Crossing the wilderness to survive, starting with a broken kitchen knife.

The group carefully walked along the path behind the church, heading towards the City Lord's Mansion. Along the way, they tried their best to avoid dark corners where invisible beings might be hiding, while also being alert to any abnormalities that might occur around them.

As they gradually approached the City Lord's Mansion, the atmosphere around them became more and more oppressive, and from time to time, groups of footsteps could be heard passing by.

Arriving at the gate of the City Lord's Mansion, Zhang Shi climbed onto the eaves of a nearby house and carefully observed it. He saw that the gate was tightly closed. The door was carved with intricate patterns, exuding an ancient and mysterious atmosphere. Seeing no danger, Zhang Shi walked to the door and found a door lock hanging on it. The door lock looked like a stone with a hole in it, and there were some carved patterns on it, which was full of the breath of time.

"This door lock is very complicated and may require some skills to open it," said Zhang Shi.

Zhao Feng walked forward, carefully examined the door lock, and said, "I'll try to break it with brute force."

As he spoke, he took a few steps back, and before Zhang Shi could stop him, he rushed forward and punched the door lock. With a "click", the door lock was actually smashed open.

Everyone looked at Zhao Feng in surprise. They hadn't expected this seemingly ancient and mysterious stone lock to be broken so easily. Zhao Feng chuckled and scratched his head. "I was just trying it out, and I didn't expect it to actually work."

Zhang Shi pushed open the door, and the group cautiously entered the City Lord's Mansion. It was dim inside, with only a few night-shining pearls flickering faintly. They walked along the corridor, constantly alert for possible danger.

Suddenly, a dark shadow darted past them at astonishing speed. Everyone exclaimed in alarm, their swords drawn in a moment of alert. However, the shadow didn't stop to attack them, but continued to flee forward. Suddenly, Zhang Shi saw the shadow's tail glimpse.

"What is that?" Zhao Feng asked nervously.

Zhang Shi shook his head. "I'm not sure, but it's definitely not a good thing. We have to be careful."

They continued walking until they arrived at a spacious hall. In the center of the hall sat a large round table. Several men in black robes sat around it, their faces obscured by large hoods, revealing only two sinister eyes. On the table lay a mass of bloody flesh. One of the black-robed figures was devouring the meal with relish. The blood and minced meat had stained the surrounding chairs red, a sight both terrifying and disgusting.

"Oh, there's a stranger."

A deep voice came from the black-robed man.

Zhang Shi and the others watched these people warily, their hearts filled with vigilance. They knew that for these people to be able to dine so freely in the dangerous City Lord's Mansion, they must be either extremely powerful, or the source of danger themselves, or both. Regardless, these guys were the key to their operation.

"Who are you? Why are you here?" Zhang Shi asked.

The black-robed men smiled slightly. One of them stood up and walked over to Zhang Shi. "We are the guardians of the City of Mist and its rulers. What's the matter with you intruding so rashly?"

Zhang Shi didn't answer his question, but asked directly: "Where is my mother-in-law? Have you arrested her?"

The smile on the black-robed man's face instantly vanished, as if Zhang Shi's words had violated some taboo. He looked at Zhang Shi coldly, "How dare you come to the City Lord's Mansion to cause trouble? You truly don't know your place. However, since you're here, don't even think about leaving alive."

As he spoke, he waved his hand, and the surrounding black-robed figures rose to their feet, charging towards Zhang Shi and the others. Simultaneously, a rustling sound echoed around them, as invisible entities appeared. They seemed to be responding to the black-robed figures' commands, suddenly appearing and rushing towards Zhang Shi and the others.

Faced with the black-robed figure's sudden attack, Zhang Shi and his companions reacted swiftly, drawing their swords to meet the enemy. The hall was ablaze with flashes of swords and the clash of metal. Zhao Feng bore the brunt of the attack, his battle axe swinging wildly, each strike accompanied by a whistling sound of wind, slaying the approaching invisible beings one by one. For a moment, no monster dared approach.

However, these black-robed figures seemed to be monsters of a higher level, unfazed by their attacks. Even when struck by sharp blades, they merely staggered before swiftly leaping forward again. Their movements were agile and uncanny, seemingly unconstrained by the laws of physics, placing a strain on Zhang Shi and the others.

"These guys are not simple, everyone be careful!" Zhang Shi reminded loudly.

At that moment, a black-robed figure suddenly vanished, reappearing behind Zhang Shi, the blade in his hand flashing with a cold light, pointed directly at his vitals. Zhang Shi was startled, but he remained calm. Relying on his keen intuition and exceptional skill, he used the Shadow Step to dodge the attack at the critical moment.

At the same time, Zhang Shi used a shadow slash to cut in half a black-robed man who was trying to launch a sneak attack from behind Ge Dalong.

The rest of the team also faced powerful enemies. A black-robed figure released a black mist, attempting to confuse Zhao Feng's vision, but Zhao Feng, with his tough skin and strong body, withstood the attack and dispersed the black mist. He finally found the enemy and sent him flying with a single blow of his axe.

However, those black-robed men had extremely strong self-healing abilities. Beneath their black robes were transparent bodies stained with blood. The strands of bright red granulations were like tough silk threads, stitching the broken bodies back together. It didn't take long for them to regain their fighting power.

The battle dragged on for a long time, with both sides locked in a stalemate. Although Zhang Shi and his men were formidable, the black-robed figures were numerous and powerful, and the increasing number of invisible beings gathering within the City Lord's Mansion put them under immense pressure, gradually becoming overwhelmed.

"This is not a solution. We must find a breakthrough!" Zhang Shi shouted to his teammates, panting.

At this moment, a man in black robe suddenly stopped attacking. His eyes fell on the old Duan in Zhang Shi's hand, and a greedy light flashed in his eyes.

"That knife..." the black-robed man said in a low and seductive tone, "seems to contain extraordinary power. Give it to me, and I can let you leave safely."

Zhang Shi tightly grasped the Old Duan sword in his hand. This sword had been his right-hand man since he entered the wilderness world, saving him from danger countless times. He knew it was more than just a weapon; it was a symbol of his faith and determination.

"Don't think about it!"

Zhang Shi rejected the black-robed man's proposal without hesitation, his eyes revealing determination and indomitable spirit.

The black-robed man sneered, seemingly unsurprised by Zhang Shi's refusal. "Since you're so stubborn, don't blame us for being rude." He waved his hand, signaling the other black-robed men to continue their attack. He also joined the fray, aiming directly at the Old Duan in Zhang Shi's hand.