The lingering echoes of the bell still reverberated between the rock walls when Chen Wuya stepped into the dense fog.
Bai Zhi followed close behind, one hand resting on her sword hilt as her gaze swept over the blurred outlines ahead. She could feel the air had changed—not the oppressive, chilling aura from before, but something faintly warm and mellow, like a mountain forest after rain on a spring night. Yet it was heavier, deeper, as though every breath drew some invisible weight into her lungs.
"Don't hold your breath." Chen Wuya's voice came from ahead, low and steady. "This fog won't hurt you."
He pressed his palm to the ground, the tattered scroll tight against his chest as the Misaligned Practice Connects to Spirit system quietly circulated within him. Blue light seeped from the gaps between the stone slabs, winding forward along crystalline veins and guiding the way like a living thing. He closed his eyes for a moment. When he opened them again, another scene reflected in his gaze: the paths of true qi perfectly overlapped with the patterns beneath the ground, as if some ancient formation were slowly awakening.
"It recognizes me," he said softly.
Before his words had faded, the thick fog parted as if brushed aside by an invisible hand, retreating to either side.
The view before them abruptly opened up.
Deep blue radiance spread from the ground. Countless vine-like crystal veins intertwined and grew, like blood vessels coursing through the depths of the earth. Glowing moss hung from the rock walls overhead, while motes of faint light slowly turned in the air like suspended stardust. With every step, a ripple-like halo of light spread beneath their feet, expanding into the distance and linking with the energy of the entire area.
One guardian suddenly dropped