The Return of Stars to the Jianghu

Chapter 172 Rushing to the Valley but Captured by the Illusion Pavilion

"I feel that the light is still a bit strange," Shen Lixi said.

"It's alright. Nantian said that the light wasn't dangerous. He found Senior Qingming by following that light. We'll get there soon, and we'll have the answer soon," Luo Yifei said.

As Luo Yifei spoke, Su An felt a pressure behind her, but it quickly disappeared. Just in case, she quietly activated her distress signal and gave another command to the Xuan Tian Sword before continuing to follow.

However, Su An's unease did not disappear; on the contrary, it intensified.

Through thick fog and dense forest, they came upon two familiar figures—Nantian and Qingming, lying on the ground, barely breathing. Nantian's face held a mixture of anxiety and expectation, while Qingming appeared extremely weak, as if he might lose his life at any moment. This scene weighed heavily on everyone's hearts, but they understood that only by continuing onward and finding a solution could they save Qingming from his peril.

"Close the net." A deep, cold voice suddenly rang out from afar, like a sharp blade in the cold wind, piercing the silence of the night. Immediately afterward, a group of dark figures emerged from all directions like ghosts, quickly surrounding Luo Yifei, Shen Lixi, Su An, Qi Yuan, and Nan Tian, ​​forming an impenetrable encirclement.

……

Time seemed to freeze at that moment, and tension and unease filled the air. Soon, Luo Yifei and his group were tightly bound by these uninvited guests with lightning speed. Their struggles seemed so futile, like lambs to the slaughter, powerless to fight back.

"Who are you?" Qi Yuan's voice was filled with resentment and anger. He tried to find a clue on the faces of these mysterious people, but all he got in response was indifference and silence.

"Phantom Pavilion." Finally, a fierce-looking burly man stepped out from the crowd. His voice boomed like thunder, filled with threat and oppression. "Speak, where is the Illusionary Star Pearl? Hand it over, and perhaps we can spare your lives."

"Hmph, don't dream about it." Luo Yifei sneered, his eyes flashing with an indomitable light. He knew all too well that if he fell into the hands of the Phantom Pavilion, the consequences would be unimaginable.

“Shen Lixi, this doesn’t seem like something Wen Bin would do.” Luo Yifei turned to look at Shen Lixi beside him and said in a low voice, “We must find a way to get out of here, or the consequences will be unimaginable.”

However, before he could finish speaking, a heavy blow landed on his body. The intense pain caused him to groan, and his body trembled involuntarily.

"Do you think I'm deaf?" The burly man grinned maliciously at Luo Yifei. "What Wen Bin? Even if the Heavenly King himself came, he couldn't save you. Behave yourself!"

Then, the group was forcibly forced to drink a green liquid. The liquid emitted a faint fluorescent glow, looking both mysterious and eerie. After drinking it, Nan Tian even tasted it and said with a surprised expression, "It's sweet, not bad."

......

Meanwhile, several cultivators from the Xuantian Sect who remained on the Huanchen Continent also began various missions.

One of the cultivators, named Wang Zhi, was tracking down a cultivator from the Illusion Pavilion, all the way from Taoqiu City in Cao Kingdom to the vicinity of Yougu.

Wang Zhi moved cautiously through the dense forest at the edge of the secluded valley. He knew all too well the cunning and danger of the Illusion Pavilion cultivators, especially in such an unknown and eerie place. Sunlight filtered through the dense canopy, dappling the ground and adding to the surreal atmosphere of the gloomy environment.

He held a longsword, its tip lightly grazing the ground, producing a subtle yet resolute sound. This was not only his way of scouting a path, but also a silent warning to any potential lurking enemies. A resolute glint flashed in Wang Zhi's eyes; he silently vowed that no matter how difficult the road ahead, he would bring that Illusion Pavilion cultivator to justice and eliminate this threat to the Xuan Tian Sect.

Suddenly, a slight noise alerted him. Wang Zhi turned around quickly, his eyes scanning his surroundings intently. He saw a leaf gently falling in the distance, but the unsettling feeling made his heart tighten. He approached slowly, each step as light as possible, so as not to alert the enemy.

Just as he approached his target, a dark figure suddenly leaped out of the bushes, charging straight at Wang Zhi. Wang Zhi reacted with lightning speed, his longsword instantly drawn, its blade flashing like lightning, accurately blocking the shadow's attack. The two instantly engaged in a fierce clash, sword light and shadow intertwining to create a breathtaking scene.

However, during the fight, Wang Zhi saw that the Wuji Sect cultivators who had come to the Illusionary Star Continent with him were standing behind the Illusionary Shadow Pavilion cultivators.

Xuantian Sect and Wuji Sect were indeed at odds before, but that was due to the instigation of the demon race. Now, the two sects have turned hostility into friendship.

However, at this moment, the cultivators of the Wuji Sect were indeed standing on the opposite side of him, and countless guesses flashed through Wang Zhi's mind.

Wang Zhi was shocked, but even more so by confusion and anger. He quickly adjusted his tactics, dealing with the Phantom Pavilion cultivators in front of him while keeping a close eye on his Wuji Sect comrade who had suddenly switched sides. Sweat slid down his forehead, dripping onto the damp ground and being absorbed instantly, just like his heavy and complicated mood.

"Why?" Wang Zhi asked, taking a moment from the intense exchange, his voice filled with disbelief. "We are both righteous cultivators, why would you aid and abet evil?"

The cultivator from the Wuji Sect did not answer directly, but merely sneered, a complex emotion flashing in his eyes—a mixture of helplessness and resolve. "Wang Zhi, this world is far more complex than you think. Some things aren't simply black and white; there are far too many gray areas."

Upon hearing this, Wang Zhi's anger intensified, and his swordplay became even more ferocious. He knew that every moment of hesitation could be a fatal flaw. However, just as he was about to launch a fatal blow, an even more astonishing discovery forced him to temporarily halt his attack.

"Look over there!" The Wuji Sect cultivator suddenly pointed to a spot not far away, his voice tinged with urgency. Wang Zhi looked in the direction he was pointing and saw a group of Illusion Pavilion cultivators quietly approaching, clearly intending to surround them.

"This is a trap!" Wang Zhi's heart skipped a beat, and he instantly understood the other party's intention. He quickly exchanged a complicated look with the cultivator from the Wuji Sect, and the two of them made the same decision at the same time—to temporarily join forces and get out of the predicament at hand.

So they held nothing back, each unleashing their most powerful techniques. Sword light and magic clashed, forcing the surrounding Illusion Pavilion cultivators to retreat repeatedly. Taking advantage of this opening, the two flashed out of the encirclement like two bolts of lightning, fleeing into the depths of the valley.

"Wang Zhi, remember, today's matter is not about our personal grudges. If there is an opportunity in the future, we will settle our differences." The Wuji Sect cultivator left behind these meaningful words as he fled, and then disappeared into the dense forest.

Watching the other person's departing figure, Wang Zhi felt a mix of emotions. He knew that today's experience was just the tip of the iceberg of the many complex conflicts on the Illusionary Star Continent. But no matter how difficult the road ahead, he had to persevere, for the glory of the Profound Heaven Sect and for his unwavering pursuit of justice.