Chapter 253: Struggling to Fight

Just as the giant light-hand of Nanxuan Laozu slaughtered many of the "Black Blood Gulls" in the distance, a small patch of azure sky was revealed, which raised a glimmer of hope in the hearts of many cultivators; seeing the sky was equivalent to seeing a way to survive.

"Awoo!"

A high-pitched dragon roar rang out. Zhang Nuo struck down dozens of "Black Blood Gulls" that were approaching the flying boat, then turned his head and likewise cast a glance at that streak of azure in the distant sky!

However, the sky that had just appeared was blocked again by the "Black Blood Gulls" in the blink of an eye!

"Everyone stand firm! This old man is going to force a breakthrough!"

The previous strike had given Nanxuan Laozu some confidence. After a moment of contemplation, he finally made his decision. Hearing this, the others felt spirit light erupt beneath their feet, firmly anchoring their soles to the deck.

"Boom! Boom!"

Several loud bangs followed in succession. Nanxuan Laozu activated over a dozen White Discs, scattering the "Black Blood Gulls" blocking the front of the flying boat. Taking advantage of this moment, he moved his Divine Sense slightly, and the entire flying boat erupted with spirit light. With a 'whoosh', it shot out several hundred zhang, but in an instant, tens of thousands more "Black Blood Gulls" blocked the front of the flying boat, preventing it from continuing forward!

"Zhuo Zhiyan! Come over and help!"

Without even turning his head, Nanxuan Laozu shouted loudly. This woman's "Seven Treasures Glazed Lamp" had a large attack range; if she unleashed it with full power, it might be even more effective.

Hearing the Laozu call her, Zhuo Zhiyan did not dare to delay. After scattering the "Black Blood Gulls" in front of her, she turned into a streak of light and arrived at the very front of the flying boat.

Her willow-leaf eyebrows tilted slightly, and the precious lamp held in her jade hands erupted with a scorching pressure. The next moment, she blew hard with her rosy lips toward the lamp wick.

"Whoosh!"

A monstrous wave of fire surged from the red lamp wick. Immediately, Zhuo Zhiyan pinched a Dharma seal with one hand, and the outgoing fire wave condensed into hundreds of giant fire snakes in mid-air. Within a few swallows, they dispersed the "Black Blood Gulls" in front of the flying boat!

Seeing that the opportunity had arrived, Nanxuan Laozu moved his Divine Sense again, and the flying boat surged forward another few hundred zhang, though it still had not escaped the attack range of the "Black Blood Gulls"!

Zhuo Zhiyan used her technique several times in succession. Although the flying boat had traveled over a thousand li, there were still tens of thousands of "Black Blood Gulls" circling around them.

"Everyone, concentrate your strongest attacks to the front!"

Although they were still under the shroud of the "Black Blood Gull" flock, it was much easier than before. Following Nanxuan Laozu's order, several Golden Core Stage cultivators leaped to the front, unleashing all kinds of divine abilities to clear the path ahead of the flying boat!

An hour later, the flying boat finally charged out of the "Black Blood Gull" flock. As soon as they were free, Nanxuan Laozu did not dare to have the slightest delay; he increased the flying boat's speed to its peak, and with a flash of spirit light, it vanished into the horizon!

After flying for nearly ten thousand li, the flying boat finally stopped. Everyone let out a long sigh of relief; the scene just now was too dangerous—it could be called a narrow escape from death!

Even a cultivator with the cultivation level of Nanxuan Laozu shook his head slightly! It seemed that on the future journey, there was no telling what powerful demonic beasts they might encounter!

While resting, the group took a headcount. After this battle, a full eight cultivators had fallen on the flying boat. Although they were all at the Foundation Establishment Stage, it still made the Sect Masters of the Four Great Sects feel regret.

They hadn't even seen a shadow of the Immortal Illusion Continent, and eight cultivators had already died. It was truly unimaginable who would be able to step foot on the land of the Immortal Illusion Continent safe and sound.

By this time, several disciples had already cleaned the flying boat. Everyone returned inside the boat to meditate and rest. Zhang Nuo closed his eyes slightly, carefully recalling everything that had happened today; it was simply a nightmare!

After sighing for a long time, he suddenly thought of the "Measuring Heaven Ruler". Although he had used this Magic Treasure countless times, others had no idea of the secret behind this object.

With an internal inspection, he saw the small ruler glowing with cold light under the tempering of his Pill Fire. His Divine Sense slowly sank into the ruler, and a magnificent topographical map of the Immortal Illusion Continent appeared in Zhang Nuo's eyes.

Mountain peak after mountain peak, river after river—just looking at this map, one could imagine how majestically the Immortal Illusion Continent once stood in the Mist Sea.

But with the changing of the seas into mulberry fields and the passage of time, what would the Immortal Illusion Continent of today look like? Zhang Nuo pondered deeply, but he could not make heads or tails of it.

At this moment, the voice of Chunyangzi in his mind gently awakened him.

"Kid Zhang, when I had nothing to do, I studied the map in the 'Measuring Heaven Ruler' and discovered something!"

Zhang Nuo was slightly stunned. Chunyangzi was an old fox who had lived for thousands of years; whatever he discovered certainly wouldn't be a small matter. He listened quietly.

"Look, at this position on the map, a mark has been made!"

A point of red halo flickered on the small ruler's map. Zhang Nuo swept his Divine Sense and probed toward it. If Chunyangzi hadn't discovered it, he wouldn't have noticed this point at all, thinking it was just a part of the Immortal Illusion Continent.

After looking for a long time, Zhang Nuo did not find anything special.

"Is there something wrong?"

"Silly boy, according to my calculations, that should be the place where the ancestors of the mysterious cultivators lived. We might just have a harvest!"

Zhang Nuo pondered for a moment and did not speak immediately. To conclude the reason for the matter based solely on this point was perhaps a bit arbitrary. However, Chunyangzi spoke with great conviction, and based on his many years of experience, there should be a few chances of success.

"Don't hesitate. Once we reach the Immortal Illusion Continent, find an opportunity to leave this bunch of people! We'll explore on our own. With the map in hand, what are you afraid of!"

Seeing that Zhang Nuo still couldn't make up his mind, Chunyangzi put on the appearance of a senior expert and said.

"Fine! I will follow the senior's words! But for the current situation, let's first find the location of the Immortal Illusion Continent!"

No matter how beautiful the future might be, if they couldn't find the Immortal Illusion Continent, everything would be a bubble. Counting on his fingers, they had been flying in the Mist Sea for nearly two years, yet in these two years, there was still not a single clue to be found!

Moreover, they had encountered many dangerous things along the way. He really didn't know what else would happen as they ventured deeper into the Mist Sea.

This day, a disciple's exclamation suddenly came from the deck of the flying boat. Zhang Nuo and the others thought they had encountered a powerful demonic beast again, so they rushed out without a second thought. But when they saw what was before them, they couldn't help but laugh at themselves; they had almost become birds startled by the mere twang of a bow.

It turned out that on the sea surface below the flying boat, a large ship was sailing. This ship was no less than a hundred zhang long and several dozen zhang wide. Although it could not fly in the sky like Nanxuan Laozu's flying boat, with the help of massive Spirit Power, its speed sailing on the sea was also quite swift.

Seeing this scene, Zhuge An walked up to Nanxuan Laozu and said:

"Laozu, could we also sail on the sea like them? That would save quite a lot of Spirit Stones, wouldn't it?"

"Hmph! If it were that simple, would I still choose a flying boat? Just watch! In a while, you will know the drawbacks of sailing on the sea!"

With a light, long whistle, Nanxuan Laozu was very disdainful of Zhuge An's suggestion. Everyone stood by his side, their eyes flickering, not understanding the meaning behind his words.

In order to prove his conjecture to everyone, Nanxuan Laozu deliberately slowed down the flying boat, following far behind the large ship sailing on the sea below!

In any case, the most abundant thing left in this dull and boring flight was time. Everyone, filled with curiosity, looked down. Three days later, the large ship was still sailing without any problems!

At this time, several cultivators on the large ship also discovered the flying boat trailing them in the distant sky.

"Big Brother! Why have they been following us? Could they have some ulterior motive?"

A burly man with a full beard walked up to an old ancestor, pointed toward the horizon, and said with a serious expression.

"Don't go provoking them! Since they can drive a Flying Magic Tool like a flying boat, there must be Nascent Soul Stage cultivators present! Better to avoid trouble than to invite it!"

The old man looked to be about seventy years old, his white hair not tied up, letting it dance wildly with the wind. His cultivation, however, had advanced to the Golden Core Late Stage.

Facing the flying boat on the distant horizon, he was also at his wit's end; who told him his cultivation was inferior! He had no choice but to swallow this insult.

The bearded cultivator, however, was hot-blooded. Although his cultivation was only at the Golden Core Middle Stage, his temper was very explosive. For the past few days, he had been observing the flying boat in the sky, really wanting to rush over and ask what was going on.

"What happened?"

A voice like heavenly music sounded from inside the cabin, and then a beautiful figure walked out. Upon seeing her, the old man and the bearded cultivator immediately stepped forward and said respectfully to the woman who had emerged:

"Nothing major, it's just that there has been a flying boat following us on the distant horizon for three days now, but the cultivators on the flying boat have no ill intent!"

The young woman looked to be seventeen or eighteen, dressed in purple, her skin as smooth as mutton-fat Jade Token, her pair of lively eyes like stars in the sky; she was truly a beauty of national renown, a peerless talent, with an immortal grace and a myriad of elegant manners! The corners of her mouth, slightly upturned, always held a smile as gentle as a spring breeze.

Her petite and exquisite nose was even more otherworldly, and with every slight movement of her nostrils, it gave one the urge to catch her scent; every time her vermilion lips and white teeth parted, immortal sounds flowed forth! Especially that pair of eyes, truly as lively as water-cut pupils!

"Oh! No wonder I have felt unusual Spirit Power fluctuations these past few days!"

As the young woman spoke, she lifted her pretty face slightly and looked slowly toward the distance, her lotus steps moving lightly until she reached the edge of the ship's rail, her jade hand gently gripping the rail as if she were trying her best to observe the flying boat of Nanxuan Laozu.

A moment later, a daunting Spiritual Pressure erupted from the young woman's body; judging by her appearance, her cultivation had actually reached the realm of Golden Core Late Stage Great Perfection! It was much deeper than that of the white-haired old man.

"They will not easily make a move against us! Everyone is heading toward the same goal, so there will be very little friction along the way!"

Her eyes, like stars and autumn water, flickered a few times as the purple-clad woman spoke softly to the old man beside her.