"That's the sound of students reciting the words of sages. The academy still stands—it hasn't fallen. So there really is an academy here. Within that sound is the presence of righteous energy. These students truly possess cultivation methods—and they're practicing Confucian Dao techniques."
Upon hearing this, Huang Chengyan's face lit up with joy.A warm, familiar feeling rose in his heart.
"So it really still stands. But judging by the situation, it doesn't look good. After all, the mist here is no ordinary fog. It's likely something created by an alien race to trap the academy. To trap a Confucian academy like this—where even the Confucian cultivators inside can't break free—it must be something extraordinary. That fog must hold terrible power," said Jia Xu, his eyes fixed on the dense mist below.
In the sunlight, the mist didn't dissipate—instead, it shimmered faintly with a rainbow-like glow, clearly out of the ordinary.
"When I, old Zhang, first arrived, the valley wasn't covered in mist. There were just hordes of fierce beasts and alien tribes attacking the academy. The power of the sages within the academy could resist their assault. This mist must be a sinister trick from those aliens once they realized brute force wouldn't work," Zhang Fei said indignantly.
"The academy is right below, but we don't know what kind of enemies we're facing. Although we currently hold the advantage in the sky, once we enter the mist, that advantage will vanish. We need someone to go in first to investigate and uncover what's really going on. Only then can we formulate a proper plan," said Yi Tianxing, his tone steady as he looked at the fog below.
"I volunteer to go!" Zhang Fei declared without hesitation.
"I'll go. My ability to survive is better than anyone else's. That makes me the best choice," said Nine Lives, stepping forward.
His 命窍 (life aperture) was unique—he was nearly impossible to kill, and his body had an unnatural resistance to death. Unless he encountered an overwhelming force, he could survive almost anything. His ability to stay alive was unrivaled.
"My life is hard. Really hard!" he said confidently.
"No need. I'll go myself. Only I can move freely within that mist. No matter how strong it is, it can't trap me," Yi Tianxing said, making the final decision—one that had already been decided in his mind long ago.
Huang Chengyan and Jia Xu showed no surprise—they understood Yi Tianxing's personality well. Of course he would go himself. In fact, only he was truly suited for the task. With the ability to use spatial portals, his movement was unrestricted. His cultivation was profound and unfathomable. They had no worries about his safety.
"If you can, try to infiltrate the academy. See if it's possible to extract the students directly. That would make everything much easier," suggested Jia Xu.
Among them, only Yi Tianxing had the ability to infiltrate without being noticed by the alien races.
"After I leave, find a place nearby to set up camp. Don't hover in the sky too long—it increases the risk of exposure. Listen to the military advisor's orders in my absence. If anything happens, I'll contact you immediately."
Yi Tianxing nodded and gave his final instructions.
...
The Golden Roc delivered Yi Tianxing quietly to the ground, then departed in silence.
He walked step by step toward the area shrouded in mist.
"This mist really is strange. From the sky, it looked rainbow-colored, but up close, it's more of a grayish black. Almost like it's made of dust—a kind of smog. Stranger still, there's a peculiar fragrance floating within it. Is it from some kind of heavenly treasure, a rare incense, or a natural byproduct of the mist itself?"
"It doesn't seem poisonous. My body isn't sensing any strong danger. Either way, I need to go in and investigate."
Though cautious about potential toxins, he didn't sense any lethal danger. He inhaled the scent directly—still, his body showed no signs of being affected. It seemed it wasn't a deadly poison.
"I want to see what kind of alien race could generate a mist this vast and trap an entire valley. Most of the valley is probably under their control now. The ferocious beasts that once besieged the academy have likely been driven off—or killed."
Taking a deep breath, Yi Tianxing stepped into the mist.
He activated his concealment abilities and entered from a secluded, hidden corner.
"As expected, the mist is poisonous—it contains miasma."
The moment he stepped in, his brow furrowed slightly. He could immediately feel strange toxins trying to invade his body through his skin and breath—even if he held his breath, it seeped in.
However, with five core life apertures opened, and a body comparable to a true dragon, his defenses were formidable. As soon as the toxins entered, they were neutralized and refined by the Chaos Dragon Pool formed from the Heavenly Emperor Dragon Sutra ("天帝御龙经"). Its chaotic nature could cleanse nearly all poisons. His immunity to toxins was no bluff—it was real.
This was part of why he dared to enter the mist personally.
"There's a chilling aura in this mist," he thought.
The temperature was lower than outside, though not freezing—just cool and damp.
Even with his exceptional vision, he couldn't see far in the fog. Soon, he arrived at a valley filled with trees and wild flora—like a patch of untouched forest.
"Hm?"
"Faster…"
Suddenly, moans and panting filled the air—rich with decadent desire.
"…!"
Hearing this, Yi Tianxing's expression shifted. As a healthy man, he could easily guess what was happening."Outdoors? Really? Who's bold enough to do this in the middle of a warzone?"
Though annoyed, he didn't turn back. Instead, he carefully approached the sound.
And what he saw made his heart jolt.
Two beings were locked in wild intercourse—but they were no ordinary humans. Their upper bodies were human, but their lower halves were serpentine—serpent people.
The two serpentine bodies twisted tightly around each other.A thick, lustful aura emanated from their union, spreading across the area.
The snake-woman was especially seductive—her curvaceous body and sensual serpent waist would captivate any man. Her every twist and motion was a temptation. This was the real definition of a snake waist. Yi Tianxing couldn't deny it—this was every man's fantasy.
"If these snake-women walked among humans, countless men would fall for them…" he muttered.
It was clear—the alien race occupying this valley was the Serpent Race.But whether it was only them or if other races were involved, he couldn't yet tell.
Snake people, by nature, preferred places like this fog-filled valley.
"Uhh… uhh…!"
Yi Tianxing turned and left, choosing not to disturb the two serpents' passion. As he moved away, a bright flower caught his eye.
"A beautiful flower…"
It was a vivid pink blossom, large as two adult heads, nearly the size of a basin. Pink pollen floated around it, releasing a distinct fragrance.
He realized—it was the same scent he had smelled in the mist outside.
Still, he didn't linger. In the wild, unusual flowers were common. Fragrant ones even more so.
But the further he went, the more obvious it became—the Serpent Race was in heat.
Every few dozen meters, he came across pairs of snake people engaged in loud, passionate coupling. The air was thick with the sound of lust. Even with his willpower, Yi Tianxing felt his blood stir—a fire was rising within him.
"Damn it, these snakes are all in heat! I'm practically on a barbecue grill here!"
He cursed under his breath.
He wasn't a monk—he had desires too. With scenes of raw passion everywhere, what man wouldn't react?
"Still, their alertness is way down during mating. Now's the perfect time to sneak into the academy unnoticed."
Taking a deep breath, Yi Tianxing activated the Heavenly Emperor Dragon Sutra, using his true essence to suppress the inner fire. He pulled out a water flask and drank several mouthfuls of water from the Moonlight Well—cool and calming. It helped suppress the fire within, though not completely. The lustful aura exuded by the mating serpents had powerful aphrodisiac effects.
Somewhere in the valley, the academy flashed briefly with golden light, and voices of sages echoed—but only for a moment, then silence. Yi Tianxing could no longer confirm the exact location of the academy.