The Mist Sea gradually returned to silence.
Only the occasional rumble of distant thunder echoed overhead as the remaining tribulation clouds slowly dispersed.
The smell of scorched seawater still lingered in the air.
Several li ahead, the grey-robed cultivator continued fleeing through the endless white mist.
His speed had dropped considerably.
The violent lightning qi still coursed through his body, clashing against his spiritual energy every time he attempted to circulate his cultivation technique. Every few breaths, a faint arc of silver lightning escaped from beneath his robes before disappearing into the mist.
He frowned deeply.
"My injuries..."
"...are worse than expected."
Originally, he had planned to stop after putting enough distance between himself and the serpent.
Now he no longer dared.
He had spent centuries cultivating to reach the Purple Palace Realm. His instincts, sharpened through countless life-and-death battles, constantly warned him that remaining here any longer would be dangerous.
Behind him...
Someone was still watching.
He couldn't explain why.
His divine sense had been suppressed to barely a few hundred metres by the strange mist, making it impossible to discover anyone deliberately hiding their aura.
Yet...
The feeling refused to disappear.
Almost as if unseen eyes had been observing every one of his movements.
The grey-robed cultivator abruptly stopped atop a broken cliff.
His gaze swept across the surrounding mist.
Silence.
Nothing.
Even so, he slowly raised his hand before forming several seals.
A stream of emerald spiritual energy spread across the surrounding rocks, transforming into hundreds of tiny spirit insects.
The insects scattered in every direction, searching everything within the limits of his weakened divine sense.
Several moments passed.
Nothing.
The insects returned one after another without finding anything unusual.
The grey-robed cultivator frowned.
"...Was I mistaken?"
After another careful glance around, he finally continued moving.
Several hundred metres away, concealed beneath a collapsed stone ridge, Lin Sheng remained completely motionless.
Even his breathing had slowed to almost nothing.
Crystal continuously adjusted his heartbeat, muscle tension and even body temperature to blend with the surrounding environment.
The moment the spirit insects had approached...
Lin Sheng had already entered a state resembling suspended animation.
Only after the final insect departed did Crystal release its calculations.
•[Detection attempt concluded.
Host successfully avoided spiritual perception.
Probability of exposure during previous scan: 1.8%.
Recommendation: Maintain current concealment method]•
Lin Sheng silently watched the retreating figure.
His expression remained calm, yet inwardly he couldn't help becoming more cautious.
Even while severely injured, a Purple Palace cultivator remained extraordinarily troublesome.
Had Crystal not continuously optimized his concealment, he might already have been discovered.
Fortunately...
The opponent's injuries were visibly worsening.
The smell of burnt flesh mixed with blood drifted through the mist.
Every few hundred metres, drops of crimson blood stained the ground.
His aura also continued fluctuating, becoming increasingly unstable.
Crystal immediately began compiling a new assessment.
•[Target vitality continuing to decline.
Lightning qi remains active within meridians.
Estimated combat capability reduced to 41%.
Probability of successful assassination increasing]•
Lin Sheng did not act.
Instead, he patiently followed.
One li.
Two li.
Five li.
The deeper they travelled into the forbidden zone, the denser the mist became.
Even Lin Sheng's Mental Perception experienced increasing suppression.
Fortunately, unlike divine sense, his perception originated from the refinement of both spirit and physique. Although weakened, it still far surpassed what the grey-robed cultivator could currently observe.
Several hours later...
The fleeing figure suddenly staggered.
His body swayed slightly before one knee nearly touched the ground.
He forcefully swallowed another mouthful of blood before stabilizing himself.
A trace of exhaustion finally appeared upon his face.
Without another word, he searched the surrounding cliffs before entering a narrow cave hidden beneath tangled vines.
The moment he entered, formation flags flew from his sleeves one after another.
Within only a dozen breaths, a concealed defensive formation had already taken shape, sealing the cave entrance behind layers of spiritual light.
Inside the cave, the grey-robed cultivator finally relaxed slightly.
He immediately produced several healing pills before swallowing them in one motion.
Then he closed his eyes and began suppressing the raging lightning qi within his body.
Outside...
More than a thousand metres away...
Lin Sheng quietly stopped walking.
His gaze remained fixed upon the concealed cave.
For the first time since this pursuit began...
A faint smile appeared on his face.
His prey...
Had finally stopped running.
The cave remained silent.
Only the faint crackling of lightning qi echoed as the grey-robed cultivator continuously refined the violent energy raging through his meridians.
Outside, Lin Sheng remained perfectly still.
He wasn't waiting for the formation to weaken.
He was waiting for something else.
Crystal had already informed him that although the opponent's injuries were severe, his vigilance had not disappeared. If Lin Sheng attacked now, even if successful, the price he paid would likely be enormous.
Then...
Voices drifted through the mist.
"Hahaha! Looks like we weren't the only ones who entered today."
"I heard someone fought a powerful sea beast nearby."
"If we're lucky, we might find some leftover treasures."
Several figures gradually emerged through the white mist.
Each wore mismatched robes, their weapons stained with dried blood.
Judging by their unruly appearance and the skull emblems embroidered onto their sleeves, they were clearly sea pirates.
There were six of them.
The strongest had only reached the late Qi Refining Realm, while the weakest had yet to reach the middle stage.
They wandered deeper into the mist while constantly scanning the surroundings.
"Captain, there's a cave over there."
"Maybe some senior left behind an inheritance."
The pirate captain's eyes lit up.
"Let's have a look."
Inside the cave...
The grey-robed cultivator slowly opened his eyes.
His expression darkened.
His divine sense might be heavily suppressed, but sensing a handful of Qi Refining cultivators was still effortless.
"...A group of ants."
He had been forced into hiding by a Rank Four beast and hunted by an unknown martial artist.
Now...
Even mere Qi Refining trash dared approach him.
The thought alone filled him with disgust.
Outside, the pirates cautiously approached the hidden formation.
One of them stretched out a hand.
Ripples suddenly spread through the air.
"A formation?"
The captain grinned instead.
"A concealed formation means concealed treasure!"
"Everyone, attack together!"
Several spirit artifacts immediately flew toward the invisible barrier.
Boom!
Boom!
Boom!
The formation trembled slightly.
Not because their attacks were powerful...
But because the grey-robed cultivator had purposely weakened the barrier to conserve spiritual energy while healing.
His expression grew colder.
"Courting death."
He slowly stood.
The instant he prepared to remove the nuisance...
A violent sensation suddenly exploded inside his sea of consciousness.
Lin Sheng moved.
Miles away, his eyes flashed with killing intent.
Without the slightest hesitation, his overwhelming Mental Perception compressed into a single point before erupting forward.
Spiral Mental Spirit Thorn!
Unlike the hurried strike used while escaping...
This attack had been prepared for a long time.
Every ounce of his current Spirit Platform mental strength was compressed into one devastating attack.
The invisible thorn instantly pierced through the mist.
It ignored distance.
Ignored obstacles.
And arrived directly within the grey-robed cultivator's Niwan Palace.
Boom!
The grey-robed cultivator's pupils suddenly dilated.
His body froze where he stood.
Although his Purple Palace instinctively resisted the attack...
His already damaged spirit, weakened by the heavenly lightning and continuous injuries, could no longer withstand such a concentrated assault.
Blood trickled from the corner of his mouth.
His vision blurred.
Even his thoughts became sluggish for a brief instant.
Outside...
The pirate captain blinked.
"...Did you hear something?"
No one answered.
Because at that very moment...
A silver figure silently emerged from the surrounding mist, already charging toward the cave entrance with terrifying speed.
•[Mental attack successful.
Target consciousness interrupted for 2.4 seconds.
Estimated probability of fatal strike during current window: 93.7%
Recommendation: Eliminate target immediately]•
The moment the Spiral Mental Spirit Thorn shook the grey-robed cultivator's consciousness, Lin Sheng moved.
Every ounce of Gangqi within his body erupted simultaneously.
The Rank Three spear trembled violently as boundless Gangqi surged into it.
At the same time...
His Martial Intent exploded.
Wind Intent.
Thunder Intent.
Unlike before, Lin Sheng no longer allowed the two Intentions to operate independently.
Using his Spirit Platform Realm comprehension as the bridge, he forcibly fused them together.
The surrounding wind instantly became violent.
Streaks of blue-white lightning danced within the gales, producing an indescribably destructive aura.
The spear seemed to disappear.
Only a streak of wind wrapped in heavenly thunder remained.
Boom!
The cave entrance exploded apart.
The weakened formation shattered like fragile glass.
The grey-robed cultivator had only just recovered a trace of clarity when Lin Sheng arrived before him.
His pupils contracted violently.
"You—"
The spear struck.
There was no elegant technique.
Only absolute speed.
Absolute destruction.
The fused Wind-Thunder Gangqi pierced directly into the grey-robed cultivator's chest before exploding.
BOOM!!
The violent fusion instantly resonated with the heavenly lightning still raging inside the cultivator's body.
The residual tribulation lightning erupted uncontrollably.
Crack!
Crack!
Crack!
His already damaged meridians collapsed one after another.
Blood sprayed from every pore.
The immense force blasted him through the back of the cave, burying him beneath countless tonnes of collapsing rock.
Silence.
Lin Sheng stood motionless, breathing heavily.
Then—
Pain.
An indescribable pain erupted throughout his own body.
The fused Martial Intent had exceeded what his current physique could safely endure.
The wind continuously tore apart his muscles from within while the thunder scorched his meridians.
Even his Gangqi became chaotic.
Fresh blood trickled from the corner of his mouth.
Crystal immediately completed its analysis.
•[Wind-Thunder fusion exceeds current physique tolerance.
Internal muscle tears: 17%.
Meridian damage: Moderate.
Overall combat capability reduced to 58%.
Recommendation: Immediate recovery required]•
Lin Sheng steadied himself with the spear.
"So..."
"...this is the price."
Before he could catch his breath—
"Captain!"
"He's injured!"
The group of sea pirates, who had been frozen in fear moments earlier, suddenly reacted.
Greed rapidly replaced the terror in their eyes.
A cultivator capable of fighting a Purple Palace expert...
His storage ring alone would contain unimaginable treasures.
The pirate captain gritted his teeth.
"Kill him!"
"He's already at his limit!"
The six pirates charged simultaneously.
Spirit artefacts, talismans and spells flew toward Lin Sheng from every direction.
Lin Sheng merely looked at them calmly.
If this had been before his battle...
They wouldn't even have qualified to make him stop walking.
Now...
They had unfortunately chosen the worst possible moment.
He inhaled deeply.
His Rank Three physique surged once more.
Without using the unstable Wind-Thunder fusion again, he simply relied on pure physical strength.
Boom!
His figure vanished.
The pirate captain only saw a silver blur before Lin Sheng appeared directly before him.
One punch.
His chest caved inward.
The captain was sent flying over a hundred metres before crashing lifelessly into the sea.
The remaining pirates turned pale.
"Run!"
Unfortunately...
They were far too slow.
Lin Sheng stepped once.
Wind Martial Intent silently circulated beneath his feet.
His speed increased explosively.
Within only a few breaths...
Five muffled explosions echoed one after another.
The mist once again became silent.
Six corpses floated quietly upon the sea.
Lin Sheng remained standing for several moments before confirming there were no more hidden enemies.
Only then did he begin collecting everything of value.
Even the corpses themselves were thrown into his storage ring.
After finishing, he returned to the ruined cave.
The grey-robed cultivator remained buried beneath the collapsed mountain, his aura so weak it was almost imperceptible.
Lin Sheng merely glanced at him before sitting cross-legged nearby.
He swallowed several healing pills before circulating the True Scripture Method together with his Rank Three body refinement technique.
Warm currents gradually flowed through his damaged meridians.
The torn muscles slowly regenerated.
Even the chaotic Gangqi began settling under Crystal's precise guidance.
•[Healing process initiated.
Estimated recovery of combat capability to 82% in four hours.
Continue circulation...]•