Ghost Cry Ridge was eerily silent, with no one around. Only three sneaky figures climbed to the peak from the desolate hillside.

"The outer darkness has not completely dissipated yet."

Li Rui said in a deep voice, "They might not have noticed anything unusual down the mountain yet. Let’s seize this chance to escape quickly, take out the Lingnan boss, and get out of here before Yuan Qing catches up."

"Exactly."

Cheng Mingyue agreed, "If he manipulates the good people in the academy to deal with us together, that would be trouble."

For the first time, he used the Wind Technique. A swirling airflow began to rise around him, and under the support of his high attributes, it instantly turned into a violent gale.

The darkness caused by the Earth Thunder had begun to dissipate from the center, so the ban on the Escape Technique where they were located was lifted. Li Rui grabbed the two of them and began to escape.

Having changed into new equipment, only two rings in his dozen slots were not Legendary Level, greatly enhancing his ability. Now, the Escape Technique could just take two people along.

With the assistance of the Wind Technique, the speed of the Instant Wind Nine Turns was extremely fast. Li Rui led the people straight into the sky, out of the range of Ghost Cry Ridge, heading south.

At this time, several scholars from the academy had reached the mountain pass south of Ghost Cry Ridge. Suspecting that something powerful was entrenched in the mountain, causing pollution of the water source, they wanted to lure it out and solve the problem.

"Mr. Zhang, we’re ready. You can start guiding."

A middle-aged scholar in the lead responded and began writing a scripture for suppressing demons on a long scroll with an arm-thick brush.

As he continuously splashed bright red ink on the long scroll, the characters slowly began to rise from the paper, finally flying with the wind into the gorge ahead.

Soon after, the ground started to tremble, and a roar echoed through the sky from the mountain.

"Roar——"

An ink-green sludge monster crawled out from within.

Its body was like a mountain ridge, with fingers that could easily pinch a person, but its most terrifying aspect was not its size; rather, the miasma permeating its entire being.

Evidently, this was the reason for the polluted water source.

The middle-aged scholar said, "It seems the evil energy from Ghost Cry Ridge has tainted the land, forming this Spirit Monster."

"Sir, we must take action and break it apart!"

"Form the array."

The academy crowd spread out with a roar, surrounding the sludge monster from a great distance, securing favorable positions for trapping the strong enemy.

Under the command of the middle-aged scholar, they each formed seals, creating a light array.

The academy’s cultivation technique excels in nurturing a righteous spirit, neutral and peaceful when soothing Evil Spirits, decisive in destruction when expelling monsters.

Eight decree gold seals struck the monster from all directions of the array, locking it immobilized. The leading middle-aged scholar raised his hand.

"Suppress!"

Amidst the rumble of oppression, the miasma around the monster contracted, and its body visibly collapsed, really like a pile of sludge, smashed back into the gorge with one blow.

"Great!"

"The gentlemen of the academy are truly good people."

The people at the foot of the mountain cheered, witnessing the shocking scene from the mountain.

The pollution of the water source left them without water to drink, unable to irrigate their crops, leaving them no choice but to seek help from the academy.

As the facts proved, they were right to do so. The terrifying monster was wiped out instantly, and the river water would soon become clean and clear.

Just as everyone was cheering, an anomaly suddenly occurred.

"Roar roar roar——"

The sludge monster that had been reduced to a pile of sludge by the academy’s array had not died. Amid another roar, it stood up again.

The villagers, who had been dancing with joy, fell silent immediately. This dramatic reversal was hard to accept.

They all stared silently in the direction of the mountain, failing to notice a streak of blue light descending from the sky.

Li Rui originally planned to inquire about the boss’s location upon reaching a populated area. But just as he landed, before he could ask anyone, he saw the sludge monster’s revival.

"Give us a buff."

After receiving Cheng Mingyue’s assistance, Li Rui flew back into the mountains, ignoring the scholars’ shock, activated Yin-Yang Reversal, and directly cast a Nine Heavens Extinction Spell.

Crack!!!

Dark thunder descended from the sky, striking the sludge monster emitting a thick toxic miasma.

The skill combining four Thunder Skills was very close to genuine divine power. Moreover, the newly added Earth Thunder naturally countered spirit monsters. Combined with his inherent strength advantage, the outcome was evident.

This time, the sludge monster did not collapse but was vaporized in the thunder, its body occupying the entire gorge vanished, as if it had never appeared.

The academy scholars were dumbfounded.

To say that bizarre Thunder Skill was one of their own, it exuded an aura identical to the evil presence on Ghost Cry Ridge.

To say it was the enemy, yet it helped eliminate the grave threat to the residents.

When they came to their senses and looked for the source of the thunder, they found no one who had acted.

"What’s going on?"

Just as they were puzzled, an even more unexpected figure stepped out from the void.

"Mr. Yuan, why are you here?"

The middle-aged scholar asked in surprise.

"What just happened here?" Yuan Qing asked expressionlessly.

The middle-aged scholar recounted the events and saw his face growing even more grave.

"....Mr. Yuan, what’s wrong?"

Yuan Qing had already realized that the possibility he least wanted to see had happened.

Forcing a smile, he said, "The evil energy on Ghost Cry Ridge has dissipated. Let’s return to the academy and discuss."

...

Li Rui and his two companions did not linger in the Secret Realm. With the boss dead, as soon as the task prompt arrived, they immediately chose to leave the Secret Realm.

He opened his eyes, feeling a swaying sensation from below him.

However, he hadn’t realized the severity of the situation, thinking it was just a side effect of coming out of the Secret Realm, until the other two woke up and noted the same feeling, revealing it was not an illusion but that the floor itself was shaking.

"What’s going on? This isn’t where we stayed."

Cheng Mingyue glanced around and said, "This looks like a ship cabin, doesn’t it?"

Li Rui pushed open the door and saw a person in military uniform approaching their room.

"You’re finally awake, great! Any discomfort? Please hold on a moment. Apologies, I’m Yang Jin, the medical officer of the White Seagull Ship."

"White Seagull Ship? Medical officer?"

Li Rui scratched his head, "Are we at sea now?"

Medical officer Yang Jin chuckled awkwardly, "Yes, the enemy attacked the Southern Nations. You were unconscious at that time, so we had to bring you aboard to return to our country."

"Did all this happen in just one day?"

"One day?"

Yang Jin responded curiously, "You have been in a coma for five whole days."