Up ahead about 20 or so kilometers, there was a camp. Although it was best classified in this way, it was quite beautiful. The tents were formed with what looked like silvery seal skin, each of them radiating a dull sky blue glow.
The camp was well organized, almost like a city. It didn't have walls, but Ryu could sense the powerful formation that enveloped it although one wouldn't be able to see it with their naked eye.
Although Ryu hadn't become the recultivation of his soul just yet as it wasn't a pressing matter for him, he had spent a lot of time studying formations of the True Martial World when he had time. His talent in formation mastery was especially steep, so it only took a single sweep of his Spiritual Sense to know that this was an Ancestral Grade Formation, not an Ancestral Grade Formation of Sacrum, but a true Ancestral Grade Formation of the True Martial World.
Just a formation was able to withstand the assault of tens of thousands of World Sea Realm experts or even a handful of Fragmented Sky Gods.
Such a formation was more than good enough to be laid around a Two Star Sect, and yet it was laid in the middle of nowhere for the sake of… a camp?
Ryu's gaze narrowed. Just now when he tried to see through more of the secrets of the formation, he was forced to pull back for fear of being detected. He realized that had he not had Void Spiritual Sense, he would have been sensed immediately.
'Such caution…'
From his understanding, to be able to detect Spiritual Sense, a formation had to be exceptional. This ability alone made this formation actually comparable to a formation a tier above. This large-scale formation was definitely approaching the level of a Fragmented Grade Formation.
Ryu wasn't in a rush. He had already gathered dozens of carcasses for Little Silk, all of which were at the Eleventh Order and of the Sovereign Grade. From his estimations, this should be enough to allow her to make that final push into the Eleventh Order.
In that case, he was no longer pressed for time. He could calmly observe what was happening here.
If he was correct, this camp should be created by the Carving Ice Sect.
Just from a cursory glance, he could see that it was surrounded by 64 smoking pillars. There was a potential chance that this smoke was the very 'poison' that Ryu was looking for the source of all this time, while the pillars seemed to be part of the formation flags that formed the important foundation of the Ancestral Grade Formation.
Although the smoking pillars were outside the formation, if one thought it would be easy to cripple the formation like this, they'd be sorely mistaken. Even Ryu didn't dare to casually touch them. If anything, those pillars were the most dangerous parts of the formation and had the highest concentrations of power.
Ryu continued to watch silently.
Over time, he wanted many to come in and out of the camp, but they didn't seem to be doing anything special.
When Ryu realized that he wasn't going to find out much like this, he chose one of the more powerful individuals and began to trail them. After several more hours, he returned to the camp and Ryu got his answer.
'I see… So they're just like me, they're hunting beasts using this method. But if this is an available method to Sects, why doesn't everyone do it?'
The carcasses of beasts, their bones, their flesh, their Beast Cores, were all exceptionally useful. Ryu didn't believe that the Sects wouldn't take the option if they could out of some moral responsibility. So that meant that there was another explanation.
The first possibility was that it was too dangerous. After all, there were overlords among the beasts as well. There weren't just human Sky Gods in existence.
Ryu had yet to meet any special races in the True Martial World, but he knew they definitely existed. And while they weren't on the lower Heavens, there were powerful beasts among them for certain.
The second possibility was that it was an expensive endeavor and no Sect would do it casually without very, very good reason.
The third possibility was just that this was a special method reserved for the Carving Ice Sect solely.
Of these options, Ryu felt that things were rarely so simple and that it was potentially a combination of all three. However, if he had to pick one that resonated the most with what he had seen, the second possibility was the most likely.
The odds that it was the third was quite low purely because the Carving Ice Sect was only one of the most powerful Sects on the Second Heaven. If it really had a method of monopolizing beast corpses on its own, over time, this advantage would have long since brought them up to the Third Heaven if not beyond.
In such a case, then the Carving Ice Sect definitely had a very good reason for going all out like this. Was it due to the opening of the Heavenly Path? This was very possible.
Ryu's gaze flickered. It seemed that he would have to take the risk of breaching the formation with his Spriitual Sense. Only by getting an understanding of what was inside could he confirm exactly what was happening.
After a moment, Ryu targeted the most vulnerable parts of the formation and snaked his senses inside, doing a slow and steady sweep of the camp.
Soon, he made it to the central and largest tent there was, only to find that there was yet another formation.
Ryu frowned, but he remained patient and calm. Right now, no one knew how deep into the mountain range that he had entered, so they weren't looking for him. But if they didn't know that he was here, with their numbers, it would be all too easy to cast a net that it would be difficult for him to escape.
After several more hours, Ryu managed to carefully make his way into the tent and what he saw left him a bit startled.
Within, Jenneless sat in meditation, completely in the nude, her soft skin revealed to the chilling wind. Her proportions were absolutely perfect.
But this was a matter that Ryu could care less about, what startled him was what was happening.
Bits and pieces of her body were turning into transparent ice. Beneath her, a large amount of beast flesh, Beast Cores and bones were being slowly refined. As they were refined, her flesh was very slowly being turned into ice.
Ryu's expression flickered.
So all of this commotion was for Jenneless? It looked like she was refining her physique to an all new level. With the effort the Sect was putting in, Ryu was certain that the benefits wouldn't be small.
Ryu slowly pulled back, ready to regroup and decide what to do next.
However, at that moment, the odd qi in the surroundings latched onto Ryu's Spiritual Sense, slowly turning it to ice as well.
Ryu was easily able to shake this off considering his affinities, but the change caused a disruption in the formations.
In that instant, Ryu's heart was hit with a pulse of electricity and his pupils constricted.
Right then, the pair of invisible formations whirred to life, flashing with pulsing red and blue lights.
Ryu shook his head, but then he chuckled. It seemed he would have to get some good exercise this time.