Chapter 97: Misty Haze Pits

On the Plunged Tundra's glistening blue icy roads, a group consisting of six varying cultivators merrily traveled along. The group was, of course, Darcel, Aniela, and the four from the Nobe's Fang group.

Since they agreed to join in with them, Darcel and Aniela had a small thought brewing in their back of their minds.

Specifically, the route they were heading was the same direction they had first chosen to go down.

During their time walking, Darcel and Aniela realized they could've possibly stumbled upon the special area the Nobe's Fang group were heading to without even realizing it.

It was a small thought of concern pertaining the duo's minds considering it was Aniela's intuition that led the starting guide over here.

But, Darcel and Aniela pushed down this thought for later in favor of conversing with the Nobe's Fang group.

Another oddity they had noticed during their walk was the absolute lack of people on this specific icy road. Still, Darcel and Aniela haven't seen a single soul besides the Nobe's Fang group.

Yet this didn't stop the conversations from smoothly flowing between them.

Darcel and Aniela were genuinely starting to realize something about themselves now.

Their facets of charisma are impressively high! At least, that's what Darcel and Aniela thought in their minds.

The duo was able to keenly observe how Fruna, Robert, Reyney, and Hurey all took some sort of liking to them.

Either it was Darcel's own straight-laced and, as he says, realist answers. Or Aniela's bubbly, magnetic, energetic charm, the Nobe's group found it hard to have a reason to find these kids suspicious.

Though out of everyone, Darcel and Aniela found that Fruna was the most open and talkative to them. She readily responded to any questions they had and was generally enjoyable to talk to.

As for the case of right now, Aniela was asking, "Soo, what is the nearest city or town or any kind of place out in these snowy lands? From the looks of it, this environment doesn't seem like the….best to live in."

While Aniela asked, Darcel picked up on the snow falling even harder on this route.

Furthermore, there weren't any more multiple blue icy roads surrounding them, leaving only this lone road left.

For the increase in heavy snowfall, Darcel and the others didn't pay it any mind. Even in heavy rainfall, would a cultivator's powerful body let them shrug off any natural weather fall.

The only odd thing Darcel could say about the sudden harder snowfall was the snow feelings as if they got heavier. But he didn't think much of it and continue to listen to Fruna as she began to respond to Aniela.

"I see….for people unfamiliar with these lands, it's easy to believe that. However, you would be surprised at the adaptability of Mage's and cultivators working together. The closest town here is where our group hail from, called Maowold Town. We can show you two it after this event."

"Oh, really? That would be great! Given how charitable you all are to us, I already have a good impression of the town!"

Aniela brightly exclaims, causing Fruna to give her a warm smile.

She had to admit this girl was charming and vibrant. Fruna never would've thought that she would meet someone just bursting with energy, but most things in her life never came as predictable.

"I'm glad to hear you think so favorably of us. I'm sure you would get along swimmingly with our people back at home."

As Fruna told this, Darcel's eyes quickly snapped towards the three men's reactions.

When Fruna first talked about them joining their group, Darcel didn't see any noticeable odd reactions from them. Yet, he could've sworn he saw a slight shift in Robert's eyes during the first time.

And now, as they had the time to rummage on their thoughts, Darcel was able to pick up a quick change in expression from Robert, Reyney, and Hurey.

Robert, Reyney seemed like they had something to say, yet they quickly changed their mind about it.

While Hurey briefly spouted a slightly worried frown. Since he did catch this, Darcel was going to smoothly bring attention to this without arousing suspicions.

However, when he opened his mouth to talk, he felt something harder than snow land on his head.

"Huh? Hail?" Darcel spoke out loud and reached out his hand.

And for sure, he felt and saw little round solid blue icy droplets fall onto his hand. "Just how far are we from the place?" Darcel asked while looking over to Aniela, putting her hand out in a slightly surprised manner.

Fruna, Robert, Reyney, and Hurey all didn't have any reaction to the hail.

They kept their steady stride as Hurey had then turned his head to explain to Darcel,

"Well, just stop and look down right about….now."

On Hurey call, all six of them abruptly stopped. And doing as he said, Darcel and Aniela's eyes trailed down to the ground.

Surprisingly the first thing they noticed was they came upon a cliff.

The cliff ran several meters down, but it was hard to even see this short distance. Hail crazily picked up in its intensity down the cliff, storming the whole area, making it extremely difficult to look through.

Darcel and Aniela's enhanced eyes couldn't properly see through it. And not even Fruna, Robert, Reynay, and Hurey's Innate Core eyes could see clearly in the raging hail.

"Oh my! So this is the infamous Misty Haze Pits! Never quite seen something like this before, right Darcy?"

"Indeed, it's even harder to see through than those Woods," Darcel answered as he and Aniela got right near the edge of the cliff.

Their bodies bent down as much as possible, trying to get a good view of the area.

Before arriving here, Fruna already took it upon herself to explain to them the infamous Misty Haze Pits.

It was confirmed by many cultivation experts that no matter how high your realm is, it's merely impossible to get through these Pits.

Around their town, the only known record of going deep into the Misty Haze Pits is only one titled Heavenly King cultivator making it two miles deep.

But this Heavenly King possessed an extremely rare soul that even allowed him to go that far. When hearing this, the question that boggled Darcel and Aniela's mind was, why are so many cultivation experts still trying to go through this seemingly impossible place anyway?

And the simple answer Fruna told them was the chance of a lucky extraordinary treasure.

The same Heavenly King that made it two miles deep also manage to score a fantastic treasure that made him a top tier expert even among peak level Heavenly Kings!

There were also other such records of even far weaker cultivators with soul helping Artifacts, talismans, or items trudging through the Misty Haze Pits and finding life-changing treasures.

Darcel and Aniela even knew that Fruna's group had attempted to go down the Misty Haze Pits before only to test waters.

And their results were not even making it a half-mile through. But they had found one exotic medicine herb that they brought back to their band of adventurers.

"So? Just how exactly will our formation work?" Darcel looked over to ask Fruna's group while still remaining at the edge with Aniela.

Looking over to their group did cause Darcel to be slightly bemused.

Fruna, Robert, Reynay, and Hurey were trying to not let it show on their faces, but Darcel could see it. The ever slight twitching of their lips, attempting to cover up their small surprise.

Genuinely, Fruna's group eyebrows all started to unconsciously crease. They just couldn't get it. All four of them already felt their souls get slightly suppressed and pressured from merely standing near the edge.

It made things a bit uncomfortable to stand, and surely, anybody would've picked up on this suppression.

Yet, Darcel and Aniela seemed to either not notice the suppression….or they simply didn't feel any suppression at all!

Admittedly, they could've guessed something like this could happen considering what they had experienced with the pendants.

But still, seeing it is entirely different from expecting it!

".... It's straightforward, kid; all we need to do line up side by side and pour our soul powers at the same time to get these pendants roaring. And in you two cases….you can just do what you did with Fruna before and transfer your soul powers into her."

Robert spoke up to explain to the duo, trying to keep his tone as neutral as possible. The method of using soul Artifacts or soul related Artifacts is a considerable gamble that all cultivators coming here decided to bet on.

There wasn't any case of the Misty Haze Pits being dangerously deadly. Still, it's a toss-up on how effective one's soul Artifact would be.

The only difference for Fruna, Robert, Reynay, and Hurey is they had planned this move for a long time. They all saved and combined their resources just to have a slim chance of getting whatever great treasure that lies in these Pits.

"Just like what we discussed previously. These pendants will simply suck up any soul power for anyone that can even slightly mobilize their souls. Like what you two also did before, just put your hands on my shoulder and repeat." Fruna calmly smiled at the duo and explained.

"Alright! Let's get this treasure hunt going!" Aniela was getting pumped by the minute.

The unknown of not being able to see clearly in the Misty Haze Pits was really getting to her. She must have this oddity become undone!

And in order, Robert, Reynany, Hurey, and Fruna all lined up from right to left. At the left end of the line, Darcel and Aniela put their hands on Fruna's shoulder and waited.

Hurey had then spoken up this time, telling them all, "On my signal. One….two….three, now!"

In sync, he, Robert, Reynay, Fruna all poured their soul powers into the blank white pendants.

'Chi!'

Simultaneously, all four of the pendants were illuminated in a radiant, bright white shine!

A luminous white soul barrier began to quickly form around the group, and it was then Darcel, and Aniela willed their souls.

"Oh, Oh?!"

Hurey, Robert, Reynay, and even Fruna all couldn't contain their surprise then. Previously Fruna had first hand experienced the process of Darcel and Aniela transferring some of their soul energy to her.

But the energy they are using now massively trumps over the past!

Instantly, the soul barrier became fully completed and exuded a brighter shine than if it was just the four of them alone.

"Holy hell! You kids really know how to hide it!"

Reyney suddenly exclaimed, unable to contain his slight excitement. He and the others all felt their confidence tremendously boost now.

Initially, they only hoped to get lucky to make it a few miles in the first layer of the Misty Haze Pits and discover a great treasure.

But now, their expectations shot through the roof!

Because of Fruna transferring their powers to the pendants, they all could feel and experience the incredible power of Darcel and Aniela's unique souls.

What they felt right then was simply put, magical.

"Hehehe~! I knew you all would be blown off your feet!" Both Aniela and Darcel were smirking at their reactions.

Just this small amount of their soul powers already changed this much. There was no telling how far their Darkness Soul links would push the pendants if they chose to use it.

"Right, right. But let's all not get ahead of ourselves. This area still won't be a walk in the park to get through." Fruna quickly reminded them all.

And under her words, the whole group quickly sober again.

In sync, all six of them leaped off the cliff and dived straight down the hail storm. The fall was a bit steep, and they soon gently sink their feet in the soft, smooth snow of the Misty Haze Pits.

"Just like last time….barely can see anything." Hurey remarked as he tried to squint his eyes to see through the hail storm to little avail.

The sound of crackling droplets of hail bouncing off their soul barrier slithered in the group's ears while they adjusted themselves.

Being in the Misty Haze Pits now, neither Darcel nor Aniela felt any suppression or pressure. Their face retained their calm yet eager expression, already thinking this won't be so bad.

"Be careful not to slow down, you two. We'll be relying on our soul power to speed through here." Fruna concernedly reminded Darcel and Aniela. To which the duo smirked at her though she wouldn't be able to see it.

"Don't worry, our hands are like glue on you." Darcel confidently stated and gave Fruna's shoulder a gentle, firm squeeze.

Promptly then, an abrupt sly idea pops into Darcel's mind.

Because he was just strictly using pure soul essence and not his Darkness part of his soul, Fruna wouldn't feel any different to his touch.

But Darcel was half attempted to subtly try and affect her only in a very light way.

However, he went against the idea to do it now, but he let the thought swim in the back of his mind for later.

Retaining back his focus, Darcel and the others quickly tensed their bodies to adjust to the soul powers.

"The pendants are pointing....this way!" Hurey called out, and everyone was ready.

'Hua!'

Swift like the wind, the whole group of six blasted off with flying speeds, being in complete synchronization. The flurry of snow piled on the ground split apart beneath their wake as they tore through the blinding hail.

Hail violently smashed into their soul barrier, bringing on a ringing sound in the group's ears, but no one paid attention to it.

Their progress was quick, and in several minutes, they already crossed a whole mile!

Fruna, Robert, Reynany, and Hurey all had to intensely concentrate at this point. A noticeable suppression began to weigh on their souls even with Darcel and Aniela's tremendous help.

Darcel and Aniela, though, were doing relatively okay. They felt something trying to affect their souls, but it wasn't sufficient enough for suppression.

And as the group crossed over the two miles threshold, the suffocating soul suppression was steadily increasing, and the hail turned got even more violent.

They all soon realized things are only going to get more gruesome from here on out.