The flying vessel took off and began to move forward.
However, it wobbled all the way.
Theia was clearly flustered as she controlled the vessel.
Several times, they nearly plunged into the forest below,
but Lin Gui caught them each time with Levitation.
Their destination was the place where many bounty hunters preferred to enter the Wall of Sighs.
The Fifth Node of the Wall of Sighs.
In fact, most of the safe nodes outside the Wall of Sighs had been left behind by them.
These nodes were located at the junction where the Wall of Sighs met the other wilderness areas.
Demons rarely disturbed these territory boundaries.
Especially the boundaries of a Forbidden Zone.
Back in the Carter Royal Capital, Lin Gui had not purchased the Golden Route map to the Fifth Node.
This was because this entry point was not far from the Bounty City.
Yet, it was priced the same as the more distant nodes.
Fortunately, he hadn't spent that unnecessary money.
However, while the distance was short,
Theia’s slow pace still extended the time significantly.
If it were at Lin Gui’s own speed, they would have arrived in less than ten minutes.
But Theia somehow dragged it out for three hours.
By the time Lin Gui’s butt was nearly numb from sitting,
the flying vessel finally arrived at the Fifth Node.
Before them lay a small lake.
The lake water was clear, reflecting the overcast sky.
A thin little river flowed from the lake, winding its way forward.
Eventually, it disappeared into the boundless, dense fog in the distance that rose above the clouds.
That was the Wall of Sighs.
The little river was like a timid lead.
One end was connected to the mortal world, while the other plunged into the eternal unknown.
The flying vessel landed smoothly by the lake.
The wooden crates in the back were opened.
Tents, blankets, and various supplies were moved out and piled on the grassy shore of the lake.
They would need to stay here for quite some time.
Although they had already made many preparations for the Wall of Sighs,
they had potions to resist mental pollution.
They had hand-drawn maps marking relatively safe routes.
And they had intelligence on the "Golden Route" to bypass extremely dangerous areas.
The only thing they lacked was a guide capable of warding off spectral demons.
Those old people who were drawn to the Netherworld Sea and were caught between life and death.
Theia and Eve had originally thought that Lin Gui would wait in the Bounty City for the selection meeting in a few days.
They thought he would choose a suitable guide before setting out for the Wall of Sighs.
Unexpectedly, he had come straight here as soon as he got the maps and intelligence.
He had come to this node, which had been verified by countless bounty hunters as the best entry point.
Lin Gui did indeed plan to find a guide.
It was true that the Eyes of the Netherworld could clearly see invisible spectral demons.
But while he could see them, they could also see him.
The Shroud of the Gloomy Night could not hide one from observation on the soul level.
In other words, his concealment magic, which had always been effective in the past, would basically fail here.
One could even say that all concealment spells on the Akara Continent
would lose their effect within the Wall of Sighs.
Losing the ability to hide and being exposed in a Forbidden Zone filled with powerful demons
was predictably dangerous.
Lin Gui had come to the Fifth Node first primarily to verify another matter.
He needed to see if the Clarity spell could truly resist the mental attacks of the mist.
Blackbeard’s word was one thing.
But as for the actual effect, he had to verify it personally.
After settling everything, the three of them began their final preparations before entering.
Lin Gui took out a bundle of sturdy hemp rope.
He tied one end firmly around his waist with a dead knot.
Then, he handed the other end of the rope to Eve.
Eve took it and tied the rope around her own waist as well.
Next, she handed the remaining portion of the rope to Theia, who was standing outside the wall of mist.
Theia took the rope and asked uneasily,
“Are you sure you don’t need me to go in with you?”
Lin Gui shook his head.
“You have the greatest strength among us.”
“If an accident happens, you’ll be strong enough to pull us both out.”
In truth, Lin Gui could have gone in alone.
But if the Clarity spell failed to work
and he fell into Mental Derangement and lost his judgment,
having Eve by his side would at least allow someone to notice that something was wrong.
She could ring the bell to notify Theia outside to pull them back.
Theia sighed and urged,
“Then you must protect Eve well.”
“She’s my second good friend.”
Lin Gui smiled.
“Two? Eve and me? Then what about Elvia?”
“She’d be very sad to hear you say that.”
Theia grumbled speechlessly,
“That cowardly princess?”
“I can’t imagine it being possible for her to be sad over a friendship.”
“I seriously suspect that after we left the Royal Capital, she was probably celebrating our departure all by herself.”
Recalling the image of Elvia laughing and throwing a party,
Lin Gui couldn't help but laugh out loud. That truly did seem like something Elvia would do.
With a few lighthearted remarks, the heavy atmosphere eased slightly.
Lin Gui and Eve walked up to the wall of mist.
That towering, grayish-white wall of mist felt like a curtain dividing heaven and earth.
Just as the two were about to take a step forward,
“Wait.”
Theia suddenly walked between them.
She grabbed Lin Gui’s hand with one hand and Eve’s hand with the other,
then brought their hands together.
She instructed them seriously,
“Remember, do not let go of each other’s hands.”
Lin Gui and Eve were both stunned for a moment.
Neither of them had expected Theia to do this.
Although human relationships in Akara were relatively open,
holding hands between members of the opposite sex was still an action only those close to each other would do.
After her initial daze, Eve smiled softly.
She gripped Lin Gui’s hand back, her fingers gently closing around his.
Since Eve didn't mind, Lin Gui had nothing to say as a man.
He nodded to Theia.
He tightened his grip on the slightly cool and soft hand in his own.
Lin Gui led Eve and turned to face the wall of mist.
Through the hazy fog, he could faintly see the twisted shadows of withered trees inside,
along with the jagged outlines of uneven rocks on the ground.
He closed his eyes, and when he opened them again,
his eyes had turned into an icy gray.
Eyes of the Netherworld, activated.
His vision was instantly transformed.
Many pale blue, blurry lights and shadows emerged within the gray mist.
Those were wandering specters.
They took various forms; some looked like beasts, while others were just drifting clusters of light.
However, when Lin Gui’s gaze swept over them,
those weak specters actually trembled in unison.
As if startled, they retreated backward,
quickly disappearing into the depths of the dense fog.
Lin Gui raised an eyebrow.
Do specters fear the living?
Back in the Magic City, he had practically worn out the books regarding soul spells and creatures from flipping through them so much.
He remembered clearly.
Specters usually have no fear; on the contrary, they are drawn to the aura of the living.
However, book knowledge wasn't necessarily always correct.
Lin Gui didn't dwell on it.
He took a bottle of Iron Will potion from his waist.
He pulled out the wooden cork and handed it to Eve.
After she tilted her head back and finished it, he took out another bottle, looked at it for a moment, and then put it back into his waist pouch.
With a silent incantation, the Soul Magic Clarity spell was cast upon himself.
Instantly, his mind felt as if it had been washed clean, becoming incredibly sharp.
Following that, he gripped Eve’s hand tightly.
Together, the two of them plunged into that endless gray and white.
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