Chapter Forty-Eight

Gu Liuyun steered his small boat, speeding across the sea surface. The sea wind howled and the waves rolled, as if seeing them off.

He narrowed his eyes slightly, sensing the increasingly rich spiritual energy in the surrounding air, and felt a faint sense of anticipation in his heart.

However, before he could carefully perceive this unusual spiritual power, the scene before his eyes changed abruptly.

The originally sunny sea surface was instantly enveloped by a thick fog.

The visibility all around was extremely low, with only things a few meters away visible, as if entering a huge maze.

The air also became humid and viscous, carrying an indescribable sense of oppression, making one feel chest tightness and shortness of breath.

"What the hell, what's going on?" Chen Jiaojiao couldn't help but curse, her pretty face full of vigilance, "This ghost place, why did it suddenly fog up?"

Ye Manman also wore a solemn expression. She leaned closely against Gu Liuyun, a rare trace of worry appearing on her alluring face.

Instinctively, she felt that this place was not simple, as if it was hiding something dangerous.

Gu Liuyun looked around. He felt that this patch of fog was definitely unusual; not only did it obstruct vision, but even divine sense could not penetrate it.

Putting away his playful attitude, he turned serious and reminded, "Be careful, something is strange here."

As soon as his voice fell, the fog around them began to surge like boiling water.

All kinds of illusions began to appear—for a moment towering peaks, the next moment roaring beasts, and then various alluring women—making people dizzy and unable to distinguish truth from falsehood.

"Damn it, what is this ghost thing? It's too dazzling!" Chen Jiaojiao rubbed her eyes, feeling dizzy.

"Keep your composure and don't be fooled by the illusions," Gu Liuyun shouted in a low voice, reminding them.

He circulated the weak spiritual power within his body to protect his heart meridian.

He knew that these illusions were not merely visual disturbances; they would also affect a person's spirit, causing them to lose themselves.

However, this was not the worst of it.

Just as Gu Liuyun was vigilantly observing the surrounding environment, invisible attacks suddenly struck from all directions.

These attacks were silent and difficult to detect, yet they contained immense power, as if trying to tear them to pieces.

"Boom, boom, boom!" The attacks slammed continuously into the small boat, producing dull thuds.

The boat rocked violently and could be destroyed at any moment.

Gu Liuyun frowned deeply. With one hand he controlled the heading of the boat, and with the other he waved the long sword in his hand, shattering the incoming invisible attacks.

His movements were smooth and flowing, like an experienced warrior weaving through a hail of bullets.

Ye Manman and Chen Jiaojiao also employed their respective methods to resist the attacks.

Although their strength was inferior to Gu Liuyun's, neither of them was ordinary and both could protect themselves.

The surrounding fog grew thicker, seemingly transforming into a giant demonic claw eager to swallow them up completely.

The attacks also became more frequent and ferocious, keeping them frantically busy.

In this mysterious sea area, they felt like a tiny boat caught in the center of a storm, vulnerable to being devoured by the raging wind and waves at any second.

Right at that moment, Gu Liuyun felt the boat beneath his feet shudder violently, the hull beginning to emit groaning, creaking sounds under the unbearable strain.

He abruptly raised his head, staring into the increasingly dense fog before him, as an inexplicable sensation welled up in his heart—it felt as though something was drawing him in, yet simultaneously mocking his ignorance.

"Interesting..." Gu Liuyun whispered, the corners of his lips curving upward into an enigmatic smile.

A cold smirk hung on Gu Liuyun's lips; how could the combat experience of a Tribulation-stage Immortal Venerable be treated lightly?

He closed his eyes and projected his divine sense outward, no longer relying on his naked eyes to observe.

The surrounding illusions rapidly faded from his mind, replaced by clear trajectories of flowing energy.

As it turned out, this barrier was not a simple trick of the eye, but rather energy fluctuations controlled by a certain array formation, which created hallucinations by interfering with divine sense while concealing the real attacks.

"Mere child's play," Gu Liuyun thought to himself. With a hand seal formed, a flash of golden light swept over him, forming a protective shield around his body.

Those previously invisible attacks crashed into the shield with dull thuds, stirring up ripples without breaching it in the slightest.

He saw through the trajectories of the attacks, his every strike pinpoint accurate, bouncing the incoming energy right back.

Each counterattack was accompanied by a slight tremor in the surrounding environment, as if the entire sea area were responding to his power.

"Oh my god, Big Brother Liuyun is too awesome!" Chen Jiaojiao widened her eyes in sheer admiration.

Although she didn't know what Gu Liuyun had done, she could feel the pressure around them easing and the danger receding.

Ye Manman's beautiful eyes shimmered with brilliant colors. She tightly grasped Gu Liuyun's hand, feeling the powerful aura emanating from him, her heart filled with a sense of security.

"Liuyun, you are truly amazing!"

Feeling the gazes of the two beauties, warmth bloomed in Gu Liuyun's heart.

He smiled faintly, "Don't worry, I've got everything covered."

As Gu Liuyun continued his counterattacks, the surrounding fog began to gradually dissipate, and the previously blurred scenery slowly grew clear.

They discovered that they were currently situated in the center of a massive whirlpool, at the bottom of which something appeared to be emitting a dazzling radiance.

"What is that?" Chen Jiaojiao pointed to the bottom of the whirlpool and asked curiously.

Gu Liuyun narrowed his eyes, observing that cluster of light closely with a faint premonition in his heart.

He turned to look at Ye Manman, a hint of excitement in his gaze.

"Manman, hold on tight to me."

Ye Manman did not understand why, but she still wrapped her arms tightly around Gu Liuyun's arm.

The next moment, Gu Liuyun leaped forward, taking the two women as he jumped straight into the whirlpool...

"Wait, Liuyun! What's going on down there?!" Chen Jiaojiao's voice echoed within the whirlpool, only to be met with an enigmatic smile from Gu Liuyun.

Inside the whirlpool, the seawater churned like a roaring dragon, threatening to devour the three of them.

The intensity of the attacks suddenly escalated, dense as raindrops. Even with his vast battle experience, Gu Liuyun began to feel the strain.

Protecting the two women, the speed of his sword swings slowed down, and his breathing grew hurried.

"Gosh, what kind of ghost place is this? It's even more annoying than my dad's endless nagging!" Chen Jiaojiao cried out in distress, her pretty face turning pale.

Although frightened, Ye Manman still held tightly onto Gu Liuyun, offering him an encouraging look.

"Liuyun, you can do it!"

Gu Liuyun took a deep breath, knowing he could no longer rely solely on brute force.

He closed his eyes, sensing the violent energy flows around him, and a bold idea sparked in his mind.

Instead of trying to block every single attack, he skillfully guided them, causing them to collide and cancel each other out.

"Using four ounces to deflect a thousand pounds? Big Brother Liuyun is playing for real now!" Chen Jiaojiao exclaimed.

Gu Liuyun's movements grew faster and faster, resembling a conductor directing a grand symphony, transforming chaotic energy into orderly notes.

The surrounding illusions began to collapse, revealing the true scene at the bottom of the whirlpool—a bead emitting a soft glow was suspended quietly in the center.

"Got it!" Gu Liuyun grabbed the bead, and a powerful surge of energy poured into his body, causing his previously weak spiritual power to skyrocket instantly.

"Is this... a treasure that enhances sensory abilities?" Feeling the surging power within him, Gu Liuyun was wild with joy.

"Liuyun, are you alright?" Ye Manman asked with concern.

"I'm fine, Manman, I feel fantastic!" Gu Liuyun laughed heartily, pulling the two women into his embrace, "With this treasure, I can find the remaining fragments even faster!"

"That's wonderful, Big Brother Liuyun!" Chen Jiaojiao also jumped up in excitement.

Gu Liuyun gazed into the distance.

"Where should we go next?" he muttered to himself, a knowing smile playing on the corners of his lips...