196: Misty Swamp

Lu Yang led the women away from the Kugu Wasteland and headed toward their next destination.

As the group continued to advance, the suffocating aura of death and decay in the air was finally left behind.

However, what greeted Lu Yang and the five women was no smooth path. The sight before them instantly tightened their heartstrings again—a Mist Swamp completely shrouded in grey-green miasma as thick as unresolvable grease.

The heavy miasma, like a giant, sickly lung, heavily covered their vision. The sky's light was completely blocked out, and visibility was less than dozens of feet.

The ground beneath them was no longer solid earth; every step could sink into a bottomless, pitch-black quagmire. On the surface floated rotting moss, broken withered leaves, and unknown bones with a pale luster. A strong, moldy, and fishy stench rushed into their nostrils, making them dizzy.

The thin Water Spiritual Qi in the air was unusually active, yet it was as viscous and damp as a spiderweb. Inhaling it into the lungs brought a greasy, sluggish sensation, like breathing in diluted poison.

Turbid bubbles occasionally rolled and burst in the depths of the mire, releasing gases containing weak paralyzing toxins that silently eroded the intruders' vigilance.

This foul environment put everyone under immense pressure.

Spring Breeze's brow was locked in a frown. Her powerful Divine Sense felt as if it had fallen into a quagmire; the filthy miasma and chaotic water spiritual power tangled tightly with her perception, requiring several times more mental effort to analyze the environment.

She could vaguely sense a majestic Water Origin deep within the swamp, but that Origin was wrapped in deep pollution, like a dust-covered pearl—both desirable and alarming. Maintaining her spiritual power shield to resist the miasma toxins while expanding a safe space caused her breathing to become slightly heavy from the load.

Senior Sister Hua Yu's delicate perception made her even more sensitive to the dangers beneath her feet. The chaotic and rapid direction of water currents, the faint toxicity contained deep in the silt, and the auras of restless aquatic Yao Beasts were clearly fed back into her mind. Every step made her feel as if she were walking on thin ice, her heart racing, while spiritual power instinctively circulated to her palms, cold energy ready to be unleashed.

Xia Yuxuan's injuries had not yet healed, and the feeling at this moment was the most painful. The viscous miasma was like countless cold, slippery hands wrapping around her, making it difficult to breathe.

The chaotic and violent Water Spiritual Qi battered her weakened Water Spirit Root like being in the middle of stormy waves; her aura was disordered, and her footsteps were unsteady.

However, amidst this extreme discomfort, her pure Water Spirit Root talent allowed her to faintly catch a trace of an extremely weak, almost illusory pure Water Spiritual pulse. It was like a clear spring in a dark abyss—distant and ethereal, yet bringing a strange, reassuring comfort.

Lu Yang's mind stirred slightly, and his own spiritual power perception quietly extended. The spiritual power within his Water Spiritual Root was already synchronized with Spring Breeze, Senior Sister Hua Yu, and the others.

At this moment, it produced a subtle resonance with the pure and vast Water Spiritual power surrounding Spring Breeze.

In an instant, the majestic yet filthy and oppressive Water Origin that Spring Breeze sensed, as well as the purification power she struggled to maintain in the chaotic environment, were clearly reflected in his Sea of Consciousness like a trickling stream, without any hindrance.

The Water Spiritual power in this swamp far exceeded the ordinary; it was majestic and restless. Although its Origin was buried deep in pollution, it was real and substantial.

Lu Yang quickly unfolded the old map, his fingertip pointing to the area marked as the Mist Swamp. He said in a deep voice, 'The map clearly marks this area for hundreds of miles as the place with the densest Water Spiritual power on the outskirts of the Forbidden Ground's core.'

Combining this with the Wood Spirit Essence of Youhuang Valley and the Earth Spirit Essence of Kugu Wasteland, a clear deduction instantly formed in Lu Yang's mind. Although the Water Origin here was suppressed by filth, its richness and longevity far surpassed other places. Consistent with the patterns of the previous two dangerous lands, there must be a Water Spirit Essence here.

Ning Hong held her breath, trying to minimize the inhalation of miasma. Her body was as tense as a leopard's as she vigilantly scanned the churning grey-green mist and turbid water around her. The muddy and soft ground beneath her offered no leverage, making her proud movement techniques difficult to execute. Like a flying insect trapped in a spiderweb, a sense of irritability naturally arose.

Mu Wanqing's spiritual body instinctively repelled this environment full of death and corruption, and the vitality surrounding her was suppressed.

The miasma toxin constantly eroded her protective spiritual light, forcing her to expend more spiritual power to resist. At the same time, she worked hard to mobilize Wood Spirit vitality, emitting soft pale green light spots like tiny fireflies circling her teammates, doing her best to purify the constantly seeping filthy aura. Her face grew slightly pale as a result.

'Senior Sister Spring Breeze, you will lead the way and take charge of purifying the miasma. Senior Sister Hua Yu, your perception is the most delicate; you are responsible for scouting water current traps and the stability of the silt to guide us on a safe path and assist in defense. Junior Sister Yuxuan,' Lu Yang looked at the pale Xia Yuxuan with an encouraging tone, 'discard external distractions and focus on your talent to sense the specific location of that purest Origin.'

'Ning Hong, you and I will be responsible for guarding the flanks and the rear to clear any approaching threats. Wanqing, stay in the center to disperse the seeping miasma toxins and protect everyone.' Lu Yang quickly assigned the tasks.

The team immediately went into action.

Spring Breeze took a deep breath. A pale blue halo steadily expanded around her, pushing aside the viscous miasma like water ripples, barely opening a passage several feet wide. However, the miasma surged back like a living thing, and the edges of the passage fluctuated violently, letting out a sizzling mournful cry. Her spiritual power consumption increased sharply.

Senior Sister Hua Yu looked focused, her hands pressed against the turbid water surface as streaks of water-blue spiritual power threads probed deep into the quagmire.

'Three steps to the front left, there is an undercurrent vortex beneath the silt. Bypass it.'

'The mud layer beneath the right flank is soft and contains toxic gas pockets. Avoid it.'

Her hurried voice rang out continuously, accurately guiding their direction, while the cold energy in her hands remained restrained but ready, prepared to freeze any sudden threats at any time.

Xia Yuxuan closed her eyes, trying hard to block out the interference of the filthy spiritual power and miasma, sinking her mind completely into her perception of the water element...