The boatman hunched his neck, afraid to reply. He had warned them repeatedly, but they wouldn't heed his words and insisted on going to Futu Mountain. What could he do? Moreover, the two individuals looked far from ordinary, their auras formidable, suggesting they might be capable and could perhaps even return alive.
"Alas, so many lives lost again. Such a sin," the boatman sighed, turning to walk back. The young man dared not follow. Over the years, many had ventured into Futu Mountain's domain, and none had ever returned alive. He had drawn the route to Futu Mountain for Xiao Man and the others, hoping they would return safely, but deep down, he held little hope. After all, intruding upon an immortal's territory would surely incur divine wrath!
Not long after the boat set sail, a mist began to rise over the sea. It started as a faint haze, like sheer silk, casting a hazy, dreamlike veil over distant scenery, making it seem like a fairyland. As they ventured deeper, the fog grew denser, making it impossible to see what lay ahead.
"The fog is getting thicker. Can you still tell which way we're going?"
"Yes," Xiao Man replied, producing a token. She had obtained it from a member of the Celestial Demon tribe. This token not only granted them passage but was also crucial for navigation. When placed on a table, it would consistently point towards Futu Mountain, helping them avoid maritime traps.
"Is this token perhaps a compass?"
"It serves a similar purpose to a compass, but it points specifically to Futu Mountain," Xiao Man explained. "This is why Futu Mountain has remained undiscovered by humans and cultivators for so many years. Without the token to guide them, one would get lost in this dense fog."
Xiao Man took out a bottle of pills. "Everyone take one. I'm worried this fog might be poisonous."
Nangong Yu swallowed a pill and then prepared to distribute them to the others. "The territory of the Divine Tribe must be heavily guarded. We..."
"We are invited guests. The Divine Tribe shouldn't make things too difficult for us," Xiao Man gave Nangong Yu a meaningful look. No one knew the true extent of the Celestial Demon tribe's territory, so they had to be extremely cautious in their words and actions.
"That's true," Nangong Yu nodded with a smile. "They say Futu Mountain is an immortal mountain, inhabited by immortals. If we reach Futu Mountain, can we also become immortals?"
"That remains to be seen." The two chatted casually, unsure how long they had been sailing when the dense fog gradually thinned. Then, a sea island appeared before them. This island was a conglomerate of countless smaller islands, all enveloped by a barrier.
As the boat carrying Xiao Man and the others approached the barrier, a beam of light scanned their vessel, and they smoothly passed through. That token, in addition to guiding them, also served as a key to traverse the barrier.
Futu Mountain, it turned out, was not a mountain but a region. This region comprised numerous islands, collectively forming Futu Mountain, which was the sacred land of the Celestial Demon tribe.
Upon entering the barrier, Xiao Man felt an immense surge of spiritual energy. No wonder the Celestial Demon tribe could dominate Cangxuan. Here, the purest and most potent spiritual energy gathered, nourishing everyone cultivating on Futu Mountain!
This was also why the Celestial Demon tribe had an abundance of Nascent Soul experts and a common sight of Soul Transformation stage powerhouses. They had siphoned the spiritual energy of the Cangxuan Continent to cultivate their people.
"Who goes there?"
Xiao Man disembarked alone, while the boatman waited on board.
"I am Nangong Yu, invited to Futu Mountain," Xiao Man displayed the token.
"Follow us," the patrolling guards led Xiao Man inward. She looked around curiously during the journey. The living quarters of the Celestial Demon tribe were not much different from those of humans; the only discernible difference lay in their hair and eye colors.
"Another human has entered." Someone saw the guards escorting a young man with black hair and black eyes. They merely glanced, then continued with their own affairs, as if humans entering Futu Mountain was not a rare occurrence.
Soon, Xiao Man saw humans living in the city, coexisting peacefully with the Celestial Demon tribe. On the streets, anyone encountered was at the Nascent Soul cultivation level. While Nascent Soul cultivators were highly respected in the outside world, here, they seemed to be worth little.
Xiao Man's gaze swept over the guards leading the way. Even a minor guard was at the Nascent Soul cultivation level. The Celestial Demon tribe indeed possessed the ability to awe all others, but these ubiquitous Nascent Soul cultivators had been created by depleting the spiritual energy of all cultivators on the Cangxuan Continent.
"Lord Bai Niao has invited you to the sacred land, so you must surely be highly valued," the guard struck up a conversation. "May I ask what your cultivation level is?"
"Completion of the Transformation stage."
"No wonder Lord Bai Niao recommended you. So you have already reached the peak of the Soul Transformation stage, just one step away from becoming a god."
"One step away from becoming a god?" Xiao Man asked, confused. "What is that?"
"Naturally, it is receiving the blessing of the Divine Lord and becoming a Divine Envoy," the guard said enviously. "When we cultivate to the Soul Transformation stage, we can also apply to become Divine Envoys. But after all these years, I am still only at the Nascent Soul stage."
Xiao Man's lips twitched unnaturally. To the people here, Nascent Soul was shameful, yet they were unaware that for people outside, reaching the Nascent Soul stage was the dream of many.
"The spiritual energy here is more than ten times richer than outside. You will surely reach the Soul Transformation stage soon."
"Thank you for your kind words," the leading guard chuckled. "A few days ago, another human became a Divine Envoy."
Xiao Man's expression shifted slightly. "May I ask who this person who became a Divine Envoy is?"
"A person from the Tianxuan Sect. You should know them, as the Tianxuan Sect is well-known throughout the Cangxuan Continent."
"There are many people in the Tianxuan Sect. If they weren't very famous, I probably wouldn't know them."
"You definitely know him. The Young Sect Master of the Tianxuan Sect, Tian Ze."
A peculiar glint flashed in Xiao Man's eyes. "I know Tian Ze. He is the youngest Soul Transformation stage powerhouse in the Cangxuan Continent, and his cultivation is even higher than that of the Sect Master of the Tianjian Sect, who has cultivated for thousands of years."
"The youngest Soul Transformation stage expert in the Cangxuan Continent is a human youth named Xiao Qin," the guard explained. "I heard this Xiao Qin is quite detestable, always opposing our Divine Tribe and tarnishing our reputation. If I ever meet him, I will surely teach him a good lesson."
Xiao Man touched her nose. "Since she is the youngest Soul Transformation stage expert in the Cangxuan Continent, I imagine she's not easy to deal with?"
"The Divine Lord has sent Divine Envoys to recruit this person many times, but this person has no appreciation for favor and kills the Divine Envoys sent each time. Such a person is utterly wicked and deserves to be struck by heavenly lightning!"
Xiao Man pursed her lips and remained silent. The people your Divine Lord sent were all coming to kill me, none were here to recruit me. Furthermore, each and every one of them had a ferocious appearance, as if coming to kill me was a great favor. Naturally, she would not tolerate such people; she would strike first!