Chapter 98: Escape from the Trial Ground

"Roar."

The ground trembled as the deafening roar echoed through the trial grounds. Li Taixing and Lu Xueruo froze, both looking toward the closed-off area where the sound had come from. Their surroundings grew eerily silent, the usual background hum of the forest stilled in the wake of the beast's cry.

"That came from the depths of the abyss," Lu Xueruo said solemnly, inching closer to Li Taixing.

"Abyss?" he repeated, his voice low but alert.

Lu Xueruo nodded, her expression tense. "Yes. My master once told me that the trial ground we're in is only the outer edge of the Xuantian Sect's restricted area. Beyond it lies the true forbidden zone, the Abyss. It's incredibly dangerous; that roar likely came from something ancient and powerful down there."

Li Taixing raised an eyebrow. "And we're supposed to just stay away from it?"

"Precisely," Lu Xueruo replied. "Most disciples aren't even supposed to know about it. I was only warned because of the dangers in case we strayed too close. Let's not test our luck by venturing any nearer."

"Sounds reasonable." Li Taixing agreed, though he silently wondered if this new danger could be turned to their advantage.

Just as they turned to leave, the forest erupted with movement as a horde of ferocious beasts suddenly appeared, barreling toward them. Their eyes glowed in the dim light, and snarls filled the air as they closed in.

"Junior Brother Li, look! There are so many of them," Lu Xueruo gasped, her face paling as she took in the sheer number of beasts rushing their way.

Li Taixing grimly assessed the situation. "This is bad. They're coming right for us!"

"We have to leave here!" Lu Xueruo shouted, already turning to flee. "There's no way we can survive against this many. Let's move now, or we'll be overwhelmed."

Outside the trial grounds, panic also spread among the sect members watching the scene unfold. On the high platform, Sect Leader Zhao Wentian clenched his fists, his usually composed face twisted with worry.

"What's going on? Why did a sudden riot break out among the ferocious beasts?" he demanded, scanning the faces of the other elders for answers.

Wang Xuanwu's eyes narrowed as she took in the commotion. She suspected that something, or someone, had provoked the holy beast deep within the restricted area. The Fifth Elder was rarely fazed, but now even she felt a flicker of unease.

Zhu Qing, the Seventh Elder, looked pale. "Sect Leader, both Xueruo and Taixing are still inside. We need to get them out before it's too late!"

Another elder, Lin Feiyi, urgently added, "Sect Leader, the trial tokens are no longer transmitting images. We've lost contact with the disciples inside."

Zhao Wentian's face grew grim. "Has the holy beast awakened? That would explain the interference. We can't allow our disciples to be trapped in there—especially if the trial ground itself has started collapsing under the creature's influence."

Taking swift action, Zhao Wentian issued orders. "Elders, prepare the sect defenses. The Fifth and Seventh Elders will join me. We'll enter the restricted area and try to locate the disciples ourselves."

"Yes, Sect Leader!" The other elders replied, their faces tight with tension. They knew that the path ahead would not be easy; the restricted area was forbidden for a reason.

As the elders soared towards the restricted area, Wang Xuanwu and Zhu Qing exchanged a glance. The Fifth Elder's face remained composed, but she could tell that Zhu Qing was barely holding herself together. Both of them cared deeply for their disciples, and each was anxious for their safety.

"Fifth Elder," Zhao Wentian said, glancing at Wang Xuanwu, "you and the Seventh Elder should prioritize locating your disciples. Leave the beast attacks to the rest of us. Time is of the essence."

Wang Xuanwu nodded. "Understood. We'll find them as quickly as possible."

Back inside the trial ground, Lu Xueruo checked her trial token with a frown, finding it unresponsive. She bit her lip, realizing that the formation sealing the entrance to the restricted area had likely been compromised. The eerie silence weighed heavily around them as they prepared to make their escape.

"Junior Brother Li," she said, her voice low but steady, "we can't wait any longer. The trial token isn't working, so we're on our own."

As she spoke, she summoned her spirit sword, stepping onto it with a graceful leap. "Come up quickly," she urged, offering a hand to Li Taixing.

Li Taixing accepted her hand, stepping onto the sword beside her. As they lifted into the air, he felt her body tense as his arm accidentally wrapped around her waist for balance. Her cheeks flushed, but she focused her gaze forward, unwilling to let their close proximity distract her from the urgency of the situation.

"Hold on tight," Lu Xueruo instructed, her voice barely above a whisper. "We're going to need to move fast if we're going to make it out of here in one piece."

"Understood," Li Taixing replied, steadying himself as they soared above the treetops, darting towards the trial ground's exit.

However, as they ascended, a screeching sound split the air. Shadows filled the sky as a wave of beasts with wings leaped into the air, pursuing them. Their claws gleamed ominously, and their eyes locked onto the two disciples as they flew.

"Senior Sister, they're coming for us!" Li Taixing warned, his voice tense.

"Yes, I see them. But we have no choice—this is the only way out," Lu Xueruo said, her face set in determination as she pushed the spirit sword to its maximum speed.

The wind whipped around them as they dodged and weaved through the incoming beasts. Each moment brought fresh danger as claws and fangs swiped mere inches from their faces, the beasts' cries echoing in their ears. Li Taixing gritted his teeth, realizing they'd be hard-pressed to survive this aerial assault.

"Junior Brother, stay focused!" Lu Xueruo said, sensing his unease. She willed herself to remain calm, knowing that their lives depended on their ability to keep their heads.

Li Taixing steadied himself, his grip tightening as he kept his eyes on the beasts. "I'm with you, Senior Sister. Let's get out of here."

With a burst of speed, Lu Xueruo directed the sword into a steep dive, evading a group of swooping beasts by mere inches. The ground rushed up to meet them, but before they could crash, she leveled out, skimming the treetops at breakneck speed.

Despite their best efforts, the beasts were relentless, continuing to close in on them. Lu Xueruo clenched her jaw, scanning for any way to shake their pursuers.

"Senior Sister, we might have to fight them off," Li Taixing suggested, a glint of determination in his eyes.

Lu Xueruo nodded. "Only if we're left with no other option. But let's save our strength if we can—there may be worse things ahead."

As they darted between the trees, narrowly evading the beasts, a loud crash sounded to their left. The ground shook, and a massive figure emerged from the shadows. Its size dwarfed the other creatures, and its aura of power was overwhelming. The holy beast had appeared.

Li Taixing and Lu Xueruo exchanged a glance, each understanding the gravity of their predicament. Their previous pursuers fell back, as if unwilling to challenge the might of the creature that now blocked their path.

"Senior Sister… what do we do?" Li Taixing asked, his voice barely a whisper.

Lu Xueruo's face paled, but her resolve did not waver. "We go forward. It's our only choice."

Taking a deep breath, she guided the spirit sword towards an opening between the massive creature and the surrounding trees. The holy beast's eyes tracked their movements, and it roared, sending shockwaves through the air.

"Now!" Lu Xueruo shouted, urging the sword forward with all her might. With a final burst of speed, they shot past the creature, narrowly escaping its reach as it swiped at them.

The trial ground's exit lay ahead, a faint shimmer marking the boundary of safety. With the holy beast still close behind, Lu Xueruo pushed their speed to its limits. As they burst through the exit, they heard the creature's furious roar, but it could not follow them past the boundary.

They landed, breathless and shaken but safe. Glancing at each other, relief flooded their faces. They had escaped—just barely.