Night was like ink, and the forest like a sea.
Xiao Qi, holding the weakly-breathing Liu Yun, activated Wandering Dragon Nine Turns to its extreme. His form became a blue smoke almost blending into the night, not daring to linger. Behind him, the Silver-Faced Envoy's cold spiritual sense was like marrow adhering to bone, several times sweeping over the area where they hid. The nearest time, it nearly grazed the treetops above their heads.
Xiao Qi held his breath, condensing himself and Liu Yun's auras to the lowest, even employing a trace of the Purification Source's power to cleanse the faint spiritual energy fluctuations and blood scent around them. Only when that chilling spiritual sense thoroughly faded did he slightly relax, but still dared not slacken. He continued deeper toward the northeast.
It was not until dawn's first light appeared at the horizon that, confirming they had temporarily shaken off pursuers, Xiao Qi stopped in a concealed mountain stream crack. He gently set down Liu Yun and checked her injuries.
Liu Yun's face was pale as paper. Blood still stained her lip corners. Her aura was very weak. Taking a Golden Core cultivator's strike head-on, for her Foundation Establishment mid-stage cultivation, was an extremely serious injury—meridians damaged, dantian shaken.
Xiao Qi's heart ached. He quickly fetched healing pills, carefully feeding her. Then, with his own pure spiritual energy mixed with a trace of mild purifying power, he slowly transmitted it into her body, helping her dissolve the pill's efficacy and repair damaged meridians.
Several hours later, Liu Yun's breathing gradually stabilized. Some color returned to her face, but she remained unconscious and needed quiet recuperation.
Xiao Qi dared not linger long in one place. After simply disposing of traces, he carried Liu Yun on his back and set off again. He released the rabbit spirit from the spirit beast pouch. The little creature immediately anxiously circled Liu Yun, rubbing its furry head against her cold hands.
Don't worry, Senior Sister will be fine. Xiao Qi touched the rabbit spirit's head, whispering. The rabbit spirit seemed to understand. It quieted down, hopped to Xiao Qi's other shoulder, and alertly served as a sentry.
The following days were a long and arduous flight and journey. They dared not enter any towns, only traversing wild mountains and forests, eating outdoors and sleeping under the sky. Xiao Qi relied on his powerful spiritual sense and the Eight Wilderness Universe Map to carefully avoid areas where cultivators might be active, choosing the most remote paths.
The scenery constantly changed along the way. They crossed rolling mountains shrouded in clouds and mist, where demon beasts lurked; crossed roaring rivers with torrential currents and hidden dangers; traversed primeval forests where humans rarely ventured and venomous insects infested. They witnessed mortals struggling to survive on barren land, and also distantly viewed mountain peaks occupied by small cultivation families, where spiritual energy was relatively abundant.
The vastness and complexity of the cultivation world far exceeded their imagination during their time at Qingxu Temple. Here, there were not only orderly righteous sects like Qingxu Temple and Flaming Sun Sect, but also countless rogue cultivator strongholds chaotic yet full of opportunity like Qingrong City. Various cultivation families and heterodox cultivators (demon cultivators, ghost cultivators, etc.) occupied territories, forming a bizarre, survival-of-the-fittest real world.
Several days later, Liu Yun finally slowly awoke. Though her injuries were not yet healed and her strength greatly diminished, she could at least move on her own. Seeing the exhaustion in Xiao Qi's eyes and the hardships of their journey, her heart was both touched and guilty.
I'm sorry, Xiao Qi. I'm the one who held you back. Liu Yun whispered.
What are you saying, Senior Sister? Xiao Qi smiled, handing her a freshly picked wild fruit. Without you taking that strike for us, neither of us could have escaped. We are one entity. There's no such thing as burdening each other.
Liu Yun took the fruit, bit into it. Sweet and sour juices melted in her mouth. Looking at Xiao Qi's determined profile, warmth surged in her heart. She said no more.
With Liu Yun sharing lookout and travel duties, their pace greatly increased. They headed east, following the eastern sea shore direction indicated by Tianjizi.
The further east they went, the more abundant moisture filled the air. Spiritual energy seemed to carry a trace of the ocean's unique briny saltiness and vastness. The terrain gradually flattened, with vast plains and hills appearing.
They began carefully approaching small markets and rogue cultivator gathering spots along the way. They exchanged some unnecessary materials for necessities, while also gathering information about the Eastern Sea.
From this fragmented information, they learned that the eastern sea shore did not refer to one specific place but an extremely vast region. There was endless ocean, scattered islands, human cultivator port cities with Wanghai City as their representative, mysterious sea clan forces, powerful and elusive demon beasts in the sea, and many legends about overseas immortal mountains and ancient ruins.
Deep within clouds and mist. Xiao Qi pondered these four words, feeling like searching for a needle in the ocean.
This day, they finally arrived at the edge of a massive inland lake—the Yunmeng Great Marsh. According to maps and gathered information, crossing this ocean-like marsh and going a bit further east would bring them to the true eastern sea shore.
Standing on the marsh shore, as far as the eye could see, water and sky shared the same hue. Mist rolled across the vast waves. Countless reed marshes rose and fell with the wind, like a green ocean. The air was thick with water spiritual energy. Occasionally, cultivators driving boat-type magical artifacts could be seen shuttling across the water, along with some low-grade water-dwelling demon beasts swimming in shallow areas.
So magnificent. Liu Yun gazing at this boundless water, could not help but exclaim. Qingxu Temple was located among mountains. When had she ever seen such a vast water landscape?
Once we cross this marsh, it's the Eastern Sea. Xiao Qi's gaze looked toward the east. His heart held both vigilance for the unknown and a trace of anticipation for soon reaching their goal.
They needed a boat, or some artifact capable of long-duration water surface or low-altitude flight, to safely cross this vast water area. However, whether buying or renting required spirit stones, and their status as hunted by the Shadow Snake Pavilion made them dare not easily appear at crowded docks.
Let's first find a place nearby to stay, inquire about ways to cross the marsh, and. see if we can take some jobs to earn spirit stones. Xiao Qi made his decision.
Outside a relatively remote small village on the marsh edge, where fishermen and low-grade rogue cultivators mixed, the two found an abandoned fishing hut to temporarily shelter in.
The eastern sea shore was now in sight, but the sprawling Yunmeng Great Marsh before them and possible Shadow Snake Pavilion pursuit along the route remained enormous challenges. Their journey was far from over. The true adventure of searching for the Azure Dragon Soul Crystal was about to officially begin on the shores of this vast water region.