First Attempt

The flying vessel rose into the air and began to move forward.

However, it wobbled and swayed the entire way.

Theia was clearly flustered as she steered the vessel.

Several times, they nearly plummeted into the forest below, only for Lin Gui to save them in the nick of time by lifting them back up with Levitation.

Their destination this time was a popular entry point into the Wall of Sighs for many bounty hunters.

The Fifth Node of the Wall of Sighs.

In fact, most of the safe nodes outside the Wall of Sighs had been established by these hunters.

These nodes were located at the border where the Wall of Sighs met other wilderness areas.

Few demons ever ventured to disturb these territorial borders.

Especially the borders of a Forbidden Zone.

Back in the Carter Royal Capital, Lin Gui hadn't bought the Golden Route Map for the Fifth Node.

This was because this entry point wasn't very far from the City of Bounties.

Yet it was priced the same as the maps for the much more distant nodes.

Fortunately, he hadn't wasted his money on it.

However, even though the distance was short, Theia's painfully slow piloting still dragged the journey out far longer than necessary.

If Lin Gui had been at the helm, they would have arrived in less than ten minutes.

Instead, Theia somehow stretched it into a three-hour trip.

By the time Lin Gui's rear was completely numb, the flying vessel finally reached the Fifth Node.

Before them lay a small lake.

Its waters were crystal clear, reflecting the overcast, gray sky.

A narrow stream flowed out of the lake, winding its way forward.

Eventually, it disappeared into the endless, towering fog in the distance that rose high above the clouds.

That was the Wall of Sighs.

The little stream was like a timid fuse.

One end was connected to the mortal world, while the other plunged into the eternal unknown.

The flying vessel touched down smoothly by the lakeshore.

The wooden crates at the back were opened.

Tents, blankets, and various supplies were hauled out and piled onto the grassy lakeside.

They would need to stay here for a considerable amount of time.

Although they had made plenty of preparations for the Wall of Sighs—including potions to resist mental pollution, hand-drawn maps marking relatively safe routes, and information on the “Golden Route” that bypassed extremely hazardous areas—the only thing they lacked was a guide who could ward off spectral demons.

Specifically, those half-dead elders who were drawn to the Netherworld Sea.

Theia and Eve had originally thought that Lin Gui would wait in the City of Bounties for the selection meeting in a few days to choose a suitable guide before setting off into the Wall of Sighs.

They hadn't expected him to head straight here the moment he obtained the maps and intelligence.

He had come directly to this entry node, which had been proven by countless bounty hunters to be the best.

Lin Gui did indeed plan to find a guide.

While it was true that the 【Eyes of the Netherworld】 allowed him to see invisible spectral demons, if he could see them, they could see him just as clearly.

The 【Shroud of the Gloomy Night】 could not block observation on a spiritual level.

This meant that his usually infallible concealment magic would be essentially useless here.

In fact, it was safe to say that every concealment spell on the Akara Continent would lose its efficacy inside the Wall of Sighs.

Losing the ability to hide while exposed in a Forbidden Zone teeming with powerful demons was a recipe for extreme danger.

Lin Gui's primary reason for coming to the Fifth Node first was to test something else.

He wanted to see if Clarity could truly resist the mental attacks of the mist.

Blackbeard's claim was one thing, but he had to verify the actual efficacy for himself.

After settling everything, the three of them began making their final preparations before entering.

Lin Gui pulled out a bundle of sturdy hemp rope.

He tied one end securely around his waist with a tight knot.

Then, he handed the other end to Eve.

Eve took it and tied it around her own waist in the same manner.

Next, she handed the remaining slack to Theia, who stood outside the wall of fog.

Taking the rope, Theia asked uneasily, “Are you sure you don't need me to go in with you?”

Lin Gui shook his head. “You're the strongest of us. If anything goes wrong, you'll have more than enough strength to pull both of us out.”

In truth, Lin Gui could have gone in alone.

But if Clarity failed to work and he ended up losing his mind and judgment, having Eve by his side would at least allow her to notice if something was wrong.

She could then ring the bell to signal Theia outside to pull them back.

Theia sighed and instructed, “Then you must protect Eve well. She's my second-best friend.”

Lin Gui smiled. “Two? Eve and me? What about Elvia? She'd be very sad if she heard you say that.”

Theia retorted with a roll of her eyes, “That cowardly princess? I can't picture her ever feeling sad over friendship. I strongly suspect that after we left the capital, she was probably celebrating our departure all by herself.”

At the thought of Elvia laughing and throwing a party, Lin Gui couldn't help but chuckle. That did indeed sound like something Elvia would do.

With their brief banter, the heavy atmosphere lightened slightly.

Lin Gui and Eve walked up to the wall of fog.

The towering, grayish-white wall of mist looked like a massive curtain dividing heaven and earth.

Just as the two of them were about to take a step forward,

“Wait,” Theia suddenly stepped between them. She grabbed Lin Gui's hand with one hand and Eve's with the other, placed their hands together, and instructed them earnestly, “Remember, don't let go of each other's hands.”

Both Lin Gui and Eve were taken aback.

Neither of them had expected Theia to do this.

Although human relationships on Akara were relatively open, holding hands between opposite genders was still an act reserved for those who were intimate.

After a brief moment of daze, Eve smiled softly.

She turned her hand over to clasp Lin Gui's, her fingers gently tightening.

Since Eve didn't mind, Lin Gui, being a man, had nothing to complain about.

He nodded at Theia, tightening his grip on the slightly cool, soft hand in his.

Holding Eve's hand, Lin Gui turned to face the wall of fog.

Through the hazy mist, he could faintly make out the silhouettes of twisted, dead trees within, as well as the uneven outlines of scattered rocks on the ground.

He closed his eyes, and when he opened them again, his eyes had turned an icy gray.

The 【Eyes of the Netherworld】 were active.

His vision instantly became completely different.

Numerous faint blue, blurry figures of light emerged within the gray mist.

Those were wandering souls and specters.

They came in various shapes; some resembled beasts, while others were merely flickering clumps of light.

Yet when Lin Gui's gaze swept over them, those weak specters actually trembled in unison.

As if startled, they retreated backward, quickly vanishing into the depths of the dense fog.

Lin Gui raised an eyebrow.

Did specters fear living humans?

Back in the Magic City, he had practically read through every book on soul spells and creatures until the pages were worn out.

He remembered very clearly.

Specters usually felt no fear; instead, they were supposed to be drawn to the aura of the living.

However, book knowledge wasn't always entirely correct.

Lin Gui didn't dwell on it.

He pulled a bottle of “Iron Will” potion from his waist.

Uncorking it, he handed it to Eve.

Once she threw her head back and drank it down, he pulled out another bottle, examined it for a moment, and put it back into his waist pouch.

Chanting silently, he cast the soul spell Clarity on himself.

Instantly, his mind felt as though it had been washed clean, becoming incredibly sharp.

Immediately after, he gripped Eve's hand tightly.

Together, they plunged into that endless sea of grayish-white.