C15 The Danger Was Everywhere

The wheel tracks beneath Ye Mo's feet stretched endlessly before him, yet within the dense miasma of Miasma Land, he initially detected no difference from the world outside. It was only upon closer inspection that he discovered an invisible, bubble-like shield had formed around him upon entering this place.

This shield, though intangible, had a presence; it softly repelled the dark green miasma, creating a zone around Ye Mo that seemed completely cut off from the outside world.

As Ye Mo followed the carriage's path, a sense of nervousness grew within him. His gaze could only reach about ten steps ahead, rendering him virtually blind.

"Move carefully and keep quiet," advised the little fox, whose cultivation was no longer at its peak. The oppressive feeling in this place was intense, a testament to their current vulnerability.

Ye Mo nodded subtly and quickened his pace. "How extensive is Miasma Land?" he wondered aloud as he walked.

"It could be vast or quite small, depending on our position within the miasma," Bai Qing'er's voice responded in his mind after a brief pause.

With a nod, Ye Mo silently hastened his steps. Yet, no matter how fast he moved, he could only ever see about ten steps ahead. As he walked alongside the little fox, time seemed to stretch, and though they encountered no Soul Beasts on the smooth path, the real torment for Ye Mo was the perpetual nearsightedness of his journey. Surrounded by chaos, with no light ahead and an oppressive atmosphere constricting his chest, he felt an overwhelming discomfort.

Suddenly, a low, rumbling growl echoed in front of Ye Mo.

"At last," he exhaled, "a Soul Beast has come to greet us!" He reached for his waist, only to remember that his dagger, broken in the fight with the white snake, had been lost. In a moment of awkwardness, Ye Mo stooped to pick up a sturdy branch from the ground for defense, but his hand brushed against something cold and smooth amid the fallen leaves.

Brushing aside the withered leaves, Ye Mo was startled to find a disarray of white bones scattered before him. He instinctively recoiled a few steps. Even the white fox, accustomed to surprises, leapt in shock, let alone Ye Mo, who was still unversed in the ways of the world.

Yet, a spark of excitement quickly replaced Ye Mo's initial fright as he spotted something extraordinary amidst the bones. He hurried forward, clearing away the jumbled skeletons, and to his amazement, a longsword with a gleaming blade materialized before him.

"Ha, what a find!"

The sight of the radiant longsword filled Ye Mo with delight, momentarily distracting him from the angry roars in the distance. He grasped the longsword in his hand, and as he did, a chill shot straight to his heart, sending a shiver through his body. His Soul Power surged into the blade, causing it to emit a resonant hum, while a soft glow danced along its edge.

Ye Mo, familiar with such artifacts, inspected the hilt and discovered an intricate, chaotic engraving resembling a bird in flight. Now, in Ye Mo's hands, the once indistinct mark shone with a subtle brilliance.

"A Tier 2 Destined Soul Weapon..." Ye Mo murmured in awe, hardly able to believe the treasure before him. His father, Ye Wuya, possessed a longsword with merely two carvings, known as a low-level scarred Soul Weapon, which he treasured dearly. After all, many Soul Cultivators in the world lacked even a single Soul Weapon.

Overwhelmed by his fortune, Ye Mo reflected on his lifelong desire to become a Soul Cultivator. He had hung on his father's every word about Soul Weapons and necromancy, never imagining he would one day claim such power for himself.

Roar! Roar!

The roars grew louder, and within moments, four crimson eyes glowed menacingly in front of Ye Mo. The eyes radiated a voracious hunger for blood.

Clutching the longsword, still unexplored in his hand, and cradling the little fox in his other arm, Ye Mo was spurred into action by the roars. He looked up just in time to see two figures emerge from the dark green miasma. As they appeared, they cast a shadow over the already faint light, plunging the area into deeper darkness.

The two towering figures loomed over Ye Mo like an eclipse, dwarfing the Windchaser Wolf in comparison.

Gurgle! Gurgle!

Before him stood two immense Soul Beasts: a majestic lion with a singular horn and a massive tiger with wings etched in white. Their presence was commanding, their gaze fixed intently on the diminutive form of Ye Mo, who seemed to be the focus of their predatory attention.

Ye Mo's heart clenched as he brandished his longsword, edging backward. But then, Bai Qing'er's small fox whispered calmly in his mind, "Don't panic. They once served under me."

"Squeak squeak squeak... (You dare to confront me? Do you seek a battle?)"

Before Ye Mo could inquire further, Bai Qing'er's small fox emerged from her embrace, emitting a piercing cry at the two towering beasts. Her eyes radiated supreme authority, and an invisible aura enveloped the area, so potent that Ye Mo could feel the white fox's formidable presence.

Roar...

The Soul Beasts, one lion and one tiger, cowered at the sight, their heads recoiling. They soon bowed, their throats emitting mournful pleas for mercy as they retreated, visibly shaking.

"Roar... Squeak squeak squeak! (Is Big Bear Duanjiu in the vicinity?)" The small fox continued to interrogate in the Soul Beasts' unique tongue, a language incomprehensible to Ye Mo, who could only observe in silence.

"Aooo... (Sister, you should not have pursued us here. We were deceived and have since abandoned him. He's now hunting us. Spare us, please. If you seek him, we can disclose his whereabouts...)"

The One-Horned Lion stepped back, prostrating itself on the ground with an expression of innocence, occasionally lifting its head to roar plaintively. Lacking the ability to speak as humans do, they resorted to their own language, conveying a message only fellow Soul Beasts could understand.

"Squeak squeak squeak... (No, I'm not in a rush to find him now. You two will escort this man out of Miasma Land, and we'll consider our past grievances settled.)" The white fox commanded, her voice leaving no room for argument, as she addressed the two beasts with firm resolve.

"Roar, roar, roar!" ("Fine, fine, fine. Big sister, as long as you spare our lives, we'll do anything you say, as long as you're with us! Even if the Big Bear comes, we won't be scared!") The winged white tiger lay on the ground, growling. Despite its confusion towards the shrunken human before it, it dared not voice any objections and hastily concurred.

Ye Mo, as an onlooker, couldn't grasp what they were discussing, but judging by the two beasts' terrified expressions, Bai Qing'er and the little fox hadn't been bluffing.

"Climb onto the winged tiger's back. We'll be leaving here shortly." Having finished her conversation with the two beasts, the white fox turned and spoke to Ye Mo with a detached tone.

"What... Uh, okay."

Observing the two beasts, once imperious and now humbled, Ye Mo decided to trust the little fox. Resolute, he sheathed his Destined longsword and slung it across his back. Gathering his courage, he cautiously approached the beasts. Standing before the colossal head, Ye Mo realized he was merely the size of its head. Without further thought, he grabbed onto the tiger's fur and, with a powerful leap, landed on its back.

"Squeak, squeak, squeak... (Quickly, let's leave this place at top speed...)"

Once Ye Mo was securely seated on the winged tiger's back with the little fox in his arms, the fox urged him on.

Though bewildered, the two beasts refrained from questioning and rose to their feet. Guided by the white fox, they sped off into the depths of Miasma Land with incredible velocity.

"Hey, little fox, what level are these two at? They seem quite powerful," Ye Mo inquired softly to the fox as the jungle zipped by and the wind whistled past his ears.

"Seventh level," Bai Qing'er replied, her calm voice tinged with urgency.

Seventh level Soul Beasts! That was on par with the Earthheart stage of a Soul Cultivator. What stature such beings must hold in the mortal world, akin to that of a Pavilion Master! Ye Mo marveled inwardly, yet here he was, riding atop the winged tiger, awash with a myriad of emotions. He couldn't help but regard Bai Qing'er with newfound respect.

Flap, flap...!

The two beasts charged forward in a frenzy. Suddenly, the winged tiger emitted a muffled growl, spread its wings, and lifted off the ground. It was more of a glide than a flight, as no matter how hard it tried, it couldn't ascend more than thirty feet.

"Wow! Such a large creature can actually take to the air. If it can fly, why doesn't it escape this Miasma Land?" Hovering above the treetops, a sense of awe filled its heart, yet confusion also took hold.

"Hehe... Easier said than done. In Miasma Land, for a winged tiger to be able to fly is impressive. If a winged tiger of a lesser realm tried, it would struggle to even unfurl its wings due to the miasma. This place is shrouded in a mysterious no-fly zone," Little Fox chided playfully, clearing up Ye Mo's bewilderment.

"Roar! Roar! Roar!"

Without any forewarning, the winged tiger and the One-Horned Lion let out simultaneous, resounding roars. Little Fox's ears perked up, her face taking on a grave expression.

The winged tiger descended from the sky, standing shoulder to shoulder with the One-Horned Lion, hesitating to move forward while continuously growling.

"Hahaha... Big sister, why are you running so fast? You've given me quite the workout chasing you down."

A human voice emerged out of thin air, swirling around and leaving listeners feeling disoriented. Following closely, a black wind confronted the two beasts. As the wind cleared, a burly man in a large black robe stood defiantly, his human form topped with the head of a bear, exuding an eerie aura.

The little fox, looking concerned, withdrew her gaze and glanced up at Ye Mo, who was utterly oblivious to the unfolding events. She whispered to herself, "Damn it, you've shown up after all, Duanjiu..."