Chapter 157: Still Alive!

Jiang Yuchen and the others stood vigil beside the great pit.
The sky had already brightened, and the scorching sun beat down upon them.
Sweat drenched their brows, yet not a single soul complained of the heat.
All were waiting, but as time stretched on, their hearts grew heavier.
Why was there still no news?
Could it be that Xu Han had truly met with disaster?
Unable to suppress her anxiety any longer, Hua Piaowu suddenly rose, declaring, “We can’t wait any longer. I’m going down to take a look!”
She prepared to summon her spirit puppet, but Jiang Yuchen stepped before her, shaking his head. “Don’t rush. Let’s wait a bit more.”
Clenching her fists, Hua Piaowu glared fiercely at him. “You’re not the one anxious!”
“To fall from such a height — if he’s not dead, he must be gravely injured!”
“If Xu Han is alive but wounded and waiting for us, and we don’t go rescue him, isn’t that a death sentence?”
“And if he’s dead, can you bear the responsibility?”
Jiang Yuchen lowered his gaze, biting his lip, a shadow of sorrow flickering in his eyes.
If only he had stopped Xu Han yesterday...
—
Before the screen, the others waited silently as well.
Yet half a day passed with no sign of Xu Han.
Liang Xingteng sighed deeply.
No news for so long — Xu Han’s chances were bleak.
Ye Yuanzheng spoke slowly, “I’ll go in and search.”
With that, he turned to leave.
Startled, Liang Xingteng hurried forward to block him. “Old Ye, don’t be rash!”
“Going in now would surely provoke the secret realm’s defenses!”
“It’s far too dangerous!”
Nan Yuansi nodded in agreement. “Principal, please don’t act impulsively.”
Ye Yuanzheng’s voice was grave. “That kid — I brought him here.”
“I want to see him alive or his body.”
“If anyone tries to stop me, don’t blame me for being ruthless.”
His eyes darkened to a deep violet, stars shimmering within like a vast cosmos.
A terrifying pressure thundered forth from him, pressing down upon everyone present.
They recoiled, hearts pounding.
This overwhelming presence was like standing before the boundless universe — they felt so small, so powerless.
Not even a thought of resistance could rise.
Nan Yuansi gritted his teeth.
A cold wind swept by.
—
Instantly, shards of ice formed around him.
Ye Yuanzheng glanced at him sideways. “Little Nan, growing wings? Dare to strike me?”
Nan Yuansi bore the pressure, gritting his teeth. “Principal, apologies!”
“I cannot stand by and watch you march into certain death in the secret realm.”
Ye Yuanzheng chuckled. “Good. Let me see how much you’ve improved lately.”
He slowly raised his hand.
Dark light spread from his body, enveloping everyone present.
The surroundings transformed into a vast starry sky, where colossal planets slowly revolved overhead.
Liang Xingteng and the others found their skills sealed, their inner strength blocked — not even their fingers could move.
“This is... a domain?! The old man’s power has advanced again!”
Liang Xingteng said in shock.
Jiang Bin was equally stunned.
A domain — the coveted ability of so many.
Only those who reach the eighth level or above can manifest their own domain.
Within it, the domain’s master is invincible.
Nan Yuansi trembled all over.
He clenched his jaw, struggling to resist the principal’s oppressive aura.
He let out a low growl.
An icy blue glow blossomed, enveloping his body as he barely matched the surrounding domain’s pressure.
Ye Yuanzheng smiled. “You’ve made good progress recently, barely forming the embryo of a domain.”
“But compared to a true domain, you’re still far off.”
He stepped forward.
The cosmic surroundings pressed down like a mountain with a thunderous crash upon Nan Yuansi.
In an instant, the icy blue light around Nan Yuansi shattered.
Without a second glance, Ye Yuanzheng turned to leave.
At that moment, Liang Xingteng suddenly called out, “Old Ye, wait! Look at the screen!”
Ye Yuanzheng turned back to the large screen.
An eagle soared out from the great pit, appearing before them.
They all froze.
Wasn’t that Xu Han’s pet?
The aura around Ye Yuanzheng immediately dissipated.
He strode forward, eyes fixed intently on the screen.
Xu Han’s pet appeared — which meant Xu Han was still alive!
—
Jiang Yuchen and the others stared at the small eagle before them.
First stunned, then joy erupted across their faces.
The little eagle flew down in front of them, spreading its wings and calling out several times, as if trying to say something.
Hua Piaowu hurriedly asked, “Is Xu Han down there?”
The eagle nodded.
She pressed on, “Did he send you to lead us down?”
The eagle shook its head.
They were all puzzled.
If not that, then why had Xu Han sent the eagle up?
The eagle grew anxious, flapping its wings frantically, trying to communicate.
But it could not speak, and its calls were incomprehensible.
Jiang Yuchen suddenly said, “Did Xu Han send you to let us know he’s safe?”
The eagle nodded wildly.
They were deeply moved.
Finally, someone understood!
Hua Piaowu urged eagerly, “Then let’s go down and find him!”
She moved to summon her spirit puppet.
The eagle blocked her, flapping its wings in desperation, continuing its calls.
Jiang Yuchen seemed to grasp the eagle’s meaning.
“Are you trying to say Xu Han found something down there, and wants to investigate it first? He sent you to tell us he’s safe?”
The eagle was almost in tears with excitement!
Nodding rapidly like a chick pecking rice.
Now they were reassured.
Hua Piaowu wondered aloud, “What could Xu Han have discovered that he won’t let us go down?”
Jiang Yuchen speculated, “He probably wants us to find the city ruins first.”
“Since we now know Xu Han is safe, let’s move quickly and not waste time.”
Everyone nodded in agreement.
They set off together toward the ruins of the city.
—
Xu Han sensed the little eagle’s position gradually moving farther away and felt a slight relief.
Thankfully, the eagle had sent out his message.
Now he could explore the tunnel with a clear conscience.
He strode deeper into the passage.
After a while, he heard a sharp “crackling” sound ahead — the scraping of hard objects against each other.
He heightened his alertness, lowering his steps as he cautiously advanced.
Soon, he saw the source of the noise.
Several skeletal warriors clad in tattered armor paced back and forth inside the passage.
The sound came from the clatter of bones against armor.
In their eye sockets danced faint blue flames, as if alive.
A faint golden light glimmered in Xu Han’s eyes.
His Eye of Discerning Illusions activated.
Information about these skeletal warriors appeared before him.