172: Chapter 172 As Expected, It's the Dark Alliance

Blood, severed limbs, and fragments of clothing were scattered across the ground.

This must be where the Giant Dog was injured.

“Is your master here?”

Lin Fan asked from its back.

The Giant Dog shook its head and continued sprinting.

After running for another forty minutes, it finally stopped.

They were in a forest where the trees were tall and sparse, providing a clear view.

Not far away...

...was the entrance to a massive cave, completely concealed by vines and shrubs.

The Giant Dog growled in front of the entrance, showing hostility as soon as it saw the cave.

“Looks like this is the place,”

Lin Fan thought, leaping down and landing lightly beside the Giant Dog.

“Then let’s draw them out,”

Lin Fan muttered under his breath, his eyes turning purple as he summoned ten Thunder Stars.

The Giant Dog was startled by Lin Fan’s actions and hurriedly jumped away.

At the same time,

Lin Fan had already condensed two Star Maps to cast a Spell.

“Thunder Strike.”

A thin bolt of purple lightning fell from the Star Map, striking the top of the cave.

Boom!

An explosion rang out, and the entire cave shook violently.

The vines and shrubs at the entrance were blown to bits.

Part of the rock wall collapsed, sending stone fragments flying.

Lin Fan nodded; the force was just right.

He hadn't used a stronger Spell for fear of the cave collapsing and burying the Giant Dog's master inside.

“Which bastard dares to launch a sneak attack?!”

A furious voice came from within the cave, followed by a powerful aura rushing out.

The next moment,

Figures emerged from the cave one after another.

In less than a minute, seven people appeared.

Four were dressed in yellow robes, two in black, and one in a striking red robe, with a style similar to the others.

Lin Fan scanned them:

The yellow robes were Tier 3 Mages, the black robes were Fourth-Order, and the one in red was a Fifth-Order Mage.

“In such a remote place, this lineup is quite substantial,”

Lin Fan thought.

He could tell from the style of the Mage Robes.

These were all members of the Dark Alliance, identical to those he had seen in Baiyun City.

“Who was the trash that just attacked? Do you have a death wish?!”

The red-robed man roared, his sharp gaze scanning the surroundings from beneath his hood.

Several gazes fell simultaneously on Lin Fan and the Giant Dog nearby.

“Oh, isn't this that woman's dog? I knew it would come back; that woman is quite stubborn.”

“Everyone, kill it and bring the egg back to me.”

“Once we're done, either kill that woman or refine her into a Dark Beast Puppet.”

The red-robed man ordered, his tone full of malice.

Woof!

Hearing this,

The Giant Dog barked and slowly hid behind Lin Fan.

The scene was somewhat comical...

A massive creature shrinking behind a human figure, like a large man hiding behind a kitten.

“Hmm? Who is this? Are you here to save that woman?”

The red-robed Fifth-Order Mage stared at Lin Fan, his brow furrowed.

He couldn't see through Lin Fan's Rank; something was interfering with his perception.

“But this White Mask... why does it look familiar? I feel like I've heard of it somewhere...”

The Fifth-Order Mage thought to himself.

Lin Fan scanned the seven people and asked, “Are these the only ones in the cave?”

“What does that have to do with you?”

The red-robed Fifth-Order Mage snorted and ordered the other six to surround and attack Lin Fan and the Giant Dog.

Boom!

Rumbling sounds echoed one after another.

The six people simultaneously unleashed the auras of Tier 3 and Fourth-Order Spells, summoning their stars.

Six Spells blasted toward Lin Fan and the Giant Dog at the same time.

The light illuminated the pitch-black forest.

Behind the mask, a glint flashed in Lin Fan's eyes, and a smile tugged at the corners of his mouth.

Perfect, he could test his Spells again.

His eyes lit up with a silver-white glow.

Space-element Stars rapidly emerged above his head, connecting with each other at an incredible speed.

A Star Cloud composed of twenty Star Arrays quickly formed above Lin Fan.

“Spatial Vortex,”

He said softly.

The next instant,

Ripples appeared in the space around him, and six vortexes resembling void gates appeared.

As soon as the vortexes formed, they released a terrifying suction force, swallowing all six incoming Spells.

The members of the Dark Alliance were dumbfounded as they watched this terrifying scene.

Even the red-robed Fifth-Order Mage was frozen in shock.

That collection of stars... it’s a Star Cloud!

“He’s a Sixth-Order Saint Mage! Run!”

Someone screamed in terror.

As soon as the words were spoken,

The five who were originally about to attack turned and fled, rushing into the forest at top speed, leaving the red-robed Fifth-Order Mage behind.

But how could Lin Fan let them escape just like that?

The Spatial Vortexes rotated, spitting out the swallowed Spells from the other end—faster and more powerful than before.

The Spells chased after the fleeing figures.

They caught up in less than three seconds.

Terrified screams briefly echoed through the forest before falling silent.

All six were dead!

Now, only the red-robed Fifth-Order Mage remained standing before Lin Fan.

He looked at Lin Fan as if looking at a devil, his legs turning weak and unable to move.

“You... who are you?”

“What do you want? Don’t come any closer! I am a high-level member of the Dark Alliance. If you kill me, they won’t let you off!”

The man shrieked.

He tried to use the volume of his voice to mask the fear in his heart.

Lin Fan looked at him expressionlessly for a few seconds before speaking:

“If they come looking for me, I’d welcome it.”

With that, he stepped forward.

Whoosh!

He was so fast he left only an afterimage.

Lin Fan appeared beside the Fifth-Order Mage in the next instant and grabbed him by the throat.

The Fifth-Order Mage’s eyes widened in terror.

Under the night sky, Lin Fan was like a ghost; he hadn't even seen an afterimage before being caught.

“You... what are you doing?”

“Let me go!”

He grabbed Lin Fan’s wrist, struggling desperately, but Lin Fan’s arm didn't budge an inch.

“Don’t be nervous, I’m just using you for an experiment. You’ll be fine.”

Lin Fan said, then suddenly threw the Fifth-Order Mage toward one of the Spatial Vortexes.

“Aaaah...!”

The man screamed like a stuck pig as his body flew through the air and was instantly swallowed by the vortex.

“Then again, maybe not,”

Lin Fan added calmly after he disappeared.

After the Fifth-Order Mage was sucked into the vortex, Lin Fan waited for a few seconds.

The vortex rotated, revealing the other end... the exit where the Spells should have been spat out.

Lin Fan stared, wanting to see the result.

Swallowed Spells would become stronger.

So, if a living person went in, would they become stronger, or would something else happen?

He had originally expected that the other party would come out either missing limbs or covered in wounds.

But what emerged from the vortex was only a gust of damp air carrying a heavy scent of blood.

Lin Fan: “...”

Throwing a person in didn't even leave a drop of blood.

At least he knew now that the fate of a living creature entering a Spatial Vortex was... certain death!

“I wonder what it’s actually like inside,”

Lin Fan muttered to himself while staring at the vortex, though he had no intention of going in to explore.

He dismissed his Spells, and the six vortexes vanished.

Lin Fan glanced to the side.

The Giant Dog was letting out faint whimpers toward the cave entrance; the opening was too small, and its massive body couldn't fit inside.

“Its master should be inside,”

Lin Fan thought, walking toward the Giant Dog.

“Move aside.”