Zhang Jingmo added, "The red fog contains tiny insects. When you first enter, they will stick to your skin and cause some pain. Just endure it."

Lu Guijiu naturally agreed. Ever since he started practicing the Blood Hell Heaven Scripture, he had to endure excruciating pain nearly every day. Fortunately, the water spiritual energy in his body would quickly heal his internal injuries. So although the pain was intense, if he stopped progressing and rested for a few days, the water spiritual energy would eliminate the pain.

But Lu Guijiu was determined to grow stronger and never stopped for a moment. Over these decades, his tolerance for pain had increased countless times compared to ordinary people.

Zhang Jingmo didn't know what Lu Guijiu was thinking. He just resolutely stepped into the red fog.

As soon as he entered the red fog, Zhang Jingmo felt his skin burning with pain. But he knew as long as he didn't inhale it, these tiny insects would only cause some pain. Of course, other cultivators didn't know this characteristic of the red fog. Usually when encountering poison, one would reflexively use spiritual energy to isolate it. But these tiny insects were most fond of spiritual energy. So it was extremely easy for spiritual energy to be rapidly consumed by the insects, leaving one powerless to protect the body as the insects were inhaled.

However, this was actually convenient for Zhang Jingmo as it deterred others from entering.

Inside the red fog, signs of human activity were even more scarce. Beneath the red fog, in the clear waters of the Dead Sea, a large number of spirit shells thrived. There were also many sets of white bones among the shell clusters, exuding an eerie feeling.

Where the red fog shrouded, all was silent. No birds or beasts in the air, no fish swimming in the water.

Lu Guijiu followed behind Zhang Jingmo, holding onto the corner of his clothes. Zhang Jingmo calculated the position as he slowed his pace.

The two traveled above the Dead Sea for a few days. Lu Guijiu originally thought Zhang Jingmo wouldn't speak at all. But unexpectedly, Zhang Jingmo suddenly reached out and pinched Lu Guijiu's arm, seeming to remind him of something.

Sure enough, right after Zhang Jingmo pinched Lu Guijiu, Lu Guijiu suddenly heard a woman's miserable wailing. That wailing was resentful and desperate, especially eerie in this hazy red fog.

Beneath their feet, the sound of rippling waves began in the Dead Sea, as if some creature was moving through the water.

Lu Guijiu's eyes flickered, as if he thought of something.

Zhang Jingmo didn't see the change in Lu Guijiu's expression. After hearing this sound, he became especially alert, focusing all his attention on the Dead Sea below.

However, the grip originally holding onto him from behind suddenly loosened. Zhang Jingmo's heart tightened. He hurriedly reached back and grabbed Lu Guijiu's hand that seemed about to let go.

Holding Lu Guijiu's hand, Zhang Jingmo turned his head to look. He discovered that Lu Guijiu's eyes were a bit dazed, clearly enchanted by the sound.

At this time, Zhang Jingmo couldn't make a sound. He could only pinch the back of Lu Guijiu's hand a few times, trying to bring him back to his senses.

After the back of Lu Guijiu's hand was pinched until it turned purple, he finally came back to his senses, but still seemed a bit dazed.

Seeing Lu Guijiu regain his senses, Zhang Jingmo let out a sigh of relief. He didn't let go of Lu Guijiu's hand, but held it like this as he continued forward.

Who knows if it was because Lu Guijiu was badly frightened by this monster, but sweat actually seeped out from his palm. Zhang Jingmo frowned as he felt it, thinking this kid Lu Guijiu indeed still needed more experience, to be scared into this state by just a bit of noise.

Little did he know, at this moment all of Lu Guijiu's attention was on that hand being held. Lu Guijiu felt the delicate texture of Zhang Jingmo's palm and felt as if his soul would fly out of his body...

Lu Shu, who had been let out by Lu Guijiu to get some air, saw this and mocked, "Lu Guijiu, look at you, getting so nervous just from holding hands."

Lu Guijiu coldly said, "What do you know? This is the first time Master has held my hand."

Lu Shu replied, "I don't know, but it's not like he held your hand because he likes you... Sigh, only your pitiful Master would believe that you're afraid of these things."

Lu Guijiu let out a scornful laugh but didn't respond. He was happy to be seen as weak in Zhang Jingmo's eyes. The feeling of being protected by his Master wasn't bad.

The two continued on for a long time, and the shrill crying seemed to be getting louder, as if it was everywhere.

Taking advantage of the thinning red mist in some areas, Lu Guijiu looked towards the Dead Sea and discovered that the women's cries were coming from the hideous mermaids in the sea.

The skin of those mermaids had already rotted, exposing grayish-white decaying flesh. Their faces, bloated white by the seawater, were turned towards Zhang Jingmo and Lu Guijiu flying in the air. However, they seemed unable to find a definite target, their lifeless eyes scanning around, yet for a long time they couldn't see the two who weren't actually that far from them.

The rotting merfolk gathered in increasing numbers. From a distance, the originally clear blue seawater had turned black, and the stench of decay began to linger around the two. At this moment, the veil Zhang Jingmo had put on Lu Guijiu started to take effect.

The fragrance emitted from the veil from time to time masked the foul odor, involuntarily refreshing his spirit.

This group of merfolk couldn't see, but their hearing was very keen, which was why Zhang Jingmo had told Lu Guijiu not to make a sound or linger.

Seeing such an eerie scene, Lu Guijiu wasn't afraid at all. There was even a hint of curiosity in his eyes, as if he was carefully observing this group of merfolk.

Zhang Jingmo had no idea what state Lu Guijiu was in behind him. He didn't dare waste a bit of spiritual power, constantly adjusting his position, searching for the location of the spiritual vein.

The two traveled on the sea for another two days before finally reaching the place Zhang Jingmo wanted to go.

As they got closer and closer to their destination, they gradually felt the spiritual energy becoming more and more intense, which lifted Zhang Jingmo's spirits and made him speed up a bit.

Who knows how far they had gone when the originally thick red mist suddenly dissipated, revealing large chunks of black reef rocks. Those rocks looked particularly abrupt in the vast blue sea, like the exposed skull of a giant beast lurking in the ocean.

The merfolk who had been following Lu Guijiu and Zhang Jingmo seemed to be very afraid of this huge reef. They didn't dare take another step forward, but instead lingered and swam in place, only their cries becoming more and more shrill.

Seeing this reef, Zhang Jingmo's tense expression finally relaxed for a moment. He said in a low voice, "We're here," and brought Lu Guijiu into the reef's range.

Before the two even reached the top of the reef, they felt a strong spiritual pressure, the kind that only appears at a spiritual vein. This confirmed that Zhang Jingmo had found what he was looking for.

After these ten-plus years of traveling, Lu Guijiu was no longer the ignorant fool he used to be. Upon sensing the spiritual pressure, he immediately thought of a spiritual vein, and a look of shock flashed across his face.

Lu Shu was equally surprised as Lu Guijiu. He said, "Lu Guijiu, your Master is really something... To think he could even find an undiscovered spiritual vein like this."

Lu Guijiu said, "So what?"

Lu Shu asked, "Where exactly did your Master get this information from?"

Lu Guijiu retorted, "What's it to you?"

Seeing Lu Guijiu being so unfriendly, Lu Shu sighed, "Why are you always so harsh with me?"

Lu Guijiu said, "Do you have the qualifications for me to be gentle with you?"

Hearing this, Lu Shu shut his mouth. Lu Guijiu was actually quite gentle with others usually, but Lu Shu had no interest in that gentleness at all, because there was no telling if Lu Guijiu would pull out a dagger and stab him in the back the next moment. Lu Guijiu's true gentleness belonged to only one person, but that person didn't take him seriously right now...

Finding this reef took a huge load off Zhang Jingmo's mind. However, his relief was premature; although he had found the entrance to the spiritual vein, entering it was not an easy task.

Seeing Zhang Jingmo's furrowed brows, Lu Guijiu asked, "Master, are you having some difficulty?"

Zhang Jingmo didn't answer, only shook his head and said, "Guijiu, what follows will be somewhat dangerous. Listen to my orders and don't make a single mistake."

Lu Guijiu nodded, looking completely serious.