Jiang Wen had heard of Yun Ze's reputation; it was a place that made the people of the South tremble.
Although it contained numerous treasures, few were willing to risk their lives to go in and retrieve them.
As they approached Yun Ze, the group descended into the mountains. Gazing at the vast white mist in the distance, they exchanged glances.
"The spiritual veins around Su Yang have been disturbed recently, so we should conserve our strength."
"We'll enter from here," Bai Jing said.
The others looked over, and the clouds and mist in the mountains were faintly visible. Just approaching it made them feel a heavy stagnation in the flow of their internal energy.
They all looked into the distance; the cliffs were steep and difficult to find. Lü Shiming placed his hand on his long sword, gazing at the mountains vaguely visible in the distant clouds and mist, and asked with some curiosity, "What is that distant mountain range?"
Hearing Lü Shiming's words, Su Mu looked towards the continuous mountain range and said, "That is probably the depths of Yun Ze, Black Cloud Mountain. Beyond Black Cloud Mountain lies the legendary deepest part of Yun Ze, the murky marshlands, with thousands of miles of swamps that have no end. Those who fall in and sink into the mud will eventually reach the deepest part of the world, the Cold Abyss. It is said that those who reach the Cold Abyss can see their past lives. However, no one has ever been said to have seen the Cold Abyss; it's just a legend. Even the Human Emperor could only record in his travelogue, 'The Cold Abyss is vast and turbulent, those who go do not return,' he never reached it."
"Black Cloud Mountain," Lü Shiming looked at the cloud-shrouded place, his expression as calm as usual.
"Black Cloud Mountain, that is a forbidden area," Bai Jing slowly walked over, saying with some emotion. "It's not that I want to stop you all, but Yun Ze is extremely dangerous; even demons must be very careful. I heard that the Prince of Pingxi of the Great Qian once led elites but failed to enter. I still hope you all don't risk your lives."
"It should be ahead," Bai Jing said, looking at the tangled vines and branches in front of them. Lü Shiming drew a long sword. The sword's surface was as smooth as water, reflecting the sunlight, and dragon纹were engraved on it.
"If we can't return, do you want me to pass on a message?" Lü Shiming said from the side. Then, Su Mu's face showed a hint of a smile, and he gently shook his head.
The sound of bells rang in the mist, guiding the people behind them so that they would not get lost in the thin fog of Yun Ze.
She paused for a moment and continued, "You'd better follow the sound of the bells and don't run to those places that look lush and green. The marshes of Yun Ze are never obvious to the eye. What seems to be solid ground may be soft swampland. If you get lost, even cultivators with life-fire will get lost when the fog rises."
"No need, I came to Yun Ze understanding the risks."
"It's so beautiful, more charming than the most fertile grasslands of the Great Qian," Lü Shiming said softly, unable to take his eyes off the scenery before him.
With a sword strike, the branches were cut as easily as tofu, clearing away the surrounding debris, and a quiet exit appeared in front of everyone, revealing the misty scene outside.
"What A'Meng said is right. When we return safely, this young lady will take you to try the Yunzhou Eighteen Fragrances of Yan Yun Tower, which is the most famous feast in the entire Su City. Eighteen spicy dishes with different flavors will make you never forget it in your life," Li Yunshang said with a laugh after hearing A'Meng's words. She was a talkative person, and once she started talking, she couldn't stop.
Chatting casually, the group walked along the mountain road. All were extraordinary people, and their feet were naturally as nimble as apes in the mountains and forests.
"Don't worry, look how powerful we are, we will definitely be able to return safely. Even Crimson Bite couldn't beat us, let alone the little demons of Yun Ze," A'Meng said encouragingly, seeing that the atmosphere was a bit gloomy.
"The day Miss Lu said that Crimson Bite would escape into Yun Ze, I decided to face it, whether I lived or died, it didn't matter. I don't want to run away anymore," Su Mu said, clutching his chest, his rapidly beating heart seeming to tell him that it was time.
Some poisonous creatures often came out of the valley to forage, such as the venomous snakes hidden in the grass, being bitten by one of them would be a big problem. The group was not afraid, and quickly ran towards the end.
"What's there to be afraid of? It's just a dangerous place. If that Crimson Bite can get in, so can we," A'Meng said with a stretch and a dismissive tone.
Su Mu may have recalled the past when he was young, murmuring and looking into the distance, his eyes a little blurred.
"It's still midday now, and the fog is thin on a clear day. But after this time, the fog in Yun Ze will be so thick that you won't be able to see people a few feet away. Many mortals who walk through Yun Ze will connect with a rope to prevent getting lost. Losing your way here is undoubtedly seeking your own death."
The steep hillside stretched for several miles into the distance, and flowers of various colors bloomed on the green grassland, like a vast prairie, filled with thin mist. There had never been such a flat and vast land; it was as if the sharpest axe in the hands of the creation goddess had split it open, and even the most standard ruler could not measure its slightest undulation.
"I have been running away for many years. Every day, I live in this nightmare. When I wake up from the dream and look at my hands, they tremble and tell me those past events of Yun Ze, that is my destiny. I thought that escaping would be a relief, but I still came back after all."
"It's okay. Without Yunshang, the road would inevitably be a bit lonely," Jiang Wen said with a smile.
Lü Shiming shook his head and smiled at Jiang Wen: "Senior Sister Yun is actually talkative; please forgive her if she disturbs you, fellow Daoist."
It stretched all the way to the distant mountains, and their silhouettes could only be vaguely seen under the clear sky. Jiang Wen had always thought that a terrifying place like Yun Ze should be filled with bubbling marsh gas and churning mud, stepping on it would splash up foul-smelling sewage, and the bones of various creatures would be visible everywhere. The fierce beasts of Yun Ze would be circling stealthily, and 'living people should not enter' would be the best description of the forbidden area. However, he was wrong; the places described by the world were vastly different from here.
"Yes, when I first saw it, I thought I had come to a fairyland."
He seemed to be reminiscing about something, and said softly, "I came to Yun Ze many years ago, but at that time, I abandoned my younger sister and ran away."
Before long, Bai Jing looked at the jungle not far away and said, "Beyond the forest ahead is Yun Ze."
Lü Shiming looked in the direction Bai Jing pointed. At the end of the distant forest, a small path covered with weeds stretched into the forest, hidden in the mist and disappeared from sight. The surrounding hills stretched out, and the short bushes were taller than people, leaving no other way to go.
He looked at the clouds that changed into various shapes. Some were lions, some were dragons, they chased each other, and as the wind dissipated, they transformed into other shapes. He also remembered many past events, glorious and beautiful, but in the end, they were fragmented and deeply hidden in the depths of his memory.
Bai Jing slowly walked down the hillside, taking out a crisp bell.
"I have been to Yun Ze before," Su Mu said calmly from the side.
Jiang Wen took out Flying Frost and threw it into a place full of blooming flowers in everyone's sight. Accompanied by a gurgling sound, Flying Frost sank into the mud.
He then retrieved Flying Frost, looking at the mud that had submerged the sword's body, and sighed.
"This place is really dangerous."
