C14 It Was Difficult to Even Take a Single Step Forward

The recent mishap had made Ye Mo subconsciously more cautious as he proceeded. The little fox followed silently behind him, occasionally sniffing the air with its delicate nose. The further they went, the more something seemed off. The little fox appeared to be struggling to remember something.

Suddenly, Ye Mo's eyes brightened. Not far ahead, he spotted a series of clear wheel tracks. The weeds around them were flattened, stretching into the distance, indicating that a group had recently passed through.

"Hey, little fox, looks like we're not the first ones here," Ye Mo called out, stopping to survey the horizon before speaking to Bai Qing'er behind him.

Bai Qing'er looked up and saw the well-trodden path. "It seems the news of the Specter from the House of the Chosen emerging has been spread by someone with an agenda. There must be quite a few people vying for those precious few spots," she remarked.

In the perilous Second Realm Forest, the sudden appearance of numerous human tracks left little to the imagination for Bai Qing'er. The only thing that could drive them to risk their lives in such a way was the allure of the House of the Chosen!

"Yes, that has to be it!" Ye Mo exclaimed, enlightened by Qing'er's words. He realized that his father, Ye Wuya, must have heard the same news and decided to take a gamble by bringing him to the Second Realm Forest. Ye Mo could think of no other reason his father would take such a risk.

"Let's get moving. We can't afford to waste time," Ye Mo said, quickening his pace as he followed the wheel tracks.

"The path ahead is fraught with danger!" The little fox's warning echoed in Ye Mo's mind as he moved farther away.

Ye Mo hesitated for just a moment before pressing on. "No matter the peril."

With a sense of resignation, the little fox had no choice but to keep up. Ye Mo was oblivious to the true nature of the danger. Others seeking the Specter in the Second Realm Forest usually brought along numerous Soul Cultivator experts or traveled in groups. The marks on the ground were evidence of their passage. Yet here was Ye Mo, a greenhorn, who had barely encountered any Soul Beasts on his journey, save for the white snake. His lack of encounters was not due to luck; the little fox alone knew the reason.

"Little fox, do you have any idea how much further we have to go?" The sky had darkened, yet Ye Mo showed no signs of wanting to stop.

"At the pace you're going, without rest and assuming we don't run into any other Soul Beasts, it could take... ten years, or maybe even twenty..." The little fox spoke, startling Ye Mo so much that his legs nearly gave out, and he almost toppled over. "What?! Ten years, twenty years... Are you messing with me again, little fox?" Ye Mo's voice quivered with apprehension.

"About ten miles ahead, there's an area shrouded in miasma. Many high-level Soul Beasts from the Forest of Nine Illusions favor that spot, but for ordinary people like you, that miasma-filled space is deadly. Inhaling too much of it will cause hallucinations and lead to death from sheer terror, without the Soul Beasts even lifting a paw." Bai Qing'er spoke with an air of authority, then slowly shook her head.

"Why didn't you mention this sooner?" Ye Mo's brow furrowed deeply.

"I forgot..." Bai Qing'er's nonchalant admission left Ye Mo utterly speechless. "Then how did the others get through? Are they stuck on the outskirts of the miasma?" A thought seemed to strike Ye Mo as he examined the tracks on the ground.

"Anyone who knows about this path is no fool. They're either above the fifth level of the Apocalypse state or they possess a powerful Soul Weapon. Without one or the other, they wouldn't be able to cross," she explained.

Upon hearing these prerequisites, Ye Mo's spirits deflated. In the Ye family, there were scarcely three people at the fifth level of the Apocalypse state, and as for a powerful Soul Weapon, the family didn't seem to possess even one—at least, he had never heard of any. No wonder the little fox had said it would take ten to twenty years to cross; it was essentially an impassable barrier.

"Isn't there any other way? Am I really doomed to be stopped in my tracks here?" Ye Mo felt a surge of urgency. Without crossing that miasma, he had no hope left.

"See that clearing up ahead?" Bai Qing'er's gaze drifted into the distance, her eyes reflecting a touch of longing.

"What about it? Is there something special with that clearing? Could there be a high-level Soul Weapon there? You wait here; I'm going to check it out." Ye Mo was struck by the little fox's unusual look. He recalled reading about the many formidable beings that had perished in the Second Realm Forest, leaving behind countless treasures and Soul Weapons. Eager to investigate, he was about to dash off when Bai Qing'er hesitated and added, "Why not build a small hermitage right there? It would be lovely for us to spend three years together, don't you think?"

"Little fox, can you please stop?" Ye Mo felt as if he'd been doused with a bucket of ice water.

"Hmph, come here." Bai Qing'er, detecting Ye Mo's look of distaste, huffed and commanded him to approach.

"What now?" Ye Mo grimaced as if he'd bitten into a bitter melon. Despite his reluctance, he trudged over to her.

Once Ye Mo reached Bai Qing'er, the little fox demanded, "Pick me up." The anthropomorphic fox wore a look of haughty pride.

"What is it this time?" Having traveled together for some time, the man and the fox had grown quite familiar, even intimate. Despite Ye Mo's apparent disdain, he bent down and lifted her into his arms.

"It's gotten late. We should rest now and continue on our way tomorrow." Bai Qing'er rested her head against Ye Mo's chest, her face weary. Her casual words were unexpectedly alluring, a stark contrast to her usual demeanor as the formidable ruler of the Forest of Nine Illusions.

Days passed with the setting sun marking the passage of time.

On this particular day, Ye Mo's stamina had noticeably waned. Under the little fox's guidance, what should have been a short journey of ten or twenty miles stretched into three days. They would stop frequently, with the little fox insisting on breaks whenever she sensed even a hint of fatigue in Ye Mo.

Ye Mo grumbled non-stop, carrying the little fox and pressing on, careful not to upset her. He still didn't know how to navigate through the Miasma Land, so he had no choice but to indulge her whims with a wry smile.

Throughout their days together, Ye Mo had uncovered some secrets about the Miasma Lands within the Second Realm Forest. It seemed these perilous areas shared a common allure, drawing countless brave souls to explore them for two reasons: the search for mystical herbs and immortal medicines, and the pursuit of the Soul Beasts' inner cores. Every part of a Soul Beast was considered valuable, which had led to an ancient and unending enmity between them and humans. Ye Mo could not miss the disdain in the little fox's voice when she spoke of humans. This revelation left Ye Mo at a loss for words. In his view, it was the Soul Beasts that were the true scourge of humanity, and the age-old grievances between them were not something he or the little fox could fully comprehend.

The third thing that captivated the world was also a plant, yet not a medicinal one. It was known as Wraithsense Grass. Ye Mo had long been aware of its reputation. Legend had it that this miraculous species could enhance one's Soul Seed. However, the risks were just as prominent—if the enhancement failed, one would die, vanishing without a trace. Despite the danger, there were always individuals who risked their lives to seek it out, hoping to fetch a handsome price.

At last, with his measured pace, Ye Mo began to discern a thick, dark green mist ahead, swirling like smoke. This was a type of fog he had never encountered in his life.

"Have we finally arrived?" Ye Mo peered into the vast expanse of green fog, his gaze sharpening as he silently pondered.

"Yes, that's the place," the little fox confirmed, her eyes gleaming. In her prime, she would have faced the dark green fog without fear. Yet now, an unusual concern flickered within her, betraying her cautious attitude toward the Miasma Land.

"So, how do we get through this Miasma Land?" Ye Mo's eyes held a penetrating intensity, and his breath grew slightly heavier.

"Just hold me tight and walk straight ahead. You mustn't lose focus; the Miasma Land is incredibly vast," the little fox said gravely. She had never wanted Ye Mo to venture into this perilous place, a deathtrap for the average Soul Cultivator, much less for an inexperienced, low-level Soul Cultivator like him. Bai Qing'er was aware she couldn't stop Ye Mo. Had he gone alone, he would likely have fallen prey to the Soul Beasts two days prior. Little did Ye Mo know how many predators Bai Qing'er had deterred with her aura along the way.

"Walk straight through? Was everything you told me earlier just to deceive me?" Ye Mo looked down at the little fox cradled in his arms, his eyes clouded with confusion.

"When I'm in your embrace, I can use the power of the inner core to dispel the Miasma," the little fox explained, her voice trailing off. The memory of the black bear that had battled and injured her surfaced in her mind. A reluctant thought crept into her consciousness. She had once been eager to find him, but now, she couldn't pinpoint when her anticipation had turned into dread at the prospect of their encounter.

Ye Mo gasped in surprise, turning back to look at the little fox, Bai Qing'er. He realized that it was her underlying purpose that allowed her to remain so composed as they journeyed together.

Treading carefully, Ye Mo walked through the trampled weeds, making his way to the edge of the Miasma Land. Before him, a dense green fog hovered three steps away, coalescing but not spreading. Regardless of the turmoil within the Miasma Land, its outer boundary remained steadfastly contained.

"Is this Miasma really as formidable as you claim?" Ye Mo questioned, standing three steps from the Miasma, peering intently but only able to discern a mere ten steps into it. Inside the Miasma Land, aside from the eerie and terrifying atmosphere, it seemed no different from the outside – the same dense forests and overgrown weeds, even thicker in some places. This observation prompted Ye Mo to voice his doubts.

Bai Qing'er, the little fox, gazed at Ye Mo with a look of resignation in her eyes. Her voice echoed in his mind, "You mustn't be careless. Once we enter, remember not to stray from me. Keep holding me tightly, or you'll end up madly succumbing to your Death Curse, and it will truly be the end of you."

"Mm..." Ye Mo took her warning to heart, his heavy breathing a testament to his growing anxiety. He lifted his foot and stepped forward, one step, then another...

Wuwu...

After his third step, Ye Mo found himself within the perilous confines of the Miasma Land. Suddenly, he was enveloped by chilling winds whistling past his ears. Turning back, he saw that the world outside, just a step behind, had vanished from view, replaced by an ominous dark green landscape.

Witnessing the disappearance of the outside world, Ye Mo was startled and exclaimed, "What! How could this happen..."