Kun Wood

"Then aren't we going over? Qing Yun and the others have already charged ahead. If we don't follow, they'll be at a serious disadvantage."

Yin Xue asked.

"I'm only reminding you, not forbidding you from going. Remember, impulsiveness is a devil."

Yun Ying nodded to them.

Hearing this, Yun Xi knew Yun Ying wanted to act alone. She had always been like that, disliking traveling in groups.

"Then we'll go ahead, Little Ying. Be careful on your own."

Yun Xi said nothing more, merely leaving Yun Ying with that reminder before leading the others after them.

Only after Yun Xi and the others had gone far away did Yun Ying withdraw her gaze. All along the way, slaughter had been everywhere, an unsettling sight that also served as proof of how alluring the Kun Peng Precious Technique was.

However, she felt no great desire for the Kun Peng Precious Technique. Kun Peng had his Dao, and she had hers. Even though she was nowhere near his equal now, once she reached the sword Dao pinnacle in the future, why would she be inferior to Kun Peng?

Some gathered all the myriad arts beneath heaven and united them as one, while others reigned supreme with a single art, breaking through all the rest. Yun Ying belonged to the latter.

After parting with Yun Xi and the others, Yun Ying headed alone toward the island reef where the Kunpeng Nest stood, neither hurrying nor dawdling.

Fierce battles raged along the dozen or so paths leading to the Kunpeng Nest's entrance, with runes dancing across the sky. However, some people had gathered elsewhere.

There was another special site on the island reef, standing alongside the Kunpeng Nest: an enormous golden gateway, blazing all over, with a river flowing out of it and pouring into the ocean.

This river was extraordinary as well, formed from boundless spiritual essence of heaven and earth. It was astonishing.

"Spiritual energy has liquefied into a river. Could this gateway lead to the Divine Realm?"

People ventured bold guesses.

In addition, black paper boats drifted out of the gateway along the river. These were Ghost Ships, bearing an eerie presence, and everyone feared them.

"If it can stand alongside the Kunpeng Nest, this gateway must be extraordinary too."

Yun Ying stood on the shore, gazing at the gateway. Runes faintly manifested in her eyes, though they remained indistinct.

Suddenly, Yun Ying darted aside, evading a hand sneaking toward her.

Seeing his sneak attack fail, the boy immediately retreated and stood a short distance away, a shameless grin on his face. Who else could it have been but that Bear Child?

"The early Spirit Transformation Realm is still far from enough here. You shouldn't have come. One careless mistake, and this place will become your grave."

Yun Ying looked at him, her gaze as calm as water. A shower of light enveloped her, lending her a sacred, transcendent air.

"You're joking. How could this place possibly become my grave? You fat girl, you're a hundred years too early to scare me."

Bear Child grinned at her, his eyes roaming all over Yun Ying.

After a pause, he added, "The food at your Primordial Sacred Mountain really must be good, fattening every one of you up. Look at you, you're so fat your proportions are all wrong. Your chest and butt are so big I can barely see your waist."

Had Yun Xi or any of the other girls been there, Bear Child's words would probably have sent their fury blazing three feet high. Yun Ying, however, was unmoved. She paid no heed to his words, treating him as nothing more than a child whose innocent words knew no restraint.

Seeing no change whatsoever in Yun Ying's expression, Bear Child grew frustrated. Whenever he said things like that, those fat girls would have flown into a rage long ago. Why did Yun Ying show no reaction at all? How strange.

"Look! There's a piece of wood inside, giving off brilliant light!"

Just then, a startled cry rang out, drawing the attention of everyone nearby.

Inside the blazing gateway lay a length of rotten wood. Although soaking had left it decayed, it still radiated an incomparably brilliant divine glow.

The piece of wood appeared to be a branch, as thick as a bucket, with dragon patterns covering its surface. It had rotted beyond recognition, yet still emitted divine radiance. It was astonishing.

"Why do those patterns look like the Kun Wood from myths and legends?"

"There's a green leaf on it too! Its color is still vivid, and it hasn't rotted despite being submerged. It still has life in it. If that really is Kun Wood, that leaf is a priceless treasure!"

People soon confirmed that it was a Kun Wood Branch. Although decayed, it still bore one intact leaf.

"There's Kun Wood here!"

In an instant, countless powerful cultivators charged over to fight for this supreme treasure.

"Seriously? It's actually Kun Wood? Could the Divine Realm really be beyond that gateway? That's a little unbelievable."

Bear Child's eyes widened as he muttered to himself.

Yun Ying also stared at the piece of Kun Wood inside the gateway. The runes in her eyes flickered with light, as though about to solidify.

Kun Wood was said to be a bridge linking heaven, earth, humans, and gods, connecting the Human Realm and the Divine Realm. Whether humans wished to enter the Divine Realm or Heavenly Gods wished to enter the Human Realm, they all traveled through Kun Wood.

However, the only Kun Wood tree in existence was said to have been severed in primordial times. No Kun Wood remained between heaven and earth. At most, some ancient sacred mountains might have preserved its leaves. Its branches and trunk had vanished entirely, existing only in ancient records.

"Are they idiots? That piece of Kun Wood hasn't even floated out. It's still on the other side of the gateway. Who would dare go in and fetch it? One look at that gateway tells you it's dangerous beyond measure. Anyone who enters will face certain death, without the slightest chance of survival."

Bear Child curled his lip. If there had been a chance to compete for it, he would have been the first to charge forward. The reason he had not moved was that he sensed how terrifying that gateway was.

Yet no sooner had he finished speaking than he caught sight of Yun Ying moving toward the gateway, her lotus steps swaying gracefully, like a divine maiden setting forth.

"Hey, do you really want to go in there and kill yourself?"

Bear Child called out.

"I have my own way."

Her cool voice rang out, making Bear Child pause. He scratched his cheek. "Is this fat girl serious?"

"Get out of my way, all of you!"

Suddenly, an imperious, overbearing shout rang out. Towering golden light swept over, blanketing heaven and earth, blasting many people away as they coughed up great mouthfuls of blood. A group of them was swallowed by a golden wave as they fell, dying on the spot.

A youth strode over, clad in Golden Armor and holding the Golden Trident. His long hair streamed behind him, his eyes resembled sapphires, and his face was exquisitely handsome, like a woman's.

He was an heir of the Sea God lineage and a descendant of the Sea God himself. Named Mo Shang, he was one of the strongest young cultivators present, having reached the summit of the Spirit Transformation Realm.

In this place, someone like Mo Shang could be called invincible. Even a Venerable would be no match for him here.

Some people were intimidated by the Sea God's descendant and dared not continue forward. Clearly, he too had set his sights on the Kun Wood inside the shining gateway.

By now, Yun Ying had reached a spot near the gateway. She stood there without jumping straight through it as those others had done. That would have been courting death; everyone who had just charged inside had died.

She raised her hand. Her fair palm glowed faintly, her five fingers like jade, as motes of divine light appeared. A wisp of Sword Dao Runes flew out like a firefly, then began transforming in the air.

In just a few seconds, that wisp of Sword Dao Runes became a crystal-clear carp, so vivid and lifelike that it resembled a real living creature.