Zhong Yuan put away the communicator and let out a sigh of relief.
He looked toward the distant Black Mountain, where the mirage of "severance" began to appear in his mind.
It was a scene he had dreamt of more than once.
"Let’s set off, everyone."
The blond man spoke in a hushed tone, "This time, follow me up the mountain and see what lies beyond."
Central Control Room.
After Lin Lin’s Spiritual Link was severed, he felt quite uneasy.
Almost all the teams had been informed... except for Zhong Yuan’s team, which continued along the main river route without discovering so-called "bones." However, other teams had more or less detected traces of past life activities!
Now, all he could do was wait!
After completing the intelligence task of communication, Osmond looked much calmer.
He held a cup of hot tea and spoke casually, "Lin, have all the teams been notified?"
Lin Lin came to his senses, "Only one team is the exception... That team severed the Spiritual Link early, and the Central Control Room can’t establish a communication platform with them."
No need to say, they knew which team it was.
His only remaining eye showed a hint of profound amusement, with a slight sardonic tone, "What should we do about this? Isn’t contacting the team leader important? Should you try again?"
Lin Lin, of course, understood the sarcastic undertone in the commander’s words.
"Sir, we have done our best."
He said calmly, "The signal on Duke Zhen Yue’s side is too poor... I’m afraid this message won’t reach him."
"Yes, we’ve done our best, it’s really... a pity."
Osmond took a sip of tea and sighed deeply, "Since that’s the case, all we can do is wish him good luck."
Lin Lin raised his teacup on the table and clinked it with the commander’s in unison.
At the moment their tea cups clinked, they couldn’t help but share a chuckle.
Duolu River is named Duolu River because General Bai Xi saw a stone tablet at the end of the "Black River."
It got this "taking meaning from writing" name based on the ancient text on the stone tablet.
But Black Mountain has no stone tablet.
At least Zhong Yuan didn’t see one, nor did General Bai Xi... so Black Mountain has no name, it can only be called Black Mountain for now, but that doesn’t mean it’s an ordinary mountain.
Under the propulsion of the Source Armor burning at 75% efficiency, it didn’t take long for Gu Shen to see the Black Mountain expand several times in front of him.
A vast black shadow spanning between heaven and earth.
As if... it had absorbed all the world’s snow, the black covering the mountain peaks was entirely composed of gray snowflakes falling from the iron dome.
Snow is originally the cleanest and purest thing in the world.
It seems to be tinged with evil, ominous, and disastrous connotations.
The team’s spiritual power was tense.
Yuan Yuan distinctly felt the oppressive sensation Black Mountain brought him... stronger than the [Maze], the memory of his mission outside Gu Castle had been erased, and the final scene involving golden spike flowers was already blurry, leaving only the early exploration memories.
The danger of the [Maze] lay in the final misleading direction!
But [Black Mountain] is different...
Even from kilometers away, one could feel the intangible spreading "pressure," like a giant plaque with clear text, hanging in front of the mountain, warning visitors not to easily intrude.
It was due to this overwhelming warning that Zhong Yuan chose to enter the mountain alone during the last action.
This time, however, was different.
This team aimed to uncover the secrets of "Black Mountain."
Upon nearing Black Mountain.
Gu Shen’s state of mind became exceptionally serene.
The pendant no longer trembled, for being too close to the danger itself, giving more warnings would lead to incorrect judgments by the host. At this moment, both the pendant and Gu Shen were in absolute calm.
Gu Shen understood that this Black Mountain was connected somewhere with the Duolu River!
Because the Netherworld Fire residing in his Spirit Sea had just twitched!
The true "lifeline origin" that stirred the Netherworld Fire was hidden behind the mountain... very likely concealed in the "stone tablet" that General Bai Xi saw!
Gu Shen took a deep breath.
"Everyone... please grasp my ’Chi Huo.’
After painstakingly extracting a small strand of Chi Huo through relentless struggle with the Battle Golden Hoop, Gu Shen now further subdivided it into eight extremely tiny flames. So fragile, they flickered and seemed about to extinguish at any moment in the frigid wind.
These few tiny flames were handed to each person.
Zhong Yuan squinted and carefully observed Gu Shen’s "Chi Huo," the capability of this S-rank genius from East Continent was yet known to few... but judging from his long-term observation and the current display, "Chi Huo" seemed to lean towards spirit support, with limited destructive power, incomparable to Mu Wanqiu’s killing intent-laden "Judge."
A few seconds later, this flame withstood the wind, seemingly fragile, yet unextinguished.
Such "resilience" was astonishing.
Except... this spirit flame was indeed quite small!
Zhong Yuan quietly grasped the Chi Huo, feeling warmth emanate from his palm... Looking back, the others in the team felt the same, seemingly due to the temperature transmitted by this flame, and the frozen snow covering them began to melt.
Someone sighed contentedly.
This sound was clearly transmitted into everyone’s Heart Lake through the Chi Huo.
Someone exclaimed, "Mr. Xiao Gu, your Chi Huo can ’link’ our spirits? Like [Source Eyes]?"
Gu Shen smiled slightly, not saying more.
What [Chi Huo] can do surpasses [Source Eyes] in many ways; they’re not on the same level... incomparable.
The pendant had already issued a warning.
Gu Shen pondered the method to enter the mountain, with unknown "calamities" ahead and Zhen Yue’s "hunt" behind him, he was no fool, even without the previous agreement, he wouldn’t diverge from Zhong Yuan upon reaching the destination, and then tread Black Mountain alone.
These Transcendents were powerful teammates...
Link them with "Chi Huo"! To ensure everyone’s spirit remains stable!
At this time... it’s time to contribute a bit.
"The ’drifting snow’ in the Duolu River Disaster Realm is mentally corrosive... You know about the spiritual poison that swept the ’Gu Castle Fortress,’ right?" Gu Shen said slowly, "I quelled that disaster; my ’Chi Huo’ naturally restrains these poisons. Grasp this fire, tread this mountain, and no matter where, I’ll have a sense, without losing direction."
"The poison of Duolu River and the river poison share the same source... Solving one can solve the other," Zhong Yuan said, "After entering the mountain, everyone hold the ’flame,’ this Black Mountain is extraordinary, unknown when we might lose direction; then, no matter how many we are, it might be challenging to escape the fate of separation and loss."
The team’s flight speed gradually slowed, altitude also crept downward.
The overwhelming spiritual pressure continuously spread...
Ultimately, the Source Armor couldn’t leave the ground, all stood firmly in the snow, with black snowflakes melting into sunken black pools under the exoskeleton’s jet sprays.
Black pools reflected the gray dome.
Within the gray dome, a black river reflected.
Team members stood beneath the mountain, gazing at the towering black giant.
The next moment, a vast snowstorm swept through, engulfing everyone’s figure—
After the black snow dispersed.
Beneath the mountain, empty again, cold and silent.