Although the attack by the black-clad figures was repelled, Li Yunfan's unease only intensified. He knew that there must be a bigger conspiracy behind these black-clad figures. After the battle, the White Swordsman also reminded him to remain vigilant.
A few days later, Li Yunfan, while practicing his cultivation, began to ask around the village for information, trying to trace the origin of the black-clad figures. However, the villagers knew nothing about it, and their lives remained as calm and ordinary as ever.
One night, while practicing his cultivation, Li Yunfan suddenly felt a strange fluctuation coming from outside the village. He immediately stopped his practice, quietly left the room, and walked towards the village outskirts.
Following the path, Li Yunfan found a secluded mountain cave. The entrance of the cave was covered by vines and weeds, similar to the one he had discovered earlier. With great care, Li Yunfan carefully pulled away the vines and entered the cave.
The interior of the cave was dark and damp, with a musty smell pervading the air. Following the cave deeper, Li Yunfan arrived at a spacious cavern. In the center of the cavern, a massive formation was operating, with a mysterious crystal stone at its heart emitting an eerie glow.
Li Yunfan was startled in his heart as he felt a powerful spiritual energy emanating from the crystal stone. He cautiously approached, trying to ascertain the origin of the crystal.
Suddenly, a shadow darted out from the darkness of the cave, blocking his path. The figure was tall and massive, clad in a black robe that concealed its entire form except for the pair of cold, menacing eyes.
"You are who? Why do you spy here?" The voice was deep and filled with threat.
Li Yunfan's heart tightened as he realized he was facing a formidable opponent. He swiftly summoned the spiritual energy within his body, preparing for any potential assault.
"Whether I am who I am doesn't matter. What matters is that you shouldn't be here," the shadow coldly said, "The secrets of this place are not something a little character like you can pry into."
Li Yunfan took a deep breath, realizing he couldn't back down. With determination, he said, "I don't know what you're doing here, but I'm certain it can't be anything good."
The shadow's eyes flickered with a spark of murder: "Since you've discovered this place, don't think you'll leave alive."
The shadow suddenly launched an attack, sending out one after another of dark energy waves towards Li Yunfan. Li Yunfan quickly activated the "Starry Sky Art," releasing one after another of starry forces from within him, forming a defensive barrier.
The energy waves collided with the defensive barrier, producing a deafening roar. Li Yunfan's body was shaken backward repeatedly, but his defensive barrier remained intact.
The shadow seemed somewhat surprised, as he hadn't expected Li Yunfan to withstand his attack. His gaze grew even colder: "It seems I underestimated you."
Li Yunfan clenched his fists, knowing that he couldn't just sit idly by. Deciding to take the initiative, one after another of starry forces rose from within him, forming numerous sharp sword energies that struck towards the shadow.
The shadow sneered coldly, his hands quickly began to seal an incantation, creating a dark energy shield before him that blocked Li Yunfan's sword energies.
The battle between the two grew increasingly intense, with stone chips flying and smoke swirling within the cave. Though Li Yunfan's cultivation was inferior to that of the shadow, his "Starry Sky Art" lent his attacks a tremendous power.
At that moment, a sword flash suddenly shot into the cave from outside, aimed directly at the shadow's vulnerable area. The shadow hurriedly dodged, and the sword flash grazed his cheek, leaving a blood mark. Who is it?” the shadow roared in anger and turned to look at the entrance of the cave. A middle-aged man in white clothes slowly walked into the cave, holding a long sword emitting a chilling glow: "Who I am doesn't matter. What matters is that I can't let you hurt this child." Li Yunfan watched in amazement at this unexpected middle-aged man who suddenly appeared. He had never seen him before, but his appearance undoubtedly gave him a glimmer of hope.
