70: Returning to camp to refine medicine and increase strength, exploring the swamp to fight beasts and move towards the core.

The golden light of the Primordial Origin Sacred Hall gradually faded as the team began their return journey to the camp. In Lin Chen's palm, the shards of the inheritance crystal glowed with a warm light.

"Daddy, when will we reach the camp? I want to show the rune fragments to Little Sea Spirit." Nian Xue sat on A Qing's dragon back, waving the crystal shards in her hand.

A Qing spread her golden wings and sped up. "Soon! We'll be there once we fly over the Origin Slope ahead. I can already smell the fragrance of Origin Porridge!"

As the team flew over the Origin Slope, they indeed saw smoke curling up from the camp. Origin Clan warriors held up their origin staffs in welcome: "The lords have returned! We've cooked Origin Porridge and were waiting for you!"

Upon returning to the camp, the clans immediately divided the labor: the Metal Clan refined the Guardian Crystal Cores into ten bottles of origin realm medicinal liquid, while the Spirit Plant Clan used the primary materials from the flower fields to refine five batches of Legacy Pills.

Lin Chen distributed the Legacy Pills to everyone. "First, stabilize your Realms. Tomorrow, we head to the Origin Swamp to find the core!"

He swallowed a Medicinal Pill himself; his Origin concentration went from 25% (Early Stage Origin Realm) to 28%, and his Divine Thought range expanded to 690 kilometers. After Clear Snow absorbed hers, she went from 90% (mid-transcendence) to 93%, and her Ice and Snow Domain expanded to ninety-two zhang.

Nian Xue munched on a pill; her concentration went from 94.5% (early stage late diamond) to 96.5%, and the demon god mark on her forehead flashed with a brilliant purple-gold light. After A Qing absorbed hers, she went from 52% to 55% (mid-transcendence), and her Dragon Breath's temperature rose by another thirty percent.

That evening, the camp was bustling with activity: the Stone Spirit Clan polished anti-slip boots with origin crystals embedded in the soles; the Sea Spirit Clan crafted Detoxification Talismans to counter the swamp's poison; and the Dragon Clan Dragon Guards wiped down their golden wings, applying origin liquid to enhance their water resistance.

Nian Xue and Little Sea Spirit played "Rune Jigsaw," using the crystal shards to piece together the shape of a small beast. "Look! Doesn't it look like an Origin Spirit Beast?"

Little Sea Spirit nodded and brought over an origin pearl. "This is for you. It can light the way in the swamp. Don't lose it!"

Clear Snow leaned against Lin Chen, watching the people by the campfire. "Husband, the aura of the Swamp Beast Emperor has reached the Late Stage Origin Realm. We must make thorough preparations."

Lin Chen took her hand, his Divine Thought sweeping toward the swamp. "Don't worry. We have Origin Realm combat power, and with the cooperation of the various clans, we can win."

The next morning, the team assembled. The Origin Clan Leader brought five staff-wielding warriors along. "The swamp is divided into three sections: the Shallow Swamp, the Poison Swamp, and the Core Swamp. The Beast Emperor is in the Core Swamp."

After setting out, they first entered the Shallow Swamp—the swamp water shimmered with a faint golden light, and there were Origin Fish and shrimp beneath the surface. Stepping on it felt as soft as a sponge.

"Everyone, walk on the Origin Duckweed! Don't sink into the mud!" the Sea Spirit Clan Leader warned, being the first to step onto the duckweed and move forward steadily.

Nian Xue was being carried by Lin Chen, her little feet lightly tapping the duckweed. "Daddy, the little fish in the water are glowing! They look like little lanterns!"

A Qing spread her wings and flew at a low altitude, her dragon claws gripping the duckweed. "Sit tight, little sister! I'll catch some little fish for you to play with!"

Leaving the Shallow Swamp, they entered the Poison Swamp—the swamp water shimmered with a dark purple light, and the bubbles were filled with a poisonous mist that would melt anything it touched.

"Wear your Detoxification Talismans! Don't touch the poisonous mist!" The Sea Spirit Clan warriors distributed the talismans. Once everyone put them on, the poisonous mist automatically avoided them.

Clear Snow expanded her Ice and Snow Domain, her cold Qi freezing the surrounding poison bubbles. "Everyone, stay close to the team. There are 'Swamp Poison Beasts' in this Poison Swamp!"

Just as she spoke, ten dark purple poison beasts rushed out, their auras at the Peak Late Stage Transcendence. "Outsiders, you are not permitted to cross the Poison Swamp!"

"vanguard team, pin them down! main force team, attack the cores!" Lin Chen ordered. Clear Snow led the Wood Spirits and Sea Spirits to freeze the beasts' limbs, while he led the Metal, stone spirit, and Dragon Clans to strike at the beast cores.

A Qing charged forward, her golden wings slapping at the beasts' eyes and her Dragon Breath scorching their necks. As the beasts thrashed their heads in pain, Lin Chen teleported onto a beast's back and struck its core with the Anti-Heavenly Dao Rule.

"Crack!" The beast core shattered, and the poison beast's aura plummeted. Clear Snow took the Opportunity to pierce its limbs with ice spears, while the Wood Spirit Clan's vines entangled its body.

Nian Xue condensed a Void Light Orb and hurled it at an approaching poison beast. "You bad guy, stop spitting poison! I'm not afraid of you!" The orb exploded, and the poisonous mist instantly dissipated.

The Metal Clan's laser cannons, coated with origin crystal powder, fired into the cracks of the beast cores; the stone spirits' stone projectiles smashed into the beasts' heads; and the Dragon Clan Dragon Guards' golden wings slapped against their chests. All ten poison beasts fell, yielding ten Peak Late Stage Transcendence crystal cores.

"Keep moving! The Core Swamp is just ahead!" Lin Chen ordered. The team gathered the crystal cores and proceeded toward the Core Swamp.

The water in the Core Swamp shimmered with a dense golden light. In the center lay a small island emanating the aura of the Origin Realm's core. Crouched around it was the Swamp Beast Emperor—forty zhang long, composed entirely of black crystal, with an aura reaching the Late Stage Origin Realm!

"The Beast Emperor!" The Origin Clan Leader held his staff at the ready. "Its poisonous mist can corrode Origin Realm defenses. We must use sacred plants to purify it first!"

The Wood Spirit Clan Chief tossed out sacred plant seeds and accelerated their growth with origin liquid. The sacred plants grew instantly, spreading a pale green mist that purified the surrounding poisonous fog.

"Attack!" Lin Chen teleported behind the Beast Emperor and struck its core crystal with the Anti-Heavenly Dao Rule; Clear Snow expanded her Ice and Snow Domain, freezing the Beast Emperor's limbs.

The Beast Emperor roared and spat out a thick black poisonous mist, which was instantly purified by the sacred plants' mist. A Qing unleashed her golden wings Dragon Breath toward the Beast Emperor's wounds, and the Dragon Clan Dragon Guards slapped their golden wings against its eyes.

The Metal Clan's laser cannons, coated with origin crystal powder, fired into the cracks of the core crystal; the stone spirits' stone projectiles smashed against the Beast Emperor's head; and the Elf Clan's arrows shot into its joints. The Beast Emperor's aura plummeted.

Nian Xue condensed a Void Light Orb and hurled it at the Beast Emperor's core crystal. "Daddy, I'll help you!" The orb exploded, causing a massive crack to appear in the core crystal.

Lin Chen seized the Opportunity. His palm condensed Origin Realm energy, and combining it with the Anti-Heavenly Dao Rule, he struck with his most powerful blow. "Boom!" The Beast Emperor collapsed, dissolving into points of Origin light and leaving behind a Late Stage Origin Realm crystal core and a "swamp core orb."

"We won!" everyone cheered. Nian Xue ran over and touched the swamp core orb. "It's so cold! Like an ice bead!"

Lin Chen picked up the crystal core and core bead. After absorbing the crystal core's energy, his Origin concentration went from 28% to 33% (Early Stage Origin Realm); Clear Snow's went from 93% to 96% (mid-transcendence); Nian Xue's went from 96.5% to 98.5% (early stage late diamond); and A Qing's went from 55% to 60% (mid-transcendence).

The team rested on the small island. The Spirit Plant Clan used the swamp core orb to refine three batches of Detoxification Pills; the Metal Clan refined the Beast Emperor's crystal core, obtaining six bottles of origin realm medicinal liquid; and the Stone Spirit Clan reinforced the island's defenses to prevent Vicious Beasts from approaching.

Lin Chen looked toward the center of the island, where the aura of the Origin Realm's core was growing stronger—the core was hidden underground, and they only needed to break through the soil to reach it.

"Everyone, rest for half an hour, then we dig for the core!" Lin Chen ordered. Everyone immediately sprang into action, preparing to welcome a new Opportunity.