### Chapter 82: Demonic Whispers
Lin Yi stared up at the hole they'd jumped through, dark winds swirling above. Below lay a small chamber—half the size of a basketball court—with a teleportation array and a shadowy passage. Xiao Liang, Peng, and Yan were gone.
"Who knows what's on the other side of that array?" he muttered, choosing caution over speed. "Better take the passage once we're rested."
Zhang Ziyan, her tension finally easing, had slipped into unconsciousness. Lin Yi gently laid her down, then hacked into a earthen wall with the *Kuang Wang* sword. His spiritual energy was nearly gone, but his tempered meridians kept him going.
He carved a small niche, carried her inside, and sealed the entrance with talismans—*Earth Dragon* to collapse the path, *Earth Wall* to disguise it.
Exhaustion hit. He lay beside her and fell asleep, the first peaceful rest since finding the bracelet.
…
Time blurred.
*Soft… warm…* Lin Yi's eyes flew open.
Zhang Ziyan had rolled closer in her sleep. Their lips touched; her breath, sweet and virginal, sent heat racing through him. His hand, seemingly of its own accord, rested on her chest—soft, full, intoxicating.
He猛地 pulled back, his heart pounding. *Be a beast or be worse than a beast?*
Decency won. He forced calm, focusing on his ragged body. Leaning against the wall, he cycled the *Five Spirits Technique*, mending his meridians. The strange energy from his fused powers flickered to life, aiding his recovery.
When he opened his eyes again, Zhang Ziyan was awake, meditating on a *Condensation Dew Pill*. She smiled faintly. "How are you feeling?"
Lin Yi flushed,想起 (remembering) the earlier intimacy. "Better."
"Where are we?"
"Beneath the pit we jumped into."
"Will we survive?" Her voice was soft.
"Absolutely." He met her gaze, unwavering.
She smiled, brighter this time. "I believe you. You'll get us out."
Lin Yi stared, captivated. "Ziyan… you're beautiful."
Her cheeks pinkened. "Hurry and recover."
He complied, swallowing pills to replenish his spiritual energy. For five hours, they sat in companionable silence—until he was ready.
"Let's go." He offered his hand.
She hesitated, then let him take it.
Lin Yi smashed a path back with *Iron Sand Palm*—its power shocking Zhang Ziyan. "Mortal martial arts?"
"Enhanced by another technique," he said vaguely.
They entered the shadowy passage, its floor littered with bones, walls lined with skulls. Cold winds howled, sending chills down their spines. Zhang Ziyan pressed closer to him.
"别怕 (Don't be afraid)," he murmured, wrapping an arm around her waist.
He stole a kiss on her forehead. She stiffened, then relaxed, a faint smile tugging at her lips.
Lin Yi summoned the Black Water Lotus to hover above them, its light dimmed but still protective. He activated his tattered *Sao Bao* robe, too—survival first, vanity later.
The passage felt endless, but with her in his arms, danger seemed distant.
Then a voice echoed—hoarse, as if from another world, yet eerily close.
"出去 (Leave)!"
Two words, oozing with magic, threatened to unravel their resolve.
Lin Yi tightened his grip on Zhang Ziyan. Whatever lurked ahead, they'd face it together.