When he appeared, Venerable Yuanshi had already arrived outside the mysterious portal.
From the outside, it was impossible to see what lay beyond it.
The space where the portal stood was even darker than the hidden place they had encountered earlier.
Gray-black demonic energy billowed like dense fog, so thick that he could not see his hand in front of him.
The rocks all around were no longer their original dark color. Corroded by the demonic energy, they resembled decayed bones and crumbled to ash at the slightest touch.
Venerable Yuanshi stood outside the portal, staring straight at the door.
The door was made of some unknown material. It was pitch-black, yet faintly shimmering with flowing dark-gold patterns.
Countless ancient, twisted runes were engraved across its surface.
Even with Venerable Yuanshi's experience, he could not make out what the runes were.
The longer he studied them, the more deeply his brows furrowed.
He could feel something beyond the portal drawing him in.
Moreover, the strange energy that had helped restore his cultivation was also spilling out from within.
After standing there for quite some time, a look of resolve flashed through Venerable Yuanshi's eyes.
"I'll see for myself."
"What manner of creature is behind this?"
With that, Venerable Yuanshi steeled himself. Without another moment's hesitation, he flashed forward and disappeared beyond the portal.
The instant Venerable Yuanshi entered the portal, the terrifying aura that had swept across Kunlun Mountain vanished as well.
Before long, everything returned to normal.
Randeng, Immortal Weng of the South Pole, Guangchengzi, and the other disciples of the Chan Teachings were all left bewildered.
"What?"
"The aura's gone?"
"What's going on?"
Guangchengzi murmured in a daze, his brows furrowed with confusion.
Then Immortal Weng of the South Pole turned and looked straight at Daoist Randeng, asking: