Chapter 341: The Bitter Sea 

The Bitter Sea.

It was the vast ocean right in front of Lin Xun.

Lin Xun didn’t know who had given it this name.

Why was it called the Bitter Sea?

It wasn’t until Lin Xun tried to fly across it, ran out of physical strength, fell into the sea, and swallowed a few mouthfuls of seawater that he gradually understood.

This seawater was truly bitter!

And it was the kind of bitter that made you doubt your life choices!

Wang Chen and Bai Luoxue pulled Lin Xun out of the water and were about to strip his clothes off to dry them, but Lin Xun refused.

Otherwise…

“Beach.”

“Three girls and one man.”

“Undressing.”

This might not pass the censorship review.

At night, Lin Xun rushed to the Labyrinth Forest, chopped down a few trees for firewood, and fell into deep thought as he ate the fish he had caught from the Bitter Sea.

It wasn’t because the fish was also bitter.

On the contrary, the fish from the Bitter Sea tasted unexpectedly good.

The main issue was how he was supposed to get across.

In just a single day, Lin Xun had tried five or six different methods, but every time, he fell into the sea without fail.

No boat could float on the surface of the sea.

People could swim across or walk along the edge of the sea.

You could even fly across.

But at the Golden Core Realm, you would discover…

No matter if you were flying, walking, or swimming across the Bitter Sea, the spiritual energy and physical strength in your body would plummet!

And then you would sink into the sea.

Lin Xun had also asked Wang Chen and Bai Luoxue if their Master had ever mentioned how to cross the Bitter Sea in the Rootless Secret Realm.

But they both shook their heads.

Because everyone who crossed the Bitter Sea, regardless of their talent, would lose the memory of how they did it.

It was as if this had become a Law of this world.

Therefore, no one had left behind a method for crossing the Bitter Sea; one could only figure it out for themselves.

“I’m sorry.”

Seeing Lin Xun staring blankly at the Bitter Sea, Wang Chen gently took his hand, her eyes filled with self-reproach for not being able to help him.

Bai Luoxue also knew Lin Xun was unhappy, but she didn’t know how to comfort him.

“What are you doing?” Lin Xun scolded.

Bai Luoxue blinked her eyes; her seductive peach-blossom eyes were incredibly clear: “You’re unhappy, so I want to make you feel a bit better.”

“What are you saying? How could I…”

“Wang Chen, you’re being rowdy too.”

Lin Xun knocked Wang Chen on the head in annoyance.

Wang Chen covered her head with her small hands, her pure eyes blinking as she looked at Lin Xun: “But you are happy.”

“Happy my foot.”

Lin Xun’s old face turned red as he wanted to argue with them, but seeing their innocent eyes, he felt that anything he said would be wrong.

Especially with Lan Shanshan watching him from the side with a look that screamed “pervert,” “beast,” and “flower-thief,” Lin Xun felt even more guilty.

“Cough, cough, cough. I’m going to go rest for a bit.”

Fearing these two girls might do something foolish again, Lin Xun stood up and crawled into his tent.

Having spent the whole day pondering the Bitter Sea, he was indeed exhausted and quickly fell asleep.

But in the middle of the night, Lin Xun felt as if something had crawled into his bedding.

However, since it quickly went still, the drowsy Lin Xun thought it was just his imagination and didn’t pay it any mind.

But after a while, Lin Xun felt something else crawl into his quilt.

Yet again, it quickly went still, and Lin Xun still didn’t pay it any mind.

Only, Lin Xun felt his bedding getting warmer and warmer, and it was also a bit cramped.

His tent was even filled with a pleasant fragrance.

Eventually, Lin Xun simply couldn’t sleep.

Finally, Lin Xun tried to turn over, but he felt like he was being pressed down by something soft.

Lin Xun opened his eyes groggily and looked down, instantly snapping awake.

On his left, Wang Chen was sound asleep, leaning against his shoulder.

And on his right, Bai Luoxue was also resting her head on his shoulder, her breathing steady, her chest rising and falling with each breath.

Lin Xun couldn’t help but sigh.

Three breaths later, Ruo Wangchen and Bai Luoxue were tossed out of the tent by Lin Xun.

To be safe, Lin Xun moved his tent a full three hundred meters away from them and set up a Magic Formation before finally feeling at ease to sleep.

Otherwise, if there were a next time and they crawled into his tent again, Lin Xun really didn’t know what might happen.

He slept soundly for the rest of the night.

However, early the next morning, Lin Xun heard the voices of others.

And these voices were quite familiar to him.

Stepping out of the tent, he saw that Jiang Qingshang and her group had arrived on the beach.

Zhu Ling was happily holding Wang Chen’s hand and exchanging pleasantries.

Lan Shanshan looked at Jiang Qingshang warily, but Jiang Qingshang actually stepped forward on her own initiative to greet Bai Luoxue.

This left Lin Xun somewhat confused.

Why did he feel like Jiang Qingshang and Bai Luoxue knew each other?

Not only that, but besides Jiang Qingshang’s group, the Dragon Cry Twin Girls and Shang Jiuge were also there.

Yu Youyou of the Sword Pavilion was naturally following by Shang Jiuge’s side.

Surrounding them were Disciples from various sects.

Some of these Disciples came from Melting Mountain, while others had been trapped in the Labyrinth Forest and had finally made it out.

Besides them, many more people were emerging from the Labyrinth Forest and arriving at this beach.

Here was the question.

Setting aside Jiang Qingshang for a moment.

The others should have reached the Labyrinth Forest later than him, so how did they discover so quickly that the leaves could lead the way?

Just as Bai Luoxue and Ruo Wangchen’s gazes were about to turn toward Lin Xun, he immediately ducked back into his tent.

When Lin Xun crawled out of the tent again, he had already changed his appearance.

The mask Lin Xun wore was changeable, meaning he could mold his face.

Back at Melting Mountain, Lin Xun’s appearance had been seen by many, and they knew that he had pierced through the Melting Mountain Range with a single spear strike.

If Lin Xun went out with his previous appearance, it would definitely cause a sensation.

So he definitely had to mold a new face.

Seeing Lin Xun emerge with a new face, Bai Luoxue and Wang Chen said nothing and made no attempt to approach him.

Although the two girls were a bit ditzy, they knew that if they approached him now, they would only cause him trouble.

Lin Xun quickly blended into the crowd of Cultivators.

It was then that Lin Xun finally learned why they had all emerged from the Labyrinth Forest on the same day.

It was because after Jiang Qingshang had wandered in circles twice and found herself back at the starting point, she simply chopped down the tree she had marked with a single sword strike.

That tree happened to be the core of the Labyrinth Forest’s Formation, so the Labyrinth Forest was instantly broken and turned into an ordinary forest.

The beach was very lively at the moment.

Cultivators were constantly trying to cross the Bitter Sea.

Other Cultivators were discussing the “spear-wielding man from Melting Mountain”; some thought it was Lin Xun, while others claimed it couldn’t be him and must be some powerful expert who had snuck in!

Still other Cultivators believed that the man must be a Senior who hadn’t left the Rootless Secret Realm the last time it opened and had been living and cultivating there for a thousand years, emerging now as an invincible being!

In short, there were all sorts of ridiculous rumors, and Lin Xun found them quite amusing to listen to.

Of course, what Lin Xun appreciated most was the groups of Cultivators gathered together, discussing how to cross the Bitter Sea.

Everyone had their own specialty.

There was strength in numbers.

To be honest, listening to their discussions, Lin Xun felt that some ideas were actually quite plausible, and his own perspective broadened significantly.

“Um…”

Just as Lin Xun was about to join their discussion, a soft and weak voice sounded in front of him.

Looking down, two identical flowers suddenly dazzled Lin Xun’s eyes.

Lin Xun finally understood why some men dreamed of marrying a pair of twin lotuses until the day they died.

The joy was perhaps not as simple as being doubled.

The Dragon Cry Twin Girls, both less than 1.6 meters tall, held their small hands to their chests, their heads tilted up, and their eyes blinking as they looked at Lin Xun.

“Um…”

It was unclear if it was the older or younger sister, but one of the girls, her face flushed and her eyes darting around, finally summoned her courage, pulled out a portrait, and asked Lin Xun.

“Excuse me, Fellow Daoist, have you seen a person like this?”

Lin Xun took a look.

Good grief, wasn’t this a drawing of me as “Ri Dangwu”?

What do these two girls want with me?

“I don’t know him.”

“Is that so…”

A flash of disappointment appeared in both sisters’ eyes simultaneously, a look that felt like a critical hit of double true damage.

Although they didn’t get the answer they wanted, the Dragon Cry Twin Girls still covered their collars with their small hands and bowed to thank Lin Xun.

“Thank you, Fellow Daoist. Sorry for the trouble.”

“It’s fine.” Lin Xun waved his hand but couldn’t help asking, “I wonder what you two girls are looking for him for? If I run into him, I, Shang Hetu, might be able to pass on a message.”

“Really? Thank you so much, Fellow Daoist.”

The Dragon Cry Twin Girls’ eyes lit up with joy, and they bowed again.

“It’s like this: this Fellow Daoist is named Ri Dangwu. He once saved us sisters, and we want to express our gratitude. If possible, we also want to invite him to the Dragon Cry Holy Land.

Father said that kindness must be repaid, let alone the debt of saving our lives.”

“I’ve noted it down. If I meet him, I’ll pass it on.” Lin Xun replied with a smile, feeling that these two girls were quite different.

That soft feeling was a bit like those Japanese-style girls in anime.

And for his small act of assistance, they had kept it in their hearts; even with social anxiety, they were still tirelessly searching for him.

To be fair, Lin Xun could somewhat understand why the Dragon Cry Holy Lord was a doting father—if anyone dared to eye his daughters, they would be hunted down by the Dragon Cry Holy Land.

If not for that, how could their pure hearts be protected?

After thanking him once more, the Dragon Cry Twin Girls left with blushing faces to continue asking others.

Lin Xun could only secretly apologize to them in his heart.

He had received their thanks, but Ri Dangwu would not appear again; he was now Shang Hetu.

Another day passed, and no one on the Bitter Sea beach had yet found a way to cross the sea.

Instead, on the morning of the second day, the arrival of Su Ying and Nong Qin caused quite a stir.

The beauty of Su Ying and Nong Qin was beyond reproach.

Nong Qin’s figure, in particular, was rare in the world!

Nong Qin’s physique was the kind where, with just one glance, you’d find it hard to look away.

However, when Nong Qin stood beside Su Ying, no one dared to keep looking in their direction.

Su Ying.

After Demon Son Lin Xun disappeared, this name directly replaced Lin Xun’s presence.

In fact, over the years, Su Ying’s reputation had become even more fearsome than Lin Xun’s.

If offending Demon Son Lin Xun only meant being run through by a spear…

Then offending Su Ying meant you’d find it hard to die, but you’d be in more pain than if you were dead.

Seeing Jiang Qingshang and the others, Su Ying’s eyes crinkled, and her smile was as intoxicatingly beautiful as cherry blossoms.

She walked over as if meeting old friends.

Jiang Qingshang instinctively shielded Sikong Wangxing behind her. The two stood opposite each other, just looking at one another without speaking.

That tense atmosphere spread across the beach, and everyone couldn’t help but gulp, fearing they would start fighting the next moment.

In the end, they didn’t fight, but their sharp verbal sparring made Lin Xun feel that the smell of gunpowder was incredibly thick, even if he couldn’t hear them!

On the third day, Lin Xun continued to blend into the crowd of Cultivators, discussing how to cross the Bitter Sea with them.

On the fourth day, both Su Ying and Jiang Qingshang were thinking about how to cross the Bitter Sea.

The fifth day, no result.

The sixth day, no result.

On the seventh day, Jiang Qingshang didn’t want to think anymore and split the Bitter Sea in half with a single sword strike.

Su Ying felt something, and the long sword in her hand transformed into countless cherry blossoms, holding the seawater on both sides steady.

However, after half a stick of incense’s time, the seawater merged again, and everything returned to square one.

Just when everyone thought they were going to fail, Ruo Wangchen and Bai Luoxue blinked their eyes, stepped out with their small feet, and walked to the seashore.

Under everyone’s gaze.

One was an extremely seductive girl wearing a light veil.

One was a holy girl holding a small beast.

They simultaneously stepped out with their small feet, intending to tread upon the sea surface.

Gathering spiritual energy in one’s feet to try and cross the sea surface was a method countless people had tried, but all had ended in failure.

No one thought they would succeed.

But…

When they stepped onto the sea surface, everyone straightened their backs!

Because there was no flow of spiritual energy at the soles of their feet!

In other words, they weren’t using spiritual energy at all!

Stepping onto the sea surface without using spiritual energy… how was that possible?

But the fact was happening right before their eyes!

As the two girls walked forward step by step, dao rhymes flowed upon the sea surface. Unconsciously, both of the extremely beautiful girls closed their eyes and entered a mysterious state of enlightenment.

“The Bitter Sea! The Sea of the Heart! The Bitter Sea must be crossed with the heart, not with external force!”

Those who could reach this place were not fools; at this moment, people began to understand one after another!

Many people withdrew their spiritual energy, calmed their hearts, and stepped onto the Bitter Sea in a state of enlightenment.

Lin Xun also went into the sea.

However…

The moment they stepped on, the beach and forest behind them completely disappeared.

When they opened their eyes…

Everyone found themselves standing in the middle of the Bitter Sea, a vast expanse with no end in sight… 【Ah… National Day is finally almost here… With the new month, I can take another day or two off again~~~】