Volume One

Chapter Five: Fog-Locked Black Wind, The Ruin Appears

Three days later, the Yunni Sect's station square.

The morning mist had not yet dispersed, and a damp, cold air filled the atmosphere. A team of about twenty people had already finished assembling, the atmosphere far more solemn than that of the previous Black Wind Ridge clearing squad.

The team was clearly divided into two parts. The core consisted of eight Yunni Sect Disciples dressed in matching azure cloud-patterned martial attire, the lowest cultivation among them being the fifth level of Qi Refining. Their leader had a square face, steady eyes, and a powerful Aura; he was at the eighth level of Qi Refining, named Chen Feng, and served as the leader of this exploration team. Standing beside him were Su Qingyue and several other outer sect elites.

The other part consisted of over ten recruited "Guest Elders" or "Strongmen," mostly Loose Cultivators at the fourth to sixth levels of Qi Refining, or somewhat famous Martial Artists and hunters from Qingshi Town and the surrounding areas. Dressed in various styles, their expressions carried caution and anticipation for the generous rewards. Lin Xuan was still in his coarse cloth short-tunic, appearing unremarkable among them, yet his calm expression and the faintly exuded heavy Aura still drew a few extra glances from the nearby Loose Cultivators.

Deacon Wang stood at the front of the team with an old man whose face was withered but whose eyes were exceptionally sharp. The old man wore a gray cloth robe and looked unremarkable, but Chen Feng and the other Yunni Sect Disciples treated him with extreme respect.

"This is Junior Martial Uncle Sun Miao, a Cultivator at the Middle Stage of Foundation Establishment. He is an expert in Formations, ley lines, and ancient Restrictions. This exploration will be overseen by Junior Martial Uncle Sun," Deacon Wang introduced, his tone respectful.

Sun Miao nodded slightly, his gaze sweeping over everyone like a falcon. He seemed to pause for a moment when his eyes passed over Lin Xuan, but he said nothing more. His voice was hoarse yet clear: "The dark red mist of Black Wind Ridge is extraordinary. According to surviving ancient records and recent observations, this mist seems to be related to ley line anomalies and may connect to a long-sealed location. The mist has the effect of interfering with Divine Sense and eroding spiritual power; there may be mutated Yao Beasts or even ancient leftover Restrictions within."

He paused before continuing, "The purpose of this trip is threefold: first, to investigate the source of the mist and map the area; second, to collect mist samples and any special minerals or vegetation that may exist within; and third, if ruins or sealed spaces are discovered, to record peripheral information without unauthorized entry. All actions must follow my orders; violators will be severely punished."

"Chen Feng, Su Qingyue, you two will be responsible for deploying the sect's Disciples to form the vanguard and sentries."

"As for the Guest Elders," Sun Miao looked toward the Loose Cultivators and strongmen, "as previously agreed, you will assist in exploration, protection, and transporting supplies. Contributions will be distributed according to work done, and in case of danger, you must follow commands. Now, check your equipment; we depart in the time it takes for an incense stick to burn."

Everyone solemnly complied and began checking their belongings. Most Yunni Sect Disciples were equipped with Miasma-Clearing Pills, Detoxification Pills, low-grade Talismans, and standard Magical Artifacts. The Loose Cultivators had a variety of gear: some carried specialized herb baskets, some held compass-like Magical Artifacts, and a few burly Martial Artists bore heavy shields and Mountain-Splitting Axes.

Lin Xuan only carried a simple knapsack containing the medicinal herbs given by Deacon Wang, the remaining few Grade 1 Yao Cores, some dry rations and water, and the relatively sharp short dagger he had obtained from the cat demon at Black Wind Ridge. His "equipment" was his own body.

Su Qingyue walked over and handed him a jade bottle. "This is a higher-quality 'Miasma-Clearing Heart-Protecting Pill.' It is more potent and lasts longer." Her tone remained cold, but her eyes were a bit less distant than before, filled with a touch of complexity.

Lin Xuan took it. "Thank you."

"Once we enter the mist, stay close to the team and don't try to be a hero," Su Qingyue added in a low voice before turning back to the Yunni Sect Disciples.

A Loose Cultivator nearby with a full beard and a large herb basket on his back approached, chuckling. "Brother, you look like a new face. I'm Li Dali, a herb gatherer from the west of Qingshi Town; I've been roaming these mountains for decades. Seeing your extraordinary air, are you also here for the 'ancient remains' Senior Sun mentioned? I heard that just prying a brick from there could be worth a fortune!"

Lin Xuan glanced at him. This Li Dali seemed rough, but there was a sharp glint in his eyes. His cultivation was around the fourth level of Qi Refining, and his blood energy was vigorous, clearly the result of years of experience in the wild. "Lin Xuan. Just here to see."

"Brother Lin is straightforward!" Li Dali slapped Lin Xuan's shoulder familiarly. "Once we're in the mountains, let's look out for each other! That mist looks wicked; an extra pair of hands helps!"

After the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, the team, led by Sun Miao, left the station and set off once more toward Black Wind Ridge.

Following a familiar path, the team arrived near the forest clearing where they had encountered the Flame-Claw Demon Bear half a day later. The color of the mist here had noticeably deepened, an ominous dark red peeking through the light gray. Visibility was further reduced, and the air was thick with a faint smell of sulfur and decay, making one's chest feel tight.

"From here on is the core area affected by the dark red mist." Sun Miao stopped, took out an ancient-looking bronze compass, and infused it with spiritual power. After the needle trembled wildly, it barely pointed deeper into the mist. "The mist interference is extremely strong; Divine Sense detection range is less than ten zhang. Everyone, take your Miasma-Clearing Pills, wear your Warning Talismans, maintain Formation, and advance slowly!"

Chen Feng and Su Qingyue immediately directed the Yunni Sect Disciples to form a triangular arrowhead Formation, protecting Sun Miao in the center. The Loose Cultivators and strongmen dispersed to the sides and rear in a loose protective arrangement. Lin Xuan and Li Dali walked in the middle-right section of the team.

Stepping into the dark red mist area, the environment changed abruptly. The light grew dim, and sound seemed to be absorbed, making even footsteps sound muffled. The mist was thick and damp, leaving a slight stinging sensation when it touched the skin. The forest was terrifyingly silent; the insect chirps and bird calls that could be heard before had completely vanished.

"Watch your feet! There are strange vines!" a Yunni Sect Disciple ahead cried out softly. Dark red vines, writhing like blood vessels, were coiled on the ground, seemingly able to sense living beings as they slowly extended toward the team.

Sun Miao frowned and flicked a wisp of azure flame from his fingertip onto the vines. With a "chi-la" sound, the vines twisted violently, emitted black smoke, and quickly retreated underground. "It's 'Blood-Erosion Vine,' which feeds on flesh and spiritual power. Be careful not to get entangled; use fire Spells or physical strikes to cut them."

The team continued forward, becoming even more cautious. Along the way, they encountered several more strange plants and poisonous insects affected by the mist, but under Sun Miao's guidance and their collective efforts, they passed through without incident.

After traveling for about an hour, the mist ahead suddenly became as thick as blood, making it nearly impossible to see one's own hand. The needle on the compass in Sun Miao's hand began to spin frantically.

"Stop!" Sun Miao signaled with his hand, his expression grave. "There are signs of intense energy turbulence and spatial folding ahead... it seems like... a barrier or an entrance."

He took out a stack of yellow Talisman papers, chanted under his breath, and threw them out. The Talismans flew into the thick fog ahead and spontaneously ignited, turning into streaks of light that outlined a flickering, distorted oval silhouette. It was about three zhang high and two zhang wide, with a dark red halo flowing around its edges.

"It's an entrance! A hidden entrance!" an excited Loose Cultivator skilled in detection exclaimed.

"But the entrance is extremely unstable, and there are leftover Restrictions," Sun Miao observed the path of the Talisman fire carefully. "The Restriction leans toward... power detection and repulsion? Strange, it doesn't seem like a common spiritual power Restriction."

He pondered for a moment and said to Chen Feng, "Nephew Chen, choose three Disciples at the sixth level of Qi Refining or above to accompany me in attempting to approach the entrance and investigate the details of the Restriction. Everyone else, stay on alert and set up a defensive Formation."

"Yes!" Chen Feng immediately selected three Disciples, including Su Qingyue. The four of them followed Sun Miao, cautiously walking toward the oval silhouette.

However, just as they were ten zhang away from the entrance, a sudden change occurred!

The oval silhouette suddenly erupted with light, and an invisible, overwhelming force exploded outward! Sun Miao, bearing the brunt of it, groaned as his gray robe flashed with light; he retreated three steps before steadying himself. Chen Feng and the other two Disciples felt as if they had been struck by a heavy blow, sent reeling back with their blood and qi churning. Su Qingyue, with her slightly weaker cultivation, turned pale, a trace of blood leaking from the corner of her mouth, and she only managed to stay upright by thrusting her longsword into the ground with a "dang."

"Such a strong repulsive force! And... it seems the purer and deeper the spiritual power, the stronger the repulsion?" Sun Miao's eyes were filled with uncertainty. "Could this Restriction... be a Legacy left by an ancient Body Cultivator? Specifically designed to repel Cultivators who practice spiritual power?"

At these words, the crowd was in an uproar. Specifically repelling Cultivators? Wouldn't that mean no one could enter?

"Let me try," a muffled, booming voice rang out. It was a burly man in the team, nearly two meters tall with muscles knotted like an iron tower, named Wang Mang. He was a well-known External Martial Artist from Qingshi Town, said to have trained his external skills to a level comparable to the fifth level of Qi Refining. He strode forward, took a deep breath, his muscles bulging as his skin took on a faint metallic luster. With a low growl, he charged toward the entrance!

At the same ten-zhang mark, the invisible force surged again! Wang Mang's momentum stalled, his entire body's muscles trembling violently and his bones creaking. He roared repeatedly, forcing himself forward another three steps, but finally could not hold on. He was violently repelled by an even stronger force, plowing a deep furrow in the ground, his face flushed red as he panted like an ox.

[part:gemini-3.1-flash-lite]

"It's no good... This power doesn't just repel Spiritual Qi; it also suppresses pure blood-energy, but it seems... slightly weaker than the repulsion against Spiritual Qi?" Wang Mang said, breathing heavily.

Sun Miao's eyes flickered: "It seems this Restriction primarily targets 'energy,' with Spiritual Qi bearing the brunt, and pure blood-energy coming second. Perhaps it requires a kind of... power that is more restrained and closer to the Origin of the Physical Body?"

Everyone's gaze involuntarily and simultaneously turned to Lin Xuan, who had been standing silently in the group.

What Lin Xuan had displayed at Black Wind Ridge was precisely that kind of pure Physical Body power, devoid of any Spiritual Qi fluctuations yet incredibly formidable. Moreover, he seemed to have mastered some sort of strange technique for exerting force.

Su Qingyue wiped the blood from the corner of her mouth and looked at Lin Xuan with a complex expression. Li Dali nudged Lin Xuan with his elbow and whispered: "Brother Lin, it's time for you to show your stuff! I believe in you!"

Sun Miao also looked at Lin Xuan and said in a deep voice: "Little Friend Lin, are you willing to give it a try? If you can approach the entrance and investigate its detailed situation, I will record it as your first-class contribution!"

Lin Xuan raised his eyes to look at the oval entrance flickering with dark red light, his [Source Martial Spiritual Energy] circulating slightly within him. His newly acquired "Spiritual Qi Perception" ability allowed him to "see" more clearly than others that the area around the entrance was permeated with an extremely complex and constantly shifting force field. It indeed reacted most violently to active "Spiritual Qi," and also repelled the relatively dormant but high-quality "power of blood-energy," though with slightly less intensity.

Perhaps his [Source Martial Spiritual Energy]—born from the tempering of Martial Dao blood-energy, unique in nature, and possessing some characteristics of Spiritual Qi while being more restrained—could be the key?

He didn't say much, and under everyone's gaze, he stepped toward the entrance.

His pace was not fast, but exceptionally steady. He did not deliberately restrain his Aura, nor did he surge his blood-energy like Wang Mang; he simply distributed his [Source Martial Spiritual Energy] evenly throughout his flesh, blood, and bones, perfectly integrating it with his Physical Body, as if he had transformed into a piece of naturally formed, high-density "stubborn stone."

One step, two steps, three steps...

Approaching the ten-zhang range, that invisible, immense force arrived as expected!

Lin Xuan's body sank slightly, and fine cracks appeared on the ground beneath his feet. But he did not slow down; instead, he used this pressure to adjust the circulation frequency and distribution of his [Source Martial Spiritual Energy].

The repulsive force acted upon him, but it was like a clay ox entering the sea; most of it was absorbed, dispersed, and neutralized by his extremely tough Physical Body and restrained [Source Martial Spiritual Energy]. Only a small portion formed tangible pressure, but it could not stop his footsteps.

Eight zhang, five zhang, three zhang...

Everyone held their breath, watching as Lin Xuan approached the heart-palpitating entrance step by step, his speed not even slowing down by much! Su Qingyue's beautiful eyes widened in disbelief. A brilliant light flashed in Sun Miao's eyes as he stared intently at every one of Lin Xuan's movements.

Finally, Lin Xuan reached the "door" of the oval outline, the dark red light almost within reach. The repulsive force reached its peak here, and the air seemed to solidify. Lin Xuan stopped, extended his finger, and gently touched the flowing halo.

Hum—!

The halo at the entrance fluctuated violently, and the repulsive force increased sharply! The muscles in Lin Xuan's arm tightened instantly, and the ground beneath his feet cracked with a "snap." But his figure remained as steady as a rock, and the wisp of [Source Martial Spiritual Energy] at his fingertip quietly probed out, making extremely subtle contact and testing with the halo.

After a few breaths, the fluctuations gradually subsided. Lin Xuan withdrew his finger, turned around, and walked back calmly amidst the astonished gazes of the crowd.

"How is it?" Sun Miao asked urgently.

"The core of the Restriction is indeed related to Physical Body power. It primarily repels Spiritual Qi, and the power of blood-energy secondarily," Lin Xuan said slowly. "But it is not completely isolated. The entrance itself is in a semi-stable state, and behind it... there seems to be a huge space with extremely high concentrations of Spiritual Qi, which is ancient and complex in nature. There is another key point," he paused, "at three locations on the edge of the entrance, there are weak power nodes that seem to be where the balance of the Restriction is maintained. If these nodes are vibrated simultaneously with pure Physical Body power, it might briefly weaken the Restriction and open a passage, but it won't last very long."

Upon hearing this, Sun Miao immediately activated his detection Talisman again to carefully observe the edge of the entrance. Sure enough, at three inconspicuous locations, he discovered extremely hidden energy accumulation points. "There really are nodes! Little Friend Lin's perception is remarkably keen, truly impressive!"

He quickly made arrangements: "Wang Mang, Li Kui, Zhang Shan!" He pointed to three of the strongest and most vigorous Martial Artist Guest Elders. "The three of you, listen to Little Friend Lin's command and attack those three nodes simultaneously! You must use your full strength, focusing on vibrational force!"

"Chen Feng, Su Qingyue, lead all the Disciples and be ready at any time to deal with any incidents that may occur after the entrance opens!"

"The rest of you, reinforce the defenses! Quickly!"

Wang Mang and the other two who were called immediately stepped forward and gathered around Lin Xuan. Lin Xuan briefly informed them of the specific locations of the three nodes and the essentials of exerting force.

"Listen to my command, three, two, one... Attack!"

Following Lin Xuan's low shout, Wang Mang roared and slammed his fists into the left node! Li Kui brandished a heavy axe and slashed violently at the right side! Zhang Shan lowered his shoulder and slammed into the bottom node! All three pushed their blood-energy to the limit, without any admixture of Spiritual Qi!

Lin Xuan himself stood directly in front of the entrance, took a deep breath, and eight hundred wisps of [Source Martial Spiritual Energy] surged instantly within him, concentrating in his right fist. He did not use any Martial Skill; he simply condensed all his power and will into this punch and slowly thrust it toward the center of the entrance, the point where the repulsive force was strongest!

This punch was not fast, but it was as heavy as a collapsing mountain!

"Boom—!!!"

Four powerful, pure forces acted simultaneously on the entrance Restriction! The entire oval outline trembled violently, and the dark red light flickered crazily, dimming and brightening! The invisible repulsive force field was like a torn curtain, violently twisting and fluctuating!

"It's open! The passage is forming!" Sun Miao shouted sharply.

Only to see that in the center of the entrance, where the repulsive force was weakest, the dark red light parted to the sides, revealing a deep, twisting, and fluctuating passage that could only accommodate one person! From within the passage came an ancient, desolate, and incomparably pure and rich scent of Spiritual Qi, mixed with a faint smell of metal and dust!

"Now! Enter!" Sun Miao made a prompt decision, his body turning into a stream of light as he was the first to rush into the passage! Chen Feng and Su Qingyue followed closely behind, and the Yunni Sect Disciples filed in one after another!

"Go!" Lin Xuan shouted to Wang Mang and the others, and he himself flashed into the passage.

The Loose Cultivators and laborers behind were stunned for a moment, then scrambled to pour in.

When the last person entered, the twisted passage fluctuated violently a few times, the dark red light closed again, and the entrance was once again sealed by the powerful repulsive force field, returning to its original state, as if nothing had ever happened.

And the people who passed through the passage were deeply shocked by the scene before them.

This was an incomparably huge underground space, with strange, glowing rocks overhead, like an inverted starry sky. Beneath their feet was an ancient stone square covered in dust and rubble. At the end of the square stood faint, broken yet still magnificent stone building complexes, with a rough and simple style, carrying a wild and heavy feeling. The Spiritual Qi permeating the air was ancient and active, more than ten times richer than the outside! Further away, there seemed to be the sound of rumbling water and the faint echo of metal clashing.

At the edge of the square stood a broken, massive stone tablet, carved with a few ancient characters that, even though incomplete, were still imposing:

[Ancient God... Martial... Training... Grounds]

"Ancient God Martial Training Grounds... It really is a relic of an ancient Body Cultivator!" Sun Miao's voice carried uncontrollable excitement, his eyes shining brightly.

Everyone was stunned by this sudden discovery, and then, ecstasy, greed, vigilance, shock... all kinds of emotions spread through the crowd.

Lin Xuan stood in the crowd, feeling the faint resonance between this place and his own Martial Dao Origin, and looking at the broken characters "Martial Training Grounds," the corners of his mouth curled slightly.

It seems this trip to Black Wind Ridge was worth it.

(Chapter 5, Volume 1 Complete)

[Next Chapter Preview]:

Fog locks Black Wind, the relic first appears! The ancient Body Cultivator "Ancient God Martial Training Grounds" is shockingly revealed; what kind of Legacy and secret treasures are hidden within?

Within the relic, crises are everywhere; ancient Restrictions, guardian Puppets, mutated Yao Beasts... what kind of life-and-death trials will the exploration team face?

Sun Miao's ambition, Chen Feng's loyalty, Su Qingyue's choice, the petty schemes of the various Loose Cultivators... in the face of this huge benefit, how will human hearts gamble against each other?

Lin Xuan possesses the Martial Dao Origin and is like a fish in water here; what kind of opportunities will he gain? And how many clues can he discover about the decline of ancient Martial Dao and the resurgence of Spiritual Qi?

And has the shadow of Zhao Long also quietly followed him here?

Next Chapter: In the Martial Training Grounds, Shaking the Ancient Puppet with Force!

Lin Xuan: "The path of an ancient Body Cultivator? Perfect, let's see which is stronger, it or my 'Martial Dao Spirit Transformation.'"