merge with the surrounding world yet also appeared to transcend time and space. This gate of light quietly suspended there, yet gave an immovable sense of stability. At the same time, it rotated slowly at a strange and regular rhythm, each rotation accompanied by gentle and warm spatial ripples spreading outward.
This mysterious gate of light was the only passage to leave the Cloud Mist Secret Realm, the final hope for cultivators who had experienced countless hardships and various encounters here. They might be seriously injured and covered in blood, or perhaps returning with full loads and high spirits—but regardless, as long as they could step into that dazzling radiance, they could return to the familiar real world and end this journey full of unknowns and challenges.
As the closing time approached, more and more cultivators converged from all directions of the secret realm, like hundreds of rivers flowing into the sea, rushing toward that open valley illuminated by the gate's light. Voices clamored, auras mingled, and the air was filled with an urgent, restless, and even faint bloody atmosphere. Many bore injuries, their eyes unusually sharp as they tightly clutched their storage bags, vigilantly scanning every potential threat around them.
The five-member Qingxu Temple squad mingled with the crowd, slowly moving forward with the flow of people. Mu Qingfeng and Liu Yun positioned themselves at the front and rear, their auras calm and concentrated, like pillars that could stabilize the sea, protecting Xiaoqi, Shi Jian, and Chen Feng in the middle. They dared not relax in the slightest—at this final moment, any accident could render all previous efforts futile.
Xiaoqi held the Vermilion Fruit that belonged to him, feeling the majestic energy contained within, his heart both excited and slightly uneasy. He unconsciously touched the warm jade pendant on his chest, thinking again of that faint sensation from the depths of the secret realm before leaving. A trace of melancholy quietly passed through his heart but was quickly replaced by anticipation for the journey home.
However, just when they were less than a hundred zhang from the gate of light, about to step onto the path home, the crowd ahead suddenly erupted into violent commotion!
Suddenly, a piercing scream rang through the entire space! Immediately after, mournful wails rose one after another, like evil ghosts from hell howling, making one's hair stand on end. At the same time, an extremely strange sound was mixed in—a rustling sound like insects crawling, sounding particularly eerie and terrifying, even making one's teeth ache and goosebumps rise all over!
This sudden turn of events caused the already crowded crowd to instantly fall into extreme panic. They seemed to be struck by a powerful force against an invisible wall, their bodies violently pitching forward but unable to advance another inch! Thus, people began pushing and shoving, trampling each other, and the scene became increasingly chaotic. Some lost their balance and fell, immediately submerged by the surging crowd behind; others, to protect themselves, desperately waved their weapons or items, trying to disperse the people around them...
"What's happening?"
"We can't get through ahead!"
"It's those ghostly things! Spirit-Eroding Demon Vines! They've blocked the road!"
Panic spread like a plague.
Mu Qingfeng's brows tightly furrowed as he infused spiritual power into his eyes, looking past the bobbing heads ahead. On a relatively open gravel beach on the necessary path to the gate of light, dozens of wildly dancing black vines had appeared!
Those vines were about as thick as an adult's arm, completely pitch-black as ink, as if condensed from the deepest shadows. Their surfaces were covered with twisted, wriggling strange patterns, emitting a cold, filthy, nauseating aura. They were like black venomous snakes with lives of their own, drilling out from the cracks in the gravel beach, tightly wrapping around four or five cultivators who couldn't dodge in time.
Those cultivators wore uniform clothing, appearing to be disciples of a small sect. They struggled desperately, their protective spiritual light flashing frantically, their weapons hacking chaotically at the vines, but could only splash scattered sparks, completely unable to cut through the seemingly flexible vines. Instead, the sharp thorns on the vines easily tore through their defenses, deeply piercing into their flesh.
Even more heart-palpitating was that these black vines seemed like living creatures. Accompanied by a subtle "gurgle gurgle" sound, they were visibly draining the spiritual power and life essence of the trapped ones! The bodies of those disciples rapidly withered, their faces turning gray, the light in their eyes quickly dimming, and their wails becoming increasingly weak.
The surrounding cultivators, though numerous, dared not step forward to rescue. Some attempts at long-range attacks with spells—whether fireballs, wind blades, or ice cones—had minimal effect on the vines, even provoking more vines to drill out from the ground, threatening the approaching crowd with bared fangs and claws.
"Spirit-Eroding Demon Vines..." Mu Qingfeng's expression was grave as he said in a low voice to his companions, "These things contain a trace of demonic energy, extremely troublesome. Not only are they exceptionally tough, but they can erode spiritual power and devour life force. At this scale, they've likely developed intelligence and completely blocked this path."
Liu Yun's beautiful face was also frosty: "Troublesome! These things are hard to damage with swords, and spells have poor effects. Unless there's a pure Yang thunder technique or specialized purification power, they're difficult to quickly clear. Should we detour?"
Chen Feng looked around anxiously: "Detour? There's no time! And other directions must be packed with people too—who knows if there are other dangers?"
Shi Jian clenched his fists, looking at those few cultivators rapidly walking toward death, saying in a muffled voice: "Are we just going to watch? I'll go try!" He made as if to step forward.
"Don't be rash!" Mu Qingfeng immediately stopped him. "Your defense may be strong, but your spiritual power attribute isn't their counter. Once entangled, the consequences would be unimaginable!"
For a moment, the Qingxu Temple squad also fell into a dilemma. The path forward was blocked by these strange demon vines. Forcibly breaking through carried great risk, while detouring might not leave enough time.
The crowd's commotion grew increasingly intense, panic spreading. The exit was within reach, yet blocked by this barrier of death. Despair began to breed.
Xiaoqi's gaze was fixed on those wildly dancing, life-draining black vines. Amidst that intense cold and filthy aura, he keenly sensed a familiar, heart-palpitating fluctuation—demonic energy! Though impure, far inferior to that pure trace remaining in the cave, its eroding, destructive nature was identical!
In his mind, that incomplete technique called "Basic Purification Technique" obtained from the cave involuntarily surfaced. Purification... exorcising evil... countering demonic energy...
A bold, even somewhat crazy thought, like lightning cutting through darkness, suddenly illuminated his mind.
Perhaps... he could try?