Chapter 53: The Crisis Emerges

Gu Liuyun stepped onto the path leading to Xuanling Mountain, yet a faint restlessness stirred in his heart as if tickled by a kitten's claws.

That parting look of lingering affection from Ye Qingqing somehow felt like a scripted scene enhanced with special effects, and he couldn't shake the feeling that something was amiss. He was hardly a fool blinded by romance; having been an Immortal Venerable in his past life, what manner of schemes and plots had he not witnessed?

Was this young lady perhaps a born actress?

As he walked, he remained silently vigilant of his surroundings. A faint scent of blood seemed to linger in the air, tightening his nerves. His sharp gaze swept across every inch of land around him like a radar, missing nothing suspicious.

"Rustle, rustle, rustle..."

An unusual sound broke the serenity of the mountain forest.

Immediately afterward, more than a dozen figures in black burst forth from the surrounding bushes, looking like malicious ghosts crawling straight out of the netherworld, their eyes filled with murderous intent. Clutching cold, flashing blades, they charged directly toward Gu Liuyun and his companions without a word of warning.

"What the hell, launching a sneak attack?" Chen Jiaojiao roared in fury, taking the lead as her whip lashed out like a agile snake toward the nearest man in black.

Ye Manman was no less formidable. With a swift turn of her slender body and nimble footwork, her dagger traced sharp, fierce arcs in the air, aiming directly for the enemy's vital points.

"Well, well, is 'role-playing' popular these days?" Gu Liuyun's lips curved slightly in a smirk, thinking this bunch lacked all creativity, making even a sneak attack feel so utterly cliché.

Still, the malevolent aura they exuded was somewhat intimidating.

Blades clashed with a harsh metallic screech, accompanied by the angry roars of the men in black, plunging the battle instantly into a fierce and desperate phase. Leaves fluttered in the air, dirt was kicked up in splatters, and a heavy stench of blood saturated the atmosphere.

Although Ye Manman and Chen Jiaojiao possessed commendable martial skills, the assailants outnumbered them, and the two women gradually began to struggle under the pressure.

"This batch of villains is utterly incompetent; not a single one of them can actually fight!" Gu Liuyun muttered inwardly as he observed the menacing yet ultimately paper-tiger-like men in black.

He rubbed his chin, deciding it was time to stretch his limbs a little—after all, the "protagonist's halo" shouldn't rely on the maidens to block every blow.

Just as he prepared to make a move, Ye Manman's urgent cry suddenly echoed in his ear: "Watch out!"

A fierce gust of wind swept in from behind. Gu Liuyun whirled around sharply, only to see a dagger radiating biting murderous intent plunging straight toward his heart.

"Thud!"

With a mouthful of blood, the assassin flew backward through the air, slammed heavily into a tree trunk, and instantly went still.

"Interesting..." Gu Liuyun gazed at the fallen man, the corners of his mouth lifting into a playful smile.

He slowly raised his right hand, a faint glow condensing at his fingertips.

***

"Now, it's my turn to take the stage..." With a single sweep of Gu Liuyun's hand, the light at his fingertips instantly expanded, transforming into a brilliant pillar of light that shot straight toward the dozen or remaining assailants.

Wherever the beam of light passed, the air seemed to tear apart with a hissing sound, instantly scorching the surrounding leaves into ashes.

"What on earth is this?" The men in black stumbled backward one after another, their eyes filled with terror.

Their blades shattered like scrap metal before the pillar of light, easily batted away as the terrifying energy wave scattered them in a panic. Yet the beam did not stop; it surged forward, forming a massive halo of light that engulfed the remaining assassins completely.

Piercing shrieks echoed from within the halo as the bodies of the men in black blurred within the radiance, finally dissolving into nothingness.

The battle ended in a flash, leaving the surroundings in absolute silence, broken only by the soft sound of Gu Liuyun's breathing and the rustle of leaves swaying in the breeze.

"This... what kind of power is this?" Chen Jiaojiao stared at Gu Liuyun, her eyes filled with shock and adoration.

She had never witnessed such terrifying strength; that overwhelming momentum crushed everything in its path and left her utterly captivated.

Ye Manman also stepped close to Gu Liuyun, gently gripping his arm with her delicate hand, her eyes overflowing with gratitude and affection. "Liuyun, thank you."

Gu Liuyun offered a faint smile, gently tending to the injuries of both Ye Manman and Chen Jiaojiao.

The light at his fingertips brushed lightly over their wounds, causing the pain to vanish instantly, replaced by a warm and comforting sensation. Feeling his tenderness, the two women looked at him with even deeper devotion.

"Are you both alright?" Gu Liuyun asked with warm and caring concern in his voice.

Ye Manman and Chen Jiaojiao nodded, their hearts brimming with warmth.

Just as they basked in this tender moment, the figure of Ye Qingqing suddenly emerged from the bushes not far away. Her expression was complex, carrying both anger and an inexpressible tension.

Gu Liuyun keenly caught this subtle shift, his brow furrowing slightly.

"Qingqing, you..." Before Gu Liuyun could finish, Ye Qingqing abruptly turned around and vanished swiftly into the thicket.

Gently patting the shoulders of Ye Manman and Chen Jiaojiao, Gu Liuyun smiled and said, "Let's go. Xuanling Mountain is still waiting for us."

With those words, he took the lead and guided the group onward, though an extra layer of vigilance settled in his mind.

Ye Qingqing's abnormal behavior was like a tiny thorn piercing Gu Liuyun's heart. During the battle, she had appeared anxious yet acted like a complete slacker, every strike delayed by a beat and completely lacking genuine effort.

With his perceptive eyes catching every detail, Gu Liuyun sneered inwardly: This young lady's acting skills were truly clumsy.

Outwardly calm, a turbulent storm raged within his chest as a stifling oppression crept over him.

***

He suspected a much deeper conspiracy lay hidden behind Ye Qingqing; perhaps this journey to Xuanling Mountain was nothing more than a carefully laid trap.

"Something's not right; these people actually have some tricks up their sleeves." Just as Gu Liuyun was deep in thought, the situation abruptly shifted.

Realizing his subordinates had been instantly obliterated by Gu Liuyun, the masked leader of the men in black abruptly changed tactics. Abandoning frontal combat, he formed hand seals and began chanting rapidly.

In an instant, the surrounding scenery warped. The trees transformed into clawing, jagged monsters, deep fissures split the open ground, and an unsettling aura saturated the air.

"What the hell, illusions? So low-tier!" Chen Jiaojiao widened her eyes, lashing her whip around in a futile attempt to disperse the bizarre sights, but to no avail.

Even Ye Manman grew flustered, her slender frame trembling slightly as her grip on her dagger lost its precision.

Seeing this, Gu Liuyun let out a cold, internal laugh. These people vastly underestimated him; in his past life, he had seen more illusion arts than the paths they had ever walked. Did they really think such cheap tricks could fool him?

He slowly closed his eyes and took a deep breath, recalling the manuals on illusion arts he had studied during his days of immortality.

A moment later, his eyes snapped open, blazing with brilliant light. A formidable surge of spiritual energy erupted from the center of his brow, instantly enveloping everyone.

"Insignificant tricks, daring to show off before an expert!" Gu Liuyun scoffed coldly, his hands forming seals in a blur as golden runes shot forth from his fingertips like sharp swords, piercing straight into the twisted illusions.

"Bang! Bang! Bang!"

The illusions shattered instantly, the surrounding landscape returning to normal. The clawing monsters vanished into thin air, leaving only the leader of the men in black standing in utter shock.

"This... this is impossible!" The leader emitted a disbelieving roar, unable to fathom how effortlessly his illusionary arts had been dismantled.

Gu Liuyun gazed at him coldly, the corners of his mouth curving into a mocking smile. "Now, it's your turn."

Raising his right hand, a potent mass of energy gathered at his fingertips. With a fierce wave, the energy instantly transformed into a beam of light that surged backward toward the leader.

Unable to dodge in time, the leader was struck dead-on by the beam. His body flew backward like a kite with a snapped string before crashing heavily to the ground.

He let out agonizing wails, struggling desperately within the remnants of his own shattered illusion as if trapped in the depths of hell.

"Let's go. Don't waste any more time," Gu Liuyun said, turning away without even sparing a glance at the struggling leader, and gestured for Ye Manman and Chen Jiaojiao to follow.

The two women nodded and trailed closely behind him, pressing forward toward Xuanling Mountain.

As soon as they departed, Ye Qingqing quietly stepped out from the nearby foliage.

She gazed at Gu Liuyun's departing back, her eyes complicated as if deep in thought. Biting her lip with a flickering gaze, she ultimately remained silent, turned around, and vanished into the dense jungle.