C66 The Abnormality of the Forbidden Area
"I just can't fathom why Yuan Ting and Zhao Yafu would take his advice seriously."
Wu Ji, the young man from Asenalenor, grumbled as they traveled, "Sister Hui, do you think they're doing it on purpose?"
Wu Ji was another Golden Sanctum cultivator from Asenalenor.
Though he was in the early period of the Golden Sanctum, he was significantly younger than Han Hui.
He was merely sixteen.
In terms of cultivation potential, he was more impressive than Han Hui, and his future accomplishments were likely to be even greater.
The Wu family was the most powerful in Asenalenor, and Wu Ji's father was none other than Wu Lie, the current mayor of the city.
As a result, even though Han Hui was the leader, everyone, including Han Hui herself, held Wu Ji in high regard.
Before setting out, the Han family elders had made it clear that Wu Ji's safety was paramount.
Han Hui's previous encounters with the Van family and Wethtalos had led her to withdraw, partly due to this concern.
—Wu Lie could not bear the thought of Wu Ji encountering any mishaps during the trials in the forbidden area.
He wouldn't tolerate Wu Ji's death, let alone a severe injury.
After all, Wu Ji was on the verge of advancing to the middle period of the Golden Sanctum.
At sixteen, if he could reach the middle period, Wu Ji might one day rival the five moons of the Empire.
"I'm at a loss as well. Why do Yuan Ting and Zhao Yafu value him so much?"
Han Hui was equally disheartened. "Let's not dwell on them. They simply haven't faced the hardships we have. Once they're chased away and shamed as we were, they'll grasp the true dynamics of the forbidden area."
"That's when they'll realize just how vulnerable Asvetaesi really is."
Wu Ji snorted in agreement, "That day is bound to come."
The determined group headed towards the location of the mural they had left earlier.
They suspected that enough time had passed for the Wethtalos City folks to have moved on from the mural.
Since the mural was inanimate and immovable, it was unlikely that the Wethtalos trial-takers could have taken it with them.
In the end, those people would leave.
Several hours passed.
Han Hui, Wu Ji, and their companions were drawing near.
"Look, there's Feng Xin!"
Wu Ji abruptly halted and pointed into the distance, lowering his voice.
Han Hui turned her gaze sharply.
Across the other side of the deep pit, a line of eight people entered a broad stone pathway, moving forward in silence.
The girl leading the group was Feng Xin from Wethtalos, the very person who had previously forced them to leave, telling them to scram.
"There's more to it," Han Hui mused, her brow furrowing as she surveyed the area. "Could it be that some of them have already gone down the stone path?"
Wu Ji was puzzled as well. "If I can see Feng Xin, she should be able to see me. But she didn't look back; she seemed completely indifferent to our presence."
"It's certainly odd," Han Hui remarked, her suspicions growing. "Given Feng Xin's temperament, she would normally throw a few scornful remarks our way. She wouldn't let us off the hook so easily."
They all observed that the individuals from Wethtalos City were not conversing with one another but instead were steadily distancing themselves with their backs to them.
It seemed they had moved on to other deep pits, to different sectors.
"Let's check out that mural!"
Wu Ji proposed.
Han Hui concurred.
Shortly after, the group from Asenalenor stood before the mural.
The area before the mural was deserted.
Confused, they assumed that the Wethtalos City folks had completely departed.
Thus, they each began to examine the mural's mysteries.
Regrettably, despite their prolonged scrutiny, none could decipher any profound insights from the mural. They resorted to taking out their pens and ink to make copies.
"Sister Hui, there are a few clouds missing," Wu Ji mentioned quietly.
"What?"
"I mean, the mural previously had several clouds drifting among the streams. But now, those clouds have vanished, and it doesn't look like they've been cut out," Wu Ji explained.
Han Hui's astonishment deepened. "Perhaps Feng Xin and the others from Wethtalos City have unlocked the mural's secrets."
"Oh, what a shame," Wu Ji lamented. "The folks from Asvetaesi are so full of themselves. They think they're superior to us, calling us weak. But if they were to encounter Feng Xin or anyone from the other cities, what strength would they have to stand up to them?"
"Just wait and see—they'll be begging us to form an alliance," Han Hui declared with a snort.
...
"Bang!"
Yet another Pearl of Illusion burst silently into dust.
Led by Feng Xin, the eight from Wethtalos would cause any Pearl of Illusion they passed to disintegrate into dust and smoke before they could even approach.
"Feng Xin!"
Gao Hong, from Erhokadi, led his team to the base of the Moon Shard, frowning in alarm.
This was the very spot the Van family had cleared earlier.
After Van Le and Yu Yuan had their covert clash, they quietly healed their wounds here. Once they realized their clansmen couldn't glean the mysterious sword spell from the Moon Shard's sword patterns, they left with their people.
Van Le understood that once the ancient, vast aura had dissipated, the opportunity had likely vanished.
He didn't waste time and decisively chose to depart.
Then, Gao Hong and his people from Erhokadi waited for them to leave before descending.
They hoped to find someone among them fortunate enough to stumble upon the treasure and unravel the intricacies of the sword-shaped patterns.
Despite knowing the chances were slim, they couldn't let go of the possibility and wanted to try their luck.
Perhaps, someone might just strike it incredibly lucky?
Gao Hong had not anticipated that after half a day of fruitless contemplation, they would run into Feng Xin from Wethtalos.
He and Feng Xin had a history, and their families shared some connections. So after his initial exclamation, he hurriedly said, "Feng Xin, you and the Wethtalos group shouldn't come down just yet. Wait until our people have finished here, then you can bring your group down to explore."
He didn't forbid them, merely asked Feng Xin to wait a bit longer.
Regrettably, Feng Xin, descending the stone steps, turned a deaf ear to his plea.
Gao Hong's expression soured. "Feng Xin, what is the meaning of this?"
Feng Xin paid him no mind. As she descended, her focus was solely on the Moon Shard, examining its sword-shaped patterns.
A strange green glint flickered in the depths of her dark eyes, giving off an eerie and sinister vibe.
"Feng Xin!" Gao Hong bellowed.
She finally grew impatient and halted.
Her gaze lingered on the Moon Shard and the sword-shaped patterns.
With a simple gesture, she pointed towards Gao Hong and his companions.
The other seven young trial-takers from Wethtalos, who had been trailing behind her, suddenly leaped into the pit from a height of several meters.
They drifted down as lightly as willow fluff.
But in the instant before they touched the ground, the pupils of all seven simultaneously shifted.
They turned a dark, eerie green.
Like twin orbs of cold, ghostly fire.
With wooden expressions and not a hint of hesitation, they launched an attack on Gao Hong and his group.
What should have been an evenly matched battle turned into a scene of utter disparity.
The seven, obeying Feng Xin's command, were not fighting but slaughtering Gao Hong and the trial-takers from Erhokadi!
Their bodies, as cold and sharp as Sunsilver, cut through the opposition.
Gao Hong and his allies, mere mortals of flesh and blood, were effortlessly impaled by the hands of the seven.
Moments later, Feng Xin leisurely made her way to the Moon Shard.
Around her lay a gruesome array of corpses.
The deaths of Gao Hong and his companions were tragically senseless, leaving behind an air of profound injustice.
Feng Xin stood by the Moon Shard, pressing a hand against a sword-shaped pattern, her face a mix of nostalgia and longing, as if lost in memories of bygone days.
After a pause, she whispered in an ancient, rhythmic cadence, "The soul, the soul is no longer here."
