Another Village in the Shade of Willows and Bright Flowers

This scene left the siblings standing on the deck utterly stunned.

The other survivors on the ship, seeing this, also rushed to the deck, staring with a mix of excitement and unease at the distant, blurry figure.

It was hard for ordinary people to imagine what it felt like to spot a human figure on the sea in such a desperate situation—where cries to heaven went unanswered and pleas to earth fell on deaf ears.

But at the same time, they wondered: Who was this person?

Was he another unlucky soul who had stumbled into this space like them?

Or was he the mastermind behind this sinister plot?

The group watched with tense anticipation...

As time passed, they finally got a clear view of the figure.

He appeared rather young, dressed in a white robe, exuding an air of refined elegance—like a scholar untouched by worldly affairs. He lounged lazily on the back of his mount, his feet rhythmically skimming the water.

His mount, however, was even more peculiar.

It was a gigantic snail, with two long antennae and an utterly drowsy expression, its eyes blinking slowly as if it were about to doze off at any moment.

At first glance, this man didn’t seem like a villain.

And his strength was unfathomable.

But this didn’t particularly catch their attention. The vast lands of Yunxing were rich in resources, and countless cultivation techniques existed. Unless the observer was far superior in rank, it was common to be unable to discern someone’s cultivation level unless they made a move.

"Oh."

"Ran into such a big ship, huh?"

Yi Feng, who had been napping on Manman’s shell, heard the commotion and sat up, spotting Qin Nan and the others.

Noticing their stares, he gave them a faint smile.

His snail mount always drew attention wherever he went. After all, the world had powerful mounts and weak ones, but one this bizarre was a rare sight.

"I am Yi Feng, just passing through. Greetings to you all."

He cupped his hands in a casual salute.

Hearing this, Qin Nan and the others understood—another unlucky soul like them. And judging by his relaxed demeanor, he probably didn’t even realize the danger he was in.

Their hearts were filled with indescribable complexity and sorrow.

Logically, anyone arriving here now was either another victim like them or the mastermind behind their predicament.

Either way, their fate might not change much.

Still, they didn’t know what they were hoping for...

But no matter what, having another person around was a good thing, even if it was just to brainstorm solutions together.

"Qin Family of Heaven and Earth Island."

"Brother Yi, please come aboard and join us," Qin Nan called out.

"Oh? Inviting me aboard? How hospitable," Yi Feng couldn’t help but chuckle.

Seeing Yi Feng still in the mood for jokes, Qin Nan’s expression darkened slightly.

The reason he’d invited Yi Feng aboard was to inform him that they couldn’t escape this stretch of sea.

He just hoped Yi Feng could maintain his optimism after hearing the truth.

Qin Nan sighed inwardly.

Yi Feng stowed Manman away and quickly boarded the ship.

As soon as he stepped onto the deck, his nose twitched at a delicious aroma.

He noticed there was a kitchen on board, and the scent was wafting from it.

"Smells amazing."

Having grown tired of bland food recently, Yi Feng couldn’t help but praise before asking with a smile, "Mind if I grab a meal here?"

"Brother Yi, feel free to help yourself."

The food had been prepared in advance during their voyage. Their journey’s purpose was to search for a certain individual, and if they found them on the return trip, they wanted to be ready with a feast.

Moreover, these dishes were made from special ingredients and preserved using unique methods, so even after all this time, they remained as fresh and flavorful as when first cooked.

But given their current predicament, they had no appetite for food.

"That’s fantastic." Yi Feng clasped his hands with a grin. "I’m quite hungry, so I won’t stand on ceremony."

"Brother Yi, wait." Qin Nan interrupted. "You’re welcome to eat anytime, but first, there’s something more important we need to discuss."

"Oh?"

Yi Feng was puzzled.

They’d only just met—what could be so urgent?

But with Qin Nan looking so serious, Yi Feng couldn’t refuse.

"Brother Yi, when you entered this area, did you sense any unusual fluctuations?" Qin Nan asked gravely.

"Unusual fluctuations?"

Yi Feng shook his head.

Qin Nan frowned and pressed further. "Then did you feel anything strange at all?"

Yi Feng thought for a moment before shaking his head again.

Seeing Yi Feng clueless, Qin Nan decided to cut to the chase. After all, when they’d entered these waters, they hadn’t noticed anything amiss either.

"Brother Yi, to be frank, we’re currently trapped in an unknown space or barrier. No matter which direction we sail, we always end up back here."

"A ghost wall?" Yi Feng asked.

"By folk superstition, yes, you could call it that." Qin Nan’s expression was grim. "In short, we’re stuck in a bizarre loop with no way out. To be honest, we’ve been trapped here for over ten days."

"And you, Brother Yi, are the first person we’ve encountered in all that time!"

"Oh, what a coincidence! Haha." Yi Feng laughed.

The Qin siblings rolled their eyes.

Was this really about coincidence?

Seeing Yi Feng missing the point, Qin Nan spoke again, his voice even graver than before.

"If it were just about being unable to leave, it’d merely be imprisonment. But the true horror of this space is that a mysterious force pervades it, constantly draining the life force and cultivation of those trapped within."

"Until our life force and cultivation drop to zero!"

Qin Nan laid out the severity of the situation, word by word.

"Will we die?"

Yi Feng asked urgently.

"Yes!"

Qin Nan nodded solemnly.

Hearing this, Yi Feng’s eyes flickered. He quickly patted himself down and asked, "Why don’t I feel my life force or cultivation being drained?"

"Ever heard of ‘boiling a frog in warm water’?" Qin Nan explained. "At first, you won’t notice it clearly. But over time, you’ll find your cultivation weakening and your vitality fading."

At this, Yi Feng’s eyes lit up, and his long-dead heart reignited with joy.

What a stroke of luck!

Who would’ve thought that after failing to die on Heavenly Poison Island, he’d stumble into such danger here?

Hahaha...

He nearly burst into laughter but held back, realizing it wasn’t the right moment.

Unable to help himself, he glanced at the surrounding sea.

Look.

What a beautiful view.

The water shimmered under the sunlight, and a cool breeze brushed against his face.

Truly a blessed place!

The most crucial point was that the ship seemed to have plenty of food, so they wouldn’t go hungry before death.

Moreover, this slow demise wouldn’t involve any suffering at all.

Unconsciously, Yi Feng’s thoughts began to drift far away…

He even started imagining how he would plan his wonderful life once he became immortal…

“I suppose Brother Yi already understands the gravity of the situation?” Qin Nan said solemnly. “So while we’re still able to move, we must work together to find a way to escape.”

After speaking, the siblings turned their gazes toward Yi Feng.

They saw him staring blankly at the distant horizon, seemingly deep in thought, as if carefully considering some strategy.

Seeing how serious Yi Feng looked, the siblings tactfully refrained from disturbing him. Perhaps this man truly had some method or trick up his sleeve—so their eyes began to gleam with hope.

Finally, Yi Feng snapped out of his earlier state.

The siblings perked up, their hopeful gazes fixed on him.

A moment later, under their expectant stares, Yi Feng finally spoke: “Well then…”

“Can I eat the stuff in the kitchen now?”

Hearing this, the siblings’ lips twitched, nearly spitting out blood in exasperation.

After waiting so long, this was the sentence that came out of Yi Feng’s mouth.

Unbelievable.

“Wait, Brother Yi, did you not hear what I just said?” Qin Nan couldn’t help but ask.

“I heard you,” Yi Feng nodded.

Then, as if to emphasize, he added, “And I understood it perfectly.”

“Then how can you still think about eating when we’re in such dire straits?” Qin Nan cried anxiously. “Shouldn’t we be focusing on finding a way out?”

“You’ve been stuck here for so long—you must’ve tried every possible method, right?” Yi Feng blinked and said. “If even you couldn’t find a solution, there’s no way I can.”

“As for eating…” Yi Feng rubbed his nose and countered, “Since we’re going to die anyway, why not eat and drink our fill?”

His retort left the siblings speechless, forcing them to swallow the words on the tips of their tongues.

They were utterly dumbfounded.

They truly didn’t know whether to call this man carefree or genuinely unafraid of death.

In any case, they simply couldn’t fathom how someone could remain so optimistic in such a perilous situation—what kind of mindset was that?