The pull of the black Vortex reached him. Lin Yi took one last look at the hazy world behind him, then stepped inside.
Edith, Hui Yao, Liuyun, Qingye, and more than seven hundred other outstanding young talents followed close behind, their figures swallowed by the darkness one after another.
After a brief sensation of weightlessness and severed perception, they felt hard, icy ground beneath their feet.
The group quickly formed a defensive formation. Weapons were drawn, and the power of their Rules flickered faintly around them as they warily surveyed this new world.
It was still shrouded in mist.
But the fog here had changed from the first layer's murky gray-white to a much deeper, ink-black shade.
The Black Mist was so thick it seemed almost impossible to disperse, churning like a living thing.
Even Lin Yi's soul perception was suppressed to a range of less than thirty meters.
Here, both their eyes and their perception were half-blind.
The oppressive force of the Rules in the air was even stronger. Every breath felt like a struggle against an invisible weight.
Source Energy flowed sluggishly through their bodies, and controlling it was at least thirty percent harder than on the previous layer.
The ground was also rough and uneven. Huge black boulders jutted from the fog with jagged edges, like silent giant beasts lurking in the darkness.
"The communications relay signal has been completely cut off," Xuanji announced. "We'll need to set up High-Power Nodes to restore basic communications."
Lin Yi surveyed the grave faces around him and said solemnly, "Work in teams of three and explore outward. Set up Relay Devices, and don't go beyond their coverage range."
"Remember, if anything happens, withdraw immediately or call for help. Safety comes first. Don't take unnecessary risks."
"Yes!"
Everyone replied in unison,