Adrian, deep in thought, asked, "What could make an intermediate level-eight immortal like you so panicked?""You'll find out if you go ahead," Ciaran replied bluntly.Adrian, with a lazy tone and a smile that sent a chill down Ciaran's spine, said, "If I go in myself, you might not have a chance to escape. I'm giving you an opportunity to redeem yourself.""What do you plan to do with me?" Ciaran replied coldly, his eyes flickering as he closely watched Adrian. "Even if I'm trapped in this formation, if you come in, the outcome is still uncertain.""Still being stubborn? I've seen plenty like you, and they all ended up dead," Adrian retorted, his expression darkening as he sat down cross-legged and slowly closed his eyes."Don't try to scare me!" Ciaran shot back, his face expressionless. "Do you think I'm so easily frightened? You're just a rudimentary level-eight immortal. What kind of trouble can you cause? I was only caught off guard by your tricks earlier when you were chasi

"You’re holding the knife, and I’m just the fish on the chopping block. It seems whether I agree or refuse isn’t really up to me," Ciaran began, but Adrian cut him off."That’s not entirely true," Adrian said, his tone sincere. "We had our dispute earlier, but now, with humanity facing such a great peril, we’re more helpless than ever before. If we can survive, we should. Follow your heart—if you want to go, we’ll go together."Adrian looked at Ciaran with genuine expectation. He knew that having someone as meticulous as Ciaran by his side would increase their chances of survival in the Purple Forest Marsh.In truth, Adrian had been testing Ciaran earlier. Before coming here, Adrian had spoken with local hunters about the deeper parts of the Purple Forest Marsh. These hunters, who had spent their lives navigating the marsh, had inevitably ventured into its depths and shared rumors about what lay within.A careful person like Adrian wouldn’t overlook such details. The hunters mentio

Each step Adrian took required him to endure an increasingly intense transformation of his divine consciousness. It felt as though he was undergoing a profound enhancement of his abilities.Gritting his teeth, Adrian took another step. Though he wavered, with blood staining the corners of his mouth, his determination remained unshaken. This step was remarkable.His clothes began to bulge as if inflated, and he slowly lifted off the ground, floating into the air. He crossed his legs and sat down, causing the white mist around him to swirl more rapidly.Suddenly, Adrian opened his eyes, and two golden rays of light appeared. His expression began to distort as he twitched uncontrollably, though his cross-legged posture remained steady.The golden light moved swiftly through Adrian’s body, causing blood to surface as if his blood vessels had burst. It was a terrifying sight, but Adrian did not falter.The golden light seemed almost sentient, drawing Adrian’s essence from his body and

Soulnascent raised an eyebrow and smirked before continuing, "The Middle Ages was the peak period for divine consciousness techniques, whether in the Spirit Domain or your lower domains. But over time, that boom gradually declined. Do you know why?""Just say it if you’re going to or don’t say anything at all. Really, you’re asking questions you already know the answer to. Hmph!" Lexie shot a sideways glance at Soulnascent, clearly annoyed."Hehe, well, I did say you were ignorant. I forgot to mention that. But never mind, this isn’t something immortals from your lower domains could answer." Soulnascent laughed lightly."Still keeping secrets? Are you going to tell me or not?" Lexie’s short temper flared up, unable to tolerate Soulnascent’s repeated teasing. She grabbed Soulnascent’s ear and even considered giving her a swat if she didn’t comply."Ow, ow! Okay, okay! I'll tell you!" Soulnascent, highly perceptive due to her divine consciousness training, winced in pain from the ear

Although Adrian was in the early stages of his breakthrough, he was fully aware of the profound changes that came with achieving the Nascent Stage. From now on, he would no longer train his spiritual energy but instead follow a path reminiscent of the Middle Ages.If Adrian had another chance, he wouldn’t have any regrets. The path he chose now aligned with the Draco Veinergy, making spiritual energy more of a hindrance than a benefit to his destiny. Having already broken through to the Nascent Stage, his power had undergone a tremendous transformation. However, he had not yet fully mastered this new power, and anything within a three-meter radius of him was affected by his divine consciousness. Even the mist was not exempt. Viewed from above, the pure white world around him looked like a black spot, almost as if it were a vacuum where the mist couldn’t approach.To Lexie, Adrian’s gaze seemed deeper than before. Every brief glance he gave her left her feeling dizzy as if caught in a