Passage Sealed

"From the moment we stepped into the Black Mist Wasteland, there was no turning back."

Nangong Ruyan put away her crystal ball, the purple ribbon fluttering gently in the mist. "From now on, we can only press forward."

After speaking, her gaze fell upon Wei Qing.

The others around them also turned their attention to him in unison.

Wei Qing's powerful display just now had earned the trust of almost everyone.

"We truly have no retreat," Wei Qing said, his voice not loud but clearly reaching everyone's ears. "But the path ahead isn't necessarily a dead end."

"Just because no one has ever left the Black Mist Wasteland before doesn't mean we can't."

Wei Qing's words were like a powerful tonic, dispelling the gloom that had settled upon everyone's hearts.

"Yes, we'll listen to Lord Wei."

Song Yuanming was the first to respond.

"My Mystic Maiden Palace will also listen to Lord Wei."

"Tianhai Sect as well."

"We will too..."

Even Liu Yulong, who found Wei Qing displeasing, had to agree.

"Very good," Wei Qing's gaze swept across each face. "From this moment on, we are one."

"I will do my best to lead everyone out of the Black Mist Wasteland."

With that, Wei Qing stepped forward to lead the group.

Jun Wushang was the first to follow.

Tantai Yue, Song Yuanming, Qin Shuang, and the others followed closely, continuing along the main road into the Black Mist Wasteland.

Meanwhile.

The outside world was in an uproar.

News of the Black Mist Wasteland passage being sealed spread like wildfire throughout Jizhou Prefecture.

Numerous forces dispatched their strongest sect members to the Black Mist Wasteland.

"Zhidong, what are we going to do?"

Shen Yan had lost her composure from earlier. Her daughter being trapped in the Black Mist Wasteland had left her distraught.

It had been three hundred years since the demons descended and the Black Mist Wasteland appeared.

No one who had entered had ever come out.

She had opposed her daughter going in the first place.

But she couldn't resist her daughter's pleas.

And her heart softened.

Zhang Zhidong gently patted Shen Yan's hand to comfort her. "Don't worry. Since the Black Mist Wasteland has changed now, it means there must be a way out."

In truth, he was also very anxious.

But he had to stay strong right now. Otherwise, he couldn't imagine what his wife would become if they lost their daughter.

Cai Yang chimed in, "Yes, Sister Yan. Xue'er and Wei Qing are blessed individuals. Let's wait a bit longer. The misty passage appeared once, so it will definitely appear again."

"That's right, Sister Yan."

The other Garrison Commanders nodded in agreement.

Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh...

As they spoke, A series of urgent footsteps accompanied by the sound of wind rang out.

Immediately after, a large group of figures appeared before them abruptly, like ghosts.

The first to arrive was a man in green, his eyes cold, surrounded by a powerful aura that could not be ignored.

"Third Rank Heavenly Gang Realm?"

Cai Yang couldn't help but exclaim.

The newcomer's strength was on par with the Pacification Commissioners of their Heavenly Realm Division.

Before this, Cai Yang had never heard of another Third Rank Heavenly Gang Realm expert hidden within Jizhou Prefecture.

Speaking of martial artist realms.

Ninth Rank to Seventh Rank were collectively known as the lower three ranks, or the Qi Cultivation Realm.

In this realm, martial artists needed to cultivate a vortex within their bodies, using qi to temper their bodies and forge their foundation.

When the qi vortex condenses to its peak and transforms into pure true essence, one steps into the True Essence Realm of the middle three ranks, experiencing a rapid surge in strength.

Within this realm, the profound secret lies in the gradual unblocking of the twelve meridians within the body.

These meridians are nourished one by one by the true essence, transitioning from being blocked to becoming clear. Each breakthrough represents a transcendence of one's own limits.

When all twelve meridians are unblocked, completing a grand circulation of true essence.

The true essence within the martial artist, like a butterfly emerging from its cocoon, achieves a qualitative leap—it can be projected outwards!

This projected true qi then condenses around the martial artist into an invisible gang qi armor, indestructible.

Gang qi armor signifies that the martial artist has officially entered the esteemed hall of Third Rank Heavenly Gang Realm powerhouses.

"I didn't expect Feng Wuya to have broken through."

As the intelligence leader of the Night Owl Guard in Qingcheng, Zhang Zhidong was already intimately familiar with the powerhouses within Jizhou Prefecture.

The Sect Master of the Blazing Sun Sect, Liu Xinghe, the Palace Master of the Mystic Moon Palace, Xuan Yue Li, and the sect masters and elders of other sects and forces all turned their heads, their gazes focusing on Feng Wuya.

They were also quite shocked by Feng Wuya's breakthrough.

It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that the situation in Jizhou Prefecture would change drastically because of this.

Feng Wuya acted as if he hadn't noticed, quickly approaching Zhang Zhidong. "Commander Zhang, have you discovered any other information regarding the closure of the Black Mist Wasteland passage?"

The others from the various sects and forces heard this and simultaneously withdrew their gazes, shifting their focus to Zhang Zhidong.

Feng Wuya's matter would be put aside for now.

At this moment, their greatest concern was the safety of their disciples.

If anything were to happen to them, it would undoubtedly be a bolt from the blue for the major sects.

"I am truly sorry, everyone. The Night Owl Guard has not uncovered any information regarding the reason for the disappearance of the Black Mist Wasteland entrance."

Zhang Zhidong shook his head slightly.

A heavy weight instantly fell upon everyone's hearts.

In terms of intelligence capabilities alone, no force within Great Zhou could compare to the Night Owl Guard of the Heavenly Realm Division.

They were everywhere, and there was almost no information they couldn't find.

Now, even the Night Owl Guard had found nothing.

"No, I must go in myself to investigate."

The Sect Master of Qingshan Sect, Zhao Santong, took a step forward, intending to enter the Black Mist Wasteland.

"Sect Master Zhao, wait!"

Zhang Zhidong raised his hand to stop him.

"Commander Zhang, what do you mean by this?" Zhao Santong's expression darkened slightly, a flicker of anger appearing in his eyes.

Seeing the misunderstanding, Zhang Zhidong explained, "When we arrived, we already tried. There is an invisible barrier surrounding the dense fog, and no one can enter right now."

"Oh."

Zhao Santong's brows showed a hint of disbelief as he walked towards the Black Mist Wasteland.

The gazes of the others were fixed on Zhao Santong's retreating back, wanting to verify the truth of Zhang Zhidong's words.

As expected.

The moment Zhao Santong was about to touch the edge of the Black Mist, his body suddenly stopped, unable to take another step forward.

Boom...

Seeing this, Zhao Santong was unwilling. True essence gathered in his palm, and he struck out fiercely.

However, his attack seemed to vanish into the mist like a stone sinking into the sea, causing not even the slightest ripple.

"Let me."

Feng Wuya lightly raised his arm. The surrounding primal energy seemed to respond to his call, gathering rapidly.

A colossal primal energy palm, ten feet tall, carrying a rumbling sound, suddenly struck down towards the swirling dense fog.

Everyone present held their breath in anticipation.

Only the Sect Master of the Blood Robe Sect, Zhou Xing, dressed in black robes, curled his lips into a playful smile, seemingly unsurprised by the scene.