They rested through the night, the tension from the battle slowly fading as their bodies recovered with time. Miao-Miao remained asleep without stirring, while Xiaoshan sat quietly, his condition stable despite the pain.

Lin Xiao Tian glanced at him and let out a soft chuckle, his tone casual as always. "Mostly alright, huh... you really did lose the left arm."

Xiaoshan said nothing, only shifting slightly as if to ignore it, while the others avoided commenting. The mood was lighter, yet the reality of the injury remained clear.

As everyone stood, Lin Xiao Tian’s gaze moved toward the barrier at the entrance, now faded and unstable. He smiled faintly, his interest returning as he stepped forward.

"Let’s see how far they have progressed," he said, already moving ahead.

He entered the spiraling passage without hesitation, the others following closely behind as the light dimmed around them. The space narrowed quickly, forming a tight corridor as the air grew still.

Bodies of lizard-like beasts lay scattered along the ground, their remains torn and left behind without care. The signs of earlier fighting were clear, yet no one spoke as they continued forward.

Then a scream echoed from behind and as they turned, they saw.

A fat man stood there in regal robes, his face flustered as he hurriedly tried to calm a female disciple beside him. His movements were awkward, his composure shaken as he spoke in a low voice, attempting to steady her.

Before he could move again, Tianhe had already appeared behind him, his presence silent and sudden as if he had always been there. At the same time, Xiaoshan’s halberd rested against the man’s neck, the edge steady despite his one-handed grip.

The man froze instantly, his lips tightening as his body went rigid under the pressure. He did not dare to move, his earlier flustered state turning into complete silence.

Then Yan Feng looked at him more closely and muttered under his breath, "Brother fatty..."

Hearing this, the man’s eyes lit up as he turned toward him, recognition flashing across his face. The next moment, he burst into tears, his voice breaking without restraint.

"Brother-in-law, save me!"

Tianhe and Xiaoshan paused slightly at the words, their expressions shifting as confusion surfaced. The tension did not drop, yet the situation no longer felt as straightforward as before.

Lin Xiao Tian, however, understood instantly.

His gaze moved to the emblem on the man’s robes, the royal insignia clear and unmistakable even in the dim light. So that is it... that girl’s brother, and one of Emperor Zhao’s favored sons.

He looked at the man again, his expression calm, yet his eyes carried a faint interest as the situation unfolded.

Yan Feng made a strange face as he glanced toward Lin Xiao Tian, his tone uncertain as he spoke. "Well, Master... he looks harmless."

Lin Xiao Tian chuckled softly, his expression relaxed as if nothing was worth concern. "Harmless indeed... now relax, Tianhe, and you too, Xiaoshan."

The tension eased slightly as the weapons lowered, though their gazes did not leave the man. Lin Xiao Tian stepped forward a little, his smile faint yet carrying a subtle pressure.

"So tell me, dear fat Daoist, why were you following us, and how did you end up here like this," he said calmly. "Though I might already have some idea."

Hearing this, the man flinched slightly at the word "fat," his face tightening for a moment before he forced himself to respond. "Sect Master, I mean no harm... I was only following because you seemed strong and safe to walk with."

He wiped his face quickly, his tone turning hurried as he continued. "My intuition has never failed me, so I trusted it and stayed close without showing myself."

Lin Xiao Tian’s smile did not change, though his eyes sharpened slightly as he looked at him. "And since when exactly have you been tailing us?"

The man scratched his head awkwardly before answering without much thought. "After that demon wiped out my entire group... I started following you right after you killed it."

Lin Xiao Tian nodded faintly, his expression thoughtful for a brief moment before he spoke again. "So you have been following us since then, yet you suddenly appear now... interesting."

The man grumbled under his breath, his tone carrying a hint of annoyance as he replied. "Whoever owns this place set up proper measures... my invisibility robe failed the moment we entered."

As he said that, he looked straight at Lin Xiao Tian without the slightest restraint, his expression turning almost expectant. "Well, since I am already here, we should move forward together... senior can just treat me as another disciple."

For a moment, Lin Xiao Tian simply stared at him, clearly taken aback by the sheer shamelessness. The disciples beside him looked at the man with open disgust, their expressions turning strange.

Lin Xiao Tian clicked his tongue softly, his gaze shifting as he let out a short chuckle.

Another one... these types really gather around me on their own.

Before anyone could respond, the bodies scattered along the passage suddenly trembled. The ground followed, a low vibration spreading through the narrow corridor.

The air grew heavy as from deeper within the darkness ahead, a large shadow began to form, its outline unclear yet unmistakably massive. The space seemed to shrink slightly as it moved forward, its presence pressing outward.

No one spoke as their attention shifted ahead, the earlier moment forgotten instantly.

Just as they focused ahead, something burst out from the darkness without warning, its movement sudden and violent as it closed the distance in an instant. The narrow passage shook under its weight as it landed before them.

Its body looked like a rotting tree twisted into a living form, jagged spikes jutting out like broken branches along its limbs and spine. The surface of its bark was cracked and dark, oozing faint sap that carried a foul, decaying scent.

Its head split open as it lunged, revealing a massive maw hidden within the wood, the inside lined with splintered, fang-like edges. The opening stretched unnaturally wide, as if the bark itself had torn apart to feed.

The creature let out a harsh, scraping sound as it snapped forward, its jaws aimed directly at the front of the group. Splinters and fragments broke loose as it moved, scattering across the ground like debris.

Its presence filled the passage entirely, leaving little space to evade as it pressed forward without pause.

Just as they prepared to defend, a talisman shot out from behind them, streaking forward with a sharp flash. It struck the creature directly, and in the next instant flames erupted, swallowing it whole.

The monster let out a harsh screech as its body burned rapidly, the bark splitting apart as the fire consumed it completely. Within moments, it collapsed into ash, leaving only the scorched ground behind.

Everyone turned at once and the fat man stood there, still holding a stack of talismans in his hand, his expression half-proud and half-nervous. Several more were already between his fingers, ready to be thrown again without hesitation.

The disciples stared at him in silence, their earlier disgust shifting into something far more complicated. The ease with which he had handled the attack left them momentarily speechless.

Lin Xiao Tian looked at him, his expression calm, though his eyes lingered a little longer than before. A coward... but a useful one.

His gaze shifted briefly to the talismans before returning to the man.

Seems I picked up something worthwhile this time... this sect has been too poor lately.