<div> Chapter 19 - 19 Bizarre Mist Maiden_1
 The cultivation world is cruel and fraught with danger at every turn.
 The death of Cultivators is all too common.
 Perhaps it won't be long before Jia Ren grows accustomed to it.
 Speaking of which, I still have to thank that unscrupulous merchant, Jia Ren thought. Had he not sold high-priced bait, Loose Cultivators wouldn't have dared to enter the Lake of Smoky Waves to fish. The Lake of Smoky Waves wouldn't have witnessed such prosperity.
 Rumors of a great demon in the Lake of Smoky Waves had circulated for a long time. Cultivators were wary of it, daring only to linger on the lake's edges, not venture deep within.
 Since the Supreme Grade bait appeared, catching Spirit Fish with ordinary bait had become nearly impossible, forcing Cultivators to reluctantly buy the expensive alternative.
 If they were lucky, they could still earn some Spirit Stones.
 If they were unlucky, they were simply working for nothing for the greedy merchants.
 Not wanting their efforts to be in vain, some bold individuals ventured into the Lake of Smoky Waves and caught the first Spirit Fish with their nets.
 This signaled the beginning of a new era, as more and more Loose Cultivators dared to enter the Lake of Smoky Waves to fish.
 Why spend Spirit Stones on high-priced bait for Spirit Fish when one could fish unrestricted?
 Since yesterday, the Spirit Fish population in the Lake of Smoky Waves had experienced a boom.
 <div style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:10px;text-align:center">
 <div>
 
 </div>
 </div> This was a carnival for the Loose Cultivators, all of whom earned some Spirit Stones, more or less.
 As the Spirit Fish catch surged, the price of the fish also plummeted rapidly in the increasingly competitive market.
 Time to change professions! Jia Ren was frustrated. His business was gone, and he was stuck with the bait.
 After one last look at the Lake of Smoky Waves, he turned and prepared to leave.
 No matter what, the bait had still helped him make his first pot of gold. Life was much better than it had been half a month ago.
 "What is that thing?!"
 "AH! No, don't!"
 Over the Lake of Smoky Waves, a piercing scream echoed. Loose Cultivators had encountered some terrifying creature and screamed out a warning.
 Could it be the great demon rumored to inhabit the Lake of Smoky Waves? Jia Ren wondered. Was it angered that the Spirit Fish were being preyed upon by Loose Cultivators, and had it brazenly made a move?
 Thinking of the various rumors about the Lake of Smoky Waves, the Cultivators dared not linger on the lake and hurriedly sped away in their boats.
 As appealing as Spirit Fish were, life was far more precious. There was no need to risk it all.
 One by one, the boats on the lake made the unanimous decision to leave the Lake of Smoky Waves.
 They wanted to leave, but the 'Lake of Smoky Waves' wouldn't allow it.
 The mist that perennially enveloped the Lake of Smoky Waves seemed to come alive, rushing towards the shore and quickly engulfing the boats on the lake.
 Cries of agony continued as Cultivators encountered unknown beasts in the mist.
 Jia Ren's brow furrowed, and he didn't dare to hesitate for a moment.
 Activating his Wind Control Skill, he ran frantically towards the Great Wilderness Market.
 "There are monsters in the lake!"
 Monsters?
 As Jia Ren moved with the Wind Control Skill, he couldn't help but look back and witnessed a horrifying scene.
 The mist had transformed into a terrifying entity, sweeping towards Cultivators ashore. The moment it touched a Cultivator's body, all moisture was sucked out from within. In the blink of an eye, their bodies turned into mummified husks of skin and bones.
 Once they touched the white mist of the Lake of Smoky Waves, no one could escape from it, forever remaining at the Lake of Smoky Waves.
 "What kind of monster is it?"
 "It's too terrifying!"
 "I shall never come to the Lake of Smoky Waves again!"
 Witnessing the terrifying sight, Loose Cultivators wished their parents had blessed them with extra legs. They hurriedly activated their Wind Control Skill or sped up with similar speed-enhancing treasures, desperately escaping towards Great Wilderness City.
 There indeed were monsters in the Lake of Smoky Waves! They regretted entering the Lake of Smoky Waves! Unfortunately, it was too late...
 They had no chance for regret as they were enveloped in mist and turned into mummies without any resistance.
 Whether one was in the Early Stage of Qi Cultivation or the Mid Stage, even if they deployed a Spirit Qi Protective Barrier and Defense Artifacts, it was all useless. In the face of the white mist, they were as fragile as babies.
 In the blink of an eye, ninety-nine percent of the more than two hundred Loose Cultivators gathered at the Lake of Smoky Waves had perished.
 Only Jia Ren and a few other quick-witted, fortunate individuals managed to escape with their lives.
 The mist continued to spread into the distance, unceasingly.
 It was even faster than the Wind Control Skill.
 <div style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:10px;text-align:center">
 <div></div>
 </div> "NO!"
 A Loose Cultivator employing the Wind Control Skill, with a Speedster Boots Magic Artifact on his feet, still couldn't outrun the white mist. As the mist touched him, he turned into a mummified corpse.
 Among them, there was only one exception.
 Jia Ren sped away, outstripping the other Cultivators by a great distance.
 Even though the spread of the mist was alarmingly fast, it still couldn't catch up to his vanishing figure.
 He was immensely grateful for his mastery of the Wind Control Skill. Otherwise, he would surely have been buried forever in the Lake of Smoky Waves like the more than two hundred Loose Cultivators.
 "Don't go to the Lake of Smoky Waves!" he yelled, seeing other Loose Cultivators still heading towards the lake to fish, and hastened to warn them.
 "Do you take me for a fool?" one Loose Cultivator retorted, not believing him. He almost came to blows with Jia Ren, thinking he was trying to cut off their source of income.
 Good words could not persuade those determined to rush to their deaths. No one could hold them back.
 "Bizarre Demons?!"
 After walking only a few steps further, they realized the situation was amiss. It was too late to turn and flee, and they became newly desiccated corpses.
 Bizarre Demons? So it was Bizarre Demons, not great demons, Jia Ren mused.
 Looking back, Jia Ren could only make out a woman's silhouette within the hazy mist, distantly observing the fleeing figures.
 It was only at this moment that he noticed something was off.
 All the Loose Cultivators who had escaped from the Lake of Smoky Waves were surrounded by a thin layer of mist; they had already been infected by a strange, malevolent qi.
 The Mist Lady's gaze was like that of Death itself; the closer one was, the greater the effect.
 The very breath exhaled by the fleeing Loose Cultivators seemed to animate, their bodies withering at a visible rate.
 Jia Ren was the furthest away and least affected, with only a small amount of eerie white mist swirling around him.
 Even though I was quite cautious, I still fell into the trap...
 Jia Ren could feel the moisture in his body disappearing, as if being drawn out by an invisible force.
 At that critical moment, a burning heat surged in his chest. The Evil Warding Talisman he wore close to his skin ignited, forming a faint red halo that shielded Jia Ren, quickly dissipating the mist-like malevolent qi.
 Evil Warding Talisman!
 Jia Ren was incredibly relieved; his prior caution had saved his life.
 Bizarre Demons?! he thought in shock. I never expected to encounter such a thing! Is the Lake of Smoky Waves its territory? Thinking back to my fishing in the Lake of Smoky Waves, it felt like dancing on the edge of a knife.
 Jia Ren dared not look at the Mist Lady and kept his head down as he hurried towards the Great Wilderness Market.
 Moving at full speed, in less than the time it takes for half an incense stick to burn, Jia Ren saw the Great Wilderness Market.
 Never before had he felt such an affinity towards the Great Wilderness Market as he did at that moment.
 I should be safe now...
 As Great Wilderness Market belonged to the Five Elements Sect, it had surely survived on the edge of the Great Wilderness until now because it possessed methods to deal with Bizarre Demons.
 Let those of higher standing deal with such calamities; there's no need for low-level Loose Cultivators like me to worry, Jia Ren thought.
 Looking back, he could see the eerie mist still spreading towards the Great Wilderness Market, making him uneasy.
 The Great Wilderness Market immediately noticed the eerie mist and fully activated its Protective Great Formation.
 A Treasure Mirror emitting a faint glow hung high, its light bursting forth, striking towards the surging eerie mist.
 <div style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:10px;text-align:center">
 <div></div>
 </div> A pitiful wail came from within the mist, a sound so piercing it made one want to claw at their eardrums.
 The surging eerie mist stopped its spread and quickly receded.
 The imposing mist had arrived quickly and retreated just as fast.
 Is the Bizarre Demon crisis resolved? Jia Ren wondered.
 Evil Warding Talisman... He glanced at his chest. The Evil Warding Talisman had burned out, leaving only white ash, its miraculous power completely exhausted.
 What a great item! he thought. If I had a few more Evil Warding Talismans, I could take advantage of the dispersing mist and go to the Lake of Smoky Waves to pick up the Storage Bags of the dead Loose Cultivators.
 The thought flashed through his mind, but he immediately extinguished the dangerous notion.
 While the spoils from dead Loose Cultivators are tempting, one needs to be alive to enjoy them. Thinking of confronting the Bizarre Mist Maiden directly, no amount of Spirit Stones could entice me.
 The Lake of Smoky Waves is out of the question! It will surely become a forbidden ground in the future. Even if this incident settles down, the bait business can no longer continue.
 His source of income was completely gone. Earning Spirit Stones would be difficult.
 What to do?
 Ever since witnessing the terrifying methods of the Bizarre Demons, the importance of Evil Warding Talismans has skyrocketed in my estimation. I have to purchase a few, no matter what, just to be prepared. An Evil Warding Talisman costs ten Spirit Stones, and I can only afford one at most. That's not secure enough!</div>
 

<div style="margin-top:10px;margin-bottom:0px;text-align:center">
 <div>
 
 </div>
</div>

Chapter 19 Bizarre Mist Maiden_1

Chapter 19 - 19 Bizarre Mist Maiden_1 The cultivation world is cruel and fraught with danger at every turn. The death of Cultivators is all too common. Perhaps it won't be long before Jia Ren grows accustomed to it. Speaking of which, I still have to thank that unscrupulous merchant, Jia Ren thought. Had he not sold high-priced bait, Loose Cultivators wouldn't have dared to enter the Lake of Smoky Waves to fish. The Lake of Smoky Waves wouldn't have witnessed such prosperity. Rumors of a great...

Seeking Immortality in a Bizarre World

Chapter 19 Bizarre Mist Maiden_1

Seeking Immortality in a Bizarre World - Chapter 19 Bizarre Mist Maiden_1