The Mountain of Wandering Souls lies in the northwest region of Zhongzhou. This area is considered one of Zhongzhou's more renowned perilous locales. It is said that long ago, numerous great battles were fought here, and countless skeletons have been buried deep within the mountain's soil. Moreover, due to the exceptionally strong natural cold air in this region, a perpetual mist of cold vapor envelops the mountain year-round. In the deeper reaches, this mist impairs the perception of souls; for more impetuous individuals, it may even prove fatal, trapping them within the mountain itself. … The Spirit-Phantom Mountains were not far from the Dan Domain. At the pace of Xiao Yan and his companions, they could reach there within about five days. After setting out, they made little stop along the way, pressing forward without rest, day and night. Under such relentless urgency, by the afternoon of the fourth day, Xiao Yan and his party noticed the temperature around them dropping rapidly. "The Wuhun Mountain range has arrived, though everyone should first take a moment to restore their energy—this journey hasn't been easy at all..." Standing at the summit, Xiao Yan smiled as he looked at the young healers and others following closely behind. Upon hearing Xiao Yan's words, Zi Yan promptly sat down on the grass, her small face showing clear signs of exhaustion—the days of travel had truly taken a toll on her. "Is this indeed the Wuhun Mountain range?" the young healer asked, gazing into the distance at the mountain range veiled in cold mist. "Can we simply fly straight into it?" "Not exactly. The outer mist is manageable, but as we go deeper, it grows denser. If we lose our sense of direction, we'll easily become lost within it. Moreover, there are many unusual beasts dwelling in the mist—frequent attacks are quite likely." Wind Master glanced toward the distant peaks and explained. "Also, the Wuhun Mountain range is home to a branch of the Spirit Palace. No one can be certain about their defensive measures. Flying in from above makes us easy targets to spot." "Among those present, no one was more familiar with the Central Plains than Master Feng, and his seasoned experience far surpassed that of Xiao Yan and the others. Thus, no one questioned his words—they simply nodded in agreement. "This season marks the period when the Wanhun Mountain range is at its coldest, with the strongest chill. However, we don't have the time to wait for the cold to ease, so we must enter through the mist..." Master Feng's eyes slightly narrowed as he glanced outward toward the Wanhun Mountain range, saying, "Around the Wanhun Mountain, there are several smaller sects and factions. As far as I know, most of these have been quietly absorbed and controlled by the Huan Palace. Therefore, when we enter, we must ensure no one notices our presence. Should we happen to be spotted by accident..." "This I'll handle," said Master Tiejian, his voice slightly hoarse. Master Feng silently nodded. Their mission was so crucial that if anyone truly stumbled upon them, it would only be a matter of bad luck. The group settled in meditation on the mountain peak for about half an hour, then rose together without a word, meeting each other's gaze and sensing a shared sense of gravity in one another's eyes. Everyone knew how formidable the Huan Palace's strength was—rescuing someone from their hands would certainly not be an easy task. "Should this mission fail, there may never be another such opportunity," said Master Feng, his voice steady and serious. "Therefore, no matter what, we must succeed in rescuing Yao Chen." At his words, everyone nodded gently. "Once we enter the mountain range, stay close to one another and proceed with caution," he added. With those words, Master Feng launched himself into motion, gliding like a great phoenix from the peak down toward the mountain, swiftly cutting through the dense forest shrouded in cold mist. Following close behind came Xiao Yan and the others. ... Amid the forest shrouded in cold mist, a thick, white vapor blanketed the view, drastically reducing visibility. Even with the use of spiritual perception, one could only detect objects within a range of about a hundred meters, beyond which the sight faded entirely. Thus, advancing by trial and error, their pace naturally slowed down, and what was most disheartening was the rather modest progress achieved. This season, precisely when the cold mist of the Spirit Mountain reaches its peak, certain markings on the map have been obliterated by this mist—something the Xuankong disciples had not anticipated. After wandering for some time, Wind Master observed the gradually dimming cold mist around him and furrowed his brows slightly, speaking softly, "The sky is growing dark. We can no longer press on. The beasts of the Spirit Mountain at night are particularly fierce and tenacious, like parasites that cling to us, making it difficult to shake them off. Any disturbance we cause might not only alarm other beasts, but could also draw the attention of the elite cultivators from the Soul Palace." Hearing this, Xiao Yan hesitated only slightly before giving a slight nod. Wind Master's experience far surpassed his own; following his advice was always the safe choice. Seeing that everyone had no objections, Feng respectfully gestured to Iron Sword Sovereign, who nodded and, with a simple motion, sent several dark, clumpy objects skimming out of his hands before hurling them far into the air. "These are excrements from high-tier beasts. They will help repel some of the disturbances from the creatures. Everyone may rest for tonight and continue searching tomorrow. The branch pavilion of the Soul Pavilion is not small in scale. Though this mountain range is vast, finding it will inevitably come down to timing." Feng soothed softly. … The night in the Mountain of the Departed Souls felt especially cool, with various howling sounds echoing through the hills, creating a deeply eerie atmosphere. The roars of beasts reverberated throughout the mountain all night, gradually fading away. As Xiao Yan and the others breathed a sigh of relief, they suddenly heard a series of rustling sounds coming from afar. At that moment, the Wind Sovereign, who had been closed-eyed, suddenly opened his eyes, scanning the distant white mist with a sharp gaze. His expression changed slightly, and he exclaimed in alarm, "By the heavens, it's the Stone-Biting Ants!" Upon hearing the Wind Sovereign's cry, Xiao Yan and the Iron Sword Sovereign, among others, also exchanged a subtle look of concern. The Stone-Biting Ants were one of the most terrifying creatures of the Mountain of the Departed Souls—not because of their individual strength, but because of their staggering numbers, measured in the millions. The reputation of the Wandering Souls Mountain stems partly from its lingering mist, but more significantly from a type of monster native to the mountain—the Stone-Eating Magic Ant. Though these ants are not particularly high-ranked, typically ranging only from third to fourth tier, their true menace lies in their sheer numbers. In waves numbering in the millions, they surge forth like an overwhelming tide, forcing even eighth-tier beasts to merely retreat and wait for the storm to pass. These ants can consume any living creature that stands in their path. Wherever the ant tide flows across the Wandering Souls Mountain, the ground is left strewn with white bones—no traces of blood remain. Any strong warrior who ventures into the mountain and encounters such swarms finds themselves facing an inevitable fate. Were it not for the fact that these ants thrive only within the cold mist, the mountain’s slopes and valleys would likely be uninhabitable, with few daring to dwell beyond its reach. Over the years, the reputation of the Soul-Dead Mountain as a perilous place has gradually spread, and much of this credit belongs to the terrifying ant colonies. Xiao Yin and the others never expected to be so unlucky—upon entering the Soul-Dead Mountain, they immediately encountered such a troublesome obstacle. "Prepare to retreat; don't engage with these damned creatures!" Wind Elder swiftly rose and spoke firmly. Seeing the serious expression on Wind Elder's face, Xiao Yin and the others quickly stood up as well. Just as they were about to begin their retreat, a small, agile figure suddenly leapt off a tree trunk and plunged straight into the forest shrouded in cold mist. Observing Zi Yan's bold action, Wind Elder's face instantly turned pale, and he murmured in frustration, "What is this girl doing? Does she intend to die?" "You go ahead—I'll retrieve her." "Wait— the sound of the ant colonies has ceased..." Xiao Yixian furrowed her brows and suddenly added. Hearing this, the other elders also paused, leaned in to listen, and indeed found that the chilling, rustling sound had completely vanished. "This...?" As the elders stood in astonishment, a small figure emerged unharmed from the cold mist, materializing on a tree trunk—none other than Zi Yan, who had just stepped out moments before. Now, resting on her shoulders was a giant ant, about half a foot in size, with a dark golden body and eight wings. "The stone-eating queen ant?" The elders, Feng and Tie Jian, immediately exchanged concerned expressions upon seeing the dark golden eight-winged ant. Facing the elders' expressions of concern, Zi Yan smiled brightly.