As time passed, blood-red mist and light completely shrouded the entire area. An eerie, inexplicable aura swept over everyone present. No one was spared—even Lu Yuan felt an immense sense of crisis.
It was as if some terrifying entity was constantly threatening their lives, gnawing at their minds with unease.
"What is going on? Isn't there supposed to be a great fortune inside that coffin?" someone asked, their face turning pale.
Others tentatively tried to probe their surroundings with divine sense, only to find that their divine senses could not even leave their bodies. Had they not still felt the power circulating within them, they might have thought their cultivation realms had been sheared away.
Even worse, they felt their very souls trembling. This was a suppression directed straight at the soul, completely unavoidable.
"No, I have to get out of here." Even Yu Heng of the Eternal Clan felt an overwhelming sense of crisis.
He looked somewhat flustered. After all, he was already wounded from the intense battle moments ago, far from his peak strength.
If disaster struck, Yu Heng feared he would have no means to resist at all. The only thing on his mind right now was escape.
Lei Xiao felt much the same. Everyone had originally gathered here for the promised fortune, but now the blood-red coffin appeared excessively bizarre, harboring unknown dangers within.
However, even the sole entrance was now sealed shut; there was simply no way out.
*Sizzle, sizzle, sizzle...*
Another strange sound echoed.
Far off on the high platform, the blood-red coffin was already half-open. Boundless crimson mist continued to gush forth from within.
This mist was far from ordinary; it blocked not only physical sight but even divine senses. Not even the Awakened could avoid its effects.
Lu Yuan did not act rashly. Circulating his vital energy and the Great Sun Smelting Furnace to guard himself, he too noticed the peculiar nature of the crimson mist.
Furthermore, this mist seemed to be the very source of that inexplicable aura. It did not belong to this world at all.
Consequently, Lu Yuan temporarily set aside his intent to claim the lives of Lei Xiao and Yu Heng. They could not get far anyway.
What concerned him more right now was what lay inside that blood-red coffin.
*Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh...*
Soon, the crimson mist thickened further, ultimately enveloping the entire space. At the same time, everyone saw that the blood-red coffin had opened completely.
A shadow suddenly bolted from within, only to vanish immediately after.
Just as they tried to see what had happened, they realized that everything before them seemed to disappear. Their eyes could not pierce the gloom beyond ten meters.
"What on earth is happening? Wasn't this supposed to be a land of fortune?"
"No, we have to get out! We have to get out of here!"
"Aaargh!"
Panic promptly erupted among the survivors. Almost all of them were experts in the Saint Realm, yet their voices were now steeped in terror.
Before long, bloodcurdling screams rang out, accompanied by the thick, sickening stench of blood.
Someone had been killed—and from the sound of it, they had encountered something horrifying before dying. This only heightened the terror among those present.
"Everyone, draw closer! Stand together and see what kind of monster is inside that coffin!" Lei Xiao's voice soon rang out, urging everyone to rally together.
He too sensed immense peril and knew that if they remained separated, they would all die. Gathering together might offer a slim chance of survival.
There was no alternative. Even if Lei Xiao had previously resolved to fight Lu Yuan to the death, he had no desire to die in such a senseless, baffling manner, especially under these terrifying circumstances, which stirred instinctual fear even in him.
Hearing his call, the others were just about to gather.
*Roar! Boom!*
Right at that moment, an eerie roar erupted.
Immediately after came bursts of thunderous crashes, only for them to abruptly cut off.
As for Lei Xiao of the Celestial Clan, he never spoke another word. The entire area fell deathly quiet.
"Did Lei Xiao... die?" someone whispered in terror, unable to stop their panicked guessing.
"I don't care what you are! Show yourself and fight if you have the guts! I'm not afraid of you!" Completely unhinged by panic, voices cried out one after another.
Yet the dense crimson mist not only blocked their vision but also severed their divine sense. They could hear each other's voices, but knew nothing else of their surroundings.
"Whatever kind of monster you are, you're nothing before the Eternal Clan!" Yu Heng shouted, circulating his power and blasting attacks in all directions.
However, this effort was clearly futile.
At that moment, Lu Yuan opened his Martial Dao Heavenly Eye, sweeping his gaze across every corner.
Yet even with it, the eerie red mist severely restricted his sight. Everything before him remained shrouded in a murky haze; he could not even make out the distant high platform clearly.
Soon, however, a crimson shadow drifted into his vision.
*Found it.*
Lu Yuan's heart tightened slightly as he tracked the silhouette. The red shadow moved at astonishing speed.
In a breath, it closed in on Yu Heng of the Eternal Clan. Without a wasted motion, it lunged straight into an attack.
*Roar!*
Another bizarre howl rang out as the two clashed fiercely.
Unfortunately, Yu Heng was far from his peak. Saddled with severe injuries, he was no match for the shadow.
Within mere breaths, Yu Heng was overwhelmed. The red figure opened its maw wide and sank its teeth straight into his shoulder.
*Squelch!*
Fresh blood spurted instantly. Yu Heng screamed frantically, entirely powerless to resist.
In the blink of an eye, half of his body was torn apart and devoured, his life force swiftly fading.
Yet just as the crimson creature moved to feed further, it sensed that it was being watched.
It snapped its head around, glaring at Lu Yuan not far away, its entire aura trembling. At that moment, it looked as though it had caught sight of the ultimate delicacy.
Without the slightest hesitation, it charged toward him.
"I didn't come looking for you, yet you come looking for me?" Seeing this, Lu Yuan showed no sign of panic.
He took a step forward, his aura surging as golden blood and vital energy roiled, shining in harmony with the Great Sun Smelting Furnace.
*Rumble!*
The red monster drew near in an instant. Lu Yuan met it head-on, thunder crackling and rumbling around him.
*Boom!*
The two collided violently. Terrifying waves of force tore through the surrounding space.
At the moment of impact, Lu Yuan felt a chill seep into his very soul. However, his combat prowess was formidable; he had not suffered the slightest disadvantage in the clash.
In contrast, the red figure was driven backward repeatedly, and the surrounding crimson mist began to disperse.
At last, Lu Yuan could clearly see the true face of the crimson figure.
Chapter 277