Chapter 134: An "Acquaintance"

Across the vast expanse of the sea, a streak of light cut through the air at high speed.

Liu Pan glanced back at the dark line beginning to spread across the horizon and accelerated once more. The weather at sea is always erratic; one moment it is clear and sunny, and the next, it can be engulfed in raging storms and torrential rain.

After disposing of the corpse of the Nether Demon Flood Dragon, Liu Pan had not delayed at all, departing the island immediately on his sword. Looking at the dark line on the horizon behind him now, he realized his decision had been a wise one.

In his hand, Liu Pan held a navigational compass, scavenged from Li Tu’s storage ring. Liu Pan did not know exactly where it pointed, but he assumed it led to the Northern Plains. After all, even Li Tu would have needed to leave the island eventually, and without such a compass, one could easily become lost.

Liu Pan felt a sense of irony. Of the four people on the island, he was the only survivor, yet he was also the one with the lowest cultivation level—it was almost laughable. However, when he thought about the condition of his own body, he could not bring himself to smile.

Because Li Tu and the others were dead, the trail behind the "Extreme Cold Physique" had been severed. Although the man in black possessed the cultivation of a Martial Ancestor, Liu Pan had not recognized him, nor had he observed any distinct characteristics of his techniques, making it impossible to determine which faction he belonged to. If it were not for his own Extreme Cold Physique, Liu Pan would naturally not care about the secrets behind it. But the problem was that he *did* possess it, which forced him to pay attention. After all, if someone were targeting those with the Extreme Cold Physique, he would likely suffer a great loss if he encountered them without knowing anything.

Liu Pan felt that the trail ending here might not be a bad thing. After all, a Martial Ancestor had appeared at this stop; it was hard to say who might appear at the next. As for how to continue his investigation... the island was so close to the Northern Plains that he refused to believe he wouldn't find a trace of evidence there. Furthermore, the once-legendary Gu Clan, masters of the extreme ice, had resided in the Northern Plains. Liu Pan could not help but suspect that the secrets of the Extreme Cold Physique were linked to them.

In truth, Liu Pan would have had to visit the Gu Clan sooner or later regardless. What he had not expected was to arrive in the Northern Plains so soon, and for the Gu Clan to seem to be appearing before his eyes just as quickly.

After two days and two nights of flying on his sword, Liu Pan’s already frail body was exhausted. However, he let out a sigh of relief when he spotted sea birds. The presence of birds meant that land was likely nearby. Checking the compass in his hand, he accelerated again. He desperately wanted to find a place to have a hearty meal and get a good night’s sleep.

About a quarter of an hour later, Liu Pan’s spirits lifted. A dark shadow appeared on the horizon. Although it was still a great distance away, he instantly recognized it as land. He put away the compass, adjusted his course slightly, and flew toward the shore.

The guidance of the compass usually led to specific rendezvous points, likely a port or harbor. Liu Pan certainly could not fly directly to such a place. Not to mention the questions surrounding how he had appeared at sea, his current appearance alone would guarantee he drew every eye. Due to the lightning tribulation, his body had once again been reduced to skin and bones. Although the constant nourishment from the Primordial Heavy Water had helped him recover somewhat, he still looked horrifyingly thin. Appearing in a crowd in such a state would not just be a matter of drawing attention; it would be a pipe dream to go unnoticed.

The saying that "the mountain looks close but the horse dies on the way" was not just talk. Although he had seen the shadow of the land, it still took him another hour to reach it on his sword.

The Northern Plains were different from other lands; they were covered in ice and snow year-round. Most of the time, temperatures remained below freezing, and the further north one went, the colder it became. In the far north, one could even see towns built entirely of ice and snow—a sight truly unique to the entire Heavenly Peak Continent.

As the land came into clear view, Liu Pan chose to land in a pine forest covered in snow. He chose this spot because he thought no one would be there. However, upon approaching, he realized he was wrong. His spiritual sense detected a presence—someone was hiding behind a gnarled old pine, secretly observing him. Clearly, this person had witnessed him flying in from the sea.

In truth, being seen flying from the sea was not a major issue. However, the moment his spiritual sense swept over the figure, Liu Pan’s body jolted, and the expression on his face turned rather intriguing. It was an "acquaintance"—and one with a very special identity.

Landing on his sword and stepping onto the soft, icy snow, Liu Pan fell silent. He could not understand why that person would be here. His thoughts were in turmoil; he felt the plot of the "book" he had written was becoming increasingly complex, to the point where he was no longer sure how much of it remained reality.

"Interesting."

Liu Pan chuckled. He did not know whether to laugh or cry, or what to do. Finally, he muttered to himself and began walking into the pine forest.

He did not intend to greet the person, partly due to the plotlines he had written, and partly because of his current appearance. However, to his surprise, after he ventured deep into the forest, the person followed him inside. A quarter of an hour later, Liu Pan frowned imperceptibly—the person was still tailing him.

Liu Pan felt a bit helpless. The person’s cultivation was slightly higher than his own. If they were truly determined to follow him, he could not easily shake them off without revealing his secrets.

Pausing slightly, a thought occurred to Liu Pan, and a flash of something unreadable crossed his eyes. With a flick of his mind, a spiritual imprint flew out silently and branded itself onto the person’s hair. Clothes could be changed and shoes could be swapped, but one didn’t often cut their hair for fun. If this person hadn't been following him, Liu Pan would have missed this opportunity.

Since this person had appeared here, he could find answers or clues to many of his questions through them. Liu Pan felt truly fortunate; he was glad he had thought of this, otherwise, a blind investigation would have consumed far too much time.

After leaving the imprint, Liu Pan cleared his chaotic thoughts, boarded his sword once more, and flew off in a chosen direction.

A few breaths after Liu Pan departed, a figure stepped out from behind an ancient pine. Watching the direction in which Liu Pan had disappeared, a look of curiosity crossed the figure's eyes. After a moment of hesitation, they drew a long sword from their storage ring and gave chase in the same direction.