Lin Xuan left the Sect Leader’s hall with a steady gait, his mind racing. The Cloud Abyss Ruins—a place of danger, opportunity, and mystery. He had read about it before in ancient records. It was once a thriving city of cultivators but was abandoned after an unknown calamity wiped out its inhabitants. Now, it was a perilous ruin, filled with deadly traps, lingering resentful spirits, and… treasures lost to time.

  Zhao Feng rushed up to him, eyes wide. “Are you insane?! The Cloud Abyss Ruins are where people go to die! Even Core Disciples wouldn’t take this mission lightly!”

  Lin Xuan glanced at him and smirked. “Then it’s a good thing I’m not a Core Disciple.”

  Zhao Feng groaned. “That’s not the point! You just became an Inner Sect disciple, and now the Sect Leader himself is sending you on a death mission? Doesn’t this feel suspicious to you?”

  Lin Xuan’s expression darkened slightly. “Of course, it does. But refusing would be even worse.”

  Zhao Feng hesitated. Lin Xuan wasn’t wrong. If he rejected the mission, it would seem like cowardice. The Sect Leader might not punish him directly, but his rise within the sect would be heavily hindered.

  A disciple who feared challenges would never reach the peak.

  Zhao Feng sighed, rubbing his temples. “Fine. If you’re going, at least take some precautions. What do you need?”

  Lin Xuan’s eyes sharpened. “Spirit recovery pills, defensive talismans, and a map of the ruins.”

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  Zhao Feng grinned wryly. “So you’re going all in, huh? Alright, I’ll see what I can do.”

  Lin Xuan returned to his courtyard to prepare, but before he could even enter, he sensed a presence.

  A woman stood near the entrance, her arms crossed, watching him with a smirk.

  She was breathtaking—long black hair tied in a loose ponytail, her robes tightly fitted, emphasizing her lithe figure. But what stood out the most was the unshakable confidence in her eyes.

  “Lin Xuan, right?” she said, stepping forward. “I heard you’re heading to the Cloud Abyss Ruins.”

  Lin Xuan narrowed his eyes. “And you are?”

  She chuckled. “Xiao Ling. Core Disciple.”

  Lin Xuan’s pupils shrank slightly. A Core Disciple? He had expected people to take notice of his mission, but not this soon.

  Xiao Ling continued, her arms still crossed. “I want in.”

  Lin Xuan raised an eyebrow. “And why would a Core Disciple like you need to tag along with a mere Inner Sect disciple?”

  Her smirk widened. “You’re sharp. Truth is, I have my own reasons. But I figure we’d be useful to each other.”

  Lin Xuan remained silent for a moment, studying her. She was strong. Not just in cultivation, but in confidence.

  He finally nodded. “Fine. But if you get in my way, I won’t hesitate to leave you behind.”

  Xiao Ling laughed. “That’s what I wanted to hear.”

  The mission had just gotten even more interesting.

  The next morning, Lin Xuan, Zhao Feng, and Xiao Ling met at the sect’s teleportation array. Their destination was Black Mist Valley, the entrance to the ruins.

  As the array activated, a surge of light enveloped them, and the world blurred.

  In the next moment, they found themselves standing before a vast, fog-covered land. The air was heavy with an eerie pressure, and the distant sound of something unnatural echoed in the wind.

  Zhao Feng gulped. “Yep. This place already feels like death.”

  Xiao Ling cracked her knuckles. “Then let’s make sure we’re the ones dealing it.”

  Lin Xuan remained quiet, his gaze fixed ahead.

  The Cloud Abyss Ruins awaited.

  And whatever secrets they held…

  He would uncover them.