Chapter 139: White Mist

Fu Xuan’s words were powerful and resonant, each syllable landing with the weight of his station.

He then shifted the topic, his sharp gaze turning toward the members of the Astral Express.

“Therefore, a frontal assault would come at a massive cost and would almost certainly lead us into an ambush. The General and I have agreed that we need an elite surprise force to execute a key strategy and break this deadlock.”

“A surprise force?” March 7th’s eyes lit up with a spark of excitement, but it was quickly tempered by a flicker of doubt. He lowered his voice, a hint of worry coloring his tone. “You don’t mean… having us charge alongside the Cloud Knights, do you? Not that we’re afraid, but a head-on clash…”

“That is not the case,” Fu Xuan replied, shaking his head with firm negation. “Your extraordinary strength and unique tactics make you the perfect candidates for this special mission. The Cloud Knights under my command will handle the diversion on the main battlefield, creating a disturbance. As for you all—please follow me.”

He offered no further explanation, simply turning with a brisk, efficient motion and signaling for the group to follow.

They handled a series of corridors that were, for the moment, deemed relatively safe. Along the way, the signs of a desperate defense were everywhere; more and more Cloud Knights could be seen urgently constructing fortifications, their faces grim with determination.

Finally, Fu Xuan led them to the precipice of a high cliff.

Across the chasm, at the heart of the enemy’s territory, stood a colossal alchemy furnace. It was a monstrous thing, dwarfing even the Creation Furnace in the Artisanship Commission. It loomed against the sky like a malevolent god of iron and brass.

At this moment, the furnace was operating at its absolute peak capacity. It shuddered and roared, surging with a terrible power as it poured out a thick, unending torrent of white smoke that blotted out the sky.

The white smoke, heavy and unnatural, rolled down from the furnace’s maw, diffusing rapidly and settling over the landscape like a shroud. It blanketed a vast area ahead of them, its ghostly tendrils even beginning to creep across the stone bridge that connected the two cliffs, carried by the wind.

“That is…” Ms. Welt murmured, instinctively pushing her glasses up the bridge of her nose as she squinted at the horrifying spectacle.

Fu Xuan’s voice, when he spoke, was a low growl, laced with both cold fury and solemn gravity. “That is a wicked mist, refined by the Disciples of Sanctus Medicus. They are using the very vitality of the Ambrosial Arbor as fuel, triggered by countless forbidden medicinal ingredients and… living nutrients.”

The implication hung heavy and unspoken in the air.

“It is mixed with frenzied pills designed to strongly induce and accelerate the Mara-Struck state,” he continued, his tone hardening. “This smoke does not dissipate. It contains potent powers of mental erosion and life-form mutation.”

He pointed toward the edge of the mist in the distance. A few figures were faintly visible, their movements growing frantic and jerky. He then gestured to the Cloud Knights behind him, who stood at the ready but were already showing signs of discomfort, their hands twitching and their breathing shallow.

“If ordinary soldiers inhale it, they will, at best, suffer from a mental daze, unable to distinguish friend from foe. At worst, their blood vessels will burst and their five senses will be thrown into chaos. They might even… have the traces of the Abundance deposited within their bodies triggered prematurely, causing them to fall into a Mara-Struck state on the spot.”

He let the weight of his words sink in. “This smoke is their most insidious line of defense. Unless the white mist is cleared, it will be impossible for our main army to advance. Forcing a breakthrough would be no different from walking into a trap. It could even trigger a complete internal collapse of our forces.”

Chen crossed his arms, his gaze fixed on the rolling, all-consuming white smoke. He raised a single, sardonic eyebrow. “So, our mission as this ‘surprise force’ is to go plug up that big chimney?”

“Precisely,” Fu Xuan confirmed, his gaze sweeping over each member of the Astral Express. “That alchemy furnace is located where the smoke is thickest. The Cloud Knights find it nearly impossible to approach, and conventional long-range attacks are interfered with and weakened by the mist itself. But you all… you are not long-life species. This substance has no effect on you.”

He brought his hands together in a formal, solemn salute. “Therefore, I implore you: extinguish the alchemy furnace and disperse this wicked smoke!”

His voice was heavy with the burden of command. “I am counting on you. Past this bridge lies the core of the miasma. I will remain here to coordinate the Cloud Knights and create a larger disturbance to draw the enemy’s attention from the front. Once the smoke dissipates, I will lead the army to rendezvous with you!”

“Exciting!” Chen snapped his fingers. Far from showing any fear, his face was alight with eager anticipation. “Stuff that applies environmental debuffs is the most annoying. It’s always better to just tear it down! Ms. Welt, Precious Qiong, Little March, what do you say?”

“It is our duty,” Ms. Welt stated simply, her cane tapping lightly on the stone ground.

Qiong offered a silent, resolute nod, her baseball bat already materializing in her hand.

March 7th also gripped his bow, taking a deep, steadying breath. “For all those injured Cloud Knight brothers and sisters… I’m definitely tearing down this broken furnace!”

“In that case, be careful with everything.” Fu Xuan stepped aside, his expression unreadable as he watched them set foot on the stone bridge leading into the thick, swirling fog.

The white mist ahead surged and churned, like the gaping maw of some colossal, pale beast waiting to devour them.

Chen took the lead with a light, confident step, already muttering to himself as he mentally sifted through his index of transformations. ‘Hmm… toxic mist environment… large scale… and I need to be able to dismantle a furnace… which one should I use this time? I can’t exactly have Senior Jingliu come out and just slash at the air again, can I? Hmm… speaking of which, would this white mist even affect Jingliu?’

He mused to himself as he led the charge into the unknown.

March 7th and Qiong followed closely behind him, a tight, practiced formation. Ms. Welt walked on the flank of the group, her eyes constantly scanning, maintaining tactical vigilance.

However, after they had taken only a few steps onto the bridge, March 7th let out a soft, “Huh?”

He looked back, his gaze falling on a figure that had joined their group at some unknown point.

“Mr. Tingyun?” March 7th blinked, his expression one of pure surprise. “You… why did you follow us? It’s very dangerous up ahead! Weren’t you supposed to be leading the way for us earlier?”

Mr. Tingyun, still impeccably dressed in his fine robes, walked with a calm, unhurried pace. He offered March 7th a polite nod. “I appreciate your concern, Young Master March. It’s just that General Jing Yuan did indeed instruct me earlier that if the situation evolved into a deep penetration of enemy lines, I should do my best to follow and assist you all. My role is to provide some local intelligence and guidance, to prevent you from getting lost in the complex areas of the Alchemy Commission. I dare not disobey the General’s orders.”

Hearing this, Ms. Welt paused in her tracks and turned around fully. Her expression was serious. “Mr. Tingyun, the area ahead is a dangerous place that can induce the Mara-Struck state, and combat could break out at any moment. This is not your forte. Human lives are at stake; this is no joking matter. We appreciate the sentiment, but please, stay here. We will personally explain to the General that this was a tactical necessity. The General will surely understand.”

The polite smile on Mr. Tingyun’s face didn’t change in the slightest. If anything, it seemed to grow more sincere as he gently shook his head. “Ms. Welt, you overstate the matter. Though I am not skilled in combat, I can manage my own self-preservation. Besides, I know a thing or two about some of the hidden paths within the Alchemy Commission that might come in handy at a critical moment. You are all risking your lives for the Luofu; if I were to retreat out of fear of danger, how could my heart be at ease? It would be far harder to account for myself to the General that way. There is truly no need to worry about me.”

March 7th looked from Ms. Welt to Mr. Tingyun, suddenly at a loss for words.

Meanwhile, Chen, who was still walking at the very front, had slowed his pace to a crawl. He didn’t look back, but he had heard every single word of the conversation behind him. The usual relaxed, mischievous smile on his face gradually faded, melting away until it was replaced by a subtle, knowing curl of his lips—a look that only he could ever understand.

‘So, it begins,’ he thought, a chill that had nothing to do with the mist tracing a line down his spine.

“Fine,” Chen suddenly spoke up, his voice cutting through the tense silence. His tone had returned to its usual casual style, though now it carried a faint, almost imperceptible edge of indifference. “Since Mr. Tingyun insists, then we’ll move together.”

He shrugged. “The more the merrier. But Mr. Tingyun, the fog is thick up ahead. Make sure you keep close and don’t get lost.”

Mr. Tingyun’s smile remained perfectly in place as he nodded. “Naturally. I appreciate your concern, Mr. Chen.”

“Then let’s go.”

Chen said no more. He took the first definitive step forward, plunging into the billowing, thick mist. His figure was instantly swallowed by the pale, churning smoke.

Qiong followed almost immediately, sticking close to Chen’s side as if tethered by an invisible string.

March 7th glanced at Ms. Welt, and seeing her give a slight, resigned nod, he quickly followed as well.

Ms. Welt maintained a steady pace, keeping one eye on the path ahead while also paying close attention to Mr. Tingyun, who now walked beside her.

Mr. Tingyun, for his part, walked at the back of the group with a composed, easy stride, his smile unchanged. He looked as if he were merely taking a leisurely stroll through a garden.

The further they ventured onto the bridge, the thicker the mist became, clinging to them like a damp, cold sheet.

“This smell… it’s really awful,” March 7th muttered, pinching his nose.

“Bear with it. We’re almost there,” Chen’s voice called out from ahead, sounding perfectly normal and unbothered.

After walking for what felt like an eternity, a blurred, monstrous outline began to take shape deep within the mist ahead. Even from this distance, they could see its top constantly spewing out even denser plumes of white smoke.

That was their target: the alchemy furnace, the very heart of the toxic mist.

However, just as they gradually drew closer, preparing to scout the surrounding area for guards…

[Elysian’s Note:

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Thanks a ton for making this journey possible!]