Hours later, after killing the monsters along the way, Zhou Yan and his group were finally nearing the area with buildings.
The reconnaissance drones could only capture the scenes outside; they were completely unable to detect anything inside the structures.
This was because the drones had encountered an obstruction, seemingly blocked by a defensive shield.
When Zhou Yan and his group arrived, he had dispatched several soldiers in advance to scout the situation.
The soldiers returned after more than ten minutes, reporting on the conditions of the area.
The place was desolate, as if no one had been there for a long time. However, there was a structure protected by a defensive shield. From the outside, it was hazy and not very clear. All they could see were ancient alien structures, unlike anything they were familiar with.
Furthermore, they discovered that the area protected by the shield was immense, likely encompassing a vast city.
Zhou Yan nodded and said, "Continue forward, maintain vigilance."
"Yes!"
Sun Shangxiang asked curiously, "Lord, shall I lead the female soldiers to scout ahead and investigate?"
"The situation inside is unclear, and it might even be the true source of the monsters' demonic transformation. It's best not to split up." Zhou Yan replied.
"Does the Lord know what caused those demonic monsters?" Zhen Mi asked curiously.
"That's difficult to say. It could be a monster that curses, or energy emanating from something, or experiments conducted by certain races, or even something done deliberately by a powerful individual." Zhou Yan answered.
The Lord's world was like a boundless universe where anything could happen, even the appearance of gods and demons was highly probable.
There were countless reasons for monsters to become demonic. Until the true cause was understood, no one could be certain.
Adventurers, wasn't that about exploring the unknown?
Finding treasures and uncovering truths while seeking various secrets was precisely the joy and sense of accomplishment for adventurers.
Not long after, they arrived before a defensive shield.
This should have been a massive castle. Its architectural style was indeed not human, resembling Western castles.
However, it was merely similar. After all, with countless races in the Lord's Continent, there were many similar structures.
Despite the ground being covered in snow, they could tell that there had been a royal road built by intelligent beings.
Outside the defensive shield, there were ruins, many covered by snow, making it impossible to discern the great changes of the past.
Inside the shield, it was not very clear, but his powerful spiritual energy could sense the hazy energy within. It was a strange, dark energy, likely closely related to the demonic transformation of the monsters.
With this thought, he said to the soldiers, "You all stay here and wait. The source of the monsters' demonic transformation is indeed inside. I will go in alone to take a look."
"Lord, let me go with you." Diao Chan said quickly.
"Lord, I'll go too. My spiritual power is strong and can resist this energy's erosion." Zhen Mi also said promptly.
"I can purify that energy and be of assistance." Cai Yan also spoke up.
"I'll go in to protect you." Sun Shangxiang quickly responded.
Other soldiers also eagerly offered to go, but Zhou Yan refused.
Zhou Yan considered that the soldiers' spiritual power was relatively weak and they would easily be affected by the energy. However, Diao Chan and the others were different and could be helpful.
So, he nodded and said, "Si Hu, after we go in, you brothers should do a good job of guarding."
"Yes!" Si Hu quickly replied.
This defensive shield was likely meant to prevent the energy inside from escaping. Zhou Yan took out a rune, one that could directly penetrate this shield. He had obtained it from opening treasure chests before, and it unexpectedly proved useful.
He released his spiritual energy to activate the rune and then placed it on the defensive shield.
The rune emitted a glow, creating a passage, and he quickly walked through.
Diao Chan and the others followed closely behind.
As soon as they entered, they were met with a sky full of black energy. This energy was filled with an aura of evil, violence, chaos, and bloodlust.
As if sensing the presence of living beings, this energy seemed to gain a life of its own and began to attack them.
Just as Zhou Yan was about to act, Cai Yan suddenly took out her *Jiaowei Qin* and strummed its strings. A peculiar sound wave surged outwards in all directions.
This was a very strange energy that made one feel serene, as if being purified.
When this sound wave reached the black energy, the black energy, as if encountering its nemesis, began to dissipate and be purified.
"Sister Cai Yan is truly amazing, to be able to purify this black energy." Diao Chan and the others were very surprised, not expecting Cai Yan to possess such an ability.
Cai Yan smiled slightly and replied, "I just felt very uncomfortable from this energy and wanted to try. I didn't expect it to actually work." *Da Feng Novel Network*
"Continue purifying this energy. I, on the other hand, want to see what's inside." Zhou Yan said to Cai Yan.
"Okay."
Cai Yan began to play wholeheartedly. Her RRR-level top-tier zither skill, combined with a purification score, unleashed a wave of zither sound that cleared and purified all the attacking dark energy, turning it into nothingness.
Under this beautiful and melodious music, imbued with supreme divine charm, the space that had been consumed by darkness seemed to welcome a new life.
The entire world seemed to be filled with light, breathing new life into it.
A gentle energy emanated from Cai Yan, like a breath of life, akin to a blessing, a devout prayer. It wasn't a matter of faith, but a pure prayer for the departed.
They seemed to feel that something extremely unfortunate had happened here long ago, as if many lingering spirits had remained, wandering and enduring suffering.
However, all of this vanished, dispelled by the energy radiating from Cai Yan. Cai Yan was like a fairy, mysterious and kind.
There was a vast amount of this dark energy, which had initially rushed towards them like a swarm of bees, but then began to scatter and flee, hiding.
"Lord, I can feel their obsessions. I seem to see the misfortune they encountered..." Cai Yan opened her eyes and looked at Zhou Yan. A faint sadness was on her face, and tears welled up in her eyes. She had seen the misfortune of the races who lived here long ago.
According to Cai Yan, the inhabitants of this place were a race called the Ice Snow Clan.
It was perpetually snowy here, and they had never seen the sun. Every member of the Ice Snow Clan was a natural ice mage.
They loved peace and enjoyed life, and were a harmonious race, living in great accord with each other.
Until one day.
It was a sudden day. A black hole appeared in the sky, and then the entire world was plunged into darkness.
From the black hole emerged a race called the Dark God Envoys, powerful and mysterious, terrifying and bizarre.
They wielded power that caused hearts to falter.
They transformed the animals of the entire Ice Snow World into evil, bloodthirsty, and brutal monsters.
The Ice Snow King, leading all the peace-loving members of the Ice Snow Clan, engaged in battle with the Dark God Envoys.
The outcome was, as expected.
The entire Ice Snow Clan was demonized, becoming one of the Dark God Envoys.
The Ice Snow Clan members who died were transformed into vengeful spirits, attacking all surviving animals and members of the Ice Snow Clan.
The surviving Ice Snow Princess activated the guardian array of the entire Ice Snow Kingdom, in order to prevent these vengeful spirits from leaving the area. They themselves perished here.
Dark God Envoys.
Ice Snow Clan.
The amount of information Cai Yan had obtained was vast, leaving them all deeply shocked.