They hastily pulled back.

In that instant, a low hum vibrated through the air, like a prelude to the heavens themselves being torn asunder.

The four of them had just put a few meters between them when the massive dome above shattered like fragile glass, a huge hole booming open.

A brilliant golden beam of light, like the sword of a Celestial God, tore through the darkness and struck straight down upon the three-meter-tall armored Giant.

Where the beam passed, light burst forth, so blinding one could barely keep their eyes open. The entire space was instantly illuminated as if day had broken.

By the time the light gradually faded, the three-meter-tall armored Giant was gone.

The layer of frost that had coated the area also melted away into wisps of white steam.

In its place, five figures clad in white robes had appeared.

The one leading them was now holding the Black Iron Token and a tattered scrap of cloth.

"Hmph? Are you looking to die?!"

Seeing this, a chilling glint entered Gao Qian’s eyes.

They had gone to great lengths to subdue that monster, only for this group to snatch the spoils.

This was a blatant provocation, an utter show of disrespect.

The space behind her rippled faintly, and a disheveled, bluish-black figure emerged.

Wisps of spectral light coiled around the figure, making it look like a malevolent spirit that had crawled from some bottomless abyss.

Light seemed to be devoured wherever it passed, and the surroundings instantly dimmed by several shades.

Gao Qian raised her hand. Bluish-black threads materialized from thin air like vipers, whistling as they shot violently toward the group.

Space itself seemed to tear where the threads passed, releasing a faint black miasma.

Nearby, Wei Fan’s eyes flickered, but he made no move to stop her.

Ouyang Shuokong, standing at the very back, let his gaze sweep over the glaring golden sun emblem emblazoned on the chests of their white robes.

His thoughts were unreadable.

Back where the group stood.

Before the leader in white could even respond, one of the four behind him roared, his eyes wide with fury.

"Insolence! You are abominations, just as we thought!"

With that, the four stepped forward in unison, chanting in low voices.

"O, great Sun God, your followers beseech you! From the heavens above, pour down your power! With your Divine Technique—Radiant Sun—descend upon this world! Purge these abominations!"

HUMMM!

The very air trembled.

A dazzling radiance manifested above the heads of the white-robed figures.

As the light passed over.

The torrent of bluish-black threads surging toward them evaporated like snow under a scorching sun.

Gao Qian let out a muffled groan, her face instantly turning deathly pale. She felt her Dream Eye seize up, as if it had momentarily crashed.

"Go!"

Wei Fan’s voice rang out.

A flash of red light enveloped the group, and they vanished from the spot.

Only a single voice was left echoing in the area.

"I, Wei Fan, will remember this!"

The radiance subsided.

The four white-robed figures looked pale, their bodies swaying slightly. The technique had clearly taken a great toll on them.

"Those damned abominations... If you had acted, Saintess, we could have surely captured them..."

One of the white-robed figures said regretfully, watching the spot where Wei Fan’s group had vanished.

"Enough. This is the Oracle. The time has not yet come to purge these things completely."

The white-robed figure they called the Saintess spoke calmly, her voice gentle.

As she tilted her head up slightly, she revealed a fair, delicate face with a high-bridged nose, deep-set eyes, and irises the color of amber.

It was none other than Wuan Anning.

Her legs, astonishingly, were fully healed. Not only that, but at some unknown point, she had become the Saintess of the Sun God Sect.

Hearing her words, the expressions of the four turned solemn and reverent as they uniformly made a standard, sacred prayer gesture over their chests.

Their voices were steady and firm. "May the light of the Sun God be Immortal, and may it shine eternally upon the world, dispelling all shadows and darkness."

...

「Beside a vast, empty field.」

A red light flashed in the void.

Four figures materialized.

It was Wei Fan and his group.

Just a moment ago, Wei Fan had used his Dream Realm to envelop the group and pull them directly from that place.

The reason was simple: that light was too bizarre. It seemed to be a natural counter to the Dream Eye within them.

Nothing like this had ever happened before. If they had truly been caught in its glow, there was no telling what might have occurred.

"What was that just now? The Dream Eye inside me was being suppressed."

Gao Qian was the first to break the silence, her voice laced with undisguised panic and weakness.

She was in a wretched state. The healthy color had drained from her cheeks, leaving them pale as paper, and damp strands of hair were plastered to her forehead.

"Those people are likely followers of the Sun God Sect."

At his side, Ouyang Shuokong’s eyes flickered. Noticing the others’ confused gazes on him, he began to explain.

"I’ve heard of them before. They are a religious faction, a Church that devoutly worships the Sun God. Their followers are scattered all over the world, but until now, they have always been active outside the borders of the Yu Country.

They seem to wield power bestowed by a deity. I just never expected them to appear here today."

A deity?!

Hearing this, the group exchanged glances.

’What a joke.’

Naturally, they didn’t believe in this so-called deity Ouyang Shuokong spoke of.

’If gods truly existed, how could something like the Dream Eye appear in the world?’

Wei Fan felt the same, his brow creased in thought.

After a moment of contemplation, he spoke with a grave expression.

"We need to report this incident to the Sword Holder as soon as possible.

You’ve all worked hard. Go home and get some rest for a few days."

...

The night was deep, and the room was cloaked in a thick darkness.

The heavy panting gradually subsided.