197: Changdang Lake and Shenjinze

After adjusting his direction, Gao De unhurriedly headed toward the "Sunken Gold Marsh" to the southwest.

With over a decade still remaining before the Dragon King's birthday banquet, he was in no rush; this journey was intended for exploration and seeking Opportunity.

After Fusion with the suanni precious blood, he was only a step away from the Fourth Tier; this turning point might lie in some perilous land or within a certain battle.

The path ahead still featured primeval scenery, but as he gradually approached the southern edge of the Yunmeng Great Marsh, traces of human presence began to appear faintly.

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A few days later, based on map information from the Heavenly Sword Alliance Disciples and his own perception, a vast lake with misty waves and abundant water vapor appeared at the end of his vision—Changdang Lake.

This lake covered a vast area, its waters clear and teeming with Spiritual Qi, far beyond what ordinary wild marshes could compare to.

Many islands were scattered in the center of the lake. On some larger islands, buildings with upturned eaves and spiritual fields and medicine gardens could be seen; clearly, Human Cultivators lived there.

The map's brief notes mentioned that this place was occupied by a cultivation Family called the "Rong Family."

Gao De stopped in the mountains and forests a hundred miles away from Changdang Lake, not rashly approaching.

He performed the Hidden Scale Concealment Technique, merging his aura with a towering ancient tree, while simultaneously releasing Rainbow.

"Go scout the lake. Be careful to remain hidden and find out the general strength and range of activity of the Rong Family, as well as if there are any convenient paths or special circumstances leading to the 'Sunken Gold Marsh'," Gao De instructed Rainbow.

Rainbow's body of light and shadow and extraordinary concealment abilities were the best choice for this kind of reconnaissance work.

Rainbow let out a soft cry and turned into an almost invisible dim shadow, gliding silently toward Changdang Lake along the treetops and the water vapor of the lake.

Gao De waited patiently, while using his Divine Sense to sense the Spiritual Qi fluctuations in the lake area from afar.

He could sense more than one Foundation Establishment Stage aura on the large islands in the lake's center. In the middle of one island, there was even a solid and slightly aged Golden Core aura; it should be the "True Person Rong Bing" mentioned in the map, with a Golden Core Early Stage cultivation.

The strength of the entire Rong Family could be considered a local power on the edge of the Yunmeng Marsh, but for him, they no longer posed a threat.

About half a day later, Rainbow returned and clearly transmitted the scouted information through their Divine Thought connection.

The Rong Family indeed occupied several of the best spiritual islands in Changdang Lake. There were about tens of thousands of clan members and hundreds of Cultivators, mainly Qi Refining and Foundation Establishment Cultivators. They operated Spiritual Plant cultivation, fishing and hunting, and a small market relying on the lake's Spiritual Qi, interacting with surrounding Loose Cultivators and small forces.

They had strong control over Changdang Lake, with spirit boats and low-level Disciples patrolling the surface.

Regarding the Sunken Gold Marsh, Rainbow overheard some scattered information.

The Sunken Gold Marsh is located about three hundred miles south of Changdang Lake. It is a vast and dangerous marshy wetland, perpetually filled with pale gold metal-attribute miasma, inhabited by many unique metal-attribute Yao Beasts, with complex terrain, Restrictions, and natural traps everywhere.

The Rong Family seemed to have a complex relationship with the Sunken Gold Marsh—they occasionally organized teams to enter the periphery to collect certain unique metal-attribute Spiritual Plants and minerals, but they never dared to go deep into the core area and were very secretive about the interior.

More importantly, Rainbow discovered a relatively hidden waterway.

To the west of Changdang Lake, there is a tributary called the "Rusty Water River" extending south. The river water has a faint metallic sheen and eventually flows into the edge of the Sunken Gold Marsh.

This river seems to be tainted by the golden Qi of the Sunken Gold Marsh, making its Spiritual Qi thin and slightly toxic. Ordinary Cultivators and aquatic tribes dislike it, and the Rong Family rarely operates on this river, so it might serve as a passage to sneak into the Sunken Gold Marsh.

"The Rong Family... originally subordinate to a Third-Tier Demon King, became independent after the Demon King's violent death..." Gao De pondered the information he had seen on the Jade Slips.

A Golden Core Family that had lost its backing and was struggling independently, facing the nearby yet perilous treasure land of the Sunken Gold Marsh, would likely feel both greedy and fearful.

They likely possessed more detailed intelligence on the periphery of the Sunken Gold Marsh than what was marked on the map, and might even know clues about the "sharp gold Ruined Stele" and "earth vein gold essence."

"Contacting the Family Head directly would be too conspicuous with my current disguised identity and would easily make them overly cautious," Gao De mused. "Better to use the identity of an ordinary Foundation Establishment Loose Cultivator to first gather information in the market before making plans."

He activated the Lesser Turtle Breath Form Mimicry Art, and his form changed in a distortion of light and shadow.

His thirty-zhang-long flood dragon body shrank and condensed, turning into the appearance of a seven-foot-tall, ordinary-looking young man dressed in a grey cloth robe.

He restrained the vast majority of his Dragon prestige and Demonic Qi, only revealing Spiritual Power fluctuations of about the Foundation Establishment Early Stage. His aura carried pure water and lightning attributes, making him look like a Loose Cultivator who had just successfully reached Foundation Establishment by practicing a special Cultivation Technique.

Rainbow once again turned into an almost invisible colored thin line, wrapping around his hair bun, completely hidden.

"I'll use this identity to check out the Changdang Lake market." After confirming the disguise was correct, Gao De's figure flashed, turning into an inconspicuous grey streak of light, flying toward the largest island on the periphery of Changdang Lake—"Qixia Island," where the Rong Family market was located.

On the eastern side of Qixia Island, there was a relatively open beach area with a pier and a row of shops and stalls; this was where the Changdang Lake market was located.

Although not large in scale, people came and went, making it quite lively.

Gao De restrained his aura and entered the market on foot. He first strolled around casually, observing for a bit.

Most of the trades in the market were local specialties of Changdang Lake like aquatic products, low-level Spiritual Plants, and some basic cultivation supplies.

Occasionally, metal-attribute Materials from the periphery of the Sunken Gold Marsh, such as "Gold Thread Grass" and "Red Copper Ore," could be seen, and their prices were not cheap.

He walked into a relatively large general store called "Hundred Treasures Pavilion." The shopkeeper was a shrewd middle-aged man with a Qi Refining eighth-layer cultivation.

"What does Senior need? This shop has a complete range of Materials at fair prices," the shopkeeper greeted warmly, sensing Gao De's Spiritual Pressure as a Foundation Establishment Cultivator.

Gao De pondered slightly and said, "Shopkeeper, I am new here and want to ask about some things. I heard there is a 'Sunken Gold Marsh' to the south that is rich in metal-attribute spiritual Materials. I wonder if your shop has any detailed maps or guides for sale? I am slightly interested in Artifact Refining and want to try my luck on the periphery."

Hearing this, the smile on the shopkeeper's face remained unchanged, but a hint of caution flashed in his eyes: "The Sunken Gold Marsh... Senior must be here for the first time? That place is not peaceful. As for maps, this shop does have a brief one, marking some safe areas on the periphery and common herb-gathering spots." He took out a dusty grey Jade Slip from under the counter. "Ten Low-Grade Spirit Stones a copy. It's not worth much, so I'll give it to Senior for free."

Gao De took the Jade Slip and scanned it with his Divine Sense.

Indeed, it was very brief, only drawing a rough outline and marking a few gathering spots frequently visited by Loose Cultivators and some dangerous areas; it had even less information than the one from the Heavenly Sword Alliance.

"Is this all? I heard that deep within the Sunken Gold Marsh, there might be treasures like 'earth vein gold essence'..." Gao De asked tentatively.

The shopkeeper's expression changed slightly, and he lowered his voice: "Senior, don't say such things out loud. You cannot go deep into the Sunken Gold Marsh! The golden malevolent aura miasma is deadly, and there are powerful Yao Beasts. Let alone earth vein gold essence, even in the middle layers, without Foundation Establishment middle or Late Stage strength, going there is just seeking death. Even the herb-gathering teams organized by the Rong Family on the lake have to be led by several Foundation Establishment Cultivators and must avoid the miasma eruption periods to dare go deep."

He paused and added: "If Senior really wants to know more, you might as well go to the 'Spirit Secret Pavilion' near the pier and ask. It's said that someone there has opened a section in the Heavenly Secret Realm specifically for publishing information about the Sunken Gold Marsh. Occasionally, Loose Cultivators who return alive from the Sunken Gold Marsh sell intelligence there, though it's hard to tell truth from falsehood, and the price is expensive.

Or... wait half a month. The Rong Family on the lake happens to have a herb-gathering team set to depart. If Senior's strength is sufficient, perhaps you can apply to join as a temporary guard, but you'll need to pass the Family deacon's assessment."

"Thank you for the guidance, shopkeeper." Gao De still paid the Spirit Stones and put away the brief map.

The information revealed by this shopkeeper was already much more than the Jade Slip, especially the clues about the Rong Family herb-gathering team and the "Spirit Secret Pavilion."

After leaving the Hundred Treasures Pavilion, Gao De visited several more shops, buying some water-attribute Spiritual Plants unique to Changdang Lake and a few pieces of good quality Red Copper Ore as a cover.

During this time, he asked around indirectly, and the information obtained was mostly the same: the Sunken Gold Marsh is dangerous, with many Yao King perilous lands, and the Rong Family controls the relatively safe passages and intelligence, making it difficult for outsiders to see the full picture.

Finally, he came to an inconspicuous three-story wooden building near the pier. A crooked plaque hung over the door with the words: "Spirit Secret Pavilion."

Pushing the door open, the light inside was dim. Only a disheveled, alcohol-reeking old Cultivator was napping on the table, his cultivation around the Qi Refining sixth layer.

"I heard that news about the Sunken Gold Marsh can be bought here?" Gao De asked directly.

The old Cultivator lazily raised his head, his cloudy eyes sizing up Gao De: "Newcomer? What do you want to know? Different news, different prices."

"A detailed terrain map, distribution of dangerous areas, locations where high-value metal-element Materials might be found, and... rumors about 'sharp gold', 'Ancient Steles', and the like," Gao De said in one breath, while placing a small bag of about fifty Low-Grade Spirit Stones on the table.

The old Cultivator's eyes lit up, but when he heard "sharp gold" and "Ancient Stele," his pupils contracted slightly.

He took the Spirit Stones, fumbled around in his robes for a long time, pulled out a greasy Jade Slip, and grabbed a piece of beast hide, sketching on it like ghost scribbles.

"The map is a bit more detailed than what's sold outside, marking three relatively safe entry routes, five known ranges of Third-Tier or lower metal-attribute Yao Beast nests, and seven or eight spots with dense golden Qi where 'Red Copper Essence' or 'Crushed Gold Sand' might be found. Eighty Spirit Stones."

The old Cultivator pushed the Jade Slip and beast hide over. "As for 'sharp gold' and 'Ancient Stele'... Hehe, those are legends from the deepest parts of the Sunken Gold Marsh. It's said there are ruins left by ancient Cultivators, related to the Immortal Qin Dynasty.

But that place is a dead zone, where the golden malevolent aura forms gales, and there are at least Peak Third-Tier Yao Beasts guarding it.

Decades ago, the Golden Core Old Ancestor of the Rong Family and the Yao King who protected them at the time teamed up to explore it. In the end, the Yao King died a violent death, and the Old Ancestor escaped back heavily injured, only to pass away shortly after.

Since then, the Rong Family has never dared to set their sights on that place again. This news will cost you twenty Spirit Stones, buy one get one free, I'll tell you one more thing—the Rong Family definitely has more detailed data on the core area. That's their Family's highest secret; they won't sell it."

Gao De paid another hundred Spirit Stones and took the Jade Slip and beast hide.

After a rough check, the information provided by this old Cultivator was indeed much more detailed than in the shops, especially regarding the distribution of Yao Beasts and several hidden routes.

And the news about the "sharp gold Ancient Stele" and the Rong Family's secrets further confirmed his suspicions.

"Is the Rusty Water River route safe?" Gao De asked finally.

The old Cultivator grinned, revealing yellow teeth: "That river... the golden malevolent toxic water has no profit to be made, even Yao Beasts are scarce.

People from the Rong Family basically don't go that way. But for those who want to sneak in and don't want to deal with the Rong Family, it's an unpopular choice.

However, there's a kind of 'Iron Wire Crocodile' in the river. Although only Second-Tier, they move in groups and are thick-skinned, making them very troublesome.

Additionally, at the junction of the river and the Sunken Gold Marsh, the golden malevolent aura is particularly dense. Without special methods or treasures to protect the body, staying too long will damage your Foundation. This piece of news is a free gift."

Gao De nodded, asked no more, and turned to leave the Spirit Secret Pavilion.

After wandering around the market a bit more and buying some ordinary Medicinal Pills and Talismans for detoxification and miasma avoidance that low-level Cultivators might use as a cover, Gao De quietly left Qixia Island and found a hidden cave nearby to temporarily settle down.

He compared and integrated several maps and information he had obtained with the one from the Heavenly Sword Alliance, combining Rainbow's reconnaissance and the clues provided by the old Cultivator, gradually outlining a clearer picture of the Sunken Gold Marsh.

"The Rong Family controls the conventional safe paths and most peripheral resource points, but they are very secretive about the true core area and have had painful lessons. The location of the 'sharp gold Ancient Stele' is extremely dangerous," Gao De analyzed.

"Although the Rusty Water River route is remote and has the problems of Iron Wire Crocodiles and golden malevolent aura, it's perfect for avoiding the Rong Family's eyes. However, it can't be ruled out that the Rong Family has other arrangements there. With my Physical Body strength and the purification power of the Neon Luan Rosy Cloud Charm, I should be able to resist the golden malevolent aura. As for the Iron Wire Crocodiles... they are just some Second-Tier Yao Beasts, nothing to worry about."

He looked at Rainbow on his wrist, already having a plan in mind: "We won't get entangled with the Rong Family. We'll take the Rusty Water River and head straight into the Sunken Gold Marsh. First, we'll look for earth vein gold essence and other metal-element treasures in the periphery and middle layers to strengthen ourselves and temper my demonic artifacts. If the time is right, we'll then plot for the 'sharp gold Ancient Stele' in the core area. This trip will focus on scouting and accumulation; there's no need to rush for success."

After resting for a day, Gao De changed back into his usual flood dragon form and, taking Rainbow with him, quietly dove into that murky river with a metallic sheen—the Rusty Water River, sneaking against the faint current and golden malevolent aura toward that mysterious marsh named after "sharp gold."