Chapter 848: Approaching Danger Step by Step

Zhao Ruizhi's eyes gleamed with excitement. The prospect of eternal life was so captivating that he completely disregarded Zu An and the others. After all, taking over the Crown Prince's body was a last resort. If he could truly achieve immortality, wasn't it far better to remain in his own body?

He walked to the edge of the floating island, about to fly towards the three islands suspended in the air. Though hundreds of meters away, the distance was negligible for him. However, a sudden thought made him stop. After a brief hesitation, he instructed He Li, who was standing nearby, "You fly up and take a look."

He Li's face immediately paled. While he was curious about the fortunes these "immortal mountains" might hold, his inherent timidity and caution made him instantly realize the emperor's intention: he was meant to be the scout. Having endured over half a month of catastrophic upheaval, he knew that despite the seemingly peaceful scenery now, there was no telling what dangers lay hidden within.

However, he had no choice but to obey the order. A plan quickly came to mind. He stepped aside and instructed several experts from the Qi King's Mansion to go ahead and scout. He promised them that any valuable items they discovered first would be theirs. These individuals were typically rather simple-minded and easily persuaded. Predictably, upon hearing the offer, the experts' breathing quickened.

The distant immortal mountains were truly magnificent, resembling nothing less than the legendary abodes of immortals. If they could be the first to reach them, there was no telling what immortal fortunes awaited. Even if nothing else was found, there were at least those extraordinary, mysterious fruits. Consuming them, if not completely transforming their bodies, would likely boost their cultivation by a significant level. So, the men eagerly agreed.

From a distance, Zhao Ruizhi's expression was an unreadable half-smile. He Li was indeed a clever fellow; as long as someone scouted ahead, he didn't care who it was. As for any truly valuable items they might find, if he didn't care for them, that was one thing. But if he did, would he really let them keep them?

The experts from the Qi King's Mansion, being below ninth-rank cultivation, were unable to fly. However, with the world now stable, various small floating islands drifted everywhere, and the distance between them wasn't too great. Given their cultivation, leaping across was not difficult. He Li even gave them a push. With his peak ninth-rank cultivation, he could easily hurl a stone of his own weight a considerable distance. Leveraging He Li's push, the experts launched themselves with a powerful kick, shooting like cannonballs towards the nearest small floating island. Fearing their companions would beat them to it, each man exerted every ounce of strength.

However, halfway through their leap, their expressions suddenly changed. "What's going on?" Someone cried out in terror, realizing that their internal energy had suddenly vanished! Their bodies then plummeted like lumps of iron. They thrashed their arms frantically, like drowning people desperate to grasp something, but in mid-air, there was nothing for them to hold onto. Soon, all of them plunged from the sky, their desperate, terrified screams echoing, making those who heard them turn pale.

Over this period, the dense fog below had been steadily rising, and was now not far from the small floating islands in the air. However, unlike the initial oppressive blackness, the sky above had now reappeared, and the dark fog had gradually taken on a pink hue, beautiful like an evening sunset. The men swiftly fell into the thick fog, and their screams abruptly ceased.

"Huh?" With such a commotion, it was difficult for Zu An, who was on the other side, not to notice. The laws of heaven and earth were clearly stable now, so why did they fall? And if large floating islands could hover in the sky, why couldn't much smaller individuals?

He quickly asked Mi Li, realizing he was becoming quite dependent on her. It was like a popular saying from his previous life: "When in doubt about external affairs, ask Google; internal affairs, ask Baidu; bedroom affairs, ask..." *cough cough*... In short, Mi Li had become his personal Google and Baidu.

Mi Li explained, "Every world possesses its own unique rules, which can be incredibly diverse; one simply has to accept them. Grandmasters and even Earth Immortals can establish their own domains, which are essentially miniature worlds where they dictate the rules. They often implement rules that differ from the norm to weaken enemies entering their territory. An adversary unaware of this can suffer significant losses."

Zu An immediately remembered his previous encounter with Zhao Ruizhi, where he was directly immobilized by the emperor's domain. Had it not been for the cataclysmic changes in the world, which caused a chaotic disruption of elemental forces and consequently his opponent's domain, Zu An would likely have perished long ago.

Mi Li continued, "This secret realm is clearly similar; it must enforce a no-fly rule. As for why these massive floating islands can float while people cannot, you needn't delve into the reasons. Simply understand that if it exists, it is inherently rational. You may even encounter more astonishing rules in the future."

Zu An listened, understanding some parts but not others. He mused that it was truly incredible to be able to define one's own world. If he ever gained the power to dictate the world's laws, he vowed there would be beaches and waves everywhere, streets filled with bikinis, and people allowed to wear nothing more than tank tops and hot pants...

Just then, Mi Li's voice cut in: "Pay close attention to that red mist. Even though there's no lightning now, why did those people's screams vanish the moment they fell into it?"

"Is it poisonous?" Zu An wondered.

"If it were merely poisonous, you should count yourself fortunate, as you are now immune to all poisons," Mi Li said, frowning. "However, even a potent venom wouldn't instantly silence those experts. Furthermore, this mist is rising, slowly but steadily, and will eventually reach this spot."

On the other side, the death-sworn guards from the Qi King's Mansion, seeing the horrific fate of their comrades, dared not attempt it themselves. He Li's scalp prickled with dread. "It's over," he thought. "What if the emperor orders me to go next?"

Fortunately, Zhao Ruizhi was clearly too preoccupied to pay him any mind, instead intently gazing at the mist below from the cliff edge. Suddenly, he extended his hand, and a terrified roar echoed from the mountain forest. The tail of a nearly hundred-meter-long giant python was already clasped in his hand.

The giant python thrashed desperately, attempting to coil around Zhao Ruizhi while simultaneously snapping its wide jaws at him. Zhao Ruizhi snorted coldly and flicked his wrist. The giant python's body rippled like a wave, and with that single motion, all its bones shattered. Its entire body went limp, like a noodle, completely unable to resist. Despite having cultivated to its current level, it ultimately failed to overcome the inherent weaknesses of a serpent.

The fierce beasts in the forest recoiled in terror, as if a greater distance from him offered more security. The surrounding crowd swallowed hard, each person marveling at his immense power. Such a fearsome, high-level beast had been subdued by him with effortless ease.

Zhao Ruizhi then lifted the giant python and lowered it into the pink mist below. The enormous snake, with its exaggerated length, barely managed to touch the edge of the mist. Soon, he frowned and pulled the giant python back up. The faces of those around him instantly changed. Only half of the giant python's head remained; the front portion had completely vanished. There wasn't even a drop of blood at the severed end, as if it had been sealed by some unknown force.

Everyone finally understood why the screams of those men had instantly vanished after they fell: they, like the snake's head, had been completely corroded by an unknown, mysterious force. Seeing that the dense mist continued to rise, most people present were filled with despair.

Zu An secretly lamented, "This man is truly ruthless. That giant python had guarded his dwelling for over half a month, serving as a companion in battle, yet he turned his back on it so quickly."

Bi Linglong's small face was also deathly pale. "The imperial family is indeed the most ruthless." She should have understood this truth, but previously, as the Crown Princess, and with the emperor always favoring the Crown Prince, those ruthless tactics were directed solely at enemies. She had even rather admired, perhaps even worshipped, them. But now, as an enemy of the emperor, she truly grasped how terrifying they were.

Zu An gently patted her hand in comfort. At that moment, Zhao Ruizhi's cold voice came from the other side: "Stop your flirting and figure out how we're going to get up there." Even with his formidable abilities, he was now somewhat at a loss. Ultimately, the rules of this new world were too restrictive for him; otherwise, a mere few hundred meters would pose no challenge. Although he deeply resented Zu An, he had to admit that the man's mind was consistently sharp, and he possessed a multitude of strange and unusual skills. Perhaps he had a solution. The dense mist below was drawing closer. While his cultivation might enable him to withstand such fog for a time, prolonged exposure would be unbearable, especially given his pursuit of immortality.

Hearing Zhao Ruizhi's words, Zu An chuckled, "So you're asking for my help, are you? Well, at least show a little more humility when asking for a favor. How about saying something pleasant to amuse me first?"