47. Catch Up

The air in the mine tunnel was filthy and cold, a mixture of blood, sweat, and damp earth. The aquamarine ball of light in Mu Lin's palm hovered steadily, dispelling a small patch of darkness and illuminating the faces of five people, exhausted but resilient.

Su Lin was tightly pressed against him, flanked by Lei Qing and Xingchen, each one on his left and right, as if afraid he'd disappear again. Lei Qing's grip on his arm remained firm, his grip unwavering. The tense muscles and scorching warmth of his body shone through the thin fabric, silently conveying both his previous fear and his current cherishment. Su Lin could feel the subtle trembling in his palm, his heart aching. He gently patted the back of his hand and whispered, "Lei Qing, I'm fine, really."

Lei Qing's Adam's apple rolled as he gave him a deep look. His expression was as complex as the sea after a storm, a mixture of lingering fear, a heavy dread, and an ocean-deep emotion that threatened to swallow him whole. He finally and very slowly released his hand, but his body remained pressed against Su Lin, maintaining a posture of absolute protection.

Like a frightened little animal finding support, Xingchen leaned against Su Lin's side, his small hands clutching the corners of his clothes. He tilted his head back, staring at him unblinkingly, as if trying to etch his image into his heart. Su Lin lowered his head, meeting the boy's obsidian eyes, which held a mixture of dependence, guilt, and a strange determination. His heart softened, and he reached out to ruffle his soft hair. He said gently, "Xingchen, thank you. You were so brave just now."

Xingchen shook his head vigorously, his voice still a little hoarse: "It's my fault... I almost..."

"No, you did a good job." Su Lin interrupted him with a firm tone, "Without you, we can't break through that barrier." He was referring to Stardust's key spiritual mark.

Mu Lin sat against the opposite rock wall, his face still pale, but his spirit was obviously much more relaxed. He carefully examined Xingchen's condition, then looked at Su Lin with a questioning look in his eyes: "Su Lin, your body... that power?"

Su Lin frowned slightly, taking in the situation within his body. The warm and powerful force of order that had erupted within the "Glow Cage" now subsided like a receding tide, settling deep within his essence. Though no longer surging, it seemed to have gilded the very foundations of his being with a layer of tenacious light. The feeling of weakness remained, but it was no longer a despairing exhaustion, more like the weariness of someone recovering from a serious illness.

"I'm not quite sure," he chose his words. "In that light cage, I felt... as if something was trying to assimilate my power, but instead... stimulated it. Now I'm stable, but still a little weak." He concealed the details about the possible specialness of his blood and the vague perception of spatial abilities. Even he himself had not yet fully understood these things.

After treating the wound on his arm, Ling Ye walked over. His gaze lingered on Su Lin for a moment, undisguised inquiring. "The 'Glow Cage' is a device used by the Guichen Cult to 'purify' and 'store' high-value 'sacrifices.' It slowly strips away an individual's will, transforming their life essence into its purest form for absorption by the 'Lord of Guichen.' I've never heard of anyone being able to reversely influence or even control it..." He paused, his gaze turning towards Su Lin with an extremely complicated look. "Su Lin, I'm afraid your existence is even more special than we imagined."

These words instantly heightened the tension. Lei Qing's eyes instantly turned cold, locking onto Ling Ye again with a warning. Xingchen also immediately tensed up, staring at Ling Ye warily like a wolf protecting its master.

Su Lin was relatively calm. He met Ling Ye's gaze and said frankly, "I don't know what's special about me. I only know that my friends and I want to survive and want to be together." His voice was not loud, but it carried an unquestionable firmness that instantly diluted the suspicion brought about by Ling Ye's words.

Ling Ye was stunned for a moment, looking at Su Lin's clear eyes without any impurities, then looking at Lei Qing and Xingchen who were staring at him covetously, and finally smiled self-deprecatingly and said no more.

"We can't stay here for long," Lei Qing said solemnly, breaking the brief silence. "The Guichen Sect's people will soon search here. We must leave the mine immediately and find a safe place to make long-term plans."

Everyone nodded. After a brief rest and treating the most obvious wounds, the team set out again, evacuating along the mine tunnel they had come from.

This time, the atmosphere was noticeably different. Though exhausted, the hope of rescuing Su Lin was like a shot of adrenaline, adding a touch of strength to everyone's steps. Lei Qing still walked in front, but his attention was no longer focused on Ling Ye, but more on Su Lin's condition. Mu Lin's water-based light ball provided steady illumination and healing. Xingchen followed closely beside Su Lin. Though weak, his eyes scanned the surroundings sharply, his newly awakened spiritual power extending outward like invisible tentacles, sensing possible dangers ahead.

Su Lin walked among the group, feeling the silent protection of his companions, a warmth welling in his heart. He tried to more closely sense the settled force of order within his body, discovering that it wasn't completely dormant. Instead, it merged with his own life force like breathing, slowly nourishing his damaged essence. He even vaguely felt that this force seemed to have a natural repulsion and purification effect on the chaotic and negative energy in the surrounding environment, making his small area seem... "cleaner" than other places.

This discovery stirred a wave of excitement in his heart. Perhaps this power could be used for more than just defense and healing?

Just as they were about to approach the exit of the mine, Xingchen suddenly stopped and violently grabbed Su Lin's sleeve. His face tensed as he whispered, "There are things... ahead! Lots of them... very chaotic... they're not human!"

Almost at the same time as he finished speaking, there came from the front of the mine a dense and chaotic rustling sound, as if countless claws were scraping against the rocks, and a low roar full of hunger and desire for destruction!

They're mutants! And there are quite a few of them! They were probably attracted here by the commotion in Black Mine Town, or... they were simply driven here by the Guichen Cult to intercept them!

"Prepare for battle!" Lei Qing shouted, unsheathing his hunting knife. Lightning flashed across the blade once more. He leaned over to protect Su Lin behind him.

Mu Lin immediately formed a water shield, blocking the way in front of everyone. Ling Ye also gripped his short blade tightly, his eyes solemn.

Stardust took a deep breath, suppressing the mental fatigue and stinging pain, and once again tried to mobilize the power he hadn't yet fully mastered. He didn't charge blindly as before, but instead spread his mental power forward like a fine net, trying to sense the status and... weaknesses of these mutants.

He "saw" it. It was a horde of severely polluted, reptilian mutants of varying shapes, their brains completely consumed by rage and hunger, driven only by the most primal killing instinct. But amidst this chaotic mental storm, Stardust keenly detected a slight incongruity—deep within these mutants' minds, a faint thread seemed to linger, carrying the uniquely decadent aura of the Guichen Cult!

They are controlled to some extent!

"They... are being influenced!" Stardust whispered quickly, "Something is guiding them!"

Before he finished speaking, countless pairs of scarlet eyes lit up in the darkness ahead, rapidly approaching like will-o'-the-wisp fire! A foul-smelling wind blew in his face!

The battle broke out instantly!

Lei Qing charged forward like thunder, his hunting knife wielding streaks of lightning as he cleaved the leading mutants back, a scorching smell filling the air. Mu Lin's water shield continuously withstood the onslaught, icy spikes and water arrows crisscrossing to slow the mutants' charge. Ling Ye's figure was ghostly, weaving through the gaps, his short blade precisely piercing the mutants' joints, eyes, and other vulnerable areas.

However, the number of mutants was simply too great, and they seemed completely unafraid, charging forward one after another, surging forward like a black tide! The narrow mine tunnel limited everyone's ability to perform, making it difficult for Lei Qing to use his aggressive fighting style.

An extremely agile mutant, like an enlarged version of a corpse rat, took advantage of the moment when Mu Lin's water shield was shaken by continuous impacts, suddenly rushed out from the gap on the side, opened its huge mouth full of sharp teeth, and rushed straight towards Su Lin who was protected by Lei Qing behind him!

"Brother Su Lin!" Xingchen's pupils suddenly shrank!

At this critical moment, Su Lin's eyes flashed with determination! He did not try to mobilize the power of order that had not yet fully recovered to fight hard. Instead, he focused his mind and tried to communicate with the vast and chaotic space in his body!

We need a barrier! Something to block it!

The moment the thought flashed through his mind, he felt as if some kind of shackle within him loosened! Then, a thick metal tower shield, its edges still stained with dirt and rust, suddenly appeared in front of Su Lin with a clang, as if squeezed out of thin air, just in time to block the mutant rat's attack!

"Bang!" The mutant rat slammed into the tower shield with a dull thud, and was bounced back, dizzy.

This sudden scene stunned everyone, including Su Lin himself. Did he really... take something out of that chaotic space?!

However, before they could even consider it, more mutants surged forward! Although the tower shield blocked the first attack, it was quickly knocked askew by the tidal wave of attacks, and it was covered with claw marks and tooth marks.

"We can't go on like this! There are too many of them!" Mu Lin shouted hurriedly. His water-based abilities were consumed greatly, and the water shield had become thin and transparent.

Lei Qing was also entangled by several power-type mutants and was unable to escape for a while.

Stardust looked at his companions locked in a bitter struggle, and at the pale Su Lin, who was tightly protected in the middle. His obsession with protection flared up again! He no longer tried to control or attack the mutants' chaotic minds. Instead, he poured all his mental energy into the corrupted spiritual thread that controlled the mutants, belonging to the Guichen Sect, and fiercely attacked them in the opposite direction!

He wants to find the manipulator hiding in the dark!

This was undoubtedly an extremely risky move! His mental strength was already overdrawn, and forcibly tracing the source at this moment was like swimming upstream in a turbulent sea. He could be counterattacked and destroyed by the more powerful mental force at the source at any time!

"I found you!" Xingchen suddenly opened his eyes, a glint of ruthlessness and pain flashing in them. He pointed to a dark corner deep in the mine, "There!"

Almost at the same time he pointed it out, a muffled groan came from the corner, and then the mental connection that was faintly controlling the mutant suddenly weakened for a moment!

It’s this moment!

The mutants, who had been attacking frantically and coordinating in perfect harmony, were now in a state of marked disarray! They had lost their unified guidance, their attacks becoming disorganized and chaotic, and they even began to bite each other!

The pressure suddenly dropped!

Lei Qing seized the opportunity, and with a flash of lightning, he instantly cleared out the several mutants that had entangled him. Mu Lin was able to catch his breath and re-stabilize his water shield.

"Well done, Stardust!" Su Lin looked at the pale, shaky but bright-eyed boy with surprise.

However, before Xingchen could respond, a figure wearing a plain grey robe, yet with a significantly colder aura than the average guard, slowly emerged from the corner deep within the mine tunnel where he had been discovered. His gaze from beneath his hood was like a venomous snake, fixed intently on Xingchen.

"You can find my 'spiritual coordinates'...boy, you can't stay!" He said hoarsely, raised his hand, and a more concentrated and more vicious spiritual shock, like an invisible poisonous sting, shot directly at Stardust!

This attack was even more targeted and deadly than the previous Wuguang pressure! Xingchen had just exhausted the last of his mental energy in order to locate the target. Now, facing this swift mental sting, he was completely powerless to resist!

"Stardust!" Su Lin's eyes were bloodshot, and he stepped forward to block it without thinking!

"Get out of the way!" Lei Qing reacted even faster. He pushed Su Lin towards Mu Lin and took a step sideways, trying to block the invisible attack with his body! He knew that physical defense was limited against mental attacks, but he couldn't bear to see either Xingchen or Su Lin get hurt!

In the blink of an eye——

"Get out of my way!"

A familiar, extremely violent roar exploded from the direction of the mine exit like thunder!

Immediately afterwards, a violent pillar of fire as hot as lava, like an angry fire dragon, with the momentum of burning everything, suddenly poured into the mine tunnel from the entrance, passed by Lei Qing's side accurately, and slammed heavily into the gray-robed man who released the mental poison sting!

"boom--!!!"

The violent explosion shook the entire mine tunnel! The flames instantly engulfed the corner where the gray-robed man was, reducing him and several unfortunate mutants around him to charcoal! The vicious mental attack also came to an abrupt end.

The flames died down, and at the entrance of the mine, a figure with steam rising from his body, short fiery red hair standing on end, a look of some embarrassment but more of ferocity and arrogance, strode in carrying a short axe that was still dripping with melted snow.

It’s A Yan!

He stared with bloodshot eyes, scanning the astonished crowd, and finally his gaze fell on Su Lin, who was protected by Lei Qing and Mu Lin and was safe and sound. He grinned, revealing a mixture of relief and gnashing teeth.

"Damn it! I finally caught up!"