Possessed by my father, I was reborn and became the supreme ruler.

Ye Yunjian's swordsmanship was fierce, Nie Hanshan's saber technique was domineering, Gu Ling's lightning magic was unpredictable, and Elder Xuanfeng used his experience to constantly search for the black-robed man's weaknesses. The black-robed man clearly did not expect them to suddenly erupt and was caught off guard.

His confident expression gradually disappeared, replaced by a hint of panic.

Under the combined attack of the crowd, he was forced to retreat step by step. Finally, he let out a roar of unwilling anger, turned into a cloud of black mist, and fled in a sorry state.

Everyone breathed a sigh of relief, overwhelmed with joy at surviving the ordeal.

However, they also knew in their hearts that this was only the beginning of a new journey, and that more dangers awaited them.

"Will he... will he come back?" Gu Ling's voice trembled slightly.

Ye Yunjian's eyes sharpened as he stared in the direction where the black-robed man had disappeared, his Xuanhuo Sword gripping tightly in his hand...

Although he possessed several precious swords, the Xuanhuo Sword was his true asset.

The direction from which the man in black robes fled was eerily cold, and a mournful sound seemed to drift from it.

Ye Yunjian's eyes were resolute, and the Spirit-Nourishing Sword in his hand hummed continuously: "If he is not eliminated, the consequences will be endless. Pursue him!"

Nie Hanshan and Elder Xuanfeng nodded in agreement. Although Gu Ling was still a little scared, she understood the principle of eliminating the root of the problem and had no choice but to bite the bullet and follow.

The four followed the path shrouded in black mist. Along the way, the vegetation was withered, birds had vanished, and a suffocating sense of oppression filled the air.

After chasing for an unknown amount of time, the scene before them suddenly changed.

A thick fog had enveloped them, making it impossible to see their own hands, and the ground beneath their feet was no longer solid, but soft mud.

"Be careful!" Elder Xuanfeng shouted, and an invisible pressure suddenly descended, causing everyone's spiritual energy circulation to become sluggish.

Ye Yunjian felt a sudden heaviness in his dantian, as if it were being crushed by a boulder, and the flow of his internal energy became sluggish.

“This place is strange, spiritual energy is restricted!” Nie Hanshan swung his long sword, only to find that the blade was incredibly heavy, as if he were wielding a piece of stubborn iron.

Danger lurks everywhere in the fog.

The seemingly flat muddy ground underfoot actually hides traps, and you can easily fall into it if you're not careful.

Gu Ling accidentally stepped on a loose stone slab. The slab sank, and a foul-smelling green liquid gushed out. It was extremely corrosive and instantly corroded a large hole in his boot. If he hadn't reacted quickly, his entire leg would probably have been ruined.

"Ah!" Gu Ling exclaimed, her face turning pale, and large beads of sweat rolled down her forehead.

Ye Yunjian reacted quickly, grabbing Gu Ling and pulling him back from the edge of the trap.

"Thank you, Brother Ye!" Gu Ling patted his chest, still shaken.

The group became even more cautious, taking each step carefully and surveying their surroundings.

The thick fog obscured visibility but amplified hearing; even the faintest sounds were clearly audible—the rustling of leaves in the wind, the low growls of unknown creatures, and…

The sound of the mechanism turning beneath my feet.

With a soft "crack," the ground beneath Gu Ling's feet collapsed once more...

Before Gu Ling could finish her scream, the stone slab beneath her feet flipped over, and a blinding green laser beam shot out.

The speed was so fast that people were caught off guard.

At the critical moment, Nie Hanshan leaped forward and pushed Gu Ling away.

The laser grazed the hem of Gu Ling's clothes and shot into the distance, leaving a scorched mark on the ground.

"Brother Nie!" Gu Ling, still shaken, looked at Nie Hanshan with gratitude.

However, Nie Hanshan had no time to respond. Where he landed, the ground suddenly collapsed, and countless vines shot out like venomous snakes, tightly binding him.

The vines were covered with sharp thorns that pierced into Nie Hanshan's flesh, instantly causing a numbing sensation to spread throughout his body.

"Damn it!" Nie Hanshan roared, struggling desperately, but found that the vines were extremely tough and he couldn't break free at all.

Upon seeing this, Elder Xuanfeng immediately stepped forward, forming hand seals, and attempted to use his spiritual power to sever the vines.

However, the spiritual energy here is limited, and Elder Xuanfeng's output of spiritual energy is weak, like a mud ox entering the sea, having no effect on the vines.

"It's no use. The formation here is suppressing our spiritual power." Elder Xuanfeng's face was solemn, and fine beads of sweat appeared on his forehead.

In the thick fog, danger lurked everywhere. Ye Yunjian and the others were like trapped beasts, struggling to advance or retreat.

A sense of despair spread through everyone's hearts.

Just then, an aged voice came from the depths of the mist: "Who dares to trespass on this forbidden area!"

Before he finished speaking, an old man dressed in a gray robe appeared out of thin air.

His hair and beard were all white, his face was withered, but his eyes were as sharp as a hawk's, and he exuded a chilling aura.

The old man did not attempt to rescue the trapped Nie Hanshan. Instead, he scanned the crowd with piercing eyes and asked in an icy tone, "Speak! Who are you? Why have you trespassed here?"

Ye Yunjian stepped forward, clasped his hands in greeting, and said, "Junior Ye Yunjian and my companions strayed into this place while chasing demons. I hope senior will forgive us."

The old man sneered, "Demons? Hmph, flattery and deceit! I think you are the demons!"

Ye Yunjian's heart sank, and he quickly explained, "Senior, please understand, we really did not intrude unintentionally..."

However, the old man did not seem to believe their explanation. He slowly raised his right hand, and a powerful spiritual energy wave emanated from his body, as if the surrounding air had frozen.

"Since you refuse to tell the truth, then don't blame me for being impolite!" The old man's tone was chilling, and his right hand suddenly pointed at Ye Yunjian...

A sharp gust of wind shot out from the old man's withered fingertips, heading straight for Ye Yunjian's face.

Ye Yunjian was unable to dodge in time and was about to be hit. At the critical moment, Lin Yao shouted and the jade ruyi in her hand shone brightly. A blue light screen appeared out of thin air and blocked the fatal blow.

However, the old man's strength was unfathomable, and the lingering force of the wind made Lin Yao stagger, with a trace of blood spilling from the corner of her mouth.

"Yao'er!" Ye Yunjian's heart tightened, and he helped Lin Yao up.

He knew that he could not sit idly by and wait for his death; he had to take the initiative.

Ye Yunjian's eyes sharpened, and the Spirit-Gathering Sword shone brightly, emitting a clear dragon's roar.

He moved with lightning speed, his feet moving with unpredictable speed, weaving through the thick fog, appearing and disappearing as he searched for the old man's weakness.

"Good lad, not bad footwork!" The old man's hands flew, and sharp gusts of wind rained down on Ye Yunjian.

Ye Yunjian moved nimbly through the strong wind with his exquisite footwork, as agile as a swimming fish.

He sometimes swung his sword to defend, and sometimes used the old man's force against him, neutralizing the old man's attacks.

"Well done!" Nie Hanshan shouted loudly, his voice full of power, even though he was bound by vines.

"Go, Senior Brother Ye!" Gu Ling cheered, her voice trembling, but expressing her trust in Ye Yunjian.

The encouragement from his companions gave Ye Yunjian tremendous motivation. He fought with increasing courage and his swordsmanship became more and more fierce.

The old man gradually felt the strain, and his opinion of Ye Yunjian grew higher and higher.