When Li Luo opened his eyes, he saw a grey and dreary world before him. Soot-colored clouds drifted past in the sky like puffs of chimney smoke, low enough to feel oppressive. 

Visibility was limited, and low voices seemed to float out of the foggy translucence, whispering straight into their hearts.

They were getting jumpy, but then the Greenwood Comforters on their chests blew a cool air that calmed them down.

Whoosh.

Li Luo was quickly alert again. He cast his eyes about his surroundings, noting many other flashes of light as the others were appearing around him.

He saw that all of them had arrived in stone towers within a spot, each one shoddily built and an assortment of heights. They happened to be near the center, and the tip of their stone tower winked faintly with light that shone downwards to form a screen.

The black fog stopped at the barrier, dissipating rapidly when it came into contact with the light.

This spot seemed to be the purified spot that Jiang Qing'e had told them about.

This was purified spot 13, their one shelter in the Umbra Cave.

"How does it feel?" Jiang Qing'e's concerned voice preceded her. Behind her were the other four.

"Feels bad," Li Luo admitted honestly.

There was an oppressive feeling about the place, and he felt like there was something twisting and sinister lurking just out of sight in the fog, ready to twist its way into his heart.

And they were still within the purified spot. It would definitely get worse once they stepped out.

"It's your first time in the Umbra Cave, and you're weaker than the usual student who passes through. You'll get used to it," Jiang Qing'e said to them.

Qiu Bai and Tian Tian nodded as well, not laughing at them at all. This might be the first time in the Astral Sage College's history that One Star Hall students were being sent in.

It was anybody's guess how they themselves would have fared if they had been sent into the Umbra Cave as newcomers.

Li Luo took a deep breath. He looked around to see that roughly a hundred people had gathered nearby.

"What now?" Li Luo asked. "Begin purging?"

"There's no hurry. Purging missions don't just span a few days. We'll find a place to rest, a temporary shelter. Then we plan."

Jiang Qing'e pointed at the tall tower behind them. "That's the heart of the purified spot, fashioned out of the branches of the Tree of Resonant Power. However, the transport only works once per day. From now on, the school will send daily provisions through this."

"Seems like we're in for a long one," Li Luo said.

"There's no need to get too down. The Umbra Cave is not without its benefits. Cultivation is faster here, and the chances of a breakthrough are higher.

The three newbies looked up in surprise. "There's such a thing?"

"It's said that the laws of nature are different here... It’s a limbo between our world and the shadow world, where limitations are lowered. The Nobles' Battlefield is like that too," Jiang Qing'e said. "Stronger, even. The Kings and Dukes who go there do improve at slightly faster rates than average. That's why some experts do volunteer to go there, seeking that risky edge.

"Additionally, the stress and grueling danger trains one's will. All things said, the Umbra Cave is the perfect training ground, and probably many more would choose to come here if not for the dark tide."

Jiang Qing'e said this with a hint of personal interest. She was one of those who would relish the challenge.

"Leader, you could probably drop the word 'many.’ Not many have a lion's bravery like you," Qiu Bai said dryly.

"When we finish our purging mission, I'll be the first one out of here. I don't want to stay a moment longer than I have to." Tian Tian agreed, flicking her hands away from her. Others were creepy. She didn't want to encounter them at all.

Jiang Qing'e smiled. To each their own.

Another group of people approached them. The one leading them was Duze Honglian.

Beside her, Ye Qiuding's Nature's Cauldron squad.

Small world.

Duze Honglian folded her arms across her chest. "Jiang Qing'e, I'm afraid your first place position can't be held in this purging mission," she said half smugly, half challengingly.

Jiang Qing'e showed no emotion at all on her face. She merely looked at Ye Qiuding by his new leader's side and then brushed past.

Jiang Qing'e's too-cool-for-school attitude was nothing new to Duze Honglian, yet it pissed her off every time.

And damn if she didn't have the skill to back that attitude...

Still, they had a great advantage this time, and they had a good chance to overtake Jiang Qing'e. Just one victory would go a long way towards cooling her resentment against her long-time rival.

Li Luo followed Jiang Qing'e, sliding past Duze Honglian and her gang. As he passed Ye Qiuding, the latter turned his head along with Li Luo.

"Li Luo, I will show Senior Jiang that she made the wrong choice."

Li Luo's eyebrows went up. "Oh, do your best," he said with utmost sincerity. "You see, she told me that I have to stick by her side throughout all the Umbra Cave purging missions in the future. Bothersome, don't you think? If you could do your best to free me, I'd definitely thank you."

He left.

Ye Qiuding stood petrified to the spot, as though electrocuted. His squadmates looked at him sympathetically.

Ye Qiuding was seized with an urge to jump into the dark tide with Li Luo.

Insolent scumbag!