Chapter 378: Chapter 136: Three Faces Combined, Hui Jiao Transformation
The splendid sunset gradually fades.
In the frontier of the Island Country, deep within Bixiu Island, a patch of green leaves is gently parted.
A man with a righteous-looking face cautiously crawls out, surveys the surroundings briefly, and gestures towards the entrance.
Following him, a pair of young men and women emerge from the hole.
Lu Yanwu glances at the sky; it’s a time when darkness hasn’t fully set in yet.
He patiently waits.
Tong Jia looks at Li Xuan. Months of interacting have let her know that Li Xuan is now also at the high-tier Soldier Master level, which is the same level as her. Yet despite this, she still softly warns him, "It’s your first time out, stay by my side, don’t wander off.
Don’t summon your flying sword; those demons are highly sensitive to flying swords. If you fly in the air, you might get detected."
Li Xuan responds.
The night steadily approaches...
Lu Yanwu steps out first, reaches the seaside, and with a flick of his fingers, the azure sea water wraps around him leading him into it.
Tong Jia waits for Li Xuan.
Li Xuan doesn’t know magic, so he touches the seawater with his finger, and instantly, the water becomes alive, turning into a part of his body.
Tong Jia also immediately envelops herself in water, staying close to Li Xuan.
The three figures blend into the sea water, heading northwest.
At this moment, it’s the height of summer, and the water temperature is not low. On the way from Bixiu Island to the Sea Barrier Reef Realm, there are two or three small islands full of green spirit plants. Li Xuan glances around and spots the main ingredient for the "Spirit Gathering Pill" on one of the islands — the Vermilion Flame Vine.
The Vermilion Flame Vine is the main ingredient for the "Spirit Gathering Pill". After consuming the pill, it can enhance the speed at which one gathers spiritual qi, which is exactly what cultivators need most.
This effect allows cultivators of any tier to keep some on hand.
It’s also one of the most coveted pills among the cultivators of Bixiu Island.
He softly utters, "Vermilion Flame Vine."
Lu Yanwu in front also pauses for a moment, then follows Li Xuan’s gaze and comments, "It truly is."
But after a moment of observation, he adds, "It’s somewhat off the path, and to pick it, we’d have to detour."
After a pause, he continues, "We’ll talk about it when we return; let’s focus on mining first."
The three of them continue onwards utilizing "elementary water merging magic"...
As time passes, the temperature in the water begins to drop, becoming colder and colder. It’s not the body’s coldness, but of the soul.
The chilling sensation in the water feels like needles coming from the front, piercing into the soul of those facing it.
More than half an hour later, this cold sensation reaches its peak, and under the dim moonlight far away, peculiar dark rocks suddenly appear.
These rocks are oddly jagged, towering above the ocean, stretching for tens of miles, resembling the spine of a black serpentine ghost coldly lying in wait for prey.
On the strange rocks, clumps of black smoke are rising, which don’t let any light through, shrouding the rocks, appearing like a huge eerie creature writhing, with twisting shadows creeping.
Aside from the normal sound of waves crashing on rocks, the water also carries some sharp, unidentifiable eerie noises.
Tong Jia, fatigued from repeatedly using magic, withdraws her magic, emerges from the water, and leans towards Li Xuan, saying, "Do you see that black smoke?
We need to wait for the black smoke to clear a path before quickly entering.
Once inside, try not to make any sound, and pick a piece...
She raises her hand, indicating a head-sized piece, "This size of Yin Ore will do. Yin Ore is a Tier Four spirit ore; if we carry too much, we might get hurt."
Li Xuan curiously asks, "Is the black smoke the ghosts?"
Tong Jia attempts to explain, but feeling that it’s not the right time for detailed words, she concisely replies, "Yes."
Having never seen such things, Li Xuan remembers the times he’d skirted places like this during his lone ventures at the fringes of the thirty-six island countries of the conch reef. Sticking to a principle of "if it’s unknown, unnecessary, don’t approach unless absolutely needed," he had never explored those places. But now, with these displaced cultivators from the Illusion Mountain Sect to guide him, he somewhat understands.
He asks again, "Can Mr. Lu deal with ghosts?"
In the water, Tong Jia lightly hits him and remarks, "Stop asking, aren’t you nervous?"
Seeing Li Xuan staring at her, she adds, "I’ll tell you this, if we get touched, we’ll end up like Master Xuwenzi. If we get wrapped in the black smoke, even if it covers just a tiny bit of our body, we won’t come back. We’ll die, alright!"
Li Xuan says, "You don’t come here often? Yet you’re still this nervous?"
Tong Jia replies, "I’m always nervous. It’s because it’s deadly, brother."
After speaking, she gazes afar for a little longer, then turns back to say, "Mr. Lu can handle some, but once entangled, even he might not escape. The wild ghosts here are all mad."
"Focus more; don’t keep asking questions.
If you want to ask, ask when we get back.
Don’t cause too much commotion here."
Li Xuan finds her amusing.
Couldn’t this girl have just answered his previous question straightforwardly earlier?
Saying "can handle some" would have been fine, right?
But she responded with so much, only to tell him not to ask more in the end.
The air falls silent.
The three quietly wait for the distant black smoke to clear.
At this spot, the chilling sea water emits an icy sensation that sears the soul, along with the spirit ores, no wonder this place is loathed by both demons and cultivators.
Li Xuan glances beside him and suddenly notices Tong Jia’s face turning pale.
This female cultivator has helped him a lot. During the time spent together, it’s more like living daily life than surveillance.
Thus, Li Xuan holds her hand.
Tong Jia feels the warmth of his palm and asks curiously, "Aren’t you cold?"
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