Chapter 536

Chapter 536: The Predicament

Wei Fa City was enveloped in a colorful glow.

This was the sign that the protective formation was fully activated, indicating that the West Sea Sect’s most important stronghold in the Underworld Realm was facing great danger, necessitating an increase in defense levels.

Above the city walls, heavy crossbows were positioned between the ramparts, their metallic arrowheads gleaming as they pointed toward the outside.

On the higher tower behind the city walls, the God-slaying cannons aimed straight at the sky.

The fully armed Dao soldiers and serious battle cultivators created a suffocating atmosphere of tension!

Outside the city, a large crowd of cultivators had gathered.

Like Wang Chen, they were pioneering disciples of the sect, risking their lives to come to Wei Fa City for refuge.

However, they were turned away at the gate!

After Wang Chen and the three women, including Li Mengyan, disembarked from the flying ship, they approached the city gate.

“Open the gate!”

“Let us in quickly!”

“Sect disciples should support each other; you can’t just stand by and watch us die. This goes against the sect rules!”

“Let me in! I am the nephew of Elder Zhang Delong!”

“What are you trying to do?”

There were four or five hundred cultivators blocked outside the gate, their emotions running high. Some cursed loudly, others pleaded desperately, and a few even threatened.

But the battle cultivators guarding the gate remained indifferent, surveying the crowd with cold looks.

Their gazes held not a trace of sympathy.

Some cultivators became furious; in a rush of blood, they leaped into the air, attempting to force their way over the wall.

As a result, they crashed into the magical barrier of the protective formation and were immediately bounced back to the ground, landing in a disoriented heap!

This was actually a lenient outcome from the defending cultivators; otherwise, the backlash from the formation would have turned even a mid-level cultivator from the Purple Palace to dust.

Learning from this lesson, the other cultivators dared not act rashly and settled for cursing under their breath.

Seeing the situation, Wang Chen and Li Mengyan stood at the edge of the crowd, quietly observing the developments.

The calamity had erupted in the Underworld Realm, with evil spirits rampaging and countless pioneering disciples perishing. Those who could reach here were either exceptionally lucky or outstanding in strength.

The sect would never abandon so many elite disciples to fend for themselves outside.

Sure enough, after just half an incense stick’s time, a purple-robed cultivator appeared at the top of the city wall, loudly announcing, “By order of Master Bai Jun, all disciples must comply…”

This sect’s law hall master, a powerful high-level Golden Core cultivator, decreed that all pioneering disciples would be allowed to enter the city for refuge.

However, they could only enter one at a time and needed to undergo a purification check.

This was to prevent any evil spirits from attaching themselves to the disciples and causing chaos within the city by working from the inside.

After hearing Master Bai Jun’s edict, everyone’s anxiety lessened.

Then, the purple-robed cultivator instructed everyone to surrender their Jade Slips, and a lottery would determine the order of entry into the city.

Soon, an ancient mirror, shining with golden light, floated above the city wall.

The selected disciples were required to stand under the ancient mirror for a moment; only after proving harmless could they enter the city.

The first dozen or so individuals passed the assessment without incident.

However, when a tall, thin cultivator stood beneath the mirror’s light, an expression of unbearable pain instantly appeared on his face, and wisps of black smoke erupted from his body, his expression turning monstrous.

Evil Spirits!

This cultivator clearly harbored Evil Spirits within his body!

“Ah~”

He let out a wretched scream, clawing with his hands as he tried to attack the cultivators in front of him. In an instant, a bolt of lightning struck down, turning him to dust.

Witnessing this scene, the other cultivators felt a chill run through them.

Evil Spirits were insidious and hard to guard against; most possessed cultivators had no awareness of their condition and were completely oblivious until they were in the grip of a soul-stealing crisis.

This unfortunate cultivator was a prime example; otherwise, he would not have boldly stood beneath the Chongyang Mirror.

The Chongyang Mirror was a superior artifact, specifically designed to target magical spirits and evil spirits, distinguishing between spiritual conditions!

The cultivators lined up in an orderly manner, received their assessments, and after passing, reclaimed their Jade Slips.

Two more cultivators possessed by Evil Spirits were found later.

Wang Chen and Li Mengyan successfully passed the assessment of the Chongyang Mirror and entered Wei Fa City.

“Brother Wang, I really owe you one this time,” Yun Feifei said gratefully to Wang Chen. “Do you have a place to stay in the city?”

Wang Chen thought for a moment and replied, “I’ll find an inn first, gather some information, and then decide what to do. Junior Sisters, you do as you please.”

Yun Feifei and the others clearly had their own plans, and he felt too shy to intrude.

“Brother, your kindness is remembered in my heart!”

Yun Feifei took out a jade talisman and handed it to Wang Chen. “We’ll keep in touch.”

Wang Chen smiled and said, “You flatter me, Junior Sister.”

He accepted the jade talisman from Yun Feifei.

This item was like a mobile phone from his previous life, allowing them to communicate with each other, but it had limitations in distance and usage frequency, making it quite expensive, rarely used by ordinary cultivators.

However, a jade talisman was more convenient and secure than a letter of crane paper or flying talisman.

After parting ways with the three female cultivators, Wang Chen arrived at an inn in the city.

The inn was quite sizable, with dozens of dining tables set up in the main hall.

When Wang Chen entered, most of the tables were occupied by guests, and business was bustling.

Among the patrons were both local residents and pioneering cultivators from the West Sea Sect, gathered in groups of three or five, whispering quietly. The atmosphere was tense and stifling.

Many faces showed signs of worry.

Wang Chen chose a seat in a corner and ordered a jug of spiritual wine and two plates of jerky.

For such a small order, he was charged fifty spirit fragments!

The prices in Wei Fa City were really high, and they seemed even higher now.

Wang Chen didn’t mind the cost; he mainly wanted to gather some information.

After listening for a while, he acquired two important pieces of news.

First, the calamity that had occurred took Wei Fa City by surprise; only after it erupted did they react and activate the formations to lock the city gates.

Second, the teleportation array connecting to the Mountain-Sea Realm was currently unusable due to the influence of negative energy!

This second piece of information was particularly significant, as it meant everyone was trapped in the Underworld Realm, and even Golden Core true masters could not return to the Mountain-Sea Realm for refuge.

Among the patrons were a few cultivators who had, like Wang Chen, broken through the encirclement of Evil Spirits to escape.

As they recalled the events of the calamity, each one felt a lingering fear.

Although they were safe now, ominous dark clouds loomed over everyone’s hearts, and their expressions were heavy.

“If the teleportation array remains unusable…”

A cultivator whispered, “What will we do?”

His words pierced the thoughts of many, drawing angry stares from pairs of eyes!

What would they do if they couldn’t return?

Wang Chen finished his cup of spiritual wine in one gulp, feeling an unexpected calm within.

Then there was nothing to do but fight to the bitter end!