Blood Mist

"Candidates, you may begin."

The staff member in charge of the demon assessment announced loudly. Pointing at the terrifying forest ahead, shrouded in blood-red mist, he said expressionlessly, "Cross this bloody forest. There's a Blood Lake ahead, and Bloodthirsty Castle stands at its center. Good luck—and I hope you can return alive."

Linley sent a voice transmission to Thomas and Corey, reminding them, "We'll act according to the situation. We just need to avoid rushing to the front and drawing fire."

Having confidence didn't mean he wanted to stand out too much!

For this one-star demon assessment mission, he only wanted to complete it quietly. As for high-level enemies like the Bloodthirsty Castle Lord, the butler, and the other Five-star Demons and Four-star Demons, he would leave them to the accompanying demons to handle.

"Friend, shall we go together?"

"Flying straight over would be too obvious, wouldn't it? The Blood Slave Guards would definitely detect us in advance."

"I'm skilled in the Earth Law. Why don't we go underground?"

"This bloody forest looks a little strange. The mist can actually interfere with Spiritual Sense detection. There must be a Magic Array set up by Bloodthirsty Castle. Everyone, be careful."

Hundreds of newcomers began clamoring and searching for temporary teammates, while the demons split into two groups.

After discussing it, the two Five-star Demons led some Three-star and Four-star Demons to fly directly over the forest.

Claude and Aaron, the father-and-son pair, were enveloped in a layer of earth-yellow light. They took Mariana and Lisa with them as they burrowed underground.

The movements of the leading demons seemed to set an example. The six hundred people present all made their choices. Two-thirds followed behind the two Five-star Demons in a grand procession, while most of the rest chose to travel underground. Most of them were experts skilled in the Earth Law. Only a handful chose to walk through the forest.

"We'll follow them too."

After hesitating briefly, the three of them, Linley, Thomas, and Corey, chose to go with the flow and fly over.

During this process, Linley released his Spiritual Sense fused with Magnetic Field Power. He discovered that the thin Blood Mist filling the forest had no effect on him whatsoever.

Gradually, the Blood Mist rose!

The sky was no longer unobstructed. A group of people panicked like headless flies.

"Ah!"

"Big brother, have you gone insane?!"

"Hahaha, die!"

As intense fluctuations of divine power spread in waves, screams and curses rose one after another. The blood-red sky became like a chaotic arena of beasts, with slaughter unfolding scene by scene.

Soon, someone shouted loudly, "Don't release your Spiritual Sense! This Blood Mist is Soul Poison refined by a powerhouse who comprehends the Death Rule! Even the slightest contact will make you crazed and bloodthirsty!"

Spiritual Sense was the external manifestation of the soul. The more actively one probed, the more Blood Mist one came into contact with, and the deeper the effects became.

Unfortunately, the warning had come too late. Many people had already been affected.

Thomas shouted anxiously, "Corey, snap out of it!"

As he spoke, he dodged Corey's sword to the side, breaking out in a cold sweat before feeling relieved. Fortunately, the Water Law he cultivated was best suited for soul defense. The instant he sensed something was wrong, he withdrew his Spiritual Sense. His head felt a little dizzy, but he soon recovered.

Thomas subconsciously glanced at Linley. Seeing that he was unharmed as well, Thomas felt much more at ease.

"I'll kill you all!"

Corey's eyes were bloodshot as he swung his sword wildly without any pattern. When Thomas dodged, Corey locked onto Linley nearby and pounced at him viciously like a furious, bloodthirsty beast.

A trace of decisiveness flashed through Linley's eyes. Striking after Corey but arriving first, he swung his blade and severed Corey's weapon-wielding right arm. Then, on a sudden whim, he quickly lit a stick of Soul Incense. Unfortunately, the moment the smoke rose, it was stained by the Blood Mist. It instantly spoiled and rotted, giving off a foul stench and accomplishing nothing.

"Not a bad idea, kid. Unfortunately, ordinary-quality Soul Incense is useless. It can't stop the Blood Mist's corrosion at all. Your friend is undoubtedly going to die."

The speaker was an old man with gray-white hair. His aura was cold and eerie. He grinned as ghostly blue flames shaped like skulls ignited in his wrinkled, aged palm, killing large numbers of crazed attackers.

Linley frowned. This old man was one of the two leading Five-star Demons, and coincidentally, he was also skilled in the Death Rule.

"What should we do, Linley?"

Thomas tacitly transformed rushing water into shackles, temporarily restraining Corey. But this only treated the symptoms, not the root cause. With his soul contaminated by the toxin, if it wasn't cleansed quickly, his death was only a matter of time.

Linley said nothing. He simply grabbed the maddened Corey and dragged him away from the group. Thomas immediately followed.

The others couldn't be bothered to pay attention when they saw this. After eliminating the people in their way, they continued forward.

Linley looked back. Only after confirming that no one was watching them did he stop to provide aid.

"Linley, what should we—"

Thomas was extremely anxious, but the words died on his lips. He stared wide-eyed at the Soul Incense that had been lit again. The smoke, which should have rapidly rotted and stunk, stubbornly seeped into Corey's nostrils. The faint energy within soothed his agitated soul, gradually restoring his clear consciousness.

"This!?"

Thomas opened his mouth in astonishment, unable to understand the difference between what had happened before and what was happening now.

Linley sighed. "Consider yourself lucky to be alive."

He had used Magnetic Field Power to isolate the Blood Mist, but he had done it with such subtlety and finesse that Thomas, tense with worry, had failed to notice.

Linley naturally couldn't use such an operation in front of those demons, lest they discover that he was special. Even if they posed no threat in terms of strength, word getting out would still be troublesome. It was always right to be a little more cautious about such things.

Linley gave Thomas a meaningful look and reminded him, "Don't ask too much. As long as Corey is fine, that's all that matters."

Thomas nodded knowingly and smiled. "Corey was just lucky enough to make it through this ordeal."

He knew Linley had some secrets, but he didn't find it strange. There were countless experts with similar secrets, and there was no need to investigate.

Corey shook his dizzy head and said with a bitter smile, "Sorry for causing you trouble. I thought I was definitely going to die."

Elsewhere, within the Tianlan Tribe, Corey's Sanctuary True Body wiped the cold sweat from his forehead. His entire body relaxed deeply, though his expression remained filled with lingering fear.

"Let's go."

Linley and the other two returned to the rear of the group. This attracted the attention of a few people, who cast surprised looks over. Even the old Five-star Demon cried out in surprise, "That kid actually didn't die."

The old man's expression became strange. He gave the three of them a meaningful look but didn't ask anything. Everyone had a few secrets, after all.

Linley watched silently and thought, At least that old man knows better.

After they crossed over the bloody forest, only a hundred and twenty people remained in the group. The casualties were devastating, and they hadn't even seen the mission target yet. It was easy to imagine how dangerous the assessment mission of Demon Castle was.

A vast, blood-red lake stretched ahead, with countless Shore Flowers blooming across its surface. A black castle stood on the central island, and the only passage connecting it to the shore was a bridge made of logs floating one after another on the water.