Chapter 650: It Appears

"This is a city where mortals and cultivators live together. They only check the identities of cultivators and won't harass mortals. In fact, the inspection of cultivators is just a formality, since the city lord stationed here is only at the mid-Golden Immortal stage and won't actively seek trouble." Hu San, seeing Han Li's surprise, explained.

"That makes things much more convenient. It seems Brother Hu San has thought this through carefully." Han Li praised.

As they spoke, they passed through the northern part of the city where mortals gathered and arrived at the southern part.

The southern part occupied a third of the entire city, mainly a concentrated area for cultivators, where the city lord's mansion was located.

Not far from the city lord's mansion, there was a small hill called Wangyan Mountain, no more than five hundred zhang high. At its summit stood the largest celestial inn in Yanbo City, where Han Li and his companions chose to stay.

According to information from the Reincarnation Palace, the last time the Misting Phantom Smoke appeared on the Phantom Smoke Swamp was about 3,500 years ago, so the next appearance should be within about a hundred years.

Less than a hundred years is like a lifetime to the mundane world, but for cultivators, especially True Immortals like Han Li, it's but a snap of the fingers.

Han Li and the others thought they would soon enter the Phantom Smoke Swamp, but unexpectedly, after more than 130 years, the swamp remained calm without any change.

Hu San was naturally the most anxious about this, while Shi Chuankong and the Vast Flame Venerable were also somewhat worried. Only Han Li found it irrelevant, as he was more concerned about the method to dispel baleful qi from the Reincarnation Palace, but there had been no response so far.

However, after this long period of secluded meditation, the fifth layer of the Divine Refining Art, which had previously felt too abstruse to make any progress, now began to show some promise and gradually improved. Meanwhile, within the "Flower Branch" cave heaven, the Dao soldiers and various spiritual medicines were growing well.

One day, after Han Li had finished watering the Dao soldiers in the cave heaven, he came out and stood by the window of his residence, looking into the distance. His gaze passed over the city's scenery and landed on the distant Phantom Smoke Swamp.

It was noon, and a clear day. The mist over the Phantom Smoke Swamp had dissipated considerably, making the view much clearer than usual. Even without using spiritual sight, he could clearly see the distant Floating Island.

Floating Island, in essence, was not really an island. It was merely a mudflat formed by a mixture of water plants and silt, covered with a layer of floating soil. It covered an area of only a dozen li, with some shallow-rooted shrubs growing on it.

Han Li intended to look for a while and then continue cultivating the Divine Refining Art, but just then, his brow suddenly twitched. A purple light flashed in his eyes as he focused on the direction of Floating Island.

Among the dark shrubs on the floating island, a gray-white stone pillar protruded abruptly, as if it had grown out of the island. It was only about six chi high, barely rising above the shrubs. It would have been hard to spot even for Han Li's extraordinary eyesight.

Then, wisps of pink smoke suddenly emerged from around the stone pillar, growing thicker and thicker, spreading out and drifting over the shallow water-covered ground. Soon, the entire Floating Island was submerged.

"It's here..." Han Li narrowed his eyes and sighed softly.

Almost simultaneously, a voice sounded outside the pavilion: "Brother Li, the Misting Phantom Smoke has appeared. We need to set off quickly."

Han Li recognized it as Hu San's voice and replied, "Brother Hu San, wait a moment. I'll be right there."

A moment later, Han Li and his three companions gathered at the top of Wangyan Mountain, ready to head to Floating Island.

"Don't blame me for urging you. This time, the Misting Phantom Smoke appeared a few years later than expected. Many cultivators who want to risk entering the Phantom Smoke Swamp to pick up bargains have already arrived in Yanbo City. Although they have no chance of finding the ruins' entrance, too many people seeing our movements is not a good thing." Hu San said.

"No matter. There's no time to lose. Let's set off now." Shi Chuankong said.

Han Li exchanged a glance with the Vast Flame Venerable and nodded simultaneously.

The four then soared into the air, ignoring the rule against flying over the city walls, and turned into several beams of light, speeding away.

After leaving Yanbo City, Han Li suddenly heard a chaotic noise below. Looking down, he saw a group of several hundred people beating drums and gongs, hurrying along the official road outside the city toward the Phantom Smoke Swamp.

Among them, dozens at the front wore strange masks nearly half a person tall, holding two bundles of burning tobacco, dancing bizarrely with exaggerated movements as they advanced.

"Brother Hu San, those people are mortals, right? What are they doing?" Han Li asked curiously.

Hu San glanced casually and explained:

"These are the indigenous remnants who originally lived in the Phantom Smoke Swamp. They are no different from ordinary humans but are born with long lifespans, living up to over two hundred years. They migrated out of the swamp about ten thousand years ago. Their ancestors didn't know what the Misting Phantom Smoke was; they only knew that whenever this pink smoke appeared, clan members would go missing or die. Over time, they thought it was a divine manifestation punishing them, so they established this custom of performing the 'Nuo dance' to honor heaven and earth."

"In fact, now that they have interacted with cultivators, they roughly understand the reason for the smoke. But every time the smoke appears, they still follow the custom and go to the swamp's edge to inform heaven and earth and pray for safety." Shi Chuankong added.

"I see." Han Li nodded and stopped looking at those people.

About half a quarter of an hour later, they arrived at the edge of the Phantom Smoke Swamp and landed.

A faint mist hung over the swamp, making it look like a vast lake. Near the shore, a shallow layer of water could be seen, with dark green water plants swaying gently below. From time to time, white bubbles emerged on the surface, popping with a soft sound.

The Misting Phantom Smoke was spreading quickly. It had already enveloped an area of a hundred li around Floating Island. Even ordinary mortals could clearly see the pink smoke rolling in overwhelmingly.

"I've said it many times, but I can't help reminding you all: the power of this Misting Phantom Smoke is formidable. Once inside, you must firmly guard your spiritual platform, maintain your mind, and not be deceived by illusions and lose your sanity." Hu San shed his usual casual demeanor and warned solemnly.

"I have some Spirit Stabilizing Pills here that can solidify the soul and clear the sea of consciousness. They are somewhat effective against the Misting Phantom Smoke. You might as well take one in advance." Shi Chuankong flipped his palm, and a dark green jade box appeared.

"Brother Shi, these Spirit Stabilizing Pills are not easy to obtain. I couldn't even buy them in the Reincarnation Palace. Where did you get them?" Hu San asked in surprise.

"What the Reincarnation Palace can't get doesn't mean the Guangyuan Hall can't." Shi Chuankong raised an eyebrow and said calmly.

With that, he opened the jade box, picked out a pill, and swallowed it first.

"With these, things are much safer." Hu San chuckled, also took a pill, and swallowed it.

The Vast Flame Venerable glanced at Han Li, a hesitant expression on his face.

"Then thank you, Brother Shi." Han Li also took a pill and said with a smile.

After taking the pill, he briefly examined it and found nothing amiss, so he naturally put it into his mouth.

But as soon as his lips closed, a wisp of silver flame emerged in his throat, wrapped around the Spirit Stabilizing Pill, and drew it into his abdomen for storage.

Han Li had some confidence in his divine sense. If not necessary, he did not intend to actually take the pill.

On the other side, seeing that Han Li had taken it, the Vast Flame Venerable also took a pill and put it into his mouth.

"Everyone, once we enter the Misting Phantom Smoke, we must use soul connections to guide each other and not get separated." After preparations were complete, Hu San said.

With that, he waved his hand, and an exquisite silver flying boat appeared out of thin air, landing on the swamp's water surface.

After Han Li and the others boarded, he formed a hand seal and activated it.

The runes on the silver flying boat lit up, and a layer of silver light rose from the bottom, lifting the boat half a chi above the water. With a "whoosh," it shot forward.

Han Li then noticed that the water in the Phantom Smoke Swamp was clearly different from elsewhere. It seemed quite heavy; even under the whirlwind caused by the flying boat, it did not splash but only rippled.

He leaned down, extended two snow-white jade-like fingers, and lightly skimmed the water surface, instantly understanding.

The water here was also unusual, seemingly mixed with some black sandy substance that had a certain corrosive property. However, it was naturally nothing to his current Golden Immortal body.

The silver flying boat sped along. Although they had not yet entered the area covered by the Misting Phantom Smoke, as the sun slanted westward, the mist over the swamp began to thicken.

As they passed a huge green duckweed, the water suddenly churned violently. A large splash shot into the sky, and a massive black shadow rushed out from below, leaping into the air and crashing down toward them.

Han Li glanced sideways and saw a huge strange fish covered in black scales. The green duckweed was a tuft of messy hair on its head. Its wide-open bloody mouth was full of sharp, blade-like teeth.

The four on the flying boat had already sensed the strange fish's ambush and didn't pay much attention. Hu San even joked, "This guy is really ugly."

Shi Chuankong formed a hand seal and waved his hand. A silver light trace swept over their heads, effortlessly cutting the strange fish in two.

Strangely, the severed wounds on both sides of the fish seemed sealed by some spatial force, with no blood spilling. Only after it fell into the swamp did black blood spread out.