"Uncle Fisher, what did you see?"
Dilia rubbed her eyes, her expression ugly.
Ever since the Black Mist swept over, she had lost her sight.
In fact, if they had not withdrawn the spell immediately, not only would the falcon have been killed, but they, the spellcasters, would have been affected as well.
"That group of five was swallowed by the Black Mist. They're probably doomed."
Fisher pondered for a moment before replying, "The Black Mist came too quickly this time. I'm afraid some powerful evil creature is hiding within it."
"It was said that back then, my ancestor—the legendary patriarch of the Felix Family—could use the power of the Black Mist to protect travelers. I don't know whether it's true, but if we could obtain that ability, then even if we couldn't revive the earldom, we could still return to the Western World and stop hiding everywhere."
Dilia sighed.
"I heard... there really was a group back then that entered the Black Mist in its entirety when the earldom collapsed..."
Fisher sighed. "After that, much of our inheritance was lost. But this sacrifice should probably let us obtain more... That existence is said to have some connection with the Black Mist as well."
"Let's hope so."
Dilia shook her head.
At this point, she was in no mood for anything else and prepared to take Fisher back to Black Mountain Fortress.
But suddenly, Fisher's expression changed slightly. "The Black Mist... it's coming toward us!"
Dilia stared at the Black Mist, which surged like a tide yet resembled an arrowhead, and was instantly stunned.
Within the Black Mist.
Zhong Shenxiu galloped wildly.
For an ordinary person, even a Xiantian martial artist, moving through the darkness would be extremely difficult. Riding a horse was out of the question; even walking would be arduous.
But he was different. With spirit vision, he could naturally see the road ahead.
At that moment, a spine-chilling creaking sound had already begun ringing out behind him.
A mass of flesh covered in countless eyes pursued him relentlessly at an unimaginable speed, treating him as its prey.
Wherever the mass of flesh passed, whether the corpses of Ma Jing and Wang Lun, the two other companions, or even those few horses, everything was reduced to white bones!
Huh? Those two, of all people?
After running for a while, Zhong Shenxiu saw through his spirit vision that Dilia and Fisher had stopped hiding and were retreating all the way. He could not help laughing dryly and continued following behind them.
"No!"
Fisher cried out as he and Dilia were enveloped by the Black Mist, their speed immediately slowing.
Just then, a mounted knight seemed to gallop past them.
The mass of flesh pursuing Zhong Shenxiu seemed to hesitate. Then it actually changed targets and pounced toward Dilia.
Could those two just now have been the ones plotting against me? Heh... does this count as them running into their own bad luck? I just didn't expect that monster to abandon me and chase after them instead... Looks like they really are hiding something.
Zhong Shenxiu wore an unconcerned expression. Whether the two died in the Black Mist had nothing to do with him.
He galloped to Black Mountain Fortress, dismounted directly, and shouted, "The Black Mist's boundary has expanded, and my squad has been trapped. The Squad Leader ordered me to return and report the situation and request reinforcements."
In any case, he was absolutely certain that all four of them were dead, so inventing some excuse about escaping was nothing difficult.
"The Black Mist?"
"It expanded again?"
"Perhaps some powerful evil creature escaped."
The guards watching the camp gates immediately ran to report. Before long, a group of people emerged.
Tang Xiuzhen saw that the person who had returned was actually Su Daozhi, and his heart instantly filled with vexation.
Moreover, he knew with absolute certainty that the so-called order from the Squad Leader to return and report was a lie. Yet he had no way to expose it and could only secretly gnash his teeth.
"It's probably because the Blood Moon Night is approaching. The date has always been unpredictable, but it should be only a few days away."
Feng Xi'er did not take it to heart. She merely ordered everyone to stay on guard. "The area around the Great Rift in Black Mountain needs even closer surveillance and protection."
She was highly skilled and fearless. She actually brought her personal guards along, mounted her horse, and set off.
Zhong Shenxiu wore an expression of helplessness but followed behind her anyway.
Before long, Black Mountain came faintly into view.
They circled around the mountain and saw the patch of mist that had pursued Zhong Shenxiu.
However, the mist was slowly retreating now, and Fisher emerged in a sorry state with a personal guard.
Tsk, tsk. As expected of a great aristocrat—he really has deep foundations.
Seeing that the two had not suffered any serious injuries, Zhong Shenxiu could not help sighing inwardly.
"Huh?"
When Feng Xi'er saw the two, she cried out in surprise. "Company Commander Fisher? Why are you here?"
"Reporting to you, Colonel."
Fisher had not expected to encounter this group of soldiers after escaping. He hurried forward and saluted. "This subordinate was patrolling the area when we encountered the Black Mist. Only I and this personal guard managed to escape."
Behind them, the Black Mist was slowly receding.
"You are quite diligent. And your martial strength isn't bad either..."
Feng Xi'er glanced at Fisher and spoke indifferently.
She could tell that the Black Mist had suddenly stopped and dispersed because some source had been suppressed.
But Fisher was, after all, a Company Commander with considerable martial skill under his command, so there was nothing particularly suspicious about him. "You've worked hard. Come back to camp with me."
"Yes, ma'am."
Fisher took the horse handed over by one of Feng Xi'er's subordinates and prepared to return to camp with Dilia. Then he suddenly saw Zhong Shenxiu, and his heart jolted.
Immediately afterward, he grew tense. This man really is suspicious. And... that monster was originally chasing him, yet he made us take the blame...
Zhong Shenxiu was not afraid of the two trying to kill him with their eyes. Instead, he moved a little closer and mouthed a word: Felix!
Dilia and Fisher were instantly stunned. When they saw Zhong Shenxiu ride forward and approach Feng Xi'er, they almost attacked and fled for their lives.
In the end, they held themselves back. Seeing that Feng Xi'er had not turned hostile, they followed with their hearts in their throats.
"Colonel, there's something I don't understand. I'd like to ask you about it."
Zhong Shenxiu ignored Tang Xiuzhen's murderous glare and asked Feng Xi'er, "The Baleful Intent Realm is also called the threshold of Entering the Dao. It differs from the mortal realm, but how exactly does it differ?"
"After Xiantian comes Baleful Intent. Taking one step into the Dao allows you to properly refine arcane arts!"
Feng Xi'er glanced at Zhong Shenxiu and smiled. "Don't be fooled by the crude Daoist arts seen outside, which even spirit mediums and villagers can use. They don't count as proper Daoist arts. Only upon entering the Baleful Intent Realm can one use Baleful Intent Qi to cultivate Daoist arts and refine them to a higher level. Different sects' Daoist arts possess extraordinary methods, such as the Hundred Paces Flying Sword, thunder with a snap of the fingers, drawing talismans and wielding incantations, and so on. Among them is a method known as 'Consuming Nine Yin, Swallowing Eight Yangs.' Later, when Baleful Intent merges, Yin and Yang become one, and the Dragon-Tiger Convergence occurs, one can transform it into a supernatural ability. You were also born into an Aristocratic Clan. Have you really never heard of this?"
"This... I really haven't..." Zhong Shenxiu simply continued with another question. "Then what are supernatural abilities? How do they differ from arcane arts?"
Feng Xi'er looked at him for a moment before saying indifferently, "Incomprehensible, shattering common sense... that is a supernatural ability!"
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