160: Accidentally entering the forbidden area

The Blood Nightmare Blood Mosquitoes collided with the light barrier, their speed momentarily stalling as they emitted sharp shrieks; they clearly disliked this aura, but they did not retreat, instead flying rapidly around the light barrier in search of a Breakthrough point.

"My Clear Spirit Barrier cannot hold for much longer!" Sweat appeared on Xiao Qinghan's forehead; these Blood Nightmare Blood Mosquitoes were of too high a rank, and the effectiveness of her Spell was greatly reduced.

Lin Feng thought rapidly. If they fought head-on, they might face more than just the few before them; if they attracted a swarm, they would surely die. As for fleeing, in this misty swamp, their speed might not be faster than these flying insects.

His gaze swept over the increasing number of dried corpses of Jueqing Valley Cultivators on the ground, then looked toward the direction from which the Blood Nightmare Blood Mosquitoes had come, and a thought stirred in his heart: "These mosquitoes came from that direction... The fact that Jueqing Valley people died here means they either accidentally entered the territory of the Blood Nightmare Blood Mosquitoes, or... the place they were going is near the territory of the Blood Nightmare Blood Mosquitoes, or they even need to pass through it!"

Jueqing Valley's goal was the houtu blood marrow, and they risked venturing deep into this place; the blood marrow was very likely in the area ahead where the Blood Nightmare Blood Mosquitoes appeared.

"Senior Sister, follow me! We will bypass them along the edge where the Blood Nightmare Blood Mosquitoes appear, do not go deep into their core territory!" Lin Feng made a prompt decision, his right hand wielding his sword to slash out several sharp Sword Qi to force back the Blood Nightmare Blood Mosquitoes attempting to approach. However, when the Sword Qi hit the Blood Nightmare Blood Mosquitoes, it produced the sound of metal clashing, and it was surprisingly difficult to kill them in one strike.

Pulling Xiao Qinghan with his left hand, he moved toward the side-front along the edge of the Clear Spirit Barrier.

Behind them, the life-claiming buzzing sound grew closer and closer, and several Blood Nightmare Blood Mosquitoes broke through the obstruction of the Sword Qi, their scarlet mouthparts almost touching the protective Spiritual Qi light around the two.

The Clear Spirit Barrier, which Xiao Qinghan was maintaining with all her might, was already teetering, and its light was fading rapidly.

"It's no good! The Clear Spirit Barrier is about to break!" Xiao Qinghan said urgently, her Qi in disarray.

Lin Feng let go of Xiao Qinghan, formed a seal with his left hand, and shot out several beams of Ice Soul Divine Light, temporarily freezing the few pursuing Blood Nightmare Blood Mosquitoes.

His Divine Sense scanned the surroundings frantically, searching for a glimmer of survival. Suddenly, he sensed a pure wave of Earth-element Spiritual Qi coming from the center of a depression covered in pale moss to the front left.

It was the houtu blood marrow. It was indeed in this dead zone.

But his instinct for survival in dangerous places, honed over a long time, prevented him from rushing forward rashly.

That depression looked calm, but it always made one feel that something was wrong. However, under the urgency of the soul-chasing Blood Nightmare Blood Mosquitoes, it was difficult to examine it closely for the moment.

"That way!" He made a prompt decision, gave a low shout to Xiao Qinghan, whose Qi was already visibly chaotic, changed direction, and swept rapidly toward the center of the depression. The plan was simple: use the terrain to maneuver a little; if they could take the blood marrow while they were at it, all the better; if not, they would use this brief gap to catch their breath and then plan their next move.

The soul-chasing Blood Nightmare Blood Mosquitoes behind them had already broken free from the ice, following like shadows, their speed so fast that they only left behind afterimages.

Sweeping across the depression, Lin Feng's gaze locked onto the marrow-like object located in the center, which emitted a dark red luster.

However, just as he took the warm and moist object, the ground suddenly softened, like a swamp opening a giant mouth. Countless ancient dark red runes emerged silently from beneath the pale moss, instantly wrapping around their ankles, and a huge, irresistible suction force erupted from within.

The Spiritual Qi of the entire depression reversed crazily, forming an invisible vortex.

Amidst the spinning world, Lin Feng only had time to stow away the houtu blood marrow he had grabbed in his hand, and with his other hand, he gripped Xiao Qinghan's arm tightly before being dragged into endless darkness by that barbaric force.

The last thing he heard in his ears was the sharp but rapidly receding shrieking of the Blood Nightmare Blood Mosquitoes, as well as the rumbling sound of rocks grinding and rubbing against each other.

At the edge of the depression, several grey-white figures appeared quietly; they were the other two Cultivators from Jueqing Valley. They looked indifferently at the ground that had just returned to calm, but was now covered with flickering runes.

The aura of the houtu blood marrow that had originally existed there had disappeared without a trace, leaving only a slowly rotating, dark red light Formation that emitted an ominous aura.

"Hmph, two idiots." The cold-faced Jueqing Valley Cultivator sneered, "In order to snatch the blood marrow, they actually triggered this Nine Nether Filthy Earth Formation."

The indifferent-looking Cultivator beside him nodded slightly, his eyes without any ripples: "This Formation was laid down by an evil Nascent Soul Cultivator who passed away here, just before their death. Using their own Spiritual Qi as the source, it forms a self-contained cage, isolating the inside from the outside. If a Foundation Establishment Cultivator falls into this Formation, their Spiritual Qi will be slowly eroded and assimilated by the filth and Earth fire within, and eventually, their Divine Soul will be destroyed, becoming nutrients to nourish the Formation; there is absolutely no chance of survival."

The cold-faced Cultivator continued: "That's right, the Sect Head once said that to break this Formation, one must either close the Formation eye from the outside with a specific Magical Artifact, or a Core Formation Stage Cultivator must forcefully tear open the Formation space with the power of their Golden Core. Other than that, there is no other way. They are dead for sure."

The two did not linger, as if they had only witnessed two moths flying into a flame, and their figures flickered and disappeared into the thick fog.

He did not know how long he had been tumbling and falling in the darkness, but a heavy impact jolted Lin Feng awake.

He fell heavily onto the hard, cold ground, his bones aching all over. He opened his eyes abruptly and found himself in a huge underground stone cave.

The top was filled with pale white stalactites, emitting a faint, cold light that illuminated this enclosed space. The air was filled with pure yet corrosive filth and Earth fire Qi, and there was also an invisible force field that constantly magnified the anxiety and despair in one's heart.

"Senior Sister!" He looked immediately to his side. Xiao Qinghan was lying to the side, her face as pale as paper, blood stains at the corners of her mouth, and her breath weak; she had clearly been seriously injured in the teleportation impact just now.

Lin Feng stumbled over to Xiao Qinghan's side and saw that the black Qi at the wound on her shoulder was constantly eroding her Meridians.

His heart tightened, and he summoned the Slug. Its tentacles trembled slightly; it seemed to sense the strong filth here and the chaotic Qi in Xiao Qinghan's body, appearing somewhat restless.

"Little guy, I'm counting on you." Lin Feng communicated with his Divine Soul.

A soft white light emanated from the Slug's body as it slowly approached the wound. It secreted a cool and clear mucus, covering the wound.

As the mucus passed, the surging black Qi slowly dissolved, and the worsening trend of the wound was temporarily curbed. A gentle coolness spread along her Meridians, slightly soothing the agitated blood and Spiritual Qi in Xiao Qinghan's body caused by the external impact and the influence of the Formation.

Taking advantage of the gap while the Slug stabilized the injury, Lin Feng quickly explored the surroundings.

The stone cave was integrated into one piece, and the rock walls were carved with dark red runes similar to those outside, which were slowly circulating, emitting a suffocating sense of oppression.

He urged his Sword Essence to strike the rock wall fiercely, but the sword light collided with the runes and dissipated after only stirring up a ripple, the recoil force making his blood and Qi churn. He also tried the Earth Escape Spell, but his body was like hitting a wall of copper and iron, and he was bounced back heavily.

"It's useless..." Xiao Qinghan's weak voice came; with the help of the Slug, she seemed to have regained a trace of clarity.

She leaned against the stone wall, looking at those circulating runes, the bitterness in her eyes deepening, "This Restriction... I have seen a few words about it in the Sect's Incomplete Manual... It is an ancient dead Formation, forming its own world, where filth erodes the body and Earth fire burns the heart... If a Foundation Establishment Cultivator enters, there is no chance of survival. Only at the Core Formation Stage... is there a glimmer of possibility to break the law with force..."