Approaching the Abyss Beneath the Sea

Several months later, Shen Hanyu returned to the region of the Far North near the sea.

This was also near where he had first met Tian Meng. It was Frost Snake territory, rarely visited by other living creatures—a pure land belonging solely to the Frost Snakes.

The snowstorm here was noticeably weaker than in the outer regions, though the wind was fierce enough to blow even moderately sized rocks.

The sky was hazy, somewhat like the smoggy weather from his previous life. The air carried the fishy saltiness of the sea breeze. Anyone unaccustomed to this environment would probably have already fallen ill from the harsh conditions...

Shen Hanyu did not feel particularly uncomfortable. Most of this area was a chaotic field of ice-covered boulders, and in some places, a single misplaced step would lead straight into a bottomless abyss. Water flowed beneath the ice in countless crevices, chiming softly as it echoed through the empty surroundings and added a hint of mystery.

Tian Meng secretly spread out his Mental Power and shared the scenes he saw with Shen Hanyu. The reason he did not dare use his Mental Power carelessly was probably because this place was not far from the Core Circle, and the true ruler of this region was a Two Hundred Thousand Year Fierce Beast—though it did not have much time left to live...

Since this was a gathering place for snake-type Soul Beasts, many small Soul Beasts such as Snow Rabbits and Snow Ferrets lived beneath the nearby rocks. They were also one of the Frost Snakes' main food sources.

Humans rarely ventured into these regions, so nearly everything retained the appearance it had at the beginning of its existence. The creatures here possessed the most primitive savagery; even the Star Dou Great Forest rarely had such untouched sanctuaries.

Besides those Soul Beasts, there was another kind here: a large group of miniature Tian Mengs—the true survival masters of the Far North, the bottom of the food chain, Ice Silkworms...

This type of Soul Beast could be found in nearly every corner of the Far North and could even survive outside it. Whether or not they were powerful aside, their adaptability and reproductive ability were first-rate.

Tian Meng was inexplicably proud of this. He pulled Shen Hanyu along and told him many things about the Ice Silkworm clan, even recounting some of his own personal experiences.

Shen Hanyu was not particularly interested, but he did not want to dampen Tian Meng's enthusiasm. He simply listened quietly, occasionally offering his opinion whenever something caught his interest.

As they went deeper and deeper, the waves grew smaller, the terrain along the shore began to level out, and clusters of drifting ice appeared across the sea. Several enormous icebergs could faintly be seen in the distance.

From time to time, pillars of water shot into the sky from the sea. The Soul Beasts responsible for them were naturally the largest Soul Beast species in these waters: Cold Sea Whales.

Cold Sea Whales were not inherently belligerent or cruel Soul Beasts. The largest could exceed seventy meters in length, making them true supergiants. Even newborn Cold Sea Whale calves could easily surpass many shark-type Soul Beasts in size.

And do not mistake their gentler nature for weakness in battle. The Cold Sea Whales' enormous size represented unrivaled strength, yet despite their massive bodies, they were still terrifyingly fast—fast enough to surpass Soul Beasts like Deep-Sea Swordfish, which were renowned for their speed and attack power.

"Tsk, tsk, Hanyu. There are quite a few rare Soul Beasts beneath these waters. An Eighty Thousand Year Iron Arm Red Crab, a Fifty Thousand Year Blue Demon Octopus, a group of Cold Sea Whales around Thirty Thousand Years, and even a Ninety Thousand Year Bloodthirsty Mad Shark farther out. This sea is deep, secluded, and rich in food. It seems to have attracted quite a few Powerful Soul Beasts to settle here."

Tian Meng clicked his tongue in amazement. The concentration of high-level Soul Beasts here was comparable even to that of the Far North's Core Circle.

Shen Hanyu nodded, swiftly weaving through the snow-covered boulder field, making almost no sound.

After advancing for roughly another five kilometers, Tian Meng suddenly froze before hurriedly saying:

"Hanyu, hide! A powerful Soul Beast is approaching us!"

Shen Hanyu was startled, then immediately leaped into the snow several meters deep below. Tian Meng also used his Mental Power to create a camouflage effect, completely erasing the two of them's aura and traces.

"What's wrong, Tian Meng? What Soul Beast has made you so nervous?"

Shen Hanyu asked within the Sea of Consciousness.

"It's that Two Hundred Thousand Year Frost Snake Demon! I didn't expect that the instant a trace of my Mental Power's aura was exposed, that thing would seize the chance to make direct contact with my Mental Power. It has considerable Mental Attribute power too. I miscalculated—I never thought a mere Two Hundred Thousand Year Fierce Beast could detect my Mental Power."

Tian Meng spoke in a flustered, anxious voice.

Shen Hanyu frowned and held his breath, secretly observing the outside world through Tian Meng's Mental Power.

Amid the howling wind, the sound of a snake tail scraping against the ground gradually came from afar. Then, a figure roughly two meters tall slowly appeared where Shen Hanyu had just been standing.

A trace of surprise appeared in Shen Hanyu's eyes. This Frost Snake Demon was actually so small, and judging from her appearance, she was female.

Her upper body was completely human in form. Her face was not breathtakingly beautiful, but it possessed a unique charm. Pale blue hair fell over her blue armor, giving her a wild sort of beauty.

Her lower body, however, was entirely a snake tail. Besides its icy-blue scales, the tail was set with an aqua-blue crystal that made her seem inexplicably noble and graceful.

Shen Hanyu unconsciously swallowed. He had seen many Beauties, but this was the first time he had seen one so unusual.

The Frost Snake Demon stood atop a boulder, her sharp eyes sweeping across the surroundings, yet she found nothing. A hint of confusion and ruthlessness appeared in her gaze before she slowly headed into the distance without the slightest hesitation.

Tian Meng spoke at this moment as well:

"She seemed to have discovered our traces through Mental Power, but she could only determine our approximate location. Besides, my Mental Power is stronger than hers to begin with, and she is injured. Her body is already slowly decaying, so she merely conducted a rough search instead of truly taking action to hunt for us."

Only after she had gone far away did Shen Hanyu rise from the snow and slowly let out a breath.

"Be more careful. There are quite a few Soul Beasts with the Mental Attribute here. Your Mental Power may be strong, but mistakes can still happen. We were lucky this time. She had no intention of pursuing the matter and merely conducted a simple patrol..."

Tian Meng solemnly agreed. Only those involved could understand how dangerous that situation had been; without experiencing it firsthand, no one could truly relate.

Shen Hanyu looked deeply in the direction the Frost Snake Demon had left. A strange feeling rose within him. He had sensed endless sorrow and pain from her, as though she were a reservoir of negative emotions—despair without even a shred of hope...

After giving the direction of her departure one last look, Shen Hanyu finally took a detour and left, entering this dangerous yet beautiful world once more...

P.S. This book has already received a contract offer, but there are some issues, so it will probably take a while before everything is finalized. I've been in poor health lately, and there are so many things and classes to deal with. I'm so busy. This is driving me crazy. (cries)