Zhang Yuanqing, through the perspective of the Yin corpse, surveyed the surroundings, his vision obscured by a vast expanse of black smoke, limiting visibility to less than five meters.
Unlike the Yao Guang Hall, where black smoke enveloped every ten minutes, here, it was perpetual. What exactly did the leader of the Shu Mountain bring out from the ancient ruins?
This was just the Southern Garden, yet the Yin energy was already vast and boundless, akin to being in the netherworld. To what extent would the Yin energy in the main hall be exaggerated? It would likely breed many high-ranking, sovereign-level Yin creatures.
Zhang Yuanqing remembered Jiang Ju saying that the aura emanating from a peak sovereign powerhouse would alter the local environment. For instance, Miao Changzhe of the Hundred Flowers Association, who secluded herself in the deep mountains, transformed the surrounding primeval forest for dozens of miles, and the beasts were all purified into extraordinary creatures.
Another example was his demigod father, who directly turned the mountain where he lived into a lava-spewing active volcano.
The thing the Shu Mountain leader brought out from the ancient ruins had turned this immortal sect into the netherworld.
From this, it could be inferred that the Shu Mountain main hall was likely a level nine instance, or at the very least, a level eight peak instance to enter.
I hope the White Emperor Crown is in the Southern Garden; if it's in the main hall, I won't be able to get it in the short term... Zhang Yuanqing prayed in his heart.
He groped forward, following his sense of direction towards the dwellings for a routine exploration, drawing from the experience of the Yao Guang Hall.
The danger on the second level should also be in the Golden Summit Hall, but as a high-level player of The Way of the Extraordinary, he wouldn't overlook other places.
The higher the difficulty of an instance, the more cautious you have to be, ensuring complete data to avoid setbacks on small details.
In the Yao Guang Hall area, Zhang Yuanqing, standing on the steps, frowned and said in a deep voice, "I've lost contact with the Yin corpse."
This development was within everyone's expectations.
Palace Master Zhisha asked, "Who attacked you?"
Zhang Yuanqing shook his head.
"I wasn't attacked. That part of my spiritual body didn't return, nor was the soul torn apart like in the Yao Guang Hall, indicating that the Yin corpse was neither damaged nor sealed."
"The Yin corpse is isolated by some force, as if it went to another world."
Demon Eye Heavenly King pondered, "It shouldn't be the problem of the black smoke. What were you doing when you lost contact with the Yin corpse? Or what did you see?"
Zhang Yuanqing said helplessly, "Groping forward, saw nothing, encountered nothing."
"That's strange." Fu Qingyang and others looked at each other, clueless.
Princess Yin Yao patted her pouch, and the Cat King resounded with a "buzzing" sound, conveying a passionate and sonorous male voice: "Don't be a coward, just do it!"
Princess Yin Yao nodded slightly, indicating that this was her suggestion.
Although the princess was afraid of death, her judgment was still accurate.
Zhang Yuanqing looked at his teammates and shrugged: "Looks like this is the only way."
"The second level area is shrouded in black smoke, and I also have illusion techniques, both of which are within my domain. Everyone must stay by my side after entering."
Palace Master Zhisha frowned: "The black smoke obscures vision, we can easily get separated, and if there are monsters hiding among them, it's easy to get focused if we stand together."
"I can activate Sunrise and the War God of the Scorching Sun to dispel the black smoke, but that would make you all useless." Zhang Yuanqing stroked his chin, his eyes lighting up: "I'll try the Devouring Beast."
He had originally wanted to use it in the Yao Guang Hall, but the female statue could use teleportation in the black smoke, so the Devouring Beast's effect was not significant, hence he didn't use it.
Moreover, the black smoke only lasted for one minute and thirty seconds. If the Devouring Beast wasn't fed enough during this time, it would suffer a backlash.
Although this item was powerful, the price was equally a headache. Under Zhang Yuanqing's lead, the group ascended the stone steps, passed through an invisible membrane, and the field of vision quickly darkened. The black smoke permeated the entire area, unlike the sunny and beautiful scene outside. They could see nothing, and all five senses were blinded.
Demon Eye Heavenly King touched the headband on his forehead and said with a "heh" sound: "It is indeed very dangerous if we get focused."
"I'll try with the Devouring Beast." Zhang Yuanqing took out the Mo Yu Pixiu and activated the devouring skill of the item on his head.
The Devouring Beast's abdomen contracted, and its mouth opened, sucking in the surrounding Yin energy like a black hole.
Because the surrounding area was full of Yin energy, the Devouring Beast's consumption continued, like a water pump.
The black smoke around the group quickly faded, the visibility increased from five meters to ten meters, twenty meters, and then stopped changing.
"Visibility is enough, act quickly, the Yin energy here is too great, the Devouring Beast probably won't last long," Zhang Yuanqing said.
It'll be full before it gives out!
The group acted quickly, heading towards the dwellings. Under their feet were cracked stone bricks, devoid of grass.
Apart from their footsteps, there was no sound.
The dwellings covered a vast area, making the search time-consuming, but fortunately, the Devouring Beast's name was not for nothing, and it held out until they had searched all the dwellings.