“Who knows what is inside Cold Demon Ridge. Even if there are treasures, they won’t appear so quickly. It’s still better to choose a relatively safer team.”
Lin Xiao transmitted in rebuttal to Ge Jiuwei.
“This team only has a strong Tianji Holy Land elder. The other teams should also have quite a few experts. Why not choose one of those?”
Ge Jiuwei countered.
“If there really is something valuable, too many experts would make it equally hard to act.”
Lin Xiao rebutted again.
Ge Jiuwei inwardly grumbled. No matter which way he argued, the other man had a comeback.
It was obvious the fellow wanted to stay in this team.
In the end, Ge Jiuwei stood in the group with some dissatisfaction.
Comparatively, their team had the fewest members, only around thirty. The other three teams each had thirty to forty or more.
Their team also had the most young people.
“Gather at the stronghold in three days at this time to launch the attack.”
The Tianji Holy Land elder gave one final instruction, then the four teams went their separate ways and entered Cold Demon Ridge.
Once inside the jungle, Lin Xiao felt the cold wind grow ever stronger. He had no idea why this region produced such chilling gusts.
Their group did not fly but walked on foot through the jungle.
Five thousand li would not take three days for Martial Emperors.
Yet, presumably for safety, the Tianji Holy Land elder led the team on foot.
“Elder, does Cold Demon Ridge have some special history? It’s so much colder inside than outside, and cold winds keep blowing from time to time.”
Along the way, a young cultivator asked the Tianji Holy Land Martial Saint elder curiously.
The Martial Saint elder was not overly aloof. He answered calmly. “This place has a great origin. Legend says that in the ancient era, or even further back, a cold demon named Leng Cangtian lived here. Hence the name Cold Demon Ridge.”
“Cold demon Leng Cangtian?”
Everyone looked puzzled. They had never heard the name before.
Even Lin Xiao, who possessed part of the Heaven-Swallowing Spirit Emperor’s memories, had never heard it.
Yet the moment he heard the name, Lin Xiao felt an inexplicable sensation.
When he tried to search the memories inherited from the Heaven-Swallowing Spirit Emperor, a sudden intense pain exploded in his head.
A nameless terror rose in his heart.
The feeling was similar to when he had received the Yaoguang Great Emperor’s inheritance and that tentacle had suddenly appeared in the silver mirror spirit gate. The words “great terror” seemed to echo faintly in his mind, as though the Heaven-Swallowing Spirit Emperor himself was screaming in alarm.
Lin Xiao was filled with shock. Just the name alone caused such a reaction?
Who exactly was this Leng Cangtian?
Could he also be connected to the Divine Demon Cemetery?
The reaction in his mind was too strong. Fearing others might detect something, Lin Xiao hurriedly stopped probing the memories. Only then did the pain subside.
Sweat had already appeared on his forehead.
Fortunately, with so many people, no one noticed him.
“Leng Cangtian is said to have been one of the most terrifying true demons in the world. After his death, endless regions experienced dreadful heavenly phenomena. Even after countless ages, in the core area of his fall, which is Cold Demon Ridge, some phenomena still occasionally appear: cold ravines, frozen pools, cold floods, cold storms, and so on. These phenomena can kill even a Martial Saint, turning them into part of the phenomenon itself.”
The Tianji Holy Land elder continued.
Everyone was alarmed. Even Martial Saints could perish? That was too frightening.
And Leng Cangtian had fallen countless ages ago, yet his lingering power was still so terrifying. Did such horrifying existences truly exist in the world?
“Cold ravines and frozen pools can appear suddenly anywhere, but they do not move, so they are not the worst. The most dangerous are mobile phenomena like cold floods and cold storms. If you encounter one and cannot escape in time, you face certain death.”
The Tianji Holy Land elder went on.
The group grew even more alarmed.
Many, especially the younger ones, had only heard that the place was dangerous. They had never heard of cold floods or cold storms, nor of the legend of an ancient true demon’s fall.
From the elder’s manner, he did not seem to be trying to scare them.
Quite possibly, these were the very reasons Tianji Holy Land had not previously sent large forces to encircle the Blood Sect.
“However, the claim that the phenomena stem from the cold demon Leng Cangtian is from an era too distant to verify. But the dangers do occasionally appear, that much is true.”
The Tianji Holy Land elder continued as they walked. “Do not be hasty. Caution is the parent of safety.”
Everyone nodded in agreement, no longer as impatient as before.
Lin Xiao, however, was inwardly surprised. The man was a Martial Saint, yet so cautious. He could not tell whether the elder was deliberately misleading them or genuinely wary of the place.
Either way, he too had to be careful. This region might truly be perilous.
After all, he could genuinely feel the cold air.
“Brother, are you all right? You’re sweating profusely.”
At that moment, Ge Jiuwei suddenly asked Lin Xiao.
Though Ge Jiuwei spoke softly, everyone present was a Martial Emperor with exceptional hearing. They all heard him and turned to look at Lin Xiao.
Even the Tianji Holy Land Martial Saint elder glanced over.
Lin Xiao’s face darkened. He felt a strong urge to thrash Ge Jiuwei.
The disturbance caused by Leng Cangtian’s name had already forced him to conceal his reaction. Yet this fellow had to speak aloud and draw attention.
Lin Xiao could not tell whether it was deliberate, perhaps to make others notice him sweating at a mere story and underestimate him, or if there was some other motive.
“Nothing. I’m not scared or anything!”
Lin Xiao hurriedly put on an awkward, evasive expression as he explained.
Everyone showed looks of disdain.
No one had asked if he was frightened, yet he denied it unprompted. Was that not proof he was afraid?
Just hearing the legend and about the phenomena had scared him into a sweat. This fellow was far too timid.
How dared such a coward enter Cold Demon Ridge with them?
They all inwardly felt ashamed to be in the same team as Lin Xiao.
Yet no one spoke it aloud.
Even the Tianji Holy Land elder only glanced at Lin Xiao up and down. Finding nothing unusual, he assumed it was fear, revealed a trace of contempt, and paid him no further attention.
Lin Xiao inwardly breathed a sigh of relief. Good. He had not drawn the Tianji Holy Land Martial Saint’s suspicion.
Otherwise, quietly following to locate the Blood Demon Body would become difficult.
His last sentence had naturally been deliberate to mislead them. Without knowing his identity, they would naturally assume as much.
The group continued in silence.
After travelling roughly a thousand li, the Tianji Holy Land elder suddenly raised a hand. The thirty-odd people immediately halted.
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh! At that instant, blood-coloured arrows shot from all directions like lightning. Each arrow carried immense power and streaked toward the group.
