30: Chapter 30 The Perils of the Blackwater Marsh

The flying boat pierced through the clouds and mist, speeding toward the northeast.

Lu Mingyuan stood by the gunwale, looking down at the mountains and rivers below. It was late autumn, and the land was a riot of colors—golden rice fields, crimson maple forests, and dark green pines—spreading out like a giant tapestry to the horizon. Further away, an ominous grey-black zone gradually came into focus; that was the Black Water Marsh.

"Half an hour left." Zhang Qingyuan walked to his side, his expression solemn. "Layman Lu, once we reach the marsh, stay close to me. True Demon-level abominations are extraordinary. If a Foundation Establishment Cultivator is tainted by their Devilish Qi, at best, their cultivation will regress; at worst, their Dao foundation will be polluted."

"I understand," Lu Mingyuan nodded. He took three Talismans from his qiankun bag—a Heart-Clearing Talisman, an Evil-Expelling Talisman, and the newly drawn "Following Heart-Calming Talisman"—and tucked them close to his body.

"That 'Heart Talisman' of yours..." Zhang Qingyuan said hesitantly, "might be useful in battle. True Demon abominations are best at disturbing the mind. If one's mental state is unstable, they can only exert thirty percent of their strength."

"I will use it at the appropriate time."

The flying boat began its descent, breaking through the clouds. The full view of the Black Water Marsh unfolded before their eyes—

It was a swampy area spanning a hundred miles, with water as black as ink and withered reeds and rotting weeds floating on the surface. In the center of the swamp, a dark red Rift cut across from east to west, about three miles long and ten zhang wide. Viscous black Qi surged continuously from The Rift, polluting the surrounding waters into a pitch-like color. The original villages by the marsh had long been abandoned, with dried bloodstains faintly visible among the ruins.

The flying boat landed in a clearing three miles outside the marsh. Two Golden Core Daoists were the first to disembark. One of them, a lean Daoist with a long sword on his back, announced loudly, "Deploy the 'Nine Palaces Impurity-Clearing Formation'!"

Over ten Foundation Establishment Cultivators moved quickly, taking out Formation Flags and Formation Plates from their qiankun bags to set them up according to the Nine Palaces positions. Lu Mingyuan was assigned to the "Li Palace" position, responsible for maintaining the spiritual energy flow to the southern Formation eye.

The moment the Formation was completed, a pale golden light shield rose, enveloping everyone. Outside the shield, the foul Devilish Qi was blocked, and the air returned to clarity.

"Junior Brother Zhao, you guard the Formation eye," the sword-bearing Daoist said to the other Golden Core Cultivator. "I will enter the marsh to investigate the state of The Rift."

"Be careful, Senior Brother Lin."

The Daoist surnamed Lin—Lin Qingxuan, a personal Disciple of the Longhu Mountain Sect Leader with a Middle Stage Golden Core cultivation—leapt up and transformed into a streak of Sword Qi, shooting toward the center of the swamp. He flew to a height of a hundred zhang above The Rift, performed a hand Seal, and a golden Talisman descended from the sky, imprinting itself into The Rift.

"Boom—!"

The black water churned, and an angry roar echoed from The Rift. Countless black tentacles reached out from the foul water, grasping at the air. Lin Qingxuan's Sword Qi shifted, turning into thousands of sword shadows that severed all the tentacles. The severed tentacles fell into the water and dissipated into black smoke.

"It is indeed True Demon-level, and it's waking up." Lin Qingxuan returned to the Formation, his face serious. "The Rift has expanded by thirty percent since the last investigation, and the concentration of Devilish Qi has increased by fifty percent. We must reinforce the Seal before it fully awakens."

"How do we reinforce it?" the Daoist surnamed Zhao asked.

"Nine people must enter the marsh with 'Demon-Suppressing Talismans' and place them simultaneously at nine nodes of The Rift. Combined with the outer Nine Palaces Impurity-Clearing Formation, this will form a double Seal." Lin Qingxuan's gaze swept over the crowd. "This mission is dangerous; low-level demonic creatures have already spawned around The Rift. Foundation Establishment Cultivators will work in groups of three to support each other. Who is willing to go?"

After a moment of silence, Lu Mingyuan took a step forward. "I am willing to go."

Zhang Qingyuan followed immediately. "This Disciple will go as well."

Seven more people stepped forward one after another. Lin Qingxuan took out nine jade Talisman plates and distributed them. "These are the sub-Talismans of the 'Nine Heavens Demon-Suppressing Talisman.' They must be activated with essence blood and placed on the nodes of The Rift. Remember, all nine Talismans must be activated simultaneously, with a margin of error no greater than three breaths. Otherwise, the Formation will backlash, and the one placing the Talisman will bear the brunt of it."

He explained in detail the positions and distances of the nine nodes, as well as the types of demonic creatures they might encounter. Lu Mingyuan was assigned to the "Southeast Wing" node, grouped with Zhang Qingyuan and another Middle Stage Foundation Establishment Cultivator named Zhou Ming.

"Move out!"

Nine figures leapt out of the light shield and stepped into the swamp.

As soon as he landed, Lu Mingyuan felt a suction from the mud beneath his feet, and a cold, evil Qi tried to drill into his body from his soles. He immediately circulated the Mind-Cultivation Technique of the Classic of Purity and Tranquility, protecting his body with pure Qi and blocking out the evil Qi.

"Stay close to me." Zhang Qingyuan led the way, waving his fly-whisk to clear the obstructing decaying matter. Zhou Ming brought up the rear, holding a peach wood sword and staying alert to their surroundings.

Visibility in the swamp was extremely low, with black mist everywhere and a sightline of less than three zhang. The foul water reeked, and the remains of animals and even humans floated within it. More eerily, the withered reeds swayed slightly in the water as if they were alive.

After walking about a mile, a rustling sound came from ahead.

"Careful." Zhang Qingyuan stopped.

Three humanoid figures slowly rose from the black water—humanoid in shape, but in reality, they were just skeletons covered in rotting flesh, with dark red flames flickering in their eye sockets. They held rusted blades and swords, closing in with stiff but steady movements.

"Drowned Corpse Demons, transformed from those who drowned and were corrupted by Devilish Qi," Zhou Ming whispered. "They aren't strong, but they often appear in large numbers."

Before he could finish, over ten more Corpse Demons rose from the surrounding water.

"End this quickly, don't get bogged down." Zhang Qingyuan flicked his fly-whisk, and thousands of silver threads shot out like swords, piercing the heads of three Corpse Demons. The dark red flames were extinguished, and the Corpse Demons fell apart, sinking into the water.

Lu Mingyuan took out an Evil-Expelling Talisman and activated it with spiritual energy. The Talisman turned into a golden light and shot toward another Corpse Demon. The moment the golden light touched it, the Devilish Qi on its body dissipated like snow meeting boiling water, and its skeleton collapsed with a clatter.

"Pure Talisman technique," Zhou Ming praised. He tapped his peach wood sword repeatedly, and Sword Qi spread out like a net, trapping four Corpse Demons.

With the three of them working together, they cleared this batch of Corpse Demons in about ten breaths. However, the commotion drew more—things were constantly approaching through the black water.

"We can't delay, head straight for the node!" Zhang Qingyuan judged the situation. Using his fly-whisk to clear the path, the three of them sped forward.

After another half-mile, a relatively dry mound appeared ahead. In the center of the mound, the ground had split open with a three-foot-wide crack, which was one of the nine nodes. Black Qi poured out of the crack, and a dark red light could be seen flickering deep inside, like a heartbeat.

"This is the place." Lu Mingyuan took out the jade Talisman and bit his fingertip, dripping essence blood onto it. The jade Talisman lit up with golden light, contending with the Devilish Qi from the crack.

"We need to wait for the others to get into position." Zhang Qingyuan looked around. "We'll hold this spot and wait for the signal."

The signal would be a sword cry from Lin Qingxuan, at which point all nine Talismans would be activated together.

But the waiting time was the most grueling.

More demonic creatures were gathering in the black water. Not just Drowned Corpse Demons, but also water snakes, poisonous toads, and even distorted treants corrupted by Devilish Qi. They surrounded them from all directions, with greedy dark red flames flickering in their eye sockets or hollows.

"Form the Three Talents Array!" Zhou Ming shouted.

The three of them stood back-to-back. Zhang Qingyuan led the defense, Zhou Ming led the offense, and Lu Mingyuan assisted with Talismans. For a time, fly-whisk shadows were like curtains, sword light was like rain, and Talisman glows were like stars. Demonic creatures surged like a tide, only to be repeatedly pushed back.

But the Devilish Qi grew thicker. Lu Mingyuan felt his protective pure Qi being slowly eroded, and every breath he took felt cold and sinister. More troublingly, the pulsing in the crack was accelerating, as if the True Demon sensed the threat and was speeding up its awakening.

"Pfft!"

A poisonous toad hidden under the foul water suddenly leapt up and spat out black venom. Lu Mingyuan dodged to the side, and the venom grazed his shoulder, landing on the mound behind him and instantly corroding a deep pit.

He threw a fire Talisman with a backhand, and the poisonous toad was burned to a crisp in mid-air.

"We can't hold out much longer like this," Zhou Ming panted. He already had a wound on his shoulder from a Corpse Demon's rusted blade, and the area around the wound was starting to turn black. "The Devilish Qi is corroding the wound."

Lu Mingyuan's thoughts raced. He remembered the effect of the "Following Heart-Calming Talisman"—to stabilize the mind and dissolve obsessions. Demonic creatures disturbed the mind; if one could maintain a clear mental state, perhaps...

He took out that Talisman and pressed it to his chest. A warm, pure Qi spread out, not only dispelling the cold that had entered his body but also calming his anxious thoughts. In his field of vision, the movements of the demonic creatures seemed to slow down slightly, and their flaws became more apparent.

"Priest Zhang, Fellow Daoist Zhou, focus and calm your minds!" he reminded them.

Although Zhang Qingyuan and Zhou Ming didn't quite understand why, they adjusted their breathing as told. Their Formation became more stable, and their responses grew more composed.

However, the anomaly in the crack was intensifying.

"Glug... glug..."

A viscous dark red liquid, like blood plasma, began to pour out of the crack. Wherever the liquid passed, earth and stone were corroded, and the concentration of Devilish Qi skyrocketed. More terrifyingly, a giant figure three zhang tall slowly condensed from the liquid—humanoid, but its entire body was composed of writhing flesh, with no skin, only exposed muscle fibers and pulsing blood vessels. Its head was a massive maw filled with three layers of sharp teeth.

"Flesh Demon Puppet!" Zhang Qingyuan's expression changed drastically. "It's an offshoot of a True Demon, with the strength of an Early Stage Golden Core!"

The Demon Puppet roared, and the sound waves vibrated, causing the low-level demonic creatures around it to shatter, their Devilish Qi being absorbed into its body. Its size grew by another margin, and its aura became even more terrifying.

"We can't let it fully take shape!" Zhou Ming gritted his teeth. "I'll go tie it down; you two guard the node!"

"No!" Zhang Qingyuan stopped him. "Going alone is suicide!"

"Then what? If it comes over here, the node will definitely be lost!"

Lu Mingyuan stared at the Demon Puppet, his mind working rapidly. An offshoot of a True Demon-level abomination... condensed from Devilish Qi... its core should be at the demonic source in its chest. If he could destroy that demonic source...

He remembered the words of Immortal Master Yushu: "Your 'Following Heart-Calming Talisman' might be useful."

Where would it be useful? The Heart-Calming Talisman had no offensive or defensive capabilities, only a soul-soothing effect. But if he thought about it the other way—demonic creatures feared a clear mental state the most, and they were most afraid of "stillness" and "fixity."

A bold idea emerged.

"Priest Zhang, Fellow Daoist Zhou, buy me ten breaths of time," Lu Mingyuan said solemnly. "I need to draw a Talisman."

"Drawing a Talisman now?!" Zhou Ming was stunned.

"Trust me."

Zhang Qingyuan gave him a deep look. "Alright! Junior Brother Zhou, let's go!"

The two of them pounced on the Demon Puppet, using their fly-whisk and peach wood sword with all their might to barely hold back the massive creature.

Lu Mingyuan sat cross-legged, took out a blank Talisman paper, and bit his fingertip—not just a drop, but forcing out half a finger's worth of essence blood to drip onto the paper. The blood soaked in, and the yellow paper turned dark gold.

He closed his eyes, and what he visualized in his mind was no longer a line of poetry, but a kind of "absolute stillness."

Not the quiet of a mountain dwelling, nor the indifference of traveling, but the ultimate stillness of "all things returning to silence" and "time and space freezing." It was a Realm he had understood from the "Utmost Stillness and Utmost Emptiness" chapter of the Classic of Purity and Tranquility but had never dared to attempt.

The tip of his finger descended.

There was no flow of spiritual energy, no trajectory of runes, only the intent of "stillness" condensing at his fingertip. Every stroke drained a massive amount of his mental energy and essence blood, and his face turned pale at a rate visible to the naked eye.

Seven breaths later, the Talisman was finished.

This Talisman had no radiance, no miraculous phenomena; it even looked like a failed Talisman—there were only a few dried bloodstains on the paper, messy and disorganized.

But Lu Mingyuan knew it was a success.

"Retreat!" he shouted.

Zhang Qingyuan and Zhou Ming pulled back. Just as the Demon Puppet was about to pursue, Lu Mingyuan had already thrown the blood Talisman.

The Talisman paper drifted toward the Demon Puppet's chest and stuck to the pulsing demonic source.

One second, two seconds...

The Demon Puppet's movements suddenly froze. The pulsing of the demonic source in its chest slowed down, from frenzied to calm, and then to a faint throb. The flesh on its body began to disintegrate, like a sand sculpture meeting water, falling off in large chunks. The absorbed Devilish Qi escaped in reverse, dissipating into the air.

Ten breaths later, the three-zhang-tall Demon Puppet collapsed with a crash, turning into a pool of foul blood that soaked into the soil.

The pulsing of The Rift also weakened as a result.

"The sword cry is the signal—now!" Lin Qingxuan's long shout came from the distance.

Nine sword cries rang out simultaneously, echoing through the marsh.

Lu Mingyuan, Zhang Qingyuan, and Zhou Ming simultaneously activated the jade Talismans in their hands. Nine beams of golden light shot into the sky from the nine nodes, weaving into a massive Talisman net in the air that slowly pressed down toward The Rift.

"Seal!" Lin Qingxuan's voice thundered.

The Talisman net descended, sinking into The Rift. The dark red light was enveloped and compressed by the golden light, finally being sealed deep within. The surging Devilish Qi stopped abruptly, and the foulness in the Black Water Marsh receded at a visible rate.

It was a success.

Lu Mingyuan slumped to the ground, the double depletion of essence blood and mental energy making his vision go dark. Zhang Qingyuan supported him and fed him a Medicinal Pill. "Quick, adjust your breathing."

The nine groups returned to the Formation one after another; though there were injuries, no one had died. After checking the Seal on The Rift and confirming it was stable, Lin Qingxuan ordered the return journey.

The flying boat took to the air, leaving the Black Water Marsh.

Lu Mingyuan sat in meditation in the boat's cabin to recover, the "Ultimate Stillness Talisman" he had drawn with all his effort tucked in his robes. He vaguely felt that the significance of this Talisman far exceeded his expectations.

Outside the window, the Black Water Marsh was receding, and the next stop—Wudang Mountain—was already faintly appearing at the edge of the sea of clouds.