Yang Zhai released Yah Yan and Ina Ya.
"Yah Yan, go and distract it, and Ina Ya, check the surroundings carefully. Tell me if you notice any hidden danger. Also, make sure to avoid Yu Hao and the others. If you two come across an undercurrent, stay away from that area." Yang Zhai instructed firmly.
His hair had already turned half white. His body was covered in scars, all except for the face that remained untouched. The once less muscular body seemed a little more muscular now, hardened as if carved by struggle and time.
He thought to himself, I am injured. Otherwise, I could have—with the help of the orange lines together—tried to leave this place while Yah Yan and Ina Ya distracted the cloud serpent. But right now, in the condition I am, attempting it would only throw me into a greater danger.
At the moment, he didn't even know how far he was from Yu Hao and the others. Even if the distance was as short as a single mile, he didn't risk heading back with that rank 8 cloud serpent around them. That choice would only invite unnecessary peril. Yet, remaining too long in the ocean was also not an option. He could encounter something dangerous at any time. And with his condition, it wasn't an option that he could afford.
A rank 8 cloud serpent was not a threat to take lightly. Even Yu Hao and Li Min had chosen to avoid it by deliberately trespassing into the water peacock's territory. That alone was enough to show how terrifying it was—two rank 8s unwilling to even cross paths with it. Anyone with a trace of common sense would reach the same conclusion. Not to mention, Yang Zhai himself already carried the memory of this beast from his previous life.
Yah Yan appeared before the rank 7 cloud serpent, immediately catching its attention and alerting it. The serpent coiled in circles, its eyes sharp with suspicion, refusing to engage too quickly. It warily avoided contact, unable to discern that Yah Yan was nothing more than an illusion without substance.
But when Yah Yan received Yang Zhai's message, it swiftly turned away and retreated. The rank 7 serpent followed closely behind, only for Yah Yan to vanish within the closing inheritance gate.
Yang Zhai slowly rose to his feet, water dripping heavily from his clothes. A shallow pool formed around his legs where the water had managed to seep in. For a moment, he stood still, silently gathering himself. Then, step by step, he moved forward, sat down, and began healing his wounds with Meliora—the only healing Ka he had left.
"It seems I'll need to purchase another healing Ka after all. Right now, I lack the ability to push forward without them. For the time being, I must rely on kas until the day I can completely free myself from dependence. Still, I need to avoid any body path kas that alter my form, except for the seraphic aura ka. That one… it's the only Ka that didn't react to the forbidden one."
As Yang Zhai worked on healing himself with Meliora, he noticed the Ka writhing violently. In an instant, a cocoon began forming around it. Within minutes, the body of Meliora was completely shrouded inside.
"Is it preparing to advance to rank 4?" Yang Zhai muttered under his breath.
Even though Meliora was encased, its healing powers continued to mend his body.
A sudden thought sparked in Yang Zhai's mind.
"My wood path realization is at the perfect stage. And Meliora itself is a wood path Ka. Why don't I attempt to refine it to a higher rank myself once it reaches rank 4? If I weave Aurora's aura into the process, perhaps I can prevent it from being affected by that forbidden one—just like the seraphic aura ka." His mind turned sharply with the idea.
I am already a master in both paths. The cultivation path is at its peak, and the wood path at its perfect stage. It shouldn't be difficult to design a new advancement method for Meliora.
With this, he set his resolve.
"But for now, I must wait for Meliora to advance."
The night passed after healing himself, he rested. By the time dawn's first light brushed the oceans, Yang Zhai stood once again.
He activated the seal ring, and a small mirror shimmered into existence before him, showing the scene outside—the very spot before the inheritance gate where he had disappeared. With a thought, he expanded the projection until it spread all around him.
The endless expanse of ocean appeared, its restless waters stretching beyond sight.
He saw nothing but water.
Opening a portal no wider than his hand, he allowed the sea to pour in. Then he summoned Yah Yan and gave his order in a calm, steady tone.
"Go search for Yu Hao and the others. Keep far away from them and make sure they never notice your presence. If you can't find them within a little while, return, do not waste your energy unnecessarily. Once done, return immediately and wait at this exact same spot where you emerge. I'll open a gate for you to re-enter."
"Yes, master," Yah Yan replied before vanishing into the ocean.
"I should head back if they've already managed to slip free of the cloud serpent," Yang Zhai muttered.
…..
"Gu Dan, how's the situation?" A man in his forties asked, strands of grey hair already scattered through his head.
"Don't worry, Jang Tang, the situation's under control," replied a man who appeared to be in his early thirties.
"Good." A faint smile tugged at Gu Dan's lips as he heard this.
"Here, today's meal is a beautiful animal's lung," Jang Tang said with a bright, unsettling grin.
"Oh? And which beautiful animal would that be?"
"You know it—the one living on the east side of the mountain."
"Oh… and how exactly did you catch that animal?"
"Isn't it obvious? Just a little bit of trust was all it took." Gu Dan's expression was one of cold satisfaction.
Hearing this, Jang Tang turned toward him and remarked,
"You are even more ruthless than me, Jang Tang…"
…..
A full week passed.
"Master, we still couldn't find them."
Yah Yan and Ina Ya stood before him, their voices carrying a trace of weariness. He had sent them out from time to time to search for Yu Hao and the others, but never allowed them to remain outside the ring too long, afraid they would tire, leaving him unable to use them when needed. But, it still ended up taking a toll on them.
"I need these two most right now. It's already been seven days, yet I still haven't found Zuh Qil or the others. Continuing the search will only delay me and waste precious time. If they were anywhere nearby, I would have discovered them already. At this point, they must be hundreds—if not thousands—of miles away. I should stop chasing them and make for the Recn continent myself."
Although he had kept searching for Yu Hao and the rest, he never remained in one place.
"Let's continue moving," he decided, then turned to Yah Yan and Reen.
"You two, did you see any beasts nearby?"
"Yes, master. I saw three, but they were all in the opposite direction from you," Yah Yan replied.
"I also saw one directly on your path a few miles ahead. A rank 6 calpeon—it could be dangerous if not careful," Reen added.
"What about my surroundings right now?"
"I saw nothing," Yah Yan said.
"Me neither," Reen echoed.
From the mirror projection of the outside, Yang Zhai also saw no one in the vicinity. Assured enough, he opened the door and stepped out. He then activated four yellow lines, his vision expanding instantly, allowing him to see as far as five miles.
Nothing stirred within that distance. He already had his blue, orange, and green lines activated as well, bolstering his strength and masking his presence.
He swam carefully in the direction of Recn Continent, every motion deliberate. Cloaked in darkness and hidden by his green lines, he was nearly undetectable.
After traveling several miles at a time, he would stop, activate the seal ring, and open the gate once more. Staying close to the gate, he scanned the waters in every direction.
If he sensed even the slightest danger or spotted a beast, he would retreat back inside immediately. Otherwise, he would leave the gate open, swim several hundred meters forward, then close it again before continuing onward.
In this way, an entire month passed before he finally emerged from the perilous region known as the Forest of Mist. By day, he rested and trained. By night, he advanced further across the endless waters.
During that time, he delved deeper into practice with Brown Dacite, Sap Water, and Dar, steadily raising his strength by leaps and bounds.
A month and a week ago,
Yang Zhai sat cross-legged and handed the whip to Wang Lei. His voice carried an iron edge as he gave his order.
"Here. Strike me with all your strength."
This time, he had chosen Wang Lei over Mah Qi, for Wang Lei was a rank 5 cultivator and could insert greater power. Besides, Yang Zhai was preparing to activate all five orange lines simultaneously before training.
!|!*****!*****!|!