The group continued through the mountain forest. The closer they got to the depths of Cloud Prison Mountain, the more difficult their advance became.
Not only were the trees growing denser, but poisonous insects and ferocious beasts also appeared more frequently. Fortunately, the group included two masters who had achieved Body Ascension. The Life Magnetic Field they naturally emitted was enough to frighten away the surrounding beasts and insects.
Creatures of the jungle follow the laws of nature and possess far sharper instincts.
But even without having to worry about poisonous insects and ferocious beasts, the simple act of traveling had left everyone covered in mud, grass, and decaying leaves. They all looked quite wretched.
Even Tao Zihong, who was carrying supplies on his back, had smudges on his Daoist Robe. Only Yi Beidou's sportswear remained pristine.
Any debris or foliage that fell upon him was instantly repelled, unable to touch his clothes.
"Master, our Compass isn't working!"
A female Maoshan disciple holding a Compass spoke up. The needle on the device was spinning wildly, refusing to settle.
"Mm, it seems we're approaching our destination. The surging Earth Vein Qi is causing magnetic chaos. I will set up a Small Five Thunders Array to restore order. Once we have our bearings, we'll press on."
Tao Zihong said with a nod.
"There's no need for all that trouble. Just follow me."
Just then, Yi Beidou spoke up.
The magnetic field was in chaos, making electronic devices difficult to use, but it had no effect on his mind or intuition.
Celestial Demon Sensing had already shown him the way.
Only then did the others realize that, given his attire, Yi Beidou wasn't carrying any sort of navigational device like a compass.
"You have a skill like Thousand-Mile Soul Lock, an ability where your True Spirit guides you through the unseen?"
Tao Zihong asked.
"Something like that."
Yi Beidou nodded.
"Then we'll have to trouble you to lead the way, Mr. Yi."
Tao Zihong said, cupping his hands in respect.
The Maoshan Disciples exchanged glances. They looked at their own disheveled appearances and useless equipment, then at Yi Beidou, who still looked as if he were out for a morning jog. Even when their specialized gear had failed, he could press on as if nothing were wrong.
'Relying on no equipment or assistance, just his physical body, he could travel the world, walk through treacherous lands, fear no danger, and find anything he sought.'
'That was something even their master couldn't do.'
In that moment, they truly understood the meaning of the word "unfettered."
The group followed Yi Beidou for nearly half an hour as the fog in the mountain forest grew progressively thicker.
"Do you guys… feel… that something is… off?"
The deeper they walked into the dense fog, the more the Maoshan Disciples felt that something was wrong.
Their breathing grew ragged, their hearts pounded, and their legs trembled. Their teeth chattered uncontrollably as cold sweat poured down their bodies.
To them, the surrounding fog seemed to take on monstrous shapes, baring fangs and brandishing claws like demons from Purgatory. An unspeakable horror lurked in its depths. Their bodies' instincts screamed at them not to go forward, that ahead lay the inescapable Eighteen Layers of Hell.
Evil Qi! The air was thick with an incredibly terrifying Evil Qi!
Despite their considerable Cultivation—two of them having even reached the realm of Soul Capturing and Soul Stealing—they struggled to maintain their composure before this overwhelming Evil Qi.
"Alright, stop here."
Tao Zihong said, holding out a hand to stop his disciples.
"This is a Celestial Fiend Dojo, created by that individual by combining the Fengshui Dao with Earth Vein Qi. You are not yet qualified to approach it. If the Evil Qi were to contaminate your Divine Sense, you would likely go mad."
As his disciples watched in confusion, Tao Zihong continued, then turned his gaze to Yi Beidou up ahead. "That person wouldn't have set up a Dao Field without reason. This matter doesn't concern us, but you. We will wait here."
Yi Beidou nodded, his eyes fixed on the dense fog that seemed to be a manifestation of the Evil Qi.
In the next moment…
BOOM!
His eyes narrowed. The Qi and blood in his body surged as his physical potential was completely unleashed. The terrifyingly pure, malevolent killing intent of the Celestial Demon Body erupted in an instant.
THUD! THUD!
The Maoshan Disciples were too close. It felt as if a grenade had detonated in their minds, and they all fell back instinctively. One of the female disciples with weaker Cultivation stumbled, her pack unbalancing her, and nearly fell flat on her rear before Tao Zihong grabbed her.
As Yi Beidou strode into the depths of the fog, the group witnessed an unbelievable sight.
Wherever Yi Beidou went, the dense fog within three meters of his body parted on its own, as if he were surrounded by an invisible Dao Field.
The fog only closed in again after he had walked a fair distance.
"Master, what in the world is…"
The disciples watched, their mouths parched. They had thought their master was already a figure like an Immortal, but this peer of theirs who had appeared out of nowhere seemed to be something else entirely—something not quite human.
"This fog is formed by the mountain's water vapor condensing under the influence of a turbulent Evil Qi magnetic field," Tao Zihong explained gravely. "When he circulates his Qi and blood, his own Life Magnetic Field projects several meters outward, disrupting the array's field and causing the water vapor to disperse. All evil is repelled wherever he walks."
'I could do this as well,' he thought, 'but not with the same ease as Yi Beidou. I would need to mobilize my Qi and blood, manifest my Dharma Body, and activate my Thunder Robe just to come close.'
"This man possesses a Celestial Demon Body, which means he had a Dharma Body the moment he achieved his Dao—something ordinary people can barely fathom. For such an entity to achieve Ascension is a rarity in all of history. I have no idea what Dharma Gate he cultivates. Not only is his physical body transcendent, but his soul even possesses the Divine Power of a True Spiritual Call. If he survives, his future accomplishments will be immeasurable. Is the world about to witness the rise of another 'Sect Leader'?"
Tao Zihong mused with a sigh.
"Does that mean he has a chance to surpass the ancients and pioneer an unprecedented realm?" one of the disciples asked.
"His talent is immense, but so are his tribulations. Of the three tribulations—Heaven, Earth, and Human—he achieved his Dao as a Celestial Demon, defying the heavens to change his fate, so he has already passed the first two. But the Human Tribulation is the most terrifying of all. When humanity's killing intent is unleashed, heaven and earth are overturned. In this day and age, who can say what will happen?"
Tao Zihong said, shaking his head.
「Meanwhile.」
BOOM!
Yi Beidou walked deeper and deeper into the fog. The Evil Qi grew more intense. After he had advanced several dozen meters, the surrounding mist suddenly began to roil as if boiling. It swirled like dragons and snakes, surging toward him in a frenzy.
It twisted and turned, confounding all sense of direction.
Yet no matter how the Evil Qi surged, the Dao Field around Yi Beidou remained stable, and his sense of direction never wavered.
He walked another few dozen meters, took a step, and the scene before him suddenly cleared.
Not far away was a cave. A large boulder stood before its entrance, and a tall man was sitting cross-legged atop it.
The man had a messy thatch of hair and a scruffy, unkempt beard. His face was that of a man born under an evil star, cursed to bring ruin to all he held dear. But his eyes were like Yi Beidou's—as calm as still water, as deep as the abyssal sea.
On the ground before him, a Longsword was thrust into the earth, sheathed in a simple, ancient Sword Scabbard. Coils of fine golden thread wrapped around the sword. Some of these threads stretched to nearby trees, others burrowed deep into the ground, while still others were wound around the man's own fingers and wrist.
Of all the Evil Qi in the forest, the same Qi that had condensed into fog, three parts came from the earth veins, three from the man himself, and the remaining four parts originated entirely from that Longsword.
It was, in every sense of the word, an Evil Sword.
"Killing Heart Buddha told me a Celestial Demon had achieved Ascension in this world," the man said. "Seeing you now, I can tell you are truly extraordinary."