The legend begins with becoming a white deer.

In a frosty, snowy place.

All that meets the eye is pure, almost blinding white. An endless, pristine white forest stands on the snowfield, each giant tree fifty or sixty meters tall, its branches laden with thick icicles, like giant towers sculpted from ice and snow.

The chilling air condensed into a milky white mist, flowing slowly through the forest. When it touched the skin, it felt like fine needles piercing through it, chilling to the bone.

A figure in black silently landed on the snowy forest floor; it was none other than the spirit beast, the Nine-Tailed Nether Fox, Shu Si, who had reassembled her clone.

She has returned the two recovered children to her main body, and the main body has reconstituted this clone.

Shu Si was supposed to head to the Xuan Yin Grotto, the human traffickers' headquarters, immediately as agreed with Qi Ji, but she took a detour and came here first.

"It's been a while since I've been here, and it's still so cold."

Shu Si looked at the Frosty Forest in front of her, and the next second her body trembled, and her unique Nine-Tailed Fox aura quietly spread out.

After waiting quietly for about fifteen minutes, the white mist in front of them suddenly began to surge, like a raging torrent, as if some enormous creature was about to emerge.

"Crunch~ Crunch~ Crunch~..."

The heavy footsteps pounded on the snow, making the ice shards on the ground crackle and pop.

A huge shadow slowly appeared in the frost and mist, its body shrouded and hidden by the white frost and mist, but its large, lantern-sized blue-silver beast eyes could not be concealed.

As his eyes darted around, they carried a terrifying power that seemed to freeze living beings, and for a moment even the rolling frost seemed to slow down.

Shu Si looked at those beastly eyes without any fear, and instead chuckled, "You're taking longer than I expected. Were you sleeping?"

"Roar~~"

A deep, languid roar echoed through the frosty mist, carrying a hint of languor and inquiry.

The meaning is very clear: they are asking Shu Si, why are you here? Weren't you supposed to be recuperating?

"I came here because of my injuries."

Shu Si's hair flew wildly in the cold wind caused by the beast's roar. She raised her hand to smooth it down, her tone calm.

"I've found someone who can heal my injuries, but just in case, I'd like to ask you for a favor."

"Roar~~"

The deep, beastly roar echoed again.

The being in the frost and mist did not refuse, did not hesitate, and did not even ask what kind of help it would be; it simply agreed.

The next second, it took a few steps forward, and its body was completely revealed from the thick frost and fog.

This creature was entirely made of flesh and blood, as if it were composed of ice. Even its fur gleamed with a cold light. A single ice crystal horn grew from its forehead. Its back was about eight meters tall, highlighting its strong and powerful body. A giant, seemingly soft ice pillar tail swayed behind it, stirring up the frost and mist.

This was none other than a colossal, imposing ice tiger, or as it might be called, the spirit beast Ice Soul White Tiger.

... ... ...

On the other side, the team, which had been traveling at a rapid pace, finally arrived at the Qingliao section of the Wanzhen Cangdi dike after a continuous journey.

Su Yanji unfolded the sheepskin map in his hand, pointed his fingertip to a vermilion mark, and looked up at everyone, saying loudly, "The direction and route are correct. The Xuan Yin Grotto is inside the rocky area ahead. We have arrived."

As soon as he finished speaking, a low commotion arose in the carriages.

"Finally here! I've been impatient all the way here. Those damned human traffickers, this time we're going to wipe out their hideout!"

"Don't be reckless. Black Stone Fortress has top experts like the Fierce Monk in charge, and who knows how many even more powerful figures are hidden in this headquarters. You should know that the backing of this human trafficking organization is very likely the Ten Thousand Buddha Temple. We should be careful."

"Hmph, so what if it's Wanfo Temple? Committing such a beastly act makes them the scum of the earth. Don't think I'll spare one Wanfo Temple; I'll destroy ten of them without hesitation!"

"Alright, that's enough. Everyone, calm down and check your weapons. This journey hasn't been easy. Since the Xuan Yin Grottoes is the headquarters of human traffickers, it must be full of traps and mechanisms. Let's not get trapped before we even see the traffickers."

"That makes sense."

Qi Ji had no interest in getting involved in the discussion.

With a light tap of his foot, he leaped into the air and quickly reached the top of the tallest ancient tree beside him, standing on a horizontal branch and gazing into the distance.

At the edge of the field of vision, a huge bluish-gray line stretched across the sky and earth, like a sleeping dragon.

This is the Wanzhen Cangdi.

Even from miles away, one can feel the overwhelming sense of awe and oppression that stretches as far as the eye can see.

"Is this the Wanzhen Cang Embankment? It's really magnificent. The embankment is much higher than I expected."

(｡･o･｡)

As Qi Ji sighed, his senses expanded.

He could sense that behind the massive dam in his field of vision was an intense, almost impenetrable mist of water vapor, vast and boundless.

Qi Ji knew that this was undoubtedly "Yunqiu Daze".

Qi Ji had heard Su Yanji mention it along the way.

The Yunqi Great Marshland is divided into a dry season and a flood season.

The dry season has little impact.

However, during the flood season, the water in the marshland rises rapidly and continuously.

The strangest thing is that the flood season is completely unpredictable; sometimes it rises once a year, and sometimes it doesn't happen for ten years.

Before the Wanzhen Cangdi dike was built, every flood season in the Yunqi Daze was a catastrophe for more than twenty surrounding countries, with floods causing millions of deaths and thousands of people displaced.

It wasn't until more than 500 years ago, when the combined efforts of more than 20 countries were used to build this massive dike, that the flood was finally contained.

Standing atop the tree, Qi Ji gazed at the long embankment, a hundred meters high, stretching to the horizon on both sides, and couldn't help but sigh once again.

The length of the Wanzhen Cangdi dike is one thing, but its height is no joke.

Such a massive project would have been considered a miracle even in my previous life. I never imagined that it would be built by human effort in a world with a social system comparable to ancient times.

"Lord White Deer."

Su Yanji's voice came from below.

Upon hearing this, Qi Ji snapped out of his daze, leaped down, and landed steadily on the ground.

Su Yanji stepped forward, his expression solemn, and lowered his voice, saying, "The most crucial step in the next operation rests on Lord Bailu. Lord Bailu, you will need to..."

She leaned closer and whispered the core of the plan in detail.

"Yo~"

After listening, Qi Ji let out a deer-like cry and nodded, indicating that he understood.

Looking at Qi Ji's expression, Su Yanji said with a helpless yet earnest tone, "Lord Bailu, this time... you must follow the plan. Don't let it turn out like it did at Black Stone Fortress before."

".................."

Qi Ji felt a little embarrassed upon hearing this.

(￣ω￣;)

Last time at Blackrock Fortress, he didn't want to lose control, but that extremely disgusting aura kept bothering him, causing his body's instinctive disgust and anger to overwhelm his reason.

But things are different now.

Qi Ji turned his head to look into the depths of the mountain rocks, his golden eyes slightly darkening.

He could sense that the same uncomfortable aura emanating from the area just ahead, and it was even stronger than the one he felt in Blackrock Fortress.

However, having experienced the impact of Blackstone Fortress, Qi Ji's tolerance for the aversion to this aura fluctuation has become much stronger.

I will no longer act impulsively and recklessly based on instinct.

After everyone had rested, the group continued along the base of the mountain rocks. Following the information they had gleaned from Duan Chi, they soon stopped in front of a seemingly ordinary stone wall.

This stone wall blends seamlessly with the surrounding rocks, covered in moss and weathering marks, and anyone who sees it would only think it's an ordinary cliff.

"This is it."

Su Yanji stepped forward, his gaze sweeping across the stone wall, and quickly found a very inconspicuous cross mark.

You can't notice it at all unless you look closely.

She reached out and pressed her hand on the center of the scratch; the area marked with the cross immediately dented.

"Boom!"

A dull creaking sound came from deep within the mountain rock, and the heavy stone wall in front of them slowly receded inward, revealing a tall and wide opening.

This is actually a giant stone gate made of natural mountain rock with a hidden mechanism weighing thousands of pounds.

"We've found the right place!"

Someone gave a low shout, their eyes gleaming.

The group perked up, gripped their weapons, and filed in.

Almost at the same moment the stone gate opened, the members inside immediately learned of the situation through the interconnected mechanisms.

Deep within the Xuan Yin Grottoes, a guard in black rushed in, knelt on one knee, and said urgently, "Lord Xuan Ye, a large number of unidentified people have broken into the outer grottoes. Judging from the direction they came in, they entered through the main gate. It seems... they are the same group that destroyed Black Stone Fortress."

Upon hearing this, Xuan Ye slowly turned around, a cold smile curling at the corner of his mouth.

"The speed is not slow."

He spoke in a flat tone, as if he were talking about a trivial matter: "It seems that Duan Chi has let his guard down and revealed the entrance mechanism."

He raised his hand, his fingertips twirling the black Buddhist prayer beads, his smile carrying a hint of cold-blooded ruthlessness.

"Since you dared to barge in, then... none of you are leaving."

Xuan Ye raised his eyes, looked at the guards below the steps, and asked calmly, "How many of them came?"