182: Enter the Crimson Forbidden Land

The next morning, at the first light of dawn, Lu Yang, leading Mu Wanqing and Ning Hong, each riding their Flying Swords, transformed into three streaks of light that streaked across the sky towards the depths of the Hehuan Sect. Mu Wanqing's Flying Sword emitted a soft cyan aura, while Ning Hong's carried a scorching crimson radiance. Lu Yang's sword light, in contrast, was relatively condensed and restrained.

Along the way, they saw many escaping lights of different colors rising from the directions of various Peaks, converging like meteors towards a single target. Most of these escaping lights carried the Spiritual Qi fluctuations of Foundation Establishment Early-stage, with fewer at the Foundation Establishment Mid-stage. Each single or two or three closely grouped escaping lights often represented a three-person team dispatched by a Peak. The various glows streaking across the sky signaled the opening act of the journey into the Blood-colored Forbidden Land.

The assembly point was located at the bottom of a broad valley formed between two precipitous Peaks. On a relatively flat, open area stood a platform known as the Void Breaking Platform.

At this moment, several dozen Hehuan Sect Disciples had already gathered, subtly dividing into different small groups according to their respective Peaks.

In the center of the open area, three white-haired Elders wearing Hehuan Sect Elder robes stood with their hands clasped behind their backs. The powerful Spiritual Qi fluctuations emanating from them clearly indicated their Peak Foundation Establishment cultivation. These three Elders were responsible for maintaining order and explaining the rules of the Forbidden Ground.

One of the Elders, with a stern face, stepped forward, his gaze sweeping across the gathering like lightning. The previously somewhat noisy open area instantly fell silent. The Elder's voice, infused with Spiritual Qi, clearly reached everyone's ears:

"Silence! Listen carefully to the rules of the Blood-colored Forbidden Land!"

"First, the Forbidden Ground will be open for one month. When the time limit is reached, regardless of your location, the Forbidden Land Tokens you hold will automatically activate, triggering the land's repelling force to teleport you back to this place. If you fail to find a safe area to await the teleportation at that time, you bear the consequences!"

"Second, harming fellow Sect members is strictly forbidden! Within the Forbidden Ground, you are all Disciples of the Hehuan Sect and must watch over and assist each other. Anyone found guilty of killing a fellow Disciple or forcibly seizing their gains, regardless of identity or background, will have their cultivation crippled and be expelled from the Sect! There will be absolutely no leniency!"

"Third, each of you holds a Sect Positioning Jade Talisman. In the face of an irresistible crisis, you can crush it. The shattering of the talisman will release a special fluctuation, and the Sect's grand formation will attempt to lock onto the approximate location to provide rescue. However, the environment of the Forbidden Ground is special, with chaotic spatial conditions. Rescue may not be timely, and success is not guaranteed! This talisman is only a last resort. Do not use it lightly, and do not rely on it!"

"Fourth, within the Forbidden Ground, Yao Beasts run rampant, and powerful entities are commonplace. Precious spirit plants are often guarded by accompanying Yao Beasts or natural hazards. Opportunity is sought amidst danger, but one may also perish and have their Dao extinguished! You must act according to your abilities, proceed with caution, and prioritize preserving your lives above all else!"

"A final reminder: the entrance to the Forbidden Ground is opened by an ancient teleportation array left behind by the Sect. With each teleportation, the landing point randomly changes within the Forbidden Ground's peripheral areas. It is difficult to predict the positions of your teams after teleportation; you must find ways to regroup on your own! Now, prepare for teleportation!"

After speaking, the Elder said no more. The three Elders simultaneously formed hand seals, channeling streams of pure Spiritual Qi into a massive, circular platform constructed from an unknown dark gray stone in the center of the open area. The platform's surface was densely covered with deeply carved, ancient and profound array lines, filled with a sense of the passage of time.

As the Spiritual Qi was infused, the dormant array lines lit up one by one, emitting a faint white glow. The light grew increasingly brilliant, eventually forming a slowly rotating vortex of pure light at the center of the platform, radiating intense spatial fluctuations.

Teams from each Peak began to walk towards the teleportation platform in an orderly sequence, stepping into the vortex of light. With each team that entered, the light would flash intensely, and their figures would vanish.

Lu Yang, with Mu Wanqing and Ning Hong, waited in line. After roughly half an hour, it was finally their turn.

"Let's go," Lu Yang said in a low voice, stepping onto the light-emanating platform first. Mu Wanqing and Ning Hong followed closely behind, standing firmly on either side of him.

The Peak Foundation Establishment Elder in charge of operating the teleportation array swept his gaze over the three, confirmed everything was correct, then formed a seal with his hands and channeled an even more immense surge of Spiritual Qi into the array's core.

*Hum!*

The entire platform shook violently, the array lines blazing with light that completely engulfed the figures of the three. A strong sense of dizziness and spatial pulling washed over them, as if their bodies were instantly stretched and compressed. This sensation lasted for roughly three breaths.

As the light faded, the feel of solid ground returned beneath their feet. An almost tangible, dense concentration of Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi rushed towards them, mixed with an unmistakable, faint, rust-like scent of blood that sent a chill through their minds.

Lu Yang immediately steadied himself, his Divine Sense instantly spreading outwards, vigilantly scanning the surroundings. What met his eyes was an unfamiliar, primitive scene: towering ancient trees blocked out the sky, vines coiled like dragons, the ground covered in thick humus, the air damp and stifling. From the distance came the faint, low roars of unknown beasts.

"Wow! The Spiritual Qi here is so dense!" Mu Wanqing took a deep breath, her face flushing with excitement, but the tension brought by the bloody scent and distant beast roars quickly tempered it. Subconsciously, she took half a step closer to Lu Yang, her slender arm almost touching his.

"Mm, it is very dense, but... it feels so dangerous," Ning Hong also moved closer, pressing against Lu Yang's other side, her voice carrying a hint of tension. Her hand unconsciously grasped a corner of Lu Yang's sleeve.

Although their cultivation had reached the Foundation Establishment Stage, facing this unfamiliar, primitive, and murderous environment, the innate female desire for security instinctively drew them closer to Lu Yang, the one they most trusted and relied upon.

Sensing the dependence of the two beside him, Lu Yang said nothing more. He clearly recognized that at this moment, he was the core and backbone of this small team. Concentrating his spirit and calming his Qi, his powerful Divine Sense spread out in all directions like an invisible tide, extending with a range and precision far surpassing that of ordinary Foundation Establishment Cultivators. He carefully distinguished the Spiritual Qi fluctuations and life auras within a radius of several miles, attempting to locate the auras of Xia Yuxuan and Chi Rong.

After probing for a while, he did not detect their presences within the range of his Divine Sense. Lu Yang was not surprised by this; the random nature of the teleportation landing points was known. He immediately retrieved a pale cyan Jade Slip from his Storage Pouch—the map information Xia Yuxuan had transmitted via sound transmission talisman before departure. He pressed the Jade Slip to his forehead and probed it with his Divine Sense.

Inside the Jade Slip was a relatively simplified but clearly marked map of the Forbidden Ground's peripheral regions. A conspicuous red dot marked a place named "Youhuang Valley." This was precisely the pre-arranged rendezvous point they had agreed upon, where they would all try to head to first, regardless of their individual landing spots. This map was the result of painstaking collection and compilation by Xia Yuxuan and the others from the Shuiyue Peak's Scripture Pavilion.

"Landing points are random; no others detected," Lu Yang put down the Jade Slip, his eyes sweeping over the map before looking up to identify the surrounding terrain and general direction. "According to the map, we should currently be at the edge of an ancient forest in the southeastern direction of the Forbidden Ground's periphery. We are approximately over three hundred li from the agreed-upon 'Youhuang Valley.' We must not delay. We set off immediately to rendezvous with Yuxuan and the others as soon as possible."

"Mm!" Mu Wanqing and Ning Hong responded simultaneously, closely following Lu Yang as three figures swiftly vanished into the dense, perilous jungle ahead.