Chapter 289

After the great roc and the other demons departed.

Wu Hao volunteered: “The teleportation array at the special stone tablet’s location is about to activate. Let’s enter together afterward—each for themselves in pursuit of fortune.”

“I was originally worried that entering this special place might offend you all, since you discovered it first. But since you’ve kindly invited us, we won’t refuse,” Li Jia said with polite words.

“Naturally,” Wu Hao smiled lightly. “If you hadn’t come, that arrogant demon squad would’ve fought us for it—and we likely wouldn’t have won. We should be thanking you for arriving.”

At that moment, the teleportation array before the stone tablet was fully assembled.

Li Jia didn’t hesitate—he led his group straight into the array, vanishing in a flash of white light. After their ten members had all been teleported into the special realm.

Wu Hao sighed. “There’s nothing we can do now. Let’s go in too.” He stepped into the array.

Zi Xu Dao Ren, Ling Guang San Ren, and Liu Tong said nothing. At that moment, if they had been in Wu Hao’s position, they would’ve done the same.

Even if Wu Hao had refused to let Li Jia’s group enter this special place, it would’ve done no good—it was better to make a gracious gesture.

Lu Fang was the last to enter the array. He had remained silent earlier because, when Li Jia’s group arrived, Mo Xin had told him: the faintly stronger aura of punishment was among them.

Moreover, they had sensed Mo Xin’s presence just now.

That meant their appearance here might not be coincidence—they may have come specifically to seek the Mo Xin inside Lu Fang’s body, and merely happened upon the stone tablet’s special realm.

The strongest among Li Jia’s group was a Rank One cultivator.

Lu Fang had nothing to fear. If they did nothing once inside the special realm, fine. But if they tried anything, he’d use this chance to eliminate them.

At the same time, a beam of teleportation light enveloped Lu Fang and the others—and in the blink of an eye, they vanished from the array.

When Lu Fang regained awareness, he found himself in a peculiar realm. Outside, the paradise was teeming with life; inside this stone tablet’s realm, all was utterly lifeless.

It was a place blanketed in red dust—the red was unnatural, filling even the air.

The sky was red. The ground was red.

As far as the eye could see, only a world of red: piles and dunes of red dust, no trees, no flowers—utterly dead.

“What kind of hellish place is this!”

Li Jia and the others who entered first had not moved. They stood frozen, staring at the strange surroundings, each face tense with unease.

Wu Hao took in the scene, turned back, and found no teleportation array leading out—he grew anxious. “Entering this special realm is easy. Getting out won’t be.”

Lu Fang nodded. So far, he had sensed no life at all within this special realm.

His gaze instinctively swept over Li Jia’s group. Since they were all clustered together, he couldn’t tell who carried the punishment aura.

“There’s a line ahead!” Li Jia, hovering midair, shouted and shot forward at once.

The others hurried after him.

When Lu Fang and the rest arrived, they saw clearly: a faint line ahead, glowing softly, utterly out of place in this realm.

Someone tried striking the line—suddenly, a light barrier emerged, slowly forming a line of large characters: “The first to reach the far end of this line may enter the Treasure Chamber and choose one treasure.”

At that moment, a Rank One cultivator dashed toward the barrier—only to crash into it like a wall, flung backward.

“How is this possible?”

Wu Hao frowned. “The barrier said the first to reach the line’s end can enter. Why can’t we go through?”

As soon as he spoke.

The barrier vanished.

“Now!” Liu Tong shouted, leaping across the line. But then his face twisted in pain. “This place is strange—only pure physical strength can move here.”

Others followed him across the line—and all felt the same: they could not use their cultivation bases to run. Only physical strength would move them.

And due to the special restriction, the longer they ran, the harder each step became.

Lu Fang stepped across the line too. As others had said, here, no other methods worked—only physical strength could be used for the race.

Some had already run ahead, but soon they could barely move—each step felt like dragging through mud.

Among those who entered, only Liu Tong was a martial cultivator. Aside from Lu Fang, Liu Tong had the strongest physique—and so he led. The second surprise was Li Jia, the Confucian cultivator.

No wonder he’s from a great clan—he’s far stronger than most.

Lu Fang glanced at Li Jia. He suspected this man carried the punishment aura. At least for now, Li Jia was the prime suspect.

“Why is this so hard!” Ling Guang San Ren, slightly ahead, scowled deeply. His physique looked weak—each step was a struggle.

Zi Xu Dao Ren fared no better. He was just a little ahead of Ling Guang San Ren, gazing far ahead and murmuring: “That glow ahead must be the line’s end. It looks close, but walking there won’t be easy.”

Wu Hao’s face was grim. He gave up half-heartedly: “We’ve got no chance of reaching the end first. But Liu Tong still has a shot.”

Lu Fang said nothing. After a moment’s thought, he decided to claim the reward. His physique was extremely strong—he’d reach the line’s end first without issue.

Once decided, he stepped forward steadily. Though each step was slow, he never paused.

Soon, Lu Fang passed Wu Hao and the others—staring at him in stunned silence. They’d assumed he was the weakest in physique among the five.

What surprised them was yet to come.

Lu Fang didn’t just pass them—he quickly overtook everyone else, effortlessly arriving behind Li Jia, the second-place runner.

“Huh?” Li Jia sensed movement behind him, glanced back at Lu Fang, and smiled. “Unbelievable. A Rank Two Confucian cultivator with such physical strength?”