139: Chapter 139 Silent Thunder Swamp! A Silent Killing Intent!

The five members of Donghuang First Team stood at the edge of the Silent Thunder Marsh, gazing at the dead, eerie black swamp ahead.

The air was filled with an unsettling tranquility; even the sound of the wind seemed to have been swallowed by this strange land.

Only the occasional bubbles rising from the depths of the marsh, emitting faint flashes of lightning as they burst silently,

proved that this place was not devoid of life, but rather harbored lethal dangers.

"This place... is a bit sinister," Ji Cang said, holding his saber, his brow slightly furrowed. The instinct of his White Tiger Battle Body made him sense hidden dangers.

Lu Chenxin gripped his longsword tightly, his sword qi contained within: "Spiritual sense detection is heavily obstructed. The mist and the swamp itself seem to absorb energy fluctuations."

Chen Ye didn't speak, but the cold air around him intensified, clearly entering a state of high alert.

Bai Qianer's small face was a bit pale, and she subconsciously moved closer to Zhou Heng: "Brother Zhou Heng, I feel so oppressed."

Zhou Heng activated his [Omniscient Eye], scanning the area ahead with full force.

In his vision, the energy reactions within the swamp were extremely chaotic and concealed.

The ability of the [Omniscient Eye] was also significantly suppressed here, only able to perceive blurry energy outlines and a multitude of latent life reactions.

[Environmental Analysis: Silent Thunder Marsh. Anomalous rules zone. Sound propagation is greatly suppressed. Energy perception is chaotic.]

[Threat Sources: 1. The swamp itself: Possesses strong adhesive and corrosive properties, contains silent thunder, can directly attack the soul. 2. Latent creatures: Detected numerous high-energy lifeform reactions, mostly of water, thunder, poison, and dark attributes, possessing strong camouflage and aggressiveness.]

[Recommendation: Unknown risks for high-altitude flight. Extreme caution required for ground-level traversal.]

Zhou Heng took a deep breath and said gravely, "This place is not simple. I'll scout ahead first. You all stay here on alert. Do not act rashly without my signal."

"Be careful, Heng-ge!" Lu Chenxin reminded.

Chen Ye nodded.

Wind and Thunder Twin Wings slowly unfurled behind Zhou Heng's back, swirling with azure-purple lightning, appearing particularly conspicuous in this deathly silent environment.

He did not choose to fly at high altitude but maintained a low-altitude hover two to three meters off the ground, cautiously gliding forward.

His movements were extremely gentle, barely disturbing the airflow. The essence of [Wind Thunder Illusion Steps] was executed to perfection, moving as silently as a ghost.

Less than ten meters into the swamp area, Zhou Heng felt an invisible pressure envelop his entire body, as if he had sunk into thick glue. The elemental energy consumption for flight increased dramatically.

Simultaneously, a subtle but soul-piercing numbness continuously assailed him—the erosion of the silent thunder!

He immediately circulated [Myriad Tribulations Thunder Prison Body] and his Spear Intent to protect his soul, suppressing this discomfort.

The [Omniscient Eye] continuously scanned the seemingly calm black mire below.

Suddenly,

beneath an ordinary-looking patch of mud to his left front, the [Omniscient Eye] detected an extremely concealed, yet energy-level-three-peak life reaction!

That thing was camouflaged extremely well, almost blending perfectly with the swamp!

Zhou Heng remained expressionless, pretending not to have noticed, and continued moving forward at a steady pace.

Just as he was about to pass over that area—

Splash!

The mud suddenly exploded!

A thick, dark purple tentacle covered in suckers and mucus shot toward Zhou Heng like lightning!

The tip of the tentacle opened, revealing densely packed, lightning-flickering sharp teeth! Its speed was astonishingly fast!

[Target: Annihilating Thunder Octopus (Tentacle)]

[Realm: Third-rank Peak]

[Characteristics: Master of Camouflage. Tentacles contain annihilating thunder and neurotoxin, capable of silent ambush!]

"I was waiting for you!" A sharp glint flashed in Zhou Heng's eyes; he had been prepared!

His Wind and Thunder Twin Wings flapped violently, instantly lifting his body several meters higher, narrowly dodging the tentacle's lunge!

Simultaneously, the dragon spine spear shot out like a venomous snake, a Spear Intent-infused [Rushing Thunder Thrust] accurately aimed at the base of the tentacle!

Ssshh—!

The purple-gold spear radiance tore through the air but eerily did not produce much sound; most of the noise was absorbed by the swamp!

The spear radiance accurately struck the junction where the tentacle connected to the mud!

"Squelch!" A muffled sound, dark purple blood splattered.

The tentacle convulsed violently and retracted deep into the mire, leaving behind only a churning mud pit and a foul, fishy odor.

Zhou Heng did not pursue. Instead, he immediately gained altitude, vigilantly watching below.

He knew such creatures usually had more than one tentacle.

Sure enough, the next moment, the surrounding mud simultaneously exploded!

Seven or eight equally ferocious tentacles attacked from different angles, sealing off all his evasion routes!

At the same time, a powerful suction force emanated from below, attempting to drag him into the swamp!

"Annihilation Thunder Domain! Open!"

Zhou Heng shouted lowly, a dark black domain instantly expanding!

Wind blades and thunder serpents wreaked havoc, violently colliding with those tentacles!

The annihilating thunder on the tentacles and the Annihilation Thunder Domain mutually eroded, emitting sizzling sounds. However, Zhou Heng's domain clearly had the upper hand, forcing the tentacles back!

"Thunder Fury Nine Heavens!"

Seizing the opportunity, Zhou Heng merged man and spear, transforming into a violent thunderous spear radiance.

Following the direction of the energy core analyzed by the [Omniscient Eye], he fearlessly charged into the depths beneath the mud!

BOOM—!!!

A muffled explosion sound came from deep within the mire, causing the entire swamp surface to shake violently!

A moment later, Zhou Heng burst out of the mud, flying out, covered in sludge but with bright eyes.

The powerful life reaction below rapidly dimmed and vanished.

[Successfully killed Annihilating Thunder Octopus (Main Body)! Obtained 18 points!]

Having dealt with the first trouble, Zhou Heng dared not relax and continued forward.

The journey that followed was even more heart-stopping with every step.

[Thunder Arrow Fish] that silently shot out from underwater, containing potent venom.

[Thunder Crocodiles] camouflaged as floating logs, suddenly lunging to bite.

Even [Illusory Sound Jellyfish] capable of releasing mental illusions, luring people to sink into the swamp!

All sorts of strange and dangerous swamp creatures emerged one after another, their attack methods cunning and ruthless. Moreover, due to the silent environment, early warning was extremely difficult.

Zhou Heng danced on the edge of a blade, every dodge and counterattack precise and efficient,

displaying his combat wisdom and adaptability to the fullest.

When encountering solitary or slightly weaker creatures, he directly eliminated them with thunderous force.

When encountering troublesome or grouped creatures, he utilized his speed to maneuver, seeking opportunities for a single decisive strike, never engaging in prolonged battles.

Ji Cang and the other three on the shore watched with bated breath, their hearts pounding.

Although they couldn't hear much sound, they could see Zhou Heng constantly twisting and turning,

his spear strikes like a dragon, lightning flashing, along with the occasional exploding mud and vaguely visible massive shadows. They could imagine the peril involved.

"Zhou Heng is too fierce..." Lu Chenxin couldn't help but exclaim.

"This guy..." Ji Cang's mouth twitched slightly.

Chen Ye's gaze was focused, seemingly analyzing and learning from Zhou Heng's response methods.

Bai Qianer clenched her hands tightly, her small face full of tension and worry.

Just as Zhou Heng had arduously advanced about a kilometer and could vaguely see the outline of the opposite shore, another sudden change occurred!

In the sky, the perpetually low-hanging, lead-gray thunderclouds

suddenly began to churn violently, electric serpents dancing wildly within the clouds, emitting a low, deep "humming" sound that seemed to resonate directly in the soul!

A suffocating pressure enveloped the entire Silent Thunder Marsh!

[Warning! Detected ultra-high energy level environmental change! Thunderclouds Descend! Suspected precursor to rule-based attack!]

[Danger Level: Extremely High! Recommend immediately seeking cover or withdrawing at full speed!]

Zhou Heng's expression changed drastically! This kind of heavenly might was absolutely not something individual strength could withstand!

"Not good! Retreat quickly!" He didn't hesitate for a moment. His Wind and Thunder Twin Wings erupted with full power, transforming into a stream of azure-purple light as he raced back toward his original path at the fastest speed!

Simultaneously, he sent an emergency retreat signal to his teammates on the shore!

Seeing Zhou Heng's actions and the celestial phenomenon in the sky, Ji Cang and the other four also realized something was seriously wrong and immediately retreated swiftly!

RUMBLE—!!!

Although the sound was greatly suppressed, the terrifying roar originating from the soul level still shook everyone!

They saw countless thick bolts of lightning of various colors, cascading down from the clouds like a waterfall, indiscriminately bombarding the entire Silent Thunder Marsh!

At this moment, the originally dead-silent swamp transformed into a true thunderous hell!