Starting as a Grandmaster, all of my cultivation techniques are at max level.

"Don't speak yet! That thing might come back!!" Xia Jin frowned and patted Xiong Kui's shoulder after hearing his voice.

Although Xiong Kui was full of questions, he obediently shut his mouth when he saw Xia Jin's expression.

He didn't know why Xia Jin wanted him to remain silent, but he knew that Xia Jin's judgment was probably correct.

really.

About ten breaths later, that chilling feeling returned.

The oppressive aura lingered above the pit for a long time, as if carefully searching for something. Several times, Xiong Kui even felt that the aura had penetrated through the boulder above his head and seeped into the pit, like a cold snake slowly crawling over each of them.

Huo Qing's pupils darted around, and his hands unconsciously tightened their grip on his sword, ready to strike at any moment.

Xia Jin's eyes remained open, his gaze fixed on the boulder above him through the blue and white flames, like a statue, motionless.

That feeling lasted a long time.

It went on for so long that Xiong Kui felt his heart was about to jump out of his chest.

Then, just like last time, it slowly receded.

But this time, no one dared to make any rash moves.

Xiong Kui and Huo Qing exchanged a glance, both seeing deep shock in each other's eyes.

That old man's skin was surprisingly cunning.

Its first departure wasn't a real departure, but a test. It was testing whether something was hidden nearby, and whether that hidden thing would come out on its own after it "left".

If Xia Jin hadn't stopped Xiong Kui in time, they would probably have been exposed by now.

Thinking of this, Xiong Kui's back was already soaked with cold sweat.

Then, that feeling came again, and then it faded away.

The fourth time, the fifth time...

The intervals between each occurrence were different, sometimes long, sometimes short, with no discernible pattern. The old man's skin was like a patient hunter, pacing back and forth in the place where his prey was hiding.

But Xia Jin had experienced this thing's cunning before, so she was clearly more patient than the other party at this moment.

I don't know how much time has passed.

That chilling feeling never returned.

But Xia Jin still didn't move.

He waited a long time, so long that Xiong Kui felt his legs were numb and he could no longer feel them, before he finally heard Xia Jin let out a long sigh of relief.

"That's enough. That thing should be gone by now."

After saying that, he braced his hands on the edge of the pit and pushed upwards with a sudden force.

He ripped aside the heavy boulder overhead with a single palm strike, and long-awaited light poured in from the cave entrance, causing everyone to squint.

Xia Jin was the first to jump out of the pit.

The moment his feet touched the ground, his gaze swept across the surroundings like that of a hawk.

The mountain range stood silently in the distance, its gray-white body appearing exceptionally serene in the morning light, showing no signs of anything amiss.

That old man's skin had long since disappeared.

Behind them, Xiong Kui, Huo Qing, and Liu Xu also climbed out of the pit one after another. None of the three looked well, especially Xiong Kui, who looked like he had just been pulled out of the water, his whole body soaked in cold sweat.

"Damn it..." Xiong Kui plopped down on the ground, panting heavily. "Brother Xia, that thing just now... was it the old man's skin you were talking about?"

Xia Jin nodded without saying anything more.

"Could it still be nearby?" Huo Qing's voice carried a clear hint of unease.

Xia Jin shook her head: "I should leave for now, and I won't be back for a while."

"Hurry up and get out of here."

Xia Jin grabbed the still unconscious young master of Tianbao City from the pit and sped off towards Yinsha City.

The three people behind Xiong Kui naturally did not dare to slack off, and followed closely behind Xia Jin, quickly disappearing into the distance ahead.

However, they did not notice that several miles behind them, at the highest point of that mountain range, an old man's skin lay quietly affixed to a rock.

Those empty eye sockets were staring in the direction they had left, and they were making chilling noises.

"Hahahaha...you...you can't leave!!"

......

Although the old man's skin had delayed them for more than an hour, Xia Jin and her group did not slow down much. The fear brought by the old man's skin was like an invisible whip, lashing hard on everyone's back, driving them to rush across the wasteland at a speed close to their lives.

No one spoke along the way; even extra breathing was deliberately suppressed.

In the afternoon, the sky began to darken at a visible speed, slowly spreading from east to west.

"We're almost there," Huo Qing said, slightly out of breath, his voice tinged with excitement. "I can see the outline of Silver Sand City."

Finally, just as the last ray of light was about to be swallowed by darkness, the group stepped through the gates of Silver Sand City.

Xia Jin and the others did not linger on the street and headed directly towards the central military tent of the Silver Sand Army.

"You three bastards, you're finally back!"

Commander Qisong's gaze swept over the group, and when he saw the injuries on Xiong Kui, Huo Qing, and Liu Xu, his brows furrowed immediately.

His lips moved, as if he was about to unleash a torrent of abuse, but in the end, he didn't say a word. He could only glare fiercely at Xiong Kui and the other two.

Xiong Kui subconsciously shrank his neck, and his usually fearless black face showed a rare hint of guilt.

Huo Qing, standing beside him, also lowered his head slightly, not daring to meet Commander Qisong's gaze. Liu Xu, on the other hand, smiled at Commander Qisong.

"Alright, once you three have recovered from your injuries, you can see how I, the commander, will give you a special lesson!" He waved his hand, his tone still fierce, but his concern was undeniable. "Go back and get some rest!"

Xiong Kui and the other two exchanged glances and replied in unison, "Yes! Commander Qisong!"

After the three had walked away, Commander Qisong's gaze finally fell on Xia Jin.

His expression softened instantly, and the corners of his mouth even turned up slightly, revealing a rare smile.

"Junior Brother Xia, I knew I hadn't misjudged you!"

Commander Qisong patted Xia Jin on the shoulder, "You brought them back safely this time, that's a great achievement for you."

As he spoke, his gaze fell on the still unconscious young master of Tianbao City at Xia Jin's feet, and his smile deepened.

"Not only that, capturing this kid is an even greater achievement!"

Commander Shichimatsu's tone was clearly excited.

Tianbao City and Yinsha City have been fighting for many years, with each side having its share of victories and defeats. However, this is the first time that the other side's young master has been captured alive. Once this news spreads, the morale of Yinsha City will surely be greatly boosted, while Tianbao City will have to think carefully about its actions.

"I will inform my master tomorrow that you will be appointed as the deputy commander of my Silver Sand Army."

The three men, Xiong Kui and his companions, who had just stepped out of the military tent, immediately perked up their ears, taking in every word of Commander Qisong's words.

The three of them stopped at the same time.

Xiong Kui turned around, a hint of shock flashing in his large, bell-like eyes. But in the end, he simply shook his head.

A hint of surprise flashed in Huo Qing's eyes, but he quickly recovered. "With Brother Xia's abilities and the contributions he's made this time, he's more than qualified to be the deputy commander of our Silver Sand Army!"

However, Xia Jin, the person involved, did not show the slightest hint of smugness on her face.

These things were nothing but empty titles to him.

His goal from the beginning was never the Silver Sand Army, nor was it the deputy commander.

He came to the Mirage Realm with the ambition of one day standing at the top of the human race's pyramid.

In his eyes, a mere deputy commander of the Silver Sand Army was nothing at all.

"Senior Brother Qisong, if there's nothing else, I'll head back to rest now."

Commander Qisong paused slightly, then nodded: "Go, get some rest. Tomorrow, after I inform my master, I will have someone deliver the deputy commander's token to your tent."

Xia Jin responded and turned to leave.

He returned to his own private military tent.

He took a deep breath, clearing his mind of all the jumbled thoughts, and then took out the Pixiu-shaped stone from his pocket.