The thatched hut was truly crude. The courtyard was littered with withered grass and rubble. Only a table and chair set stood in the center.
Lu Qing’an cautiously pushed the door open and entered. The table and chairs above were perfectly clean, as if someone had just wiped them down.
The interior decor of the thatched hut was plain at a glance. On the earthen sleeping platform was only a mat woven from dried grass. Opposite it was the large pot now smoking.
The fire beneath the stove was still burning, as if heating whatever was inside the iron pot.
Lu Qing’an used the tip of her sword to lift the pot lid. She had expected to see something disgusting and terrifying, but inside the pot were four dishes, a soup, and a bowl of rice.
“??” Lu Qing’an was utterly baffled. She had assumed it was an illusion, but upon closer inspection, she found it was truly real food.
A clean tabletop, a heated meal.
This Oracle Mystic Realm was surprisingly hospitable, even specially preparing a hot meal to welcome its guests.
Although it was edible food, Lu Qing’an still had misgivings and did not touch the chopsticks. Instead, she circled the hut, looking for an exit.
The Oracle Mystic Realm was filled with hidden dangers and illusions. The instant all cultivators stepped into the realm, they were drawn into various barriers.
Only by escaping by luck could one truly arrive at the Oracle Mystic Realm.
Gu Chuan had finally broken through the barrier with great difficulty. Using a Voice Transmission Spell, he found the Primordial Pavilion’s encampment within the Oracle Mystic Realm, only to discover that every Primordial Pavilion disciple who had escaped the barrier had suffered injuries, some minor, some major.
Around the Primordial Pavilion’s encampment were the encampments of other sects on good terms with the Pavilion, as well as independent cultivators. At a glance, the injured were countless.
Gu Chuan scanned the area, then rushed forward and grabbed Jing Chen. He asked urgently, “Where is Qing’an? Why don’t I see her?”
Jing Chen’s face was pale. He pressed a hand over the wound on his arm and said with difficulty, “I don’t know. She must still be trapped in a barrier. The Sect Master has already gone to look for the Eldest Senior Sister.”
Only Guan Zhengping remained at the encampment to guard the injured disciples, preventing attacks from the spirit beasts within the Oracle Mystic Realm or from the Mo Le Sect.
“Still hasn’t come out of the barrier?” Gu Chuan was frantic. “Qing’an’s cultivation is so high—a single barrier should not be able to trap her.”
“I heard the Sect Master say that the barriers in the Oracle Mystic Realm vary in size. This size refers not only to area but also to the degree of danger,” Jing Chen said, looking at the bandage on his arm that was soaking through with blood again, and continued while enduring the pain. “I was relatively lucky; the barrier I encountered wasn’t very strong. But I heard disciples from other sects say that quite a few of their disciples died within the barriers. There are only two ways out of these barriers: either break through it yourself… or only by death can you escape the barrier.”
For those who failed to escape the barrier, upon death, the barrier would automatically “spit” the body out.
The sects at the encampment would send people to search for those who had yet to escape the barriers, insisting on seeing the person alive, or their corpse if dead.
Gu Chuan’s face changed instantly.
Seeing this, Jing Chen comforted him, “The Sect Master has gone to find the Eldest Senior Sister. Given her cultivation level, she should be fine.”
Gu Chuan’s heart was still uneasy. He wanted to go search, but Guan Zhengping stopped him. Disciples of the Primordial Pavilion were not permitted to leave the encampment on their own; otherwise, they would be expelled from the sect.
Gu Chuan could only wait anxiously at the encampment. He waited until nightfall, only to see You Luan return alone.
“Sect Master, where is Qing’an?” Gu Chuan demanded urgently.
You Luan’s expression was grim as he frowned deeply. “I have searched through all accessible areas of the Oracle Mystic Realm, and I have not found Qing’an.”
Gu Chuan’s eyes widened in disbelief. “That’s impossible. Qing’an’s cultivation is so high, she couldn’t possibly…”
He dared not utter that word.
You Luan knew what Gu Chuan was thinking. “I also discovered no sign of Qing’an’s corpse. She has disappeared within the Oracle Mystic Realm.”
Every cultivator participating in the Oracle Mystic Realm expedition wore a numbered nameplate.
Now, all nameplates had been found, except for Lu Qing’an’s.
Guan Zhengping was well aware of Lu Qing’an’s strength. He sighed and said, “This child has good cultivation. She can certainly take care of herself.”
“Now that we have entered this Oracle Mystic Realm, whether one lives or dies depends entirely on one’s own fortune.”
You Luan closed his eyes for a moment, then looked at all the injured disciples of the Primordial Pavilion and declared with firm resolve, “Rest and regroup first. I will go out later to search for Qing’an again.”
“Look over there, what is that—” A terrified cry rang out from the crowd.
Everyone looked in that direction and saw a thick fog surging up from the dense forest.
“Poison—”
No one dared to refute this person’s conclusion, for the speaker was none other than the Medicine King, the Master of Cangsheng Valley!
And this fog appeared eerily; its color was actually blood-red.
Someone was at the edge and, unable to react in time, was swallowed by the fog.
From within the fog came that person’s miserable, agonized wails. In just the span of a single breath, that person was eroded and dissolved by the blood mist—not even bones remained.
Everyone was terrified. They immediately released their spiritual power outward to form protective shields, resisting the blood mist’s erosion.
But spiritual power would eventually be exhausted. In just a short half-quarter hour, many cultivators had already been swallowed by the blood mist.
And as the mist swallowed more, it grew larger and denser.
“Think of something quickly, Medicine King—”
“Yes, Medicine King, is there an antidote for this blood mist?”
“My spiritual power is almost depleted—”
The Medicine King was also helpless against this bizarre blood mist. He could only distribute Spirit Gathering Pills from Cangsheng Valley to everyone, attempting to alleviate their state of physical and mental exhaustion.
The Medicine King raced against time, analyzing the blood mist, trying to devise a countermeasure.
But within seconds and minutes, people discovered that hidden within the blood mist were ferocious spirit beasts.
“Datura Ghost Serpents—”
“These are actually Spirit-Rank Level Three Datura Serpents!”
“Datura Serpents are pack spirit beasts; they don’t move in ones or twos. If you see a Datura Serpent, you must run, because…”
The cultivator’s words were cut short as a Datura Serpent bit fiercely into his throat. The venom instantly spread throughout his body. Not even Cangsheng Valley’s antidote could save him in time.
No one cared about the “because…” that followed. They had already seen thousands upon thousands of Datura Serpents surging out of the blood mist.
“Run—”
“Ahhh—”
“Save me… save me—”
In an instant, miserable screams rose and fell. The disciples of Cangsheng Valley could barely protect themselves now and were completely unable to help others.
You Luan and Guan Zhengping shielded the Primordial Pavilion disciples as they retreated, trying to escape the blood mist’s erosion and the Datura Serpent attacks.
Everyone had just escaped the barriers not long ago, and their spiritual power had yet to recover much.
Now, facing the dual assault of the blood mist and the Datura Serpents, they could not hold out much longer.
Gu Chuan’s face was pale. He could still barely hold on, but Jing Chen beside him could no longer sustain it. The spiritual power barrier he was exerting was already faint and flickering; he probably wouldn’t last long.
Gu Chuan wanted to help Jing Chen, but he saw dozens of Datura Serpents leaping up, clearly aiming for his life.
Right now, he couldn’t even save himself, let alone save Jing Chen.
Jing Chen’s spiritual power was already exhausted; his protective barrier was about to vanish.
He weakly closed his eyes, waiting for the blood mist to engulf him.
But in the next second, Jing Chen felt no pain. A hand pressed against his back, erecting a powerful protective barrier for him.
“It’s the Eldest Senior Sister—”
“The Eldest Senior Sister is back—”
Jing Chen turned to look. It was indeed Lu Qing’an.
Overjoyed, he said, “Eldest Senior Sister.”
“Get behind me.”
Lu Qing’an swiftly formed hand seals with both hands, reinforcing the protective barrier and firmly shielding the two of them.
Seeing Lu Qing’an’s figure, Gu Chuan let out a breath. “Qing’an, you’re alright. That’s good.”
Lu Qing’an frowned. With a flick of two fingers, the Cloud-Cutting Sword shot directly toward Gu Chuan.
Gu Chuan did not dodge. The Cloud-Cutting Sword brushed past him, slicing in two the Datura Serpent that had been trying to ambush him.
Gu Chuan smiled. “Thank you.”
Lu Qing’an retracted the Cloud-Cutting Sword. “Be careful.”
“Okay.”
You Luan approached Lu Qing’an and sensed something was amiss. His eyes deepened, and he asked, “You’ve broken through?”
A slight smile curved on Lu Qing’an’s lips. “Yes, your disciple has charged into the Early Nascent Soul Realm.”
You Luan smiled with satisfaction. “Very good.”
The moment he turned around, he suddenly spotted a Datura Serpent coiled on a tree. Its vertical pupils glowed with a cold, menacing light as it shot directly toward the back of Lu Qing’an’s neck.
“Qing’an, watch out.”
You Luan grabbed Lu Qing’an’s arm to pull her away, but he saw that Datura Serpent actually spread its wings, changed direction, and continued its charge straight for Lu Qing’an.
You Luan was horrified. “Saint-Rank Earth-Shattering Stage!”
Guan Zhengping was too far away to help. Although You Luan could resist, his spiritual power was also greatly depleted now. This high-level Saint-Rank Datura Serpent must have been coiled on the tree for a long time; its trajectory was clearly aimed at a single fatal strike.
Lu Qing’an looked at that triangular snake head, the snake’s huge maw filled with razor-sharp fangs, its vertical pupils brimming with malevolence.
Her hand, ready to raise her sword, paused. A flicker of light flashed through her eyes.
Lu Qing’an gripped her sword hilt tightly and stood in place, watching the Datura Serpent charge toward her.
To onlookers, she seemed frozen in fear, stiff and unable to move.
But Lu Qing’an knew: she was betting with her life.
The ferocious Datura Serpent suddenly stopped in mid-air, as if someone had seized it by its vital point.
Indeed, someone had grabbed the Datura Serpent’s vital point and even ripped off its two wings.
In her ear was a voice with that intensely familiar, cool tone, fierce yet laced with arrogance.
“The one under my protection—are you worthy of biting?”
