"Chizha Abyss? What kind of place is that?" Sensing an ominous aura from the name alone, Li Fan could not help asking.
Ji Hongdao turned around, glanced at Li Fan, and smiled. "There's no point in telling you now. Once we arrive, you'll see for yourself."
"Though it's a bit dangerous, there's no need to worry excessively."
"With old fogies like us around, nothing major will go wrong."
Ji Hongdao was clearly full of confidence in himself and spoke dismissively.
Since Ji Hongdao had put it that way, Li Fan naturally could not press further and stepped aside with Xue Mu.
Not long after, Shangguan Shi, the thin man whom Li Fan had met once in the Cosmos Courtyard, boarded the vessel accompanied by five others.
None of these five were members from the previous intensive training. They wore standard Alliance of Ten Thousand Immortals robes, bore mature expressions, and carried themselves with crisp efficiency.
They did not seem to be boarding this flying boat for the first time, appearing thoroughly familiar with its layout.
After saluting Ji Hongdao, they headed straight into the cabins.
As they brushed past Li Fan and Xue Mu, they gave a slight nod of acknowledgment.
Xue Mu was caught off guard, failing to recognize their identities, and stood frozen on the spot.
Li Fan, however, greeted them back with familiar warmth.
Once their figures vanished from sight, Xue Mu's earnest voice transmission sounded in Li Fan's ear.
"Fellow Daoist Li, you seem to know them? Who are these people?"
Li Fan hastily shook his head. "I don't know them. But we are all members of the Alliance of Ten Thousand Immortals, close as family. It's only natural to exchange greetings when we cross paths."
Xue Mu was left speechless, momentarily at a loss for how to counter.
Fortunately, the plump Huangfu Song came to his rescue.
"Come on, don't just stand there like fools. Nearly everyone is here; we'll probably set off soon." Huangfu Song shot Li Fan a look, snorted, and ordered.
Acting as though he took the senior's every word as gospel, Li Fan followed behind Huangfu Song.
Walking along the cabin corridor, Li Fan noticed that quite a few people had already gathered aboard the flying boat.
It seemed they were not merely array masters from the Formation Planning Hall.
The faint aura of murderous, bloody resolve emanating from cultivators in certain rooms told Li Fan that this mission was likely far from as breezy as Ji Hongdao had made it sound.
The two followed Huangfu Song into an empty cabin and sat down.
Beaming, Li Fan inquired of Huangfu Song, "Senior Huangfu, could you give us a hint? What is the objective of our mission this time?"
Huangfu Song sized Li Fan up with a half-smile. "So a lad like you knows fear after all?"
Li Fan admitted it candidly: "This junior's courage naturally cannot compare to yours, Senior. After all, Senior even dared to—with Tantai Tao and the others..."
"Stop! Stop!" Huangfu Song's expression shifted slightly. "You brat, must every third sentence out of your mouth bring up Tantai Tao?"
His eyes narrowed, a dangerous glint flashing within them as he scrutinized Li Fan closely.
After a moment, Huangfu Song reined in the murderous intent in his heart, and a smile reappeared on his face.
"Hmph, no harm in telling you. Dean Ji didn't tell you simply because it's a long story and a hassle to explain."
Huangfu Song casually tapped the table before him and took a sip of the steaming spiritual tea that suddenly materialized. Only then did his expression turn somewhat solemn as he said, "On this trip, we are heading into the depths of the white mist."
"The depths of the white mist?" Li Fan and Xue Mu exchanged glances, mildly startled within.
Yet neither showed it. Mimicking Huangfu Song, they tapped the tabletop and drained their piping-hot spiritual tea in one gulp.
Then they listened patiently to Huangfu Song's explanation.
"As you know, the White Mist Barrier spans heaven and earth across the world, dividing each province. Traveling through the white mist drains one's lifespan—even passing through a teleportation array cannot avert it."
"Therefore, even we cultivators are unwilling to move about frequently unless necessary."
Li Fan nodded slightly in agreement.
"It is precisely for this reason that our understanding of the white mist is extremely limited."
"Most people believe the White Mist Barrier merely exists upon the former landmasses to serve as dividing lines."
"In reality, however..."
Huangfu Song chuckled. "The white mist is far vaster than we imagine."
"So if you have nothing better to do, don't follow some sudden impulse and try to cross it on foot with your physical body. Otherwise, you might well get lost in the boundless white mist, beyond the help of even a Heavenly Venerable."
It was the first time Xue Mu had heard of such a thing, and his expression grew tense and grave.
Li Fan pondered for a moment. Not intimidated by Huangfu Song's posturing, he spoke up, "Cultivators who physically cross the White Mist Barrier each year may not be numerous, but they certainly aren't few."
"Presumably, those vast regions within the White Mist Barrier that Senior mentioned are exceedingly rare."
"Otherwise, if it truly were as perilous as Senior described, people would have realized it long ago."
Huangfu Song's words were cut short. Exposed by Li Fan, he felt a bit embarrassed.
Yet he sneered and retorted immediately, "Who knows how many cultivators who ventured into the white mist never to return harbored the exact same thoughts as you."
"If you're not afraid of death, feel free to try your luck."
"What seems merely a stone's throw away turns out to be an impassable chasm that cannot be crossed no matter what. We call these locations within the White Mist Barrier 'Lost Domains.'"
"As for how many Lost Domains have currently been discovered, I cannot disclose that for now. But it is definitely far beyond your imagination, lad."
Seeing Li Fan nod in assent and cease arguing back, Huangfu Song felt a surge of satisfaction.
Only then did he continue, "Our destination this time, the Chizha Abyss, is a Lost Domain discovered long ago."
"True to its name, it is a region extending infinitely downward through space—bottomless and without end."
"At regular intervals, bizarre cries of astonishment, desperate roars, delirious murmurs, and all manner of other sounds rise from the depths of the abyss."
"If ordinary cultivators or those lacking firm mental resolve are seduced by these sounds, they may at best suffer cultivation deviation and experience a regression in their cultivation."
"At worst, they will completely lose their sanity, aberrating into inhuman monstrosities that know only slaughter."
Huangfu Song seemed to recall something, a flicker of dread flashing in his eyes.
"Because this Lost Domain was so anomalous, the Alliance of Ten Thousand Immortals placed it under intense surveillance as soon as it was discovered."
"Consequently, the Alliance also managed to discover that the sounds emerging from the Chizha Abyss have been growing louder and louder."
Hearing this, Xue Mu could not help exclaiming, "Louder and louder?"
Huangfu Song nodded. "Under this influence, the Eternal Immortal Bastion established by the Alliance outside the Chizha Abyss has been forced to relocate higher and higher over the years."
"Yet in order to contain the demonic sound's influence within the confines of the Chizha Abyss, that Eternal Immortal Bastion has nowhere left to retreat."
"Thus, starting a century ago, the Alliance began attempting to use special means to counteract the demonic sound rising from the abyss depths."
"Special means? Could it be..." Li Fan's mind stirred as a thought suddenly struck him.
Chapter 348