Tang Dynasty Demon Suppression Division

"We can't afford to get entangled with this vine demon; finding the hostages is the priority."

Since we can't find the vine demon's true form, we have no choice but to shift our focus and first locate the hostages.

As he spoke, he immediately activated the bronze palace, probing towards the deepest part of the valley where the demonic energy was most concentrated.

Suddenly, a tremendous mental shock surged back from his senses.

At the same time, the ground shook violently, and dozens of vines, as thick as water buckets and covered with sharp thorns, burst out of the soil and closed in from all directions, leaving no gaps.

"Be careful!"

Li Yuan shouted and drew his dagger, slashing at the two main vines attacking from the front, but only a burst of sparks flew up, making his wrist numb.

Chu Yunhe and Shen Lian also used their special moves to barely block the attack from the flanks, but there were too many main vines, and Yu Ling'er and Ji Fanghua immediately felt the pressure increase and were in danger.

The five were instantly plunged into a fierce battle, firmly trapped by the wildly swirling vines. They tried to break free, but their space continued to shrink.

The wailing of ghosts grew increasingly piercing, like demonic chants flooding the brain. Ji Fanghua, whose true energy was not yet strong enough, couldn't help but turn pale.

"At this rate, we probably won't be able to hold out for much longer!" Chu Yunhe said to Li Yuan as he shook off a vine with his sword.

Li Yuan's gaze was serious as he struggled to defend himself while pondering a way to break the deadlock. Out of the corner of his eye, he glanced at the other side, where he saw intense fluctuations in the array, indicating that Taixu Academy was also under heavy attack.

On the other side of the valley.

The five students from Taixu Academy were also besieged by countless vines, but their countermeasures were completely different from those of Shenwu.

Leng Ningshuang stood in the center of the group, her hands forming a hand seal, her body surrounded by surging, icy blue magical power.

"A thousand miles frozen solid!"

A cold shout rang out, and a terrifying cold wave, visible to the naked eye, rapidly spread outwards from her center.

Wherever it passed, the moisture in the air instantly condensed into ice crystals, and the ground was covered with a thick layer of solid ice. The wildly attacking vines slowed down the moment they touched the cold wave, and a layer of crystal-clear ice quickly formed on their surface.

Its speed became noticeably stiff and sluggish, and its attack power was greatly reduced.

While it cannot completely freeze all the vines, it greatly limits their attack frequency.

At the same time, Lei Lie and another team member, wielding staffs, continuously unleashed scorching Yang Flame Bursts, specifically targeting the brittle vines, often shattering a large area with a single blow.

The other person used Wind Walk to provide a speed boost to their teammates and manipulated wind blades to cut through any vines that managed to escape.

The last person held a bronze mirror engraved with runes. The mirror emitted beams of clear light, which weakened the influence of the ghostly wails and demonic sounds on the mind.

The Taixu Squad had a clear division of labor and worked seamlessly together, advancing step by step into the depths of the valley. Although their speed was not fast, their stability was their strength.

"Concentrate, clear the obstacles ahead, and speed up the search for the hostages," Leng Ning Shuang commanded in a deep voice. She had no intention of getting entangled in a fight with the vine demons; her objective was clear.

On the high platform, the high-ranking members of Shenwu Academy remained unmoved, showing no sign of anything amiss. The other teachers and instructors, however, had varying expressions. Tian Ce and Wan Xiang both secretly breathed a sigh of relief, while Tai Xu's instructor remained composed.

The audience below the stage held their breath. Was Taixu Academy really going to be the first to break through?

In the ruins of an ancient tomb.

A chilling atmosphere filled the air, with will-o'-the-wisps flickering among the ruins. Under Wen Ruoxu's command, Wanxiang and his companions engaged in a fierce magical battle against the Yin Sha ghost cultivators.

The ghost cultivator hid within a thick, inky black mist of yin energy, his figure flickering erratically. He controlled dozens of indistinct, faceless yin spirits that occasionally emitted shrill screams, constantly attacking the formation of myriad phenomena.

These evil spirits can penetrate ordinary protective qi and directly attack the soul, and also bring negative effects such as freezing and stiffening, making them difficult to defend against.

Wen Ruoxu held an ancient bamboo scroll in his hand, chanting Taoist mantras to purify the mind and spirit. One by one, pale golden runes flew out from the bamboo scroll, turning into a light shield that enveloped everyone and resisted the invasion of evil spirits.

Qian Junlin threw out an exorcising talisman made from lightning-struck wood. The talisman ignited without wind, turning into streaks of golden lightning that shot into the black mist, forcing the ghost cultivator to constantly change positions and making it impossible for him to cast his spells at full power for a time.

The other three team members each wielded a peach wood sword, scattering the approaching vengeful spirits one by one.

The audience suddenly realized why Wen Ruoxu had taken the initiative to deal with the ghost cultivators; he must be a professional after all.

The situation was somewhat deadlocked, with both sides engaging in a war of attrition, waiting for the other to reveal a weakness.

At this moment, the Tian Ce team also rushed into the ancient tomb from the other side. Seeing Wan Xiang fighting fiercely with the ghost cultivators, Zhao Lingyun's eyes flashed with a sharp light.

"Wen Ruoxu, you guys hold off this ghost, I'm going inside to rescue the hostages!"

Zhao Lingyun shouted, and without waiting for Wen Ruoxu's response, he led his team around the battle and rushed straight into the depths of the ancient tomb.

"Zhao Lingyun, be careful! There might be an ambush inside!" Wen Ruoxu shouted hurriedly, but Zhao Lingyun ignored him and his figure had already disappeared into the tunnel.

In the Tian Ce team, the woman who was always responsible for scouting the way frowned slightly, vaguely sensing that something was wrong.

The ancient tomb is filled with eerie energy. If the ghost cultivators are intercepting it from the outside, how could it be completely unprepared inside?

Moreover, the other demonic aura she had sensed earlier had not appeared... She subconsciously slowed her pace and cautiously observed her surroundings.

The tomb passage wound downwards, the walls were slippery and smelled strongly of mildew. After walking only a few dozen feet, a relatively spacious tomb chamber appeared.

On a stone pillar in the center of the tomb, a thin, trembling boy was tied to it, with a wooden plaque emitting a faint light hanging from his waist.

"Senior brothers! Help! Please save me!" The boy shouted excitedly when he saw Zhao Lingyun and the others.

"We've found the hostage!" Sun Miao's eyes lit up. Without a second thought, he was about to rush over.

"Wait!" the girl, Leng Yue, shouted sharply, scanning the boy's surroundings with her spiritual sense. "I sense something's wrong; his aura..."

"What could be wrong? He's just a scaredy-cat." Zhou Tong interrupted her impatiently. Like Sun Miao, he was eager to make a name for himself and redeem himself after the failed ambush.

As he spoke, ignoring Leng Yue's warning, he and Sun Miao rushed towards the stone pillar, one on each side.

Zhao Lingyun also felt something was amiss, but couldn't find the reason. Seeing the token right in front of him, he hesitated for a moment and failed to stop it immediately.

In the blink of an eye, Sun Miao and Zhou Tong had rushed to the stone pillar. Sun Miao reached out to untie the rope, while Zhou Tong cautiously looked around and was a step slower.

Just as Sun Miao's fingers were about to touch the token, a sudden change occurred.

The boy, who had been filled with terror, suddenly revealed a strange and alluring smile, and his eyes instantly turned into vertical pupils, flashing with pink light.

The ropes binding him loosened and rolled back automatically, instantly entangling Sun Miao and Zhou Tong, who were standing close by. At the same time, a thick, sweet pink mist emanated from the boy's mouth and nose.

"ah--!"

Sun Miao let out a short scream, feeling dizzy and seeing hallucinations. His internal energy became chaotic, his limbs went limp, and he collapsed to the ground, his consciousness rapidly fading.

Zhou Tong's eyes were wide open, turning pink, and he stared blankly with a foolish smile on his face, showing no reaction to the ropes binding him.