"I've sent a few to scout," Fang was overly excited, the same as everyone. This wasn't just another milestone for the Fox Guild masters; this was a grand dream coming true for all of them.

ROAR!

Just before Fang could continue his words, a sudden roar came from the distance. Everyone turned to look in the direction the roar came from, and it happened to be from the direction Fang sent his scouts to inspect the area they were in.

"Monsters," the shout came from the middle of their ranks, yet no one knew who shouted it. The first instinct was for the spirit masters to take their weapons out and be vigilant for any incoming attack. And yet what happened next was out of anyone's expectations, including William's.

FWOOSH! FWOOSH! FWOOSH!

ROAR! ROAR! ROAR!

Things happened fast. Out of the blue, black shadows flashed and attacked different masters, leaving behind a gruesome sight of devastated limbs and shredded bodies, mixed with heart-curdling screams that echoed from different spots.

Everyone looked around in vigilance and fear, while William's friends and faction leaders looked at their most trusted friend and pillar, asking what was going on and what was happening.

"No way! No fcking way!!" Against what everyone expected, it took William roughly five minutes, with the loss of over two thousand spirit masters during this short span of time, to realise what was going on, to know where they were, to recognise what threat was looming at them from the darkness of the night.

"We appeared in this cursed piece of land out of everything? Fck it!" William cursed out loud, before his voice came like booming thunder to everyone, "No matter what, do not ever use your spirit power!

Just wave your swords at anything suspicious without using a single technique, without even stirring your spirits!" And what he said froze everyone in their tracks, with their minds struggling to process what he truly meant.

They were in the middle of fighting an invisible, an invincible enemy. And he just asked them not to use their technique or even augment their weapons using their spirit powers? It was simply absurd.

FWOOSH! ROAR!

Just after he shouted, a few didn't listen, ending up dead in the most brutal way ever. Seeing this made William shout again:

"If you don't trust me after all we have lived through, then you deserve to die in the cruellest way possible, thanks to not obeying my orders! Stop using your spirit powers for the god sake, or else you'll be dead, and no one can save you!"

His words were meant to bring back order in his guild masters. Hearing his strict warning made the different faction leaders organise their forces, having better control over the impulsive and scared spirit masters.

It wasn't out of disrespect that they didn't listen to William's warning. The impact of feeling so weak and slow, having weird shadows attacking their friends and comrades, drove fear over reason in many. And yet this became less of an occurrence with more orders and far more experienced masters taking over the situation.

"What are these shadows?" Fang was the first to arrive at William's spot, followed by others. The faction leaders, his friends, and his girls were all shocked and scared. Yet they felt more hope the more they realised William knew everything about their current situation.

"It's bad luck," William sighed, before slowly explaining the situation, "we ascended into the heart of the most dangerous zone in the entire upper realm! We are in the Deathly Shadows Valley, a large area filled with deadly shadow monsters, known for their hunger for spirit power."

"Spirit power?" Anjie paused, looked around, "Isn't it supposed for them to feed on the world's spirit power?"

"That's the issue," William bitterly smiled, "they can't process the normal spirit power in the world. They can only suck it from the bodies of the living, meaning us."

"This…"

"Then we need to leave here, right?"

Lots of whispers appeared, as it became clear that being here was a death sentence. It wasn't just about the restrictions of using spirit powers, but they couldn't train, or else they would die.

If they stayed here, they wouldn't advance a single step forward. Everything they prepared so far would be for nought. Realising this made everyone turn towards William. After all, he knew all this better than everyone, and yet he didn't issue any command to move or run away from this place.

"You have a plan, right?" Knowing that look on his face, the calmness, the confidence, Berry couldn't help but ask. Even in such a situation, even in a world they just ascended to, William looked unfazed, knowing what to do, like always.

"Just don't use any spirit power for now," William vaguely said, before turning his eyes around, "I know the transition from being on the top of the world to the lower bottom isn't easy, but you and others must get used to it."

"Where are you going?!!" Seeing him starting to move away gave everyone instant panic. And yet, he calmly responded, without even looking back.

"I'm going to change this place to our most favourable spot to ascend to," he raised a fist in the air, "stay strong, stay together, and wait for my return. Till then, never use your spirit powers."

William knew staying behind would do them any good. They just ascended, and the masters would need to start building homes, find food and water, and start training.

Even if they appeared in the deadliest zone ever in the upper realm, it wasn't a bad thing in his eyes. He knew that with every great turmoil and danger, lots of chances were present. And this was by far the most generous spot to start in.

"A place which even the strongest and largest forces in the upper realm can't venture into? It's the richest zone in the entire upper realm with resources. And what's even better, it's the most defended and secure place in the upper realm for any newly ascended masters…"