The cold wind blew fiercely, carrying thick mist that seemed to have a life of its own in the Eternal Mist Forbidden Zone. This was no ordinary territory; legendary as a dead zone for low-level cultivators, the mist here could mislead the senses and devour the consciousness of those with weak hearts. However, for Lin Feng, this deadly silence was exactly what he needed to purify his soul from the bloody trauma of the past that still haunted him.Nearly a year had passed since the fire of Lin Feng's rage razed the Ghost Crow Sect fortress in the Western Border Region. Since that day, his figure had vanished from civilization, leaving Zhang Hao under the secret protection of the Sun Association for his friend's safety. Lin Feng realized that with his status as the number one fugitive, bringing Zhang Hao, whose meridians had only just been reconnected, would only lead his friend to the grave.Lin Feng walked slowly, his tattered robe fluttering in the wind. Each step left a mark on the d

The cold wind from the avalanche's aftermath still blew fiercely as Lin Feng descended the slope of the ancient mountain. Although he had just reached the Nascent Soul realm, he had no time to celebrate his success. From a distance, in a valley located at the border of the Forbidden Zone, unnatural plumes of black smoke rose high, ruining the thinning mist.Lin Feng shot forward at a speed difficult for the naked eye to follow. His body felt as light as a feather, yet each of his steps on the ground implied massive power. Upon arriving at the edge of a remote village wedged between rocky hills, a horrifying sight greeted him.In the middle of the village, a group of men in dark robes with a silver crow emblem on their chests were forming a large circle. In the center of that circle, a dozen villagers, men, women, and even children, were chained with black iron chains coursing with dark purple energy."Mulan, what are they doing?" Lin Feng whispered, his eyes flashing with anger.Qiao

The Final Valley looked like a gaping wound on the surface of the Eastern Empire. At its bottom, hidden from the world's eyes and the strict surveillance of the Holy Order, Lin Feng stood before a giant stone door buried under ancient hanging roots. The map from the Sun Association had brought him exactly to this point, a place that should not exist in any official record."Mulan, do you feel it?" Lin Feng whispered while touching the cold stone surface.Qiao Mulan appeared, her spirit form glowing brighter in the valley's darkness. "This energy... is very pure. But be careful, Lin Feng. The defense mechanism here is not designed to repel enemies, but to select who is worthy to enter."Lin Feng spotted an indentation in the center of the door, a perfect circle with a curved dividing line, the Yin-Yang symbol. He tried pushing it physically, but the door did not budge an inch, as if he were trying to push an entire mountain."Not physical strength, huh?" Lin Feng took a deep breath. He

Lin Feng's footsteps echoed along the damp corridor Cai Rong had left behind. The light from spiritual torches embedded in the stone walls cast long, dancing shadows, as if the darkness ahead was waiting to swallow anyone who dared venture deeper. Cai Rong walked far ahead, his figure almost merging with the shadows, leaving Lin Feng in oppressive silence with his guiding spirit.Lin Feng slowed his pace, letting the distance between himself and Cai Rong widen. He closed his eyes for a moment, summoning Qiao Mulan into his consciousness."Mulan, what do you think of all this?" Lin Feng whispered, his voice so low it was almost drowned out by water dripping from the cave ceiling. "Cai Rong's offer... his explanation about this prison world... do you feel it too?"The spirit form of Qiao Mulan appeared beside him, floating silently. Her usually calm face now seemed filled with deep doubt."I question his true intentions, Lin Feng. Cai Rong is not someone who gives help without demanding

Lin Feng's footsteps felt very quiet as he passed through the final spatial portal opened by Cai Rong using his blood talisman. As soon as the spatial distortion subsided, a very strange smell of air immediately assaulted his sense of smell. It was not the smell of wet forest or the dry dust of the Western Border Region, but a mixture of burnt metal, sulfur vapor, and the very strong aroma of remnants of ancient spiritual formations."Welcome to the real center, Lin Feng," Cai Rong said, spreading his arms with pride. "The place where truth is produced, not hidden."Lin Feng looked up, his silver-flashing eyes widening in awe. Before him stretched an impossible landscape. The sky above their heads was neither blue nor black, but a gray energy vortex spinning endlessly, bounded by spatial walls that were cracked and shimmering like broken mirrors."This is... a folded dimension?" Lin Feng whispered, trying to feel the spatial boundaries around him with his Nascent Soul senses."Correct