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墨書 Inktalez
A beam of light guided all who arrived at the Floating Island, leading them straight to the heart of the island. At that moment, the marshland at the island's core shimmered with golden light, its gray-brown surface reflecting an eerie beauty. Bubbles continued to rise from beneath the marsh, as if something terrifying were gestating below.
A milky-white mist enveloped the area around the heart of the island, swirling in layers and obscuring what lay within. Thousands of cultivators gathered here, patiently waiting. The instant the faint barrier surrounding the marsh showed signs of breaking, they would rush forward.
Suddenly, a loud crack echoed as one cultivator, standing too close, slashed the throat of another nearby before charging toward the heart of the island, his face twisted in a savage grin as he laughed maniacally. "The treasure is mine!"
Countless cultivators seemed to be spurred into action by his words, rushing forward like a tidal wave. However, just as they approached the marsh, those who leaped into the air found themselves inexplicably dragged down by some unseen force before they could even cry out for help. They were swallowed up by the marsh without a trace.
Bubbles continued to rise from the water's surface, creating an atmosphere that was both silent and terrifying. This scene left the remaining cultivators frozen in shock. One slower cultivator witnessed what happened to his predecessor and scrambled back in a panic, his legs trembling and his face as pale as paper. He pointed at the marsh and shouted, "Monsters! There are monsters below!"
The rustling sounds were drowned out by the bubbling water. Qi Xiao and his companions did not act immediately; they waited silently. As expected, this treasure was not so easily obtained.
"What was that just now? Did anyone see it clearly?" Xue Tinghe asked, her expression grave. Normally laid-back and indifferent to matters around her, she now wore a serious demeanor.
Lu Mingyuan swallowed hard, his voice trembling slightly. "Could it be vines?"
"No," she replied firmly. "It looked more like some kind of sea creature." The transparent, slender appendages resembled soft snakes that swiftly dragged people down into the depths.
If it weren't for their distance making it hard to confirm, Qi Xiao might have blurted out: "That was an octopus—just a mutated version!"
Having learned from this grim experience, the remaining cultivators dared not act rashly; instead, they contemplated ways to lure out whatever monster lurked beneath.
They threw stones and leaves to lure the creatures, but the beings below were extremely perceptive; if it wasn't flesh and blood, they would never easily extend their tendrils.
Then someone had a clever idea: they caught small animals nearby and tossed them into the swamp to test the waters. Sure enough, the once calm swamp suddenly surged wildly, with transparent tendrils emerging one after another, scrambling to seize the food. When there wasn't enough to go around, they even began fighting amongst themselves.
The tendrils were covered in spikes like ice shards, intertwining and soon tearing each other apart. Someone shouted, "Quick, kill these monsters!"
There were flashes of swords, poisons, and fireballs the size of fists. In no time, these creatures were injured under the onslaught of the crowd. Sensing danger, they immediately retreated beneath the swamp and refused to come out again.
They had intelligence and could assess the situation!
While Qi Xiao was still pondering where their eyes were, he suddenly saw that some people had taken advantage of this attack to rush toward the heart of the island. The remaining individuals surged forward like they had been injected with adrenaline.
Although many had already fallen, most managed to reach the other side successfully.
Lu Mingyuan was anxious and wanted to follow them up as well but was held back by Qi Xiao. "Shh, wait a moment."
Lu Mingyuan paused; he trusted that Qi Xiao wouldn't say such a thing without reason. Seeing their movements, Xue Tinghe and Ji Wushang also quietly withdrew their steps.
Whether or not they could snatch something was not the most important thing; what mattered most was not to be caught off guard.
Indeed, that mass of white mist at the heart of the island acted like corpse water; anyone who touched it would be completely dissolved within just a few breaths, leaving only a skeleton behind.
In an instant, several screams echoed through the air. Some people were corroded halfway; unable to endure the torment, they jumped into the swamp seeking death. Others felt a sense of retreat and tried to back away from the island's edge but were fiercely devoured by those transparent tendrils that had become even more savage than before.
Lu Mingyuan's face turned pale; these strange creatures had just been pretending! They had feigned weakness to lure those people onto the island and then devoured them all at once, ensuring there was no chance for escape.
Xue Tinghe couldn't help but frown; these beasts were cunning. "I've never seen such an intelligent beast in my life."
Qi Xiao's eyes were filled with confusion as he pondered one question: Where are their eyes?
What exactly are these lurking underwater monsters using to assess the situation? And how can they maintain such unity? These creatures exhibit a remarkable level of coordination and obedience.
Qi Xiao gazed toward the heart of the island, where he saw a brilliant golden light. Unable to resist, he looked up towards the source of the light.
"Junior Brother, what are you looking at?"
Qi Xiao was momentarily stunned, shaking his head as his brow furrowed deeper. "It's nothing."
"What should we do next? We can't just stand here staring!"
The mist showed no signs of dissipating. Are we really just going to wait? If that's the case, we might as well give up on this treasure altogether!
The crowd below began to murmur restlessly. The recent brutal scene had left many with lingering fears, and their tempers were starting to flare.
A tall, elegantly dressed cultivator stepped forward and bowed to the crowd. "Everyone, please remain calm. I possess a magical fan that can disperse the mist for three miles, allowing you all to ascend the island! However, I have one condition: whoever obtains the treasure must share it with me. What do you all think?"
The crowd erupted in discussion; some nodded in agreement while others looked at him as if he were foolish, and a few even displayed greedy glints in their eyes.
"Just kill you, and that fan will still be useful."
With a harsh remark, a cultivator gestured towards the mountain, summoning several differently attired cultivators who approached the elegant man.
The man smiled gently. "I haven't finished speaking. I have formed a bond with this magical artifact; if I die or it is destroyed, you will never set foot on this island again!"
At these words, those who had been contemplating violence immediately halted.
Someone stepped forward to mediate. "Why must you all be so ruthless? This friend is willing to help resolve our dilemma; that is a good thing! Yet you think of killing him for treasure—how shameless!"
"Friend, I believe your point is valid. How about I go first? I promise to bring back half of the treasure for you."
"And me! Count me in!"
The elegantly dressed cultivator nodded with a smile. "Since everyone is so sincere, could we perhaps make a vow to heaven and earth?"
The so-called vow to heaven and earth is an oath made before the universe itself! Should one break it, they would suffer light consequences such as losing their cultivation and never attaining Dao again; or severe ones like being struck by lightning and having their soul scattered!
As these words were spoken, the previously restless crowd fell silent once more.
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