In the midst of everyone's laughter, the sky suddenly darkened with thick clouds, and a massive fissure appeared in the sky.
A terrifying elder emerged slowly from within, his entire body exuding an aura of dread. The man was the elder's disciple, and he was crying out to the elder about what had happened.
The elder let out a cold snort, locking onto the position of Mo Wenjie and the others before pursuing them.
Mo Wenjie's heart was greatly alarmed, he did not expect to be caught up so quickly. But he soon calmed down, and instructed the women to form a defensive formation. Mo Wenjie knew that a direct confrontation would not work, so he quickly came up with a strategy. He took out a treasure from before that concealed his aura and handed it secretly to one of the women who was skilled in earth escape techniques. He whispered something in her ear.
Subsequently, Mo Wenjie deliberately revealed his position and flew away into the distance, drawing the elder to pursue him. Meanwhile, the woman utilized the treasure to conceal her aura and practiced earth escape to sneak around behind the elder. Just as the elder was about to catch Mo Wenjie, she suddenly appeared and delivered a powerful strike in a surprise attack on the elder. The elder was unprepared and was struck, sustaining injuries and having no choice but to retreat back into the space rift. Mo Wenjie and the others escaped once again, and the valley resounded with cheers of victory.
However, the crowd had no time to catch their breath. Instead, they saw that the space rift did not completely close, but instead released a powerful suction. Mo Wenjie and the others were unprepared, and several of them were instantly sucked in.
Mo Wenjie only felt a whirl of heaven and earth spinning, and when he opened his eyes again, he found himself in an unfamiliar desert. The air around him was thick with eerie energy, and faintly, the howling of demon beasts could be heard.
Mo Wenjie knew that the place was fraught with danger, so he quickly regained his composure and gathered the remaining people together. As they were discussing their strategy, suddenly a cloud of sand rolled in from afar, as if a large group of people was approaching. Upon closer inspection, they saw that it was a group of cultivators dressed in strange attire. The leader sized up Mo Wenjie and his companions with an unfriendly gaze.
Mo Wenjie took a deep breath, walked forward steadily, and cupped his hands in a polite bow. He then stood straight and spoke without arrogance or deference: "Brother, our group accidentally strayed here, and we did not intend to offend your domain. Please be gracious and allow us to leave."
However, the man was tall and imposing, with a hint of disdain and indifference on his face. Upon hearing Mo Wenjie's words, he sneered coldly and laughed harshly as if the sound was forced out from between his teeth: "Hmph! This place is ours. How can we let uninvited guests just come and go as they please? If you want to leave this place unscathed, you'll have to pass through the numerous challenges we've set up first!"
Hearing this, Mo Wenjie inwardly cursed to himself but knew there was no other way. He gritted his teeth, straightened his posture, and stared at the other party with determined eyes, saying seriously, "Since that's the case, I shall respectfully comply with your will and accept your challenges. I hope you will show mercy and grant us a way to survive."
As Mo Wenjie's words fell, the atmosphere around them turned tense immediately, and an unknown crisis was about to unfold silently. While the crowd's hearts had slightly calmed down, they were once again raised high with worry......
The imposing cultivator sneered coldly and waved his hand. The surroundings changed, and Mo Wenjie and the others found themselves in a labyrinth of flames. The scorching flames licked at the air, making it hard to breathe.
"Pass through this labyrinth, but do not dare to use magical flying or you will have only one way to die," the cultivator's voice echoed in the air.
Mo Wenjie looked behind at the others and whispered, "Be careful, follow me." They cautiously stepped into the maze.
As they walked, a fork in the road suddenly appeared. Mo Wenjie closed his eyes and felt for a moment, choosing the left path. They encountered numerous traps along the way, but with the cleverness of the group, they managed to solve them one by one.
As they approached the exit, a huge fire beast blocked their path. Mo Wenjie surged forward first, channeling his inner spiritual energy to combat it. The others saw this and also joined in. After a fierce battle, they finally defeated the fire beast.
Just as they successfully stepped out of the maze, the cultivator who had been waiting there, his eyes suddenly flashing with an almost imperceptible glimmer of astonishment. He slightly narrowed his eyes and scrutinized the group before him, who were exhausted but full of spirit, murmuring slowly: "Hmm... You still have some skills. However, this is just the first hurdle. There are many more treacherous obstacles waiting for you ahead!" As he finished speaking, he gently waved his hand and the ground that was previously as calm as a mirror began to shake violently. Soon after, a massive chasm appeared before them, and within its depths lay a chilling air and shimmering waters that reflected light.
This was the second challenge—The Treasure Hunt on the Ice Lake. Mo Wenjie gazed at the ice-cold, bottomless surface of the lake, and an overwhelming sense of unease surged within him. However, when he turned to see his partners behind him, who trusted and relied on him, he clenched his fists tightly, resolving silently: No matter how rugged and difficult the path ahead may be, and regardless of the great sacrifices that may have to be made, he would definitely lead them all through this challenge successfully!
Mo Wenjie took the first step onto the ice, and the cold air instantly seeped into his bones. However, he endured the pain and pressed forward. The companions helped each other and followed closely behind. The ice lake seemed calm on the surface but was filled with hidden dangers. Sharp ice spears occasionally shot out from the depths of the lake. Mo Wenjie concentrated his energy to sense the direction of these ice spears and shouted loudly to warn everyone to avoid them.
Suddenly, a blue-lit treasure box appeared in the center of the lake. Mo Wenjie understood that the treasure must be there, but he also felt the surrounding dangers intensifying. At this moment, numerous ice puppets surrounded them from the ice surface. Mo Wenjie instructed his companions to form a circle with their backs to each other to defend themselves, while he charged towards the center of the lake.
More and more ice puppets emerged, and the companions were gradually struggling to hold back. In a critical moment, Mo Wenjie retrieved the treasure box, which emitted a beam of light enveloping everyone. The ice puppets melted upon contact with the light. It turned out that this treasure box was not only a valuable item but also the key prop to overcome this challenge.
Mo Wenjie gripped the mysterious, glowing treasure box in his hands tightly, as if afraid it might slip through his fingers at any moment. The box shone like the brightest star in the night sky, emitting dazzling light that captivated everyone's attention around him.
At this moment, Mo Wenjie's eyes were filled with unshakeable determination and confidence. He knew that the path ahead would be fraught with great difficulties, but he was undaunted. For in his heart, there was a firm belief—that he must overcome this test and lead everyone to successfully exit this perilous secret realm!
In this mysterious and unpredictable environment, every step could hide a deadly danger. Yet, Mo Wenjie did not retreat; he resolutely stepped onto the unknown path. He firmly believed that as long as they carried courage and wisdom, nothing could stand in their way and hinder their progress.
The imposing cultivator saw that Mo Wenjie had obtained the treasure box, and his expression changed slightly. He sneered coldly and snorted: "Don't think it's easy to pass this test just because you've made it this far. The final challenge is the one that truly demands your life." After saying that, he waved his hand, and the group was teleported to a dark place. In the darkness, there seemed to be countless eyes watching them. Mo Wenjie gripped the treasure box tightly, remaining vigilant around him.
Suddenly, a dark shadow darted towards them from the darkness, moving with incredible speed. Mo Wenjie handed the treasure box to someone beside him and shouted, "Protect it!" Then he confronted the shadow in battle. The others also used their skills, and for a moment, light and darkness intertwined.
During the fight, Mo Wenjie realized that these shadows were controlled by malevolent spirits. He remembered an ancient array that might be able to purify them. Therefore, he instructed the others to form an array and released their spiritual energy together.
As the light grew stronger, the shadows began to dissipate. The imposing cultivator sighed deeply: "You have passed the test. This was a trial for intruders, and only the strong can survive in this area." Mo Wenjie and his companions breathed a sigh of relief. The cultivator directed them towards the transmission array leading to the outside world, and they finally left the place filled with danger.
Just as Mo Wenjie and his companions stepped out of the transmission array, before they could even heave a sigh of relief, they sensed an unusually dense aura of spiritual energy around them, and the space was undergoing frequent fluctuations. Suddenly, rainbow-hued rays of light descended from the sky, surrounded by auspicious energy. An elder with a serene and elegant demeanor appeared out of thin air.
The elder smiled at Mo Wenjie and said, "Young man, the performance of your group in the trial has been witnessed by me. You are truly extraordinary. This place is called the Spiritual Void Land, an opportunity left behind by ancient immortals. If you are willing, you can stay here to continue exploring deeper opportunities."
Mo Wenjie's heart stirred, and he exchanged a glance with his companions, seeing the anticipation in each other's eyes. So they thanked the elder and decided to enter the depths of the Spiritual Void Land.
Upon entering the Spiritual Void Land, they discovered that it was filled with rare herbs and ores. However, there were also various guardian beasts. Mo Wenjie and his companions moved cautiously along the path, overcoming numerous difficulties with teamwork. Just as they were about to leave with a bountiful harvest, a huge phoenix appeared in the sky above them, its body engulfed in fierce flames.
Mo Wenjie realized that this was the final challenge. He rallied his courage and led his team into battle once again. In the end, they won the phoenix's recognition with their clever strategy. The phoenix granted them an inner core containing immense energy before flying away. Mo Wenjie and his companions, filled with their harvest, left the Spiritual Void Land contentedly.
Soon after Mo Wenjie and his companions left the Spiritual Void Land, they noticed that the inner core was emitting a peculiar vibration. This vibration attracted the covetousness of various factions. A group of bandit-like cultivators appeared halfway, surrounding them.
Mo Wenjie stepped forward and shouted, "Will you not fear retribution for such actions?" The bandit leader laughed heartily and said, "Hand over the inner core, and we will spare your lives."
Mo Wenjie and his companions were not going to give up the inner core. As tension rose between them and the bandits, suddenly an unusual phenomenon appeared in the sky again. A beam of golden light descended, enveloping Mo Wenjie and his companions. The bandits were knocked back several steps by the golden light. It turned out that a secluded high-ranking master had passed by, admiring their heroic performance in the Spiritual Void Land, unwilling to see them bullied. The master warned the bandits and they fled away shamelessly. Mo Wenjie thanked the master, but he waved him off, saying that Mo Wenjie and his companions had profound destiny and would surely achieve great things in the future.
Later, Mo Wenjie and his companions returned to their residence with the inner core. They used part of the energy from the inner core to enhance their cultivation, and with the remaining energy, they improved their other cultivation resources. Mo Wenjie became a hero in the hearts of the women around him. He compiled his experiences in the Spiritual Void Land into a book, for future fellow cultivators to learn from and reference. He cherished this hard-won harvest very much!
