Volume Two: The Mortal Realm Chapter Sixty-Three: The Coffin Bearer

Chasing after a swordsman soaring across the Misty Sea was impossible, but tracking a slow-moving wooden boat carrying more than a dozen people was no difficult task for a cultivator. The food scraps and discarded utensils thrown overboard by the mortals, together with the bloody scent left by the slaughter of sea fish and exorcism of ghosts, formed a faint trail across the Misty Sea—one that could just be sensed by a cultivator with keen senses.

Li Guifan had begun retracing this boat’s path several days ago. The ghosts now appeared at twice the former intervals, and their strength had drastically waned. These abrupt improvements—he, forever lacking in self-confidence, had never for a moment believed they were the result of some heaven-sent destiny or mere good fortune. It quickly occurred to him that Jian Jiu and his companions were still alive and had discovered a method to suppress the growing power of the ghosts.

Had they, perhaps, also found a way out of the Misty Sea?

By coincidence, he returned to the island they had started from and was surprised to find Jian Jiu's group had not flown away on their swords, but chosen instead a wooden boat—the kind mortals relied upon for passage.

Jian Jiu’s group was alive, and he himself had failed to escape the Misty Sea alone. Now, if he wanted to survive, he needed to accomplish two things: kill Jian Jiu and his companions, and find a way out. The possibility for both, perhaps, lay along the trail left by the wooden boat.

He followed that elusive trail, growing more convinced that Jian Jiu's group had found the path out; at first, the boat’s route had been disordered and aimless, but later it pressed steadily in a single direction.

A single direction? On the Misty Sea, where no direction could be discerned, by what means did they maintain a course?

As Ye Mingke had said, Li Guifan was an extraordinarily clever man—he simply did not trust himself, and so excelled at using others to achieve his aims. Inspired by the wooden boat, he too noticed the strange movement of the mist, and, like Ying Wei, deduced that the Misty Sea was contracting; travelling against the flow of mist might well lead one out of this bizarre domain.

But not long after he made this deduction, his limited visibility brought him directly upon the wooden boat—and he was certain Jian Jiu and the others had noticed him.

In that instant, terror drenched him in sweat, for he believed death was imminent. He understood Jian Jiu, Ying Wei, and Song Mingyu well; having deserted them in battle, now crossing paths again, he knew they would never let him leave, even if they did not kill him on the spot. At best, they would deliver him to the sect.

With Jian Jiu, whose cultivation surpassed his own, escape was impossible.

Yet, in his terror, he fled—a desperate, instinctive rebellion. To his surprise, not one of them gave chase.

A master of human nature, he immediately sensed an unusual opportunity.

Why were they using a wooden boat? Why did they not pursue him?

During that fleeting encounter, hadn't Jian Jiu and Song Mingyu seemed in a strange state?

For him to survive, he needed only two things: kill Jian Jiu and the others, and find the way out.

He had already found the way out.

Only one task remained.

He drew near the boat once more, and saw that in just a few days, Jian Jiu and Song Mingyu’s hair had turned white as frost, their faces gaunt and withered.

Was this the price they paid to suppress the evil spirits?

He knew now what he must do.

Casting one last glance at the three figures upon the deck, he turned and melted into the mist.

"What will he do?" Ying Wei turned to ask Ye Mingke at his side.

"And what do you think?" Ye Mingke replied with a question.

—

"That fellow won’t let us go. Once we're out, he'll either die in the Misty Sea, or, should he escape, will end up on the sect’s wanted list," Ying Wei mused.

"How did we end up mortal enemies?" Song Mingyu asked, somewhat sadly.

"He only ever saw us as tools. With a leader like that, sooner or later we’d be abandoned," Ying Wei said darkly, his brow deeply furrowed. "But, would he really dare make a move on the three of us?"

"He dared return—he must’ve realized we can't do anything to him now," Ye Mingke said with a shrug.

Jian Jiu pondered for a moment before speaking. "He may have noticed something’s wrong with us, but I doubt it will come to a fight. He’ll have guessed we’ve found a way to suppress the ghosts’ growth in power. If he kills us, he’ll have to fear suffering the backlash of the ghosts alone. Cautious as he is, he won’t risk it."

"Then let it be. For now we can’t deal with him, and he won’t dare attack us. Once you all get out, settle your own scores," Ye Mingke said languidly. "I won’t be joining you. I’ve just fought a ghost—tired and hungry," he added, rubbing his stomach and stifling a yawn.

So it was, in the peculiar environment of the Misty Sea, surrounded by evil spirits, mortal enemies passed within mere tens of yards of each other—peacefully, without conflict.

A strange thought, and strangely amusing.

As dusk fell, Ye Mingke hastily ate and lay down to sleep. Yet he had barely dozed off when his rest was disturbed—another close “encounter,” rousing him from his light slumber.

His senses extended thirty yards, and once again, Li Guifan drew within that range.

"What is it?" Ying Wei, keeping watch, noticed Ye Mingke’s sudden tension.

"It’s Li Guifan—he’s still behind us," Ye Mingke replied irritably. Only in the few hours after slaying a ghost could he sleep soundly; every other moment was spent on guard. To have someone waste his precious sleep was infuriating.

"Forget it. He probably just wants to follow us out—he can’t do much else. I’ll get some more sleep," Ye Mingke said with a resigned shake of his head, shifting his position to rest.

But he slept fitfully; Li Guifan haunted the boat like a specter, drawing close time and again, always from different directions and distances.

His powerful aura shone like a torch in Ye Mingke’s perception—impossible to ignore, rousing him every time, no matter how he tried.

It left him with a headache.

He sat up wearily, massaging his brow. Though still drowsy, sleep eluded him.

“That wretch Li Guifan is up to more than just following us—always up to some trick,” he thought, planning to speak to Jian Jiu and the others the next day.

He shook his head. Then his expression changed, as if sensing something dreadful.

"What in the world—!" His surprised whisper was cut short.

The little boat lurched violently, as though struck by something huge. Ye Mingke lost his balance and only just managed to steady himself against the deck.

"What was that?" At the same time, Ying Wei’s startled cry came from outside.

—

Ye Mingke rose, lifted the curtain, and stepped outside.

It was just before dawn. The Misty Sea, seen from afar, was a grey, oppressive expanse; the weak daylight, filtered through layers of mist, barely managed to cast faint, shadowy rays.

Yet amidst those dim beams, countless massive black shapes suddenly surged forth, forming a line like a tidal wave sweeping toward the boat.

As the shadows drew near, everyone on board stared in wide-eyed horror—they were confronted by a host of monstrous and terrifying creatures.

There were giant sea pythons, each with a head at either end, the two heads wrestling for the lead as they surged through the water; there were colossal sea turtles, silent and unmoving, drifting with the tide; and golden-scaled carp, three yards long, leaping from the sea in dazzling flashes.

These were the most striking, but beneath the surface, countless more shadows swam in the opposite direction, brushing past the boat, heading away.

"What is happening?" Song Mingyu instinctively moved closer to Jian Jiu, voice trembling with fear.

"Is this a beast tide?" Ying Wei stared at the massive creatures passing by, uncertain. "Why so many monsters all at once?"

"Many of these are bizarre creatures found only in the Misty Sea," Jian Jiu replied, alert and tense.

"Bizarre creatures unique to the Misty Sea?" Ye Mingke’s eyes lit up. "We may be close to escaping!"

"Why?" Ying Wei asked, perplexed.

"You said before—the Misty Sea's boundary is defined by the reach of the mist. These creatures typically live only within it. And if the mist is receding, as we suspect, they’re likely migrating because of it. That means we’re nearing the edge," Ye Mingke reasoned swiftly.

At the prospect of soon leaving the Misty Sea, joy spread across every face.

But there was no time to celebrate—the boat lurched violently once more. A small sea python, swimming ahead, collided with the hull, then whipped its tail at the boat.

A dull thud resounded from the side.

They looked about to find, in the space of a moment, that all around—the bow, stern, port, and starboard—countless sea monsters had encircled them.

Clang! Clang!

Ye Mingke and Jian Jiu drew their swords, stepping onto the waves to guard the fragile boat amid the beast tide. Sword flashes and spurts of blood drove off or slew several smaller sea creatures charging the vessel.

But the situation grew ever more perilous. Unable to use their spiritual power, Jian Jiu and Ye Mingke struggled greatly against the onslaught.

The boat shook as if it might break apart.

Among the horde, rival predators set upon one another, their battles churning the sea into wild waves and crimson flows.

Boom! Boom!

Suddenly, a thunderous, resounding tread echoed across the ocean. On the horizon, a colossal figure appeared, striding through the water.

Looking up, they saw several towering, one-eyed giants, each bearing a massive wooden coffin on their backs, making their way hunched and ponderous across the sea.