Strangely enough, after Raymon decided to explore the Abyss of Black Mist five days later, the strange events inside Storm Claw gradually disappeared and returned to normal.
This relieved the Storm Claw leaders who had been harboring doubts. They realized they had been overthinking things and that these strange events were just coincidences, nothing to be alarmed about.
Raymon even publicly declared, "This trip will be a great success."
However, Gustavo had a different idea from them.
At the top of the stone building, Gustavo lay quietly, bathed in the golden sunlight, as if enjoying a sunbath, while his heart was filled with unease.
For Gustavo, who had already basically figured out the workings of the Luck Deprivation system, this strange calm was like the stillness before a storm, definitely indicating that something big was brewing.
"Auspicious beginnings? I think it's more like a disastrous failure."
"Sigh, I thought you guys could last two or three months, but I didn't expect you to die so suddenly after just over a month," Gustavo thought sadly. "How could you be so useless, forcing me to look for the next target."
With that in mind, Gustavo took out a booklet he had obtained from the Victoria Tavern, which provided a brief introduction to the various factions in the Jilong Highlands, and began to study it carefully.
Five days passed in the blink of an eye, and Storm Claw's elite team of two hundred people, led by their leader Raymon, set off.
The Abyss of Black Mist, a notoriously dangerous place, is located in the northwest of the Jilong Highlands. It is a massive rift valley stretching over a thousand kilometers across the land, named for its depth of three to four thousand meters and the eerie black mist that permeates its interior.
Although dangerous, the Abyss of Black Mist produces a vast amount of Transcendent resources, the most typical being Soul Crystal. 80% of the Soul Crystal in the dozen or so nearby settlements originate from the Abyss of Black Mist.
In addition, the Abyss of Black Mist contains many ancient and prehistoric relics, which attract a constant stream of explorers. Every moment, some become rich or perish here.
The speed at which Transcendent travel is extremely fast; in just half a day, the elite team formed by Storm Claw arrived outside the Abyss of Black Mist.
Standing on the edge of the cliff and looking down or forward, you see black mist churning, like scattered black sand, with a unique texture and allure that makes you want to take a step forward.
"Attention everyone! Concentrate! Don't be bewitched by this black mist! Stay close to the group, or even High-Rank Transcendent Lifeform will find it difficult to escape alone once lost in the Abyss of Black Mist." Raymon's voice boomed like thunder in the ears of every Transcendent being. Some members with dazed eyes shuddered and snapped back to reality, staring at the black mist before them with a look of utter disbelief.
They had been unknowingly bewitched. What exactly was this black mist?
Gustavo squinted, observing the churning black mist before him. He seemed unaffected; the black mist appeared to have no effect on beings with high-quality bloodlines.
"I wonder what the principle is," Gustavo muttered.
At Raymon's command, one by one, the Transcendent began to climb down the rock face, slowly descending.
The rock walls on both sides of the Abyss of Black Mist were not smooth, with many protruding parts. With the agility and stamina of the Transcendent, it only took them more than ten minutes to reach the bottom.
"Stay close to the group, don't fall behind," Raymon repeated before leading the way.
His high prestige within Storm Claw stemmed from this very style of operation.
Raymon was the kind of leader who said, "Brothers, follow me!"
The typical characteristic and advantage of this type of leader is that, usually after one or two life-or-death battles, they can gain a large number of loyal followers.
However, its drawbacks are also quite obvious; it's easy to die suddenly.
It requires considerable strength.
Raymon led the way, holding a map.
Visibility was extremely low, less than thirty meters, shrouded in a thick black fog.
Within this black mist, ghostly shadows flashed by from time to time, and ear-piercing friction sounds echoed in the air. Beastly figures lingered, bringing with them gusts of foul wind.
The further in you go, the more terrifying and tense the atmosphere becomes, and the temperature drops rapidly.
"This temperature..." Gustavo's eyes narrowed slightly. He wouldn't have reacted this way if it were just a low temperature.
After carefully sensing it, Gustavo exclaimed in surprise, "It can actually freeze the soul!"
"No wonder it's a notoriously dangerous place. We can't stay here for long, or even I wouldn't last much longer."
Gustavo thought to himself, then looked at the others around him.
One by one, the Transcendent individuals shivered from the cold, and a layer of bluish-black frost gradually formed on their cheeks and skin.
Keep in mind that the temperature here is only minus twenty degrees Celsius. Not to mention those at the mid-level or higher, even First-Tier Transcendent Transcendent could stand naked in this temperature without changing expression.
The reason these Transcendent behave this way is simple: their souls are cold.
Raymon noticed this as well, his expression turning serious, but he remained calm and shouted, "Everyone, take the Fire Sleep Potion!"
Upon hearing their leader's words, the Transcendent relaxed, quickly took out a bottle of orange-red potion from their pockets, took a sip, and put the rest back in their pockets.
The Black Spider Squad did the same.
After drinking the Fire Sleep Potion, a warm feeling emanated from within, even spreading to the soul. The pervasive chill was dispelled, and the body felt as if it were immersed in a hot spring, extremely comfortable.