Immortal Sword Master

Chapter 559: Chapter 554: Difficult to Distinguish, an Illusion?

”You’re a newcomer, so this is your first time on Mist Island. You’ll need to get an Identity Jade Token. If you’re caught without one, it’s a death sentence. On top of that, you have to pay a large number of Spirit Stones to enter Mist Island. The fee varies based on cultivation. For example, an expert at the Primordial Spirit Fourth Tribulation Realm has to pay 100,000 Spirit Stones. Since you’re at the Earth Martial Realm, you’ll need to pay one million.”

”Of course, if you don’t have enough Spirit Stones, that’s alright,” Wang Heng explained. ”But you’ll have to work for Mist Island. One year of labor offsets one hundred thousand Spirit Stones.”

’It seems this Mist Island is really hurting for Spirit Stones.’

Ning Jiang murmured to himself. The way the people of Mist Island obsessed over Spirit Stones made it clear that cultivation resources were extremely scarce here.

”Remember, on Mist Island, you must not cause trouble. In the past, some Martial Artists came here, thought their strength put them above the rules, and all met a miserable end.”

Wang Heng warned gravely. He didn’t want Ning Jiang stirring up trouble and dragging him down with him.

”Don’t worry.”

Ning Jiang nodded. He surmised that the Island Master of Mist Island was likely on par with the Ten Great Earth Martial Realms, with strength comparable to Liu Yama’s.

’With my current strength, I’m no match for an expert of that caliber without using the Sun and Moon Divine Eye,’ he thought. ’But if I activate it, I wouldn’t have to fear even the Ten Great Earth Martial Realms.’

”Are there no Heaven-Reaching Realm experts here? Surely some have been trapped in this place before?”

Ning Jiang was curious. Logically, there should be Heaven-Reaching Realm experts in the Foggy Area.

As for those in the Celestial Martial Realm, it was impossible for them to be trapped in the Foggy Area. An expert of that level could always find their way out, even if it took a few years.

”You’ve seen those White Whales, haven’t you?” said Wang Heng.

”I have.”

”The moment a Heaven-Reaching Realm expert enters, they draw the attention of those White Whales. They all end up perishing in the whales’ mouths.”

At these words, a glint appeared in Ning Jiang’s eyes.

’That certainly fits the creature’s behavior,’ Ning Jiang thought. ’Heaven-Reaching Realm experts are a threat to it, so it’s eliminating them.’

’Compared to Heaven-Reaching Realm experts, those at the Earth Martial Realm pose no threat, so it leaves them alone.’

”Alright, I’ve told you all the rules. Let’s go in,” said Wang Heng.

At the docks of Mist Island, hundreds, if not thousands, of great ships were moored. They were all forged from steel, resembling seafaring fortresses capable of withstanding the fiercest gales and waves.

A few of the vessels were particularly magnificent and enormous, far more imposing than the Wang Family’s own ship.

”Those ships belong to some of the elders. I’ve heard that among the twelve elders, a few are approaching the end of their lives and have spent the last few years searching for Spirit Medicine that can extend their lifespans.”

A Celestial Martial Realm King has a lifespan of ten thousand years. A Heaven-Reaching Realm expert has three thousand. An Earth Martial Realm expert has only one thousand.

Mist Island has existed for several thousand years, so it’s only natural that some of the long-standing Earth Martial Realm experts are nearing the end of their lives. However, the Earth Martial Realm is different from the Celestial Martial Realm.

The ten-thousand-year lifespan of a Celestial Martial Realm King is a limit imposed by the Rules of Heaven and Earth. This limit is incredibly difficult to break. Once they reach the ten-thousand-year mark, it’s essentially ashes to ashes, dust to dust.

That’s precisely why it’s considered so incredible that the Undying Celestial King was able to break the ten-thousand-year limit.

But the Earth Martial Realm is different. Their thousand-year lifespan is easier to overcome. Some precious Spirit Medicines can extend it.

Of course, there’s a limit to this extension. For the Earth Martial Realm, it’s only about a hundred years.

”We’re docking. Let’s go ashore.”

A short while later, the great ship docked. Ning Jiang followed the members of the Wang Family toward the city gate.

At the city gate stood numerous Guards. The weakest among them was at the Earth Martial Realm Middle Stage, and their leader was an expert at the Earth Martial Realm Peak.

Each one of them was armed.

Every Martial Artist entering the island had to pass their inspection before being allowed through. Under such tight security, it was impossible for anyone without an Identity Jade Token to slip past.

On top of that, everyone had to pay one hundred Spirit Stones each time they entered the city.

”There are twenty-five of us. Here are two thousand five hundred Spirit Stones.” Wang Heng handed over the payment.

Two thousand five hundred Spirit Stones was no small expense, especially since Spirit Stone resources were scarce in the Foggy Area. But this time, he had earned ten thousand Spirit Stones from Ning Jiang, which was a welcome windfall.

”You’re new, so just go to them to get your Identity Jade Token processed,” said Wang Heng. ”Well, we’ve brought you to Mist Island, so we’ll be taking our leave.”

With that, he and the rest of the Wang Family departed.

”Looks like another poor soul who wandered into Mist Island.” The city Commander, a burly, dark-faced man, glanced at Ning Jiang with a gloating expression. ”I assume you’ve already heard the rules? For the Earth Martial Realm, the fee is three million Upper Grade Spirit Stones.”

”Three million? Wasn’t it one million?” A glint flashed in Ning Jiang’s eyes.

”One million was the old rule. The price is three million now. Enough with the nonsense. Hand over the Spirit Stones if you don’t want a beating.”

The dark-faced man snorted.

Ning Jiang’s expression remained neutral. He knew the man was trying to extort him. Even though he had tens of millions of Spirit Stones, he was no pushover.

’Kindness is mistaken for weakness!’

”And what if I don’t?” Ning Jiang asked, a ghost of a smile on his face.

”It seems you’re asking for a beating.” The dark-faced man’s expression clouded over, and a tyrannical aura pressed down hard on Ning Jiang.

”Hm?”

He was taken aback. He had unleashed his full aura, yet Ning Jiang seemed completely unfazed, utterly unaffected. He had intended to intimidate Ning Jiang into backing down, but it was clear now that this newcomer was no weakling.

”You chose the hard way.”

The dark-faced man flew into a rage. He thrust out his hand, his broad palm swinging directly at Ning Jiang’s face. To be struck by such a blow would be the ultimate humiliation.

SCHLICK.

A brilliant flash of Sword Aura streaked past.

The dark-faced man’s palm never reached Ning Jiang. Instead, his entire arm went flying through the air in a shocking spray of blood.

”AHHH!”

The dark-faced man shrieked, ”Brat, you dare to hurt me! Die!”

His face twisted into a ferocious mask. At that moment, the other Guards swarmed Ning Jiang.

”Another newcomer? He’s got some nerve, causing trouble the moment he arrives.” The surrounding crowd murmured amongst themselves.

”This is bad.”

Wang Heng and his group, who had only made it a short distance away, heard the commotion and turned back to look, their eyes widening in shock.

”Dammit, dammit! I can’t believe this kid is actually starting a fight. I never should have brought him here,” Wang Heng muttered, terrified of being implicated.

Ning Jiang, however, simply let out a soft sigh.

”So real, yet so false. Like a dream, an illusion. If I weren’t already aware of your tricks, I might have actually been deceived.”

Ning Jiang swung his sword again.

Before his eyes, all the surrounding Guards dissolved into a cloud of white mist.