"Can't you make an exception just this once?" Zhong Nan asked with a grimace, his expression sour.
"What are you thinking, asking for an exception?" The Sixth Elder replied sternly. "A great opportunity —refusing it once and expecting another chance? Dream on!"
"Uh, alright then." Zhong Nan nodded awkwardly.
After all, opportunities were meant to be seized.
At least, even if his precious disciple had missed her chance, his South Gate still had a shot.
However, neither of them noticed the graceful figure standing outside the door, listening to every word.
It was Zhong Nan’s female disciple, Guo Ruozhi.
When she heard that she had lost her chance, her mind reeled as if struck by lightning. Her steps faltered, and her face drained of color.
She recalled Su Yu'er mentioning this matter in the tavern that day, replaying the conversation over and over in her head…
She had actually missed out on such a monumental opportunity.
The regret twisted her insides, and she could already envision the consequences—if another female disciple seized this chance, her own talent would pale in comparison. She would no longer be the sect’s top senior sister, no longer the center of admiration.
The resources the sect had once lavished upon her would shift elsewhere, relegating her to the second tier.
She couldn’t bear the thought.
But… who could have known it was truly such an extraordinary opportunity?
"Alright, select a few female disciples with good bone structure—obedient and pliable—and send them to the Yunjie Sect," the Sixth Elder instructed, glancing briefly at the door but paying it no mind. "Of course, there’s no guarantee of success. It all depends on fate. This is just an opportunity for your South Gate."
"Thank you, thank you for remembering us," Zhong Nan replied, grinning from ear to ear. Though he felt a pang of regret for his disciple, compared to the rise of his South Gate, it was nothing.
"Good. I’ll go rest now."
The Sixth Elder took a satisfied sip of tea before adding with a serious tone, "Remember—I am upright, impartial, and righteous to the core!"
Zhong Nan twitched his lips but nodded. "Understood. You are upright, impartial, and righteous."
The Sixth Elder stood, hands clasped behind his back, and left with a pleased smile.
Meanwhile, as the Sixth Elder and Zhong Nan conversed, Night Wind and the Spirit King leisurely made their way back to Dark Shadow Island.
Before long, the two stepped into the black mist.
"Huh, they actually entered the mist. Interesting," remarked one of the black-clad men watching from a distance, sounding surprised.
"They’ve reached the Dao Realm after all. They must have some means to traverse the mist alone," the other replied impassively. "Besides, merely entering isn’t that impressive. Just keep following them."
The first man nodded and followed them into the mist.
"Be careful. Don’t get careless and expose ourselves."
Tracking them inside the mist was far more challenging.
Even for them, perception was severely limited here.
Maintaining a safe distance while remaining undetected required skill, especially since they had to divert most of their cultivation to resist the mist’s corrosive effects.
Thus, they proceeded with caution.
Night Wind and the Spirit King, however, seemed completely unaware. Strolling leisurely, they chatted as if without a care.
"Night Wind, what do you think those two idiots are doing? Sneaking around in the sky, fighting shadows like we don’t know they’re there," the Spirit King muttered in annoyance.
"Just fools. Why bother with them?"
Night Wind didn’t even glance their way, maintaining his relaxed demeanor.
The Spirit King shrugged and let it go.
Soon, they arrived at the teleportation point.
Unlike before, no one stood guard now.
Yi Feng had deemed the desolate surroundings unworthy of manpower, so he reassigned everyone back to Dark Shadow Island for other tasks.
Thus, the teleportation area stood empty.
Yet, though unmanned, the mysterious energy of the portal remained.
Even within the black mist, this space remained untouched—pristine and vibrant, covered in lush flowers and grass.
From within the mist, it looked like a bright lamp in an endless sea of darkness.
Night Wind and the Spirit King stepped through without hesitation.
The two black-clad men trailing them paled, no longer caring about stealth as they hurried forward.
But Night Wind and the Spirit King were gone. Instead, they found the untouched clearing where the teleportation point stood.
Their eyes widened in shock.
"My heavens, what is this?"
"Amidst this endless black mist, there’s actually a place !"
Forgetting their targets entirely, they rushed toward the radiant sanctuary.
"Look, there's grass!"
"And here, a flower has bloomed."
"Hah... This place remains completely untouched by the dark mist. How is this possible?"
The two of them gazed around, searching for any clues, but found nothing—only this small patch standing defiantly in the darkness.
"No, this discovery is far too significant. We must report it to the sect at once."
One of the black-clad figures spoke, his voice low with awe: "For something to remain entirely unaffected by the dark mist... I’ve never heard of such a thing, let alone seen it. I suspect something extraordinary must be buried beneath this land—a treasure beyond measure, or something even greater."
"And its value... is beyond anything we could imagine..."