The grey-robed cultivator advanced cautiously through the dense mist, his pace noticeably slower than before.
Ever since entering this region, an inexplicable sense of danger had begun gnawing at the back of his mind.
It wasn't fear.
Rather...
It was the instinct that every Purple Palace cultivator developed after surviving countless life-and-death situations.
Something was watching.
Whether it was the Mist Sea itself or the prey he pursued, he couldn't tell.
His sleeve shifted slightly as the tiny Soul Tracking Gu crawled back onto the back of his hand.
Unlike before, the little insect had become increasingly restless, repeatedly changing the direction of its antennae before settling once more.
The grey-robed cultivator frowned.
"So close..."
"It seems you've finally stopped running."
The Gu suddenly pointed straight ahead.
Without hesitation, he stepped forward.
The mist gradually thinned.
The salty scent carried by the sea breeze became noticeably stronger.
Then—
He emerged onto the edge of a massive cliff.
Looking downward, even someone as composed as he was couldn't help narrowing his eyes.
Far below...
A gigantic serpent lay coiled within a secluded bay.
Its body was covered in shattered scales while patches of charred flesh remained exposed to the air. Countless strands of water-attribute spiritual qi continuously flowed toward it as it silently recovered from its injuries.
The surrounding seawater still carried traces of violent lightning.
The grey-robed cultivator's pupils shrank.
"A Rank 4 yao beast..."
"And one that has just survived Heavenly Tribulation."
His expression instantly became solemn.
The lingering Tribulation Aura still hadn't completely dispersed.
Although greatly weakened, the serpent remained an existence capable of threatening his life.
His first instinct was to withdraw.
This wasn't a battle worth fighting.
Just as he slowly took half a step backward—
The serpent's enormous eyes suddenly opened.
Golden vertical pupils instantly locked onto him.
For a brief moment...
Everything fell silent.
The grey-robed cultivator's heart sank.
He knew exactly what the serpent was thinking.
A newly advanced Rank 4 yao beast was at its weakest immediately after overcoming Heavenly Tribulation.
Every approaching cultivator represented a potential enemy seeking its life.
Unfortunately...
His appearance couldn't have been more suspicious.
The serpent slowly raised its massive head.
Its voice echoed like distant thunder.
"Human..."
"You seek... my life?"
The grey-robed cultivator immediately shook his head.
"You misunderstand."
"I merely happened to pass through this place."
"I have no intention of disturbing your recovery."
As he spoke, he even took another slow step backward, hoping to reduce the beast's hostility.
The serpent merely stared at him.
Its instincts screamed danger.
Every cell within its body urged it to eliminate this human before continuing its recovery.
Its enormous tail slowly swept across the sea.
The surrounding water instantly surged.
The grey-robed cultivator's expression changed.
"This really is a misunderstanding."
"I came here chasing someone else."
"There is another human nearby."
The serpent remained unmoved.
Its body erupted with terrifying spiritual fluctuations.
Mist, water and ice gathered from the surroundings
The entire bay instantly trembled.
Several enormous ice spears condensed above the sea before pointing directly toward the grey-robed cultivator.
Hidden several li away, Lin Sheng quietly watched everything unfold.
His breathing remained perfectly steady.
Crystal calmly displayed its latest analysis.
•[Target successfully encountered Rank 4 yao beast.
Residual Tribulation Aura causing heightened aggression.
Estimated probability of direct conflict: 97.8%]•
Lin Sheng slowly revealed a faint smile.
Now...
He simply needed to wait for the first move.
The first move came from the serpent.
With a deafening hiss, the enormous ice spears tore through the air, carrying terrifying killing intent as they shot toward the grey-robed cultivator from every direction.
The surrounding temperature plummeted.
Even the seawater below began freezing at a visible rate.
The grey-robed cultivator's eyes sharpened.
He immediately abandoned any thought of explaining further.
His sleeves flickered as several defensive talismans flew out one after another, forming layers of shimmering barriers before him.
Boom!
The first ice spear shattered against the barriers, but the terrifying force behind it still sent him sliding dozens of meters across the sea.
Before he could stabilize himself, the second and third spears had already arrived.
Boom! Boom!
The barriers cracked one after another.
His expression finally darkened.
"This beast..."
"It still possesses this much strength?"
Although it had just survived Heavenly Tribulation, a Rank 4 yao beast was still a Rank 4 yao beast.
Its body was heavily injured, but every attack it unleashed still contained power capable of threatening his life.
The serpent refused to give him any opportunity to breathe.
It suddenly opened its enormous mouth.
The surrounding mist immediately gathered toward it while seawater surged upward, condensing into countless blades of ice.
At the same time, an invisible pressure spread across the entire cove.
The grey-robed cultivator's heart skipped a beat.
Divine ability!
Without hesitation, he formed hand seals as a dark-green shield appeared before him.
The next instant...
Thousands of ice blades descended simultaneously.
The sea erupted.
Towering waves crashed into the cliffs while shattered ice scattered throughout the mist.
The grey-robed cultivator burst out from the explosion, his robes now stained with blood.
Several deep cuts had appeared across his shoulders and back.
Even his breathing had become slightly disordered.
He no longer dared underestimate the serpent.
Raising both hands, he shouted toward the beast.
"I have no intention of stealing your opportunity!"
"If I wished to kill you, I wouldn't have come alone."
"I merely pursued another person into this place!"
The serpent's eyes remained cold.
Its answer came in the form of another attack.
Its massive tail whipped through the sea with unbelievable speed.
The surrounding water condensed into an enormous dragon-shaped torrent before crashing toward the grey-robed cultivator.
Seeing reason had become useless, the grey-robed cultivator's face completely sank.
"Very well."
"If you insist..."
"...don't blame me."
Several li away, Lin Sheng quietly watched the exchange unfold.
Neither side had noticed him.
Or perhaps...
Neither side considered a mere Rank 2 martial artist worth paying attention to while facing an opponent capable of taking their life.
Crystal's calm voice appeared once more.
•[Target has sustained moderate injuries.
Rank 4 serpent combat capability estimated at 39%.
Current battle outcome impossible to predict.
Recommendation: Continue observing.]•
Lin Sheng didn't move.
He simply remained hidden among the ancient ruins, patiently waiting for the perfect moment to arrive.
The battle intensified.
The grey-robed cultivator no longer held back. His spiritual energy surged as countless dark-green vines erupted from beneath the sea, intertwining into an enormous wooden dragon that collided head-on with the serpent's torrent.
Boom!
The collision shook the entire cove.
Towering waves rose hundreds of meters into the sky before crashing back into the sea with earth-shaking force.
The serpent let out an enraged roar.
Its wounds had only just begun recovering, yet this insignificant human had forced it to mobilize such a large amount of spiritual energy again.
Its injuries were splitting open once more.
Fresh blood seeped through the cracks between its scales.
Seeing this, the grey-robed cultivator's expression changed slightly.
He naturally noticed the beast's deteriorating condition.
As long as he prolonged the battle, the serpent's injuries would worsen.
Unfortunately...
That wasn't what he wanted.
His objective had always been Lin Sheng.
Not a life-and-death struggle with a Rank 4 yao beast.
Taking a deep breath, he spoke once more.
"You've mistaken friend for foe."
"The one you're looking for isn't me."
"I can leave immediately."
The serpent's only response was another deafening hiss.
Its enormous body suddenly coiled together before an astonishing amount of mist poured from every direction.
Within moments, the entire cove disappeared beneath a world of white.
The grey-robed cultivator's vision immediately dropped to only a few dozen meters.
Even his already suppressed divine sense weakened further.
His face finally became ugly.
"A divine ability..."
"No..."
"This is its innate bloodline ability."
At that exact moment...
The sea beneath him froze.
Not the surface.
The water itself.
Layer after layer of ice spread upward from below, attempting to imprison him where he stood.
The grey-robed cultivator immediately soared into the air.
Before he had even risen a hundred meters—
A gigantic blue tail burst through the mist.
Boom!!
The strike landed squarely against the protective barrier around his body.
The shield exploded instantly.
The remaining force threw him flying like a cannonball through several mountain cliffs before finally crashing into a rocky island.
Rubble scattered everywhere.
Dust filled the air.
After several breaths, the grey-robed cultivator slowly climbed back to his feet.
Blood trickled from the corner of his mouth.
Several ribs had fractured.
He looked toward the serpent, his eyes no longer calm.
Instead...
A trace of killing intent gradually surfaced.
Several li away, Lin Sheng silently watched everything unfold.
The corners of his lips rose ever so slightly.
The battle was developing almost exactly as Crystal had predicted.
Neither side could retreat anymore.
One was determined to eliminate every potential threat while recovering from Heavenly Tribulation.
The other had already suffered injuries and understood that escaping peacefully had become impossible.
Crystal calmly updated its calculations.
•[Target combat capability reduced to 78%.
Rank 4 serpent combat capability reduced to 34%.
Probability of mutual heavy injuries: 94.6%.
Optimal strategy: Continue waiting.]•
Lin Sheng closed his eyes briefly before opening them again.
Patience.
The stronger the injuries both sides accumulated...
The greater his chance of surviving the battle that was yet to come.