Chapter 188: Chapter 186: Disciples of Profound Island
Although Qin Li also felt the energy fluctuation, he felt no fear. He then recalled that every June, all the Spirit Beasts for hundreds of miles around the Grand Canyon would evacuate, only returning after the month had passed. ’Could it be that this power only affects Spirit Beasts?’
"Are you alright? If you can’t take it... you should leave this place!" Even though she was a Spirit Beast, Qin Li didn’t want to watch such a beautiful young woman perish before his very eyes. That would be too cruel.
"I’m fine. I’m just... feeling a strange sense of panic. I’m really okay!"
Linghu Feiyue rubbed her smooth forehead, speaking with a slightly tense expression.
"Don’t force yourself. This is no joke!" Qin Li’s expression gradually grew serious as the unfathomable energy fluctuation intensified. In response, Linghu Feiyue’s face grew increasingly pale.
’It seems this mysterious and unpredictable power of nature is indeed harmful to Spirit Beasts!’
The Spirit Beasts native to this area must all be aware of this, which was why they left every June. But this girl from the Fox Race, who was not a local, was oblivious. That’s why she felt no instinctive fear.
In truth, Profound Island wasn’t only accessible on the sixth day of the sixth month each year. True disciples of Profound Island could enter and exit at will. However, each trip required the consumption of one Mid-grade Spirit Stone, and one needed at least Celestial Level strength to activate it.
And that was a Spirit Stone! Not some ordinary jade, and certainly not a rock you could find just anywhere!
Therefore, unless it was for an exceptionally urgent matter, or if one was an extremely wealthy core disciple of a sect, very few people would use this method to travel to and from Profound Island.
Moreover, there was another uncertainty: when using a Spirit Stone to open the gate to Profound Island, the destination—whether entering or exiting—was completely random!
In other words, if you opened the gate from this Grand Canyon using a Spirit Stone, you could very well be transported to a completely unfamiliar location. And that wasn’t all. Profound Island was immense, spanning thousands of miles from north to south and east to west! It was far larger than most human kingdoms!
It was inhabited not only by humans but also by countless, immensely powerful Spirit Beasts!
If Qin Li hadn’t been delayed by his trip to the New Qin Kingdom to rescue Zhao Qianqian, he might have used this method, braving the risk to get inside and slowly gather news about Four Seasons Valley and his mother, Qin Hanyue.
But precisely because of that delay, Qin Li had decided to take advantage of the free entry this June. After all, once inside, it wasn’t far to a large town where he could regroup, buy a map, or hire a carriage and proceed at his own pace.
All of this was information Qin Hanyue had passed on to Qin Li. It was what the father he had never met had told her years ago. In fact, Qin Hanyue and Qin Xue had also entered Profound Island when its gate had opened.
Back then, however, Qin Hanyue had never told him there were such powerful Spirit Beasts in these wilds. Otherwise, he never would have felt at ease letting the two of them make such a long journey alone.
Linghu Feiyue panted softly, but an unyielding light shone in her eyes. "No, I’m not leaving!" she said stubbornly. "This is just a pressure created by the world itself. It... it can’t hurt me!"
"Look at the state you’re in! And you still say it can’t hurt you? Little Fox, you can still make it if you leave now! Spiritual damage is far more terrifying than physical injuries. Go!" Qin Li shouted, his eyes wide.
"Are... are you... worried about me?" Linghu Feiyue’s face grew even paler, and her entire body began to tremble. The sky was clear and washed in an azure blue, yet the unfathomable pressure felt as though it were descending, about to crush them from directly overhead.
"You talk too much damn nonsense! I can’t stand you, so hurry up and scram!"
Watching Linghu Feiyue’s condition, Qin Li grew increasingly anxious. To see a beautiful life perish before his eyes while he stood by, helpless, was a unique kind of torture.
"Go, go, go! Get the hell out of here now!" Qin Li roared.
"Hee hee, you sound so fierce. But why does hearing you like this make my heart feel so warm? It’s so strange!" A dazed look entered Linghu Feiyue’s exquisite eyes, and she began to sway back and forth as if she were drunk.
A flicker of hesitation crossed Qin Li’s eyes. The gate to Profound Island could open at any second. ’But this little fox beside me... she might not even last that long!’
Finally, Qin Li gritted his teeth, scooped Linghu Feiyue into his arms, and leaped down the cliff face. Even if he missed the gate’s opening, even if it meant wasting a Mid-grade Spirit Stone, even if he’d get lost the moment he entered Profound Island... He could not just stand by and watch this young woman die before his eyes.
But who could have known? In the very instant Qin Li scooped up Linghu Feiyue and leaped from the towering cliff, an oval Energy Body of shimmering, seven-colored light—dozens of meters high and more than ten meters wide—suddenly materialized on the sheer rock face!
The immense energy fluctuation radiating from it was staggering, making one feel utterly insignificant in comparison.
Before it, Qin Li felt like a single drop of water, while the seven-colored Energy Body was the vast Great Sea!
Heavens, this... this was the gate to Profound Island? Qin Li had no time to marvel at the hypnotic beauty of the constantly shifting, seven-colored energy. He was simply too shocked. ’No wonder,’ he thought. ’No wonder all the Spirit Beasts, no matter how powerful, flee this massive canyon this month. If this energy were ever to erupt, the destruction it would cause is truly unimaginable!’
Just then, an immense suction force pulled at them. Faced with this mysterious power of the world, all of Qin Li’s desperate struggles were in vain.
The girl in his arms, Linghu Feiyue, had an expression of extreme agony. Qin Li could only press one hand to the center of her back, continuously channeling the Innate Purple Qi—itself one of the world’s purest energies—into her body. Though her face was still contorted in pain, her vital signs slowly began to stabilize.
WHOOSH!
Two figures instantly vanished into the massive sphere of light. In that same moment, Qin Li sensed that the mysterious power within the sphere was immensely beneficial to his body. For a fleeting instant, he felt as if he were being submerged in water made of pure Spiritual Qi.
An incredible feeling of comfort spread through his entire body!
Unfortunately, the next moment, he and Linghu Feiyue were outside the sphere’s range. Qin Li found nothing but air beneath his feet—the ground was still dozens of meters below!
For anyone sucked in without warning, a fall from this height would be enough to kill even a Profound Level Martial Artist!
For Qin Li, however, such a height was nothing. Cradling the unconscious Linghu Feiyue, he glided down and landed safely on the grassland below.
A gentle breeze swept by, revealing a narrow path hidden in the grass, winding its way into the distance.
At the same time, Qin Li saw a group of six or seven people standing a few hundred meters away from the sphere of light. Judging by their attire, they appeared to be disciples from the same sect, and all of them looked quite young. They were clustered around a handsome young man like stars orbiting the moon.
The young man looked to be in his early twenties. He was tall and slender, with sharp brows, bright eyes, and a face as fair as jade. He wore a Hair-Binding Gold Crown, a sapphire-blue robe, and carried an antique-looking longsword on his back.
They were currently sizing up Qin Li and his companion, their eyes holding a hint of surprise. When they saw the peerless beauty in Qin Li’s arms, their expressions turned to stunned admiration. Even the two attractive young women in their group couldn’t help but stare.
Qin Li glanced at them. Judging from the fluctuations they emitted, they were all at the Celestial Level. He couldn’t help but sigh internally. A realm that Martial Artists in the Mortal Realm spent their entire lives pursuing seemed so commonplace here on Profound Island. He wasn’t sure if it was tragic or just ironic.
Then again, Qin Li understood that most of the people who came here were likely young disciples preparing to go out for training in the Mortal Realm, which meant they were a cut above the rest. It didn’t necessarily mean all young people on Profound Island were this powerful.
Qin Li had no desire to speak with them. His own future on Profound Island was uncertain, and he didn’t know which powers were on friendly terms. If he accidentally made enemies, it would be a huge headache. Besides, he didn’t want to offend them. Anyone who reached the Celestial Level at such a young age was bound to be arrogant.
His experiences in both his past and present lives had taught him one thing very clearly: geniuses were proud creatures.
’Seems I’m pretty proud myself...’ A faint smile touched the corners of Qin Li’s mouth. He turned to leave, but at that moment, Linghu Feiyue stirred in his arms. "I’m still alive?" she mumbled groggily. "That’s wonderful. I really thought I was going to die."
Her voice was soft and sweet with a hint of languor, making the hearts of the young men nearby flutter. Her natural allure, combined with her impossibly innocent, pale blue eyes, held a fatal attraction for them.
"Heh, very lucky. Let’s go," Qin Li said with a soft chuckle. Without a glance at the others, he prepared to leave, still carrying Linghu Feiyue in his arms.
"Hey, wait!"
Seeing that Qin Li was about to leave, the young man at the center of the group grew impatient.
"Is something the matter?"
Qin Li turned and saw a flash of avarice in the young man’s eyes as he stared at Linghu Feiyue. Qin Li’s brow furrowed. ’A beautiful face is truly a magnet for trouble,’ he thought. ’Looks like I’ll need to get this Little Fox a mask.’
"Hey, kid, you’re an outsider, right? No wonder you’re acting so arrogant after seeing our uniforms!" one of the other young men said haughtily. "Our Young Master is speaking to you. You’d best know your place and not cause trouble for yourself!"
