Mountain Venerable and Sea Immortal

The destination of this trip is called Moling Mountain·Lingxiancao Valley.

Thirty miles northwest of the main peak of Laoshan Mountain, nestled in the rolling hills of Jimo, lies a sacred herb-producing area designated by the Laoshan sect for centuries—Mo Ling Mountain·Lingxian Herb Valley. This valley is surrounded by the mountains of Lingshan, bordering the Jimo Plain to the north and the foothills of Laoshan to the south. Layer upon layer of peaks and rolling hills surround it. Within the valley lies a thousand-year-old sacred spring, its source brimming with spiritual energy, nourishing the abundant spiritual herbs that grow there. It is the core location for the sect to procure medicinal materials for alchemy.

The Lingshan area is unique in its terrain, with clouds and mist swirling in the mountains year-round, and lush vegetation. There is only one winding ancient path leading into the valley. The ancient path is flanked by dense forests, with ancient trees reaching for the sky and vines intertwined. The closer one gets to Lingxiancao Valley, the thicker the mist becomes, and the more mellow the spiritual energy becomes. However, due to the isolation of the mountains and the treacherous terrain, it has become a place rarely visited by outsiders, hiding dangers that are hard for ordinary people to predict.

As dawn broke over the eaves of Qingfeng Town, the streets and markets gradually awoke, their sounds mingling with the spiritual energy, restoring their usual bustling atmosphere. Yet, within Qingfeng Inn, the chill lingering from the midnight terror in the hearts of the group remained undiminished.

Lin Yan sat quietly all night, and his mind was now calm.

The assassins launched a sudden attack, and after their failure, they committed suicide on the spot by taking poison, leaving no clues and refusing to ask any questions. He had never seen such ruthless methods before. In the martial world outside the mountains, there were no rules to restrain one's actions, only murderous intent hidden in the shadows and the danger of dying without being able to testify. This lesson came unexpectedly and made him completely abandon his naivety when he first entered the world.

"Brother, Elder Minglang sent someone to tell us it's time to set off," Yi Azhu said softly.

The golden-crowned snow sparrow in her arms shrank slightly. The sparrow was already sensitive, and at this moment it was unusually quiet, as if it could also sense the lingering gloom in the air.

Lin Yan stood up and slowly swept his gaze over the crowd.

Chen Dagang gripped his heavy stick tightly, no longer as carefree as before, his expression becoming more cautious; Yun Xi stood with her hand on her sword, her sword intent restrained, her brows furrowed with barely perceptible vigilance; Ye Qing remained silent, his ancient wooden sword close to his body, his aura steady and unwavering.

Overnight, everyone tacitly became more wary.

"Stay close to each other along the way and don't separate," Lin Yan said calmly. "The area outside the mountain is different from the mountain gate. Be careful in everything you do, argue less, and don't cause any unnecessary trouble."

He didn't voice any doubts, only reminding people to be cautious.

Some things are better left unsaid; speaking them aloud only puts you in a passive position.

Everyone nodded slightly, packed their things, and headed to the town entrance to meet up.

Elder Minglang was already waiting at the town entrance, dressed in a smart outfit, holding a mountain patrol token, and with a solemn expression. With his cultivation level, he could already ride the wind and travel thousands of miles in an instant, but since he was leading the outer sect members on this trip, he had to follow the sect's rules and walk on foot to show his true colors as a veteran.

Elder Hailan and Su Chen and the others had also arrived. He also possessed the skill of riding, able to tread on spiritual mist and control spiritual boats, yet he walked along with them, his expression gentle, chatting casually with the elders beside him as usual, showing no sign of anything amiss; Su Chen stood to the side, seemingly observing casually, his gaze occasionally sweeping over this side, but without revealing anything excessive, just like an ordinary disciple indifferent.

Everything seemed perfectly normal.

"We set off today for Mount Moling and the Valley of Spiritual Herbs to purchase the spiritual herbs needed by the mountain gate," Elder Minglang announced. "The journey is through deep forests, shrouded in fog, and the roads are treacherous. Everyone must stay close to the group and must not leave without permission."

At a command, the two groups set off in turn, slowly venturing into the rolling mountains along the ancient road north of Qingfeng Town.

At first, the mountain path seemed ordinary, but after walking a few miles, the atmosphere around us suddenly changed.

Ancient trees on both sides reach for the sky, their dense foliage almost blocking out the sunlight.

A thick, grayish-white mist slowly drifted out from the forest, growing denser the further one went, and reducing visibility. The surroundings were eerily quiet; not even a bird's call or a beast's roar could be heard. Only the rustling of footsteps on the fallen leaves could be heard, sounding exceptionally clear in the stillness.

The fog was cold and gloomy, with a hint of stagnation. Unlike the usual refreshing morning fog in the mountains, it was like the air of a long-sinking, icy pool, clinging to the body and making one feel inexplicably stuffy.

Lin Yan shielded Yi Azhu by his side, and unconsciously moved closer to Yun Xi, Ye Qing, and Chen Dagang, walking slowly along the side of the mountain wall, trying to stay away from the edge of the deep forest.

The spirit tortoise on my shoulder lay quietly, occasionally its shell flashing with a faint blue light, as if silently warning me, or perhaps quietly purifying the surrounding impurities.

"This fog is a bit strange," Yi Azhu whispered. "The spiritual energy is chaotic and a bit heavy, unlike natural fog."

Yunxi glanced at the dense forest on both sides and said softly, "The forest is too quiet, abnormally quiet."

Ye Qing didn't speak, but paused slightly, his wood-elemental spiritual energy lightly touching the ground before withdrawing, his brows furrowing almost imperceptibly.

Lin Yan subtly extended his divine sense, but did not ostentatiously probe.

The road ahead was shrouded in mist, the mountain path narrow, and progress and retreat were separated by a hair's breadth. He couldn't quite put his finger on what was wrong, but he had a vague feeling that this mountain forest, this ancient road, and this thick fog were like a slowly closing net, seemingly calm, but actually fraught with hidden dangers at every step.

Elder Minglang led the way, unaware of anything unusual, assuming it was just ordinary mountain fog. His steps were steady, seemingly ordinary, but in reality, his spiritual energy subtly circulated, ready to ride the wind at any moment to deal with any sudden changes.

Elder Hailan walked calmly to the side, his demeanor composed. He was extremely familiar with the terrain and proceeded steadily without any unnecessary movements. No one knew that he had already calculated the distance and time, waiting only to reach the most dangerous point before closing in.

Su Chen and the others followed behind, walking at a leisurely pace, keeping their distance from the crowd, showing no signs of any plan, ambush, or roadblock.

The entire team moved forward in silence, the fog growing thicker and the road ahead becoming increasingly obscured.

No one made a move, no one showed up, and no one revealed any weakness.

But the unease weighing on my heart only grew stronger.

Lin Yan looked up into the depths of the mist, where he could vaguely make out the outlines of the undulating mountains in the distance.

That place is the final destination of this trip—Moling Mountain·Lingxiancao Valley.

Before reaching that land teeming with spiritual herbs, no one knows how many unseen storms are hidden along this seemingly ordinary misty path.