Chapter 136: Escaping Death

So, this treasure sword actually has such a function; it must be the Myriad Spirit Sword mentioned by the Ghost King. It looks like a fine weapon, surely much better than the green-patterned longsword in my ring.

"Damn, we can finally get out..."
"Yeah, I never want to stay in this wretched place again..."

Everyone was immersed in joy, but I sensed something amiss. Logically, there should have been someone blocking our exit after we obtained the sword, but not only was there no one, it was eerily calm. This made me suspicious. Chen Chen, sharing my intuition, had already drawn his spear. Yet, the reality was that there was truly no movement, as if the game had simply ended the moment the sword was taken.

I took the stairs in a single bound and leaped back onto the ground. "Since there’s nothing going on, let's head out."

Li Zijian also urged me, "Yeah, Brother Yao, you're definitely being too suspicious. Let's go."
"Yeah, yeah, let's go."

Since everyone said so, I didn't press the matter and followed them out. Returning outside the stone gate, I took one last look at the magnificent palace before choosing to leave. We retraced our steps, encountering nothing, though I noticed the ground felt damp, with patches of standing water forming. Fortunately, there was no immediate danger, and we reached the staircase we had arrived by. Climbing up, we returned to the initial burial chamber.

"Let's go, don't worry," Chen Chen whispered beside me. I nodded heavily.

We began to ascend. While I remained anxious, everyone else seemed relaxed. But as we neared the top of the chamber, I sensed several surges of spiritual energy. The others felt it too, and their expressions tightened instantly.

"Shh..."

I gestured to those behind me and began to focus. The auras were uniform, all at the Fifth Grade of the Spirit Flower Realm. Though their cultivation was not as high as mine, facing several at once would be overwhelming.

"When I give the signal, run," I whispered. "Take the sword and get out first. I'll hold them off and meet up with you later."

I passed the sword to Chen Chen. The others didn't argue, obeying my command. I leaped out suddenly, instantly seeing the figures standing outside the chamber. They were the same black-clad men, but unlike before, they seemed to possess consciousness, though their movements remained perfectly synchronized.

"Go! Hurry!"

I shouted and drew my Snow Blade, slashing toward the four figures. At the same time, I unleashed a Five Thunder Strike to ensure the others could escape smoothly. As expected, the four black-clad men were distracted by me, ignoring the others entirely.

"Go on, I'll be right behind you!"

With that, I charged at them again. My companions looked back with reluctance, but to ensure my efforts weren't in vain, they retreated immediately. Watching them move away, I deliberately drew the assailants further off.

"I knew it wouldn't be this easy. Come on!"

I entered the state of the Winged Shadow Blade Technique, facing the four men without a hint of panic. Their weapons were varied—two longswords and two long blades. They moved with perfect coordination and clear division of labor. However, my Winged Shadow Blade Technique was no fluke, and relying on the agile footwork of the Eight Extremities Fist, I was able to hold my own against them for a time.

But as the old saying goes, two fists are no match for four hands. I was soon forced into a retreat by their relentless coordination. It seemed I had to stake everything on one final gamble!

I created some distance and unleashed two consecutive Thunder Strike spells. While they didn't cause significant damage, they distracted them enough for me to find an opening. Yet, they remained conservative, refusing to engage unless they had a clear advantage. It was difficult to pick them off one by one, so I had to improvise. Since I couldn't outrun them, I resorted to the Winged Shadow Blade Technique once more.

This time, I used the second chapter—my final trump card. The sound of blades clashing filled the air, sparks flying as steel met steel. The technique never disappointed; for a moment, I fought them to a draw. With the third move, phantom blades appeared around my Snow Blade—the true charm of the technique: truth hidden within illusions.

While fighting, I seized a chance to cast another Thunder Strike. The four men were so focused on my blade work that they didn't notice the spell from my other hand. The bolt of lightning struck one of them squarely in the abdomen. While Thunder Strike was easy to dodge, it caused massive damage upon impact. A large hole was torn through the man's midsection, and he collapsed to the side.

Having taken one out, I prepared to run. There was no point in lingering here.

I fired off another random Thunder Strike and sprinted toward the main gate. The remaining three men clearly didn't intend to let me go; after blocking my spell, they gave chase. I threw bolts of lightning back at them from time to time as I wove through the burial mounds. Because they were tailing me so closely, I couldn't shake them. It seemed I would have to kill them all. I gritted my teeth and turned around.

"Are you dogs? Stop following me!"

I drew my Snow Blade and entered the Winged Shadow Blade state again. Facing only three men now, the pressure eased significantly, and I began to take the offensive. These men had no formal training in sword arts and could only rely on systematic blocking, which inevitably led to them sustaining cuts.

The situation reached a stalemate. I could suppress them, but I couldn't find the breakthrough to finish them off.

"I'm here to help!"

Suddenly, a voice shouted from my side. I turned to see Li Zijian charging into the fray with a heavy halberd.

"And you thought you could leave me out?"

Someone else jumped out from the left. I recognized the voice immediately—it was Chen Chen. His spear skills weren't yet divine, but every swing summoned a phantom white tiger. It only lasted a second, but it was remarkably similar to my blade technique.

"And us!"

Several other classmates leaped out from behind me. It seemed they hadn't abandoned me after all; the feeling of being cared for was truly wonderful. With my lead, the tide turned. The three black-clad men were repeatedly wounded and finally had their throats slit.

"You guys didn't forget about me, hahahaha..."

Thinking about our imminent escape, I laughed, a rare occurrence.

"Of course not! Brother Yao saved our lives, hahahaha..."

We chatted as we walked toward the gate. Chen Chen told me that when they reached the exit, they had second thoughts. They couldn't bring themselves to leave me behind, so they turned back with everyone else.