Lin Feng remembered that when he visited Ten Thousand Treasures Pavilion in Lingyue City last time, Duan Chenglian had mentioned they seemed to have uncovered some information about that array disk. They suspected it was a 'key' to unlock some secret location within the Mist Spirit Ruins and had even wanted to invite his 'master' to explore it together.
It was now almost certain that the array disk in his hand was part of a pair with the previous one. If there truly was some secret location, it likely required both disks to open. Lin Feng couldn't help but feel a stirring of interest. However, he immediately recalled he was currently a fugitive. Seeking out Lu Su and the others in Lingyue City was entirely unsuitable; this matter would probably have to be abandoned.
Now that he had killed so many members of Absolute Sword Sect, including the current Sect Leader and the Young Master, it went without saying that the sect would soon launch a frenzied manhunt for him. Venturing into populated areas carried the risk of discovery. Although the Disguise Mask could alter his appearance, it was only a rudimentary illusion. Any powerful Golden Core cultivator deliberately probing with their spiritual sense could see through it. The immediate priority was to leave this troubled area as quickly as possible, to get completely out of Xia Kingdom, to ensure his safety.
Thinking this, Lin Feng felt a pang of regret. He didn't even consider repairing the disk now and directly stored it back into his storage ring.
After thoroughly inspecting Long Tengyu's and the others' storage rings, Lin Feng sorted through the belongings of the five unlucky Golden Core cultivators who had pursued him earlier. Their possessions paled in comparison to Long Tengyu's, and he found nothing particularly noteworthy.
Once all the spoils were accounted for, Lin Feng settled his mind and began cultivating.
...
The next day, Lin Feng, fully recovered and in peak condition, resumed his journey, heading directly south—Starry Sky Sea lay at the southernmost tip of East Dragon Continent.
Starring Sky Sea was his destination, but it was tens of thousands of miles away from Xia Kingdom. Reaching it was no small feat, a journey far from overnight. Merely leaving Xia Kingdom would take considerable time. Lin Feng's current plan was to first distance himself from Absolute Sword Sect's sphere of influence, then find a larger cultivation city equipped with a teleportation array to make his exit directly.
For safety's sake, Lin Feng stuck to remote paths. He passed by Lingyue City without stopping and minimized entering towns along the way. Though this made the journey more arduous, it at least ensured he encountered no trouble.
Ten days later, Lin Feng arrived at a rather distinctive place—the Mist Spirit Ruins.
He hadn't made a special trip here; the Mist Spirit Ruins simply lay on the route to Starry Sky Sea. He hadn't planned to enter, merely to pass by.
It was nearing noon. Lin Feng walked amidst crumbling walls and scattered debris, gazing at the desolate surroundings. A wave of melancholy washed over him. Legend had it this place was once a thriving cultivation city, destroyed long ago during a monstrous beast tide. Beyond this stretch of ruins lay an endless expanse of mountain forest—that was the true Mist Spirit Ruins. It was said the cave abode of a great cultivator known as 'Mist Spirit Zhenren' lay within, and the very name 'Mist Spirit Ruins' originated from him.
It was said Mist Spirit Zhenren was a powerful cultivator comparable to Tiger Soul Zhenren, his cultivation having reached the Great Perfection stage of the Nascent Soul realm. Some even claimed he was a Soul Transformation cultivator. Others said he, like Tiger Soul Zhenren, perished while attempting to break through to the Soul Transformation realm. Various legends abounded, their truth impossible to verify now.
The Mist Spirit Ruins contained countless natural treasures and heavenly materials, including Grade Four and even Grade Five spirit herbs. Unlike the Black Mist Herb Valley, it wasn't restricted by poisonous mists, making it a popular exploration ground for cultivators. However, it was worlds apart from places like Seven Peaks Forest outside Qingyun City. Venturing in without Golden Core cultivation was tantamount to suicide. Even Golden Core cultivators mostly entered in teams, daring only to explore the middle and outer periphery, avoiding the deeper regions where peril was too great.
Along the way, Lin Feng encountered many cultivators either entering the Ruins or just emerging from them. One party of three even invited him to join them, but he politely declined.
Quickly traversing the ruined city, Lin Feng took one last look back at the vast, shadowy depths of the forest. Unconsciously, he took out the array disk again, examining it. That sense of regret surfaced once more. If he weren't fleeing for his life, he truly could have sought out Lu Su and Duan Chenglian to explore together. Perhaps there would have been some unique opportunity.
"Huh?!"
Just as Lin Feng finished his silent lament and prepared to turn away, his eyebrow suddenly shot up in surprise. He stared down at the disk in his hand. He had suddenly detected a faint, unusual fluctuation emanating from within it!!
Lin Feng was certain this hadn't been present before. He immediately sent his spiritual sense probing into the disk, confirming his feeling—there was indeed an extremely weak pulse of energy inside.
"What's going on?" Lin Feng was astonished. He frowned, looking from the disk in his hand to the Mist Spirit Ruins ahead, his expression thoughtful. After a moment, a strange light flashed in his eyes as he murmured in surprise, "Could it be... 'resonance'?! Is something inside attracting this disk? Could it be... the other array disk? Are Elder Lu Su and the others inside?!"
With this thought taking root, Lin Feng immediately abandoned his plan to leave immediately. He glanced around, confirming no other cultivators were nearby, then walked over to a section of broken wall. Taking out several materials along with the array disk, he held them in his hand. His gaze flickered slightly as he focused his mind: "Repair."
"Fwoosh!!" Magma Flame instantly ignited, enveloping the disk and the materials in roaring flames. In mere moments, the notification of a successful repair flashed in his mind.
"Huumm..." Once repaired, Lin Feng immediately noticed the fluctuation from the disk had intensified significantly. Probing it with his spiritual sense, he could even hear a faint humming sound. The entire disk now emitted a subtle glow, making the complex runes on its surface seem to writhe as if coming alive.
Moreover, Lin Feng discovered that this peculiar fluctuation within the disk carried a sense of guidance, pointing towards a specific direction deep within the Ruins ahead.
Faced with such an anomaly, Lin Feng truly couldn't bring himself to leave now. After pondering for a while longer, he decided to investigate the source.
Although the Mist Spirit Ruins were notoriously perilous, and a lone Golden Core cultivator venturing in was said to face grave danger, Lin Feng felt reasonably confident in his current strength. As long as he didn't encounter a Nascent Soul realm opponent, he should be able to handle the threats.
...
Decision made, Lin Feng wasted no time. Holding the array disk, he strode towards the forest ahead. Simultaneously, he retrieved a jade slip from his ring and began examining it while walking. This slip, acquired from Long Tengyu's storage ring, contained a detailed map and extensive information about the Mist Spirit Ruins—it was proving invaluable now.
Although it was his first time entering the Mist Spirit Ruins, Lin Feng wasn't going in blind thanks to Long Tengyu's map jade slip. Combined with the faint guidance from the array disk, he didn't need to wander aimlessly but could proceed purposefully towards the indicated direction.
Not wanting to waste time in the periphery, Lin Feng deliberately released the powerful aura of his Golden Core cultivation. The Grade One and Two monstrous beasts along the path quickly retreated. However, it wasn't long before a Grade Three, initial-stage beast blocked his way. He dispatched it without much trouble using the Crimson Soul Flying Sword, but inwardly, he was startled. Encountering a Grade Three beast so soon was unexpected. He immediately became more cautious, reining in his aura. He proceeded carefully, vigilant of his surroundings.
The sense of direction from the disk was faint, only giving a rough bearing. It felt endless; Lin Feng had no idea how far the destination was. He trekked for most of the day. The sky had already darkened into dusk, yet there was still no sign of the 'destination'.
Although he deliberately avoided areas marked on the map jade slip as dens for powerful beasts, he still encountered several Grade Three monstrous beasts along the way. The strongest was Grade Three, sixth rank. He slew them all. Dealing with these beasts was far easier than fighting Golden Core cultivators. He didn't even need the White Tiger Fierce Soul Talisman, relying solely on the Crimson Soul Flying Sword and Magma Flame to resolve the threats.
According to the map, he had barely passed the outer periphery of the Mist Spirit Ruins, yet he was already encountering Grade Three, sixth rank beasts. Lin Feng frowned inwardly. Glancing at the array disk in his hand, he decided: if he hadn't reached the 'destination' by the time he crossed the middle section, he would abandon the exploration.
"Huh?!"
Just as Lin Feng crested a hill, his expression abruptly changed. In the distance ahead, two figures—one orange, one purple—were streaking towards him, one chasing the other...