The Purgatory Calamity
Chapter 291 - 276: Re-entering the Mysterious Fog_1

Chapter 291: Chapter 276: Re-entering the Mysterious Fog_1

"Luo Yuan?"

Qi Qingsong turned his head to look at Nie You, puzzled, "Is there someone called Luo Yuan among the outer sect disciples?"

The somewhat thin Nie You thought for a moment and shook his head, "There are too many outer sect disciples, some I don’t know, but I really haven’t heard of this person."

Shen Dong was taken aback.

According to Ye Fei, that Luo Yuan was very extraordinary and was definitely not an unknown in the Sword Tower. How could Qi Qingsong and Nie You not know?

"Is there something wrong with this Luo Yuan?"

Qi Qingsong asked curiously.

"Nothing."

Shen Dong laughed it off and immediately turned to look at Pang Jian, who was dressed in black and had a Sword Command hanging at his waist, smiling politely, "If I’m not mistaken, you must be Pang Jian, right?"

Pang Jian nodded lightly.

"I’ve heard of your exploits, impressive indeed. With your Hollow Profound Realm cultivation, you even killed several at the Spirit Condensation Realm!"

Shen Dong did not skimp on the praise.

Pang Jian responded perfunctorily and glanced at Ye Fei, who was eagerly waiting for news from Shen Dong.

...

The crash site of the Demon Boat.

A Landscape Spiritual Boat from Sky Water Swamp slowly floated over, taking all the disciples of the Demon Sect aboard.

Wu Yuan and Chen Lushi, in particular, were invited upstairs by the people from Sky Water Swamp.

In the spacious room, Jiang Chao, who was the leader of this Sky Water Swamp mission, was tinkering with tea utensils and drinking by himself. Seeing the two come in, he smiled brilliantly and quickly called them to sit down together.

After they were seated, he waved his hand to signal the others to leave and turned his gaze to Chen Lushi’s face, asking with concern, "How did the Demon Boat get destroyed?"

Chen Lushi smiled sweetly, her beauty mark by her lips like a soul hook, and said with pursed lips, "We were unlucky this trip, but fortunately, we ran into you guys. Thanks for the helping hand, big brother Jiang."

After speaking, her eyes showed coldness, and she huffed, "Before you arrived, a Sword Boat happened to pass by. Not only did they not lend a hand, they also insulted us."

"Qi Qingsong isn’t even giving you face?"

The handsome Jiang Chao slapped his forehead as he spoke, suddenly realizing, "I almost forgot, Wu Yuan had defeated him in a contest years ago; he must still be sore about that."

"Sigh, that’s too petty. How many years has it been?"

Jiang Chao deliberately incited.

"Be careful with the Landscape Spiritual Boat. Try not to get too close to those white clouds."

Wu Yuan said in a deep voice.

"Why?"

"The Demon Boat got destroyed like that."

After the exchange.

Jiang Chao put down his teacup and left in a hurry to arrange for the helmsman to be aware.

However...

"That cloud!"

A cry from the Demon Sect disciples suddenly came from the deck of the Landscape Spiritual Boat.

Wu Yuan and Chen Lushi exchanged glances.

Without waiting for Jiang Chao to return, the two pushed open the window and flew out of the Landscape Spiritual Boat, with Wu Yuan even climbing up the mast.

A cluster of white clouds, covering dozens of acres, neared the Landscape Spiritual Boat. Due to Jiang Chao’s instructions, the boat that should have floated over the white clouds came to a halt just in time.

But as the Landscape Spiritual Boat was about to change course, the white clouds began to move weirdly, rapidly approaching the boat’s body.

"It’s that Ferocious Beast again!"

"Damn it! Isn’t this over yet?"

People from the Demon Sect cursed loudly.

Those from Sky Water Swamp panicked.

As the white clouds drew near, Wu Yuan snorted and a dark blue flag fluttered out from between his eyebrows.

The flag suddenly enlarged a thousandfold!

Inside were three terrifying figures the same color as the flag, like evil spirits and demons trapped within it, suddenly rushing towards the white clouds.

"Hoo! Huuhu!"

Three terrifying demon shadows, surrounded by Demon Light and Demon Fire, plunged deep into the white clouds.

"Demon Sealing Banner!"

"The Holy Artifact of the Heaven Demon Sect!"

The people from Sky Water Swamp exclaimed.

"We were completely unprepared last time, which is why we were caught off guard, but this time it definitely won’t happen."

Chen Lushi said with a cold face.

She had great confidence in the Demon Sealing Banner that Wu Yuan had brought out; seeing the three terrifying demon shadows enter the white clouds, she knew this Landscape Spiritual Boat would not break apart.

"Crack!"

In the depths of the white clouds, boundless silver-white Thunder and Lightning suddenly appeared, condensing into a vast Thunder Vortex.

The three terrifying demon shadows that infiltrated were sharply shrunk by the lightning strikes and were forced back into the Demon Sealing Banner.

A crane’s call suddenly sounded.

The Monster planning a sneak attack, intending to destroy the Landscape Spiritual Boat, seemed to realize that it was unable to carry through and wrapped itself in white clouds, drifting far away, disappearing in the blink of an eye.

Wu Yuan, who was atop the mast, was slightly pale as he put the Demon Sealing Banner back into his Sea of Consciousness and continued to nourish it with his Divine Sense.

"Crane calls..."

Lu Xiangyi, an Inner Sect Disciple of Sky Water Swamp, quickly found Jiang Chao, "Brother Jiang, when we were testing our skills in the Cloud Thunder Forbidden Zone, we encountered a vicious White Crane. I’ve told you about it."

"I suspect that White Crane, whose origins are unclear and was hiding in the white clouds, isn’t dead!"

Still haunted by her past ordeal with the foul-mouthed White Crane that had slaughtered many disciples from the Demon Sect, Black Valley, and Sky Water Swamp, she shivered.

She had thought that the White Crane, which escaped from the bottom of the lake and was fatally wounded, had already been killed by Luo Yuan of the Sword Tower.

Now, upon hearing the familiar crane’s call again, she immediately felt that the white crane hadn’t died but was hiding just outside the borders of the Absolute Sky Forbidden Land, conniving against everyone.

"I’ve heard you talk about that white crane."

Jiang Chao’s face turned grave, and he said, "On the Saint Spirit Continent, there’s the Thunder Crane Clan, who once were staunch followers of Heaven Phoenix. The Thunder Crane Clan despises none more than the Lei Dong, the Thunder Dragon Clan from the Dragon Cave."

"For that reason, after the fall of Heaven Phoenix, the Thunder Crane were the most severely oppressed by Dragon Cave; the surviving Thunder Cranes all fled the Saint Spirit Continent."

"But..."

Jiang Chao frowned, adding, "Our Sky Water Swamp has no vendetta with the Thunder Crane Clan; why would that white crane be so vicious and brutal?"

Lu Xiangyi shook her head, indicating she didn’t know.

"Thunder Crane..."

Chen Lushi of the Demon Heart Sect hesitated for a moment before speaking, "If the Thunder Crane Clan used to be under Heaven Phoenix, our Demon Sect does have a grudge with them. As far as I’m aware, our Demon Sect was one of the participants in Sir Heaven Phoenix’s downfall."

...

Thick "Mysterious Fog" suddenly appeared.

"We’ve arrived."

Qi Qingsong’s expression grew solemn, signaling everyone to be extra careful, he called out softly, "This is an area that has been explored before, and is considered relatively safe by those above."

"However, after the Purgatory World opened, no one knows what has happened inside."

"So before we go in, everyone should deploy their protective shields and guard their Sea of Consciousness closely."

"Remember, this fog-enshrouded Forbidden Land can only allow cultivators of the fifth level and below to enter."

"If you’re capable enough to break through your limitations within the Forbidden Land, it seems that’s also permissible."

...

After Qi Qingsong’s lead, Shen Dong from Black Valley and others familiar with the conditions of the Absolute Sky Forbidden Land warned everyone earnestly.

Pang Jian took in a deep breath, eyeing the "Mysterious Fog" close at hand, feeling a bit excited.

He had always suspected his mysteriously vanished father had disappeared deep within the "Mysterious Fog," even the copper badge hanging around his neck had a deep connection with the "Mysterious Fog."

When he had left his homeland, Northern Qi, he was in a state of unconsciousness and had no idea how the Heavenly Spirit Tower had burst out from the "Mysterious Fog."

Years later, he stood before another fog-shrouded Forbidden Land in the Second Realm of Purgatory.

He also knew that numerous God Spirit puppets, including ferocious beasts and evil spirits, roamed the Forbidden Land in great numbers.

"God Spirit puppets, mysteries of the Mysterious Fog, Forbidden Land..."

Pang Jian had an eager anticipation.

"Qi Brother, wasn’t it said that cultivators from all realms are filled with fear towards the Mysterious Fog? Why then would those above allow so many people to enter it this time?"

Zhou Qingchen asked, puzzled.

"The closer the Mysterious Fog is to the Boundary Wall, the more dangerous and terrifying it is," Qi Qingsong clarified, "The Forbidden Land called Absolute Sky, similar to Northern Qi which you’ve explored before, is just shrouded in Mysterious Fog."

"The Absolute Sky Forbidden Land is quite far from the Boundary Wall of Purgatory; people have ventured deep into it before and returned unscathed."

"Their exploration this time isn’t about the Mysterious Fog and Boundary Wall; they just need to cross a thin layer of Mysterious Fog to enter Absolute Sky Forbidden Land."

With these words,

Qi Qingsong lowered his voice, adding, "In our world of Purgatory, in truth, some have already begun to slightly discern the mysteries and patterns of the Mysterious Fog. Otherwise, after Bagua City was submerged by the Mysterious Fog, why would it reappear at the Summit of the Heavenly Tribulation Pillar?"

"The people from the Third Realm and Fourth Realm are too far removed from those at the pinnacle of Purgatory’s most powerful sects and influential figures; they’re not privy to too many secrets relating to the Mysterious Fog."

"To sum it up,"

"The powerful figures of the First Realm, after expending endless efforts in exploring the Mysterious Fog and paying a terribly steep price, have gained some insights, albeit few."

...

After the detailed explanation.

"Prepare!"

Qi Qingsong bellowed.

Everyone, including Pang Jian, consecutively deployed their protective shields and quietly guarded their Sea of Consciousness.

"Whoosh!"

The Sword Boat then pierced into the thick "Mysterious Fog."

The Sword Boat, immersed within the grey dense mist in an instant, made Pang Jian feel unease in his heart, yet he noticed no alien power invading the Qingying Gang Shield.

But...

The copper badge touching his skin, the smooth back suddenly turned rough, the previously concealed words "Purgatory Gate" emerged once more as he entered into the "Mysterious Fog."

Pang Jian then attempted to connect with the Cloud Marsh Sapling, Mysterious Turtle, and Rebel Kid within the "Mysterious Fog."

No connection could be established!

In the Prayer Spirit Forbidden Land, he could resonate with those extraordinary items and borrow the strength of the Mysterious Turtle and Sapling, but inside the "Mysterious Fog," it simply didn’t work.

With "Purgatory Gate" hanging around his neck, as the Sword Boat howled through, he felt the distance from the Purgatory World growing further.

"Mysterious Turtle shell..."

"Leaf of Life..."

He attempted once more to trigger the two extraordinary items near his heart.

The innate power of the Mysterious Turtle shell still worked, and the few Leaves of Life continued to provide Life Vitality, but since he could not establish a connection with the Sapling, the flow of Life Vitality was no longer continuous.

This meant that entering into the "Mysterious Fog," his combat strength was reduced, unable to seek support from the Mysterious Turtle or Sapling.

"There’s no terrifying alien power invading the body."

"Except for the inability to extend one’s Divine Sense and absence of other powers, it seems like just traveling through a vast sea of mist."

"It seems, there’s no need to maintain the eternal presence of the Firm Cover."

...

The disciples from Sword Tower and Black Valley gradually relaxed their vigilance, and some began to drop their protective shields.

Then, those people began to die one after the other, inexplicably, as if possessed by an evil demon -- their deaths sudden and bizarre.

...

PS: Beginning of the month, still asking for the monthly votes, bowing down in gratitude to everyone~