He muttered softly, his eyes devoid of any human emotion, entirely filled with chilling malevolence.
As for the others, apart from silently hurrying along, they were like robots, their breathing barely audible.
-----------------
Liu Yuhuan and Wu Bao’Er were twisting ropes.
Twisting ropes meant using torn strips of cloth to twist them into long strips and then connecting them together to form a long rope.
And it wasn’t just the two of them; even the others were busy at this time.
Actually, Zhao Ya’s preparation for this expedition was thorough, and the luggage included ropes.
But the issue was that it wasn’t enough.
Zhao Ya planned to use the ropes to connect everyone together before entering the fog.
This way, it would maximize the prevention of getting lost.
But such a plan required a massive amount of ropes.
After all, this expedition had coerced all the powerful sects in Beyond the World.
With so many people, even if each used only a small length, it was still a huge quantity.
Thus, everyone started twisting ropes together.
After twisting for a long time, Liu Yuhuan shook her sore wrist and looked into the distance.
Zhao Ya was standing in front of the mist, talking with He Nandou and others.
She wrinkled her nose playfully.
Ever since the journey began, Liu Yuhuan had fewer opportunities to be close to Zhao Ya.
This made Liu Yuhuan, who was infatuated with Zhao Ya’s scent, very unhappy.
But she didn’t dare say anything because Zhao Ya had clearly stated that allowing her to join was already a big concession.
If she dared to cause trouble, Zhao Ya would unhesitatingly make her leave.
Liu Yuhuan knew Zhao Ya always kept his word, so she behaved well throughout the journey, not causing any trouble.
However, the upcoming crossing through the fog gave Liu Yuhuan a chance.
If she just stayed behind Zhao Ya, she could create an opportunity for close contact.
Thinking of this, she glanced at Wu Bao’Er and whispered, "Bao’Er Sis...."
"Spit it out if you’ve got something to say!" Wu Bao’Er said coldly without even looking up.
She was utterly fed up by now.
She had hoped to prove her value by following Zhao Ya on this expedition, but instead, she was stuck with Liu Yuhuan, a burden.
Every day, she followed her around; even at night, they had to share a tent, which Wu Bao’Er found extremely annoying.
But she couldn’t complain because the command came from Zhao Ya.
Thus, she could only take her frustration out on Liu Yuhuan.
But no matter how coldly she spoke, Liu Yuhuan acted as if she didn’t notice, chatting away with a thick skin.
Like now, Liu Yuhuan was unfazed by Wu Bao’Er’s words.
"Bao’Er Sis, when we enter the fog, can we find a way to get closer to the Lord? I’m a bit scared...."
Wu Bao’Er rolled her eyes.
If she hadn’t interacted with Liu Yuhuan before, she would have been fooled by her innocent appearance.
That pitiful look and tearful eyes made her seem as fragile as a little flower.
But as someone who had worked with Liu Yuhuan the most, Wu Bao’Er knew this girl was dangerous.
Even though she had no cultivation, her strength was astonishing, and without serious effort, Wu Bao’Er could hardly beat her.
"Suit yourself, but don’t use me as an excuse if the Lord blames you later." Wu Bao’Er said indifferently.
Liu Yuhuan smiled brightly, "Of course not, I’m also thinking about you, Bao’Er Sis. After all, who knows what’s in the fog? It’s safer to be close to the Lord."
Wu Bao’Er sneered inwardly, knowing this girl couldn’t resist anymore.
Initially, Wu Bao’Er thought Liu Yuhuan had a simple crush on Zhao Ya, but later she realized she was wrong.
Liu Yuhuan seemed to treat Zhao Ya as an addiction, always trying to get close and absorb his presence.
Because of this, Zhao Ya found her tiresome.
Even Wu Bao’Er got caught up in the bother.
Thinking of this, Wu Bao’Er looked mournfully at Zhao Ya in the distance.
At that moment, the ropes were ready, and Zhao Ya discussed precautions for entering the fog with He Nandou and Yin Jiaxiong.
Then, everyone started preparing for departure, tying ropes to their arms.
Zhao Ya, as the guide, naturally stood at the front.
Liu Yuhuan immediately pulled Wu Bao’Er over and quietly stood behind Zhao Ya.
Seeing this, He Nandou and others laughed and dispersed.
Zhao Ya looked helplessly at Liu Yuhuan, inhaling deeply with a face full of intoxication, "Why are you here?"
"I’m scared, so I want to be closer to you, Lord!" Liu Yuhuan said, unflinching.
Zhao Ya frowned, "Once we enter the fog, I won’t have time to take care of you."
"Don’t worry, you don’t need to; Bao’Er Sis and I can take care of ourselves." Liu Yuhuan grinned.
Zhao Ya sighed and let it be.
Everyone was ready; Zhao Ya wasted no time stepping forward.
Zhao Ya dared to rush into the fog first because, with his current divine sense, he could approximately discern the situation within the fog.
It seemed the fog weakened considerably after drifting here from the Wuyang Sea.
Confident in this, Zhao Ya took the lead.
The group moved quickly, and in a short while, everyone entered the fog.
For most, the fog wasn’t as terrifying as anticipated, and some thought Zhao Ya was being overly cautious.
Everyone capable of joining wasn’t ordinary; even in the fog, martial artists’ perception abilities ensured they wouldn’t get lost, making the ropes seemingly unnecessary.
But as they ventured deeper, the fog grew denser.
Soon, they couldn’t see the people beside them, only a white expanse.
Furthermore, it was eerily quiet, so silent they could hear their own hearts beating.
At this point, many realized the fog’s strangeness and felt a chill.
In such conditions, perception abilities were useless; it was best to follow the ropes obediently.
Otherwise, straying would mean disaster.
Many hearts were in their throats.
If there were an ambush in such dense fog, it would cause significant casualties.
But after walking a while without incident, their nerves eased.
Unbeknownst to them, Zhao Ya, leading the group, suddenly sensed something and struck with his sword.
Slash!
The fog split, and a faint scream echoed, leaving no trace of blood.
"What’s wrong, Lord?" Liu Yuhuan immediately asked.
"Nothing, just a creature lurking in the fog attempting an ambush." Zhao Ya said calmly, shaking his sword to disperse the icy residue.
While others didn’t see, Zhao Ya, with astonishing perception and divine sense, discerned the lurking creature.
A vague figure, resembling a snowman crafted by a child.
It was Zhao Ya’s first encounter with such a bizarre entity.
Beyond the World and Great Yan had exotic beasts, but no matter how strong, they were of flesh and blood. A being made purely of snow was a first for Zhao Ya.
Despite his surprise, Zhao Ya kept moving, accelerating while his enhanced divine sense spread out.
Suddenly.
He raised his hand and fired a hand crossbow.
With several upgrades, the crossbow’s power had grown tremendously, ripping through the fog towards a target.
"Oh!" Zhao Ya exclaimed softly.
His divine sense showed the shot hit the target, yet it didn’t fall but sped away instead.
"Interesting, it can resist most physical damage?" Zhao Ya mused softly.
But the earlier slash should have ended that creature’s life.
Now, Zhao Ya’s swordsmanship had reached this world’s pinnacle. Though it seemed casual, the sword intent within was lethal to any living being.