The Qi emanating from the gate began to transform.
What had once felt like a calm, flowing river now surged like a raging sea.
"Get ready," Lian murmured.
He reached out and tore a vine that was growing next to the mountain walls, condensing his Qi into it. The vine stiffened, its surface turning firm and crude—much like his previous weapon.
In the distance, the two groups finally arrived, converging at the gate.
Zhou Lung strode at the front, leading his people. At last, both groups came to a halt, facing one another before the array.
"Hey, you there!" Zhou Lung called out.
"I didn't see you when we arrived. Who are you supposed to be? And what's this place?"
"Ha… still arrogant as ever," Lian thought, watching from afar.
"Who do you think you're talking to?" one of Kang's men snapped, stepping forward.
Before he could go any further, Kang shoved him aside.
"I don't speak to people of no consequence," Kang said coldly.
"I was talking to your leader. Little insignificant beings like you should be Quiet."
"You—little brat!" the man roared.
His skin flushed red as fury overtook him. With a snarl, he launched himself toward Zhou Lung, raising his fist high. Sharp Qi hummed violently around his knuckles, slicing the air as he prepared to strike.
"Die!" the man wailed as he swung.
But the blow never landed.
Zhou Lung dogged, his movement sharp and precise. In the same breath, he struck—two fingers snapping into the man's neck. The moment they connected, the man's eyes rolled back, and his body collapsed to the ground, unconscious.
Gasps rippled through the crowd as he hit the earth.
"How did he—Xiao went down in one move…?"
Whispers and murmurs spread like wildfire.
"I'll ask you one last time," Zhou Lung said, his voice arrogant yet steady.
"Who are you, and what is this place?"
"Hahaha!" Kang laughed as he rose to his feet.
"You're so full of yourself… yet you know nothing."
He stepped forward, closing the distance between them.
"Woaaaa… is that you, Kang?"
"Hah?" Zhou Lung sneered. "It's you? Why would they bother dragging trash like you here?"
"Now talk. Tell me everything you know about this place."
"Hohoho…" Kang chuckled darkly.
"You really think you're still some important young master of the Lung family?"
He spread his arms slightly, gesturing around them.
"Look around you. In this place, your pathetic little status means nothing."
"So hand over your robes and get lost—before I decide to kill you."
Kang's gaze locked onto Zhou Lung. He stood nearly twice his size, his presence bearing down like a looming mountain.
"What? They know each other. And leader Kang—why is Zhou treating him like an insignificant servant?"
Whispers spread rapidly through the crowd.
"I have to kill him, he is making me lo—"
Before Kang's thoughts could register, the gate suddenly flared orange.
A violent suction erupted from the array. The air roared as the gate began pulling people in, one after another. Within moments, more than half the crowd had already vanished inside.
"Hey...be caref—!"
Lian turned, but Momo and Shéyǎn were already gone.
"Ah, damn it…"
Lian released the root he was clinging to. A blinding light swallowed him whole. His body twisted and stretched as if being torn apart, dragged and folded again and again, while fragmented visions flooded his mind.
Time lost meaning.
Then there was silence.
The pressure vanished. His thoughts cleared.
Lian stood alone.
All around him lay emptiness, crumbling ancient buildings, scattered ruins, and countless skeletons stretched far as his eyes could see. One thing remained wrapped around them: yellow and orange robes with a five-petaled flower on their chest.
"Ahhh... what the...." Lian groaned as his eye opened.
"What the hell, ahhh my head hurts so much, where am I, Momo, Shéyǎn?" his eyes darted around searching for them, but he was alone this time; there was no one around as far as the eye could see. There were only ruins.