One of the seniors nodded grimly. "Then may the heavens watch over you, Brother Han."

Without another word, they turned and began to retreat, running parallel to the barrier, hoping to find safety further away. Han Yu watched as they sprinted across the uneven terrain, their robes fluttering behind them.

For a brief moment, he felt relief that they were putting distance between themselves and danger.

But that feeling lasted only a few seconds.

"Oho?" A low chuckle echoed from above, smooth yet mocking.

Han Yu's head snapped upward.

A man hovered in the air, his silhouette outlined against the fractured sky. What caught Han Yu's attention immediately were the two metallic wings extending from his back. They gleamed faintly with a dull silver light, each feather sharp and angular like blades.

'How's he flying?' Han Yu wondered.

He was not using a spirit weapon to fly. Those wings were a part of him or something far more unnatural.

The Twin Leaf Peak disciples froze mid-step. Their heads turned upward in unison, horror painted across their faces.

"H-he's flying without a weapon…" one of them whispered.

Han Yu's mind raced.

Only cultivators at the Nascent Soul realm and above could fly freely without external assistance. Unfortunately he couldn't even check the cultivation with the barrier blocking him.

But the others didn't have this restriciton.

A Senior disciple checked the man's cultivaiton base and was surprised.

"Not Nascent Soul?" The senior disciple muttered, feeling a bit of hope.

The black robed persons cultivation was strong, but not beyond reach. Core Condensation Realm, nothing higher.

That should have been impossible.

"Get ready," said the senior-most disciple, his voice steady despite the fear in his eyes. "We fight."

The others drew their weapons, their qi flaring to life in unison. The metallic-winged man merely tilted his head, a faint smirk curling on his lips.

"Fight?" he murmured, almost amused.

SHING

But before anyone could react, a sharp sound sliced through the air... a sound like a thousand blades being drawn at once.

Then came the darkness.

SHALA

A colossal arc of shadow surged from behind the Twin Leaf disciples, cleaving through the ground in an instant. It was so fast that Han Yu barely registered it until he saw it pass through them.

"NOOOOO!" Han Yu shouted, his voice breaking.

The disciples froze mid-motion. For a brief moment, they seemed unharmed. Then their bodies split apart cleanly at the waist, sliding in opposite directions before collapsing lifelessly to the ground.

THUD THUD THUD THUD THUD THUD THUD

Blood fanned out across the cracked earth.

The metallic-winged man sighed in disappointment. "Tch. Senior brother, why did you take my prey from me?"

Han Yu turned his head sharply, his eyes finding another figure standing a hundred meters away. This one was on the ground, his black and red robes rippling gently in the wind. In his hand, he held a thin sword, almost like a rapier, its blade still shrouded in swirling black qi that hissed faintly as if alive.

The newcomer's expression was cold and emotionless. "This is not the time for games. The pests must be purged quickly. We have real work to do."

The winged man clicked his tongue in irritation. "Always so serious, Senior Brother. You could at least let me have a little fun before the end."

"Fun can wait," the swordsman replied. He then gestured slightly toward the barrier. "If you want something to amuse yourself with, look there."

The winged man followed his gaze and his crimson eyes landed directly on Han Yu.

Han Yu's muscles tensed.

His halberd hummed faintly with qi, but he dared not make a move. The winged man smiled, intrigued. With a flap of his metallic wings, he descended smoothly and landed just a few paces away from the barrier, his boots clicking against the stone.

"So someone actually managed to get inside," he mused aloud.

He reached out and placed a hand against the barrier. The energy shimmered faintly where he touched, refusing to yield.

He tapped it twice, almost experimentally, before sighing in mild disappointment. "Sturdy. Even I can't break through this."

He turned his head slightly. "Senior Brother, when will the elders disable it?"

The man with the rapier approached slowly, his presence calm yet oppressive. "Soon. They are already unraveling the seals. Once the ritual reaches its peak, this barrier will fall."

"I see," said the winged man, his smile returning. "Then I suppose we can wait. Still… it is surprising. I thought entry into the barrier was impossible."

The swordsman nodded faintly. "It is supposed to be. Which means this one's presence here is an anomaly."

Han Yu's breath caught.

He could feel their gazes on him, cold and piercing, as though they were looking through his very soul. These were not mere invaders. They knew the structure of the realm. They spoke of rituals and seals as though they had been the ones to create them.

At the same time, he felt several wisps of Grey Surprise Energy, float over to him. This was unusual as Han Yu didn't think anything could bypass the barrier, and yet this did.

'The Eight Emotions energy isn't restricted by the barrier...' Han Yu thought.

He also realized that the two men were truly surprised by his presence and weren't merely joking.

The winged man crouched slightly, peering through the shimmering barrier. "Tell me, little one," he said softly, his voice carrying a cruel amusement. "How did you end up inside this tomb's heart? Did you stumble in by luck, or are you part of the ritual as well?"

Han Yu remained silent, his expression hardening. He refused to give them the satisfaction of an answer.

The winged man chuckled. "Silent, are we? How dull."

His senior brother sheathed his rapier with a soft click. "Leave him. Once the barrier falls, the truth will reveal itself. For now, watch and wait. The true purge is about to begin. Once enough have fallen, the barrier shall fall as well."