Lu Yin kept her eyes fixed on Sera throughout the journey.Sera walked ahead of them, her hands bound and her steps measured. She had tried several times to start a conversation, offering observations about the mist and the terrain, but Lu Yin responded with nothing more than silence. The cold indifference eventually frustrated Sera and she stopped trying, her expression tightening with each passing moment.Lin Feng led the group forward, his senses extended and his hand never leaving his sword. The mist curled around them like a living shroud, thick and oppressive, and the sounds of distant growls echoed through the grey. They had been skillfully avoiding the areas where they could feel the Dao beasts gathering, taking longer routes to stay clear of the coordinated packs that were still rampaging through the territory.It was working for a while.They were passing through a narrow ravine when the beasts appeared. The mist shifted and the growls grew louder, coming from multiple dir

Lin Feng and Leona moved through the settlement, their disguises holding firm against the casual glances of the residents. The settlement was larger than he had expected, a functioning city hidden within the heart of the Dark Noxious Mist. Streets stretched in every direction, lined with buildings that ranged from modest homes to grand structures that seemed to reach toward the grey sky. People moved about their daily lives, their faces relaxed and their conversations casual. Children played in the open spaces, their laughter echoing through the streets and cultivators of various strengths walked past without suspicion.Lin Feng observed everything with quiet awe. He had expected a fortress, something different but not this. Instead, he found a thriving community, a place where people lived and worked and raised their families. The settlement was protected by a massive barrier that kept the mist at bay, creating a pocket of safety in the middle of the deadly territory. Beyond the bar

Lin Feng sat across from Su Yan, his hands resting on his knees and his eyes fixed on the old lady's face. He had been waiting for the right moment to ask his questions and now that they were alone, he decided to press forward."I need to ask you something," Lin Feng said. "About soul attacks."Su Yan's sharp eyes studied him with curiosity. "What about them?""I have been trying to master them, but I feel like I am missing something. Leona told me you know more about them than anyone else."Su Yan leaned back in her chair, her fingers drumming against the armrest. "Leona talks too much.""She said you might be able to teach me."Su Yan was quiet for a moment, her expression unreadable. Then she spoke, her voice soft but firm. "Soul attacks are not like other techniques. You cannot learn them from a manual or practice them in a training yard. The way to mastery is through pain."Lin Feng frowned. "What do you mean?""Soul attacks require suffering. They require you to endure what othe

Lin Feng stepped into the second level of the Dark Abyss.The chamber was vast and empty, its walls stretching into darkness on all sides. There was nothing in the room except for a set of stairs that descended endlessly into the depths below. The stairs were carved from the same black stone as the walls and they seemed to go on forever, their end lost in the shadows that swirled at the bottom. It was like there were no ends to them.A dark mist rose from the floor, seeping into his mind and eroding him from the inside. It was subtle at first, a faint whisper at the edge of his consciousness. But it grew stronger with each breath, pressing against his thoughts and dulling his senses. The mist tried to fill him with doubt and fear, trying to make him give up and abandon the test without trying. It was an attack, testing the limits of his will and desire.Lin Feng channeled his domain and the mist recoiled slightly, unable to overwhelm him completely. But it did not disappear entirel

Lin Feng lay on the cold stone floor of the third level, his body trembling and his soul barely holding together. The shadows continued to attack, their cold energy pressing against his consciousness with relentless force. He was too weak to fight back, his defenses shattered and his energy depleted. But he did not give up.He forced himself to remember the pain, to accept it and let it flow through him. He recalled every moment of suffering from his life, the betrayal and the loss and the despair. He remembered his parents disowning him and his sect casting him out, the way they had looked at him with cold eyes and turned their backs without a second thought. He remembered Yun Feng's betrayal and the years of hunting and running, the constant fear of being caught and the loneliness of having no one to trust. He remembered the pain of being alone and the fear of never being strong enough to protect himself or anyone else.The pain was overwhelming, but he embraced it. He let it fill