Outside the Five Extremes Mountain.

A light veil-like mist gently spread through the mountains, delicately winding around.

Within this dense fog, one couldn’t see their own hand in front of them. Not to mention ordinary people, even a typical Qi Cultivator would lose their way upon entering.

Fortunately, Liou Yuan and Qiu Ming had the waist tokens of Outer Sect disciples of the Five Extremes Mountain tied at their waists.

As the two walked on the path leading to the outside world, the mist parted ways as they passed, revealing the path ahead and preventing them from losing their way.

"This is not even the Five Elements Town Star Array of the Five Extremes Mountain, but just another array set outside the main formation, and yet even we Qi Cultivators cannot easily pass through it."

"If not for these waist tokens, even a Foundation Establishment cultivator would be trapped inside."

Qiu Ming was very talkative, evidently having been pent up in Xiaopei Mountain for too long, his loud voice accompanied them throughout the journey.

At times, he pointed at the sky-covering mist, and at other moments, he wore a look of intoxication as he reminisced about the elegant demeanor of the senior sister from Shoushan Tower.

"Liou Yuan, did you take a good look at Senior Sister..."

"Shut up! Do not disturb my Dao heart!" Liou Yuan shouted loudly.

The two spent nearly half an hour before they finally walked out of the dense fog area.

Beyond the mist, what greeted their eyes was a world covered in silver and white.

With the barrier of the Five Extremes Mountain Array gone, the snowflakes from the outside world fluttered down, like reed blossoms, like willow catkins, like light and fluffy goose feathers, endless and continuous.

The cold snow wind mixed with snowflakes hit Liou Yuan’s body just outside the array’s boundary, and he immediately felt a chill all over.

Fortunately, his physical body was strong now, and he only felt a coolness, not a chill.

"Having stayed in the Five Extremes Mountain for so long, I almost forgot it was winter. Time passes differently for cultivators."

Liou Yuan sighed, turned around, and beckoned Qiu Ming to leave, "Let’s move quickly; if we’re fast enough, we can complete this mission in less than ten days."

Just as he was about to take a step, his eyes flashed with a purple hue, glancing behind into the dense fog.

He wasn’t sure if it was an illusion, but for a brief moment, he seemed to glimpse a dark shadow in the fog.

But when he looked towards the fog, there was nothing there, only the endlessly churning smog.

This caused him to frown, withdrawing his gaze with suspicion.

His cultivation level was too low; even his Evil Eyes couldn’t see through the dense fog laid out by what must be a Foundation Establishment Array.

"Perhaps it’s another disciple on a mission from Shoushan Tower."

Liou Yuan muttered, setting off with Qiu Ming in the direction they had determined, stepping on the snow.

Not long after they disappeared into the vast snow, within ten breaths, a figure hidden in the fog slowly emerged.

The shadowy eyes looked in the direction Liou Yuan had gone, also filled with suspicion.

Liou Yuan’s last glance made him uncertain whether he had been discovered.

"A sharp fellow." His voice, filled with a cold edge, sounded from the mist’s edge.

A short while later, his figure twisted, disappearing into the snow like a wisp of smoke.

Half a day later, in a hidden spot along the mountain walls flanking Yongquan Town.

Liou Yuan peeked out, coldly looking in the direction of the Five Extremes Mountain.

A purple light flashed in his eyes.

Liou Yuan didn’t yet know the full power of his Evil Eyes, but they were very effective for scouting and spying.

After leaving the Five Extremes Mountain, the more Liou Yuan thought about it, the more he felt something was wrong.

Even if it were disciples doing the same mission, they couldn’t have emerged from the same entrance, right? After all, the fog array of the Five Extremes Mountain is over ten times larger than Yanhe City, with as many exits as there are cow hairs.

Moreover, during his time cultivating in the Outer Sect, Liou Yuan had heard many sordid stories from the cultivation realm. Prioritizing safety, he deliberately kept watch on this inevitable path for most of the day.

He wanted to see if there was a tail following them.

During this time, he occasionally used his Evil Eyes to observe his surroundings.

Half a day had passed, and he hadn’t noticed anything unusual.

"Perhaps I was overthinking it." Liou Yuan lay atop the frost-covered rock wall, murmuring to himself.

His body was covered with a thick layer of snow due to maintaining the same posture for a long time.

Qiu Ming, lying in a crevice in the rock wall, was nearly asleep.

Both were Body Cultivators, and this slight cold wouldn’t affect them at all.

Hearing Liou Yuan’s soliloquy, Qiu Ming yawned, complaining, "You’re too cautious. We have nothing of value; who would care about us?"

"Let’s keep moving; maybe we can reach Yongquan Town before dark."

"Alright!" In truth, half a day wasn’t long; Liou Yuan didn’t feel there was anything wrong with this little delay to confirm potential danger.

He nodded and didn’t linger, the two speeding away with the falling snow.

With one leap they easily covered nearly ten feet. The thick snow posed no obstacle to them.

Beyond the passage, ten miles away from the direction of the Five Extremes Mountain.

The twisted figure slowly emerged from a hidden snow pit.

He, too, was cautious, not showing himself for half a day while hiding in the snow pit.

"That brat must have noticed something and tried to lure me in."

He said in a low voice, his face pale as though he’d never seen sunlight, filled with apprehension.

He gazed at the direction where Liou Yuan and Qiu Ming disappeared into the valley, ultimately not taking another step forward.

After pausing in the snow for several breaths, the boy reluctantly turned around.

As the boy relaxed and turned to leave, exposing himself for an instant.

From behind a hill, a pair of eyes shimmering with purple took in his appearance and figure.

The owner of those eyes was none other than Liou Yuan, who had boldly left earlier.

His departure was a deliberate exposure, now returning unseen.

Liou Yuan’s Evil Eyes could detect the flow of Spiritual Power and Spiritual Qi; no matter how well the person hid, their Spiritual Power was as conspicuous as a bright flame to his Evil Eyes.

But through his Evil Eyes, Liou Yuan could only see that person’s Spiritual Power, not their appearance.

Thus, he pretended to leave, tricking him into revealing himself.

The person relaxed his guard, allowing Liou Yuan’s plan to succeed, revealing his appearance while stepping out from hiding.

The man’s skin was unnaturally pale, his hair dark, his eyes shadowed like a snake’s.

Wasn’t he the very Five-Star Star Acupoint genius Liou Tao, who had locked eyes with him during the lesson at the cliff?

"Liou Tao." Liou Yuan’s expression was cold and harsh as he called out his name.

Qiu Ming’s large head also appeared from behind the hill, exclaiming in surprise upon seeing Liou Tao’s exposed figure, "There really is someone."

His eyesight wasn’t as keen as Liou Yuan’s, but a cultivator’s vision far surpassed an ordinary person’s; even at a ten-mile distance, he could vaguely make out the figure.

After hearing Liou Yuan call out his name, he immediately linked the figure to Liou Tao’s image, finding it really was Liou Tao.

"The bastard, it really is Liou Tao, what’s he trying to do?" At this point, Qiu Ming was already filled with anger.

Such sneaky tailing was clearly not for any good purpose.

If he had ill intentions and attacked during their hunt for the Baby-eating Mink, the consequences would be unthinkable.

"What else could he be doing, he’s definitely not here to invite us for a drink."

Liou Yuan sneered coldly, his eyes filled with murderous intent, saying harshly, "Consider yourselves lucky, if he dares to step into this passage, we’ll join forces to block him."

"If he can’t give a reasonable explanation, we’ll bury him here."

The Five Extremes Mountain does not allow disciples to harm each other.

But now they were outside the Five Extremes Mountain; should they kill him and toss his body into the mountains, where monsters and demons roamed, no one would suspect them.

Liou Yuan would not hesitate when faced with a potential threat.

Perhaps Liou Yuan’s words reminded Qiu Ming of their encounter at the cliff, the more he thought about it, the more something felt wrong. Grasping his giant axe, he cursed, "This brat was already up to no good during the lesson at the cliff, plotting something. Damned brat, I didn’t even provoke him."

"Why don’t we chase him down, cripple him, and be done with it. After all, in this desolate wilderness, no one would trace it back to us."