261: Chapter 261 Detention, [Mirage Dream]

One team member's eyes were red, his voice trembling: "It's gone... everything is gone."

"When the fog was at its thickest, Old Zhao was walking less than three steps ahead of me. I only heard an extremely faint muffled sound, and when I looked over again, he was already gone."

"Not even a drop of blood or a scrap of clothing was left behind; the whole person just vanished."

Captain Xia An gripped the hilt of his blade, took a deep breath, and forcibly suppressed the turmoil in his heart.

This fog Yao Beast was even more bizarre and terrifying than they had anticipated.

It was not mere slaughter, but consumption.

It dissolved living people, skin and bone alike, completely into this gray-white expanse.

"Everyone, be careful," Captain Xia An warned in a deep voice. "Although most of the fog has dispersed, the remaining thick mist still possesses extremely strong corrosive properties."

"As long as you don't touch those residual patches of fog, there will be no danger to your lives."

Everyone nodded one after another, their expressions guarded.

Captain Xia An looked around, his brows furrowed tightly.

He searched the area, but did not find that familiar figure.

"Where is Chen Ran? Have you seen him?"

Several team members looked at each other, all shaking their heads.

"When the fog rose, Brother Chen seemed to leave with Li Qing and Zhao Tie. Later, when the fog became intense, everyone was scattered, and we haven't seen him since."

A wave of deep worry welled up in Captain Xia An's heart.

Although Chen Ran had impressive strength and acted with extreme composure, this Yao Beast was simply too sinister.

If something had happened to him...

Captain Xia An dared not think any further.

Just then, the morning wind in the mountain forest suddenly intensified.

The last patch of thick, gray-white fog rolled violently in the wind, then, like melting ice and snow, completely dissipated between heaven and earth.

Sunlight pierced through the thick clouds, spilling into the deathly silent forest.

As the fog dispersed, a slender figure slowly walked out from the depths of the dense forest ahead.

"Chen Ran!"

Captain Xia An's tense nerves finally relaxed, and he strode forward to meet him.

"Are you alright?"

Chen Ran nodded slightly, his tone calm: "I am fine."

"The fog was too thick earlier, I lost my way and was trapped in a mountain hollow. Fortunately, the fog dispersed, and I was able to find my way here."

Captain Xia An let out a long sigh of relief and patted Chen Ran on the shoulder.

"It's good that you're alright, it's good that you're alright. We lost quite a few brothers this time; if even you had met with misfortune, I truly wouldn't know how to answer to those above."

Chen Ran's gaze swept over the few surviving team members, his eyes deep, and he did not speak.

He had arrived in the mountain range a day earlier, but since the fog in the mountains had not dissipated at that time, he had specifically waited until everything was over before appearing.

The group searched the forest for a while longer, and after confirming there were no omissions, they prepared to return.

When they returned to the cliffside halfway up the mountain, a colossal object came into view.

It was a giant clam the size of a small hill, its entire body tightly bound by chains.

The giant clam's shell was a translucent moon-white, though its surface had already dimmed and lost its luster.

"Is this the main body of that Fog Yao?" Someone gasped.

"It is actually an ancient Yao species, the Phantom Soul Mirage. How could it suddenly appear near the capital?"

The surviving members of the Demon-Slaying Squad discussed it among themselves. Logically speaking, this type of Yao Beast already possessed rudimentary intelligence, and at the very least, it would not approach the capital.

But everything that had happened now was completely different from what they had imagined.

Captain Xia An glanced coldly at the Phantom Soul Mirage and said: "The Yao Beast has been executed. As for the appearance of an ancient Yao species, I will report this to the capital. For now, focus on recovering your state."

Captain Xia An ordered coldly, "Take it back to the capital."

...

Several days later.

The towering city walls of the capital were visible in the distance.

The Demon-Slaying Squad galloped along the main road, escorting a prison wagon made of refined steel in the middle.

The prison wagon was covered in dense layers of demon-suppressing Talismans, emitting a faint golden light, firmly suppressing the gray-white Mirage Yao within.

Only after leaving the vast and savage mountains and returning to the strictly ordered capital did everyone's emotions finally settle down completely.

Chen Ran rode a black horse, traveling on the side of the formation.

After entering the capital, the team did not stop for a moment, proceeding directly through the bustling streets to the entrance of the Celestial Prison.

The Celestial Prison, the darkest and most strictly guarded place in the Great Wei Dynasty.

It was built entirely of obsidian, and the walls were cast with molten iron.

The towering black stone gate resembled a dormant giant beast, opening its blood-stained maw, swallowing all light and hope.

The air was filled with a heavy scent of blood, and one could faintly hear miserable screams coming from the depths.

"Open the gate!"

Following a loud shout from the guard, the heavy refined steel gate slowly opened, emitting an ear-piercing grinding sound.

Captain Xia An dismounted and looked at Chen Ran: "Brother Chen, this Yao Beast is extremely dangerous. I must trouble you to personally escort it inside and hand it over to the lords of the Zhenyu Division."

Chen Ran nodded slightly: "I will trouble Captain Xia An to wait outside."

He dismounted and walked to the side of the prison wagon.

Several Jailers stepped forward, using specially made iron hooks to lock onto the Mirage Yao and drag it out of the prison wagon.

The Mirage Yao let out a weak hiss and tried to struggle, but its Demonic Qi was already sealed, and it had no power to resist.

It could only be dragged onto the ground by these Jailers.

Chen Ran followed behind the Jailers and stepped into the Celestial Prison.

On both sides of the passage, eerie green torches burned, stretching people's shadows extremely long.

The deeper they went, the more intense the chill became.

Finally, they arrived at the bottom level of the Celestial Prison.

This was the place specifically for detaining high-rank Yao Beasts, and the surrounding walls were engraved with complex formation patterns.

"Get in!"

Several Jailers roughly pushed the Fog Yao into a specially made cell, then slammed the cell door shut.

Click.

The heavy chains locked tight.

At the very instant the cell door closed.

In Chen Ran's mind, a strange throbbing suddenly occurred.

Deep within his Sea of Consciousness, the heavenly book of prison suppression slowly turned a page.

Brilliant golden light bloomed in the dark Sea of Consciousness, dispelling all gloom.

[Detected host detaining a Rank 3 Fog Yao. The imprisoned Yao is deeply sinful and has consumed living beings.]

[Now calculating participation directly.]

[Due to you personally arresting the target, participation calculation is high. You have received the following rewards:]

[Reward 1: Ten years of cultivation base.]

[Reward 2: Talent: Mirage Dream (Primary Stage).]

...

Chen Ran stood outside the cell door, his eyelids slightly lowered.

A vast and pure force appeared out of thin air within his Dantian.

That force was cool as water, yet vast as the sea, flowing through his Meridians throughout his body, and finally merging into the golden bridge that spanned heaven and earth.

His Innate true essence grew stronger by another fraction.

At the same time, countless profound insights flooded into his memory like a tide.

In the Sea of Consciousness, the golden light gradually receded, replaced by a vast, boundless expanse of gray-white fog.

Chen Ran's consciousness seemed to be pulled into an illusion left over from ancient times.

In the depths of this deathly silent sea of fog, a giant clam as massive as a mountain slowly opened its shell.

Inhaling and exhaling the purest Taiyin Qi between heaven and earth, every breath caused ripples to spread in the surrounding space.

This was the Origin image of the Phantom Soul Mirage.

Chen Ran stood quietly in the sea of fog, his mind clear and empty, silently comprehending that mysterious and profound aura.

The so-called "Mirage Dream" was a natal Divine Ability derived from an ancient Great Yao. It used one's own true essence as a guide to sketch the Qi of heaven and earth, creating an illusion out of thin air.

He could clearly perceive the terrifying transformation this talent would bring as his Realm improved.

The primary stage of "Mirage Dream" could create ordinary illusions, silently distorting the surrounding scenery to conceal one's tracks or confuse those with weak minds, making it as difficult to distinguish truth from falsehood as a mirage.

And if Cultivated to a high stage, this talent would undergo a qualitative leap, sufficient to forcibly manipulate an enemy's five senses.

By then, those trapped within would have their sight, hearing, smell, taste, and touch all controlled by his single thought.

He could easily strip away the opponent's perception, pulling them into a nightmare woven by him, causing them to collapse in endless fear and despair.

As for the legendary Realm of Perfection, it would likely be even more terrifying.

The void and reality would interweave, turning the false into the true, as if it were real.

The blades in the illusion could truly sever an enemy's head; the raging fire in the illusion could burn a person's Physical Body to ashes.

A single thought creates a world, a single thought destroys all living beings.

After digesting all of this, even Chen Ran could not help but exclaim: "What an overbearing talent."