bù dé bù shuō ， ruò mù bù kuì shì tiān dì jiān zuì gǔ lǎo de shù mù 、 shàng gǔ cháng shēng guǒ wèi de lái yuán 。
不得不说，若木不愧是天地间最古老的树木、上古长生果位的来源。
Unquestionably, if the ancient tree Mu was indeed the oldest in existence and the source of the Immortal Elixir of Longevity.
tā de yù gǎn ， jīng rén de zhǔn què 。
祂的预感，惊人的准确。
His premonition was astonishingly accurate.
dāng lǐ fán gēn tiān yáng ， hái zài màn tūn tūn de fǎn huí líng mù jiè de lù shàng de shí hòu 。
当李凡跟天阳，还在慢吞吞的返回灵木界的路上的时候。
When Li Fan and Tianyang were still slowly returning to the Spirit Tree Realm, a calamity destined to cause boundless carnage erupted quietly.
yī cháng zhù dìng huì zào jiù wú biān shā niè de jié nàn ， jiù qiǎo rán bào fā le 。
一场注定会造就无边杀孽的劫难，就悄然爆发了。
And this calamity's bizarre nature surpassed the imagination of all cultivators in the world.
ér qiě ， zhè chǎng jié nàn de lí qí chéng dù ， shǔ shí chāo chū le tiān xià xiū shì de xiǎng xiàng 。
而且，这场劫难的离奇程度，属实超出了天下修士的想象。
In Flag Ridge State,
qí lǐng zhōu 。
旗岭州。
After thorough investigations confirmed that the tremors had completely subsided and would not recur, the rescue and investigation team dispatched by the Immortal Alliance headquarters briefly soothed the populace. Then they deemed their mission complete.
zài jīng guò yī fān diào chá ， què dìng dì dòng de yǐng xiǎng yǐ jīng wán quán xiāo shī 、 bìng qiě bú huì zài dù fù fā zhī hòu 。
在经过一番调查，确定地动的影响已经完全消失、并且不会再度复发之后。
Leaving Flag Ridge State, they returned to the headquarters of the Immortal Alliance.
shāo zuò ān fǔ ， xiān méng zǒng bù pài chū de jiù yuán 、 diào chá xiǎo zǔ ， yě jiù suàn wán chéng le rèn wù 。
稍做安抚，仙盟总部派出的救援、调查小组，也就算完成了任务。
Among them, including the Coiling Path cultivator at the forefront, none noticed any subtle changes in their bodies.
lí kāi qí lǐng zhōu ， fǎn huí le xiān méng zǒng bù 。
离开旗岭州，返回了仙盟总部。
After a detailed report back to the headquarters,
zhè yī xíng rén ， bāo kuò wéi shǒu de hé dào zài nèi 。
这一行人，包括为首的合道在内。
They returned to their respective states.
dōu sī háo méi yǒu chá jué dào ， fā shēng zài zì jǐ shēn tǐ shàng ， bù zhī bù jué de biàn huà 。
都丝毫没有察觉到，发生在自己身体上，不知不觉的变化。
Seven days later...
huí dào wàn xiān méng zǒng bù 、 jìn xíng le xiáng jìn de huì bào zhī hòu 。
回到万仙盟总部、进行了详尽的汇报之后。
"Ah... Strange. Ah... Why can't I catch my breath?" Li Xinhai, a Spirit Formation cultivator named after his surname, was meditating within the Sky Mirror.
tā men jiù yòu fǎn huí le gè zì suǒ shǔ de zhōu yù 。
他们就又返回了各自所属的州域。
Suddenly agitated, he had to interrupt his cultivation process.
zhí dào qī tiān zhī hòu ……
直到七天之后……
He did not dare to be careless and scanned his body with divine sense, checking it thoroughly.
“ hāi hāi 。 qí guài ， hāi hāi …… zěn me yǒu diǎn chuǎn bù shàng qì 。” diào chá xiǎo zǔ zhōng ， yī míng jiào zuò lǐ xīn hǎi de huà shén xiū shì ， zhèng zài tiān xuán jìng zhōng bì guān qián xiū 。
“咳咳。奇怪，咳咳……怎么有点喘不上气。”调查小组中，一名叫做李昕海的化神修士，正在天玄镜中闭关潜修。
But he failed to detect any anomalies.
hū de yī zhèn xīn shén bù níng ， xiū liàn de jìn chéng yě bèi pò zhōng duàn 。
忽的一阵心神不宁，修炼的进程也被迫中断。
"Ah..."
tā bù gǎn dài màn ， shén shí sǎo guò ， lián máng jiǎn chá le yī fān zì jǐ de shēn tǐ 。
他不敢怠慢，神识扫过，连忙检查了一番自己的身体。
His worries did not subside.
què méi néng chá jué yì cháng de lái yuán 。
却没能察觉异常的来源。
Despite trying to suppress coughing, the more he tried, the less control he had over himself.
“ hāi hāi ……”
“咳咳……”
It seemed as if his lungs were about to be expelled. Li Xinhai looked at a pool of blood on his palm and showed shock.
xīn zhōng de dān yōu què méi yǒu xiāo shī 。
心中的担忧却没有消失。
Suddenly, a name almost forgotten by most cultivators flashed in his mind like lightning.
xiǎng yào yì zhì ké sòu ， kě yuè shì zhè me xiǎng ， jiù gēn běn wú fǎ zì zhì 。
想要抑制咳嗽，可越是这么想，就根本无法自制。
Li Xinhai trembled with fear as an indescribable dread descended upon him.
fǎng fú yào bǎ fèi dōu ké chū lái ， lǐ xīn hǎi kàn zhuó shǒu xīn de yī tān xiān xuè ， miàn lù hài rán zhī sè 。
仿佛要把肺都咳出来，李昕海看着手心的一滩鲜血，面露骇然之色。
"Immortal... Demon... Mist..."
hū de ， yí gè jī hū kuài yào bèi jué dà duō shù xiū shì yí wàng de míng zì ， shǎn diàn bān de chū xiàn zài tā de nǎo hǎi zhōng 。
忽的，一个几乎快要被绝大多数修士遗忘的名字，闪电般的出现在他的脑海中。
He shuddered and quickly contacted the teammates who had accompanied him to Flag Ridge State for the investigation.
lǐ xīn hǎi hún shēn zhàn lì ， yī gǔ nán yǐ yán shuō de kǒng jù jiàng lín xīn zhōng 。
李昕海浑身战栗，一股难以言说的恐惧降临心中。
As expected, they all showed some discomfort. Some more lightly than others.
“ xiān …… fán …… zhàng ……”
“仙……凡……瘴……”
Even the Coiling Path cultivator at the forefront, Green Willow Immortal, had some difficulty focusing his mind.
tā dǎ le gè duō suo ， lián máng lián xì qǐ le cǐ qián yī tóng qù qí lǐng zhōu diào chá de duì yǒu men 。
他打了个哆嗦，连忙联系起了此前一同去旗岭州调查的队友们。
"Over."
bù chū suǒ liào ， wú yī lì wài 。
不出所料，无一例外。
The various terrifying legends about the Immortal-Demon Mist instantly flooded Li Xinhai's thoughts.
tā men shēn tǐ quán dōu chū xiàn le xiē xǔ bù shì 。
他们身体全都出现了些许不适。
His mind went blank for a moment.
huò qīng huò zhòng 。
或轻或重。
Finally, Li Xinhai regained his senses and shared his suspicions with his companions.
shèn zhì wéi shǒu de hé dào xiū shì ， lǜ liǔ xiān zūn ， dōu yǒu xiē xīn sī piāo fú 、 nán yǐ jìng xīn 。
甚至为首的合道修士，绿柳仙尊，都有些心思漂浮、难以静心。
Since he was the most severely affected among them, other cultivators still harbored doubts, especially Green Willow Immortal, who couldn't help but rebuke him: "How absurd! The Immortal-Demon Mist has been purified for thousands of years; they no longer exist in this world except within ordinary humans. How could we suddenly..."
“ wán le 。”
“完了。”
"Ah... " Green Willow Immortal's words were interrupted by a cough.
guān yú xiān fán zhàng de zhǒng zhǒng kǒng bù chuán shuō ， chà nà jiān yī qí chū xiàn zài lǐ xīn hǎi de nǎo hǎi zhōng 。
关于仙凡瘴的种种恐怖传说，刹那间一齐出现在李昕海的脑海中。
Then the group fell into an eerie silence.
tā de sī xù xiān shì yí piàn kòng bái 。
他的思绪先是一片空白。
"You stay put and don't run around. I'll go to headquarters. Ah..." Green Willow Immortal no longer doubted, but his tone turned extremely grave.
zuì zhōng ， huí guò shén lái de lǐ xīn hǎi ， xiàng tóng bàn men jiǎng shù le zì jǐ de cāi cè 。
最终，回过神来的李昕海，向同伴们讲述了自己的猜测。
After thousands of years, the legends about the Immortal-Demon Mist had long become distant tales.
yīn wèi zài zhòng rén zhī zhōng ， zhǐ yǒu tā zhèng zhuàng zuì zhòng 。
因为在众人之中，只有他症状最重。
How to detect it, symptoms after infection, how to clear and purify...
suǒ yǐ qí tā xiū shì ， réng rán yǒu xiē jiāng xìn jiāng yí 。
所以其他修士，仍然有些将信将疑。
These details were long buried by history, inaccessible to ordinary people. Even though Green Willow Immortal was not a low-ranking official, he knew nothing about them.
yóu qí shì lǜ liǔ xiān zūn ， gèng shì rěn bú zhù hē chì dào ：“ hé děng huāng miù ！ xiān fán zhàng yǐ bèi jìng huà shù qiān nián ， chú le fán rén tǐ nèi ， shì jiān zǎo yǐ jīng zhǎo bú dào tā men de cún zài 。 wǒ děng yòu qǐ huì mò míng ……”
尤其是绿柳仙尊，更是忍不住呵斥道：“何等荒谬！仙凡瘴已被净化数千年，除了凡人体内，世间早已经找不到它们的存在。我等又岂会莫名……”
But he understood the severity of the situation, contacted headquarters first, then hurriedly headed there.
“ hāi hāi ……” lǜ liǔ xiān zūn de huà ， bèi yī dào ké sòu shēng mò míng dǎ duàn 。
“咳咳……”绿柳仙尊的话，被一道咳嗽声莫名打断。
After the transmission light vanished, dozens of black-robed cultivators like mechanical puppets were already waiting in formation.
ér hòu ， jiāo liú de zhòng rén xiàn rù le sǐ yì bān de chén jì zhōng 。
而后，交流的众人陷入了死一般的沉寂中。
Following detailed examinations, Li Xinhai's suspicions were confirmed.
“ nǐ men dāi zài yuán dì ， bú yào luàn pǎo 。 wǒ qīn zì qù zǒng bù yī tàng 。 hāi hāi ……” lǜ liǔ xiān zūn bù zài huái yí ， zhǐ shì yǔ qì biàn dé wú bǐ de níng zhòng 。
“你们呆在原地，不要乱跑。我亲自去总部一趟。咳咳……”绿柳仙尊不再怀疑，只是语气变得无比的凝重。
The group that had traveled to Flag Ridge State was indeed all infected with the Immortal-Demon Mist!
shù qiān nián guò qù ， guān yú xiān fán zhàng de zhǒng zhǒng ， zǎo yǐ jīng chéng wéi jiǔ yuǎn de chuán shuō 。
数千年过去，关于仙凡瘴的种种，早已经成为久远的传说。
Shock, confusion, and horror...
rú hé jiǎn cè 。 zhòng zhāo hòu shén me zhèng zhuàng 。 rú hé qīng chú 、 jìng huà ……
如何检测。中招后什么症状。如何清除、净化……
Before the imminent threat of death, the Immortal Alliance reacted swiftly.
zhè xiē zī liào zǎo yǐ jīng bèi lì shǐ chén fēng ， pǔ tōng rén wú fǎ chá yuè 。
这些资料早已经被历史尘封，普通人无法查阅。
They immediately formed an emergency team, first concentrating and isolating the personnel from the investigation squad in Flag Ridge State.
nǎ pà zhí wèi bù suàn dī de lǜ liǔ xiān zūn ， yì shì duì cǐ yī wú suǒ zhī 。
哪怕职位不算低的绿柳仙尊，亦是对此一无所知。
Then they dispatched puppet cultivators to thoroughly investigate the source of the Immortal-Demon Mist deep underground.
dàn tā zhī dào shì qíng de yán zhòng xìng ， xiān qǔ dé lián xì ， ér hòu cōng cōng qián wǎng xiān méng zǒng bù 。
但他知道事情的严重性，先取得联系，而后匆匆前往仙盟总部。
Simultaneously, they declared a state of war-time emergency, temporarily shutting down all teleportation arrays across states.
chuán sòng guāng máng xiāo shī zhī hòu ， yǐ jīng yǒu shù shí míng rú tóng jī xiè kuǐ lěi yì bān de hēi yī xiū shì yán zhèn yǐ dài le 。
传送光芒消失之后，已经有数十名如同机械傀儡一般的黑衣修士严阵以待了。
They sealed off state borders, prohibiting travel and movement among cultivators...
zài jīng guò le xiáng xì de jiǎn cè zhī hòu ， lǐ xīn hǎi de cāi cè yě zhōng yú dé dào le zhèng shí 。
在经过了详细的检测之后，李昕海的猜测也终于得到了证实。
Various measures were taken simultaneously. The Immortal Alliance indeed lived up to its reputation as one of the two dominant powers in Xuanhuang.
tā men qián wǎng qí lǐng zhōu de yī xíng rén ， de dí què què shì quán dōu gǎn rǎn le 【 xiān fán zhàng 】！
他们前往旗岭州的一行人，的的确确是全都感染了【仙凡瘴】！
Unfortunately, despite the swift response from the Immortal Alliance,
zhèn jīng 、 yí huò 、 hài rán ……
震惊、疑惑、骇然……
It was still too late.
shēng sǐ miè wáng wēi jī qián ， wàn xiān méng de fǎn yìng shí fēn xùn sù 。
生死灭亡危机前，万仙盟的反应十分迅速。
Seven days had passed since their return until symptoms began manifesting.
dāng jí chéng lì le yìng jí xiǎo zǔ ， shǒu xiān jiāng qí lǐng zhōu diào chá xiǎo duì de rén yuán quán dōu jí zhōng 、 gé lí qǐ lái 。
当即成立了应急小组，首先将旗岭州调查小队的人员全都集中、隔离起来。
By now, the Immortal Alliance's teleportation arrays were already spread across every corner of its territory.
rán hòu yòu pài chū kuǐ lěi xiū shì ， zài dù qián wǎng qí lǐng zhōu dì dǐ 。 chè dǐ diào chá xiān fán zhàng de lái yuán 。
然后又派出傀儡修士，再度前往旗岭州地底。彻底调查仙凡瘴的来源。
Even though many cultivators would try to minimize inter-state travel due to the effects of the Sucking White Mist, the sheer number still allowed numerous cultivators to frequently move between states.
yǔ cǐ tóng shí ， xuān bù jìn rù zhàn shí jǐn jí zhuàng tài ， jiāng gè zhōu de chuán sòng fǎ zhèn quán dōu zàn shí guān bì 。
与此同时，宣布进入战时紧急状态，将各州的传送法阵全都暂时关闭。
Seven days was enough for this mysterious outbreak of the Immortal-Demon Mist to reach every state in the Immortal Alliance.
fēng suǒ gè zhōu biān jìng ， jìn zhǐ xiū shì chū rù 、 liú dòng 。
封锁各州边境，禁止修士出入、流动。
The sudden war-time state of the Immortal Alliance caused panic among the cultivators.
……
……
They thought it was a full-scale war that caught them off guard, forcing such drastic measures.
gè zhǒng cuò shī ， duō guǎn qí xià 。
各种措施，多管齐下。
Everyone felt their own peril.
bù dé bù shuō ， zài zhè fāng miàn de biǎo xiàn ， wàn xiān méng dí què duì de qǐ tā xuán huáng jiè liǎng dà bà zhǔ zhī yī de shēn fèn 。
不得不说，在这方面的表现，万仙盟的确对得起它玄黄界两大霸主之一的身份。
But soon, they discovered things worse than what they had imagined.
kě xī de shì ， jí biàn wàn xiān méng de chǔ zhì yǐ jīng shí fēn xùn sù le 。
可惜的是，即便万仙盟的处置已经十分迅速了。
Not a war, but the shadow of an ancient calamity once again enveloped Xuanhuang!
dàn yī jiù chí le 。
但依旧迟了。
The initial investigation results on Flag Ridge State's Immortal-Demon Mist were out.
jù lí diào chá xiǎo zǔ fǎn huí ， dào zhèng zhuàng bào fā 。 yǐ jīng zú zú guò qù le qī tiān shí jiān 。
距离调查小组返回，到症状爆发。已经足足过去了七天时间。
In the past, the Immortal-Demon Mist permeated every corner of existence.
rú jīn de wàn xiān méng ， chuán fǎ zhèn fǎ zǎo yǐ jīng biàn bù le lǐng dì de měi yí gè jiǎo luò 。
如今的万仙盟，传法阵法早已经遍布了领地的每一个角落。
After continuous efforts by cultivators, they managed to purify it completely.
jí biàn yǒu dà liàng de xiū shì ， yīn wèi shì yuán bái wù de yǐng xiǎng ， huì jǐn liàng shǎo xuǎn zé kuà zhōu chuán sòng 。
即便有大量的修士，因为噬元白雾的影响，会尽量少选择跨州传送。
This was what the cultivators thought.
dàn zài páng dà de jī shù miàn qián ， réng rán hái yǒu shù liàng zhòng duō de xiū shì ， pín fán wǎng fǎn yú gè zhōu zhī jiān 。
但在庞大的基数面前，仍然还有数量众多的修士，频繁往返于各州之间。
Factually, in a cave deep beneath Flag Ridge State,
qī tiān shí jiān 。
七天时间。
The Immortal-Demon Mist had lingered for a thousand years without dissipating.
zú yǐ jīng jiāng zhè mò míng bào fā de xiān fán zhàng ， dài dào wàn xiān méng de měi yí gè zhōu yù 。
足以经将这莫名爆发的仙凡瘴，带到万仙盟的每一个州域。
Over time, it seemed to have undergone some form of mutation, becoming more secretive and powerful.
xiān méng tū rán de zhàn shí zhuàng tài ， běn jiù ràng xiū shì men xīn huāng bù yǐ 。
仙盟突然的战时状态，本就让修士们心慌不已。
Although the historical methods were not entirely ineffective, their actual effectiveness was greatly diminished.
yǐ wéi shì zhàn zhēng de quán miàn bào fā ， wàn xiān méng bèi dǎ dī cuò shǒu bù jí 、 cái chū cǐ xià cè 。
以为是战争的全面爆发，万仙盟被打的措手不及、才出此下策。
New disposal methods needed to be researched.
yī shí jiān rén rén zì wēi 。
一时间人人自危。
But before that, the mutated Immortal-Demon Mist had already revealed its vicious and terrifying nature.
dàn hěn kuài ， xiū shì men jiù fā xiàn bǐ tā men xiǎng de hái yào zāo gāo de shì qíng fā shēng le 。
但很快，修士们就发现比他们想的还要糟糕的事情发生了。
Most cultivators now concentrated in the floating sky cities within states.
bú shì zhàn zhēng ， ér shì shàng gǔ jié nàn de yīn yǐng ， shí gé shù qiān nián ， zài dù lǒng zhào xuán huáng dà dì ！
不是战争，而是上古劫难的阴影，时隔数千年，再度笼罩玄黄大地！
The concentration of cultivator populations surpassed even those of ancient cultivation sects!
duì yú qí lǐng zhōu xiān fán zhàng de chū bù diào chá jié guǒ yǐ jīng chū lái le 。
对于旗岭州仙凡瘴的初步调查结果已经出来了。
The spread of the Immortal-Demon Mist was astonishingly efficient.
dāng nián ， xiān fán zhàng cún zài yú shì jiān de měi gè jiǎo luò 。
当年，仙凡瘴存在于世间的每个角落。
When the Immortal Alliance's announcement about this matter was released, coughing sounds echoed across the land.
zuì zhōng jīng guò xiū shì men bù jiàn duàn de nǔ lì ， zhōng yú jiāng xiān fán zhàng qì chè dǐ jìng gān jìng 。
最终经过修士们不间断的努力，终于将仙凡瘴气彻底净干净。
Initially, under the comfort from the Immortal Alliance's cultivation techniques, their spirits were still optimistic.
zhè zhǐ shì xiū shì men yǐ wéi de 。
这只是修士们以为的。
But as more cultivators fell to the Immortal-Demon Mist,
shì shí shàng ， zài qí lǐng zhōu dì xià de yī chù kōng dòng zhōng 。
事实上，在旗岭州地下的一处空洞中。
Panic became inevitable.
xiān fán zhàng qì yī jiù lì jīng qiān nián ér bù sàn 。
仙凡瘴气依旧历经千年而不散。
The Immortal-Demon Mist treated everyone equally; once infected, whether it was an Incubus or Spirit Formation, the symptoms would not be lighter, and the likelihood of death would not be lower!
bìng qiě ， suí zhe shí jiān de tuī yí 。
并且，随着时间的推移。
Desperate cultivators tried various methods to delay their impending demise but found them ineffective.
sì hū yě fā shēng le mǒu zhǒng biàn yì 。
似乎也发生了某种变异。
They could only die in agony as described in one announcement after another from the Immortal Alliance.
biàn dé gèng jiā yǐn mì 、 qiáng dà 。
变得更加隐秘、强大。
(End of Chapter)
Unquestionably, if the ancient tree Mu was indeed the oldest in existence and the source of the Immortal Elixir of Longevity.
His premonition was astonishingly accurate.
When Li Fan and Tianyang were still slowly returning to the Spirit Tree Realm, a calamity destined to cause boundless carnage erupted quietly.
And this calamity's bizarre nature surpassed the imagination of all cultivators in the world.
In Flag Ridge State,
After thorough investigations confirmed that the tremors had completely subsided and would not recur, the rescue and investigation team dispatched by the Immortal Alliance headquarters briefly soothed the populace. Then they deemed their mission complete.
Leaving Flag Ridge State, they returned to the headquarters of the Immortal Alliance.
Among them, including the Coiling Path cultivator at the forefront, none noticed any subtle changes in their bodies.
After a detailed report back to the headquarters,
They returned to their respective states.
Seven days later...
"Ah... Strange. Ah... Why can't I catch my breath?" Li Xinhai, a Spirit Formation cultivator named after his surname, was meditating within the Sky Mirror.
Suddenly agitated, he had to interrupt his cultivation process.
He did not dare to be careless and scanned his body with divine sense, checking it thoroughly.
But he failed to detect any anomalies.
"Ah..."
His worries did not subside.
Despite trying to suppress coughing, the more he tried, the less control he had over himself.
It seemed as if his lungs were about to be expelled. Li Xinhai looked at a pool of blood on his palm and showed shock.
Suddenly, a name almost forgotten by most cultivators flashed in his mind like lightning.
Li Xinhai trembled with fear as an indescribable dread descended upon him.
"Immortal... Demon... Mist..."
He shuddered and quickly contacted the teammates who had accompanied him to Flag Ridge State for the investigation.
As expected, they all showed some discomfort. Some more lightly than others.
Even the Coiling Path cultivator at the forefront, Green Willow Immortal, had some difficulty focusing his mind.
"Over."
The various terrifying legends about the Immortal-Demon Mist instantly flooded Li Xinhai's thoughts.
His mind went blank for a moment.
Finally, Li Xinhai regained his senses and shared his suspicions with his companions.
Since he was the most severely affected among them, other cultivators still harbored doubts, especially Green Willow Immortal, who couldn't help but rebuke him: "How absurd! The Immortal-Demon Mist has been purified for thousands of years; they no longer exist in this world except within ordinary humans. How could we suddenly..."
"Ah... " Green Willow Immortal's words were interrupted by a cough.
Then the group fell into an eerie silence.
"You stay put and don't run around. I'll go to headquarters. Ah..." Green Willow Immortal no longer doubted, but his tone turned extremely grave.
After thousands of years, the legends about the Immortal-Demon Mist had long become distant tales.
How to detect it, symptoms after infection, how to clear and purify...
These details were long buried by history, inaccessible to ordinary people. Even though Green Willow Immortal was not a low-ranking official, he knew nothing about them.
But he understood the severity of the situation, contacted headquarters first, then hurriedly headed there.
After the transmission light vanished, dozens of black-robed cultivators like mechanical puppets were already waiting in formation.
Following detailed examinations, Li Xinhai's suspicions were confirmed.
The group that had traveled to Flag Ridge State was indeed all infected with the Immortal-Demon Mist!
Shock, confusion, and horror...
Before the imminent threat of death, the Immortal Alliance reacted swiftly.
They immediately formed an emergency team, first concentrating and isolating the personnel from the investigation squad in Flag Ridge State.
Then they dispatched puppet cultivators to thoroughly investigate the source of the Immortal-Demon Mist deep underground.
Simultaneously, they declared a state of war-time emergency, temporarily shutting down all teleportation arrays across states.
They sealed off state borders, prohibiting travel and movement among cultivators...
Various measures were taken simultaneously. The Immortal Alliance indeed lived up to its reputation as one of the two dominant powers in Xuanhuang.
Unfortunately, despite the swift response from the Immortal Alliance,
It was still too late.
Seven days had passed since their return until symptoms began manifesting.
By now, the Immortal Alliance's teleportation arrays were already spread across every corner of its territory.
Even though many cultivators would try to minimize inter-state travel due to the effects of the Sucking White Mist, the sheer number still allowed numerous cultivators to frequently move between states.
Seven days was enough for this mysterious outbreak of the Immortal-Demon Mist to reach every state in the Immortal Alliance.
The sudden war-time state of the Immortal Alliance caused panic among the cultivators.
They thought it was a full-scale war that caught them off guard, forcing such drastic measures.
Everyone felt their own peril.
But soon, they discovered things worse than what they had imagined.
Not a war, but the shadow of an ancient calamity once again enveloped Xuanhuang!
The initial investigation results on Flag Ridge State's Immortal-Demon Mist were out.
In the past, the Immortal-Demon Mist permeated every corner of existence.
After continuous efforts by cultivators, they managed to purify it completely.
This was what the cultivators thought.
Factually, in a cave deep beneath Flag Ridge State,
The Immortal-Demon Mist had lingered for a thousand years without dissipating.
Over time, it seemed to have undergone some form of mutation, becoming more secretive and powerful.
Although the historical methods were not entirely ineffective, their actual effectiveness was greatly diminished.
New disposal methods needed to be researched.
But before that, the mutated Immortal-Demon Mist had already revealed its vicious and terrifying nature.
Most cultivators now concentrated in the floating sky cities within states.
The concentration of cultivator populations surpassed even those of ancient cultivation sects!
The spread of the Immortal-Demon Mist was astonishingly efficient.
When the Immortal Alliance's announcement about this matter was released, coughing sounds echoed across the land.
Initially, under the comfort from the Immortal Alliance's cultivation techniques, their spirits were still optimistic.
But as more cultivators fell to the Immortal-Demon Mist,
Panic became inevitable.
The Immortal-Demon Mist treated everyone equally; once infected, whether it was an Incubus or Spirit Formation, the symptoms would not be lighter, and the likelihood of death would not be lower!
Desperate cultivators tried various methods to delay their impending demise but found them ineffective.
They could only die in agony as described in one announcement after another from the Immortal Alliance.
(End of Chapter)