The group of surviving Swift Shadow Clan members, led by the twin brothers, left the fortress their ancestors had built. This small world, used as a trial ground, was originally controlled jointly by four races, which is why they had their own way of entering.
Through the Truth Potion, Lin Qian had learned this information from the twin brothers. However, knowing the location of their portal was of no use since exiting through it would lead directly to the Swift Shadow Clan's stronghold, essentially walking into a death trap.
Suddenly, the elder twin brother felt something on the back of his neck. It seemed like something had bitten him, but when he touched the spot, there was nothing there. Along the way, several others also found themselves unconsciously scratching, feeling as if something had bitten them. However, the sensation quickly faded, and they didn't think much of it.
After leaving their clan's fortress, the Swift Shadow Clan members hurried toward the hidden illusion array, intent on reporting everything to their young master. Lin Qian's strength had to be made known to him, as his presence could greatly impact the young master's plans.
What truly terrified them wasn't Lin Qian's power but the overwhelming aura he exuded when he suppressed the ancestral relic, a feeling that compelled them to submit. Moreover, Lin Qian's ability to constantly track their movements raised the concern of a traitor within their ranks, a serious issue that needed to be dealt with swiftly.
The Swift Shadow Clan members, with downcast expressions, followed the twin brothers, who were now the strongest in the group after Bai Lingli's death. As they approached the illusion array, their expressions grew tense as they entered its range. But as soon as they stepped inside, the atmosphere shifted dramatically.
Buzz! Buzz! Buzz!
A familiar sound echoed in their ears, causing terror to spread across the faces of the twin brothers and the rest of the clan. They knew this sound all too well—the sound of the array activating.
"How is this possible? Why is the array activating?" the elder twin brother screamed, his voice full of despair, as blades of energy materialized and swept toward them. His younger brother, equally terrified, surrounded himself with a whirlwind of green soul power, trying to protect himself from the deadly energy blades.
"Run!"
The elder twin brother acted decisively, shouting at the others to retreat as he turned to flee. The rest of the clan followed in panic, desperately trying to find the exit. But the array had already sealed off their escape, leaving them trapped like headless chickens in a maze of death.
"Why? Why is this happening?" one by one, the Swift Shadow Clan members fell, their bodies sliced into pieces by the relentless energy blades. The elder twin brother, clutching his younger brother's dismembered limbs, screamed in rage and sorrow, but his cries were cut short by a blade that severed his neck.
The scene bore an eerie resemblance to the fate of Lin Qian's scout beast when it had entered the array.
"This array is quite formidable, and its sensitivity is impressive," Lin Qian murmured, his soul power fading from his eyes as he sat up on the bed in the fortress. He frowned slightly.
These Swift Shadow Clan members had come with the intent to kill him. Lin Qian wasn't foolish enough to simply let them go out of mercy. As they left, the hidden Night Shadows had injected them with a poisoned needle.
The sensation of being bitten they had felt earlier was the Night Shadows administering the poison, which allowed Lin Qian to monitor them through the eyes and ears of the infected. It was this tiny anomaly that triggered the array, leading to their demise.
"It's truly ruthless—killing even their own clansmen," Lin Qian muttered, closing his eyes briefly before shaking his head in resignation. He then left the bed and walked out to where the imperial carriage was parked.
Crash!
Back in the courtyard covered by the array, the young Swift Shadow Clan master shattered a jade bottle filled with spirit wine against the ground, the liquid splattering everywhere. His face was dark with anger.
The second team—this was the second team of clansmen that had died, and they had perished within the illusion array. When his subordinates reported the situation, they explained that the array had suddenly activated and attacked the returning Swift Shadow Clan members as if they were intruders.
The absence of Bai Lingli's body in the array led the young master to conclude that he had likely died outside. The Illusionary Blade Array had been programmed to recognize the auras of Swift Shadow Clan members and not harm them. But if the array had targeted them, it could only mean that their auras had changed. Judging by their expressions, the clansmen likely had no idea what had happened, but the young master quickly deduced that the enemy must have tampered with their bodies.
After their clan's alchemists examined the bodies, they discovered a strange poison in their blood, though its exact effects were unclear. What was certain was that this poison had caused the array to turn on them.
"To think that two teams have already perished. It seems you've encountered a tough opponent, hahaha," mocked the Formless Clan member with the appearance of the one-armed Blackblade Fish Clan leader, clearly enjoying the young master's frustration.
The young Swift Shadow Clan master ignored the taunt, his eyes filled with a murderous intensity as he glared ahead. "I'll make him regret ever coming into this world. No one who touches what belongs to me will live to see another day."