Cultivating immortality relies on spatial abilities; defying fate to become the protagonist.

Chapter 221

Everyone obeyed and carefully approached the sacred spring to fetch water. Gu Shihan took out a specially made container and filled it with the prescribed amount of water. The others followed suit in turn.

The holy spring water finally fell into the hands of Gu Shihan and the others, but before their smiles could fully bloom, they suddenly felt a powerful and irresistible force sweeping over them like a whirlwind.

In the blink of an eye, several people were flung away like kites with broken strings.

"Ouch! It hurts!" Wen Xin couldn't help but scream, feeling as if all the bones in her body had fallen apart. The others were equally disheveled, groaning in pain.

After finally managing to get up from the ground, Gu Shihan and the others quickly looked around, trying to figure out where they were.

However, the unfamiliar scene before them filled them with confusion, and they all asked in unison, "Where is this?"

After pondering for a moment, Gu Shihan quickly summoned Xingbai and instructed, "Xingbai, go and investigate the situation. Find out where we are now."

Upon receiving the command, Xingbai immediately unleashed its power, darting around like lightning.

Not long after, it returned to the group, its expression grave. "Hanhan," it said, "I do know a thing or two about this place. It's the infamous Forest of No Return. Your luck this time was truly terrible. It's a notoriously dangerous place; anything that appears here is either a vicious demon, a cunning and treacherous ghost, or someone who has committed heinous crimes. So everyone must be extra careful!"

Upon hearing Xing Bai's words, Situ Tinglang frowned and muttered to himself thoughtfully, "The Forest of No Return? I once heard someone mention something about it, saying that the mysterious Shadow Pavilion headquarters is hidden here. I never thought we'd be so unlucky as to stumble upon such a dangerous place!"

"No way, isn't the Forest of Boundless Illusions a cultivation world in the first heaven? Have we arrived in the cultivation world? Doesn't that mean we've already left the mortal world? What's going on?" Mo Jian was full of doubt, his brows furrowed, his heart filled with confusion and astonishment.

Mo Jian, standing to the side, appeared quite calm. He crossed his arms and said casually, "So what if we're in the cultivation world? Since we're here, let's accept it. Besides, we're not people who are easy to bully."

Upon hearing this, the others chimed in.

"That's right, no matter where we are, we have the ability to live well."

Xingbai rolled her eyes and said, "You guys better be careful. She's an immortal, and you're just mortals!"

Xingbai's words silenced everyone. Just as everyone was discussing, a dark shadow suddenly flashed across the horizon.

The dark figure moved with incredible speed, flashing across the sky like lightning, accompanied by a chilling, sinister laugh.

Upon closer inspection, everyone realized that they couldn't fathom the black-clad man's cultivation level. Judging from his ability to fly, he was probably a Celestial-level being.

The man in black, with a fierce expression and cold glint in his eyes, shouted menacingly at the crowd, "If you know what's good for you, hand over the holy spring water right now, or today will be your death day!"

Faced with the menacing enemy, no one dared to be negligent. They quickly moved closer to each other, forming a tight circle back to back. Everyone was solemn, intently watching the uninvited guest before them, gripping their weapons tightly, ready to fight at any moment.

Gu Shihan's heart skipped a beat. When did this person start watching her group? How did he know about the Holy Spirit Spring? What kind of trickery was involved?
Gu Shihan sneered, "What is the Holy Spirit Spring? We've never heard of it!"

"Oh ho! You dare to argue? I'm not so easily fooled! Thousands of years ago, our lord meticulously set up the incredibly powerful tracking mirror array on Mount Tian. Your successful arrival here is entirely due to the power of our lord's teleportation array. Therefore, your every word and action cannot escape our lord's watchful eye! You'd better hand over the item now, or don't blame me for being ruthless and letting you taste what it means to wish you were dead!" The man in black said coldly, his words filled with a strong sense of threat.

"Hmph! Stop trying to scare us. Who's afraid of who? If you've got the guts, start fighting now. Stop blocking our way!" Situ Tinglang retorted sharply to the man in black, his eyes wide with anger.

The man in black snorted coldly, raised his right hand with an indifferent look, and made a gesture with a slight wave.

In an instant, nine humanoid puppets appeared around him. Upon receiving the command, the puppets quickly dispersed, forming a tight encirclement, and pounced on Gu Shihan and the others.

No sooner said than done, Mo Yu shouted, "Perfect timing!" Then he took the lead and charged straight at an oncoming puppet like an arrow.

In the blink of an eye, the man and the puppet were locked in close combat, instantly engaging in a fierce battle. A flurry of swordplay and sparks flew everywhere.

Meanwhile, taking advantage of the chaos, Gu Shihan quietly handed the holy spring water to Xingbai beside her and whispered, "Xingbai, this holy spring water is of utmost importance. You must keep it safe."

It's quite frustrating for everyone, because the Holy Spirit Water can't be put into any storage magic item, not even a spatial dimension. So they had no choice but to hand it over to Gu Shih-han for safekeeping.

Fortunately, Gu Shihan's robe was made by the space and had an inner pocket for storage; otherwise, she would have had to carry it in her hands.

As time went on, the battle intensified. Both sides traded blows, neither willing to give an inch, resulting in a fierce and evenly matched contest.

Gradually, everyone began to feel overwhelmed and found it increasingly difficult to cope.

At this critical moment, a flash of inspiration struck Gu Shihan, and she suddenly remembered the mysterious jade pendant that Fairy Lingyue had given her before. She had said that it contained other powerful abilities that had not yet been discovered.

She focused her mind on communicating with the jade pendant, and in an instant, the pendant burst forth with a bright light, temporarily repelling the enemy. Taking advantage of this moment, Xingbai quietly slipped into the dense forest nearby.

Enraged by this, the man in black personally attacked Gu Shihan. Gu Shihan gritted her teeth and fought back, her Seven Star Silk Sound Sword wielded with impenetrable skill.

Just as the leader of the men in black thought he was about to succeed, a melodious flute tune drifted from afar. The man in black's expression changed drastically; he waved his hand, dismissed the puppet, and fled in panic.

(End of this chapter)