The Art of Chaotic Divinity-Chapter 1241: Heavenly Pool Island

Lin Mu's expression darkened. He had ventured into countless perilous places in search of opportunity, yet he had never faced anything this strange.

With his perception, he sensed nothing at all!

Since the day he began walking the path of cultivation, this was the first time such a thing had ever happened!

He was now certain that he was facing a trial unlike any before.

Just then, a loud splash erupted from the blood-red sea below. A figure drenched in crimson burst through the waves.

The boiling tide surged outward, and everyone tensed in alarm. Lou Qianzhong raised his palm, ready to strike whatever had surfaced.

Zong Lian's death still lingered in their minds, casting a heavy shadow over them.

"It's me! It's me!"

As several of them prepared to attack, the blood soaked figure shouted frantically. He wiped the blood from his face with trembling hands, revealing a terrified expression. When his features became clear, everyone recognized him.

It was President Fang!

"President Fang?"

They all stared in shock.

Lou Qianzhong lowered his palm and fixed his gaze on him. "Fang, what happened here? It hasn't even been fifteen minutes. How did it turn into this? Where are the others? Were they all killed?"

President Fang trembled uncontrollably. His voice shook as he stammered, "Mr. Ling... Mr. Ling was right. There really are monsters that eat people. They come without warning and vanish the same way. They appeared out of nowhere, and with a single strike, they tore Zong Lian apart. The others were all caught... I... I..."

His words broke apart, his voice so unsteady he could barely speak.

The others grew grim. Until now, they had only heard rumors of man-eating creatures. Now, someone had seen them firsthand.

"Calm yourself," Lou Qianzhong said, pressing a hand to Fang's shoulder. "If they're man-eating monsters, why didn't they consume Zong Lian's whole body? And why did they let you go?"

"I... I have a technique that lets me hide my breathing and aura. When they caught the others, I dove into the sea to conceal myself. That's how I escaped. As for..." Fang's voice still quivered, his soul barely steady. "As for why they didn't eat Zong Lian, I don't know. But I saw it clearly... Another Human Emperor had his head bitten clean off!"

Ling Feng gave a slow nod. Judging by Fang's terror, he didn't seem to be lying. Most likely, when Lou Qianzhong returned, the creatures sensed his power and withdrew.

"Damn it," Lou Qianzhong muttered, frowning deeply. "To think that there's a place this sinister within the Sea of Miracles!"

"Gentlemen," Fang said shakily, "I was blind before. I listened to Zong Lian's lies and almost lost my life. Please, let me come with you. I swear to obey your commands. Even if I gain nothing from this journey, I'll be content just to live!"

His plea was understandable. Leaving him alone now would be no different from sentencing him to death.

In times like these, when danger lurked everywhere, even one more cultivator meant a bit more strength for the group.

Ling Feng and the others searched the area but found no trace of the monsters, so they decided not to linger.

After this, no one doubted Ling Feng's words any longer. Though unspoken, the group now followed his lead. Even Lou Qianzhong made no objection.

"Brother Lin, what should we do next?" Lin Mu asked quietly, turning to Ling Feng.

The others looked to him as well, waiting for his answer.

"We head toward Heavenly Pool Island for now," Ling Feng said after a pause. "Those creatures seem wary of Big Brother Lou's power. As long as we stay together, they won't dare attack easily. I have a feeling the answers we seek are on that island."

He continued, "Also, since the Venerable of the Desolate Sea and his followers found a way out, with Brother Lin's eye technique, we should be able to avoid the space-time rifts and find our own path."

"We'll follow your lead," the others agreed without hesitation. At once, the group took flight toward the north.

...

Somewhere on Heavenly Pool Island, the world was cloaked in darkness, without even the faintest trace of light.

Atop a mountain of bones sat a towering man with long crimson hair cascading over his shoulders. Flames coiled around him, making him appear like a monarch seated upon a throne of fire.

Before him floated a massive eye engulfed in blazing light. Within it, countless images flickered, revealing everything that happened inside the Sea of Miracles.

"Oh? It seems a few more insects have crawled in..."

His gaze locked onto Ling Feng's image. A manic gleam flashed in his eyes. "Such pure soul essence source. Excellent! Come, hahaha! I await you. Step willingly into my snare!"

...

All the way north[1]!

Three days passed in the blink of an eye as Ling Feng and his companions flew over the endless sea.

To conserve their strength, they dared not fly too fast. Yet after three full days, the ocean still stretched without end, and doubt began to grow in their hearts.

The Sea of Miracles had once been part of the Inner Sea. Though vast, it had never been this immense.

There was only one explanation. The laws of heaven and earth had changed, and the Sea of Miracles was still expanding!

Along the way, they spotted small islands inhabited by ordinary people. Most were survivors who had fled Heavenly Pool Island ten years ago when chaos first erupted there.

These people had no cultivation at all. Seeing cultivators flying through the sky, they panicked, believing the man-eating monsters had come for them.

Ling Feng and the others did not linger. After asking for directions, they continued their journey.

At last, near sunset on the third day, a vast island appeared on the horizon.

It was the largest stretch of land they had seen in the past three days. Without a doubt, this had to be the place the survivors spoke of, a place of horror where people were devoured alive. This was Heavenly Pool Island!

"How strange," Lou Qianzhong murmured with a frown. "Didn't the Venerable of the Desolate Sea lead many cultivators from the Inner Sea here before? How did none of them encounter the monsters on Heavenly Pool Island?"

Lou Qianzhong frowned. The vast stretch of land before him was more than ten times larger than the vanished Jiumu City. It was so enormous that it could no longer even be called an island.

The Venerable of the Desolate Sea had entered the Sea of Miracles many times, yet never encountered these monsters. That, in itself, was the strangest thing of all.

"Whether he did or not," Ling Feng said quietly, "only the Venerable of the Desolate Sea would know."

He looked around and added, "Let's rest here for now. I suspect the outskirts of Heavenly Pool Island are heavily guarded by those creatures to prevent anyone from escaping."

The group agreed. If they wanted to infiltrate Heavenly Pool Island, it would take considerable effort. For now, they needed to rest and recover their strength in case danger struck again.

1. Small easter egg by author, refers to Jay Chou's song, Yi Lu Xiang Bei (All the Way North). ☜