Qi Jun grew increasingly restless. “Speak clearly! What exactly is going on!”

Wang Chi’s voice came through once more. “Holy Son... I... can’t explain it clearly either... you... come in and see... and you’ll know...”

Qi Jun and Wu Han hesitated slightly. Wang Chi was at the third stage of the Soaring realm. Since he could enter unharmed, they should be safe as well. Still, what if that happened to be the very upper limit? They didn’t dare take that gamble.

Gu Han glanced at the two. “What’s wrong? Afraid to go in? Need a hand?”

They immediately became alert, their hearts tightening. Gu Han wasn’t the kind who cared about consequences, after all. There was no saying he wouldn't just toss them inside. 𝙛𝓻𝒆𝒆𝒘𝙚𝓫𝙣𝙤𝒗𝙚𝓵.𝙘𝙤𝙢

Ignoring them, Gu Han retrieved the spirit seal and returned to his group. Of course, he wouldn’t make a move against them now. Not because he was worried about the backlash toward his group members, nor because he required the pill to cultivate. The urgent matter now was to get inside first.

Murong Yan laughed heartily. “Just a moment ago, you were mocking us for having low cultivation levels! Envious now, aren’t you?”

Although it was teasing, everyone was indeed a bit envious. The entry’s upper limit posed even less of a problem for Murong Yan and the others, who were at the Divine Connection realm. They didn’t have to worry like Wu Han and the others.

Taking a deep breath, Gu Han felt an unexpected surge of boldness rising inside him. “Let’s go! Let’s work together one more time today!”

Murong Yan followed closely with large strides. “Then I’m the Big Sister Boss!”

Yang Ying and Shen Xuan exchanged a glance, instantly thinking of the same thing, Tigress!

Of course, to avoid getting thumped, they didn’t dare say it out loud.

Ah Sha became somewhat sad when Gu Han disappeared from sight. “Senior Brother, I-I can help Young Master.”

Zuo Yang sighed. “Silly girl. Of course I know, but it’s because of that exact reason that he’s not taking you.”

Although Gu Han hadn’t explicitly said it, Zuo Yang could vaguely guess that Ah Sha’s heaven-defying ability came at an unimaginably great cost. It could even be related to her Soul Deficiency condition. Given Gu Han’s personality, how could he bear to burden her?

Suddenly, Gu Tian’s large hand covered Ah Sha’s head, gently patting it. Though he said nothing, the violence and demonic qi in his eyes had mostly vanished, replaced by a rare trace of gentleness.

Zuo Yang felt a bit emotional. Although Gu Han and Gu Tian weren’t related by blood, they were even more like father and son than the real deal.

***

Although crossing the light mist took only an instant, Gu Han and the others felt as if they had experienced an eternity. They felt like they had been reborn into a new world.

Murong Yan’s eyes widened, taking in the sight before her. “What is this place?!”

An incredibly wide plaza stretched as far as the eye could see, larger than the entire Yuqing Sect. The ground was pitted and scarred, with mottling everywhere. Bits of greenstone emerged from the earth here and there. Even from this partial view, one could imagine the plaza’s former grandeur and majesty.

At the end of the plaza, row after row of tall buildings expanded beyond sight. Half the structures had collapsed into walls and roofs, the rest barely holding together. Yet a trace of their former majesty and awe-inspiring aura still remained. At the very end of the buildings, one could faintly make out the shadow of a giant tower.

However, what truly shocked Murong Yan wasn’t these buildings, but the extremely faint, transparent humanoids within the plaza. One could only barely make out their general outlines, making them impossible to distinguish.

Some were running, some standing, some with arms raised high, some looking up at the sky... It seemed as if a strange power had recorded their final moments before death.

Gu Han finally understood what Wang Chi meant when he said there were many people inside. He suppressed the shock in his heart. “Brother Yang, are you sure this is the place you entered?”

“Yes. Except there wasn’t this plaza, nor these human figures.” Yang Ying was extremely certain this time. He pointed toward the buildings at the very front. “Only those buildings.”

Suddenly, Gu Han seemed to spot something and sneered. “I was originally planning to go looking for you, but I didn’t expect you to deliver yourself to my doorstep!”

Not far away, Wang Chi was staring blankly at the buildings, completely unaware of their arrival.

Without hesitation, Gu Han swung his sword. A beam of sword light, about a zhang long, descended. Not only did Wang Chi harbor malice, he excelled at stirring discord. Of course Gu Han wouldn’t let him off.

The sword light was extremely fast and strong. However, when it passed through those human figures, it had no effect at all. It was as if they were merely projections, lacking any true physical form.

Though for Wang Chi, it was lethal. He snapped out of his daze, filled with terror. “You?!”

Knowing just how devastating the strike was, he didn't dare face it head-on. He flickered, intending to rely on his Soaring realm ability to dodge. However, in his panic, he brushed past one of the human figures.

He abruptly stopped. His young face rapidly aged, his spirit light dimming. Before the sword light could even reach him, he had already turned to ash and fallen to the ground. The sword light landed and kicked up a vast cloud of dust.

The four were dumbfounded.

Shen Xuan gulped. “Do you guys feel like this is a bit familiar?”

Gu Han subconsciously nodded. “Very! It's too familiar!”

Wang Chi’s fate was exactly the same as the wild grass he had tested earlier.

Murong Yan showed lingering fear. “Phew! I was thinking of getting a closer look just now.”

The three of them were speechless. When they examined those figures again, they realized there was no curiosity in their eyes, just deep fear and dread! It was too terrifying!

Gu Han turned a bit pale. “Brother Yang, are you sure there aren’t these things inside those buildings?”

Yang Ying was speechless. “There aren’t.”

If there were, do you think I’d still be here today?

Murong Yan had lost all her usual recklessness. “Go, go, go! This is too dangerous. I have a feeling these human figures are alive, and they’re staring at us!”

Gu Han was rattled. “Hey! Don’t make jokes like that!”

Shen Xuan almost wanted to cover her mouth. “Junior Sister, watch your words!”

Yang Ying was also a bit scared. “I think it’s best if you don’t speak at all!”

Murong Yan felt a chill on her back. “It can’t be that spooky, right?”

As soon as she said that, they all felt their backs grow cold. Let’s go! Let’s leave immediately!

They felt that if they stayed any longer, something really bizarre would happen.

A moment later, only those human figures remained in the plaza. At that very moment, the human figure that Wang Chi had touched moved. Although it was just an outline, one could still tell that it was turning its head, as if observing something.

Its target was unmistakably the four who had just left!