195: Chapter 195 Illusions Abound, Entrance to the Ruins

The Grey Mist Zone was like a tide, surging ceaselessly. The team moved slowly through the grey mist, like wading through thick ink, each step requiring extreme caution. Vision was compressed to within ten zhang, and the range of Divine Sense exploration was reduced to less than fifty zhang. In their ears was the eternal howling of the wind, mixed with faint whispers, weeping, and savage laughter, constantly stirring everyone's nerves.

The tragedy of the Four Seas Trade Alliance Cultivator hung over everyone's hearts like a dark cloud. Everyone was on high alert, guarding their minds, operating their Cultivation Technique to resist the erosion of the grey mist and the invasion of illusions.

"Ah—! Mother! Don't go! Don't leave me!"

Another shrill scream came from the left flank of the team. This time it was a member of a small Loose Cultivator group, a young female Cultivator who looked no more than twenty. Her face was covered in tears, filled with despair and attachment, reaching out her hand as she ran wildly into the depths of the grey mist, as if chasing some illusory figure.

"Junior Sister! Come back!" Her companion exclaimed, trying to grab her, but was shaken off abruptly. In the blink of an eye, she disappeared into the grey mist, with no further sound.

"Damn it! This hellish place!" Someone cursed in a low voice, their tone filled with fear.

Palace Master Xuè Wúhén frowned. Her cultivation as a Late Stage Heavenly Immortal allowed her to barely resist the erosion of the grey mist, but she also felt uneasy, as if countless tiny hands were scratching at her Divine Soul. She glanced at Lin Wan beside her and found that he still looked calm, even with his eyes closed, as if he were sensing something. There was not a shred of immortal essence fluctuation on him, yet that grey mist automatically avoided him, unable to approach within three feet of his body.

"Fellow Daoist Lin..." Palace Master Xuè Wúhén couldn't help but ask via voice transmission, "Are... are you alright?"

"I am fine." Lin Wan opened his eyes, his gaze clear, as if this grey mist that could erode the Divine Soul had no effect on him at all. "This grey mist is indeed something else. It can stir up the deepest obsessions, fears, and regrets in a person's heart to form illusions. Those with weak willpower or deep-seated obsessions are extremely prone to sinking into them."

Palace Master Xuè Wúhén felt a chill in her heart. She practiced the Ice Heart Technique and prided herself on having a firm Dao Heart, but even in this grey mist, she felt restless and plagued by distracting thoughts. Yet Lin Wan seemed completely unaffected; what kind of powerful Dao Heart and Divine Soul did this require?

"Elder Xue, have everyone follow closely and do not disperse. This grey mist can not only create illusions but also interfere with one's sense of direction. Once separated, it will be difficult to regroup," Lin Wan reminded.

"I understand." Palace Master Xuè Wúhén nodded, her cold voice ringing in everyone's ears: "Everyone, take me as the center and form the Xuanbing Formation. Look out for one another; no one is allowed to leave the team without authorization!"

"Yes!" The members of the Ice and Snow Divine Palace responded in unison and quickly changed their Formation. With Palace Master Xuè Wúhén at the lead, Fairy Shuiyun and Liu Qingqing in the center, and two Heavenly Immortal deacons and five Earth Immortal Disciples on the flanks, they formed a diamond-shaped array. Their cold energy connected, forming a pale blue ice curtain that temporarily isolated the grey mist. Although it was still slowly consuming their energy, it was much better than fighting individually as before.

Seeing this, other factions followed suit, forming battle Formations to jointly resist the grey mist.

The Bald Giant of the War God Temple led his fellow Body Cultivator subordinates, their blood energy connecting to form a crimson pillar of blood energy, fierce and overbearing, forcing the grey mist back several zhang.

The One-eyed Elder of the Sky Wolf Association and his subordinates formed a flame Formation, with raging fires temporarily resisting the grey mist.

The Plump Middle-aged Man of the Four Seas Trade Alliance brought out a golden compass-shaped Magic Treasure, which emitted a soft golden light that enveloped his group. The golden light had the effect of clearing the mind and calming the spirit, which could resist the illusions.

The Black-robed Old Woman of the Xuan Yin Sect had the most bizarre methods. She took out a black soul banner and waved it gently. Streams of black shadows flew out from the soul banner, circling around the members of the Xuan Yin Sect, emitting shrill howls. They actually devoured and assimilated the surrounding grey mist, turning it into pure Yin Qi to nourish themselves. This method made the other factions' scalps tingle, and they remained secretly vigilant.

"That old hag is truly evil!" The One-eyed Elder of the Sky Wolf Association cursed in a low voice.

Under the cover of various lights, the team continued to advance with difficulty. The grey mist grew thicker, and the illusions became more frequent and realistic.

Lin Wan saw a Late Stage Earth Immortal Loose Cultivator suddenly show ecstasy, dancing and gesturing at the air, shouting: "Haha! I've broken through! I've broken through to Heavenly Immortal! I'm a Heavenly Immortal! Hahaha!" Then, he laughed wildly and slammed his head into a protruding rock nearby, his brains splattering, and he died on the spot. Clearly, he had fallen into a beautiful illusion of breaking through his cultivation and could not extricate himself.

He also saw an Early Stage Heavenly Immortal lone Elder suddenly burst into tears, kneeling on the ground and kowtowing to the void, muttering: "Disciple, it is this master who failed you! It is this master who harmed you!" Then, he slapped his own crown with his palm, and his Divine Soul was extinguished. He had fallen into an illusion of guilt and remorse.

There were others who saw countless immortal crystals and Magic Treasures falling from the sky and rushed to snatch them, only to end up killing each other, resulting in heavy casualties.

Some also saw their enemies appear and pursued them recklessly, only to rush into the depths of the grey mist and disappear without a trace.

The grey mist was like a mirror, reflecting the deepest desires, fears, and obsessions in everyone's heart, then magnifying and distorting them into deadly illusions.

On the Ice and Snow Divine Palace side, with the protection of the Xuanbing Formation and the calming Magic Treasure, no one had fallen into illusions for the time being. However, everyone's faces were becoming paler and paler; maintaining the Formation and resisting the grey mist consumed a great deal of energy. Liu Qingqing had the lowest cultivation, and her small face was already devoid of color, relying entirely on the immortal essence of Fairy Shuiyun and Palace Master Xuè Wúhén to sustain her.

Lin Wan remained calm and composed. He even took the initiative to probe a wisp of his Divine Sense into the depths of the grey mist, feeling the bizarre power contained within it. He discovered that this grey mist was not simply Chaos Qi mixed with negative energy; it seemed to contain a trace of an extremely ancient, evil will, like a living creature, stirring, inducing, and devouring the Divine Souls of those who entered.

"This grey mist... could it be something formed after the death of some ancient demonic creature? Or... a Domain left behind by some terrifying existence?" Lin Wan speculated in his heart. He operated the Chaos Derivation Scripture》, attempting to refine and analyze a wisp of the grey mist. The Chaos Dao Seed vibrated slightly, devouring that wisp of grey mist. A moment later, it fed back a blurred, fragmented image and information.

In the image, there was a vast and boundless chaotic void. A grey giant that reached the sky and stood on the earth was roaring at the sky in the void. Its body was composed of countless grey mists, and every breath it took exhaled endless grey mist. Wherever it passed, stars were annihilated, and all things returned to nothingness. Then, a golden giant sword that spanned the galaxy descended from the sky, slashing at the grey giant's head. The giant exploded with a boom, turning into endless grey mist that permeated the void... The information carried fragments of unwillingness, resentment, and madness.

"A Chaos Demon God? Formed from the resentment after its fall?" Lin Wan was shocked. If this grey mist was truly formed from the resentment of a fallen Chaos Demon God, then the danger level of this Grey Mist Zone might need to be raised by several Ranks! A Chaos Demon God was a terrifying existence comparable to a Grand Unity Golden Immortal, or even stronger! One could imagine how terrifying the resentment left behind after its fall, which had not dissipated even after eons, would be!

"I must find the entrance to the ruins as soon as possible, obtain the Chaos Crystal and Chaos Qi, and then leave this place!" Lin Wan made up his mind. This Grey Mist Zone was definitely not a place to stay for long.

Just then, the War God Temple team leading the way suddenly stopped.

"What's going on?" Palace Master Xuè Wúhén asked via voice transmission.

"Up ahead... there is no path," the Bald Giant's solemn voice came.

Everyone's hearts tightened, and they stepped forward one after another. They saw that ahead, the grey mist was rolling violently, forming a grey wall of mist that reached the sky and covered the earth. The mist wall was incomparably thick; when Divine Sense probed into it, it was like a clay ox entering the sea, instantly swallowed, and no information could be fed back. From within the mist wall, shrill whistling and bizarre whispers could be faintly heard, as if countless resentful souls were wailing within.

"This is the edge of the core of the Grey Mist Zone." The Plump Middle-aged Man of the Four Seas Trade Alliance looked at the golden compass in his hand. The compass needle was spinning crazily, pointing into the depths of the mist wall. "According to the ancient books collected by our Four Seas Trade Alliance and the explorations of our predecessors, the entrance to that ancient ruin is behind this mist wall."

"Behind the mist wall?" The One-eyed Elder of the Sky Wolf Association frowned. "This mist wall cannot be penetrated even by Divine Sense. Who knows how many dangers are hidden inside? How are we going to get through?"

"Hmph, it's just a mist wall, what is there to fear? Watch me break it with one blow!" The Bald Giant of the War God Temple smiled heroically and stepped out. His blood energy erupted like a volcanic eruption, soaring into the sky, condensing into a hundred-zhang-tall golden giant phantom behind him, emitting a terrifying pressure.

"War God Fist! Break!"

The Bald Giant roared, and the golden giant phantom threw a punch. A golden fist print the size of a small mountain, carrying the momentum to collapse mountains and split the earth, slammed fiercely toward the grey mist wall!

Wherever the fist print passed, the grey mist rolled and retreated, as if driven away by the overbearing power of blood energy. Everyone's eyes showed anticipation; the physical strength and blood energy of the War God Temple had a natural restraining effect on such evil things.

However, just as the golden fist print was about to hit the mist wall, an unexpected change occurred!

From within the mist wall, a huge palm condensed from grey mist suddenly extended. The palm covered the sky and the sun, with its five fingers spread, and it grabbed lightly toward the golden fist print!

"Puff!"

With a soft sound like a bubble bursting, that peerless golden fist print was actually crushed easily by that grey palm! It turned into specks of golden light and dissipated in the grey mist.

"What?!" The Bald Giant's face changed greatly. Although he hadn't used his full strength for this punch, it was enough to kill an average Middle Stage Heavenly Immortal! And it was easily crushed by the palm reaching out from this mist wall?!

After the grey palm crushed the fist print, it did not retract but spread its five fingers and grabbed toward the Bald Giant! Before the palm arrived, a cold, evil, and terrifying Aura full of resentment had already locked onto the Bald Giant, making him feel cold all over, and his Divine Soul felt as if it were about to freeze!

"Not good!" The Bald Giant roared, his blood energy exploding to the limit. The golden giant phantom roared at the sky, throwing both fists out to meet the grey palm.

"Boom!"

A deafening roar came, and the fists of the golden giant phantom collided with the grey palm. The golden and grey lights intertwined and annihilated, erupting into a destructive energy storm that tore a huge hole in the surrounding grey mist!

The Bald Giant groaned, staggering back more than ten steps. With every step back, he left a deep footprint on the hard frozen ground, and a trace of blood spilled from the corner of his mouth. The golden giant phantom behind him also became much dimmer, flickering unsteadily.

And that grey palm was also knocked back, retreating into the mist wall. But the mist wall rolled more violently, as if a provoked Vicious Beast, emitting a low roar.

"W...what the hell is this?!" the One-eyed Elder of the Sky Wolf Association said in shock.

He knew the strength of the Bald Giant—a Body Cultivator at the Late Stage of the Heavenly Immortal realm with an incomparably formidable Physical Body and blood energy like a dragon—yet he had been injured in a single exchange?!

How terrifying must the existence within that fog wall be?

"It is a collection of resentment within the fog wall, or rather, a manifestation of a part of the Chaos Demon God's lingering will," Lin Wan said in a deep voice. He had just felt an Aura from that grey palm that was of the same Origin as the fragments of will he had obtained when refining the grey mist earlier, only stronger and more solidified.

"A Chaos Demon God's lingering will?!" Everyone gasped.

The Chaos Demon God was a legendary existence; even a mere wisp of its lingering will was something they, as Heavenly Immortals, could absolutely not contend with!

"Then what should we do? Are we just going to give up like this?" the Plump Middle-aged Man of the Four Seas Trade Alliance said, unwilling to accept it.

They had paid such a high price and finally made it here, only to be unable to enter when the ruins were right before their eyes?

"Give up? In my War God Temple's dictionary, the words 'give up' do not exist!" The Bald Giant wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth, his eyes boiling with Battle Intent. "It is just a lingering will, not the real Chaos Demon God! I don't believe I can't blast open this damn wall!"

As he spoke, he prepared to strike again.

"Wait," Lin Wan said, stopping him.

"Fellow Daoist Lin, do you have any brilliant ideas?" Palace Master Xuè Wúhén looked at Lin Wan. After what had happened earlier, she was already convinced of Lin Wan's strength and insight.

"Forcing our way in will only trigger more resentment within the fog wall and may even attract an even more terrifying existence," Lin Wan said, scanning the group. "Since this fog wall is formed by resentment, there must be a way to restrain it. Resentment fears things that are extremely Yang and rigid, righteous energy, the Power Of Will of the Buddhist path, or... Chaos."

"Extremely Yang and rigid? Righteous energy? Power Of Will of the Buddhist path?" Everyone looked at each other.

Those present mostly Cultivated Five Elements, Ice, Fire, or Demonic Path Cultivation Techniques; where would they get something extremely Yang and rigid, righteous energy, or the Power Of Will of the Buddhist path?

"Chaos?" The Black-robed Old Woman of the Xuan Yin Sect laughed sinisterly. "Heh heh, Fellow Daoist Lin, are you joking? The power of Chaos is the power of the Chaos Demon God; how could we possibly possess it?"

"The power of Chaos is not something only the Chaos Demon God can master," Lin Wan said calmly. "Before the heavens and earth were formed, there was Chaos. Chaos is the mother of all Qi and the source of all laws. If we can use a Magic Treasure or Divine Ability with the Chaos attribute, perhaps we can neutralize and refine this resentful grey mist to open a passage."

"A Magic Treasure or Divine Ability with the Chaos attribute?" Everyone smiled bitterly.

The Chaos attribute was a legendary top-tier attribute, ten thousand times rarer than exotic attributes like Lightning, Wind, or Ice! Who among those present possessed it?

"Fellow Daoist Lin, do you perhaps possess a Magic Treasure with the Chaos attribute?" Palace Master Xuè Wúhén's eyes lit up as she asked.

Lin Wan did not commit to an answer, instead looking at the roiling fog wall and saying slowly, "I have a method that might be worth a try. But it requires everyone to cooperate fully, act as a Protector for me, and defend against any attacks that may emerge from the fog wall."

"Fellow Daoist Lin, feel free to do as you must; we will do our best to act as a Protector!" The Bald Giant of the War God Temple was the first to speak. Although he was belligerent, he was also clear about grievances and gratitude. Lin Wan had helped him block the subsequent attacks of the grey palm (even though the grey palm had retracted on its own), and he owed him for that favor.

"My Ice and Snow Divine Palace is willing to act as a Protector for Fellow Daoist Lin," Palace Master Xuè Wúhén said without hesitation.

"My Four Seas Trade Alliance is also willing to contribute," the Plump Middle-aged Man nodded. He only wanted to enter the ruins; who opened the passage was unimportant.

"Hmph, I'll trust you for now." The One-eyed Elder of the Sky Wolf Association snorted coldly, but he did not object.

The Black-robed Old Woman of the Xuan Yin Sect's eyes flickered, but she remained silent, which was taken as tacit agreement.

"Good." Lin Wan nodded and took a step forward, arriving before the fog wall. He closed his eyes, and the Chaos Dao Seed within him began to spin faster, causing an invisible Chaos Qi to diffuse from his body.

This Aura was ancient, vast, and boundless, as if it came from the time before the heavens and earth were formed, carrying a dao rhyme that encompassed everything and evolved all things.

The surrounding grey mist seemed to sense something and began to churn violently, like boiling water. From within the fog wall came even more shrill and sharp roars, as if countless resentful souls were in fear and struggling.

"Now!" Lin Wan opened his eyes abruptly, a flash of the color of Chaos passing through them. He raised his hands and formed a mysterious and complex hand seal before his chest. As the hand seal was completed, the Chaos Immortal Energy within him surged out like a bursting river, condensing into a grey, inconspicuous beam of light before him.

This beam of light looked unremarkable, even somewhat dim, but the Aura it contained made everyone's Divine Soul tremble, as if they were facing the might of heaven and earth!

"Chaos Divine Light, break the barrier!" Lin Wan shouted in a low voice, pushing his hands forward!

The grey beam of Chaos Divine Light shot silently into the grey fog wall.

There was no earth-shattering explosion, no dazzling light. The Chaos Divine Light shot into the fog wall just like a drop of water falling into a hot wok of oil!

"Sss, sss, sss—!" A teeth-grinding corrosive sound came from within the fog wall.

Seeing the point where the Chaos Divine Light entered as the center, the surrounding grey mist quickly dissolved and annihilated like snow meeting the blazing sun! A hole a zhang in diameter was revealed! At the edge of the hole, the grey mist roiled, trying to close in, but it was blocked by an invisible force and could not approach.

"It's effective!" Everyone was overjoyed.

"Quick! Maintain the passage!" Lin Wan shouted in a low voice, his hands continuously forming seals, his Chaos Immortal Energy outputting steadily to maintain the Chaos Divine Light and prevent the hole from closing. Fine beads of sweat seeped from his forehead; clearly, the consumption was immense. The resentment within this fog wall was thicker and more stubborn than he had imagined. With his cultivation at the Early Stage of the Heavenly Immortal realm, invoking the Chaos Divine Light could restrain the grey mist, but the consumption was terrifyingly high.

"Form a Formation! Act as a Protector!" Palace Master Xuè Wúhén gave a sharp shout, and the people of the Ice and Snow Divine Palace immediately took action, setting up a Profound Ice Formation around the hole. Icy cold energy permeated, temporarily blocking the erosion of the grey mist.

"Wall of Blood Energy, rise!" The Bald Giant of the War God Temple led his fellow Body Cultivators, their blood energy connecting into one piece, transforming into a crimson wall of blood energy that blocked one side of the hole.

"Blazing Flame Barrier!" The One-eyed Elder of the Sky Wolf Association caused flames to rise, forming a wall of fire.

"Golden Light Protective Barrier!" The Plump Middle-aged Man of the Four Seas Trade Alliance caused his golden compass to shine brilliantly, transforming into a golden light shield.

The Black-robed Old Woman of the Xuan Yin Sect hesitated for a moment, then waved her black soul banner, releasing streaks of black shadows that transformed into a black barrier.

The five major forces temporarily joined hands, each displaying their Divine Ability to set up layers of protection around the hole, resisting the erosion of the grey mist and any attacks that might appear from within the fog wall.

The hole, under the maintenance of the Chaos Divine Light and the protection of everyone, stabilized for the moment, forming a narrow passage leading to the other side of the fog wall.

"The passage is open, but it won't last long! Enter quickly!" Lin Wan said in a deep voice, his tone carrying a hint of exhaustion.

"Let's go!" Palace Master Xuè Wúhén made a decisive decision and took the lead, charging into the hole. The people of the Ice and Snow Divine Palace followed closely behind.

"Quick! Keep up!" The other forces dared not delay and rushed into the hole one after another.

Lin Wan was the last to enter. The moment he entered, he withdrew the Chaos Divine Light. The hole, losing its support, was instantly submerged and closed by the surging grey mist, as if it had never appeared.

Behind the fog wall was another world.

The grey mist was much thinner, and the view was clearer. Before them was a desolate and dead ruin. Crumbling walls, broken palaces, collapsed giant pillars, and huge skeletons scattered on the ground; the air was filled with an ancient and decaying Aura. In the distance, a towering, dilapidated palace loomed in the grey mist, emitting a faint spiritual light.

"This... is this the ancient ruin?" Everyone gazed at the scene before them, shocked. This ruin had existed for who knows how many tens of thousands of years, yet one could still feel its former glory and current decay.

"Look! That palace!" Someone exclaimed, pointing to the dilapidated palace in the distance. Although the palace was ruined, one could still see its magnificent Aura. Especially above the palace, three crystals emitting a hazy light were suspended: one blood-red, one ice-blue like crystal, and one grey, as if it could devour light.

"That is... a Fire-element Origin Crystal! An Ice-element Origin Crystal! And... is that... a Chaos Crystal?!" The Plump Middle-aged Man of the Four Seas Trade Alliance's voice trembled, his eyes filled with greed. Origin Crystals were supreme treasures for refining Immortal Treasure and breaking through Bottlenecks! And the Chaos Crystal was an even more legendary divine object, containing the Origin of Chaos, its value immeasurable!

"A Chaos Crystal!" The Black-robed Old Woman of the Xuan Yin Sect's eyes glowed with intense green light, and Yin Qi rolled off her body.

"An Ice-element Origin Crystal!" In Palace Master Xuè Wúhén's beautiful eyes, a look of desire also appeared. This was the treasure she had dreamed of!

"Hahaha! Treasures! They are all mine!" The One-eyed Elder of the Sky Wolf Association laughed wildly and was about to rush over.

"Wait!" The Bald Giant of the War God Temple grabbed him and said gravely, "Something is wrong! Look at those skeletons!"

Hearing this, everyone looked at the huge skeletons scattered on the ground. Those skeletons had strange shapes; some looked like giant beasts, others like giants, but without exception, the skeletons were covered in hideous wounds, as if they had experienced a fierce battle before they died. Moreover, faint grey mist remained on the skeletons, slowly squirming like living things.

"These skeletons... could they be the creatures that attacked this ruin back then? Were they eroded by the grey mist and turned into Puppets of the grey mist?" Someone said in shock.

As if to confirm his guess, the scattered skeletons on the ground suddenly moved!

"Click... click..." A hair-raising sound of bones rubbing against each other rang out. One by one, the huge skeletons stood up shakily, ghostly green flames igniting in their hollow eye sockets, emitting a cold, dead, and violent Aura. They looked up to the sky, let out silent roars, and then rushed madly towards the people who had broken into the ruins!

The number of skeletons was in the hundreds or thousands! The Aura of every skeleton was no weaker than an Earth Immortal! A few of the exceptionally huge skeletons even had an Aura that reached the Heavenly Immortal level!

"Not good! It's a skeleton army! Prepare to fight!" Palace Master Xuè Wúhén's expression changed, and she shouted sharply.

"Kill!" The Bald Giant of the War God Temple roared, charging up first. He threw out a golden fist mark, smashing an Earth Immortal Early Stage skeleton to pieces.

A great battle was on the verge of breaking out!

Lin Wan's gaze swept over the skeleton army rushing toward them, and finally, it landed on the grey Chaos Crystal above the palace in the distance.

"A Chaos Crystal... finally found it."