Outside the Destruction Mountain Range, the Devouring Swamp.
As dozens of streaks of brilliant light descended onto the swamp's forested terrain, Bumie Zhanxin and the others who had landed there burst into an uproar.
"Have we been resurrected?" Bumie Zhanxin looked around, his heart full of bewilderment. "How did we suddenly end up here? Where's Brother Black Flame?"
The Devouring Swamp was the neutral map they had previously passed through on their way into the Destruction Mountain Range. However, this map had a very high level requirement—all monsters were Level 130 or above—making it unsuitable for them. That was why they had chosen a Level 120 neutral map to enter the Destruction Mountain Range instead.
"I don't think we were resurrected," Huanyu shook her head. "We were most likely teleported here, and the most probable cause is that thing we sensed earlier—the one that filled us with dread. It must have sent us away directly."
Although she didn't know what had happened, since they hadn't lost any levels, the only possible explanation was that they had been ejected.
"Sister Huanyu, besides Black Flame..." Qingyi Duxing carefully observed everyone present and said with some surprise, "it seems like four people are missing from the Shura Adventure Team."
With Qingyi Duxing's words, everyone present finally noticed that the team was indeed missing Jing Wuming and the others. The members of the Shura Adventure Team also grew alarmed.
"Could they have been left behind?" Bumie Zhanxin couldn't help but voice a terrifying thought.
As Bumie Zhanxin spoke, a chill ran through everyone present.
When they had lost consciousness, they had all clearly felt the horrifying mental assault emanating from the depths of the cave. Had they lost consciousness just a moment later, they might have all been forced to their knees.
The oppressive force had been simply too terrifying—the most terrifying existence any of them had encountered since entering the Divine Realm, bar none.
It was hard to imagine what would happen to someone left behind by such an existence...
"If that's truly the case, then we're in trouble." Huanyu's delicate brows furrowed slightly.
An existence that terrifying—even a Tier 4 Class expert like Shi Feng would likely be nothing more than an ant before it. Complete soul annihilation wouldn't be out of the question, either. After all, among the terrifying existences they knew of, a small number possessed such horrifying abilities, let alone the one they had just sensed.
"Then let's organize the team and go back to take a look. We can't just stand here doing nothing," Bumie Zhanxin said.
"No, we can't go back in." Huanyu shook her head, her tone very firm. "If that existence chose to keep them, there must be a reason. Otherwise, there's no logic in us getting out safely while they didn't. Besides, we don't have the time to go back in."
"What do you mean?" Bumie Zhanxin asked in confusion.
While what Huanyu said wasn't impossible, just giving up on Shi Feng and the others felt wrong. After all, they didn't even know whether the mission had been completed. If it hadn't, the three great guilds would be in serious trouble going forward.
"I just received word—NPC numbers have surged again, and it's becoming increasingly difficult for members of all factions to level up. Shortly after we had people enter the Covenant Tower, the major superpowers have already set their sights on it, viewing it as a leveling sanctuary. Several clashes have already broken out outside Heavenly Spring City." Huanyu explained. "We need to get back and take charge immediately. Otherwise, with only a handful of Tier 3 experts, we won't be able to hold the Heavenly Spring City area at all."
"They've already started making moves that quickly?" Bumie Zhanxin was taken aback.
He had originally thought the leveling problem alone wouldn't drive all the major superpowers to fixate on the Covenant Tower so intensely. But the speed at which things were unfolding far exceeded their expectations.
The dramatic increase in NPC numbers had undeniably raised both the pace and the difficulty of leveling for all factions, making fast leveling all the more precious.
The leveling speed alone was already enough to draw the attention of numerous superpowers.