At midnight, the room was pitch black.
Fang Cheng sat cross-legged on the bed, his face calm, eyes slightly closed.
Outside the window was the silent night of Wanghu Town.
There were no flickering neon lights, nor the incessant noise of passing cars.
Occasionally, a dog’s bark could be heard in the distance, echoing a few times before fading away.
No one knew how much time passed before he abruptly opened his eyes, a glint of light flashing in the darkness.
The energy was restored.
Fang Cheng silently recited in his heart, his lips moving slightly.
Then, he recited the spell he learned from Bai Ling, word by word, fluently and precisely.
The sound was strange, not like it was produced by vibrating vocal cords, but more like a whisper directly affecting the level of the Spirit.
It spiraled and echoed in the room where Fang Cheng was alone, as if trying to pierce through the dimensions of the real world.
Before the words could fall, the surrounding scenery began to distort and fade rapidly.
The walls and furniture of the bedroom, like ink dissolving in clear water, suddenly blurred and dissipated.
Next, a deeper darkness surged in from all directions, devouring everything in an instant.
When the darkness engulfed the entire space like a tidal wave, icy fog crept along the ground, silently spreading to his feet.
Fang Cheng focused his attention and found himself in the midst of a ruined city. ᴜᴘᴅᴀᴛᴇ ꜰʀᴏᴍ NovelHub(.)net
Looking around, there were dilapidated buildings on the verge of collapse, shrouded in fog carrying a piercing cold.
On the mottled outer walls, cement flakes were peeling off and swirling in the air, like a never-ending gray snow.
And behind him, the path had already been completely sealed by the churning thick fog.
The fog was as impenetrable as a wall, even his gaze couldn’t see through it at all.
"That should belong to the boundary of the Spiritual Secret Realm..."
Fang Cheng muttered to himself, looking up.
The sky was covered with dark clouds, creating a gloomy atmosphere, making the already dim ruins even more oppressive.
Everything in sight seemed to be covered with a cold filter, devoid of all lively colors.
If not for the high Spirit Attribute of 70 points that granted him extraordinary perception,
he probably wouldn’t be able to see anything around him, with the surroundings engulfed in darkness.
This place was extremely peculiar.
Fang Cheng focused his concentration, staying vigilant, and began to walk slowly.
The empty streets were devoid of people or vehicles, enveloped in absolute silence.
Walking alone in this dead city, a strange sense of dislocation emerged.
It was as if the place was a doomsday world reflected in a mirror, absurd yet real.
The chilling wind swept the fog across his face, scattering those gray "snowflakes" throughout the world.
A sense of solitude and desolation arose spontaneously.
In this vast sea of silence, Fang Cheng strained his eyes and suddenly captured a hint of anomaly.
Deep within the layered fog in the distance, the outline of a tall building seemed to loom, emitting a faint glow.
Though like a mirage, it was the only guide in this desperate world.
"Where there’s light, it means there are people."
Unable to find another path, he set his sights on that faint light and strode towards it.
However, the closer he got in that direction, the stronger the feeling of unease within him became.
The collapsed buildings along the way grew in number, with towering ruins everywhere in sight.
Suddenly, a few eerie cries resembling a Night Owl’s sounded from deep within the ruins.
A few ghostly flames ignited out of thin air, wandering nearby.
Gradually, those few ghost lights turned into hundreds and thousands, like numerous pairs of glowing green eyes lurking in the dark, watching him.
Fang Cheng focused his attention and swept his gaze around.
In the depths of the mist, countless twisted Ghost Shadows writhed, emitting cackling noises similar to the gnawing of bones.
They were like the hungry ghosts said to roam in the Underworld.
In the next moment, a thin layer of golden light flame emerged from Fang Cheng’s body, blooming like the sun, instantly dispelling the darkness and fog within a few meters around him.
He continued to stride forward.
The Ghost Shadows lurking around seemed to encounter their nemesis, letting out shrill cries of terror, retreating, scrambling to hide deeper within the ruins.
In this dim, dead ruins, at this moment, he was like a walking torch, exceptionally conspicuous.
After walking about tens of meters further, voices suddenly emerged from the fog, accompanied by chaotic footsteps.
Fang Cheng’s steps halted, looking towards the direction of the sounds.
Those weren’t hungry ghosts, he could clearly sense they were living humans like him.
Soon, four figures emerged from the fog, each varying in height and build.
Their faces were veiled with a thin layer of fog, features indistinguishable, but their bodies emitted faint white or red glows, evidently signs of Spiritual Energy dispersion.
However, the faint light from them paled in comparison to Fang Cheng’s blazing golden light, like fireflies encountering the sun, instantly overshadowed.
Seeing Fang Cheng, the four halted their steps, their gazes filled with vigilance, yet harboring a trace of inescapable awe.
They didn’t leave, merely maintaining a safe distance, silently following behind Fang Cheng.
Anyone could tell, in this treacherous place, following a strong presence evidently not easy to provoke was far safer than exploring alone.
After a short walk, two more people emerged from the ruins on another side.
When they discovered Fang Cheng and those behind him, they hesitated for a moment, then quickly followed suit.
As they progressed, more people gradually appeared from the mist, seeing the golden light on Fang Cheng, all made the same choice and quietly joined the group.