After entering the Thousand-Demon Sea.
Following the markings on their nautical chart, the group made stops at islands along the way to recover their true essence whenever it became overly depleted. For two consecutive days, the journey had been smooth, with no signs of danger.
Though they had the nautical chart to guide them, no one dared to lower their guard. They proceeded with great caution and moved at a measured pace.
The journey had thus far been perilous in appearance only. In the blink of an eye, it was already the seventh day since they entered the Thousand-Demon Sea.
By now, they had reached the heart of the sea.
Every now and then, a fleeting glimpse or a sudden surge of aura hinted at the presence of terrifyingly powerful demonic beasts, making the entire group tense and on edge. No one dared to relax, and gradually, a sense of fatigue and irritation began to spread.
The short, stout cultivator had to repeatedly offer reassurance.
"There’s a reef marked on the chart just ahead. Why don’t we rest and recover there before continuing?" suggested the scholar in azure robes, holding the chart and comparing their current position. Everyone agreed.
In the Thousand-Demon Sea, they couldn’t afford to fly until exhausted. Should they run into a demonic beast in such a state, the consequences would be disastrous.
As they spoke, a black speck appeared on the sea’s surface ahead. Upon closer inspection, it turned out to be a tiny reef, only large enough for a dozen or so people to sit and cultivate. It was an uncommon find in the vast ocean.
After confirming that there were no demonic beasts lurking nearby, they landed one after another, taking turns to keep watch while the others sat cross-legged, spirit stones in hand, recovering their energy.
Soon, everyone had regained their full strength. Just as they were about to continue, the short cultivator suddenly raised his hand and pointed in another direction. "We’re heading there!"
Everyone perked up with delight. "Have we reached the cave dwelling?"
Daoist Fan nodded. "Thank you all for your patience. The cave dwelling is on an island just up ahead. At our current pace, we should reach it in about two hours."
"Then what are we waiting for? Let’s go!" the gaunt old man exclaimed excitedly, stomping the ground and shooting off into the air.
The others quickly followed.
This particular area was unmarked on the sea chart. It appeared not to be claimed by any great demonic beasts. Daoist Fan led them in a nearly straight path through the sky. Two hours later, a black line appeared on the horizon.
As they drew nearer, the line gradually revealed itself to be the outline of an island.
The moment the island came into view, everyone’s face showed surprise.
It was far larger than they had anticipated, stretching dozens of li from north to south. In the Thousand-Demon Sea, an island of this size was extremely rare. In all their travels over the past few days, this was the only one they had seen.
The island was covered in lush vegetation, vibrant and full of life.
After confirming there was no demonic beast presence on the island, the group picked up speed. Just as they were about to reach it, Daoist Fan suddenly cried out. "Something’s wrong! Look over there, the cold mist is already spreading. The barrier is about to fail!"
Even without his reminder, the group had already spotted something unusual on the island from above.
Near the southern slope of a central hill, a patch of land stood out.
The hill was covered in soft green grass, but at the center of the meadow, a patch of blue mist had begun to spread. Despite the distance and the harsh midday sun, everyone could feel a subtle chill drifting from the mist.
This had to be the cold mist the short cultivator had mentioned. For some unknown reason, it had already begun to seep out of the underground cave, resembling a blue gem embedded in the earth.
However, the scene around the mist was far less beautiful.
Nearly the entire grassy hill had been coated in a thin layer of frost. The grass blades had turned into sharp ice needles, creating a field of white. It was clear the vegetation had been frozen to death. Even the ancient trees surrounding the meadow had not escaped. They were covered in frost, becoming icy statues.
Under the influence of the cold mist, the chill was slowly creeping outward. It would not take long for the entire island to become a frozen plain, where all vegetation and creatures would be frozen to death.
No wonder there were no demonic beasts nearby. They had likely been frightened away by the aura of the cold mist.
"How could it have spread this fast?" Daoist Fan muttered in dismay, then quickly flew toward the mist.
While he examined the barrier, Qin Sang also flew over. Wrapping his hand in true essence, he cautiously extended it into the cold mist.
The mist did not react, but Qin Sang immediately felt a bone-deep chill pierce through his true essence and reach his hand. In a matter of seconds, his palm began to lose sensation, nearly frozen stiff.
Only then did Qin Sang realize the cold mist had silently begun to invade his body.
His expression changed slightly. He quickly activated his cultivation art, expelling the mist. That brief resistance had already consumed a significant amount of true essence. He fell silent, deep in thought.
This cold mist was strange. In terms of sheer temperature, it was not as extreme as the Malevolent Frost Wind. The Malevolent Frost Wind could be held at bay with true essence and counteracted using heat-based objects, but the cold mist was different.
It infiltrated without any openings, and external methods offered little protection. Once inside the cave, one would have to constantly circulate their cultivation art to keep it at bay.
With that thought, Qin Sang followed Daoist Fan deeper in. After only a few steps, he saw a round, zhang-wide pit that resembled a shallow pond. It descended into darkness, its entrance sealed by a strange barrier, and cold mist was slowly leaking from within.
The others had also begun testing it and had made similar discoveries. Their expressions varied. Thɪs chapter is updated by N0veI.Fiɾe.net
Daoist Fan walked up to the mouth of the cave and examined it for a while before letting out a long breath of relief. He motioned for everyone to step back, then spoke with visible gratitude.
"Thank heavens! We arrived just in time. The barrier is still intact. It’s just that, due to my previous reckless actions, a crack has formed, allowing some of the cold mist to escape. For now, there’s no need to worry about the barrier collapsing.
"However, if we wait any longer and too much cold mist leaks out, the strange phenomena on the island will eventually attract the attention of nearby great demonic beasts. By then, we’ll have no choice but to flee in panic.
"Fellow Daoists, time is of the essence. Shall we head in now?"
The scholar flew to the top of a frosted tree, scanned the surroundings, and said, "Daoist Fan, this is our first time here. Rushing into the cave might not be wise. Who knows whether there are any great demonic beasts lurking nearby? If we go in and they surround the island while we’re underground, we’ll be trapped with no way to escape."
As he finished speaking, the scholar’s eyes narrowed slightly as he looked at Daoist Fan.
Everyone quickly picked up on the implication behind his words.
Qin Sang nodded to himself. Once inside the cave, true essence would be consumed rapidly. It was indeed necessary to eliminate any nearby risks beforehand.
"Daoist Lan speaks with reason," the gaunt elder agreed with a nod.
Daoist Fan’s expression stiffened slightly, but with everyone watching, he had no choice but to yield. "Then, according to Daoist Lan, how should we proceed to ensure absolute safety?"
The scholar smiled and said, "It’s quite simple. We just need to suppress our aura and take a little time to scout the area. Although some cold mist has escaped, its range is limited and shouldn’t be a concern. In my opinion, the cave’s barrier is still solid and shouldn’t be breached anytime soon. Daoist Fan, you’ve simply been overly anxious."