Chapter 1754: Layers of Protection

The trees appearing before them were no longer growing on the island’s soil but were deeply rooted in the lake water itself. Many were only partially submerged, while others were titans rising high into the sky. Though they blocked the path, as the boat sped forward, they seemed to possess a sentience of their own, quickly sliding to the sides.

They carved a waterway that seemed short yet felt endless, and they did not close behind the vessel, leaving a long wake trailing in the boat’s path. For a moment, it felt as though they had entered a vast, wooded wetland. It was a sight no newcomer could have guessed.

But no one dared to ask. The woman in white stared ahead, her cold aura discouraging any conversation. This forced everyone to remain silent, choosing the safety of wordlessness in the face of the unknown.

These cultivators were all intelligent and quick-witted; they weren’t about to invite trouble. In the silence, they initially studied their surroundings, but as time passed, it became incredibly tedious. The boat never slowed, and the scenery remained frustratingly identical.

Eventually, the disciples realized this was more than just boring—it was a test of their state of mind. At any moment, the bow seemed ready to crash into the trees ahead, leading everyone to believe the scenery would change or they would arrive at the hall in the next instant.

But they were wrong. They saw nothing but the trees parting and the bow cutting through the waves, again and again, without end. This went on for about half a month. In the endless, monotonous journey, everyone kept track of time, but they soon found their internal clocks becoming fuzzy.

The sun remained fixed in the sky above the woods, never moving an inch and shedding a perpetual, drowsy heat. After a few days, those who compared notes found that everyone had a different answer for how many days had passed. Only after a group consensus did they decide it had likely been half a month.

Some felt sick just looking at the scenery. Though many had begun to meditate to avoid the sight, the presence of others and their instinctual vigilance kept them from falling into a deep state of meditation. Whenever they opened their eyes, the woman in white was still there, as if she could stand until the end of time. And before her, the boat still seemed seconds away from a crash that never happened, as the trees parted in a relentless, mindless cycle.

Li Yan sat cross-legged in a corner at the very back of the boat. Every few hours, he would open his eyes, only to see the same sight.

‘This is more terrifying than a teleportation array. It ensures no one knows where the hall actually is. Many experienced cultivators can estimate the distance of a teleportation by its scale and the time spent in transit. It’s not perfect, but it’s often fifty percent accurate. But traveling like this… it might be very far, or we might just be traveling in circles within an array. It makes judging the position or distance impossible.’

‘Normally, teleportation is a blur or a blackout, and people are mentally prepared for it. But this way, you can see everything around you, yet you can’t see past the trees. It leaves you always wondering where the shore is. It creates a constant state of expectation and suppression. Even I have begun to lose track of time…’

Li Yan pondered the methods of Huangqi Valley. They were deliberately protecting the hall. Even the most experienced cultivator would find their heart unsettled by this “silent” interference. Li Yan himself felt a growing sense of restless anxiety.

One day, as the trees parted once more, the woods suddenly vanished. A cluster of waterfalls appeared abruptly. Amidst a thunderous roar like a continuous clap of thunder, curtains of white water crashed down from the sky.

The waterfalls appeared so suddenly that the boat seemed to dive into them without preparation. After a heavy sound of water striking the protective barrier and a brief moment of darkness, the roaring stopped. It was like a fleeting illusion.

Then, a dark sky appeared before their eyes. The sun that had hung over the woods was gone, replaced by an all-encompassing chill. They were in a vast wilderness under a thick layer of gray clouds. The dim light illuminated the land below.

As far as the eye could see, the land was covered in purple lavender. It was silent, save for the whistling wind that stirred the flowers into waves, one after another. This sea of purple stretched to the horizon, filling the heart with a sense of loneliness and desolation.

Behind the boat, the white, water-glistening opening through which they had entered was rapidly vanishing, returning to the gray sky. The disciples had all opened their eyes the moment the waterfalls hit the barrier. Now, they stared at the dark, oppressive sky and the endless purple sea, looking for the Inheritance Ancient Hall.

Without the protection of the barrier, the wind would have been deafening, but inside, they could only see the silent, eerie space and the boat speeding through the lavender. The boat accelerated, causing a sense of disappointment in everyone; it meant the hall was still far away.

The woman in white remained motionless. In the dim light, her snow-white skin looked pale and gray, devoid of blood. Li Yan found himself wondering if she were a soul-reaper leading them to the underworld.

Soon, he heard the low whispers of voice transmissions. His Divine Sense was so powerful that even without trying, the voices of the Nascent Soul and Spirit Transformation cultivators drifted into his mind.

“S-Senior Brother, is this the legendary Inheritance Ancient Hall? Is this the Sea of the Underworld?”

“Don’t speak nonsense. Can’t you see those seniors are composed? They’ve probably been here before…”

“But no one is talking. It looks too much like a realm of ghosts!”

“Junior Brother… let’s talk of something else. You’re giving me the creeps.”

“Daoist Friend Ye, you are the most well-informed among us. Do you know of this?”

“Information on the hall is strictly controlled. Even those who have been here are keeping quiet. I imagine we’re close…”