Chapter 1146: It Is Everywhere

Meanwhile, on the other side, Yan Xuehen and Yun Jianyue were fighting fiercely when they heard a terrifying sound and simultaneously stopped.

"What was that sound?" Yun Jianyue frowned. As a Grandmaster, she sensed that whatever made the sound was not to be trifled with.

"I don't know either. I heard it when I first came down into the mine. It must be some kind of fierce beast," Yan Xuehen replied. At the same time, she frowned slightly, wondering if Zu An had encountered this terrifying creature.

*Huh, why am I so worried about him?*

Yun Jianyue's brow furrowed slightly: "What kind of fierce beast possesses such terrifying oppressive power?"

"The world is vast, and there are countless wonders. We should maintain a sense of awe," Yan Xuehen said. "How about we stop here? The creature making that sound is no weaker than either of us. It would be troublesome if we both ended up severely injured and it took advantage of us."

She recalled the ominous divination result she had received before setting out. At the time, she had been curious, wondering how someone of her cultivation, who could walk unhindered anywhere in the world, could face such a terrible omen. At first, she thought it was related to Zu An's strange black dagger, but now she understood that the ominous fate likely stemmed from either Yun Jianyue, who was right in front of her, or that unknown terrifying entity. Naturally, she no longer wanted to continue the fight.

Yun Jianyue sneered, "So, a mere unknown creature can scare the esteemed Grand Priestess of White Jade Capital? If that's the case, why don't you just surrender your life already!"

Hailing from a demonic sect, she naturally exuded a ruthless aura. Sensing Yan Xuehen's hesitation, her fighting spirit immediately surged. This was a perfect opportunity to avenge Ah Zu. Thinking of Zu An's appearance, the murderous intent in her eyes grew even stronger. She directly summoned the Longevity Lamp, and the previously dark mine shaft was instantly enveloped in a pale yellow light.

"Madwoman!" Yan Xuehen naturally knew how powerful the light from this palace lantern was, and dared not be careless. She quickly unleashed her domain of absolute frigidity. The two had been old rivals for years, with neither gaining a decisive victory. Now, acutely sensing the murderous intent from the other side, she realized her own mindset was problematic. If she continued fighting like this, she might very well die on the spot, so she no longer held back, intending to deal with the woman in front of her first. Although she had expended considerable energy from her fierce battle with Zu An and Yu Yanluo, her opponent was also injured. Naturally, she wasn't afraid.

The two Grandmasters began clashing with their domain abilities. The shattering of laws at their intersection caused entire areas to be annihilated, and the entire mine began to shake violently as if an earthquake had struck. However, the two women no longer cared about such things at this point. They were both fighting with true ferocity, and neither dared to hold back even slightly. At this level of fighting, whoever held back would likely be severely injured instantly.

Meanwhile, Zu An and Yu Yanluo felt the mine shaft vibrate slightly, and continuous booming sounds echoed through it. They exchanged glances, wondering, "Could Yan Xuehen have started fighting that roaring monster?"

Zu An felt a little uneasy. He didn't know the origins of the mysterious creature and wondered if Yan Xuehen might be in danger. After all, she was Chu Chuyan's master, and he had just used the Golden Phoenix's "Love Stronger Than Gold" skill on her, so he felt somewhat guilty. But he quickly let out a self-deprecating laugh. She was a dignified Grandmaster, someone who could walk unhindered anywhere in the world, practically a human female tyrannosaurus. The mysterious creature might even be afraid when it saw her.

"Let's go find Xingnu and the others first. This place always makes me feel uneasy," Yu Yanluo said with a blush as she stood up from his embrace and straightened her disheveled clothes.

"Okay." Zu An inwardly cursed the mysterious creature to death. Of all times to make a sound, it had to be at that crucial moment. The atmosphere between them had just reached its peak, and they had involuntarily reached that point. Now that they were interrupted, the mood was gone, and it was naturally awkward to try and force it.

The two then walked through the dark mine shaft. Due to what had just happened, Yu Yanluo was blushing and spoke much less. Although she was a mature woman, her understanding of romance was like a blank slate. Thinking about how she had nearly lost her innocence in a daze just moments ago, she felt both shy and a little anxious. She wondered if her willingness to yield so easily would make him think she was a frivolous woman.

Zu An noticed the strange atmosphere around her, so he deliberately sighed, "Ah, what a pity."

Yu Yanluo was startled, "Pity about what?"

Zu An said, "It's a pity there were no spectators just now, otherwise I could have gained so much envy, jealousy, and hatred." The key was Yu Yanluo's identity, and her countless admirers over the years, who could have provided him with an immeasurable amount of Rage points.

Yu Yanluo chided, "You pervert, how could you let outsiders see something like that!"

"Of course, I just meant letting others see me holding and kissing you. What did you think I meant?" Zu An's expression was strange.

Yu Yanluo blushed fiercely and hastily swung her delicate fists at him. Amidst their playful banter, the awkwardness from before had long since vanished.

Suddenly, Zu An's gaze fell upon something ahead. "Hmm, there seems to be something there." He quickly walked over and picked up a palm-sized object that resembled a notebook.

Yu Yanluo followed him, and a single glance made her exclaim, "This is a journal belonging to a Yu family guard!"

Zu An was taken aback. "Your family's guards are truly skilled in both martial arts and writing."

Yu Yanluo explained, "Mainly, the Yu family guards work and stand guard in the mine shafts for long periods. The underground mine is full of dangers, and accidents happen daily. If a mine collapse occurs, it's impossible to rescue anyone quickly."

"So, later, every Yu family guard was equipped with a journal for two reasons: firstly, to record their daily tasks, and secondly, to leave a final message for their families if an accident occurred."

As she spoke, her expression grew somber. Clearly, many such incidents had occurred over the years, and each time, she had personally returned their belongings to their families. Although she always provided generous compensation, seeing the despairing cries and wails of elderly parents losing their children, young wives losing their husbands, and young children losing their fathers, still caused her immense pain.

By this time, Zu An had already opened the small booklet. It was filled with densely written notes, but the initial entries were mostly routine tasks and nothing noteworthy. However, in the most recent entries, he found useful information: "...Today, there seemed to be an earthquake in the mine, but it quickly subsided, and no one paid much attention to it... Strange black mist appeared, nobody knows where it came from, it's everywhere in the mine... We tried all sorts of methods, but couldn't disperse it..."

"This black mist is corrosive; if ordinary miners touch it, their bodies will rot. Even we guards can't withstand it. But some high-cultivation officers can temporarily resist it?"

"We soon discovered that this black mist also has hallucinogenic properties. Many miners and guards, even without directly entering the mist, would experience various hallucinations and become increasingly deranged."

"Work in the mine clearly couldn't continue. We notified all miners to evacuate to the surface... But this black mist is everywhere, and we're not sure if everyone made it up."

"Our mission is to search for any remaining people who might be trapped below. Madam said a long time ago that the Yu family cannot abandon anyone trapped in the mine. We cannot bring shame upon Madam and the Yu family."

Reading this, Zu An couldn't help but glance at Yu Yanluo. Yu Yanluo showed no hint of pride; instead, her expression was very sorrowful.

Zu An held her cold hand and continued reading. The handwriting became more hurried, and the entries were fragmented:

"...Bad news today: black mist appeared on our way here too. We can't go back..."

"But we can't abandon our mission. We'll search other areas first and gather all the remaining miners. Commander Ding told us that the supply post had already notified Cloud Midst City about what happened here. Madam will send people to rescue us. The Yu family won't abandon anyone. I believe in Madam..."

"Madam is truly beautiful. If I get the chance to be personally received by Madam this time, a reward would be fine, but just seeing Madam up close would be such a blessing."

Reading this, Zu An felt a pang of sadness. This guard was still fantasizing about earning merits here and receiving Yu Yanluo's commendation. Unfortunately, he didn't know that drastic changes had occurred in Cloud Midst City. Yu Yanluo had been accused of being a demon, and those who held authority, like Yu Xuansu, had been swept away. The Yu family had been in chaos these past few days. The relevant personnel weren't even aware of the major incident in the mine, so how could they possibly send people to rescue them? They were waiting for reinforcements that were destined never to arrive.

As Yu Yanluo read this, a murderous glint appeared in her eyes. She was no longer as gentle and soft as before. As the head of the family, she naturally bore the family's responsibilities. Since Xu Yu's actions had led to these people being trapped in such a desperate situation, she naturally held him accountable for it.

The two quickly read further. The handwriting became increasingly illegible, clearly indicating his hand was trembling violently as he wrote:

"Every day, people go missing. Our companions are dwindling."

"Today, even Commander Ding disappeared!!! He's our leader, and his cultivation is the highest among us!"

"There's something even more terrifying than the black mist. It's everywhere. What is it?!"