away, ignoring the fact that the sword tip was sinking deeper into her skin.

The fear in her eyes was unmistakable. What she faced now was clearly not just a venomous beast, but a literal demon or malevolent god.

While the crowd was still trying to determine if this “Guiyuan Sect” the black-robed woman spoke of was real, a low, echoing rumble rose from beneath the earth.

In an instant, the mountains shook and the earth trembled. A thick scent of gunpowder surged to the surface like a spring. Lin Yaoyao sneered and leaped into the air, suddenly fleeing toward the edge of the Sword Trial Stage.

It was as if a natural disaster had suddenly struck. The shaking was even more violent than when the stone sword had shattered earlier.

The stench grew stronger, making people cough uncontrollably. Panic set in as everyone turned to flee.

Feng Yun’ai immediately understood what those black marks she had seen in the ice cellar were. This was Lin Yaoyao and Zhou Gui’s contingency plan—if they were exposed, they would bury all the gathered heroes of the martial arts world right here!

She wanted to seize Lin Yaoyao, but a thunderous explosion erupted underground. The entire Sword Trial Stage began to collapse, and even the surrounding spectator stands were not spared.

Sang Chencao’s expression darkened instantly. She leaped up to escape, her eyes fixed on Lin Yaoyao’s direction, knowing the woman must have a way out.

People scrambled like headless flies, using their lightness skills to flee. Their figures were like a dense flock of startled birds.

But just as they were about to escape, a powerful surge of energy dragged them back. A ringing sound filled their ears, like the continuous screeching of that bird whistle. The shrill noise pierced their skulls, causing intense dizziness.

It was a Ground-Binding Array!

Sang Chencao tried to charge out once, but she was forced back to the trembling, collapsing ground, clutching her ears. She said coldly, “So this is what Zhou Gui’s array was for. However…”

She flashed a grim smile, glancing at the woman whose neck was still held at the point of Feng Yun’ai’s sword. “It seems she isn’t coming to save you. You laid this array well, but you’ve only paved the way for someone else’s benefit.”

Feng Yun’ai swayed on the unstable ground, but the sword in her hand remained steady. She ignored the stinging ache in her eyes and demanded, “How do we break the array?”

“Break it? This array cannot be broken!” Zhou Gui’s eyes were bloodshot. She used all her strength to knock Feng Yun’ai’s sword aside. As another explosion sent rocks flying, she plunged into a yawning fissure in the ground.

While her vision was still somewhat clear, Feng Yun’ai rushed toward Feng Rong’s remains. She shouted to Sui Jianxue, who was shielding the body, “Follow me!”

Sui Jianxue pulled Feng Rong’s body onto her back. Her eyesight was already poor, and now that smoke filled the air, she couldn’t see the path at all. After swaying for a moment, she let go of Feng Rong. “You take her and leave!”

In that split second, another section of the ground exploded. Shards of stone flew through the air, striking several people.

Some couldn’t dodge in time and were left with bloodied heads, their faces blackened by soot.

Thick black smoke billowed everywhere. Feng Yun’ai’s eyes were already aching; now, engulfed by the dense smoke, tears began to stream down her face.

In the blink of an eye, her vision became a chaotic blur. She could only barely make out the silhouettes of people running in all directions.

“Miss!” Sui Jianxue coughed heavily, shaking Feng Yun’ai’s arm.

Feng Yun’ai’s vision was hazy, and strangely, even the sounds were becoming muffled. She snapped back to her senses and looked at Sui Jianxue just as a pavilion in the distance exploded. Flames roared into the sky, surging toward the crowd.

The fire and smoke filled the horizon. The light before her eyes was so bright that it seemed only one color remained.

So red, so fierce—it looked like the color of blood soaking the earth.

Feng Yun’ai also coughed incessantly. She hurriedly took Feng Rong’s body from Sui Jianxue, but she could no longer tell where Zhou Gui had gone, nor where Sang Chencao was.

She wasn’t resentful. Sang Chencao had said earlier that they would each save themselves; she couldn’t force the woman to stay. Yet in this moment, the ache in her eyes seemed to migrate to her chest.

She felt a hint of sadness. That spark of vivid emotion began to seep out from the parched depths of her heart.

People screamed. Pavilions collapsed. Roof tiles shattered on the ground.

She could hear the sounds, but she couldn’t find her way. She collapsed to the ground, the heat of the fire causing her skin to sting.

After about half a minute, a hot hand gripped her tightly. A sharp, mocking voice reached her ear. “Are you just sitting here waiting to die?”