Breaking through the illusion of the mortal world

Chapter 26 Soul-Severing Abyss: Refining the Heart

As dawn broke, the two teams, having rested briefly, parted ways without hesitation.

Lu Ming's seven-person team, led by Lin Feng, headed towards a secluded valley marked on the map as the origin of the Cloud Mist Flower.

The perilous path ahead is the Abyss of Broken Souls.

It was a natural canyon with sheer cliffs on both sides, bottomless, and constantly filled with a grayish-white poisonous miasma that bewitched people's minds.

The only path is a natural suspension bridge in the middle of the canyon, entwined with ancient vines and sparsely laid with decaying wood, swaying in the mountain wind.

Lu Ming stood at the edge of the canyon, the fierce wind carrying a pungent miasma that rushed towards him. Looking down, all he could see was swirling miasma, as if he were in the deepest hell.

Although the rope bridge's vine trunks are thick, they have decayed over countless years, and the planks are broken and creak when the wind blows.

"The Taoist temple set up this perilous place to temper the mind." Lin Feng said solemnly, "The miasma in the canyon has the effect of bewitching the mind. If one is afraid, one cannot move an inch. When we cross the bridge later, we must do it in one go and not have too many distracting thoughts."

He covered his mouth and nose with a damp cloth, his eyes resolute, and stepped onto the bridge first.

His steps were as steady as a rock, his body swaying with the bridge without veering off course, seemingly blending into the perilous scene, before he vanished into the miasma on the opposite bank in an instant.

"I'll go!" Qin Feiyu gritted his teeth. Although he was afraid, he was unwilling to fall behind. He immediately steadied himself and slowly stepped forward.

Next was Zhao Qian, who was always silent, but his eyes were focused, and he took each step firmly, following along step by step.

When it was Lu Ming, Hu Zhen, Li Yun, and Zhou Ming's turn, unexpected changes began to occur.

After the three of them passed, the vine bridge swayed more violently, and the miasma in the valley seemed to be alive, wisps of it seeping into the protective spiritual power. Lu Ming felt a wave of dizziness and numbness, which also stirred up the deepest fear in his heart.

However, Lu Mingdao's mind had been tempered, and he immediately calmed down and returned to normal.

Li Yun's face was deathly pale, and sweat beaded on her forehead. As soon as she stepped onto the vine bridge, the expectations of her family elders and the vows she had made uncontrollably flooded her mind.

She bit her lower lip hard, forcing herself to circulate her spiritual power to resist the miasma and demonic thoughts that urged her to give up. Her steps faltered, and her delicate body trembled slightly.

Zhou Ming's situation was even worse; his face was ashen, and his eyes were filled with struggle.

Born into poverty, the Taoist academy was his only way to survive. The fear of falling and the desire for a future were fiercely battling in his mind.

"Five years of arduous training, how can we stop now!" Zhou Ming bit his tongue, forcibly trying to boost his spirits, but his legs felt unsteady, his soul trembled, and his steps ultimately faltered.

Lu Ming held Hu Zhen's hand tightly and could clearly feel her slight trembling.

Lu Ming himself was also under great pressure, and the miasma impacted his spiritual platform, causing the thousand-year loneliness he had experienced during the trial of self-examination to surge up again.

But Lu Ming suppressed it instantly, his gaze firm. He circulated his spiritual power to its limit and said in a deep voice, "Concentrate your mind and guard your heart. Just look ahead, and never look into the abyss."

Looking at Lu Ming's profile, Hu Zhen felt the strength and warmth from his palm dispel some of her fear. She nodded emphatically, cleared her mind, and followed closely in Lu Ming's footsteps.

When the four of them reached the middle of the vine bridge, which was the place where the wind was strongest and the bridge was most shaky, a strange change suddenly occurred.

"Click—"

The wooden plank beneath Hu Zhen's feet suddenly cracked, and she cried out in alarm as she lost her balance and plummeted into the abyss!

"Hu Zhen!"

Lu Ming's eyes were bloodshot with rage. He suddenly exerted force in his waist and abdomen, twisted his body sharply, and barely managed to grab her arm with his other hand.

The immense force caused the ancient vines beneath their feet to crack, and the two were instantly suspended in a bottomless abyss.

The feeling of weightlessness while suspended in mid-air, the swirling miasma below that devours the soul, and the chilling aura of death enveloping everything.

Hu Zhen's mind went blank. Although fear overwhelmed her, she remained conscious: "Let go! Lu Ming! You'll fall!"

"Hold on tight!" Lu Ming's voice was hoarse but stubborn.

Normally, pulling someone up would be easy, but at this moment, the miasma corroded his spiritual power and will, the ancient vines were about to collapse, and he felt as if his arm was about to break, every bit of his strength was being devoured.

A distracting thought creeps in: crushing the jade talisman will save my life...

Do not!

The moonlight over Qinghe Village, the days and nights of five years of arduous cultivation, and the unwavering commitment to the Great Dao suddenly flooded my mind.

An indomitable will burst forth from the depths of his Dao heart, and the spiritual power within his body surged at an unprecedented speed, squeezing out every bit of potential to withstand the dual torment of his physical body and soul.

Lu Ming's consciousness was gradually fading, but as he held Hu Zhen's hand, the "no" in his heart remained as firm as a rock.

At the critical moment, the extreme pressure of life and death shattered the shackles of five years of diligent practice.

Lu Ming felt a sudden jolt in his dantian, and the wisp of spiritual power within his body suddenly became scorching hot and surging, breaking through the invisible barrier. He had achieved the late-stage peak of the Qi Induction Technique!

Lu Ming's aura suddenly surged. Newfound power coursed through his limbs and bones, and with a burst of energy, he circulated his spiritual power, his arms unleashing astonishing strength to lift Hu Zhen upwards!

"Lu Ming!" Qin Feiyu on the other side was extremely anxious.

Lin Feng's eyes flickered, his expression complex, and it was unclear what he was thinking.

However, Lu Ming's sudden burst of strength was too great, and he tore off the vines he was holding, causing him and Hu Zhen to fall into the air.

"No..." Qin Feiyu's eyes were bloodshot.

Lu Ming felt a sudden emptiness in his body, and his heart jumped into his throat, but he still didn't give up and held Hu Zhen even tighter.

Hu Zhen had recovered by this time. Suppressing her fear, she used her magic without hesitation. Vines spread across the vine bridge and tightly wrapped around her and Lu Ming, and the two escaped unharmed.

Everyone on the other side breathed a sigh of relief.

Seeing this, Li Yun and Zhou Ming were greatly encouraged. They gritted their teeth, suppressed their fear, and followed with difficulty.

"Grab onto the vines, and I'll bring you over."

At this moment, Lin Feng on the opposite bank also cast a spell, and huge vines spread out again to reinforce the vine bridge, while wrapping around the group and accelerating their approach to the opposite bank.

The group finally made it across the Abyss of Broken Souls and reached the other side.

After everyone crossed the river, they immediately thanked Lin Feng for his help.

"Lu Ming and Hu Zhen, you guys are really great! You scared me to death!" Qin Feiyu said, still shaken.

"Fortunately, it was a close call. Let's go," Lu Ming said.

Upon entering the secluded valley, one is greeted by a misty atmosphere filled with spiritual energy and swirling clouds. Cloud flowers, covering the entire mountainside, sway in the fog, numbering roughly seventy or eighty, far exceeding expectations.

But before the joy could even fill their hearts, a violent pressure suddenly descended upon them.

Eight iron-backed berserker apes stood guard in front of the sea of ​​flowers, their fangs menacing and their fur bristling like steel needles, each possessing strength close to the peak of the first tier.

In the center of the ape troop, there was an ape king with an exceptionally large and imposing body, whose aura had clearly reached the second level!

Its scarlet eyes swept over the five people, its killing intent surging. The pressure from that second-tier demon beast made the five people feel as if they had fallen into an ice cave, with pressure as heavy as a mountain.