Hongming Continent, Qiansong Lake.
This was a death lake, sparsely populated, though a few exploration teams ventured here.
After all, the more dangerous the place, the greater the potential rewards.
The Wolf Exploration Team, a team of twelve, eight men and four women. The captain and vice-captain were a brother and sister.
"Captain, Qiansong Lake is ahead," a team member pointed towards the forest in the distance.
"Finally, Qiansong Lake. The last time I was here was a hundred years ago. This time, we must thoroughly explore Qiansong Lake," Captain Xi Chengan of the Wolf Exploration Team said with emotion.
The last time he came to Qiansong Lake, he hadn't yet formed the Wolf Exploration Team. He had accompanied someone else's exploration team into Qiansong Lake.
Only two people from the last group made it out alive, and without any gains.
Qiansong Lake harbored too many unknown dangers. Not only were there demonic beasts, but the lake's surface resembled a mirror. As soon as one stepped onto the surface, their reflection would appear, and illusions would flood their minds.
These illusions felt like glimpses of their future, dying brutally or living in lonely old age. No one ever saw a good outcome.
As for why the lake water caused these illusions, no one had yet figured it out.
"Brother, is Qiansong Lake really as terrifying as you say?" Xi Luomeng, Xi Chengan's sister, stepped forward and asked. She was also the vice-captain of the Wolf Exploration Team.
Her own women's exploration team, including herself, had only four members, so they decided to merge with her elder brother's team.
After all, this was a world where strength spoke volumes. Without strength, one's words carried little weight.
Coincidentally, both of them possessed very high cultivation. Xi Chengan was a late-stage Immortal Emperor, and Xi Luomeng was a mid-stage Immortal Emperor.
Their current cultivation realms were due to the cultivation resources left by their parents' exploration. Their parents had gone missing during an exploration, never to return.
Thus, the siblings inherited their father's exploration endeavors.
"Yes, this is likely one of the most terrifying areas on the Hongming Continent. That's why few people explore here. However, the cultivation resources here are indeed abundant. I've heard that Qiansong Lake also has the White Snow Lotus Fruit, which is the main medicinal ingredient for the Primordial Supreme Pill. If we can obtain the White Snow Lotus Fruit, we would have already gathered the other medicinal ingredients. Then, we can go to the Pill Sect and trade with them for the Primordial Supreme Pill."
Xi Chengan, now a late-stage Immortal Emperor, was next aiming for Immortal Venerable.
Therefore, the Primordial Supreme Pill was extremely important to him. Breaking through to Immortal Venerable was a matter of life and death. With the Primordial Supreme Pill, the chance of success would increase. Everyone desired such a pill.
So, as mentioned before, the riskier the place, the greater the reward.
"If we can truly find the White Snow Lotus Fruit, that would be best. I only fear it's merely a legend," Xi Luomeng sighed slightly.
"Yes, I can confirm it. The last time I was here, I saw it in a daze," Xi Chengan was very sure.
Having been here once before, despite the near-death experience, Xi Chengan felt a mix of fear and excitement upon returning to Qiansong Lake.
Since fate had granted him a second chance at life, Xi Chengan felt there was no reason to give up. After all, someone who had already died once feared nothing.
"Brother, when do we go?" Xi Luomeng, seeing her brother's conviction, said no more.
"You four stay here and wait for us. I'll lead some people in to scout ahead. If anything happens, you'll have a fallback here," Xi Chengan instructed Xi Luomeng to keep the other three women at their post.
Qiansong Lake was not to be trifled with; it was truly dangerous. Entering might cost one's life.
"Big brother, we came to see Qiansong Lake. How can you ask us to stay here?" Xi Luomeng shook her head vigorously. This was absolutely unacceptable.
The spirit of an exploration team was to fear no danger.
If one feared death, why join an exploration team?
They might as well sit at home and wait to die.
"This time, you listen to me. We'll go in and scout the situation. This is an order, no room for discussion," Xi Chengan said sternly, insisting with a commanding tone that Xi Luomeng remain behind.
"Hmph." Xi Luomeng stomped her foot in anger and turned away, upset.
Xi Chengan ignored her and called out to the members of the Wolf Exploration Team, "All members, heed my command. Male members will proceed to Qiansong Lake first. Female members will remain at their posts and await notification."
"Yes, Captain!"
All the team members shouted in unison.
The Immortal Realm was a place where the strong were revered. Upon joining the Wolf Exploration Team, the captain's orders superseded all else, and members were to obey unconditionally.
"Get ready, we depart immediately," Xi Chengan waved his hand, signaling everyone to prepare for the journey to Qiansong Lake.
"Yes, Captain." The male members of the Wolf Exploration Team busied themselves with preparations.
Although they were still some distance from Qiansong Lake, the wind was strong and the snow was heavy. The deep snow almost reached their thighs, and the sharp, biting wind made it impossible to open their eyes.
Anyone with a weaker cultivation would have long since frozen to death on the way.
Everyone constantly circulated their internal immortal energy to keep warm, enabling them to withstand the extreme cold.
"Get on the wolf cart," Xi Chengan said, then leaped onto the wolf cart himself. He glanced at Xi Luomeng, who was sulking, and waved his hand, heading towards Qiansong Lake.
The other seven male members followed suit, jumping onto their wolf carts and falling in behind the captain.
Xi Luomeng watched her brother head towards Qiansong Lake. She stood up and gazed at his receding back, silently praying for her brother.
(*❦w❦).....
Xi Luomeng did not know how dangerous Qiansong Lake truly was. Judging by the harsh environment alone, the deeper they went, the more perilous it would be.
Furthermore, powerful demonic beasts frequently roamed this area.
They knew that the depths of Qiansong Lake held powerful cultivation resources, and the demonic beasts were aware of this as well.
"Sister Luomeng, should we set up camp?" a female team member walked over and asked Xi Luomeng.
"Yes, let's set up camp," Xi Luomeng nodded.
"Okay." The female member turned to notify the other two to start setting up camp.
After all, they didn't know how long it would take for the captain to return from Qiansong Lake. Even if he did return, they would have a temporary resting place.
In about an hour, the three female team members set up two large camps.
Suddenly, the wind picked up, and the snow grew heavier. The whistling wind could be heard.
"Sister Luomeng, look, there's someone walking towards us from behind," one of the female members suddenly noticed a figure approaching them.
A lone person, clad in thin clothing, with no mount or vehicle.
They had appeared in the snow-covered land without any warning.
Xi Luomeng heard this and stood up, looking towards the figure. Indeed, a person was walking in their direction.
Could it be a lost member from another exploration team?