"Just how strong are the Fog People?"

Inside the Wind Chime, the members of Clear Wind Dao were discussing with heavy hearts. Xia Si was the first to ask the question.

"No one knows," Wang Hongshi replied gravely. "From the information we have access to, the Fog People have demonstrated absolute dominance over every major figure we’ve encountered. There have been no lucky breaks, no unexpected victories."

"The Daoist Master is in grave danger this time, I’m afraid..." Su Yaping said somberly.

He was currently standing on the roof of his residence, gazing in the direction of the Clear Wind Dao Academy.

The fluctuations of aura from that direction were subtle yet immense, making his heart pound in his chest.

Ignoring the concubine waving and calling to him from under the eaves, he continued to respond to Xia Si’s question in the Wind Chime.

"Within our academy, I might be the only one who has truly witnessed a Fog Person in action."

"What was it like!?"

"Can the Daoist Master win?"

"Mr. Su, please tell us. Don’t keep us in suspense."

The others chimed in, anxiously awaiting his answer.

Su Yaping sorted through his memories.

"What I saw back then was the City Lord of Xingdiao City, Song Xingdiao, taking action. At the time, a Blood Ancestor from our own ranks was discovered to be a traitor, betraying Xingdiao. He had lost his mind and was rampaging through the Moon Tower. He was a high-ranking Blood Ancestor. As you all know by now, Blood Ancestors grow stronger by devouring the powerful. The more they devour, the stronger they become. I knew that if I had faced that Blood Ancestor, I wouldn’t have survived a single move—I’d have been killed instantly. But..."

"But what!?" Xia Si urged.

Su Yaping closed his eyes, his body trembling slightly.

"I can’t describe the feeling from that moment."

His face was pale, as if he were still reeling from the scene he had witnessed.

"What on earth happened? Tell us! The fight over there is about to start!" Qiu Yiren couldn’t help but exclaim anxiously.

Among the group, she seemed the most anxious.

"I don’t know. I only saw that in front of everyone, in an instant... the Blood Ancestor transformed into someone else!"

"What do you mean!?" Xia Si frowned, standing in her room with her fists clenched.

"I mean, his face, his body... in an instant, they completely transformed into the likeness of the City Lord of Xingdiao City, Song Xingdiao..." Su Yaping said in a low voice. "Then, the City Lord told everyone that it was just a joke. He turned, went back to his palace to rest... and after that... everyone below the rank of Palace Master seemed to have completely forgotten that Blood Ancestor ever existed. This included his own direct subordinates and even his family. They all forgot him."

"So, did that Blood Ancestor ever really exist?" Wang Hongshi couldn’t help but ask.

"He existed... because I still have a treasured artifact he once gave me. His unique power signature still resonates from it," Su Yaping replied.

"He was my best friend... my brother... That’s one of the reasons I defected from Xingdiao."

"So... even you can’t be sure what kind of powers and abilities the Fog People possess? Is that right?" Xia Si asked.

"I only know a part of it," Su Yaping continued. "The Fog People possess different types of powerful Evil Energy, incredible speed, immortal bodies, and the ability to strengthen themselves by devouring external things. I’m not clear on the rest. They seem to look down on Summoning and the Martial Dao, and they don’t use any Martial Arts, Techniques, or Secret Techniques."

"No Martial Arts or Secret Techniques?" Xia Si couldn’t understand.

"They’re moving! Over there, they’re moving! Everyone, let’s follow!" someone suddenly exclaimed in the Wind Chime.

"Don’t go!" Wang Hongshi commanded sharply. "We’re too weak. If we get close, we’ll only distract the Daoist Master and be of no use! We’re better off waiting for news here. Have faith in the Daoist Master! Even if he loses, with his incredible speed, he won’t be killed! There will be opportunities in the future!"

The anxiety in everyone’s hearts eased slightly.

’That’s right. The Daoist Master’s speed is unparalleled. Even if he can’t win the fight, can’t he at least escape?’

’As long as the Daoist Master is alive, there’s always a chance to win it back.’

At once, the members of Clear Wind Dao calmed down, focusing their senses and gazes in the direction where Lin Hui and Tuyue had departed for the sea.

*

*

*

「On the cloud-piercing Moon Tower in the Core Area of Black Cloud’s Inner City.」

Two tall figures quietly gazed toward the Outer Ring, near the Outer City. They watched as Lin Hui and Tuyue headed out toward the sea together.

"Third Sister still can’t forget what happened back then. But speaking of which, that Tuyue is quite bold. It would’ve been one thing to just wander around the area, but she had to come to the Inner City to stir up trouble." A slender, well-proportioned man holding a silver folding fan said with a smile.

"Speaking of which, even though Ning Yue is dead, he still has two women fighting to the death over him. From a man’s perspective, he lived a pretty exciting life," the other man, who was burly and well-built, said with a laugh and a shake of his head.

"Still, this can’t go on. We need to find a way to make Third Sister just forget Ning Yue. It’s been so many years. Decay is approaching, and none of us have more than a few hundred years left. Why cling to the past? Third Sister doesn’t even have an heir. You, Big Brother, had to pass on your descendants to form her family line. It’s all a bit improper." The second brother sighed, fanning himself.

"I’ve thought of many ways, but it’s not that easy. It’s not just that Third Sister doesn’t want to start a family; it feels more like she’s holding a grudge. The person she treasured most was stolen away by a woman who wasn’t as beautiful or as powerful as her. She just can’t swallow that pill."

"Can’t be helped. Who told Tuyue to be so... uninhibited?" the second brother laughed.

"Hm? That little guy... don’t tell me he’s going to challenge Tuyue?" The big brother seemed to have noticed something.

Because the Mental Power fields of Third Sister Gongsun Xinlian and Tuyue were clashing and enveloping the area, they couldn’t sense the details of the conversation from thousands of kilometers away.

Now, they saw the three of them leave the Inner City, cross the Outer City, and fly directly out to sea.

And it looked as if the little guy named Lin Hui was preparing to fight Tuyue.

"This is getting interesting. A mortal who dares to challenge one of us? How many years has it been since we’ve seen that?" The big brother was suddenly intrigued.

"Actually, it hasn’t been that long. Sixty years ago, a top-tier Blood Ancestor tried to devour a weakened, near-death Fog Person to take its place. In the end, he was devoured instead and served as a tonic, helping that Fog Person recover from some of its injuries," the second brother recalled.

"Madman Cao Xuedao, right? I remember that kid. I used to tease him when he was little. He used to say that when he grew up, he would overthrow this unfair world and build his own new dynasty. Back then, I remember he was just the son of an ordinary councilor in the Inner Court. He looked pretty ridiculous..." the big brother sighed.

"Here we go. It’s starting," the second brother suddenly interrupted.

"Come on, let’s bet on how long this Lin Hui can last. I bet one second," said the big brother.

"Hey, that’s not fair! I wanted to bet one second, too! You’re too quick," the second brother complained.

"Haha, that’s your fault for being too slow. Given how fragile mortals are, one second is actually generous. A single moment is all it takes to rewrite their thoughts," the big brother said casually.

"Then why isn’t Tuyue just doing it?" the second brother asked.

"That’s right..." The big brother paused, his expression suddenly growing serious.

With their speed of thought, it didn’t take long for them to arrive at a possibility.

"Don’t tell me... Tuyue really can’t directly alter that Lin Hui’s mind?" the second brother said gravely.

The big brother had also considered this possibility.

"Indeed... it’s possible. Otherwise, with that bitch Tuyue’s personality, she would never waste so much time on these roundabout games."

"In that case, this challenge is starting to get a little interesting," the second brother laughed.

"In that case, I’ll change my bet to two seconds," the big brother said immediately.

"Hey! How can you jump the gun again? I wanted to bet two seconds!" The second brother was speechless.

"It’s your own fault for being slow. Who can you blame? Why don’t you bet three... hmm?" Suddenly, the big brother’s voice trailed off. A trace of astonishment appeared on his face as he looked up toward the sea beyond the city.

"This..." The second brother was also stunned, staring in the same direction. "What’s going on!?"

The relaxed smile on his face had vanished, replaced by shock, surprise, and confusion.

*

*

*

On the turquoise surface of the sea.

Tuyue floated in mid-air, while Lin Hui stood upon the surface of the sea.

The two faced each other from a distance.

"This is a bit boring. Let’s just get this over with." Tuyue yawned. "Once we finish up and go back, we can first have a test batch in the Deep Domain under the tower, figure out the optimal method of ’birthing,’ and then we can really start having fun."

In the Deep Domain, a child could grow to adulthood in just one month. The entire process, from conception to birth, could be completed in a single day.

At this moment, Lin Hui suddenly understood the greatest purpose the Deep Domain served for the Fog People...

"Actually, I’ve never been able to understand how you Fog People view ordinary people. May I ask your opinion on the matter?"

’Lin Hui wanted to take this opportunity to better understand the mindset of the Fog People, adding to his repository of information to predict their future actions.’

The sea breeze blew, and mist churned.

With one above and one below, if one ignored their confrontational stance, they might have mistaken them for two ordinary friends chatting idly.

SWOOSH!

Gongsun Xinlian’s figure materialized out of thin air in the distance, gazing in their direction.

The mist did nothing to obstruct her line of sight.

This was a deep-sea area, far from the coastal waters.

This particular ocean was neither the Crystal Sea nor the Jade Sea, but the confluence of the two.

The seawater was highly toxic and acidic. There were no shipping lanes passing through the area, making it a suitable place for the two to formally clash.

"Mortals? I have no particular opinion. The Fog People were once mortals, too, so when we look at ordinary people, we primarily look at their minds. If your thoughts can keep up with ours, you will hold a higher place in our esteem. If you can’t, then you’re just an insect that can be crushed at will—insignificant," Tuyue said casually.

"So, in your view, thought and consciousness are what’s most important, is that right?" Lin Hui was beginning to understand.

"That’s right. Now, let’s end this boring challenge. Did you think that just because you can defeat a Blood Ancestor, you’re qualified to challenge one of us?" Tuyue said impatiently.

"Let me open your eyes."

She directly extended the index finger of her right hand, aimed it at Lin Hui, and tapped lightly.

An immense and terrifyingly pure stream of Mental Power condensed into a line, shot across several hundred meters, and instantly struck Lin Hui.

This Mental Power was so strong that the space around Lin Hui began to violently distort and blur, even shimmering with a vast, colorful light.

This wasn’t like with the Blood Ancestors, where a single colored crystal between the eyebrows was the symbol of materialized Mental Power.

Instead, a large area surrounding Lin Hui’s entire body had dissolved into a faint, shimmering flow of colored light.

But it was useless. A faint, transparent current of air stood firm before him, forcibly blocking the immense Mental Power.