Chapter 657: Chapter 279: Xuanji Grotto Heaven, Return to 1 Heavenly Water

After saying this, the man rowed his oars frantically, making his boat speed up. It was unclear whether he was eager to rush in and snatch up the treasures, or if he was simply terrified that Fang Shuwen would leap over and kill him. Seeing this, the people on many other boats instantly grew anxious. Ignoring Fang Shuwen’s warnings to wait for the right hour, they surged into the fog right behind the first boat.

Zuo Xuan’s face turned livid with anger. It was one thing for them to brush off his well-intentioned advice, but now their greedy true colors were fully on display. He scoffed and said nothing more. Truthfully, if Fang Shuwen hadn’t ordered him to, he wouldn’t have bothered shouting that warning in the first place. He had said his piece. Good advice could never save those dead set on dying. If they refused to listen and were determined to seek death, no one could stop them.

Sure enough, the moment those boats plunged into the dense fog, a chorus of agonized screams echoed from within. A deafening WHOOSH of rushing water, accompanied by the horrific CRACK of shattering wood, made the hearts of everyone waiting outside clench in dread.

Seeing this, a few boats that had only half-entered the fog frantically tried to stop. However, their hulls had already been caught by the undercurrents. Retreating was no longer an option. As they stalled and pulled back, their boats abruptly spun sideways. Some began to violently rotate on the ocean’s surface before being dragged mercilessly into the fog, suffering the exact same fate as the others.

When everything finally settled, the surface of the sea was littered with shattered planks and floating corpses. Under such circumstances, not everyone would necessarily die. Those with masterful Martial Arts could naturally escape the whirlpools and fly to safety. Unfortunately, none of those boats carried experts of that caliber.

After witnessing this horrific display, no one else dared to make a move.

When the sun finally reached its zenith, Fang Shuwen instructed Zuo Xuan to pass on a message. “Tell them the hour is about right. Send a few small boats in first to scout the situation.”

Zuo Xuan agreed and ran off to relay the orders.

Soon, a few small boats manned by the subordinates of the Five Great Forbidden Lands rowed toward the fog. The helmsmen all wore solemn expressions, bearing an aura of grim resolve as if preparing for a journey of no return.

When the boats disappeared into the fog without triggering the horrific screams and shattering collisions from before, Fang Shuwen was certain that the booklet Elder Hai had given him was indeed useful. At least up until now, everything recorded within it had proven true. Seeing the scouting boats enter the fog safely without causing any disturbances, the forces of the Five Great Forbidden Lands began to move as well.

Fang Shuwen had Zuo Xuan take the helm. Their ship slowly advanced, officially entering the whirlpool-filled zone shrouded in fog. As the ship pressed forward, even Luo Shuqing couldn’t help but grip Fang Shuwen’s sleeve, terrified that an accident might occur.

The fog was far thicker than anyone had imagined. Once inside, visibility was reduced to less than three meters. This presented a significant challenge for Zuo Xuan. Zuo Hong and Zhou Zhengze leaned against the bow, closely monitoring the changing currents and giving Zuo Xuan directions. Working together in perfect sync, they guided the ship along the undercurrents. Instead of slowing down, the ship began to travel faster and faster.

The ship started to rock violently. The seawater raged around them, sweeping past in a mad frenzy. The vessel felt like a fallen leaf in a storm, seemingly completely out of their control. Zuo Xuan nearly ground his teeth to dust as he gripped the helm with all his might, desperately steering to prevent the ship from crashing into the jagged reefs rising from beneath the water’s surface.

They had no idea how long they endured this terrifying ordeal. Suddenly, their vision cleared. The dense fog had dispersed. Throughout that chaotic stretch of time, none of them knew just how fast the ship had been moving or how far they had traveled. When they looked up, a solitary island had appeared right before their eyes.

The scouting boats that had entered earlier were all moored there, but the expressions on the faces of the men aboard were far from pleasant. The harrowing brush with death left everyone lingering in a state of sheer terror. Deep within the fog, with nothing but the deafening roar of whirlpools and rapids in their ears, a single misstep would have resulted in the ship’s destruction and their demise. Walking on thin ice over a bottomless abyss was the most fitting way to describe it.

Fortunately, they had successfully survived the ordeal. The ship continued forward, crossing a relatively calm stretch of water before finally approaching the shore. Fang Shuwen ordered Zuo Xuan, Zuo Hong, and Zhou Zhengze to stay behind and guard the ship. He only took Luo Shuqing with him as he disembarked.

A sizable crowd had already gathered on the shore, having gotten a clear look at the island’s layout. Shrouded by the thick fog, the island’s true appearance had been completely hidden from the outside. Only upon arriving did they realize that this island was far larger than any of them had anticipated. In the center of the island stood a remarkably majestic structure.

Fang Shuwen led Luo Shuqing straight toward the building. Not far away stood Ye Weiyang of Xiaoye Valley, Hong Zhengwu of Wuyan Island, Bai Qianfang of the Profound Ice Hall, and Dugu Sheng of the Lingbo Sect. Led by this group of experts, the Forbidden Land Disciples stood at the very front of the crowd. The various masters of the East Sea were gathered around the periphery.

For a moment, the area before the main gates was packed with people.

“What an enormous door!”

“Could it be that the Profound Celestial Iron Mirror is right behind this door?”

“I’ll open it!”

A man leaped forward, breaking away from the crowd. Arriving at the door, he planted both palms against it and pushed. The muscles in his arms bulged, looking as though he possessed the strength to topple a mountain. However, no matter how much strength he exerted, the door remained firmly shut, refusing to budge a single inch.

Seeing this, some grew utterly infuriated. They drew their weapons and began hacking and chiseling at the door like madmen, attempting to carve it open. Others turned their attention to the surrounding walls, slashing and smashing wildly. Unfortunately, it was all to no avail.

Dugu Sheng cast a glance at Fang Shuwen. “Young Hero Fang, what do you say?”

Fang Shuwen stepped forward slowly. The people blocking his path instinctively parted, clearing a way for him to reach the heavy doors. This door was no smaller than the one at Lingyun Pavilion. It was made of neither metal nor stone, forged from some completely unknown material.

However, there was an indentation on the surface of the door that looked remarkably familiar. Suddenly struck by an idea, Fang Shuwen reached into his robes and pulled out the small iron fragment that Shui Tianxin had given him.

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