Zhang Yiyi quickly analyzed the situation in front of her. Though she was riddled with doubts, she swiftly arrived at the most plausible conclusion: this was targeted at her.

Schemes and conspiracies always have a purpose. Whether in the cultivation world or the mundane one, trouble often comes from either greed or vengeance. Zhang Yiyi surmised that revenge was the likelier motive in her case.

After all, she had just returned from her voyage, bearing the wealth earned from hunting beasts for more than half a year. She had only been back for a short time, so if someone had marked her for her fortune, they would likely have attempted a direct robbery. They wouldn't go to the lengths of crafting an elaborate ruse to lure her here by deceiving He Jie and the others earlier in the morning.

Ruling out such possibilities, the remaining explanation seemed to be the truth.

As for vengeance, in this small town, there was only one person Zhang Yiyi could imagine as a potential antagonist—a certain "beautiful older sister," Tang Xi.

Of course, Zhang Yiyi didn't feel she had any real enmity with Tang Xi. Unfortunately, Tang Xi didn't seem to share that view.

If Zhang Yiyi's guess was correct, this incident was most likely orchestrated by Tang Xi. After all, only someone like her would have the means to stage such an elaborate plan.

Her movements had clearly been under surveillance for some time. The level of precision and subtlety in tracking her made it almost impossible for Zhang Yiyi to detect it in advance. She didn't believe this was mere coincidence. Most likely, Tang Xi had realized, belatedly, that she had been tricked again when she purchased that expensive treasure ship from Zhang Yiyi at a high price. Adding old grudges to new, Tang Xi must have decided to cause her trouble.

After contemplating for a while, Zhang Yiyi decided to visit Liulin Slope, even though it was likely a trap. She had to check whether He Jie and the others were truly in trouble because of her and see what the people orchestrating this plot ultimately wanted from her.

At Liulin Slope

The place wasn't far. When Zhang Yiyi arrived, she found that there wasn't even a single willow tree in sight, leaving her wondering how the place got its name. She searched the area thoroughly but found no trace of He Jie or the others.

Even stranger, she hadn't encountered another soul since entering Liulin Slope. She carefully scanned the area but couldn't sense any immediate danger.

Using her divine sense to search the entire area, Zhang Yiyi found nothing unusual apart from a few small animals. The silence was eerie.

The lack of any trace made Zhang Yiyi feel even more suspicious. Could it be that the situation wasn't as complex as she thought? Perhaps He Jie and the others had simply run into some unexpected trouble and sent her the message in distress.

If that were the case, where could they have gone now?

Zhang Yiyi had no answers. Her doubts grew stronger, but she couldn't find any leads. She tried sending another communication talisman to He Jie, letting them know she had arrived, but once again, there was no response.

Refusing to give up, Zhang Yiyi combed through Liulin Slope again, searching every corner inside and out. Finding nothing, she had no choice but to give up.

After leaving another message for He Jie explaining that she had come to Liulin Slope but couldn't find them and had to leave for other matters, Zhang Yiyi prepared to depart.

But as she left, Zhang Yiyi quickly discovered something was wrong. No matter which direction she walked, she inexplicably ended up back where she started.

Trapped in Liulin Slope

An hour later, Zhang Yiyi stepped off her flying sword, her face dark with frustration.

She didn't know when she had fallen into this trap. Nothing seemed amiss before, but now it was clear—she couldn't leave Liulin Slope.

No matter how hard she tried, she always ended up back at the same place, as if Liulin Slope had become a silent, invisible cage.

At first, Zhang Yiyi thought she had fallen into a formation. But after countless attempts to find the formation's core and break it, she realized this wasn't a typical trap.

For one, it had no offensive elements. It simply prevented her from leaving, which made no sense for a defensive array.

Moreover, Liulin Slope was an ordinary plain, with no natural formations.

Unable to understand her predicament or the intentions of whoever had trapped her, Zhang Yiyi eventually gave up and found a spot to sit and rest.

In a Hidden Location

Not far away, Tang Xi watched Zhang Yiyi's every move with dissatisfaction. "Why isn't she panicking? She's just sitting there, completely calm! Doesn't she realize she's trapped?"

Tang Jin, standing beside her, chuckled and patted her head. "If you want her to feel fear and confusion, let me grant your wish."

As the master of this "domain," Tang Jin controlled every aspect of the environment. Here, he was the equivalent of a god. If he didn't want Zhang Yiyi to sense their presence, she wouldn't. If he didn't want her to detect any danger, she couldn't.

And if he didn't want her to leave, no matter what she did, she wouldn't escape.

For now, Tang Jin wasn't in a hurry to kill her. He still harbored hopes of extracting the secret to advancing in flight from her.

Facing the Black Fog

Suddenly, a mass of black mist appeared before Zhang Yiyi. It was formless, and though it didn't seem to contain anyone, a voice emanated from within, chilling and sinister.

"You're finally here..."

Unfazed, Zhang Yiyi turned to the source of the voice and asked calmly, "Who are you, and why hide behind tricks? You're the one who lured me here, aren't you? Where is He Jie? If I'm already here, let them go and state your intentions clearly."

The black mist laughed coldly. "Pretending to be righteous? I am the god of this place—the one and only!"

Zhang Yiyi retorted, "If you truly were a god, would you resort to such petty schemes? Show me where He Jie is and stop wasting my time."

The mist snickered. "You speak as if you aren't afraid, even when you don't know whether you'll leave here alive. Are you so confident in yourself?"

The black mist burst into wild laughter, as if immensely amused by some thought. "Let me guess. What is it that you rely on? Oh, no rush. Why not enlighten me yourself, hmm?"

As soon as the voice fell, a towering tree materialized out of thin air beside the mist. Hanging upside down from its branches were six people, their figures orderly yet pitiful. Zhang Yiyi tightened her grip on her sword, her eyes locking onto the hanging forms. Among them, she quickly recognized He Jie, He Ze, Liu Song, Zhang You, and two other members of their team who had been injured during their last hunt and had not joined her on the sea voyage.

"He Jie!" Zhang Yiyi called out, her voice sharp with concern.

Upon seeing Zhang Yiyi, He Jie screamed hoarsely, "Linlin, I'm so sorry! This is all my fault. I shouldn't have sent that message under duress. Don't worry about us—run! Get out of this cursed place!"

He Jie was covered in wounds, and the others were in equally dire condition.

"Big Sis He! Are you all right?" Zhang Yiyi was relieved to see them alive, though clearly in pain. She reassured them, "Don't panic. I'll find a way to get you out of here."

Indeed, she had no choice but to find a way. Even if she wanted to run, she couldn't escape this strange place. The key to the problem obviously lay with the voice emanating from the black mist.

"It's useless!" He Jie shouted, her voice trembling with desperation. "Don't worry about us. This entire place is under his control, and you—"

But her voice abruptly cut off. Though her mouth continued moving, not a single word reached Zhang Yiyi's ears, as if an invisible barrier had suddenly severed their connection.

"Tsk tsk, how disobedient! Time for punishment!" The black mist's tone was laced with malicious glee. Clearly displeased with He Jie's attempt to warn Zhang Yiyi, it not only silenced her but also executed immediate retribution.

A tree branch came alive, piercing through He Jie's ribs like a spear. Her agonized scream echoed, chilling and unfiltered, while blood splattered into the air.

Zhang Yiyi's expression darkened with fury. "Who exactly are you?" she demanded, her voice sharp and resolute. "State your purpose clearly! Why drag innocent people into this?"

"Who am I? Take a guess. If you guess correctly, I might let one of them go," the mist taunted, savoring the game. "Let's play a little game of questions and answers. For each question you answer to my satisfaction, I'll release one person. But if I'm dissatisfied, someone will die. Doesn't that sound fun?"

"You're insane," Zhang Yiyi spat, her gaze icy as her grip on her sword tightened again. "Human lives mean nothing to you, do they?"

"Tsk tsk, such anger. They're just insignificant ants—whether they live or die, does it even matter?" The mist laughed coldly, its indifference cutting like a blade. "But it seems these little ants hold some value to you. If you care so much, I suggest you answer my questions carefully. Otherwise, their deaths will be on your head."

Zhang Yiyi's expression grew even colder. Though the lives of He Jie and the others might not have been deeply intertwined with hers, she couldn't deny that they were suffering because of her. This karma was undeniable.

"Fine. Ask your questions," Zhang Yiyi replied after a pause. But she countered, "How do I know what will satisfy you? Even if I tell the truth, you could claim dissatisfaction and kill them anyway. That's hardly fair."

"Fair? Weaklings have no right to demand fairness," the mist scoffed, its tone dripping with mockery. "You're naive if you think you can bargain with a god in my domain."

Zhang Yiyi clenched her fists tighter, though her sword arm loosened slightly. Taking a deep breath, she steeled herself. "All right, what's your first question?"

"Guess who I am," the mist replied, a mocking edge to its voice.

Zhang Yiyi steadied herself, forcing her mind to remain calm. She didn't give a careless answer. "I'd guess you're from the Tang family. In this region, only someone from the Tang family would have the power to orchestrate something like this and hold a grudge against me. While I can't pinpoint your exact identity, it's highly likely you're connected to Tang Xi, the Tang family's favored daughter. Is that answer satisfactory?"

The first question was clearly a test, easy to deduce. If she avoided the truth, she was certain the mist would kill someone to show its displeasure.

"Tsk tsk, clever and honest," the mist said with a satisfied laugh. "Very well. I'm quite pleased with your answer to the first question. I'll let one of them go."