### Chapter 96: Cave Opportunities (Nine)
The female Core Formation cultivator's arrival silenced the chaos. Her aura—calm, yet 磅礴 (overwhelming)—pressed down on the demons, making them 颤抖 (tremble) like leaves in a storm. Even the fiends, who'd mocked death, froze, their red eyes wide with primal fear.
"Core Formation…" Peng Qingyun breathed, his voice thick with awe. This was power beyond their imagination—*true* cultivation.
The woman glanced around, her gaze sweeping over the carnage: dead cultivators, writhing demons, and the haggard survivors clinging to life. Her lips tightened, but she said nothing. Instead, she raised a hand, her sleeve fluttering.
A 柔和的 (gentle) white light erupted from her palm, spreading outward like a wave. Where it touched, demons 哀嚎 (howled), their bodies dissolving into black smoke. It didn't burn—*purified*.
Lin Yi watched, slack-jawed. One gesture, and dozens of demons vanished. This was the gap between Core Formation and Foundation Establishment—*天壤之别 (a world of difference)*.
"Retreat!" a fiend shrieked, finally breaking the spell. The horde turned, scrambling to flee. Even the strongest fiends—those equal to Foundation Establishment—dared not face that light.
The woman didn't chase. She lowered her hand, the white light fading. "Are you all injured?" Her voice was calm, but there was warmth beneath it.
The survivors stared, too stunned to answer. Lin Yi was the first to recover, limping forward. "Thank you, Senior."
She nodded, her gaze lingering on his bloodied robes and the *Kuang Wang* sword. "You fought well, young man."
Peng and the remaining cultivator joined them, bowing deeply. The other survivors—those who'd been teleported in—crowded around, their faces a mix of relief and reverence.
"Senior, do you know what this place is?" a Level 8 cultivator asked.
"The tomb of Yin Demon," she said, her tone grave. "A ancient fiend, sealed here ten thousand years ago. The barrier's collapse woke his minions."
Lin Yi's heart skipped a beat. *Yin Demon… the succubus mentioned him.*
"Why are we being teleported here?" Peng asked.
She glanced at the swirling arrays on the ground. "The arrays are 失控 (out of control), pulling in all living beings. It wants to feed Yin Demon—strengthen him for his awakening."
A chill ran through the crowd. *Fed to a ancient fiend?*
"Can we stop it?" Lin Yi asked.
She shook her head. "Not with what we have. But I can open a path to the tomb's core. There, we might find a way to 延缓 (delay) his awakening."
"Lead the way, Senior," Lin Yi said. Anything was better than waiting to be eaten.
She nodded, turning toward a shadowy passage. "Stay close. The arrays will 反噬 (strike back)."
They followed, the woman's aura forming a protective bubble around them. Demons and fiends lurked in the shadows, but none dared attack—not with a Core Formation expert at the vanguard.
Lin Yi walked beside Peng, his eyes scanning the crowd. No sign of Zhang Ziyan. *Where are you?*
"Looking for someone?" Peng asked, noticing his distraction.
"Ziyan," Lin Yi said. "We got separated."
Peng clapped his shoulder. "She's tough. We'll find her."
Lin Yi hoped so.
As they ventured deeper, the air grew colder, thick with 魔气 (demonic energy). The passage walls were carved with 诡异的 (sinister) runes, glowing faintly as they passed.
"These runes… they're 献祭 (sacrificial)," the female cultivator murmured. "Yin Demon fed on cultivators to sustain his seal."
Lin Yi's stomach turned. *So many lives…*
Suddenly, the ground shook. A 震耳的 (deafening) roar echoed from ahead—deeper, angrier than any demon's.
"The guardian," the woman said, drawing her sword. It hummed with white light, purifying the air. "Stay back."
She charged forward, her sword slicing through the darkness. A 庞然的 (gigantic) shadow emerged—a fiend with three heads, each spewing black fire.
*Boom!*
White light clashed with black fire, the passage trembling. The woman moved like a blur, her swordsmanship 精妙 (exquisite), each strike weakening the guardian.
Lin Yi and the others watched, helpless but awe-struck. This was the power of Core Formation—*dominance*.
After a fierce battle, the guardian collapsed, dissolving into smoke. The woman panted, her aura dimming slightly but still formidable.
"Through here," she said, pointing to a hidden door behind the guardian's corpse.
They filed through, finding themselves in a vast chamber. At its center stood a stone altar, on which rested a black orb—pulsing with the same runes as the walls.
And beside the altar, leaning against a pillar, was Zhang Ziyan. Her whip was broken, her robes torn, but her eyes lit up when she saw Lin Yi.
"Ziyan!" he shouted, rushing to her.
She smiled, wincing as he helped her stand. "You're alive."
"Barely," he grinned.
The female cultivator studied the orb. "This is Yin Demon's 核心 (core). Destroy it, and his awakening will be 推迟 (delayed) for centuries."
But as she reached for it, the orb 爆发出 (erupted) black light, throwing her back. A 阴冷的 (cold) voice echoed through the chamber—*not from the orb, but from the air itself*.
"Foolish mortals… you cannot stop fate."
Yin Demon was 苏醒 (awakening).
Lin Yi gripped Zhang Ziyan's hand, his eyes locked on the orb. *We've come this far.*
"Let's finish this," he said, drawing the *Kuang Wang* sword.
The others nodded, their fear replaced by resolve. Whatever lay ahead, they'd face it together.
The cave's final trial had begun.