Sea of ​​Forests (2/4)

The next morning.

Over two hundred li from the Tianyuan Sect, in a dense forest where thousand-year-old trees towered over the landscape, obscuring the sun, and where a thin mist had yet to disperse.

Four figures, arranged in two rows, one behind the other, walked along a winding forest path, their feet sinking into the soft humus.

As for why there were four of them…

Well, it’s a long story.

Let’s rewind to yesterday afternoon.

As Lu Qiancha was packing her luggage in her room, she was caught red-handed by Gan Tang, who happened to be passing by.

The moment she heard that her Senior Brother was going on a trip.

Gan Tang immediately clung to Lu Qiancha’s arm like a koala, using a combination of pleading and pestering, vowing to go with her.

Lu Qiancha was so worn down that she had no choice but to surrender with a wave of her paws.

“Alright, alright! I’ll take you! I’ll take you with me, okay?!”

No sooner had she dealt with one…

The door to the wing was gently knocked open.

Xuan Ya gracefully entered, holding this month’s disciple’s allowance of spirit stones.

However, this usually solemn and dignified master did not leave after dropping off the allowance. Instead, her gaze wandered, seemingly unintentionally, to the not-yet-closed luggage.

“Having cultivated in seclusion on this lonely peak for so long, my bones are almost rusting… This teacher will accompany you on this trip.”

Lu Qiancha: “…”

Helpless, Lu Qiancha could only respectfully bow her head.

“…This disciple… obeys.”

It seemed she would need to prepare some more Spirit-Recovering Pills for this trip…

Let’s return to the lush, verdant, and dimly lit forest.

Lu Qiancha let out an almost imperceptible sigh, her gaze sweeping over the seemingly endless gnarled branches and dense leaves ahead, her voice filled with deep suspicion.

“Will there really be a sea in this place?”

“I just rode the wind and looked down from above. For a hundred li in every direction… I did not see a single trace of salty water.”

Ahead, Xuan Ya, holding her jade-handled horsetail whisk, suddenly stopped at those words. Her wide sleeves moved without any wind, and her cold gaze, like a tangible icicle, shot a sidelong glance at the relaxed Xun Xue beside her.

“Could it be that Daoist Friend Xun Xue is using the three of us, master and disciples, as playthings for her amusement?”

The atmosphere instantly dropped to freezing point.

Gan Tang, sensing the clash of gazes that was about to spark, shrank back and quickly tried to smooth things over.

“Master… it’s just a camping trip. There’s no need to be so serious. The sea… whether there’s a sea or not… it doesn’t really matter! Look here, the mountains are green, the water is clear, and the spiritual energy in the forest is so nourishing. It’s not bad to think of it as… a hike in the mountains.”

She really didn’t want to see her master and her future mother-in-law fighting.

Thwack!

The jade handle of the horsetail whisk in Xuan Ya’s hand, as fast as lightning, accurately and with restraint, tapped Gan Tang’s little head, which was filled with wild thoughts.

“Ouch!”

Gan Tang hugged her head, pouting aggrievedly. “Master! Next time, could you please not hit my head? It’ll make me stupid.”

Xuan Ya: “…”

She gave her own foolish disciple a long, drawn-out look and said nothing more.

If she said another two words, Xuan Ya was afraid that Gan Tang would anger her to death.

Then, Xuan Ya’s gaze, with a hint of comfort, fell on Lu Qiancha beside her, who was helpless but still calm.

Sigh, her eldest disciple was still the most reassuring.

“Relax, relax~” Xun Xue waved her hand carelessly, her azure eyes curved in a relaxed arc. “Don’t be so anxious. At most, another ten li, and the sea breeze will surely arrive!”

Her tone was confident and leisurely. “Besides… why would I use such a trivial matter to amuse myself at your expense?”

Lu Qiancha nodded. She didn’t really care. As long as she could go out and have fun, it didn’t matter where they went.

Hearing this, Gan Tang felt as if she had been granted amnesty and quickly ran to catch up, plunging into the increasingly dark shade of the forest.

Xuan Ya said no more, holding her horsetail whisk, like a quiet bamboo stalk under the moon, silently following behind.

The forest grew deeper and more secluded, with clear birdsong and the fragrance of strange flowers. Walking through the thick, inseparable greenery, everyone’s steps unconsciously slowed down. Until they came to a complete stop in a clearing in the forest, surrounded by dense shrubs, with only a lake for company.

“We’re here.”

A mysterious arc formed on Xun Xue’s lips.

“Ah? We’re here? Here?” Gan Tang stood on her tiptoes and looked around. She could only see a heavy green barrier, without a single trace of salty, humid sea breeze. “The sea… where is the sea?”

As far as she could see, the only thing that could be called a “sea” was the clear and quiet little nameless lake beside her, which reflected the forest and the sky.

Lu Qiancha did not rush to speak.

Her brow furrowed slightly, and a hint of a focused light quietly appeared in the depths of her eyes.

The flow of spiritual energy in this place… was very strange.

The spiritual energy of heaven and earth had always been like the invisible air, with its own balance. It always flowed from places of abundance to places of scarcity, until the entire universe was in a state of dynamic equilibrium.

However, the spiritual energy here was as thin as in a desert. All the spiritual energy was gathered towards the center of the lake.

Just like the entrance to the Peach Blossom Spring secret realm, which was hidden deep within the mountain wall.

A thought suddenly flashed through Lu Qiancha’s mind.

Could it be that… there was a secret realm hidden at the bottom of this lake?!

On the side, Xuan Ya, whose face was usually as calm as an ancient well, also showed a sudden flash of grave surprise.

She suddenly closed her eyes, holding her horsetail whisk in the crook of her elbow, and slowly released her spiritual sense, sinking it into the mystery hidden deep within the lake water.

Facing the silent inquiries and suspicions from her surroundings, Xun Xue only responded with a knowing smile.

She did not offer any explanation, but only waved to the three of them and said, “Stay close to me.”

Then, Xun Xue stretched out a warm and strong hand and firmly held Lu Qiancha’s paw, which was slightly cold under her fur.

Her other hand secretly formed a spiritual seal!

“Buzz—!”

A layer of immortal power shield, as solid as flowing mercury and circulating with light blue, profound runes, instantly enveloped the two of them.

Xun Xue looked down and winked playfully at the “young man” in her palm. “Little Qiancha… hold my hand tight. Don’t get your clothes wet~”

“Ah?!”

Lu Qiancha still hadn’t figured out what was going on.

The next moment.

“Splash—!”

Xun Xue, with Lu Qiancha, transformed into two streaks of light, one blue and one white, instantly tearing through the calm surface of the lake and plunging into the deep, cold water with the force of a thunderbolt. Only circles of ripples were left, spreading wildly.

“Master… they jumped in? Should we follow them quickly?”

Gan Tang pointed to the still-unsettled vortex, swallowed, and then said.

Xuan Ya’s eyes flashed, surprised but not panicked.

“Yes, let’s go. Let’s see what tricks this demon immortal has hidden down there!”

Her tone was somewhat indifferent, but her jade-like fingers had already pointed and drawn in the air.

“Buzz!”

A translucent spiritual power bubble, surrounded by a clear light and large enough to accommodate two people, appeared out of thin air like a giant pearl, firmly protecting the master and disciple.

“Down we go!” Xuan Ya waved her horsetail whisk, and the spiritual power bubble, without hesitation, followed Xun Xue’s direction and sank into the nameless lake.

“Gurgle, gurgle…”

The huge bubble slowly sank, and the deep water gradually blocked out the sunlight, the light instantly turning dark.

“Wow!” Gan Tang couldn’t help but let out a cry of amazement! She was pressed against the smooth inner wall of the bubble, her eyes wide with disbelief, pointing to the increasingly thick and deep lake water outside the shield. “Master, Master! Look! The water has really turned turquoise!”

“…Yes.”

Xuan Ya responded, but her dark brows furrowed even tighter. The spiritual energy here was a little too abundant, almost the same as the amount of spiritual energy drawn in by a small-scale Spirit Gathering Array at full power.

Where there is an abnormality, there must be a demon. Xuan Ya’s spiritual power surged within her, ready to strike. Her jade-like hand tightly gripped her horsetail whisk, ready to unleash a thunderous attack at any moment to shatter any evil spirits.