That white mist lay before everyone just like that, looking very ordinary and indistinguishable from ordinary mist.
However, the young cultivators who came here had learned a great deal of information and were aware of many inside news. They knew that this white mist was not the entrance to the ancient ruin but rather, a fog brought back by the Sublime Bright Sect from within the ancient ruin using a secret technique. They had set this place up like this, then captured those youths, making them go in and out of this place, grooming their tolerance for the white mist.
Chen Chao arrived very late, but he was familiar with this path. When he saw the white mist, it became even more familiar.
"To prevent any anomalies, before entering the ancient ruin, you must stay within this white mist for half a day. If there are no issues during this time, you will qualify to enter the ancient ruin. Within this half-day period, if anyone can't endure it, they can leave at any time. However, leaving will be viewed as giving up your qualification."
A voice sounded out from not far away, landing in everyone's ears. Everyone could hear it very clearly.
A figure appeared in the distance, just in front of the white mist, standing quietly and observing everyone.
People quickly recognized this person's identity. They knew that he was a well-known itinerant cultivator called Distant Wanderer. Distant Wanderer had reached an extremely high cultivation realm, with half a foot already in the legendary Nepenthe Realm. He held high prestige among the foreign cultivators too.
This person's whereabouts were erratic and hard to track. He was known for his capricious nature and rarely involved himself in the disputes of any factions. Many sects had tried to recruit him, but their efforts had all been in vain.
Now that he appeared here and was overseeing this exploration of the ancient ruin, no one knew what price the sects who invited him had to pay for him to come.
With this Distant Wanderer presiding over this, the young cultivators participating in the exploration of the ancient ruin entered the white mist orderly. Soon, everyone except Chen Chao had gone inside.
Distant Wanderer looked at Chen Chao from a distance and was just about to say something when an official from the Great Liang Dynasty standing next him whispered something. Distant Wanderer then withdrew his gaze and said nothing.
Chen Chao arrived under a tree, waiting in silence.
……
……
After an unknown period of time, a young cultivator walked out of the white mist. His steps were unsteady, his face pale, and he appeared very weak as he walked out. The moment he exited the mist, he collapsed to the ground. Fortunately, someone rushed to his side and helped him up. Then, another person took out a small jade bottle and poured out a pill, sending it into his mouth with some water.
The medicinal pills were called Clear Heart Pills. They had been newly concocted based on the original pills developed by the Sublime Bright Sect. These new pills were enhanced with various high-quality spirit medicines, making them far more effective in stabilizing the cultivators' divine souls compared to the medicinal pills originally refined by the Sublime Bright Sect.
After consuming that medicinal pill, the young cultivator's complexion improved significantly. However, he still could not stand and was quickly carried away by others.
Soon, more young cultivators began emerging from the white mist. Almost every one of them walked out with pale complexions and weak steps. At this moment, they appeared just like ordinary people; devoid of any cultivation. They might even be weaker than ordinary people.
Before half the allotted time had passed, a portion of the cultivators had been eliminated. The seniors from those sects who were outside the white mist wore displeased expressions as they watched their disciples being so useless.
Although this exploration of the ancient ruins was not a competition, they did not even have the qualification to enter. It was enough to put their sects to shame.
Distant Wanderer watched all this with indifference. He had no particular opinions and no preferences or dislikes for any of the youngsters.
He was invited here as a means of balance among the various major sects. His sole duty was to maintain neutrality and not favor any one side; that was what he needed to do.
Half a day slowly passed. Many cultivators had already left prematurely and were sent away in the end. At this point, there were roughly a hundred or so people remaining within the white mist.
However, no one knew how many of those hundred people would be left after the final half-day period came to an end.
As the tolling of the bell sounded, Distant Wanderer raised his hand. All the young cultivators outside the white mist were taken away by people. There were many emotions on their faces - resentment, anger, unwillingness, disappointment, and also deep regret...
They failed to grasp the opportunity.
"I don't accept this!"
A voice suddenly sounded out.
It was the qi refiner from the North who had previously exchanged blows with Chen Chao. His dharma idol had been shattered by Chen Chao with one punch, and he had suffered some injuries as a result. He was confident that he could have endured longer than half a day if he had not been injured. He blamed all these on Chen Chao and also expressed his anger.
The qi refiner looked at Distant Wanderer and said, "If it weren't for my injury, I could have made it!"
Distant Wanderer glanced at him and then at Chen Chao. He did not say anything and just beckoned his hand once more.
"Wait a moment, before my disciple entered this white mist, he already sustained some injuries. It's something everyone knows. Now, he has endured more than half of the duration. Shouldn't Fellow Daoist consider the reasons behind it?"
That was the qi refiner's master. He was also a highly respected cultivator in the Northern Region. He looked at Chen Chao and said expressionlessly, "You must give an explanation."
Chen Chao met the cultivator's gaze without saying a word.
The qi refiner pointed at Chen Chao and asked, "Why doesn't he need to take part?!"
Distant Wanderer's expression remained unchanged. He looked at those two stewards who were carrying him, his face expressionless.
There was only a singular meaning in his eyes that was easily understood by anyone.
The two men carrying this qi refiner sighed but did not say anything. They just carried the qi refiner away into the distance.
Currently, all these matters were under the control of Distant Wanderer, he decided the rules. Even other cultivators had no qualifications to interfere with his decisions. This had been jointly agreed upon by the major sects.
"What about you?!"
The rather respected qi refiner looked at Distant Wanderer, his expression very ugly. Even if the final outcome was like this, it was not something he could not accept either. What he could not accept was not this, but Distant Wanderer's attitude towards him. The attitude did not leave him any face. Such an attitude was something that was unacceptable to him.
His face turned ashen, but he could not say anything and could only leave with a wave of his sleeve.
……
……
More and more young cultivators walked out from the white mist. They had already obtained the qualifications to enter the ancient ruin. Most of these people who walked out were in much better condition than the previous group.
Of course, there were still a few who had pushed themselves to come out. They were unwilling to give up the opportunity to enter the ancient ruin. However, judging by their condition, they might only be able to stay inside the ancient ruins for about half a day, which was not very meaningful.
Song Changxi walked out after everyone came out. This daoist genius walked out very calmly, his expression normal. Nothing amiss could be seen. It was just that after he walked out, he cast a deep look at Chen Chao who was in the distance..
After some time passed, a dark red figure appeared.
Yun Jianyue walked out of the white mist.
He stood before the white mist, looking at Chen Chao under the tree.
The two exchanged glances, each discerning the emotions in the other's eyes.
Song Changxi was watching the two of them at this moment. Suddenly, he understood a truth. It seemed that this exploration within the white mist might really turn into a showdown between these two young men in the end.
Others might become mere spectators.
However, could Yun Jianyue who was one of the Twin Pillars of Daoism, really emerge victorious? Song Changxi had his doubts. too
"Rest for two hours. Each person will receive a bottle of Clear Heart Pills. Once inside the white might, life and death will be your individual responsibility. If you die inside, don't blame anyone."
Distant Wanderer's voice sounded out, still somewhat indifferent. This was his temperament, a reflection of who he had been for so many years.
Chen Chao withdrew his gaze and silently walked toward the distance.
He had not seen too many familiar faces here. Apart from Song Changxi, there were only a few people he had met during the Myriad Willow Convention. However, he could not recall their names. He had thought that the young girl would come here from the Divine Capital. He also thought that the girl called Zhu Xia would come here from that mountain.
But both of them did not.
Chen Chao smiled, not really taking it to heart.
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