Chapter 383: Flying-Horned Ichthyosaurus

A world of ice and snow.

Snowflakes fluttered down.

A piercing cold wind swept across the land.

Qin Sang channeled spiritual power to shield himself, warding off the biting wind as he curiously observed his surroundings.

The moment Wandering Man touched the small herb, everything around them shattered like an illusion—ephemeral as flowers reflected in water, fleeting as moonlight in a mirror. In an instant, the entire world changed.

It was only then that those caught in the scene realized that the seemingly lifelike vegetation had been nothing more than an illusion.

Suddenly, the sky darkened, merging seamlessly with the vast expanse of falling snow, rendering everything invisible.

The wind howled fiercely.

The ground transformed into a frozen plain.

Before their eyes stretched a boundless world of white, the wind and snow cutting like blades as they lashed against Qin Sang and Wandering Man.

Qin Sang couldn't help but wonder.

If a mere mortal stood here, would they already have been stripped of flesh, their body torn to shreds by the raging storm?

Besides the wailing of the wind, nothing else could be heard.

Wandering Man, who had been crouching on the ground, stood up and gave Qin Sang a slight nod before walking forward into the depths of the frozen world, braving the blizzard.

The forest they had passed through was not vast. If they had used their flying swords, they could have crossed it in an instant. However, after the illusion dissipated and the frozen plain revealed its true form, they had walked for a long time without reaching its boundary.

It felt endless.

Qin Sang couldn't help but doubt.

Have we truly broken free from the illusion, or have we instead triggered some kind of barrier, transporting us to another location?

"Brother Qin, after we finish our business here, you can return the way you came. There's no need for all this trouble—just ten breaths of time will be enough to leave." Wandering Man’s voice transmission reached him in time, offering reassurance.

"I learned of this place from an ancient text left by a senior cultivator. The text mentioned that a rare spiritual herb grows here. I followed its guidance to find this place, but even then, I only dared to move as instructed and never stepped beyond the known path. If you're not absolutely certain, Brother Qin, it's best not to venture too deep into this frozen plain."

Qin Sang nodded. He was well aware of his limits and had no intention of taking reckless risks.

Before he could respond, Wandering Man suddenly stopped. Qin Sang noticed a fissure splitting the frozen plain ahead, flanked on both sides by walls of crystal-clear ice.

The ice layers were unfathomably thick—everywhere he looked, all he could see was solid ice.

"Down there!"

Wandering Man summoned his evasion light and leaped into the icy crevice.

Seeing that Wandering Man made no attempt to conceal himself and entered openly, Qin Sang deduced that there was likely no immediate danger below. With that reassurance, he followed suit, diving down after him.

The two of them descended rapidly along the ice walls.

Before long, Qin Sang suddenly heard the sound of rushing water. He and Wandering Man halted their descent, suspending themselves in mid-air as they peered downward.

Beneath them, a thick layer of ice extended as far as the eye could see. Yet, strangely enough, a river flowed atop the ice, its surface unfrozen. The water surged violently, crystal clear and pure.

The riverbed was visible at a glance, devoid of fish or shrimp. Under the reflection of the surrounding ice, the water shimmered with a faint, ethereal blue hue.

Wandering Man descended onto the river’s surface, moving along its current.

Swoosh!

The sound of rushing water echoed through the silent world of ice, the gentle collision of water against frozen walls producing a crisp, melodious chime.

As they traveled further, a glimmer of silver light appeared ahead. Moments later, dozens of silver specks entered their vision.

The silver lights moved unpredictably within the ice river. Reflected in the frozen expanse, they made the icy landscape appear even more eerily blue.

In this vast blue world, the silver lights flickered like stars—darting, chasing, dancing...

The sight was breathtaking, almost dreamlike.

From a distance, their true forms were obscured. Qin Sang’s gaze remained fixed on them, but he suddenly noticed that the moment these silver lights appeared, Wandering Man’s expression had turned unusually grim. A chill crept into Qin Sang’s heart. He immediately realized that these silver lights were no ordinary spectacle. They were likely extremely dangerous.

"Those are Flying-Horned Ichthyosauruses, a rare species of ancient beast."

Wandering Man’s voice transmission reached him.

"The silver light comes from the lightning energy condensed in their tendrils. That energy radiates outward and serves as their primary means of attack. The last time I encountered them unexpectedly, I suffered quite a bit before managing to escape. Their numbers seem to have increased since then. Fortunately, this time, I came prepared..."

As he spoke, Wandering Man rummaged through his belongings and retrieved a jade vial.

Inside the vial were several drops of transparent liquid, looking indistinguishable from ordinary water. The moment the vial was opened, a captivating and intoxicating fragrance wafted into the air.

Wandering Man carefully tilted the jade vial, pouring out a small portion of the liquid.

The liquid merged into the icy river and vanished without a trace.

Sealing the vial, Wandering Man handed it to Qin Sang and confidently said, "I searched through countless ancient texts before finally discovering a way to deal with these Flying-Horned Ichthyosauruses. This vial contains Drunken Demon Dew, specifically concocted to counter them. Just a few drops in the river will send them into a temporary stupor. As long as we don’t startle them, we can pass through with ease..."

"Let’s go!"

Moving silently, the two advanced and soon saw the true form of the Flying-Horned Ichthyosaurus.

The icy river converged into a deep, bottomless pool. On the water’s surface, ancient beasts resembling giant salamanders floated lifelessly. Their bodies were entirely transparent, revealing their internal organs with striking clarity.

The largest among them stretched several zhang, while even the smallest reached about a zhang in length.

Atop their heads extended a single, sharp tendril, resembling a solitary horn. The silver light originated from these tendrils, casting an eerie glow.

Standing at the pool’s edge, Qin Sang could distinctly sense the immense and violent lightning energy coursing through these tendrils. If released, the destruction would be catastrophic.

Even more daunting was the sheer number of Flying-Horned Ichthyosauruses lurking here!

Qin Sang inwardly sighed in relief. Wandering Man had not exaggerated—Drunken Demon Dew was indeed astonishingly effective. The creatures lay floating on the water like corpses, drifting aimlessly with the current, completely entranced.

Recalling all the preparations Wandering Man had made along the way, Qin Sang couldn’t help but acknowledge the immense effort required. Merely gathering the necessary spiritual ingredients was already an arduous task, let alone refining them into such potent elixirs.

No wonder Wandering Man had nearly missed their agreed-upon time.

Seeing the situation unfold perfectly, Wandering Man was overjoyed and hurriedly urged, "Brother Qin, get into the ice cave, quickly!"

Qin Sang looked ahead and spotted an ice cave on the far side of the pool. Realizing that their window of opportunity was fleeting, he immediately took to the air on his flying sword, following closely behind Wandering Man as they both shot toward the cave.

The moment they soared past the pool, the effects of the Drunken Demon Dew wore off. The Flying-Horned Ichthyosauruses rolled over lazily and resumed their playful swimming, entirely unaware that intruders had just slipped through their domain.

𝒻𝓇𝑒𝘦𝘸𝑒𝒷𝓃ℴ𝑣𝘦𝑙.𝒸ℴ𝘮

...

The lush jungle remained unchanged, as though nothing had happened.

A gray-robed figure appeared silently at the jungle’s edge, his breath slightly hurried.

The dense foliage stretched only a short distance before reaching its end. The man’s gaze swept across the unnaturally tranquil forest, a flicker of doubt flashing in his eyes.

After a brief pause, he leaped into the jungle, finally stopping beneath the ancient tree where Qin Sang and Wandering Man had previously stood.

Without hesitation, he began meticulously searching the surrounding area.

No traces of battle...

No hidden barriers or arrays suitable for concealment...

The doubt in his eyes deepened, and a faint impatience surfaced on his face.

Suddenly, as if noticing something, he spun around abruptly, his piercing gaze locking onto the small herb beneath the ancient tree. The corner of his lips curled into a sinister smile.