"This..."
Having narrowly escaped death, both Huangfu and Dongfang were deathly pale, cold sweat dripping from their foreheads. They stared blankly at the massive, elongated void in the mist nearby, rendered utterly speechless.
If Li Fan had been just half a step slower, all three of them aboard the Puxian True Boat would likely have been ground to dust by now!
Swallowing hard, Huangfu Song’s legs gave way, and he nearly collapsed right onto the deck.
"What the hell was that thing..." Dongfang Yao was made of sterner stuff. Recovering from the initial shock, he forced down the terror in his heart and looked out past the boat’s railing.
The destructive force of that black beam of light was horrifying. Even after so long, the Essence-Devouring White Mist that had been blasted through showed no signs of recovering.
Moreover, the black beam seemed to carry some bizarre corrosive power. Even though the pillar of light had already dispersed, gazing into that vast empty void from a distance still sparked a subtle prickle of dread in everyone's chest.
"Listen, shouldn't we put some distance between us and that spot? If another one comes, we're done for," Dongfang Yao suggested in a low whisper after leaning out to observe for a moment.
At this point, Li Fan, who was still relatively composed, spoke up. "Ill-advised. Better to meet change with constancy. We don't know the origin of this black beam, but since that direction has already been blasted once, the likelihood of another strike..."
"...is slim..."
Before the word "slim" had even fully left his mouth, Li Fan's expression abruptly shifted again. Circulating his spiritual energy to its peak, he poured it into the Puxian True Boat, causing the vessel to surge with sudden speed and leap upward a considerable distance in an instant.
Just as he did, another terrifying black beam of light came roaring out from the depths of the white mist.
This one was even more perilous than the last, and the Puxian True Boat barely evaded it. Even through the hull, they could feel the suffocating, all-obliterating force of the black radiance.
Subjected to two terrifying frights in such quick succession, Huangfu Song could no longer hold himself up. He collapsed directly onto his backside.
Li Fan, having been contradicted by reality so swiftly, cursed under his breath. Fortunately, he possessed a steadfast nature. Forcing down the urge to flee in panic, he stayed his ground rather than dashing about blindly.
Sure enough, seven more black beams of light subsequently thundered out from the depths of the white mist.
They nearly swept the entire region of white mist clean. The Essence-Devouring White Mist, which had lingered unbroken for ten thousand years, seemed to be purged by this earth-shattering power, turning far thinner.
This magnificent, terrifying sight left all three aboard the boat stunned.
"A world-suppressing supreme artifact... That's the Immortal Alliance's world-suppressing supreme artifact, the Sky-Splitting Cannon..." Seemingly remembering something, Huangfu Song gasped in shock moments later.
His words immediately drew the attention of Li Fan and Dongfang Yao.
"A world-suppressing supreme artifact?" Li Fan's eyes flickered slightly.
The term "world-suppressing supreme artifact" was what Xuanhuang Realm cultivators called powerful treasures possessing apocalyptic might capable of turning the tide of war between the two great factions.
During the previous friendly exchange between the Alliance of Ten Thousand Immortals and the Five Elders Association, each side had displayed one such artifact. It was said that the display had directly caused many pro-war cultivators to abandon their former stances.
The existence of world-suppressing supreme artifacts was considered a secret within the Alliance of Ten Thousand Immortals, something ordinary cultivators virtually never had the chance to witness. Little did they expect the three of them would encounter one here!
What was more, it was firing with full force, seemingly locked in battle with something.
"Could they have clashed with the Five Elders Association again?" After a moment of silence aboard the Puxian True Boat, Dongfang Yao could not resist whispering his theory.
"Probably not..." Huangfu Song replied, though his tone made it obvious that he harbored the same worry.
Pulling out a communication talisman, he contacted someone unknown to the others, only letting out a breath of relief afterward.
"Stop jumping at shadows. It's people from the alliance's Martial Practice Hall clearing out a Lost Domain. We were just unlucky enough to run into it," Huangfu Song said, rolling his eyes at Dongfang Yao.
"What kind of Lost Domain calls for bringing out a weapon of that scale? And they didn't even issue a warning! If Brother Li hadn't reacted so fast, all of us would've died here. Total disregard for human life!" Dongfang Yao cursed angrily.
"Keep your voice down," Huangfu Song quickly hushed him.
Li Fan, meanwhile, gazed deeply into the riddled, torn white mist. Even at such a distance, he could still vaguely sense the fluctuations of spiritual energy rippling from that direction.
After waiting a while longer and confirming that the bombardment of the Sky-Splitting Cannon had concluded, the three finally steered the Puxian True Boat away at high speed.
"Have you two brothers decided what to exchange for?" On the way back to the city for supplies, Huangfu Song opened the item list on the Sky-Measuring Mirror again, browsing through it with relish as he asked.
"I have my eye on that technique that nourishes the physical body by eating. Although I have a special constitution and can recover immediately from anything short of fatal wounds, I always feel that hidden damage accumulates over time. It's nothing major normally, but I'm worried it might become a hindrance when breaking through major realms." Dongfang Yao was completely candid, laying out his future plans plainly.
"Hehe, I've got my eye on that Tianxuan secondary body, the Dissociation Disc. There are only six left now. If we move a bit faster, we might just have a shot at it." Huangfu Song chuckled, though he did not explain his reasons for choosing it.
"What about you, Brother Li?" Dongfang Yao asked curiously.
"I'll take another look. No rush to decide," Li Fan answered with a composed expression.
However, upon returning to the nearest settlement, Tianyu City, the three of them—who had still been taking their time—instantly grew frantic.
As it turned out, the official edict from the Alliance of Ten Thousand Immortals had been formally promulgated.
Cultivators across the realm moved at the news. Friends banded together in groups of three to five, and Puxian True Boats from every corner of the Xuanhuang Realm vied with one another to plunge into the white mist.
The Era of Great Exploration had officially arrived!
Although these rogue cultivators without strong backing or connections had lost the early advantage and lagged behind in exploration progress, their sheer numbers were overwhelming. Who knew if one or two extraordinarily lucky individuals might emerge from among them?
If someone were fortunate enough to stumble upon an area comparable in importance to the Lost Domain of Reversing Life and Death, that would instantly mean an influx of thirty thousand Qingxuan points.
One had to realize that even after risking their lives, Li Fan and his companions had only amassed a little over twenty-one thousand points! To be frank, such a meager head start was completely negligible before someone truly favored by heaven.
And so, after replenishing their necessary supplies, they plunged headlong back into the white mist without taking any time to rest.
It was worth mentioning that the "cheap" yet exceptionally effective Longevity Pills that Li Fan had "happened" to purchase had also suddenly sprung up like bamboo shoots after rain across the alliance's markets with the advent of the Era of Great Exploration.
They were readily available for purchase at the Thousand Li Hall in every city.
"I wonder which organization is behind these Longevity Pills. They don't even have to explore the white mist like us—just relying on this one pill must have earned them a fortune," Huangfu Song remarked with a tinge of envy as he watched the crowds swarming outside the Thousand Li Hall, vying to buy the pills.
Chapter 710