Chapter 22: The Gray Mist Zone – Slaughter!
Between the White Mist Zone and the Gray Mist Zone lay a barren mountainous ring. Linley and Bebe didn't rush into the Gray Mist Zone. Instead, they stayed outside, listening carefully to the sounds coming from within.
"That's the angry roar of a human," Linley said, frowning.
"What's inside this gray mist?" Bebe asked, puzzled.
Even if there was danger in the gray mist, only a few people had entered. And those few were scattered. "Even if there's fighting, it shouldn't be nonstop, right? Why are those battle roars so frequent? And we're at the border, yet we can still hear them!" Linley's brow furrowed deeply.
The Gray Mist Zone was nearly as vast as the White Mist Zone. With such a large area, if a battle occurred far away, the two of them at the border shouldn't have been able to hear it at all.
"Hmm?" Linley suddenly turned his head.
In the distance, within the White Mist Zone, two men emerged. Their bodies were covered in cyan battle armor. As soon as they came out, they warily glanced at Linley and Bebe. Recognizing them, they relaxed slightly. "Haha, didn't expect to run into you two here. Seems like fate has brought us together."
The speaker was thin, with a smile on his face. The man beside him looked resolute, with stubble on his chin.
"Fate indeed," Linley said. "I'm Linley, and this is my brother, Bebe. And you two are?"
"Rach!" the thin man said with a smile.
"Valit!" the stubbly man said coldly.
"Rach, Valit. We're from the Infernal Realm and aren't familiar with this Nether Mountain. Listen… there are constant angry roars and shouts coming from the Gray Mist Zone. Do you know what's going on?" Linley asked directly, hoping to gain some information by getting to know them.
Rach and Valit listened carefully, frowning as well.
"Huh, that is strange," Rach said, frowning. "There are dozens of us entering the mountain this time. Before us, probably fewer than ten have gone into the Gray Mist Zone. Such a vast area… ten people entering is like a few drops in the ocean. How can the sounds of angry shouts and slaughter be so continuous?"
Bebe shrugged helplessly. "You don't know either?"
"No, the things on Nether Mountain are very mysterious," Rach explained. "There are legends outside about some things in the White Mist Zone. But no one knows about the Gray Mist Zone or the Purple Mist Zone. Even if someone does know, they probably keep it secret. What do you two plan to do now?"
Linley and Bebe exchanged a glance. "Wait," Linley said.
"Same as what my brother and I were thinking," Rach said cheerfully. "The people who went in might come out again because they lost their way. When they come out, we can ask them carefully and be better prepared."
Linley nodded slightly.
Rach laughed. "Then we'll go to that hill over there, and you two can go to that side. That way, both of us can see a hundred miles of the area, making it easier to spot anyone coming out."
"Alright," Linley agreed.
Linley then led Bebe to a protruding part of the mountain. Standing there, they could see much farther.
"Boss, are we just going to wait here?" Bebe asked impatiently.
Linley glanced at the Gray Mist Zone beside them and shook his head. "Let's wait half a day. If no one comes out by then, we'll go in. The White Mist Zone was already dangerous. The Gray Mist Zone might be even more troublesome. It's best to know what's inside before entering."
They had already traveled for over thirty years. Waiting half a day was nothing for Linley's patience. Rushing in recklessly might lead to a huge loss.
They waited quietly.
Linley and Bebe's position was about ten miles from where Rach and his brother were, but due to the mist, they could still see each other. After about half an hour of waiting, they finally had some gain—their group grew!
A man emerged from the White Mist Zone. It was the effeminate silver-haired man.
This effeminate man was also patient. He didn't rush in but began waiting silently.
After a long while—
"Hmm?" Linley, who had been sitting cross-legged on a rock with his eyes closed, suddenly opened them and turned to look into the distance. He saw the black-robed, purple-haired young man walking out of the Gray Mist Zone.
Just as the purple-haired young man was about to turn and re-enter the Gray Mist Zone, Linley shouted, "Buron!"
At the hotel, this purple-haired young man had fought, and Linley had heard his name.
"Whoosh." Linley and Bebe immediately dashed over. At the same time, the three Highgods who had seen this from over ten miles away also flew over.
"Hmm?" The purple-haired young man, 'Buron,' turned to look.
"Oh… what's the matter?" Buron's face was expressionless. He also noticed the other three approaching. Rach even laughed and said, "So it's Buron. I knew a man of your strength could easily leave the White Mist Zone. By the way, Buron, we're not familiar with the Gray Mist Zone. Could you tell us something about it?"
The purple-haired young man, 'Buron,' glanced at the few people before him. He seemed somewhat wary of Linley and Bebe but still spoke coldly, "I can tell you, but there's one condition!"
"Please, go ahead," Rach said with a smile.
"In the Gray Mist Zone, I'll travel with you two," the purple-haired young man 'Buron' said, looking at Linley and Bebe.
Linley raised an eyebrow upon hearing this. Travel with them? Although he wasn't very familiar with this purple-haired young man, from their brief interactions, Linley knew Buron was a cold and proud person. Yet, Buron was asking to go with them. Clearly, the Gray Mist Zone was very dangerous!
Rach and the other two immediately looked at Linley and Bebe.
"Alright," Linley nodded.
The purple-haired young man nodded coldly and said, "The 'gray mist' in the Gray Mist Zone is a special energy. If your soul is weak, you'll fall into endless illusions in the Gray Mist Zone! Then, you won't distinguish friend from foe, and you'll keep killing… never able to leave the Gray Mist Zone, forever trapped in the illusion!"
Everyone's heart trembled.
Forever trapped in an illusion?
Having eternal life, but being trapped in an illusion forever—that would be worse than death.
"There are many, many Highgods inside," the purple-haired young man 'Buron' said coldly. "Over countless years, every time, some Highgods get trapped in the Gray Mist Zone. They fall into endless illusions. Since Highgods can't starve to death, the only way they die is by killing each other. So… over countless years, the Gray Mist Zone has accumulated a terrifying number of Highgods. Once we encounter these Highgods, who are trapped in illusions, they'll treat us as mortal enemies and try to kill us."
Linley and the others' faces turned grim.
"Every full moon night, people come in," Rach said, frowning. "This Nether Mountain has existed for who knows how many billions of years. How many Highgods are in the Gray Mist Zone?"
Linley and the others couldn't help but look toward the Gray Mist Zone.
The sounds of angry shouts, slaughter, and roars continued intermittently. Linley and the others now understood why the shouts never stopped—because there were far too many Highgods inside!
"Let me warn you all. Don't underestimate those Highgods trapped in illusions," the purple-haired young man 'Buron' sneered. "In cultivation, some excel in the soul, others in material attacks. Those trapped in illusions are just weaker in soul power. But their material attacks might be terrifyingly strong, even at the Seven Star Demon level."
Linley couldn't help but take a deep breath.
"Moreover, the killing in the Gray Mist Zone never stops. Over countless years, many Highgods have died in the process. But those who survive almost all have extremely strong material attacks," the purple-haired young man 'Buron' said seriously. "When I went in earlier, if I hadn't been fast, I might have…"
Rach and the other two's faces turned ugly.
They knew Buron's strength—a Seven Star Demon! And he had almost died in there.
"But don't worry too much. Of those trapped inside who are still alive, their material attacks are mostly at the Six Star Demon level. Seven Star Demons are relatively rare," Buron said.
Linley and Bebe exchanged a glance.
"Boss, the experts in this Gray Mist Zone might outnumber those in the Four Divine Beasts clan," Bebe said.
Linley nodded slightly. Over countless years, how many experts had Nether Mountain attracted?
Bebe sent a mental message: "No wonder he wants to go with us."
Linley glanced at the others. They all felt the pressure. "Everyone, if you want to go in, come together. If you don't think you have the strength, stay outside."
"I'll go," the effeminate man said first.
"I'm going in," Valit nodded.
"I… I'll go too," Rach said after hesitating for a moment.
"Big brother," Valit shouted urgently, "You'd better not go. Your soul…" Rach shook his head. "Don't worry. Although my soul is weaker than yours, it's not that bad. I should be able to hold up!"
Linley glanced coldly at Rach.
"Let's move out," Linley said coldly.
This team naturally took Linley and Bebe as their leaders. In dangerous situations, whether human or god, they instinctively follow the strongest.
The moment they entered the gray mist, Linley felt a slight dizziness in his head. At the same time, he noticed that around the transparent membrane of his soul defense divine artifact, a layer of hazy, misty energy had formed. This gray, misty energy was eroding him, but Linley could still resist.
"Stop!" Linley shouted.
As soon as they entered the Gray Mist Zone, everyone felt the influence of the gray mist. Bebe, with his soul defense artifact, could also resist. The purple-haired young man had experience. The effeminate man frowned but stayed awake. The resolute man, Valit, also remained clear-headed. Only Rach…
Rach's expression began to change, and his whole body trembled.
"Ah!" Suddenly, he let out a furious, insane roar. A battle blade appeared in his hand, and he wildly swung it at Valit, who was right beside him. Valit was too close to dodge.
"Bang!"
A flash of cyan-gold light shot out. Rach was sent flying, crashing out of the Gray Mist Zone.
"Hmm?" The purple-haired young man and the others couldn't help but look at Linley's metallic, gleaming dragon tail. In that instant, Linley's dragon tail had lashed out, sending Rach flying.
"Big brother, are you okay?" Valit asked urgently.
Rach, now outside the Gray Mist Zone, had a sunken chest, his clothes stained with blood. But he quickly regained his clarity and shouted, "I'm fine. Mr. Linley, thank you for saving my life!" If not for Linley, he might have killed Valit and been doomed forever.
"Overestimating yourself," the effeminate young man sneered.
"Let's go," Linley said coldly.
"Valit, be careful on the way. I can't go in with you," Rach called from outside.
"Mm," Valit nodded, bidding farewell to his brother before quickly catching up with Linley and the others, venturing deeper into the Gray Mist Zone.
In the Gray Mist Zone, Linley and the other five advanced cautiously, constantly alert to their surroundings. Their ears were filled with the continuous sounds of slaughter and angry shouts. Suddenly, Linley caught a flash of black light shooting toward them from the side.
"Swish!"
The black light shot straight at Bebe.
"Ssss—" Where the black light passed, space itself tore open. This sight startled the purple-haired young man 'Buron' and the others. Bebe, however, laughed loudly and charged forward. He used his left hand to block while his right hand, holding a dagger, stabbed toward the attacker—
"Pfft!" A battle blade glowing with black light slashed across Bebe's chest. But Bebe grabbed the attacker, grappling with him, and drove his dagger into the attacker's head.
The dead man's eyes were still crazily bloodshot, but in an instant, they became dull and lifeless.
"Madman," the effeminate young man muttered.
Ignoring the enemy's attack to kill him—that was the act of a madman. But Bebe executed it perfectly, without even a scratch on himself.
"Boss, how was that?" Bebe winked proudly at Linley.
"Move fast!" the purple-haired young man suddenly shouted.
"Hmm?" Bebe, Valit, and the others looked at him in confusion. Linley, also puzzled, suddenly changed expression. He felt the space around them tremble. Clearly, many people were rushing toward them from all directions. Linley didn't understand how the Highgods trapped in illusions were so sensitive.
But…
The enemy was coming!
"Run!"
No one knew how many Highgods trapped in illusions were in the Gray Mist Zone. Linley and the others quickly fled. But they didn't notice that on the leaves of a tree beside them, a green snake was watching them. Then, the green snake merged into the leaves and disappeared.