Chapter 3302: Six Days Reduced To Six Hours

"This place might look dull," Cattaleya said, brushing her hand through the grass, "but it’s full of vitality."

"It’s the mineral-rich soil," Lin Mu explained having read some local books alreayd in this short time. "Plants that grow here adapt to it, becoming stronger over time."

As soon as they were far enough from the city, Lin Mu gave a nod to Little Shrubby. The beast crouched down, his body rippling with energy. In an instant, his form expanded, muscles stretching and bones lengthening until he stood as tall as a house. His fur glowed faintly, each strand shimmering with red and orange light with sparks of blue mixed in.

The sight would have terrified any ordinary cultivator.

"Alright," Lin Mu said, smiling slightly. "Let’s go."

The group leapt onto Little Shrubby’s back. The massive liger crouched low, his claws digging into the earth. Then, with a single powerful kick, he launched himself forward.

BOOM!

The air split behind them in a thunderous shockwave as Little Shrubby accelerated across the landscape. The world became a blur of gray and green as mountains and valleys flashed past in moments.

Meng Bai whooped in exhilaration, his hair whipping in the wind. "This is as amazing as always!"

Daoist Chu clung calmly to a tuft of Little Shrubby’s fur, his expression as composed as ever. "Reminds me of the flying cloud chariots the Immortal Court uses," he remarked.

Cattaleya laughed loudly, the wind roaring past her. "Except this one’s alive and much faster!"

Within an hour, the gray plains began to give way to blue. The salty scent of the sea returned, and the distant roar of crashing waves grew louder. Soon the coastline came into view, stretching endlessly in both directions.

The shore was lined with black granite cliffs, their jagged edges carved by centuries of ocean tides. Beneath them, the waves sparkled under the afternoon sun.

"Half a day by flight, one hour by Shrubby," Elyon said with amusement.

"Now for the sea," Lin Mu said.

Little Shrubby grinned, or at least, it looked like a grin. "I like this part."

Without hesitation, he leapt forward, landing on the surface of the water. Instead of sinking, his paws barely touched it before propelling him upward again.

WHOOSH!

SPLASH!

Each leap carried them hundreds of meters forward, sending enormous waves rippling outward. It was as if a crimson streak of light was skipping across the ocean. Lightning crackled faintly across his fur, leaving glowing trails in the air.

"Look at him go!" Meng Bai shouted, eyes wide with excitement.

Every time Little Shrubby’s paws struck the surface, a resounding boom echoed, followed by a fountain of seawater. Schools of fish scattered, and massive sea beasts lurking below fled instinctively.

Even creatures that might have rivaled immortal cultivators in power avoided him... the faint arcs of lightning surrounding his body were their natural bane.

Elyon’s tail swayed behind him as he steadied himself. "At this speed, we’ll cover the six-day journey in a few hours."

Daoist Chu nodded, gripping the edge of Little Shrubby’s fur to steady himself. "The locals would call this impossible."

"They’d also faint if they saw it," Cattaleya added, laughing over the roar of the wind.

For hours, they raced across the endless blue.

The sun began to sink lower, staining the sea with hues of orange and violet. Flying beasts passed overhead, and on the horizon, Lin Mu could faintly sense the presence of larger entities deep beneath the waves, ancient sea beasts slumbering far below.

But none dared to rise.

By the time six hours had passed, the sea beneath them began to shift colors. The deep blue gradually turned turquoise, and the salty air took on a faint sweetness. Ahead, Lin Mu saw the outline of land.

"There it is," he said. "The Shanhu Coral Clan’s island."

The island was beautiful.

It stretched roughly fifty kilometers across, surrounded by crystal-clear water that shimmered like liquid glass. On one side was a large lagoon, calm and filled with reefs glowing with faint bioluminescent coral. The opposite side rose sharply into sheer cliffs, their tops crowned with lush greenery.

Three mountains dominated the center of the island, their peaks wreathed in mist. From between them, a river of fresh water flowed outward, splitting into smaller streams that fed into several serene lakes and ponds scattered across the landscape.

Elyon gazed at it with quiet admiration. "That’s it. The home of the Shanhu Coral Clan."

Little Shrubby landed softly on a sandy beach on the eastern side of the island, his paws barely disturbing the water. The group dismounted, the sea breeze tugging at their robes.

Lin Mu looked toward the heart of the island, feeling the faint yet distinct Qi signature of cultivators in the distance. "Let’s go meet them," he said. "They’ve been waiting a long time."

And with that, the group began their approach toward the hidden settlement of the Shanhu Coral Clan, a people whose legacy lay beneath the sea and whose time, like the tides, was about to run short.

The group began their slow walk inland, the warm sea breeze brushing against their robes.

The air smelled faintly of salt and sweet Coral Barked Palm Treesap, and the sound of distant waves faded into the background. The beach stretched behind them like a glimmering ribbon of white sand, and ahead lay dense groves of palm-like trees, their trunks carved by years of wind and spray.

Meng Bai walked alongside Lin Mu, looking around curiously. "Master, how come we didn’t see any buildings from above?" he asked. "We could see the whole island, but there wasn’t a single house or courtyard anywhere."

Elyon, walking a few steps ahead, turned his head slightly, his sharp ears twitching. "From what I heard at the Mercenary Guild, the Shanhu Coral Clan lives in a hidden settlement," he said. "Their home is protected by a large illusory array. Unless someone knows the exact formation keys or possesses strong enough perception, it would appear as if the island is empty."

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