Why Am I a Priestess When I Reach the Maximum Level?-Chapter 158[Vol. 6] - The Sea in the Mist
[Vol. 6] Chapter 158: The Sea in the Mist
Feeling that the previous explanation may have sounded overly ambitious, Mu Ze, the leader of the [Shocking God Sect] team, added with a wry smile.
“Please don’t misunderstand. While the [Endless Wasteland Sea] is indeed mysterious, the true purpose of our sect’s exploration is to temper the strength, willpower, and teamwork of our disciples. We don’t seriously expect to uncover any earth-shattering legacies.”
“After all, our sect has traversed that place more than once over the past two generations. While we don’t claim to know it inside out, we’re familiar enough with the area. Opportunities do exist there, but they’re incredibly rare, and when they do appear, they’re often accompanied by even greater dangers…”
Hearing this, Violet suddenly recalled something.
“By the way, how many members does the [Shocking God Sect] actually have? Disciples as young yet capable as these aren’t exactly easy to come by, right?”
Mu Ze smiled faintly. “Miss Violet, you’re absolutely right. To be honest, our sect has passed down through three generations over the past two centuries, with a total of just over thirty members in all that time. The disciples you see here now represent the entirety of our current sect.”
“Oh…”
Rather than mocking the seemingly pitifully small number, Violet nodded thoughtfully.
This [Shocking God Sect]… it likely has a much deeper background than it appears.
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Violet hadn’t forgotten her first encounter with them, when Shangguan Hong boldly scolded the [Black Scaled Army] at the teahouse without any fear. The [Black Scaled Army], after all, was part of the official forces under the [Ink Sect], one of the [Five Great Sects of Eastern Origin Mysterious Kingdom] tasked with safeguarding the nation.
[Eastern Origin Mysterious Kingdom] was led by the absolute alliance of the [Five Great Sects] and the [Eastern Origin Holy Sect], making it a powerful and structured state. While it can’t reach the level of privileges of the Western Origin Spirit Kingdom’s Spirit Guard, the [Black Scaled Army] was still regarded as one of the most elite forces in the country.
Yet, when faced with this formidable army, the [Shocking God Sect] disciples had shown no signs of panic or hesitation. On the contrary, their demeanor had resembled that of superiors calmly evaluating subordinates.
That attitude had left a strong impression on Violet and now it seemed to hint at something even more intriguing about the sect’s true nature.
Forget it. There’s no need to overthink this.
After all, Violet wasn’t a native of the [Ancient Spirit Realm]. Whatever power struggles or schemes the local factions engaged in had little to do with her, as long as they didn’t interfere with her goal of passing the [Four Saints’ Immortal Selection Ceremony] to ascend to [Spirit Veil Immortal Island]. If curiosity got the better of her, she could always ask Yanzi later. She was bound to know more about these matters. Otherwise, there was no need to get involved.
As the idle chatter continued, subtle yet noticeable changes began to envelop the gathering of people waiting for the [Endless Wasteland Sea] to open.
“Oh? It’s finally happening,” the black-haired girl murmured as she lifted her head, watching the thin, pale mist slowly spread, blurring her surroundings. Her reaction was calm, without a trace of surprise.
She took half a step back, regrouping with her companions. As she did, she reached out to grasp the slender, delicate hand of a silver-haired girl slightly taller than herself.
“Hen, no matter what happens, don’t stray too far from me. I’ll protect you.”
“…Alright.”
Miss Hen seemed a bit uncomfortable with the sudden firmness of Violet’s grip, frowning slightly in reflex. However, she didn’t pull away and instead gave a subtle nod in response, though her expression was noticed by a sharp-eyed onlooker whose gaze carried a hint of curiosity.
“Everyone, it’s time to prepare to enter the mountain,” Mu Ze announced, his tone steady but his expression more serious than usual.
“The hidden path to the [Endless Wasteland Sea] lies deep within this mist. Please remember the precautions I mentioned earlier. If you realize you’ve lost your way and can’t find your companions, don’t push yourself. Immediately use your beacon to return to the outside world.”
For once, Mu Ze’s typically calm and smiling demeanor gave way to a rare look of gravity.
“I’ll say it again: while the [Endless Wasteland Sea] appears boundless, it’s only a step away from the underworld. If you mistakenly enter the true [Three Path](Sanzu), you’ll never return. This is no exaggeration.”
Sharing a glance with her companions, Violet decided there was no point in hesitation or delay. She readied herself and followed the group into the mist, prepared for what lay ahead.
“Let’s go.”
Following the others who were steadily heading into the hills, Violet and her group stepped into the mist-covered terrain and quickly disappeared from view.
The mist in the hills grew denser, and visibility worsened by the moment. Although Violet had encountered similar conditions on her travels before, this time felt different.
Typically, mist forms when water vapor condenses into tiny droplets or ice crystals suspended in the air. However, Violet’s previous experiences, whether with the [Southern Calamity] or the obscuring clouds on [Spirit Butterfly Peak], involved mists created by energy manipulation rather than natural phenomena. These artificial mists weren’t truly “mist” in the conventional sense.
Yet here, in the unnamed hills of Xinchuan County, the mist seemed entirely natural. Walking through it, Violet could clearly feel the rising humidity in the air. The mist itself carried no traces of energy or magical interference.
And yet, this seemingly unremarkable, naturally occurring phenomenon, arising purely by *coincidence*, was the most remarkable thing of all.
“Xiao Kong, is there anything unusual about the space here?” Violet asked softly, her voice low enough to ensure only her companion could hear.
The catgirl, who was curiously observing the surroundings while cradling a white cat in her arms, glanced up. She replied in the same quiet tone,
“Nope. The space here is completely stable. There’s no sign of a connection to another dimension or any kind of spatial barrier. If you want, I can open a portal to the outside world right now.”
“Hmm…”
Hearing this, Violet felt reassured. Xiao Kong was likely the second most powerful person present and an expert in spatial techniques. If she confirmed that nothing unusual was happening, Violet could solidify her own conclusion.
This mist was, in fact, just ordinary mist. A common natural weather phenomenon. It wasn’t caused by a hidden formation or artificial energy manipulation in the area.
The hilly terrain of Xinchuan County, with its shaded areas and heavy moisture, was a perfect environment for mist to form naturally, especially during the pre-dawn hours.
Strange… Could the [Shocking God Sect] have made a mistake?
But even if they had, there were so many others waiting outside, many of whom had already ventured into the hills. It was highly unlikely that everyone had gotten the location wrong.
As Violet pondered this, she shifted her gaze to another “guide” in their group.
“Murong Yun, earlier when you entered, huh?”
Wait. Where was Murong Yun?!
The black-haired girl’s pupils narrowed.
That guy… He had been right next to them just a moment ago. How could he vanish in the blink of an eye?
What was even stranger was that Violet hadn’t sensed any unusual energy fluctuations. It was as if he had simply evaporated into thin air.
No, wait! There *had* been a fleeting, subtle change. But it wasn’t a spatial disturbance, and it had lasted so briefly that she hadn’t paid it enough attention at the time.
What was that?
Abandoning any pretense of subtlety, Violet quickly released her SP to enhance her increasingly obscured vision and carefully scanned the area.
The members of the [Shocking God Sect] were still walking a short distance ahead, their numbers intact. But Murong Yun was undeniably gone.
Even Xiao Kong and Hen had noticed something amiss almost simultaneously, and they instinctively stopped in their tracks.
Exchanging a glance with Violet, the silver-haired girl seemed to come to a realization.
“It seems,” she said thoughtfully, “he’s already entered the [Endless Wasteland Sea].”
