An Eerie Sensation

The area was strange. Unlike the lush vegetation all around it, a patch of bare red earth less than a hundred zhang across lay utterly barren.

At its center was a round pond only a few zhang wide.

The group stopped at the edge of the barren patch and gazed at the pond from a distance. Its water was emerald green, with three oval lotus leaves floating on the surface and a pink Nine-petaled Lotus nestled among them.

Hu Yong, who led the way, took a yellow talisman from his sleeve. Muttering an incantation, he waved it casually before him and tossed it onto the bare earth.

The talisman fluttered briefly through the air, then drifted to the ground without any unusual reaction.

Hu Yong raised an eyebrow and stepped onto the bare earth first. He bent to pick up the talisman, examined it for a moment, brushed off the dirt, and tucked it back into his robes.

Only then did the others follow him onto the red earth, though they remained doubtful.

The moment Shen Luo stepped onto it, his heart gave an inexplicable jolt. His vision blurred, as though a thin red mist had fallen over his eyes.

But when he rubbed his eyes and looked again, the mist was gone.

Puzzled, he glanced at the others. They all appeared composed, as if none of them had noticed anything amiss.

"Senior, this area is nothing like its surroundings. Not a blade of grass grows here... Could something be wrong with it?" Shen Luo hesitated, then asked Hu Yong.

The others turned to Hu Yong as well.

"You're right. Have any of you sensed traces of resentment and baleful energy here?" Hu Yong nodded, sounding rather impressed.

"So you noticed it too, Senior. I thought I was seeing things."