The Sky Ship that materialized before them was unlike anything Yan Kai had seen before. It was roughly forty feet long and fifteen feet wide, shaped like an elongated boat with a pointed front and a rounded back. The hull was constructed from some kind of pale wood that seemed to glow faintly in the early morning light. Complex formation patterns covered every surface, glowing with soft blue energy that created a gentle humming vibration in the air around it.
The ship floated about three feet off the ground, perfectly stable despite having no visible means of support. A low railing ran around its edges, and the deck appeared to be made from the same glowing wood as the hull. At the back of the ship stood a control pedestal with a flat crystal surface embedded in its top.
"This is a Cloud Piercer model Sky Ship," Elder Tian explained, walking up the small ramp that extended from the ship's side. "It was crafted two hundred years ago by Master Artisan Wei, who specialized in creating flying vessels. The Silver Moon Sect owns three such ships, and this is the fastest of them."
Yan Kai followed his master up the ramp, with the other three disciples close behind. The deck felt solid under his feet despite the ship's weightless appearance. He walked to the railing and looked over the edge, seeing the ground three feet below. It was a strange sensation, standing on something that floated without any visible support.
"How does it fly?" Chen Wu asked, running his hand along the railing with obvious fascination. "I can feel the spiritual energy flowing through the wood, but I don't understand how it creates lift."
"The formations throughout the ship convert spiritual energy into a force that opposes gravity," Elder Tian replied. He moved to the control pedestal and placed his hands on the crystal surface. "The more energy you feed into the ship, the stronger the force becomes. At full power, a Sky Ship like this can carry up to twenty people and travel at speeds that would take a normal cultivator days to match."
Liang Shu was examining the formation patterns on the deck with intense interest. "These are adaptation arrays. They stabilize the ship against wind resistance and turbulence. Very elegant design."
"You have a good eye, Liang Shu," Elder Tian said approvingly. "The adaptation arrays are what allow Sky Ships to travel safely at high speeds. Without them, the wind pressure would tear apart anything on deck."
Jiang Mei stood near the center of the deck, looking somewhat nervous. "Is it safe? I mean, what happens if the formations fail while we're thousands of feet in the air?"
"Then we would fall," Elder Tian said bluntly. "But Sky Ships are among the most reliable transportation methods available. The formations have multiple redundancies built in. For all of them to fail simultaneously would require catastrophic damage to the entire vessel. In two hundred years of operation, this particular ship has never experienced a serious malfunction."
This answer didn't seem to comfort Jiang Mei much, but she nodded and moved to sit near the center where she presumably felt safest. Yan Kai understood her concern. Trusting your life to formations and spiritual energy required a certain amount of faith, especially when you were far from solid ground.
Elder Tian channeled spiritual energy into the control pedestal. The blue glow of the formation patterns brightened noticeably, and Yan Kai felt the ship begin to rise. The movement was smooth and steady, without any lurching or swaying. Within seconds, they were fifty feet above the sect grounds. Within a minute, they were five hundred feet up.
The view was spectacular. Yan Kai could see the entire Silver Moon Sect laid out below them like a detailed map. The white stone buildings looked tiny from this height, and the disciples moving between them appeared as small dots of color. Beyond the sect territory, the Crimson Peak Mountain range stretched in all directions, ridge after ridge of stone and forest extending toward the horizon.
The ship continued rising until they reached an altitude of about two thousand feet. Then Elder Tian adjusted the controls and the ship began moving forward, accelerating smoothly until the wind started rushing past at considerable speed. The adaptation arrays did their work perfectly. Despite their velocity, the air pressure felt no stronger than a mild breeze.
"We're currently traveling at about three hundred miles per hour," Elder Tian announced. "At this speed, we'll reach the Crimson Dawn Sect's headquarters in four days, assuming we maintain this pace and stop only for rest."
"Three hundred miles per hour?" Chen Wu looked amazed. "That's faster than most flying techniques. Even cultivators at the Void Crossing realm would struggle to maintain such speed for extended periods."
"Indeed. This is why Sky Ships are so valuable. They allow even relatively weak cultivators to travel vast distances quickly." Elder Tian gestured toward the front of the ship. "I'll maintain the controls for now. The rest of you should rest or cultivate. The journey will be smooth but long."
Yan Kai found a comfortable spot near the front railing where he could watch the landscape pass below. Chen Wu joined him after a few minutes, his earlier enthusiasm tempered by the reality of the long journey ahead.
"I've never been this high before," Chen Wu said quietly. "Everything looks so different from up here. The mountains that seemed so massive from the ground look like wrinkles in a blanket."
"It provides perspective," Yan Kai agreed. "When you're on the ground, your concerns fill your vision. A difficult cultivation bottleneck or a conflict with another disciple seems enormous. But from up here, you can see how small those concerns really are in the larger world."
"That's almost philosophical." Chen Wu grinned. "I thought you were just a spear specialist, but you think about these things too?"
"Cultivation isn't just about martial techniques and spiritual energy. It's about understanding yourself and your place in the world. My master taught me that lesson years ago." Yan Kai watched a river winding through the mountains far below. "The spear is just a tool. What matters is the person wielding it."
They flew in comfortable silence for a while. Behind them, Liang Shu had settled into a meditation position and was clearly cultivating, taking advantage of the travel time to strengthen her foundation. Jiang Mei had fallen asleep near the center of the deck, exhausted from her sleepless night. Elder Tian stood at the control pedestal like a statue, his attention focused on maintaining their course and speed.
The landscape below gradually changed as they left the Crimson Peak range behind. The mountains gave way to rolling hills covered in forest. Small villages appeared occasionally, clusters of buildings surrounded by farmland. Once, Yan Kai spotted a group of cultivators flying through the air far below them, but they were too distant to identify their sect affiliation.
Around midday, Elder Tian reduced the ship's speed and began descending. They landed in a clearing beside a small lake, disturbing a flock of birds that had been resting near the water's edge. The birds took flight in a flurry of wings and indignant calls.
"We'll stop here for lunch and to replenish the ship's energy," Elder Tian announced. "I'll handle the ship's needs. The rest of you can prepare food and rest your bodies. We'll resume travel in two hours."
Yan Kai stepped off the ship onto solid ground and immediately felt better. Flying was efficient, but there was something unsettling about being suspended in the air for hours. His body appreciated the return to normal conditions.
Chen Wu and Liang Shu began setting up a simple camp while Yan Kai gathered firewood from the surrounding forest. Jiang Mei, now awake, used a water manipulation technique to draw clean water from the lake into their water skins. The team worked together efficiently, each person handling tasks without needing to be told.
They ate a simple meal of rice and dried meat, supplemented by some vegetables that Liang Shu had brought. The food wasn't fancy, but it was filling and provided good energy. Yan Kai noticed that Elder Tian ate very little, only consuming a few bites before returning to the Sky Ship to work on its formations.
"Elder Tian is very dedicated," Jiang Mei observed quietly. "I've heard he rarely sleeps more than an hour a day."
"High-level cultivators don't need as much sleep as normal people," Liang Shu explained. "At his realm, meditation can replace most of the restorative functions of sleep. He probably only sleeps when his mind needs to process complex information or when his body requires deep healing."
"Do you think we'll reach that level someday?" Chen Wu asked. "Being able to go days without sleep, flying at incredible speeds, reshaping reality with our techniques?"
"Some of us might," Liang Shu said pragmatically. "Most disciples never advance beyond the Foundation Tier realms. Reaching the Ascension Tier requires both talent and enormous dedication. Reaching the Supremacy Tier is even rarer. Only one in ten thousand cultivators ever achieves such heights."
Yan Kai understood the statistics. The Silver Moon Sect had approximately three thousand disciples of various ranks. Of those, perhaps two hundred had reached the Ascension Tier. Only five elders had reached the Supremacy Tier. The path of cultivation was littered with people who had stalled at their current level, unable to break through no matter how hard they tried.
After their rest period, they resumed travel. The afternoon passed much like the morning, with endless landscape rolling past beneath them. Yan Kai spent some time practicing his spear forms on the deck, moving slowly and carefully to avoid disrupting the ship's balance. The movements helped keep his muscles loose and his techniques sharp.
As evening approached, Elder Tian guided the ship to another landing spot, this time in a clearing on top of a large hill. From this vantage point, they could see for miles in every direction. The sun was setting, painting the sky in brilliant shades of orange and red.
"We'll camp here tonight," Elder Tian declared. "Set up defensive formations around our perimeter. Jiang Mei, I want you to maintain a detection technique throughout the night. Everyone else will take turns on watch. Chen Wu first, then Liang Shu, then Yan Kai. I'll take the final watch before dawn."
They worked together to establish the camp. Liang Shu drew formation patterns in the dirt around their site, creating a detection array that would alert them if anything approached. Chen Wu used an earth manipulation technique to smooth out sleeping areas. Jiang Mei gathered more firewood while Yan Kai prepared their dinner.
The meal was quiet, with everyone tired from the day's travel. Even Chen Wu's usual cheerfulness was muted. After eating, they each retreated to their sleeping areas, with Chen Wu taking up position at the camp's edge for the first watch.
Yan Kai lay on his sleeping mat and looked up at the stars. They were incredibly bright here, far from any cities or large settlements. The Celestial River, a band of concentrated starlight that ancient cultivators believed connected all worlds, stretched across the sky like a glowing bridge.
His father had taught him the names of various constellations when he was young. The Warrior, holding his eternal sword toward the north. The Phoenix, spreading its wings across the eastern sky. The Dragon, coiling through the western heavens. These patterns had guided travelers for thousands of years before Sky Ships and formation compasses made navigation easier.
Sleep came eventually, though Yan Kai's dreams were troubled. He saw flashes of unknown faces, heard screams that might have belonged to the missing expedition, felt the presence of something dark and hungry lurking just beyond his perception. When Liang Shu woke him for his watch shift, he was almost grateful.
"Anything to report?" he asked quietly, not wanting to wake the others.
"Nothing. Complete silence." Liang Shu looked tired but alert. "Perhaps too much silence. I haven't heard any night birds or animals since sunset. Either we scared them all away, or something else did."
This was concerning. Forests were usually full of night sounds. The absence of normal wildlife often indicated a predator in the area. Yan Kai gripped his spear and moved to the perimeter of their camp, all his senses on high alert.
The night passed slowly. Yan Kai walked the perimeter, checked the formation arrays, and watched the darkness beyond their campfire's light. Nothing appeared, but he couldn't shake the feeling that something was watching them from the shadows. When Elder Tian emerged to take the final watch, Yan Kai was relieved.
"You look tense," his master observed. "Did something happen?"
"No, Master. But Liang Shu noticed the absence of normal night sounds. It's probably nothing, but it made me cautious."
Elder Tian nodded approvingly. "Better to be cautious over nothing than careless when something is wrong. Get some rest. We leave at dawn."
The second day of travel was similar to the first, though the landscape below became more varied. They passed over a large river that wound through the terrain like a silver snake. Several small cities appeared, their walls and buildings looking like toy constructions from their altitude. Once, they saw another Sky Ship in the distance, heading in a different direction.
"That's probably a merchant vessel," Elder Tian explained. "Trading companies use Sky Ships to transport valuable goods between cities. It's faster and safer than traveling by ground caravan."
By the third day, they had left familiar territory completely. The mountains below were different shapes, the forests were denser, and the few settlements they saw used architectural styles unlike those in Silver Moon Sect's region. They were truly in foreign lands now.
On the afternoon of the fourth day, Elder Tian pointed ahead. "There. That's our destination."
Yan Kai looked where his master indicated and saw a massive complex built into the side of a mountain. The Crimson Dawn Sect's headquarters was at least twice the size of the Silver Moon Sect, with dozens of buildings arranged in careful tiers up the mountainside. Defensive walls surrounded the entire complex, and Yan Kai could see the faint shimmer of powerful formations protecting the sect from intrusion.
As they approached, several figures flew up to meet them. These were clearly sect guards, powerful cultivators positioned to intercept any threats to their territory. Elder Tian slowed the Sky Ship and raised one hand in a gesture of peace.
One of the guards flew closer, a middle-aged woman with stern features and cultivation at the Domain Genesis realm. "Identify yourselves and state your purpose."
"I am Elder Tian of the Silver Moon Sect. I bring four disciples in response to your sect's request for assistance with the missing expedition. We were expected."
The guard's expression softened slightly. "Welcome, Elder Tian. We've been anticipating your arrival. Please follow me to the landing area designated for visiting sect members."
They followed the guard to a large flat platform near the sect's main gate. Several other Sky Ships were already docked there, representing different sects that had also sent assistance. Yan Kai recognized the emblems of the Iron Mountain Sect and the Flowing River Sect. Two other ships bore emblems he didn't recognize.
As they disembarked, a delegation came forward to greet them. The leader was an elderly man with a long red beard and eyes that held deep worry. His cultivation was at the Void Crossing realm, equal to Elder Tian's level.
"Elder Tian, thank you for coming so quickly." The red-bearded elder bowed formally. "I am Elder Feng, currently serving as acting sect leader while our Sect Master is... occupied with other matters. Please, allow me to guide you to the council hall where we're coordinating the rescue efforts."
The Crimson Dawn Sect's architecture was impressive. Where the Silver Moon Sect favored simple elegance, this place demonstrated wealth and power. Buildings were constructed from red stone that seemed to glow in the sunlight. Elaborate carvings decorated every surface. Gardens filled with rare spiritual plants lined the pathways.
They entered a large hall where representatives from multiple sects had gathered. Yan Kai counted at least thirty people, including several elders and many disciples of various ranks. The atmosphere was tense, with quiet conversations happening in small groups throughout the room.
Elder Feng moved to a raised platform at the hall's front and raised his voice. "Everyone, please give me your attention. The last of our requested assistance has arrived. We can now begin the formal briefing."
The room fell silent. Elder Feng gestured, and a large map appeared in the air, created by some kind of projection formation. The map showed the Void Mountain range in detail, with various markings indicating different locations.
"As most of you know, our expedition departed three months ago heading for this location." Elder Feng pointed to a spot deep in the mountain range. "This is the site of ancient ruins that our scouts discovered last year. Initial investigations suggested the ruins contained valuable cultivation resources and possibly technique manuals from before the Great Collapse."
He paused, his expression growing darker. "The expedition consisted of fifty disciples ranging from Spirit Refinement to Sovereign Manifestation realms, plus five elders at Domain Genesis or higher. They had sufficient supplies for three months and multiple communication talismans for regular reports."
"For the first month, everything proceeded normally. We received reports every three days describing their progress and discoveries. Then, forty-two days ago, the reports stopped. Completely. We've received no communication since."
A murmur ran through the assembled cultivators. Elder Feng waited for silence before continuing.
"We sent a small scout team to investigate ten days ago. Three disciples, all skilled in stealth and detection techniques. They were supposed to reach the expedition's last known location, assess the situation, and return immediately without engaging any threats."
"They never came back either."
The tension in the room increased dramatically. Yan Kai felt a chill run down his spine. Fifty-five people from the original expedition, plus three scouts. All missing without a trace.
"This is why we've called for help from our allied sects," Elder Feng said gravely. "Whatever is in those mountains is clearly extremely dangerous. We cannot send another small group. We need a proper force, with multiple elders and the strongest disciples available."
An elder from the Iron Mountain Sect stood up. She was a muscular woman with short hair and a scar across her left cheek. "Has anyone attempted aerial reconnaissance? Sky Ships or flying cultivators could observe the area from a safe distance."
"We tried," Elder Feng replied. "Two of our elders flew over the region on a Sky Ship five days ago. They reported seeing nothing unusual from altitude. The ruins appeared intact, there were no signs of battle or destruction, and no indication of where our people might have gone."
"They're just... gone?" This question came from a young disciple representing the Flowing River Sect.
"Yes. That's exactly what happened. They simply vanished."
Liang Shu raised her hand. When Elder Feng acknowledged her, she asked, "What about residual spiritual energy? Even if the people are gone, any major battle or technique usage would leave traces that skilled detection cultivators could identify."
"Another good question. Our detection specialists examined the area as best they could from the Sky Ship. They reported feeling strange fluctuations in the spiritual energy, but couldn't determine the cause from such a distance. A ground investigation is necessary."
Elder Tian spoke up. "When do we depart?"
"Tomorrow morning. We're assembling the largest force we can manage without leaving our sects completely defenseless. Current count is seven elders and forty-three disciples from various sects. With your group, that makes eight elders and forty-seven disciples."
"Nearly the same size as the original expedition that vanished," someone muttered.
Elder Feng's expression was grim. "I'm aware of the irony. But we have no choice. If we send a smaller force, they might vanish too. If we send no one, we abandon our people to whatever fate has befallen them. This is the only reasonable path forward."
The briefing continued for another hour, covering logistics, formation strategies, communication protocols, and contingency plans. By the time it ended, everyone understood both the mission's importance and its extreme danger.
As they left the hall, Chen Wu looked shaken. "Fifty-eight people missing. That's not just dangerous, it's terrifying."
"Which is why we must be extremely careful," Liang Shu said firmly. "No unnecessary risks, no splitting up unless absolutely required, and constant communication with the main group."
Yan Kai said nothing, but his hand rested on Piercing Heaven's shaft. Tomorrow they would enter the Void Mountains and seek answers to a mystery that had already consumed too many lives.
He only hoped they wouldn't become part of that mystery themselves.