Entering the Black Mist Wasteland

In the room.

Wei Qing, who was sitting cross-legged, suddenly opened his eyes, a golden light flashing past.

An invisible wave of Mental Power, like a sharp blade, pierced through the wall. Under this power, the hard bricks and stones were as easily penetrated as thin paper.

"If this were to happen suddenly, any martial artist below the fifth rank could be cut down in one blow!"

As Wei Qing spoke, red light flashed in his eyes again.

Instantly, the surrounding environment shifted.

A familiar blood moon hung in the sky.

A cross stood on the edge of a cliff overlooking a sea of blood.

Wei Qing's consciousness avatar raised its hand.

The sea of blood beneath his feet surged violently, and a ten-meter-high blood-red tide rose like a giant beast taking flight.

It crashed against the cliff with a fishy smell.

Then, Wei Qing seemed to transform into a creator.

Under the control of his consciousness, the scenes within the space switched like a carousel.

A deep blue ocean.

A desert with sandstorms filling the sky.

A forest where myriad beasts roared.

A battlefield where people were fighting...

Any scene that Wei Qing could think of or even imagine could be conjured within the space.

Knock, knock, knock...

Suddenly, there was a knock on the door, and Wei Qing withdrew from the space.

"Come in."

The door creaked open from the outside to the inside.

Zhang Zhidong entered the room, cupped his fists, and said, "My Lord, I just received a secret report. The anomalies in the Black Mist Wasteland are dissipating. The disciples of the sects in Qingcheng have all departed for the Black Mist Wasteland."

Wei Qing got up from the bed. "Then let's go too."

Zhang Zhidong took his orders and went to arrange personnel.

Black Mist Wasteland.

Since the news of the rare treasure spread, many people had gathered here.

Some chose to stay in Qingcheng.

Others waited on the spot.

A quarter of an hour ago, the Black Mist Wasteland, which had been shrouded in thick fog for years, suddenly revealed a road ten meters wide that stretched as far as the eye could see, leading deep into the wasteland.

As the black mist gradually thinned.

The disciples of the sects gathered at the entrance had already exceeded a hundred people.

At this moment, over a hundred sect disciples had already gathered around.

Among this group, three figures were particularly conspicuous.

The most eye-catching was the man with a saber on his back, standing at the edge of the crowd. He was dressed in a dark black tight-fitting outfit, and the black giant saber, which was over three feet long, was slung diagonally across his back. The dark red patterns wrapped around the scabbard looked like dried blood. No one within three zhang of him dared to approach.

"That's Blood Saber Qin Shuang," someone in the crowd whispered.

"I heard he single-handedly wiped out the Six Ghosts of Jinyang last year. The number of souls slain by that blood saber is at least eighty, if not a hundred."

In stark contrast to the lone saber wielder was a young man in luxurious clothing, surrounded by five or six people like a star being adored. The young man was in his early twenties, with a face so beautiful it was almost effeminate, and a faint, arrogant smile playing on his lips.

"Young Master of the Blazing Sun Sect, Liu Yulong," an older martial artist warned his junior disciples, "Don't provoke him, or you won't even know how you died."

Liu Yulong seemed to enjoy the awe in the eyes of those around him. He waved the jade-bone fan in his hand and said to an old man behind him, "Elder Chen, after the mist dissipates, you will be the first to charge in. The sudden dissipation of the mist in the Black Mist Wasteland must mean an extraordinary item is about to appear."

"Yes, Young Master."

The last person was a mysterious woman, protected at the center by four women. The four attendants were all dressed in plain white gauze and held different weapons, their positions forming a formation that tightly guarded the purple-clothed girl in the middle.

The girl was about seventeen or eighteen years old, with skin as fair as congealed fat. Her dark hair was loosely tied up with a single purple ribbon.

She was playing with a crystal-clear crystal ball in her hand, within which clouds and mist seemed to swirl.

"Is that... someone from the Mystic Maiden Palace?" someone guessed uncertainly.

"Hush!" Her companion quickly stopped her, lowering her voice and warning, "Don't speak carelessly... Don't you know how much people from the Mystic Maiden Palace hate it when others point fingers at them?"

The purple-clothed girl seemed to have heard the discussion. She slightly turned her head, her dark eyes sweeping across the crowd. Those who met her gaze involuntarily held their breath, as if suppressed by some invisible force.

"Senior Brother, are these three the top-ranked prodigies from our Jizhou Prefecture on the Heavenly Pride Ranking?" Dongfang Rongrong asked, blinking her eyes as she looked at the three.

"Mm-hmm," Song Yuanming nodded. "Qin Shuang, ranked eighth, Liu Yulong, ranked eleventh, and Nangong Ruyan, ranked fourteenth."

As for Tantai Yue, ranked fourth, she wasn't a local of Jizhou Prefecture. Rumor had it she came from the Imperial City and was the child of a high-ranking official in the Heavenly Realm Division.

Upon seeing these three arrive, Song Yuanming's desire to compete for the treasure instantly waned significantly.

The Blazing Sun Sect and the Mystic Maiden Palace were both first-rate powers within Jizhou Prefecture.

Qin Shuang's master was rumored to be a powerful rogue cultivator at the Fourth Rank.

Regardless of strength or influence.

The gap between him and these three wasn't just a little bit.

Even if he were lucky enough to obtain the treasure, he might not be able to keep it.

Qin Yang and Zhao Gao of the Blood Robe Gate, standing at the very back of the crowd, saw the three arrive. Not only did they show no apprehension, but they exchanged a mysterious smile.

Just as everyone was discussing, the mist in the passage completely dissipated.

The next moment.

A black shadow, before anyone could react, stepped onto the great road first, charging into the Black Mist Wasteland.

"How dare you."

Liu Yulong's face instantly turned furious.

He had just told everyone in front of them that Chen Li would go in first, and immediately, someone stepped out to slap him in the face.

"Elder Chen, find that person and kill him!"

"Yes, Young Sect Master."

Chen Li received the order and transformed into an afterimage, giving chase.

After Qin Shuang and the other two, along with their guards, stepped onto the great road, the other sect disciples followed closely behind them into the Black Mist Wasteland.

By the time Wei Qing, leading Tantai Yue, Jun Wushang, and Zhang Xue, arrived, there was no one left at the entrance.

Wei Qing surveyed the area. Aside from the dense fog and a large road leading into the depths of the Black Mist Wasteland, he found nothing unusual. "It seems they've all gone in."

"Qingzi, we're a step too late. Let's hurry in, or someone else will snatch that treasure."

Jun Wushang insisted on coming along after hearing about the treasure.

Of course, the curious Zhang Xue couldn't be left behind.

Only Tantai Yue seemed to notice Wei Qing's odd behavior but didn't point it out.

Wei Qing's expression was solemn as he quietly instructed, "No matter what happens later, remember to stay close to me."

"Okay."

"No problem."

"Qingzi, whatever you say goes. Let's go."

"Alright."

Wei Qing responded briefly and was the first to step onto the great road, heading into the Black Mist Wasteland, with the other three following closely behind.

Not long after Wei Qing and the others entered.

An anomaly occurred.

The mist, which had already dispersed, quietly gathered again, weaving an invisible net like a ghost, silently sealing the entrance.

Then, the mist seemed to gain a life of its own, chasing after them bit by bit, swallowing their retreat route inch by inch.