Chapter 271: First Glimpse of Talent

The feeling beneath his feet changed from warm, moist soil to dry, hard gravel in an instant.

Li Hu staggered, almost losing his footing, quickly grabbed the stone wall, and cursed, "Damn, this feels really fucking uncomfortable, like rolling off a bed while drunk."

As soon as he finished speaking, the air around him grew so thin it pressed on his chest, and the spiritual energy of heaven and earth was so faint it could be ignored.

This place felt like a corner forgotten by the world—barren, dead silent, even the wind carried a desolate scent.

"Just get used to it."

Wang Zhize's voice was flat as he surveyed the surroundings; that once vast, boundless little world had now become an unremarkable Light Spot in his palm, which he casually pressed into his chest.

"Brother, the smell here is really something," Wang Zhitao frowned, like a picky beast, "dry and astringent, not even a hint of appetizing aroma."

Zhang Mei said nothing, only cautiously looked around, instinctively pinched a few incantations in her hand, but found those runes that once responded readily had become much sluggish here.

The world's rules have changed.

"Don't waste your effort."

Wang Zhize saw her embarrassment, "This isn't our world; the rules suppress us. But that's fine, soon this place will adapt to us."

His words carried an unquestionable certainty.

The four didn't linger; under Wang Zhize's lead, they moved like four true shadows, merging into the valley's gloom.

Their movements were silent; even the gravel beneath their feet made no sound.

After about the time it takes a incense stick to burn, Wang Zhitao suddenly halted, sniffing the air.

"Brother, there are two living things ahead."

He lowered his voice, his tongue unconsciously licking his lips, "The scent is faint, like stale, days‑old sour buns."

Li Hu felt a chill, thinking what kind of description that was.

He followed Wang Zhitao's indicated direction, concentrating all his spirit, and barely saw two vague silhouettes in the shadows of distant boulders.

Those two wore black cloaks, almost merging with the darkness, emitting faint yet chilling Spiritual Energy Fluctuation, clearly scouts of the 'Shadow' organization.

"Foundation Establishment later stage, just a sentinel," Wang Zhize's assessment was precise and swift, "I'll handle it…"

Before he finished speaking, Wang Zhitao beside him had already vanished.

"Damn!" Li Hu could only manage a startled shout.

A streak of a near‑maximum speed afterimage skimmed the ground.

The two highly alert scouts seemed to sense something; one raised his hand, but his motion suddenly froze.

No scream, no struggle, not even a warning signal could be emitted.

Li Hu and Zhang Mei only saw Wang Zhitao's figure flicker past those two, as if he merely passed through a breeze.

The two scouts, like punctured balloons, shrank and withered at a visible speed, finally turning into two skeletal, skin‑wrapped corpses that hit the ground with two "thuds," their faces beneath the cloaks still frozen in the last moment of shock.

Wang Zhitao returned to his spot, belching contentedly, the black‑gold pattern flashing beneath his skin and vanishing.

He patted his belly, complaining with a disdainful face, "Not enough to eat, can't even fill my teeth gaps. Brother, next time can we find something more substantial?"

Li Hu's mouth corner twitched sharply.

He looked at the two bodies instantly drained, then at Wang Zhitao's innocent‑looking complaint about the poor food, feeling his worldview being repeatedly crushed.

This is not a battle; it's clearly a feast.

Zhang Mei also turned pale, clutching Li Hu's hand tightly, her palm icy.

Wang Zhize seemed already accustomed to this; he walked to the two desiccated corpses, extended his palm into the void and grasped.

Two barely visible specks of phosphorescence flew from the corpses' skulls into his palm.

After a few breaths, he opened his eyes.

"The entrance lies behind that mountain wall ahead, guarded by three layers of illusion arrays, two defensive Seals, with patrols rotating every quarter‑hour, all at Golden Core stage," he concisely reported, "Let's go."

He led the way forward, Li Hu and Zhang Mei hurried after, and as they passed the two desiccated corpses, they couldn't help quickening their steps.

"Hey, Zhize, what… what were you doing just now?" Li Hu couldn't help asking softly.

"Extracting memories," Wang Zhize said without turning, "it's more convenient than soul‑searching, and cleaner."

"…", Li Hu was left speechless.

Soon, they arrived before an apparently unremarkable mountain wall.

In Li Hu and Zhang Mei's perception, there was nothing here, yet Wang Zhize stopped.

He extended a finger, tapping the air a few times at random.

The air rippled, and the mountain wall before them wavered like water, the once solid rock becoming illusory, revealing a deep passage behind it.

Along both sides of the passage, complex runes were engraved, exuding a dangerous aura.

Wang Zhize swaggered in, and the Seals capable of crushing Golden Core cultivators seemed nonexistent before him, not a single glimmer lit up.

Li Hu swallowed, pulling Zhang Mei to cling tightly behind Wang Zhize, fearing a misstep would cost their lives.

The interior of the passage opened into a vast cavern carved within the mountain, brightly lit, with black‑clad cultivators periodically patrolling.

They wore indifferent expressions, their aura steady, clearly battle‑hardened assassins.

"These people…" Li Hu clenched the knife in his hand, the ordinary iron weapon 'defined' by Wang Zhize humming, conveying a desire to cleave everything.

"All of them are 'Shadow' people; none are innocent," Wang Zhize said coldly, "Grandfather's death, each of them has blood on their hands."

Wang Zhitao's eyes began to gleam; he rubbed his hands, suppressing excitement, "Brother, this time we should finally eat our fill, right? Look at that fat guy, he's bound to be juicy!"

"Don't rush."

Wang Zhize stopped his eager younger brother, "First find the Steward here. These small fry, even if we eat them, it's still a waste of our time."

"Oh."

Wang Zhitao responded with a hint of disappointment, but his gaze remained fixed on the patrol squads, as if watching plates of walking dishes.

The four concealed themselves in the corner shadows; Wang Zhize closed his eyes, his massive divine thought spreading like an invisible spiderweb, instantly covering the entire stronghold, parsing every structure here, seeking the most valuable target.

At that moment, a divine thought far stronger than those Golden Core cultivators surged from the deepest part of the stronghold!

This divine thought was full of vigilance and scrutiny, like a sharp knife scraping across the entire space.

Li Hu and Zhang Mei seemed to be struck hard, letting out a muffled hum; they felt as if their souls were about to be seen through by this force, and a chill surged from the soles of their feet straight up to the Heavenly Spirit Crown.

Wang Zhitao was not startled but delighted; he grinned, flashing a set of white teeth, and chuckled, "Here it comes, here it comes! A big guy has discovered us!"

Wang Zhize snapped his eyes open, his gaze like lightning, staring straight into the depths of the stronghold.

That sweeping, powerful divine thought, the moment it touched him, seemed to slam into an invisible wall, emitting a dull pulse, then hesitantly recoiled.

"The reaction isn't slow," a cold curl lifted at Wang Zhize's mouth.

"Finally, a decent fish is about to bite."