Chapter 703: Signal
"Perhaps so."
Daoist Fan let out a bitter smile. "The sea around this island is vast. To scout the entire area thoroughly is no easy task. It would take a lot of time. Should we split up or go together?"
"I believe we should go together, just like we did before. That way we can look out for one another, and the search will be more thorough," the scholar replied calmly.
"Very well. Together it is! Time is tight. Let’s not waste any more of it. Move out quickly," Daoist Fan agreed readily.
Just as they were about to depart, the gaunt old man suddenly turned his head and frowned. " Daoist Qin, what are you doing?"
Only then did everyone notice that while they had been discussing how to proceed, Qin Sang had been squatting at the edge of the cold mist, holding a clump of grass frozen into a lump of ice, examining it with intense focus.
Qin Sang stood up and pulled out the entire tuft of grass from the ground. "Have you noticed how strange the cold mist is here? When I tried expelling it with true essence, it didn’t feel like ordinary cold qi. It was more like spiritual fire burning away my true essence. Also, I’ve discovered something odd. Look..."
As he spoke, a flicker of true essence flashed at Qin Sang’s fingertip, melting the layer of ice on the surface of the grass.
To everyone’s surprise, the blade of grass began to wither at a speed visible to the naked eye. Its green hue faded rapidly, turning into something akin to black ash. With a casual flick of Qin Sang’s hand, it crumbled into dust.
The group looked on, clicking their tongues in astonishment.
"Daoist Qin is certainly observant. I’ve been here once before, and I didn’t even realize the cold mist had such strange properties," Daoist Fan said, bending down to pull up a blade of grass himself. When he rubbed it in his palm, it too turned to ash.
Qin Sang simply smiled without saying a word.