Translator: CinderTL
The nine passengers aboard the Qicang Flying Ark tensed as Jiang Lanruo suddenly appeared with her entourage.
Song Wen instinctively assumed Jiang Lanruo had come to intercept him.
But after a moment's reflection, he dismissed the idea.
Based on their previous encounters, Jiang Lanruo couldn't see through his physical disguise of his aura.
Her interception of the nine of them must serve another purpose.
Song Wen's gaze shifted, secretly observing the pitch-black figure ahead—Shui Bing, cloaked in black.
The moment he saw Shui Bing, Song Wen had a hunch: "Shui Bing" was actually "Ye Bing."
Hunted relentlessly by the three great families, Ye Bing's only chance of survival lay in fleeing the Qianchang Wilderness.
Jiang Lanruo had clearly anticipated this.
The only ways to escape the Qianchang Wilderness were through the Chi Family's Teleportation Array or by crossing the Rotting Miasma Ridge. Traveling aboard the Dual Polarity Sect's Qicang Flying Ark was undoubtedly far safer than attempting the perilous journey alone.
Though the Dual Polarity Sect was subordinate to the Ye Family, it wouldn't have been difficult for Jiang Lanruo to learn the flying ark's departure time.
Moreover, the eastern region of the Qianchang Wilderness, bordering the Rotting Miasma Ridge, fell under the Jiang Family's jurisdiction. The Qicang Flying Ark had passed through numerous Jiang Family-controlled cities along its route, each teeming with Jiang Family members.
This allowed Jiang Lanruo to easily track the flying ark's movements, enabling her to intercept Song Wen and his group with such precision.
"Disembark immediately, or face the consequences of my ruthlessness!" Jiang Lanruo's voice boomed like thunder, rolling across the distance.
The Qicang Flying Ark came to an abrupt halt.
The nine occupants quickly disembarked, standing motionless on the ground, afraid to make the slightest move.
In an instant, Jiang Lanruo arrived before the flying ark with her entourage.
"Greetings, Senior Jiang. What are your instructions?" Zhong Jun, clearly recognizing Jiang Lanruo, greeted her with a fawning smile.
Jiang Lanruo ignored Zhong Jun, her cold gaze sweeping over the nine figures. Finding no sign of the person she sought, her delicate brows furrowed slightly as her gaze settled on the Qicang Flying Ark.
"Are there any others inside the ark?"
Intense fluctuations of spiritual energy emanated from within the ark, severely disrupting Jiang Lanruo's Divine Sense.
Zhong Jun hastily replied, "Senior, the ark's interior houses the core of the formation. To prevent damage to the formation, no one is permitted to enter."
As he spoke, Zhong Jun produced an Array Disk and deactivated all the formations on the flying ark.
Instantly, Jiang Lanruo's Divine Sense pierced through the ark's interior without resistance.
The scan confirmed Zhong Jun's claim: no one was inside.
Jiang Lanruo's gaze returned to the nine figures.
Jiang Lanruo paid no attention to Song Wen or the five nascent soul cultivators. Her gaze swept over the three Divine Transformation Stage cultivators before settling on Shui Bing.
"Remove your hood," Jiang Lanruo commanded, her tone imperious.
"Yes, Senior," Shui Bing replied without hesitation, raising her hand to remove the hood from her head.
Immediately, a hideously disfigured face was revealed to the group.
Her skin was dark red, covered in fleshy tumors of varying sizes that distorted her features into a grotesque mockery of human form, evoking a nauseating sense of horror.
Earlier, Shui Bing had told Zhong Jun that her appearance was "extremely ugly." Now, her words proved to be no exaggeration.
Simultaneously, with the hood removed, Shui Bing's aura became palpable.
A flicker of surprise flashed deep in Song Wen's eyes.
This was completely different from what he had anticipated. This woman was clearly not "Ye Bing." Her appearance and aura were entirely distinct, and her cultivation level was only at the mid-stage Divine Transformation Stage.
While appearance could be altered through certain methods and cultivation techniques, aura and cultivation level could never be faked.
Unless, like Song Wen himself, she possessed the ability to freely manipulate the strength of her aura.
Jiang Lanruo cast a cold glance at Shui Bing. Realizing she wasn't the person she sought, she dismissed her from her attention.
"Do you intend to cross the Rotting Miasma Ridge?" Jiang Lanruo asked.
Zhong Jun bowed deeply. "Senior Jiang, we indeed plan to cross the Rotting Miasma Ridge to reach the Qicang Domain, seeking opportunities for breakthroughs."
Jiang Lanruo replied, "The Qicang Domain is not the land of endless opportunities you imagine. Even if you survive the perilous journey across the Rotting Miasma Ridge, there's no guarantee you'll find the chance to break through your cultivation bottlenecks. You'd be better off staying in the Qianchang Wilderness and joining the Jiang Family. As long as you serve us diligently, the Jiang Family will not treat you poorly."
The group exchanged uneasy glances, unsure how to respond.
None of them wished to join the Jiang Family. If they had wanted to pledge allegiance to a clan, they would have done so long ago. Why wait until now?
Yet they dared not refuse Jiang Lanruo outright, fearing her displeasure might lead her to strike them down on the spot, ending their lives in vain.
"We appreciate your kindness, Senior Jiang," Zhong Jun said, his voice trembling slightly, afraid of angering her. "However... we are determined to reach the Qicang Domain. We humbly request your permission to proceed."
The others, including Song Wen, held their breath, their hearts pounding in their throats, terrified that Jiang Lanruo might suddenly attack.
Song Wen had already prepared himself to surrender the moment Jiang Lanruo made a move, begging to join the Jiang Family.
If things went south, he could always find a suitable opportunity to betray them later.
However, Jiang Lanruo didn't resort to the ruthless slaughter the nine had feared. She merely snorted coldly, muttered "Ungrateful fools," and left with her two subordinates.
"Phew..."
The nine cultivators collectively exhaled in relief.
"Quickly, board the flying ark and leave this place," Zhong Jun urged.
They hastily boarded the flying ark and set course for the Rotting Miasma Ridge.
Before long, a continuous mountain range loomed ahead, its peaks shrouded in a faint miasma. They had reached the Rotting Miasma Ridge.
The flying ark maintained its speed, plunging directly into the swirling miasma.
Song Wen and the five nascent soul cultivators took charge of piloting the Giant Flying Ship. With only five Sky-Soaring Formations available, one person was left without a designated station.
After discussion, they decided to rotate positions every two hours, ensuring each person got a two-hour rest period every ten hours.
Meanwhile, Shui Bing, Zhong Jun, and Wei Qian positioned themselves at the bow, midship, and stern of the flying ark, respectively, to maintain vigilance over their surroundings.
The flying ark followed its predetermined route, winding through the miasma. After traveling nearly fifty thousand kilometers, Shui Bing, standing at the bow, suddenly spoke:
"Stop the ship!"
Everyone assumed Shui Bing had detected some anomaly and immediately went on high alert.
The five nascent soul cultivators piloting the Giant Flying Ship reacted swiftly, bringing the vessel to a halt in an instant.
"Fellow Daoist Shui Bing, have you discovered something unusual?" Zhong Jun asked.
His Divine Sense had been constantly scanning the surroundings, yet he had detected no signs of danger.
Shui Bing replied, "Rest assured, there are no immediate threats nearby. However, we must wait here for someone."
"Wait for someone? Who are we waiting for?" Zhong Jun's gaze sharpened, his tone turning hostile.
"For the real Shui Bing!" she declared.
"What do you mean by that?" A chilling killing intent began to emanate from Zhong Jun, as if he were poised to strike at any moment.
Shui Bing remained unfazed, her voice calm as she said, "Fellow Daoist Zhong Jun, why the sudden anger? Before you act, consider this: if you kill me, you'll lack the three divine transformation cultivators needed to activate the Profound Kunming Harmony Formation. Without it, you'll likely have to turn back empty-handed."
(End of the Chapter)
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