In the living room of the small hut, everyone sat cross-legged on the ground.
A cold wind occasionally blew from around them.
The chill spread, but everyone ignored it, closing their eyes to rest.
Under such circumstances, focused cultivation was impossible.
They could only recuperate from their existing foundation.
Fatty, however, was an exception. He lay down on the ground and instantly fell asleep.
That guy fell asleep faster than anyone.
While Zhang Tian and the others rested, in the mountains surrounding Motuo.
Waves of white mist began to spread.
The mist billowed over small hills, diffusing outwards.
Soon, the white mist floated into the small village.
A bit of mist began to spread along the windowpanes.
With the appearance of the mist, Zhang Tian also opened his eyes slightly.
"Why is there fog?"
Wu Tianzhen looked towards the window.
Under the pitch-black night, some blurry mist enveloped the entire village.
"This is probably caused by some climate phenomenon. Be careful, the fog might be poisonous."
Shirley Yang spoke from the side, inadvertently covering her nose.
"Why can't I sense any trace of this mist? We didn't even notice how it appeared."
Hu Bayi's hoarse voice came through, his suspicion about the fog evident.
"To avoid danger, everyone should put on gas masks first."
Zhang Tian was unsure of the origin of the mist, but for safety's sake, he took out gas masks.
Then, the group put on their masks. Fatty was sleeping so soundly that others had to put them on for him.
With the masks on, Zhang Tian stood up and walked towards the outside of the hut.
Standing outside the hut, a white, hazy world appeared before his eyes.
The small houses in the village were completely invisible, like a sea of clouds on the mountain, covering everything below.
"This should not be a natural occurrence."
"There seem to be a few dark shadows over there."
Hu Bayi's hoarse voice came through.
He pointed towards the center of the distant mist.
When everyone looked, as expected, in the center of the mist, several dark, shapeless shadows appeared.
The shadows looked quite tall, and seemed to be moving slightly.
There was no moon in the mist, and combined with the obstructed view, they couldn't make out what they were.
"Those shadows look rather human."
Shirley Yang's voice came through.
Zhang Tian also felt that the shadows looked somewhat human, but he couldn't quite place it.
Just a very vague feeling.
Suddenly, Wang Banyue pointed to one side and shouted.
"Look at that shadow quickly!"
"Isn't that the person we found in the first house earlier? Look, he seems to be holding a child by the hand!"
Wang Banyue's exclamation rang out.
The excited voice drew Zhang Tian and the others' attention.
Zhang Tian looked in the direction Wang Banyue had indicated.
Upon seeing the strange shadow, Zhang Tian was stunned. It was as he had described, the shadow was slender.
And it was holding a very small shadow by the hand.
Looking at it this way, it was indeed the same as what they had seen before.
"Could it be that those people are still alive in the mist?"
Shirley Yang's surprised voice came through.
Zhang Tian also frowned slightly.
Based on the previous situation, these people had died of starvation or freezing.
But logically, ordinary people should have been taken away long ago. Why would they still be here?
"It must be the mist."
Zhang Tian murmured, already holding a whisk in his hand.
If there was any trouble, Zhang Tian was prepared to act immediately.
In their sight, the dark shadows were drawing closer.
At the same time, waves of cold wind followed.
"Those shadows seem to be coming towards us."
Wang Banyue spoke, his expression becoming tense.
They didn't know the strength of these beings, so they didn't dare to be careless.
Soon, the shadows gradually approached Zhang Tian and the others.
When Zhang Tian saw the faces of those shadows, his body stiffened.
These shadows were too strange.
The person's face seemed to be covered in roots, and flowers bloomed all over his body.
The person was no longer human but a monster occupied by flowers.
"My god, what is this thing?"
Wang Banyue's shocked voice came through.
His eyes held disbelief.
Was this still human?
"These are likely souls controlled by some flowers. Don't panic."
"These things don't seem very strong."
Zhang Tian glanced at them casually and came to a conclusion.
These monsters looked terrifying, but overall, Zhang Tian felt that anyone above the Grandmaster level could easily defeat them.
As expected, after Zhang Tian finished speaking, one of them charged forward.
A pained expression appeared on the person's face, and then, opening his mouth wide, a vine extended out, coiling towards Zhang Tian.
It looked as if it intended to devour him.
"Brother Zhang, be careful."
Shirley Yang quickly warned upon seeing this.
Zhang Tian was not in a hurry. With a wave of his hand, the coiling vine was instantly consumed by a ball of blue fire.
Sensing danger, the monster seemed to show some fear.
But it was only for a moment. The next instant, a roar erupted from the monster's mouth, and the small figure beneath it rushed forward as if maddened.
A flower adorned the little figure's head, looking ferocious.
Its facial veins had turned into vines.
"They are most likely being imprisoned by these vines and flowers."
"We can help them find release."
Zhang Tian observed them closely and guessed some things.
Zhang Qilin stood by, showing no intention of intervening.
These simple matters didn't warrant his involvement.
"Why did they turn into this?"
"Like living dead."
Shirley Yang asked.
These things looked too strange.
"Most likely the work of those flowers. But why did it suddenly start misting here? That's quite strange."
Hu Bayi's voice came through.
Zhang Tian looked into the distance.
"It's probably coming from the valley. We'll check it out tomorrow, but let's deal with these things first."
Zhang Tian said, his gaze falling upon the figure before him.
The small figure had already rushed forward. With a swift strike from Zhang Tian, the flower on the little figure's head was severed.
As the flower fell, the small figure's charging momentum slowed, and it gradually turned into a pile of vines on the ground.
"Their weakness is likely the flowers on their bodies. If everyone can knock off the flowers, it should be fine."
Zhang Tian shouted.
The others also began to act.
It seemed that almost everyone in the village had turned into shadows.
They roamed the village, one by one.
Zhang Tian and the others moved like sharp swords, constantly weaving through the countless shadows.
After about an hour, the mist gradually dissipated. Zhang Tian and the others stood beside the hut.
Looking at the ground, they saw some strange flowers left behind.
Nothing else remained; even the vines had vanished.
"This is truly a strange place."
Wang Banyue muttered. The group walked towards the hut.
Zhang Tian planned to question the High Priest again about what exactly was going on.