Chapter 383: Flyinghorn Ichthyosaur

The Mortal Realm

It was a world of ice and snow. Heavy snow fell ceaselessly. A biting cold wind swept in.

Qin Sang channeled spiritual power to protect himself from the biting wind, curiously observing the scene before him. After Yun Youzi touched the small blade of grass, everything around them shattered like a reflection in water, and the entire world abruptly transformed. Only at this moment did those present realize that the plants and trees, which had appeared so real, were merely illusions.

In an instant, the sky darkened, merging with the vast expanse of snow, and nothing could be seen. The fierce wind howled. The land had turned into an ice field. All that met their eyes was a vast white expanse, and the wind and snow, sharp as knives, cut across Qin Sang's and Yun Youzi's bodies. Qin Sang suspected that if a mortal stood here, their flesh would already have been stripped away and their bodies torn to shreds. Besides the howling wind, he could hear nothing else.

Yun Youzi, who had been squatting, stood up, nodded at Qin Sang, and walked into the depths of the ice field, facing the wind and snow. The dense forest hadn't been particularly large; one could have flown across it in the blink of an eye with a flying sword. However, now that the ice field had reverted to its true form, Qin Sang and Yun Youzi walked for a long time yet couldn't reach its edge. The ice field seemed to stretch endlessly. At this moment, Qin Sang couldn't help but wonder if they had merely broken an illusion or if they had triggered some restriction and been teleported to another place.

“Brother Qin, after this is over, you can return the way you came. It won't be as troublesome as it is now; you'll be able to leave in just ten breaths,” Yun Youzi's voice transmission timely reminded Qin Sang. “I learned about the spiritual herb that grows here from an ancient text left by a senior. I later found this place through careful exploration. Last time, I only dared to follow the text's instructions and didn't venture into other areas. If Brother Qin isn't absolutely certain, it's best not to go deeper into the ice field.” Qin Sang nodded, knowing his limitations and unwilling to take risks in such a place.

Before he finished speaking, Yun Youzi suddenly stopped. Qin Sang noticed a fissure opening in the ice field ahead, with crystalline ice walls on either side. The ice layer's thickness was unknown, but everywhere Qin Sang could see was solid ice.

“It's down there!” Yun Youzi summoned his escape light and leaped into the ice fissure. Seeing Yun Youzi fly in openly without concealing his form, Qin Sang knew the fissure likely held no danger, so he followed confidently. They descended rapidly along the ice walls.

Not long after, Qin Sang suddenly heard the rushing sound of water. He and Yun Youzi stopped their escape light, hovering in mid-air, and looked down. Below them was still a thick layer of ice, but strangely, a river flowed atop it, unfrozen, its waters rapid and incredibly clear. The riverbed was visible, devoid of fish or shrimp, and the water appeared a faint blue, reflecting the surrounding ice.

Next, Yun Youzi landed on the river's surface and moved in the direction of the current. ‘Swish, swish…’ They walked through a world made of ice, and beneath the silent ice layers, only the clear, pleasant sound of the river flowing and brushing against the ice could be heard.

After walking for some distance, a single silver light suddenly appeared ahead, followed by dozens more silvery points of light entering their view. These silver lights moved erratically in the icy river, and under their illumination, the ice appeared an even deeper, more mysterious blue. In this world of blue, the silver lights danced and chased like stars… The sight was incredibly beautiful, almost dreamlike.

From a distance, the true nature of the silver lights was unclear. Qin Sang suddenly noticed that the moment the lights appeared, Yun Youzi's expression instantly turned solemn. Qin Sang's heart tightened, knowing these silver lights were not simple and likely very dangerous.

“Those silver lights are from Flying Horned Fish-Dragons, a rare ancient beast,” Qin Sang heard Yun Youzi's voice transmission. “The silver light emanates from the lightning power condensed on their tentacles; it’s their most potent attack. Last time I encountered them unexpectedly, I had a very difficult time getting past them. Their population seems to have grown again, but fortunately, we came prepared this time…”

As he spoke, Yun Youzi fumbled around and produced a jade bottle. The jade bottle contained a few drops of transparent liquid, appearing like clear water. But once the bottle was opened, an intoxicating, unique fragrance wafted out. Yun Youzi tilted the jade bottle, carefully pouring out a small amount. The liquid merged with the icy river and disappeared.

Yun Youzi closed the jade bottle and handed it to Qin Sang, confidently saying, “I went back and searched through many ancient texts to find a way to deal with these Flying Horned Fish-Dragons. I formulated this bottle of Drunken Demon Saliva specifically for them. Just a few drops in the river will make them fall into a stupor for a short time. As long as we don't startle them, we can easily pass…”

“Let’s go!” The two moved forward silently and soon saw the true appearance of the Flying Horned Fish-Dragons. At this point, the icy river converged into a bottomless, dark pool. On the surface of the pool, ancient beasts resembling salamanders floated. Their bodies were completely transparent, allowing their internal organs to be clearly seen. The largest ones were several yards long, and even the smaller ones measured about a yard. From the top of their heads extended a sharp tentacle, shaped like a single horn, from which the silver light emanated. Reaching the edge of the dark pool, Qin Sang could clearly sense the incredibly violent lightning power contained within the tentacles. If unleashed, it would undoubtedly cause terrifying destruction. Even more terrifying was the sheer number of Flying Horned Fish-Dragons present!

Qin Sang secretly felt fortunate; Yun Youzi's words were not an exaggeration. The Drunken Demon Saliva was indeed extraordinarily effective. These Flying Horned Fish-Dragons lay like corpses in the water, drifting with the current, truly mesmerized. Recalling all the preparations Yun Youzi had made along the way, simply gathering these spiritual materials would have been difficult, Qin Sang thought. Formulating them into various spiritual medicines was even more so. No wonder Yun Youzi had almost missed their agreed time.

Seeing this, Yun Youzi was overjoyed and urgently urged, “Brother Qin, quickly, into the ice cave!” Qin Sang looked over and indeed saw an ice cave on the opposite side of the dark pool. Knowing that time was of the essence, he immediately soared on his sword, following Yun Youzi into the ice cave.

The moment they swept past the dark pool, the effects of the Drunken Demon Saliva wore off. The Flying Horned Fish-Dragons flipped over and continued their playful activities, completely unaware that their territory had just been infiltrated.

***

The lush green jungle remained as it was. The gray-robed figure appeared silently outside the jungle, his breathing somewhat hurried. The jungle's end was visible at a glance. He surveyed the unusually calm jungle, a hint of suspicion flickering in his eyes.

After a moment of thought, the gray-robed figure leaped into the forest, finally stopping beneath the ancient tree where Qin Sang and Yun Youzi had previously been. Immediately, he began a meticulous search of the surroundings. There were no signs of a struggle… No hidden restrictions or formations that could conceal someone… The suspicion on the gray-robed figure's face deepened, and a subtle anxiety began to emerge. Suddenly, as if he had discovered something, the gray-robed figure sharply turned around, his eyes fixed on the small blade of grass beneath the ancient tree. The corners of his mouth curled upwards into a strange smile.