The journey to the Northern Abyss began under the pale, pre-dawn light. This was not a sprint like the escape from the Crevice, but a protracted, high-stakes exercise in sustained concealment and energy efficiency.
Yin Xiu led the vanguard, utilizing her Shadow Arts not for rapid displacement, but for continuous, environmental integration. She moved like a whisper across the desolate landscape, her Qi signature so profoundly suppressed that she was practically non-existent to external sensory arrays. She didn't merely hide; she became a natural part of the shifting shadows and dust motes.
Lin Feng followed directly behind, burdened by the mental toll of two immense responsibilities: maintaining the stability of the Void-stabilized pocket dimension containing Siku, and channeling subtle Void Qi to create a thin, neutralizing envelope around his companions' bodies. This envelope subtly warped light and absorbed trace Qi residue, allowing them to bypass the common optical and spiritual surveillance arrays set up by the Dynasty's outer patrols.
This slow burn is more taxing than open combat, Lin Feng thought, his focus unwavering. Every step required minute mental calculation to counteract the natural noise of their movement. He constantly monitored Siku, whose presence—even concealed—was a low-grade spatial anomaly that threatened to reveal their position if Lin Feng's control slipped for an instant.
Xia Qingwu and Su Wanying moved in perfect tandem behind Lin Feng. They utilized a joint technique of mutual concealment and defense.
Xia Qingwu, ever the tactical alchemist, continuously dispersed micro-particles of specialized minerals into the air using gentle bursts of her Phoenix Fire Qi. These particles—invisible to the naked eye—were designed to mimic the natural electromagnetic interference of the surrounding environment, ensuring that any low-level spiritual sweep from the Dynasty would register only natural background noise. This was a slow, exhausting process that required her to replenish the "noise" every few hundred steps.
Wanying, meanwhile, served as the ultimate rear-guard defense and spiritual stabilizer.
The purity of her Ice Empress Core, now slightly enhanced by the Astral Jade essence she had absorbed, allowed her to passively absorb and freeze any volatile Qi that might escape her companions. If Lin Feng's Void envelope faltered, Wanying's Primordial Ice Law would instantly lock down the instability, preventing any tell-tale flare of power that would alert the Thunderclap Towers.
The cohesion was absolute. Every few hours, they would take a brief, silent respite.
During one such pause, Lin Feng watched Wanying gently channel her purified Qi back into his core, helping him recover from the strain of stabilizing Siku.
"Your Void-Wood/Water Loop is impressive, Feng, but you are stretching your mind thin," Wanying murmured, her silver eyes filled with quiet concern. "The Dynasty relies on attrition. We must reach the Northern Abyss before mental fatigue causes a fatal error."
"Attrition is only effective against those with weak wills, Wanying," Lin Feng replied, a tired but confident smirk touching his lips. "General Lei will expect a grand, reckless Origin King assault. He won't expect this—three Origin Kings, an Empress's purity, a Shadow's ghost, and a hidden Chronos Dragon—moving like a single, quiet thought."
As they pushed deeper into the Northern territories, the landscape began to change.
The temperature dropped sharply, and the environment became harsher, closer to the frozen wastes that harbored the Heart of Black Frost. The Dynasty's patrols grew denser and more professional, forcing Yin Xiu to execute increasingly complex maneuvers.
One afternoon, Yin Xiu suddenly halted, pressing herself flat against the shadowed side of a large, jagged rock outcropping. Her silence was a palpable command.
Lin Feng instantly tightened the Void envelopes around the group and froze his breath. He focused his mind, channeling his enhanced Essence of Transcendent Insight to perceive beyond the immediate.
A patrol of three Peak Qi Sea cultivators approached. Their demeanor was lax, but their equipment was state-of-the-art: small, crystalline sensors woven into their armor, actively sweeping the terrain for elemental irregularities.
The crystalline sensors are the problem, Lin Feng realized. They were designed to detect even trace amounts of uncontrolled Qi.
Xia Qingwu, reading Lin Feng's tension, immediately dispersed a dense cloud of her mimic particles, pushing her energy output to the danger zone. Wanying increased the density of her protective cold field, ready to instantly freeze any accidental Qi leak.
The three cultivators walked past the rock, their crystalline sensors flickering wildly near Lin Feng's position, reacting to the unnatural convergence of Void, Ice, and Phoenix Fire Qi.
"Just static," the lead guard grunted, tapping his sensor impatiently. "The cold plays havoc with the sensitivity here. Let's push on to the next watchpoint."
They passed by, utterly oblivious that they had walked within feet of the four most wanted fugitives in the realm, missing the catastrophic power by a mere faulty sensor reading.
The silence that followed their passing was heavy. They had survived their first close encounter by the barest margin of technical skill and coordination.
"The crystalline sensors will be an increasing problem," Yin Xiu whispered, resuming the Shadow Stream. "They are tuned for elemental noise. We must find a way to neutralize them without fighting."
The slow, grinding effort of maintaining perfect concealment continued, pushing their mental reserves to the limit, knowing that every moment of strained effort increased the risk of the fatal, careless mistake.