Chapter 6: The Hollow's Exodus

Yi Zhen steadied his breath, watching the now-recovered Xiao Wei sit in deep contemplation. The miracle of the Primordial Origin Sutra had left them both in awe. While Xiao Wei remained silent about his suspicions, Yi Zhen could tell that something within him had shifted—an unspoken trust, a lingering doubt, and perhaps even a flicker of hope.

Yet time was not on their side.

Yi Zhen's Emotional Struggles

As he prepared for the next phase of their mission, Yi Zhen's mind wandered to the past, to the moments he had spent with Xiao Wei. The endless nights under the cold prison ceiling, whispering about formations and their intricacies. The way Xiao Wei, despite his frail body, had taught him the theories behind arrays, even when he himself was too weak to practice them. The quiet companionship they had shared in their suffering, clinging to knowledge as their only escape.

And then, the darkest night—when Yi Zhen thought he had lost Xiao Wei forever. Seeing him on the verge of death, unable to circulate his Qi, had shaken him to his core. He had been powerless.

But the Primordial Origin Sutra had defied reality.

The memory of Xiao Wei gasping for breath as his Qi finally flowed again still lingered in Yi Zhen's mind. That moment had been more than just a recovery—it was proof that the path he had chosen, the path he barely understood, was something beyond ordinary cultivation.

Yet, Xiao Wei's reaction puzzled him.

Xiao Wei's Astonishment

Even after recovering, Xiao Wei kept stealing glances at Yi Zhen. The energy that had healed him was unlike anything he had ever experienced. The way the Qi refined itself before entering his meridians—it was unnatural. No ordinary cultivation method could do that.

"Yi Zhen," Xiao Wei finally spoke, his voice laced with hesitation. "What breathing method were you using? It wasn't any normal technique... It was like the Qi itself was—alive."

Yi Zhen hesitated. He didn't know how to answer.

"I don't know," he admitted. "It's just... the way the technique works. I only followed my instincts."

Xiao Wei narrowed his eyes but said nothing. Whatever this technique was, it defied everything he knew about cultivation. And that frightened him.

Black Veil Hollow - The Departure of the Masters

Deep within the main hall of Black Veil Hollow, an eerie silence settled between the three most powerful figures in the hideout. He Qing, leader of the Silent Wraiths, stood with arms crossed, his gaze sharp as a blade. Beside him, Gui Wang, the enigmatic Void Rebirth realm cultivator, clenched his fists behind his back, frustration barely restrained. Across from them, the mysterious backer leaned against a stone pillar, their face concealed under a deep hood.

"You expect us to leave? Now?" Gui Wang finally broke the silence, his voice laced with suspicion.

The hooded figure exhaled slowly, as if speaking to a stubborn child. "The time has come. The signs are aligning. There is something within the Azure Rift State that requires our presence. If you follow my lead, you will gain rewards far beyond what this decrepit hideout can offer."

He Qing remained impassive, though his gaze flickered toward Gui Wang, who was still fuming with unvoiced questions. Finally, he spoke. "If we leave, what of the captives? What of our operations here?"

"The captives are expendable," the backer said dismissively. "Our true purpose is elsewhere."

Gui Wang hesitated. His mind drifted back to the seal on Yi Zhen's forehead. He had searched every archive available to him, yet found nothing. The enigma gnawed at him, refusing to be ignored.

The hooded figure turned to him. "You will come with me, Gui Wang. Do not let your curiosity become your downfall."

Gui Wang gritted his teeth but bowed his head. He Qing, ever the pragmatic one, simply nodded. "Very well. We depart at dusk."

With a final lingering glance at the hideout, the three figures vanished into the night, leaving only the lesser lackeys behind.

Yi Zhen's Infiltration

The moment the three powerful cultivators left, Yi Zhen and Xiao Wei sprang into action. Under the cover of darkness, they moved through the dense foliage, approaching Black Veil Hollow's outer perimeter. The remaining Silent Wraith lackeys were weaker cultivators, and most of their strongest forces had been stationed outside Azure Rift State.

"Now or never," Xiao Wei whispered.

Yi Zhen nodded and activated a low-grade concealment formation, one of the many techniques he had learned from Xiao Wei. Though it wouldn't hide them from Void Rebirth experts, it was enough to bypass the remaining guards.

Slipping past the patrols, they entered the prison chambers. A foul stench filled the air—decay, blood, and hopelessness. Rows of captives lay in chains, their bodies battered and bruised.

A woman in tattered robes gasped as she saw them. "Who... who are you?"

Yi Zhen wasted no time. "Someone here to help. Stay quiet and move when I signal."

Xiao Wei moved swiftly, disabling the formation that bound the prison. As the last seal shattered, the captives began to stir.

Unfortunately, the commotion attracted attention.

"Intruders!" one of the guards roared.

Yi Zhen stepped forward. His aura flared as he unleashed a deadly burst of Qi, striking down the nearest foe. The rest of the lackeys rushed at him, but Xiao Wei activated a defensive array, creating a barrier that momentarily held them back.

"No time for hesitation!" Xiao Wei urged. "We have to finish this fast!"

Just as Yi Zhen prepared to strike down the final enemy, a powerful pressure descended upon the battlefield.

A figure emerged from the darkness—Yao Zhen. His arrival was like a storm, his presence suffocating. The shadows twisted around him, his eyes gleaming with a dangerous light.

"You thought you could escape unscathed?" his voice echoed coldly.

Yi Zhen gritted his teeth. This was an enemy unlike the rest. The real battle had just begun.

Yue Lingxiao's Separate Path

As the survivors fled into the night, Yue Lingxiao hesitated. During the chaos of the escape, she had stumbled upon something—a hidden chamber deep within the hideout. Inside, she found remnants of records, whispers of an unknown past. Strange symbols marked the walls, and an old parchment described a lineage lost to time.

She had always wondered why her parents spoke in hushed voices about her origins, how they had always called her "mysterious." Now, the pieces were falling into place. And strangely enough, what she discovered bore uncanny similarities to Yi Zhen's story.

From afar, Yi Zhen watched her disappear into the night, a sense of loss and guilt creeping into his heart. He knew their paths were diverging, but he couldn't shake the feeling that they were bound to cross again.

As she turned away, she whispered, "Our paths are separating now, but they will merge in the future. We will meet again."