113: Details of Osawa

He estimated the time; although Cultivating here was extremely effective, his primary goal for this trip was to familiarize himself with the environment and consolidate his cultivation, not long-term secluded meditation.

Yunmeng Marsh was vast, and there were other places to explore. Furthermore, while the Water Mansion and Qianjiao Cliff were well-arranged, it was not advisable to be away for too long.

“This place is an excellent cultivation Holy Land and a future Treasure Trove; I need to plan carefully,” Gao De decided in his heart. “Once my cultivation reaches the Tier 3 Late Stage, or even the Transformation Realm, it won't be too late to try and break the Restrictions here.”

He stood up and took one last look at the treasures on the stone platform, firmly memorizing their appearance, aura, and especially the details of those bone fragments and the jade box.

“Let's go, it's time to leave.” Gao De led the Two Demons and returned the way they came.

They passed through the herb garden, walked out of the secret door, and returned to the original underground lake. Through the stable exit vortex in the center of the lake, they successfully left the Secret Realm and appeared in the waters outside Ghost Cry Gorge.

Looking back, the water in Ghost Cry Gorge was still turbulent and the wind was wailing. That hidden entrance to the Secret Realm had already vanished, waiting for the next ten-year cycle, or for its true master to come and open it.

Gao De's trip was very fruitful: not only did he subdue two great generals, Green Edge and Iron Pincer, and obtain a gui water spirit pearl and several thousand-year-old Spirit Medicines, but his cultivation had also improved. More importantly, he had discovered and confirmed a cultivation Holy Land containing a startling Treasure Trove that could be utilized long-term. In the future, he might even have the chance to move his entire Immortal Cave here.

After leaving the Secret Realm that held the future Treasure Trove, Gao De did not intend to return to Lake immediately.

He had just entered the Yunmeng Great Marsh and wanted to use this trip to broaden his horizons and temper himself.

The Yunmeng Great Marsh unfolding before his eyes was by no means an ordinary swamp.

This was a vast, boundless, and ancient region with extremely complex terrain.

Looking out, where the waters spread, mountain ranges rose like islands, plains and hills interlaced, and there were vast stretches of untouched primeval forests like dark green oceans, with the low roars of unknown beasts echoing from their depths.

Hot water swamps steamed with white mist smelling of sulfur, while deep pools and large lakes were as dark as ink, as if connected to the Nine Serenities.

Evil waters flowing crosswise and toxic miasmas breeding were the norm, but it also nurtured spiritual and beautiful blessed lands rarely found in the outside world, hidden between mountain hollows and water streams.

No one knew exactly how vast the Yunmeng Marsh was; perhaps only the masters who ruled this place in ancient times could fully know its mysteries.

Since ancient times, the entire Great Marsh had been shrouded year-round in a layer of thin, ethereal mist.

This mist was no ordinary thing; it was mixed with various miasmas and had a strange effect of suppressing Divine Thought.

Even with Gao De's powerful Divine Sense, which far exceeded that of Cultivators of the same rank, he was greatly suppressed here. Just in this outer area, the range and precision of his Divine Thought probes were weakened by nearly fifty percent, as if he had fallen into an invisible quagmire.

He summoned Green Edge and Iron Pincer and commanded: “You two have been entrenched here for hundreds of years; you should have some understanding of the power distribution and dangerous places in the outskirts of this Yunmeng Great Marsh.

Tell this King in detail which existences in the vicinity must be avoided, and which areas are not to be stepped into lightly.”

Hearing this, Green Edge and Iron Pincer did not dare to be negligent; they knew this was the time to show their value to their new master.

The Two Demons, one after the other, combined their hundreds of years of experience and hearsay to begin sketching a 'map of perils' of the Yunmeng Great Marsh's outskirts for Gao De.

To the northeast is Thunder Cloud Mountain—the Thunder Kui Demon King.

He is said to be a descendant of the Kui Ox possessing a trace of the ancient Thunder God Bloodline, a Fourth-Tier Yao Beast who occupies a mountain range shrouded in thunderclouds year-round.

His temperament is violent, and he controls lightning; ordinary Cultivators and the Yao Race simply do not dare to approach the borders of his territory.

Green Edge had once seen from afar as he summoned heavenly thunder to kill a Tier 3 Peak avian Yao that had intruded into his territory, his might shaking the heavens and earth.

To the due east is the Thousand Reed Swamp—the Black Bone Crocodile King.

An old crocodile who has lived for an unknown number of years, at the Fourth-Tier Early Stage Peak, entrenched in the depths of a vast and boundless reed swamp.

His shell is indestructible, his bite force is terrifying, and he is extremely cunning and sinister, excelling at lurking and ambushing. One of Iron Pincer's kinsmen accidentally entered his territory and never came out again.

And to the northwest is the master of Jade Wave Pool—Lady Jade Flood Dragon.

She is said to be a white jade flood dragon with a pure flood dragon bloodline, at the Fourth-Tier Early Stage, occupying a bottomless cold pool with many aquatic Yao Cultivators gathered under her command.

This Yao does not like conflict, but her sense of territory is extremely strong, and she is said to be connected to some powerful dragon-kin deeper within; people generally do not wish to provoke her.

Finally, to the due west in the Corrosive Poison Marsh—the Hundred-Eyed Centipede.

Not a traditional Yao King, but a Great Desolation Remnant Species with low intelligence but extreme ferocity. It is a hundred zhang long, with a hundred legs and a hundred eyes, and can spit out highly corrosive toxic miasma.

The area for a thousand miles around its nest is a dead land; even Fourth-Tier Demon Kings are unwilling to step lightly into that region. This creature is a recognized taboo in this area.

Information about some dangerous lands was also relayed by them one by one.

The nearest, the Soul-Ensnaring Stream, is located a hundred miles west of 'Ghost Cry Gorge' to the north.

The waterways there are as intricate as a labyrinth, filled year-round with a bizarre mist that can interfere with Divine Thought and confuse the mind.

It is said that many Tier 3 Great Yao have been trapped to death there, and even a Fourth-Tier Demon King once lost his way inside, taking decades to escape.

The Shipwreck Graveyard is located to the northwest, near the edge of Lady Jade Flood Dragon's territory.

Countless ships from the Immortal Qin Dynasty era are sunk there; resentment gathers and does not dissipate, breeding all kinds of evil spirits and ghosts. There are even rumors of a Nascent Soul Stage Ghost King lurking there; sunlight rarely enters, making it gloomy and terrifying.

The Ancient Battlefield Ruins are located due west, about three thousand miles deep.

It is a site left over from a great war in ancient times; the space is unstable, with spatial cracks appearing frequently, and the residual killing intent has not dissipated after ten thousand years, capable of eroding the mind.

However, it may also contain ancient treasures and Opportunities; it is a dangerous land where Opportunity and risk coexist.

Listening to the Two Demons' narration, Gao De gained a clear understanding of the surrounding dangers.

He pondered for a moment and then asked: “Besides these, do you know of anything else that requires special attention? For example... those races that only exist in the records of ancient books?”

Green Edge and Iron Pincer looked at each other, both seeing a trace of fear in the other's eyes.

Green Edge flicked his snake tongue, his voice carrying awe: “Master is wise. The depths of this Yunmeng Marsh are indeed not something we dare to peer into.

But even in these outskirts, there are some ancient Bloodlines entrenched.

As far as we know, in a turbulent stretch of water called 'Red Water' about several hundred miles to the due north of our current location, there lives a group of Luoyu!”

“Luoyu?” Gao De's jiao pupils narrowed as he recalled a certain record. “Is it the kind of strange beast with a fish's body and bird's wings, a voice like a mandarin duck, whose appearance heralds a great flood in the city?”

“It is exactly that thing!” Iron Pincer chimed in with a muffled voice, his giant pincers opening and closing uneasily. “Those fellows are not to be trifled with. Although their individual strength might not be top-tier, they are social creatures!

And where they appear, it is often accompanied by bizarre floods and sudden climate changes; it's very eerie. When we used to hunt, we would always go around that stretch of Red Water.”

Gao De's heart tightened.

Luoyu—this was a famous strange beast from the 'Classic of Mountains and Seas,' a Remnant Species truly flowing with ancient blood, by no means comparable to ordinary Yao Beasts.

He hadn't expected such existences to be active even in the outskirts of Yunmeng Marsh. This gave him a deeper level of understanding regarding the danger of these ancient waters.

Listening to the Two Demons' narration, Gao De's face remained calm, but his heart was secretly alarmed.

This Yunmeng Great Marsh truly lived up to its reputation; even the outer regions were so full of hidden talents and lurking dangers.

“So, where we are currently located is considered a relatively 'peaceful' area?” Gao De confirmed once more.

“Yes, Master,” Green Edge said hurriedly. “The Spiritual Qi in this Ghost Cry Gorge area is relatively sparse, so few powerful existences pay attention to it.

Further in, that is the true peril of the Great Marsh. It's said there are even more terrifying Great Desolation Remnant Species slumbering, and even Fourth-Tier Demon Kings don't dare to lightly step into the core regions.”

Gao De nodded, his plan already clear in his mind. He commanded: “You two lead the way. We will avoid those Demon King territories, known dangerous lands, and the Red Water where the Luoyu are, and continue exploring in these relatively safe outskirts. Focus on looking for ancient ruins, stone tablets, or unusual fluctuations in the water.”

“As you command!”

With these two locals leading the way, Gao De's exploration became more targeted.

They cautiously shuttled between the complex waterways and forest lands, avoiding one potential threat after another. Gao De practiced using the environment while moving, consolidating his cultivation and tempering his Divine Abilities, all while constantly gathering information.

His journey through Yunmeng Marsh was like sailing cautiously through a fog; although slow, it was steady, accumulating indispensable experience and knowledge for the day he would truly delve deep into these waters filled with ancient secrets.