287: Chapter 287 Return Journey Through Blood Gorge

Ye Tian forcibly suppressed his rage. He understood that anger could not solve the problem; it would only make things worse.

He had to remain calm and find a way to survive in this desperate situation!

Hou Xiaojie's life hung in the balance of his decisions!

From now until noon tomorrow, there were at most seven hours left!

Finding a way out from the depths of Bloodbone Gorge and then reaching Lijian Villa, located on the outskirts of Zhelong Hill, would normally take nearly six hours, even if the path were completely unobstructed!

This did not even account for finding the exit, potential obstacles, or dealing with the layers of blockades and ambushes that were bound to exist outside the villa!

It was an almost impossible task!

But Ye Tian had no choice; he had to do it!

"We have no time left."

"We must find a way out of here immediately and reach Lijian Villa as fast as possible!"

He immediately took out the black sword scabbard command token.

At this moment, the command token's resonance was about ten miles ahead. That was the final location of the guidance; it might be the exit passage, but it could also be an even more dangerous death trap.

But regardless, he had to venture there!

"Let's go!"

Ye Tian pushed his speed to the limit, and Dragon Ape immediately shrank its size, crouching back onto his shoulder to keep watch for him.

They did not stop at all along the way, nor did they explore any Opportunity.

Occasionally, they were harassed by Evil Qi spirits or underground bone spikes, but he defeated them with the fastest methods possible, never lingering in battle.

The ten-mile journey, pushed with all his might, took less than the time it takes for an incense stick to burn.

Ahead, the canyon came to an end, revealing a sheer cliff face a hundred zhang high.

In the center of the cliff, about ten zhang above the ground, was the outline of a circular portal inlaid with giant dark gold bones!

The portal was tightly closed, and in the center was a groove identical in shape to the black command token in Ye Tian's hand.

Around the portal, the Evil Qi was so dense that it formed a thick, viscous sea of mist, within which countless phantoms of Evil Qi spirits could be seen floating. Merely approaching it made one's Soul tremble.

Below the portal, various biological bones were piled up, including the remains of Sea Transformation Realm Yao Beasts. Clearly, over countless years, countless living beings had tried to approach or pass through this portal, only to end up as withered bones.

This was the destination of the black command token's resonance, and also the possible passage to leave Bloodbone Gorge!

But wanting to pass through would be no easy task!

Ye Tian stopped beneath the portal, looking up at the tightly closed bone gate with a grave expression.

He could feel that behind the portal, it seemed to connect to another space. The aura was different from Dragon Slaying Abyss; it was very likely the outside world!

But at the same time, he also felt a repulsive force originating from the portal itself.

"To open the portal, I must use the command token. But once I activate the command token, it will certainly alert the surrounding Evil Qi spirits and might even trigger other dangers."

Ye Tian analyzed quickly, "Furthermore, opening the portal might take time."

Time! Time was what he lacked most! Any delay in any part of the process could lead to Hou Xiaojie's death!

"Xiao Long, I cannot be distracted while opening the door. The surrounding Evil Qi spirits, and any other unforeseen events, are up to you! At all costs, buy me time!"

Ye Tian looked at the Dragon Ape on his shoulder. He knew this request was difficult; the quantity and quality of the surrounding Evil Qi spirits far exceeded what they had faced before, and among them, several auras were faintly reaching the Middle Stage of the Sea Transformation Realm!

Although Dragon Ape had recovered, facing them alone was extremely dangerous.

"Rest assured, Master! With me here, no one will be able to disturb you!"

Dragon Ape leaped from Ye Tian's shoulder without hesitation, instantly returning to its full combat form. Its pale gold fur moved without wind, pale flames burned, and the sword-bane mark on its right claw swirled. The ferocious aura of a Sea Transformation Realm Yao Beast erupted, temporarily pushing back the encroaching Evil Qi!

It lowered its body, blocking the space between Ye Tian and the sea of Evil Qi mist.

"Good brother!"

Ye Tian felt a warmth in his heart and said no more. He adjusted his state to its peak, then leaped up, climbing the cliff to reach the groove on the bone gate.

He took out the black sword scabbard command token and pressed it against the groove.

"Hum!"

The cliff suddenly shook! On the bone gate, those bone patterns lit up one by one, and a consciousness radiated from the portal, sweeping over Ye Tian.

At the same time, the ancient sword pill and fragments within Ye Tian's body, as well as the fragments of the 'Gu Hong' Sword Intent he had just comprehended, were all drawn to it.

The portal was being activated! But the speed was not fast; the light gathered slowly from the edges toward the center, clearly requiring time.

And the moment the command token was embedded, the red mist sea around them instantly became violent!

Countless phantoms of Evil Qi spirits roared, rushing out from the mist sea in a scramble, surging toward Ye Tian, who was activating the portal!

Their numbers blotted out the sky, and among them, there were no fewer than ten whose auras reached the Sea Transformation Realm level!

There were even several Evil Qi spirits with particularly massive bodies and dark gold Soul flames whose auras reached the Middle Stage of the Sea Transformation Realm. They seemed to have higher intelligence, not rushing up immediately but commanding from the periphery.

"Roar! Come on! Scum!"

Dragon Ape roared wildly and took the initiative to meet them! It opened its huge mouth, spewing a pale pillar of fire several times thicker than before, sweeping across the front!

At the same time, it struck with both claws, wrapped in pale and blood-colored flames, slamming fiercely into the fastest-charging Early Stage Sea Transformation Realm Evil Qi spirits!

"Boom! Boom! Sizzle!"

Wherever the flaming claws passed, the Evil Qi spirits rushing in front were instantly scattered!

But more Evil Qi spirits surged forward one after another. They had no physical bodies, so physical attacks were limited, but the cold, sinister Evil Qi was pervasive.

Although Dragon Ape was fierce, facing such a massive number of enemies, it still fell into a bitter battle. Its body was constantly eroded by the Evil Qi, leaving black marks, and its Soul was also enduring continuous impact.

But it firmly blocked the space between Ye Tian and the portal, not retreating a single step! Every time it defeated an Evil Qi spirit, its own aura weakened a fraction.

Ye Tian had his back to the battlefield and could hear the intense sounds of battle behind him. He felt Dragon Ape's aura weakening and was burning with anxiety, but he could not turn back, nor could he be distracted!

He had to communicate with the command token with all his might to speed up the portal's opening!

"Faster! Faster!" Ye Tian screamed in his heart.

The light in the center of the bone gate was gathering slowly, and more than half had already lit up.

But the sounds of battle behind him were becoming increasingly dense.

"Pfft!"

Dragon Ape's shoulder blade was slashed by an Early Stage Sea Transformation Realm Evil Qi spirit. Dragon Ape roared in pain, backhanding the Evil Qi spirit to disperse it, but its movements were visibly sluggish.

Just then, the few Middle Stage Sea Transformation Realm Evil Qi spirits that had been commanding from the periphery simultaneously let out a sharp shriek, attacking Dragon Ape's vital points from three different directions!

As soon as they attacked, they triggered the surrounding Evil Qi to form a tornado!

Dragon Ape's pupils shrank, sensing a fatal threat.

It roared wildly, stimulating its remaining Yao power. The flames on its body instantly transformed into dark gold flames, and the mark on its right claw erupted with blood-red light, turning its entire right claw into a demonic sword burning with blood flames!

It no longer defended but, facing the strongest Middle Stage Sea Transformation Realm Evil Qi spirit in front and the direction of the bone gate behind it, used its last bit of strength to swing its most powerful claw!

"Get lost, all of you!!"

The terrifying energy impact of the explosion instantly vaporized hundreds of surrounding Evil Qi spirits, and even the cliff face cracked!

The Soul body of the Middle Stage Sea Transformation Realm Evil Qi spirit directly in front instantly collapsed by more than half, and it flew backward. The other two Middle Stage Evil Qi spirits were also shaken by the aftermath, their Soul bodies becoming unstable, and their attacks stalled.

As for Dragon Ape, after unleashing this earth-shattering strike, the flames around its body dimmed, its aura plummeted, and it fell backward, crashing beneath the cliff. It struggled a few times but could not climb back up. It was no longer able to fight.

"Xiao Long!!"

Ye Tian felt Dragon Ape's aura plummet behind him, his mind shaking violently, and he almost lost control of the command token. But he bit his tongue, forcibly pulling his mind back.

The light at the center of the bone gate was now ninety percent lit, lacking only the final bit!

"Screech!" The two Middle Stage Sea Transformation Realm Evil Qi spirits that had been shaken back, along with the remaining surrounding Evil Qi spirits, surged toward Dragon Ape and Ye Tian again!

Ye Tian's eyes were splitting with rage, prepared to turn back and rescue it regardless of the consequences.

"Hum!!"

The final bit of light at the center of the bone gate finally lit up! The entire portal erupted with brilliant radiance!

The tightly closed portal opened inward, revealing a silver curtain of light behind it! The passage was open!

At the same time, the black sword scabbard command token embedded in the portal suddenly flew back into Ye Tian's hand, and it erupted with a powerful repulsive force, instantly repelling the Evil Qi spirits that had surged close!

"Now is the time!"

Ye Tian roared, using all his strength to turn around, scoop up the shrunken Dragon Ape, and leap into the silver light curtain!

"Whoosh!" Their figures were instantly swallowed by the light curtain.

"Bang!" After the two entered, the portal's light quickly dimmed, and it slammed shut, leaving only countless Evil Qi spirits beneath the cliff frantically ramming against the door.

Behind the silver light curtain was not a direct arrival at the outside world, but a short teleportation passage.

Ye Tian held Dragon Ape tightly, traversing through the passage. He felt the world spinning, which made his already exhausted body suffer even more.

He did not know how much time had passed when his feet finally touched solid ground and fresh air rushed into his lungs. Ye Tian barely managed to stand steady and found himself on the edge of a forest, with a steep cliff behind him. At the base of the cliff was a crack that was slowly closing; it was the teleportation exit.

In the distance, the continuous outline of Zhelong Hill could be seen. This was already the outskirts of Zhelong Hill, perhaps even outside the range of Zhelong Hill!

"We're out..."

Ye Tian felt slightly relieved. He quickly identified the direction. Based on the location of Lijian Villa mentioned in the previous information from Old Abacus, and judging by the position of the sun, he was currently on the southwestern outskirts of Zhelong Hill.

And to get from the southwestern outskirts to Lijian Villa on the northeastern side, even at full speed, would take at least two and a half to three hours!

Now, there was less than six hours left until noon tomorrow! He had to leave immediately!

Ye Tian could not bother with recovering his own injuries; he immediately fed the unconscious Dragon Ape a healing Medicinal Pill, then sped off toward the northeast!