Eight thousand kilometers south of the Qingluo Mine lies the location of the Black Cloud Sect's mountain gate.

The location of the sect's sacred mountain consists of about ten peaks, each standing alone, not much different from that of the Qingyun Sect.

Upon closer inspection, one can see that wisps of gray mist rise from various parts of the mountain peaks from time to time.

This mist and dust is the "turbid air" expelled during the refining of the "black cloud".

The turbid air rose rapidly into the air as soon as it appeared, piling up on Black Cloud Mountain.

If this continued year after year, the mountain should have been shrouded in smog long ago.

But in reality, the sky above the Black Cloud Sect was clear and bright, with the sun shining through the clouds.

Just because...

Near the Black Cloud Sect, in a mortal city.

"Oh no! Another heavy hammer is coming! Run!"

As soon as the shout rang out, pedestrians wearing straw raincoats on the street scrambled to find shelter under the eaves.

Gray stone spheres, ranging in size from a finger to a fist, rained down from the sky.

"Bang!"

"Bang bang..."

At first, there were only scattered sounds, but then a series of thuds, like a torrential downpour, filled the air.

Lumps of hard, gray rocks came crashing down from the sky.

Some hit the ground, some hit the roof of the house.

Logically, such a large rock should have smashed a large hole in these houses that weren't protected by any formations.

But in fact, the house was completely unharmed; even the ground had long since become a patch of shiny, uneven pits.

The stones hit the ground but caused almost no damage to the surface.

It's just tough on ordinary people who can only find shelter from the rain on the edge of the eaves.

Every now and then, fragments of rock would splatter onto them.

"Ouch... my foot..."

"Ugh... This damn thing, wasn't it supposed to happen once a month? How come they've already dropped another bombshell after only seven days?"

"I heard the sect has seized another mine, and they've been smelting sand quite frequently lately... I guess they'll be conscripting laborers again soon."

"Again? How are we supposed to live like this? My neighbor Zhang Erzhuang went there to work for less than a month, and when he came back he was coughing up blood. He passed away just a few days later... Sigh, I knew I shouldn't have moved here..."

"You were the one who invited me here in the first place, saying that the branch spiritual veins have more spiritual energy and that we should have a cultivator from our family who can enter the Black Cloud Sect. I haven't even said anything yet, and you're already complaining?"

"Alas! This rain of stone hammers covers an area of ​​nearly a hundred miles. If you were outside and encountered it, you would be crushed to death instantly... Even if you weren't crushed to death, drinking the Black River water would poison you sooner or later..."

Just as the two were sighing, a sinister voice rang out from inside the shop.

"Two mere mortals dare to speak ill of the sect? They're courting death!"

As soon as he finished speaking, a cloud of red mist instantly enveloped the two of them.

The screams echoed throughout the street, but no one spoke.

This is a core Foundation Establishment disciple of the Black Cloud Sect, and one who has only just begun refining the Black Cloud...

Normally, the Black Cloud Sect wouldn't use ordinary people from the foot of the mountain for sacrificial alchemy; they would instead search for criminals or other suitable locations...

However, these two had only recently moved in and were clearly unaware that Black Cloud Sect disciples often lingered here.

The heavy rain continued to fall relentlessly from the sky.

The two people who had taken shelter from the rain under the eaves were now nothing but limp bones.

There were still many people taking shelter from the rain around them, watching this scene unfold without saying a word.

Numbness, listlessness—perhaps outsiders want to get in and steal the spiritual veins of the sect's branch.

But those inside who had lost all hope only wanted to escape.

But getting in is easy, getting out is not so simple... If they all escape and spread the news of the strange phenomenon of the Stone Hammer Rain, how will the Black Cloud Sect easily collect labor?

Here, the Black Cloud Sect is the law; no one can disobey or resist it.

Being mortal is the original sin.

Let alone mortals, even Qi Refining cultivators are merely ants struggling at the bottom of society.

An ant, slightly larger than a mortal!

Perhaps for all eternity, their descendants will be shrouded in this dark cloud, never to see the light of day again...

Sudden,

The torrential rain suddenly stopped, and a sliver of sunlight even peeked through the sky.

The area within a hundred miles of the Black Cloud Sect was shrouded in dark clouds.

The city below has rarely seen a ray of sunlight for years, even decades.

However, unexpected things can happen from time to time, just like now.

"This is sunlight! It's sunlight! I never imagined that I, an old man, would see sunlight before I die!"

The old man was so excited that tears welled up in his eyes. He was pushed to the top of the crowd amidst the jostling young men.

He lay there, face up to the sun, his pale skin bathed in its golden light.

Unfortunately, the hole that allowed sunlight to pass through is gradually closing, and soon they will be unable to see the sunlight again...

The crowd's spirits immediately plummeted again, and those on the periphery who hadn't managed to squeeze into the center began to wail and scream wildly.

Finally... the last ray of sunlight dissipated.

there is none left....

Like their hearts, that day, too, vanished in a flash!

"Is there a sound?"

"In the sky!"

...

"Rumble..."

That was the sound of a giant dragon roaring in the sky... coming from afar!

Sudden,

"laugh!"

Perhaps without this voice,

Perhaps it's just the voice-over from everyone's hearts.

Everyone stared blankly at the sky...

A white band of light swept across the horizon, past everyone's heads, and then up to Black Cloud Mountain...

"boom!!...."

A clear sky hundreds of meters wide was revealed, and a flying boat, resembling a giant whale, slowly glided across the sky.

At the bow of the airship,

A golden figure stood proudly!

———

"Damn, what kind of crap is this from your Black Cloud Sect? Is it a star ring?"

The black mist ahead stretched in layers, thousands of meters thick, but Ye Feng fired a single shot, instantly clearing it away.

He drew a piece of stone into his hand, and with a gentle squeeze, it turned into powder.

It was light to him, but in reality, it was still quite hard.

This thing... looks familiar...

The cannon fire struck the black cloud formation, shaking the entire mountain.

Of course, this is because he dispersed his attacks to clear the fog; if he had used a concentrated attack...

This level three formation might not be able to withstand it.

"M-Sir, what are you doing?"

As Wu Ma Zhenjun watched the cannons bombard the black cloud formation, he couldn't help but speak with a trembling voice.

Ye Feng glanced at him.

"What are you doing? Can't you tell? I'm greeting you! Now go down and call everyone out. Everyone come with me!"

Why...?

Why do you think so?

Ye Feng turned around and activated the airship's cannons again. A menacing white light once more condensed on the cannons at the front of the airship, but this time it remained dormant....

"If you don't come with me, do you think you can stop the Heavenly Demon Sect? You're not happy that I'm saving you? Or is it...?"

"Are you trying to fool me? You're taking advantage of me, but you want to continue following the Heavenly Demon Sect?"

Wu Ma: Aren't the Qingyun Sect and Luoshui Sect like that...?

Seeing Ye Feng's glare, True Monarch Wu Ma lowered his head in fear.

Those godlike eyes... they were absolutely terrifying!

Just then, a furious roar came from below.

"Who dares to act so presumptuously in my Black Cloud Sect!"