So we really are close to Heaven?
Li Xiaofei split off a strand of his divine sense to check on Ishihara Masami, who remained within the Secret Time Pavilion. She showed no signs of change.
Reassured, he stopped dwelling on it and turned his full attention to the battle, focusing on protecting the mute girl and the Black Emperor.
Once the group had steadied themselves, dealing with the water ghosts became noticeably easier. Husi and his companion scattered Star Silver powder in wide arcs. They also unleashed talismans etched with yellow backgrounds and crimson runes. Both techniques were incredibly effective against ghostly entities.
Sizzling sounds of corrosion rang out along with blinding flashes of light. Numerous water ghosts shrieked in agony around the two mercenaries, dissolving like snowflakes dropped into boiling water.
“Black dog’s blood!” Song Yu called out from the side.
According to ancient lore, black dog blood was a potent bane against evil spirits. When it heard this, the Black Emperor bared its fangs and snarled furiously at Song Yu. It wasn’t going to forget this. One day, it swore it would leave a steaming pile on her pillow.
A few moments later, the water ghosts began to retreat. It seemed they possessed a measure of intelligence. Realizing they could not overwhelm the living cultivators, they ceased their futile assault and withdrew.
Li Xiaofei exhaled slowly in relief. Yet, for some reason, the sense of danger hadn’t vanished. The thick fog still hung heavy around them and was only growing denser. Even with his vision fully extended by his cultivation, Li Xiaofei found he couldn’t see beyond a hundred meters.
“Huff...” Husi gasped for breath, chest heaving violently.
The recent battle had drained a considerable amount of his energy. Beside him, Fei Lun wasn’t doing much better. His entire body was drenched in sweat.
In contrast, Chu Xiang, who was protected by Hua Dongcheng, and Xia Zi remained composed throughout. Xia Zi’s massive companion had not moved a single muscle during the entire fight. The towering man simply stood guard behind him, clutching that large box tightly as if his life depended on it.
The old Chancellor said nothing. After sensing the surroundings carefully for a moment, he took the lead again. Only this time, he moved slowly. Read complete version only at novel✦fire.net
The group followed close behind. The fog grew thicker and the cold deeper. Even Li Xiaofei began to feel a chill seeping into his bones. Husi and Fei Lun, the Mythic Mercenary Group members, were visibly suffering. Their teeth were chattering as frost formed visibly on their specially-treated armor.
The fog and frost were more terrifying than ordinary ice. Now, it became obvious who stood where in terms of strength. The two mercenaries were clearly the weakest among them.
Next was Chu Xiang. The red-haired beauty’s cultivation level seemed to be around the same as Husi and Fei Lun. But what she lacked in power, she made up for with her ‘super lover.’
Hua Dongcheng seemed to be a seasoned expert. Though his true strength remained unclear, his arsenal of magical treasures was undeniably impressive. A golden orb floated above his head, emitting a soft, radiant glow. The warm light wrapped around both him and Chu Xiang, completely shielding them from the freezing mist.
The old Chancellor and Song Yu were clearly powerful cultivators as well. Both remained calm on the surface, but had silently activated their full strength to resist the cold.
They walked for several hours. Li Xiaofei estimated silently that they had likely not even covered a thousand kilometers. Suddenly, his ears twitched.
The sound of dripping water echoed from the distance. It was eerie. It really did sound like droplets falling from a great height, landing in a still lake and sending out rippling waves.
But that couldn’t be right. This was the Purple Nebula Forbidden Zone. The area was filled with all manner of thin gases, so there shouldn’t be any large bodies of water.
Yet the old Chancellor suddenly stiffened, his spirit lifting. “That sound—water! We’re close to the Heavenly River!”
He quickened his pace. Li Xiaofei and the others followed closely behind. Husi and Fei Lun, however, had clearly reached their physical limits. But with a quick glance at each other, they each pulled a Fire Dragon Pill from their robes, popped it into their mouths, and forced themselves onward.
“I thought you were here to retrieve a family heirloom for your employer,” Li Xiaofei asked, pausing curiously. “Is it supposed to be in the Heavenly River?”
Husi’s mouth twitched and said, “Just hoping to get lucky.”
Li Xiaofei didn’t press further. He understood that those two were almost certainly lying. In fact, he was certain that no one here was telling the truth.
As they walked, the sound of dripping water gradually changed into the gentle murmur of a flowing stream. Then the gentle murmur became a rushing current. Soon, that current roared like floodwaters, thundering and howling through unseen ravines. Finally, they heard the unmistakable crashing of mighty waves.
The old Chancellor in front suddenly let out a cry of joy, “We’ve found it! The Heavenly River, we’re here!”
Everyone’s heart stirred as they quickened their steps. A thousand meters ahead, a wave of moist air swept over them.
Unlike the earlier white mist, this air was warm and damp. It carried a subtle hint of comforting heat, instantly dispelling the bitter chill that had clung to their bodies.
Husi and Fei Lun began yawning uncontrollably, their tension slowly melting away. Li Xiaofei stepped up beside the old Chancellor and peered ahead. There, just a few meters away, a vast river came into view. Its waters were murky and fast, crashing against themselves in torrents of frothy white spray.
As he stood on the riverbank, Li Xiaofei looked out across the Heavenly River, and he couldn’t see the other side. He stared at the murky waters in a daze, falling into deep thought, Is this really the legendary Heavenly River? Why does it feel more like I’ve arrived at some heavily polluted coastal stretch of the Bohai Sea on Earth?
This... is the place spoken of in myth? thought Song Yu. Even Song Yu looked somewhat disappointed. She turned to the old Chancellor and asked, “Are you sure?”
But the old man was brimming with excitement, unable to contain his joy. He rushed forward to the river’s edge and shouted, “Yes! Hahaha, we’ve found it! This is it! I can feel the energy. It’s real, I’m sure of it, this is definitely—”
A massive black tentacle suddenly shot out from the murky river without the slightest warning. It wrapped around the old Chancellor and yanked him straight into the water. The attack came so abruptly that no one reacted in time.
A moment later, the old Chancellor surfaced, flailing, his head briefly breaking through the churning waves as he screamed, “Help me—argh! Glug glug glug...”
Then he was pulled under once more.
“My lord!” cried Luo Ge. She instantly bolted into the Heavenly River with no thought for her own safety.
Husi, Chu Xiang, and the others instinctively retreated in the opposite direction. Anyone could tell that the creature hidden within the river was terrifying beyond measure. That tentacle alone suggested it was of an extremely high stage. If any of them were caught by it, death would be all but certain. And who could say what other horrors lurked beneath that turbid surface?
Yet Luo Ge didn’t hesitate and charged in at once. Li Xiaofei hesitated for only a brief moment, then moved.
It wasn’t out of any particular loyalty to the old Chancellor. But the fact was, they had made it this far because of him. If they wanted to find Heaven and survive once they got there, they still needed this guide horse who knew the path.
Blade intent surging wildly around him, Li Xiaofei dove headfirst into the Heavenly River.
A large patch of bloody foam suddenly surfaced on the river, followed by a thunderous boom.
Li Xiaofei burst out of the water, holding the old Chancellor in his left hand and Luo Ge in his right. He landed swiftly on solid ground.
Yes, solid ground. Where there was a river, there was always a shore. It was no longer cold fog or illusionary haze beneath their feet, it was real, physical soil.
The old Chancellor choked and coughed violently, but aside from the scare, he appeared unharmed. Luo Ge was drenched from head to toe, and her left arm was missing, blood pouring freely from the wound.
But Li Xiaofei emerged without a single scratch. That sight sent a shockwave through the crowd. In that instant, everyone became aware of something they had previously overlooked, something they hadn’t dared to consider.