119: Map Discovery

The night was deep, but inside the newly occupied Giant Demon Beehive, it was brightly lit.

Gao De sat in the core chamber that originally belonged to the Bee Queen. On the stone table in front of him lay the Jade Slip recording the map of the Yunmeng Marsh, as well as a small cup of freshly collected royal jelly, its color golden and translucent, emitting a rich, exotic fragrance and boundless vitality.

He savored this rare, nourishing Saint Grade item, feeling the warm current nourishing his Bloodline and Physical Body, while his Divine Sense once again immersed itself in that ancient map.

His Divine Sense wandered across the map, comparing it with the information about the surrounding dangerous areas previously described by Green Edge and Iron Pincer, attempting to correlate the ancient markings with the current reality.

When his Divine Sense swept over an area several hundred miles to the northeast of their current location on the map, his gaze suddenly sharpened!

There, the map was marked with an eye-catching black spiral pattern, accompanied by a few lines representing chaotic Qi currents.

This symbol felt remarkably similar to the "Soul-Bewitching Water Ravine"—that area with intricate waterways, filled year-round with fog that interfered with Divine Thought—as described by Green Edge!

Moreover, the direction matched!

Green Edge had indeed said that the "Soul-Bewitching Water Ravine" was located a hundred miles west of Ghost Cry Gorge, and looking northeast from their current position at the Giant Demon Beehive, the general direction was consistent!

The precision of the map might be limited, but the direction and iconic features overlapped highly!

"The Soul-Bewitching Water Ravine... it's actually marked on this map!" Gao De's heart stirred. "And, looking at the prominence of this 'black hole' pattern and the markings representing chaotic Qi currents next to it, it seems that in the eyes of the cartographer, the danger level or special nature of this place is even above that of ordinary dangerous areas?"

He recalled Green Edge's description at the time: "...It is said that many Third-Tier Yao Beasts have been trapped to death there, and even a Fourth-Tier Demon King has lost their way inside, taking several years to escape."

A place that could trap a Fourth-Tier Demon King for several years was definitely not just a simple maze or an area that interfered with Divine Thought!

Perhaps this map revealed a deeper reason, or marked some unknown secrets within it?

Gao De's fingers tapped unconsciously on the stone table. The warmth brought by the royal jelly was still circulating in his body, but his heart surged with waves due to this discovery.

"Since this 'Soul-Bewitching Water Ravine' is so heavily marked, does it also hide a similar, or even greater, Opportunity? Or perhaps some extreme danger?"

His strength had greatly increased, and he now had Green Edge, Iron Pincer, and the newly subdued Giant Demon Bee Swarm under his command; his confidence was far greater than when he first entered the Yunmeng Marsh.

"Perhaps... after completely digesting this harvest and stabilizing my forces, the next step could be to explore the edge of this 'Soul-Bewitching Water Ravine'."

A glint of inquiry flashed in Gao De's eyes.

This map, obtained from the bottom of the cold pool, was like a treasure map, guiding him step by step to unveil the deeper veil of the Yunmeng Marsh.

He firmly memorized the terrain and markings of the "Soul-Bewitching Water Ravine" and its surrounding areas on the map, and had already listed this place as a key exploration target for the future.

After confirming that the marking of the "Soul-Bewitching Water Ravine" highly matched the actual situation, Gao De's spirits were lifted.

He once again immersed his Divine Sense into the Jade Slip map, his mindset already different.

Previously, looking at the strange pattern symbols such as fish, snakes, Dragons, turtles, flames, poisonous gas, and black holes scattered all over the map, he had only felt they were chaotic and unordered.

But now, with the "Soul-Bewitching Water Ravine" as a successful reference point, it was as if he held the key to interpreting this ancient region!

"Since the marking of the 'Soul-Bewitching Water Ravine' matches and reveals that its core danger lies in spatial illusions and Divine Thought interference, then other markings must also correspond to specific areas, Yao Beast tribes, or natural dangers that exist in reality!"

Gao De's heart suddenly cleared. "As long as I find an accurate reference frame and determine the approximate scale of the map, I can follow the map to find what I need and systematically plan my next actions!"

He immediately began to act.

Using the confirmed "Cold Mist Valley" (although it might not be directly marked on the map, its relative position can be inferred), the Giant Demon Beehive plains (which can correspond to the bee-shaped marking area on the map), and the "Soul-Bewitching Water Ravine" as known coordinate points.

By carefully comparing the direction and distance of the mountains and water Systems on the map, he quickly outlined in his mind a "dynamic map" covering a large area of the outer Yunmeng Marsh, with clear risk and resource markings!

Those areas marked with flame and poisonous gas symbols obviously represented natural dangerous areas formed by some extreme environments; he would prioritize avoiding them until he had sufficient preparation and certainty.

And some areas marked with patterns of deer, tigers, and other non-aquatic Yao Beasts might mean that land-based Yao Beast tribes existed there, which might contain different resources and could serve as alternative exploration directions.

"Next, our goal is very clear." Gao De put away the Jade Slip, his eyes flashing with wisdom and ambition. "Integrate existing resources and improve strength. Then, following the guidance of this 'treasure map', one by one, gradually convert these marked points into our resources and territory!"

He carefully compared the surrounding forces described by Green Edge and Iron Pincer with the map markings and quickly discovered a key problem:

"The Thunder Kui Demon King to the northeast, Lady Jade Flood Dragon to the southeast, and the Hundred-Eyed Centipede in the Corrosive Poison Marsh to the southwest... these powerful beings you speak of, why are there no corresponding markings on this map?" Gao De looked at Green Edge and Iron Pincer, his gaze sharp.

The two Yao were stunned. After thinking carefully, Green Edge hesitated and said, "Reporting to Master, it is said that the Thunder Kui Demon King only occupied Thunder Cloud Mountain within the last three hundred years... Lady Jade Flood Dragon appeared at Bi Bo Pool only a hundred years ago... As for that Hundred-Eyed Centipede, although it is a remnant species, its activity and claim to territory seem to be matters of these last few hundred years as well."

Iron Pincer also waved its pincers and added, "That old guy, the Black Bone Crocodile King, has been entrenched in the Thousand Reed Swamp for a long time; it is said that he is much older than us!"

Hearing this, a glimmer of realization flashed in Gao De's eyes, and a meaningful smile curled at the corner of his mouth: "So that's it... I understand."

He pointed at the map and explained, "This map was drawn by an Elder of the Hundred Beasts Sect a thousand years ago. A thousand years of time, the vicissitudes of life—for Yao Beasts, it is the same. Many of the powerful beings from back then may have already fallen or migrated, while new Demon Kings constantly rise and occupy territory."

"Therefore, many of the Yao Beast force markings on the map, except for old-timers like the Black Bone Crocodile King, are mostly outdated and cannot be fully trusted."

He changed the subject and pointed his finger at the markings representing natural landscapes and natural dangerous areas, such as the "black hole" representing the Soul-Bewitching Water Ravine, and the "flame" and "poisonous gas" symbols in some areas.

"However, these mountains, rivers, and naturally formed dangerous areas are relatively stable and change slowly. The fact that the 'Soul-Bewitching Water Ravine' matches is proof! These markings are the core value of this map now!"

His train of thought instantly became clear, and his Divine Sense quickly swept over the map:

· Soul-Bewitching Water Ravine (Black Hole Marking) - Confirmed, high risk, contains spatial illusions.

· Black Bone Crocodile King (Crocodile Marking) - Confirmed, active, high risk, must avoid.

· Other Yao Beast markings - Doubtful, may have been replaced, need cautious verification, do not rashly judge current forces based on the markings.

· Natural dangerous area markings such as flames and poisonous gas - High credibility, can be prioritized for avoidance as dangerous areas.

· Unknown special symbols (such as broken stone monuments, starry light points) - High-value exploration targets, as they may point to ruins or special resource points unaffected by the passage of time.

"Wonderful!" Gao De exclaimed inwardly. "In this way, not only has this map not depreciated, but its purpose is even clearer! It helps me filter out the interference of power changes over the past thousand years, pointing directly to those ancient, enduring, or slowly changing dangerous areas and potential Opportunities!"

He could fully formulate a more precise action strategy based on this: treat the map as a "Map of Ancient and Modern Natural Dangers and Resource Points" rather than a "Current Force Distribution Map".

Prioritize exploring those areas with clear markings related to natural dangers and special landscapes, while for Yao Beast markings, use them only as a reference and must rely on the latest intelligence for verification.