Star Martial Soaring Cloud

The alliance launched several large-scale searches in the eastern and northern parts of the Demon Island, turning over almost every inch of land and searching every corner, but they couldn't even find a trace of a Tianyi Sect disciple.

Wang Xiao and the Dongbin Alliance have maintained close contact. In addition to carrier pigeons, they also use a mechanical wooden horse, a unique feature of Confucianism, powered by eight stones, which can travel a thousand miles a day and deliver messages extremely quickly.

"They couldn't have just vanished into thin air." When Wang Xiao contacted Xiao He, he could clearly sense the worry and anxiety in the other's tone. "Unless, they've hidden in the Central Region."

Zhongyu.

Between the outer and middle domains of the Demon Island lies a deadly barrier—miasma.

Lin Yueyao entered the Demon Island in search of the Xuan Shuang Green Lotus in order to solve the miasma spreading in her hometown.

Therefore, Wang Xiao immediately discussed with her whether the Xuan Shuang Qing Lian could dispel the miasma on the Demon Island, and the answer was no.

Because Wang Xiao had mentioned this to Lin Yueyao, she had tried it after the teleportation array on the Demon Island was destroyed.

The location of the teleportation array is not far from the miasma.

When Wang Xiao first saw the wall of miasma, his hair stood on end, and a chill ran down his spine.

It was a gray-black wall of mist that rose abruptly from the ground, hundreds of feet high and stretching for miles, like a natural chasm erected in the underworld, blocking all paths forward and dividing the world in two.

The fog was so thick it was almost solidified, like surging ink, or like a ferocious beast that had been sleeping for thousands of years slowly exhaling turbid air. Each rise and fall carried a deathly oppressive feeling, making people tremble with fear.

Deep within the fog, a faint, dark red light flickered, like the bloodthirsty eyes of a ferocious beast, exuding a menacing ferocity and eeriness.

Even from several meters away, a pungent, nauseating stench wafted over.

The smell was a thick, pungent stench of rotting corpses and melting flesh; just one breath made one feel as if their internal organs were churning and they were about to vomit.

It was as if hundreds of skeletons had been rotting underground for a hundred years, only to be stirred up by the cold, turbid air, emitting a pungent, fishy stench and a bone-chilling cold.

"Is this the miasma of Demon Island?" Wang Xiao frowned, suppressing his discomfort and fear, and asked in a deep voice.

Lin Yueyao stood beside him, her expression extremely solemn, and nodded heavily.

"The miasma on Demon Island is completely different from the miasma in Southern Xinjiang." Her voice was tight, with barely concealed palpitations. "The miasma in Southern Xinjiang gradually erodes life, a slow and agonizing process that often takes days or even months for the poison to take effect and cause death."

She raised her hand and pointed to the terrifying wall of mist, her tone filled with deep apprehension: "But the miasma on Demon Island is no ordinary miasma. It is enveloped in a monstrous aura of death, extremely corrosive and domineering. It rots upon contact and kills upon touch, leaving no chance of survival."

Lin Yueyao stared at the deathly mist, her voice trembling: "I once saw a wild deer accidentally wander into the miasma. In just a few breaths, its fur fell off in chunks, its flesh melted away rapidly, and in the blink of an eye, its white bones were exposed. In no time, the bones were also stained black by the corpse mist, completely decomposed into ashes, and were swallowed up by the mist. The whole process took no more than the time it takes to drink half a cup of tea."

"The Frost Lotus can cure miasma, but it can't stop the dense deathly aura in this corpse miasma," Lin Yueyao concluded in a deep voice, her tone full of helplessness and despair.

Wang Xiao bent down, picked up a fist-sized piece of hard gravel, and hurled it at the wall of miasma.

The pebbles sliced ​​through the air at incredible speed, falling into the edge of the fog wall in an instant.

The next second, a bizarre and terrifying scene unfolded—

As soon as the stone touched the gray-black mist, its surface instantly sprouted countless black bubbles, accompanied by a hissing, piercing sound. The entire stone melted, weathered, and turned black at a speed visible to the naked eye.

In just two breaths, the hard stone turned into a handful of dark gray powder, which was gently swept away by the mist and completely disappeared, leaving not a trace behind.

Everyone watched in horror, and Wang Xiao's pupils shrank, a cold sweat broke out on his back, and his hands and feet went cold.

Even stubborn rocks can be corroded and turned to ashes in an instant, let alone cultivators with flesh and blood bodies.

"It seems this matter needs to be considered carefully."

Su Qinhe suddenly spoke, her tone calm: "Everything in the world has its counterpart. The miasma on Demon Island is confined to a fixed area and never spills out, so it must have its weaknesses and nemesis. With more exploration and experimentation, we can always find a way to overcome it."

Wang Xiao nodded, but felt increasingly depressed.

If the Tianyi Sect truly hides in the Central Region, relying on this barrier of corpse miasma, they will be invincible.

They could only be trapped in the outer realms, waiting to die.

Unless they can find a safe way to enter the Central Region, that terrifying wall of miasma is so dangerous that even beasts at the Dragon Gate Divine Realm dare not easily venture into it, let alone a group of cultivators at the Fish Leap Realm.

Flying through the air is feasible, but it requires the cultivation level of the Dragon Gate Divine Realm. Unfortunately, the Demon Island has restrictions that prevent everyone from breaking through to the Fish Leap Realm.

A month later.

Wang Xiao and his group finally arrived at the East Bin Alliance's headquarters in September.

Two and a half months have passed since we arrived on the island. Autumn is in full swing, but the sky over the island is still gray and gloomy, with no sunlight. However, the base is unexpectedly lively.

From afar, Wang Xiao could hear a noisy commotion.

"I won! I bet 10,000! A pure suit of single tiles! Four points! Pay up, pay up, none of you are getting away!"

The voice was full of energy, carrying a hint of smugness, arrogance, and... a touch of smugness.

"Senior brother, how many rounds have you won today? Leave some room for the brothers! Can you put it on your tab?"

"Exactly! If we keep winning, we'll lose all the money we saved to buy the sword tassels!"

"No debts allowed! No fathers or sons at the mahjong table, it has to be settled face to face! Any bastard who tries to renege on their debt, don't blame me for turning my back on them!"

Following the sound, Wang Xiao looked and saw a stone mahjong table set up in the open space in the center of the camp. A group of cultivators were sitting around it, playing mahjong and making a lot of noise.

Ling Cheng sat in the middle, his sleeves rolled up to his elbows, revealing his muscular forearms. A huge pile of copper coins sat in front of him, and his smile was as bright as a blooming flower, extremely smug.

His two junior brothers, Li Yu and Zhang Lian, sat on either side, their faces full of bitterness and worry, their copper coins almost gone, having lost everything.

There were also a few unfamiliar cultivators; judging from their attire, they should be members of the Dongbin Alliance.

"Brother Lu Yang!"

When Ling Cheng looked up and saw Wang Xiao, he was overjoyed. He stuffed the copper coins in front of him into his pocket and stood up to greet him.

He rushed to Wang Xiao, grabbed his arm, and exclaimed excitedly, "You've finally arrived! I've missed you so much!"

"Dongbin Alliance is truly a treasure trove! Look at all the wins I've made, I can barely contain them all!"

Looking at his smug expression and then at Li Yu and Zhang Lian's tearful faces, Wang Xiao couldn't help but feel a headache coming on.

With these lively characters around, it's hard for the Dongbin Alliance not to be bustling.

However, this may not be a bad thing.

In today's world, laughter is precisely what people lack most.

As long as there is laughter, there is hope for survival.

Wang Xiao was about to say something joking when his gaze suddenly froze, and his expression changed slightly.

Not far behind Ling Cheng, a white figure stood quietly, gazing at him calmly and without emotion.

The man wore a moon-white brocade robe embroidered with exquisite ice lotus patterns, exuding elegance and aloofness. A jade pendant engraved with the words "Arctic" hung at his waist, signifying his status.

His face was handsome and refined, yet his brows and eyes carried a composure and shrewdness beyond his years, giving him an imposing aura.

Lin Shisan.

Wang Xiao stopped in his tracks instantly.

Lin Shisan didn't move, but simply looked at Wang Xiao quietly, and said calmly, "Brother Lu Yang, may I have a word with you in private?"

Su Qinhe instinctively stepped in front of Wang Xiao, her hand already gripping the jade flute tightly, her tone icy: "What do you want to do?"

Wang Xiao looked at Lin Shisan, remained silent for a moment, and then looked calm.

"It's alright." He gently brushed Su Qinhe's hand away, his tone indifferent. "Please."

Su Qinhe wanted to dissuade her, but Yan Zixi quietly pulled her back.

Yan Zixi shook her head and said in a low voice, "He won't do anything reckless. This is Dongbin Alliance territory, under the watchful eyes of everyone. If he dares to make a move, he will be making an enemy of the entire alliance and courting death."

Wang Xiao followed Lin Shisan to a secluded corner. The two stood a few feet apart, silently staring at each other, the atmosphere extremely oppressive.

Lin Shisan spoke first, his tone flat, revealing no emotion whatsoever.

"I want to put aside our past grievances with Brother Lu Yang." He said calmly, "There is no deep-seated hatred between us that cannot be resolved."

Wang Xiao didn't speak, but listened quietly.

Lin Shisan continued, "Now, I have become the focus of the Arctic Immortal Palace as I wished, and I have obtained everything I wanted. The appearance of the Tianyi Sect can help me solve all the hidden dangers."

He looked at Wang Xiao, his eyes eerily calm, devoid of any emotion: "I have already pinned the blame for Senior Brother Feng's death entirely on the Tianyi Sect. Yun Fei, the only one who knew the truth, also perished in an accident. Nothing ever happened between us."

He paused, then emphasized, saying each word clearly, "Today is the first time we've met."

"Did he die in an accident?" Wang Xiao remained silent, but a chill ran through him.

Lin Shisan continued, "I admit, I have killed people. But I have also saved many cultivators and supported the entire Northern Plains Alliance. The Northern Plains Alliance cannot do without me now, nor can the surviving cultivators on the Demon Island. I am willing to devote all my efforts to fighting the Tianyi Sect and leading everyone to survive."

He looked at Wang Xiao, quietly waiting for his response, his expression resolute.

Wang Xiao remained silent for a long time.

Looking at the young man before him, a complex and indescribable emotion welled up within him, which ultimately boiled down to two words—terrifying.

This was the only adjective he could think of.

The most terrifying enemy is one who knows how to adapt, when to advance and retreat, and when to make choices.

And it is precisely these kinds of people who often live longer and achieve greater heights than others.

Every word he said was true, and every reason he gave was irrefutable.

Feng Rujing is dead, Yunfei is dead, and all of this is now beyond our knowledge.

He is still alive, and living a very important life.

He was so important that the Northern Plains Alliance couldn't do without him, and so important that all the surviving cultivators needed him.

He has become the only prodigy of the Arctic Immortal Palace, and even the leading figure of the entire Northern Plains.

He is writing his own legend, and he will lead the people of Beiyuan to defeat the darkness and escape from the Demon Island.

Without a doubt, he will surpass Feng Rujing.

He was the center of attention, had everything, and was also extremely afraid of losing it all.

In order to protect everything he has now, he will no longer wield the butcher's knife indiscriminately.

Because his inner demons have been eliminated, because he wants to become the sun in everyone's hearts.

He also knew that he had missed the best opportunity to kill Wang Xiao.

Wang Xiao had no way to deal with this kind of person.

At least for now, he doesn't even have the strength to confront him head-on.

Lin Shisan's words were a reconciliation, a veiled threat, and a declaration of his rebirth.

If Wang Xiao insists on fighting to the death, all the surviving cultivators on the Demon Island may perish for it.

Wang Xiao didn't want such an opponent. If it couldn't be avoided, he didn't want this opponent to make a move hidden in the darkness.

"Everyone has a scale in their heart," Wang Xiao finally spoke, his voice exceptionally firm. "But if someone has tilted that scale, something has to be done."

He raised his head, looking directly at Lin Shisan without flinching: "So last time, I drew my sword."

Lin Shisan's expression remained unchanged, still calm.

"You've said so much, but you still can't straighten the scales in my heart." Wang Xiao's tone was as calm as if she were talking about something unrelated to herself. "Whether it's seeking peace of mind or a clear conscience, I will still take action one more time."

Lin Shisan's brows twitched slightly, finally revealing a change in his emotions.

"Right now, I am no match for you." When Wang Xiao said this, there was no resentment or bitterness on his face; he was simply stating an undeniable fact. "But once we both reach the Dragon Gate Divine Realm, I will fight you again."

He paused, then spoke each word with resounding conviction: "You are responsible for your own life and death. If you survive, from now on, we will keep to ourselves."

Lin Shisan looked at him and remained silent for a long time.

Wang Xiao thought he wouldn't respond, but then he suddenly chuckled softly.

It's a deal.

The two turned around and disappeared into the crowd without looking back.

No one knows what they said in private, but everyone can see that Wang Xiao's expression is calmer than when he arrived.

Lin Shisan, with a calm smile on his face, walked back to his tent with composure.

On this very day, news finally broke that the long-lost Tianyi Sect had disappeared.

They actually took the initiative to send messages to the two major alliances, arranging to meet at Qingming Cliff.

The demon, which had been lying in wait for so long, finally revealed its fangs.