The Thing in the Black Mist

Zheng Yi's gaze fell once more on the Inner Sect Token in his hand.

With a slight stir in his heart, he infused the aura of the Soul Devouring Banner within him, along with his spiritual power, into the Inner Sect Disciple Token.

Sure enough, after a faint glimmer flickered across it, the white light it emitted transformed into a spot of red, displaying a peculiar arrow.

Zheng Yi did not hesitate and continued onward in the direction indicated by the red marker.

This time, the distance was not far. After walking several hundred meters or so, Zheng Yi passed through the area shrouded in dense fog, and the scene before him suddenly revealed itself.

When he looked up, Zheng Yi could not help but suck in a cold breath.

On either side were bottomless cliffs!

Looking down, black mist churned below, making it impossible to see what the bottom looked like. All he could see was darkness upon darkness, deep and eerie, enough to fill anyone who looked upon it with terror. Those timid or afraid of heights might even grow dizzy, their legs turning weak beneath them.

Beneath his feet was a staircase roughly one meter wide, stretching upward until it vanished in a secluded valley hidden amid thick fog in the distance.

It had to be said that sects in the Cultivation World all loved putting on airs and shrouding things in mystery. This was true of both Demonic Sects and Righteous Sects.

It was simply that Righteous Path cultivation sects appeared more suffused with Immortal Qi, while Devil Dao Sects employed methods that were more unfathomable, strange, and bizarre.

Who could have imagined that, guided here by the Inner Sect Disciple Token, the path ahead would have ten-thousand-zhang cliffs on both sides beneath his feet?

If he had not noticed earlier and carelessly took one wrong step, he truly might have stepped into empty air and plunged straight into the Ten Thousand Zhang Abyss.

Qi Refining Stage cultivators could not even manage short-distance flight. If one fell from such a sheer cliff, with nothing more than flesh and blood, death would be all but certain.

Zheng Yi did not dare gamble that the cultivators of the Demonic Sect would be kind enough to pull him back at the last moment.

Moreover, as he stood still and looked down, Zheng Yi felt that the churning black mist beneath the cliff exuded a terrifying aura that sent chills crawling up from the soles of his feet, as though something had fixed its gaze upon him in that instant.

It was the terrifying pressure of life facing enormous danger, like an ordinary person confronting a fierce tiger or colossal beast.

Amid the surging, roiling black mist, Zheng Yi withdrew his gaze. He had no idea what other dreadful things might be lurking at the bottom of that cliff.

Even if he did not die from the fall, there would likely be no good outcome.

First an Illusion Array, then the mist, and now ten-thousand-zhang cliffs—the methods of the Soul Devouring Sect were truly impossible to fathom.

Perhaps that was simply the style of the Demonic Sect!

Two disciples dressed in Soul Devouring Sect attire stood guard outside the valley. When they saw Zheng Yi appear, they seemed to be discussing something.

Zheng Yi adjusted his clothes, hung the White Jade Token representing his status as an Inner Sect Disciple at his waist, and strode upward.

After verifying his token, the guarding disciples gave him strange looks but did not stop him, directly allowing Zheng Yi into the valley.

In the blink of an eye, all the mist gradually dispersed, revealing another grand and majestic scene before him, utterly different from the previous eerie and gloomy atmosphere.

Before him lay an expanse of interconnected buildings. Towering structures stood throughout the valley, and he could vaguely see figures moving among them.

Gazing at the imposing valley, Zheng Yi drew a deep breath and walked down.

As he made his way through, Zheng Yi discovered that there were not many people in the valley.

Even the few Soul Devouring Sect disciples he encountered on the road hurried back and forth, all wearing expressions that warned strangers to keep their distance.

Only then did Zheng Yi recall that at this time, the Soul Devouring Sect was still engaged in a sect war with the neighboring Hundred Beasts Sect over a Spirit Stone Mine.

It was Zheng Yi's first time at the sect's residence. Faced with the vast stretch of buildings before him, he was completely in the dark, unfamiliar with everything. He had no idea where the Internal Affairs Hall was.

Nor did he know whom he should ask.

Suddenly, at that moment, a figure approached from not far away.

Zheng Yi's eyes lit up. He clearly saw that the token on the man opposite him was an Outer Sect Metal Token, and he immediately made up his mind.

Without another word, he stepped forward and blocked the man's path.

"Junior Brother, I have something I would like to ask."

"May I ask where the sect's Internal Affairs Hall is?"

Liang Qing had just received a sect mission and was preparing to leave the sect for a nearby Marketplace to make arrangements.

His cultivation was nearing the late stage of Qi Refining Stage Three. He had cultivated diligently for years without slacking off, and as long as he completed this mission, he would receive a Qi Nourishing Pill as a sect reward.

If luck favored him, it might not be impossible for him to rise to the next level.

However, just as he was still calculating how he should complete the entire mission—

Some blind fool suddenly blocked his path ahead. He had been hurrying forward and nearly slammed headfirst into the man.

Anger rose in Liang Qing's heart. He lifted his gaze sharply and discovered that it was a completely unfamiliar young man, plainly dressed, with a weathered complexion and the dusty look of someone who had traveled a long road.

"A country bumpkin from who knows where."

"A newly arrived sect servant..."

Liang Qing raised the corner of his eye and was about to lose his temper when he inadvertently caught sight of the Inner Sect Disciple Token hanging at Zheng Yi's waist.

In truth, Zheng Yi had deliberately displayed that conspicuous Inner Sect white jade token.

It was as though a bucket of ice water had been poured straight over Liang Qing's head.

Liang Qing's expression changed. The anger that had just flared up within him was immediately extinguished, and his face instantly filled with smiles as he hurriedly bowed and asked respectfully.

"Greetings, Senior Brother!"

"The Internal Affairs Hall is over there."

After saying that, he pointed Zheng Yi in the proper direction.

"Hmm?"

Zheng Yi nodded and walked away at once.

Liang Qing's expression shifted behind him. Finally, gritting his teeth, he respectfully called out from behind.

"Senior Brother..."

"Is there something else?"

Hearing the voice behind him, Zheng Yi paused and turned around. His brows furrowed slightly as he spoke in a low voice.

During this time, he had slaughtered zombies in the Apocalyptic World and refined Malevolent Ghosts, tempering within himself an invisible aura of slaughter.

Cultivators in particular were skilled in the Qi Observation Technique and could clearly sense the naturally gathered, invisible chill around Zheng Yi.

It was the result of dealing with ghostly entities too often, an aura that had naturally accumulated and settled over time—not something that could be easily imitated.

Because Zheng Yi's cultivation was still shallow, it might truly be overlooked if one did not pay attention. Yet upon closer inspection, it seemed as though invisible Sha Qi coiled around him, with endless Vengeful Spirits and Malevolent Ghosts howling and roaring.

Such an aura, coupled with his Inner Sect Disciple status, immediately carried tremendous intimidation.

Hearing Zheng Yi's low voice, Liang Qing's face could not help turning pale. He hurriedly replied respectfully.

"Please do not take offense, Senior Brother. You looked unfamiliar to me, so this should be your first time at the sect gate, correct?"

"Explain yourself."

"What do you mean?"

Zheng Yi's face darkened slightly, his expression indifferent as he looked down at him.