A journey through the world of martial arts

Chapter 155 The Unusual Changes in Yunmeng
Nanling Prefecture, Yunmeng Great Marsh
Since the blood calamity broke out in Xiyuan Prefecture, this place has never been peaceful. It had already accumulated a lot of miasma and poisonous smoke, and later it was eroded by the power of blood evil. Several strange forces were mixed together, making the Yunmeng Marsh black and red, which made it even more sinister and eerie.

Gu Xu rode his escape light, and several hours later, he had crossed thousands of mountains and rivers, landing above Yunmeng Marsh. Looking at the smog below, Gu Xu frowned.

"Although the blood feud has been resolved, the earth's veins and water veins here have been damaged, and the miasma in this swamp is becoming increasingly dense."

As Gu Xu was deep in thought, the Seven-Star Toad on his shoulder smelled a familiar scent and immediately croaked a few times. Gu Xu reached out and touched it, saying, "Go on your way, but remember not to go far."

As he spoke, he stretched out his arm, and the Seven-Star Toad jumped into his palm. It croaked twice at Gu Xu, its two eyes wide open, then turned and jumped down. With a soft sound, it broke through the miasma and entered the swamp to find food.

With the help of his heart's blood, Gu Xu wasn't afraid that the little thing would leave. On the contrary, he was afraid that it would be replaced by other alien species. The Seven-Star Toad had been following him for a long time and had eaten a lot of good food. It was practically a giant treasure. Eating it would save him many years of hard cultivation.

Upon closer inspection, it was discovered that the toad had already traveled fifty miles away, chasing a seven-colored centipede. Sensing no danger, Gu Xu reached out and pushed aside the miasma and fog below, revealing the dark, gleaming water.

"Rumor has it that the Yunmeng Marsh contains many extremely Yin treasures; now that we've arrived, it's a good opportunity to search for some."

Thinking of this, Gu Xu summoned the "Purifying Soul and Clearing Heart Mirror," infusing it with his true energy. The clear light gathered into a pillar and shone down into the lake. All the aquatic creatures illuminated by the mirror's light immediately scattered, creating an empty space.

At the bottom of Yunmengze, the dark silt exudes a chilling aura. Several strange-looking poisonous insects roam on the protruding rocks, their tongues flicking out to snatch their prey. Sensing the light, they immediately slither into the crevices of the rocks.

Half an hour later, the treasure mirror suddenly trembled and shone brightly. Gu Xu looked in the direction indicated by the light and saw a piece of black wood about ten feet long submerged in the mud at the bottom of the water. The light shone on it, but it seemed to be absorbed.

"So it's black agarwood, a truly excellent material."

Gu Xu had seen such a strange object on the bamboo slips. It was among the top three most precious Yin treasures. Even a little bit of powder could harmonize Yin and Yang energies, let alone this one, which was over ten feet long.

Gu Xu reached out and sucked up the precious wood, which weighed tens of thousands of pounds. The wood was easily lifted into the air. As the wood left, the water remained calm as always, without any turbidity. If Qi Feng had seen this technique, he would have been full of praise.

Looking at the dark, gloomy wood floating in mid-air, Gu Xu was delighted. With just this one item, his trip was worthwhile.

He reached out and cast several hand seals, and the ten-foot-long precious wood quickly shrank. In just a few breaths, it shrank to a small section and was put into Gu Xu's Qiankun bag.

Having received the precious wood, Gu Xu was in high spirits and continued along the path towards the Seven Star Toad.

Meanwhile, after the Seven-Star Toad swallowed the Seven-Colored Centipede, the sixth star-shaped mark on its back was already faintly visible. The Seven-Star Toad also knew that it had reached a critical moment to break through the barrier and that it had to find food of even higher quality. Following the scent, it swam towards a place covered with strange rocks.

As the Seven-Star Toad swam deeper into the water, it became increasingly aware of the superior food hidden within. In the rocky bottom of the water, the Seven-Star Toad looked at the densely packed small holes on both sides, revealing a cunning expression. It opened its mouth and spat out a golden-red pill that floated forward.

This is a "Replenishing Essence Pill" specially made by Gu Xu for it. It has a great effect on replenishing vital energy and strengthening the spirit. Feed it one pill every seven days. Although the medicinal effect of this pill is 30% consumed, it is still a great temptation for those poisonous insects and poisonous creatures.

The Seven-Star Toad hid behind a strange rock, its eyes fixed on the movement around the pill. After a while, there was finally movement from the small holes in the rocks on both sides.

The medicinal aroma of the "Replenishing Essence Pill" traveled along the water to the strange rocks. Poisonous insects had never seen such a high-grade pill before. In their subconscious, they believed that as long as they ate this pill, they could become the king of this place. Therefore, even knowing it was a trap, some poisonous insects still risked their lives.

The first to emerge was a water scorpion, about the size of a palm, with a bluish-green body. Its two pincers resembled a giant mouth, and its tail extended forward, gleaming with a ghostly light. If Gu Xu were here again, he would surely recognize this creature as the Azure Ghost Scorpion recorded in the "Records of Strange Things in Yunmeng".

This creature is also a top-tier poisonous insect in Yunmengze. Although it cannot compare to the Seven-Star Toad or the Blood Python, it is much stronger than the Unicorn Crocodile.

The Azure Scorpion cautiously crawled towards the "Replenishing Essence Pill." The closer it got, the more it couldn't suppress its desire. Just as it was about to grab the pill, a white thread suddenly shot towards it, trying to snatch it away.

The Azure Scorpion was furious when its hard-won treasure was snatched away. It stretched out its pincers and cut the white silk in half. The mastermind behind the scenes was revealed to be a yellow spider, about the same size as the Azure Scorpion. Its eight legs were covered in barbs, and its body was completely dry. Its small eyes were fixed on the Azure Scorpion.

This spider is no ordinary creature; it is called the "Thousand-Thread Spider" because it can spray up to a thousand strands of white silk at a time. Any prey entangled in its silk will eventually be exhausted, and its flesh and blood will be devoured by the Thousand-Thread Spider.

The Thousand-Thread Spider and the Azure Scorpion were sworn enemies. Naturally, the Spider didn't want the Scorpion to gain control of the treasure and become superior. That's why it came out to cause trouble. If it could obtain the treasure, it could eliminate the Scorpion and get rid of a major threat.

Both poisonous creatures wanted the elixir and immediately began to fight each other. Other poisonous insects hiding nearby knew they were no match for the two, so they waited for them to be exhausted so they could eat the scraps.

Both the Thousand-Thread Spider and the Azure Scorpion knew each other's abilities, and after a brief struggle, neither could gain the upper hand. The Replenishing Pill remained obediently floating there, waiting for the victor to take it.

Just when the battle was at a stalemate, an unexpected visitor broke the deadlock: a blue-tailed lizard, a small white snake, and a firefly shimmering with golden light.

Seeing three more creatures trying to steal their food, the Thousand-Thread Spider and the Azure Scorpion immediately stopped and stood together in unison, their bodies facing outwards, trying to drive away the three uninvited guests.

However, none of these three are unknown figures. Although they are not inferior to the Thousand Silk Spider and the Azure Scorpion when facing each other individually, none of them can gain an advantage when all three are on top of them. And whether it is the Thousand Silk Spider or the Azure Scorpion, once they are surrounded, the other side is more likely to watch the show.

The five poisonous insects immediately formed a two-against-three situation, with the "Replenishing Essence Pill" constantly emitting a pleasant fragrance in the middle.

The seven-star toad hid behind a rock, carefully concealing its presence, watching the spectacle unfold before it with great interest. These five poisonous insects were enough for it to light up its sixth star.

After enduring it for a moment, the blue-tailed lizard could no longer resist the fragrance of the pill. It crawled forward and suddenly stuck out its tongue to snatch the pill away, but the Azure Scorpion and the Thousand-Silk Spider would not let it succeed, so they both attacked.

A transparent thread shot swiftly toward the green-tailed lizard's tongue, while the Azure Scorpion raised its tail high, hooking the green-tailed lizard's body upside down, forcing it to defend itself.

Just as the transparent spider silk was about to wrap around the green-tailed lizard's tongue, the white-scaled viper and the firefly insect made their moves at the same time. The viper opened its mouth and spat out a stream of dark purple venom, shooting it towards the spider silk, while the firefly insect fluttered its small wings, fanning out a cloud of golden powder that flowed along the water towards the Thousand-Silk Spider and the Azure Scorpion.

The first confrontation between the two sides was mostly a test, and the Seven Star Toad waited patiently until they really went all out, that would be its chance.

The blue-tailed lizard wasn't sure if the viper venom could repel the spider silk, so it immediately retracted its outstretched tongue. At that moment, the spider silk collided with the venom. The viper venom was already quite vicious, but it was still slightly inferior to the spider silk.

Instead of melting the spider silk, the venom was absorbed by it, gaining even more power and hurtling unstoppably towards the blue-tailed lizard and the white-phosphorus viper. If it could eliminate these two troublesome creatures in one move, that would be ideal.

At the same time, the Azure Scorpion's stinger arrived. However, the Azure Scorpion became wary as it watched the approaching golden powder. With a tremor of its stinger, it split off one of its stingers and shot it at the Green-tailed Lizard.

The combined poison of the Thousand Threads and the Scorpion Tail Hook was blocked upon contact with the golden powder. Although it caused a slight delay of half a breath, it was enough for the three venomous creatures, including the Green-tailed Lizard, to take the opportunity to evade.

Gazing at the floating pills, the White-Scaled Serpent's eyes gleamed with greed. It glanced at the Green-Tailed Lizard and the Firefly nearby, hissing a few times. The two immediately responded, their scales bristling and reflecting a ghostly light, illuminating an area several feet in size. The Azure Scorpion and the Thousand-Silk Spider, who disliked bright light, closed their eyes and the three figures swiftly pounced on the pills. However, the light only lasted for half a breath before gradually dissipating. Although the Azure Scorpion and the Thousand-Silk Spider regained their senses, they did not rush forward to fight for the pills. Instead, they slowly retreated to the side. The Thousand-Silk Spider tapped its claws on the rocks, producing a unique rhythm. Soon after, one by one, the Thousand-Silk Spiders crawled out from the crevices of the cave, receiving commands from their superior.

Around the rocks, within a radius of about ten feet, countless silk spiders spun their silk threads, encircling the area and even slowing down the flow of water.

Meanwhile, while the three venomous creatures, the Azure-tailed Lizard and the Azure-necked Scorpion, were vying for the "Replenishing Essence Pill," the Azure-necked Scorpion quietly lurked in the mud, waiting for the right moment to deliver a fatal blow to its opponents.

In the battle for the elixir above, the Green-tailed Lizard, though large, lacked agility. If it weren't for its thick scales and protective aura, it would have already perished at the hands of the White-scaled Serpent and the Firefly Insect. However, it seems that its situation is not much better now. Its aura has been eroded by the White-scaled Serpent's "Thousand-Perforated Liquid" and the Firefly Insect's "Magnetic Refining Sand," leaving it vulnerable at every turn. The moment it reveals an opening will be the moment of its demise.

The blue-tailed lizard was now filled with regret. Why did it have to be the first to act? Now, the other two were attacking it together, while the other two treacherous fellows had disappeared, probably watching the fight from somewhere.

The roars continued, stirring up the muddy water. The green-tailed lizard was injured by the viper and the firefly, and its green blood flowed uncontrollably. The seven-star toad, which was far away, felt that the time was right. It first carefully came to the bottom of the water where the blue scorpion was hiding, concealed its tracks, and before the other party could react, it rolled its tongue and became its meal.

A moment later, the blue-tailed lizard died from exhaustion, its body falling onto the rocks. The white-scaled viper and the firefly, who had been partners, immediately separated, their eyes fixed on each other, each wanting to devour the precious pill for themselves. The firefly couldn't hold back any longer. With a flap of its wings, a cloud of golden sand mixed with the water flowed towards the viper. Upon seeing this, the viper coiled its body to protect its vitals, while its scales reflected light, creating a momentary opening. However, the firefly had witnessed the viper's supernatural powers before and was naturally on guard.

With a buzzing sound from its wings, a cloud of golden sand swirled around the water like a tornado. The firefly burrowed into the golden sand tornado, which served a protective function.

However, the white-scaled viper revealed a treacherous expression at this moment. It opened its mouth and spat out "thousand-hole liquid," which had already seeped into the inner room along with the golden sand tornado.

In previous battles, the viper secretly tested the magnetic gold sand with its venom. Although the gold sand was tough, it could not withstand the venom and could only last for a short while. The gold sand tornado would not only fail to protect the firefly, but would also become its death warrant.

While the viper was dealing with its opponent, the Seven-Star Toad had already devoured the Thousand-Thread Spider. The latter had exhausted a lot of its energy to set up the trap, unaware that it was like a mantis stalking a cicada, unaware of the oriole behind it, ultimately benefiting the Seven-Star Toad.

After swallowing the two poisonous creatures, the sixth star-shaped spot on the back of the Seven-Star Toad gradually began to shine. As long as it swallows the remaining three poisonous creatures, it will surely shine as brightly as the previous five star-shaped spots.

A moment later, the viper watched the golden sand tornado gradually change color and spat out another stream of venom to accelerate the melting of the firefly. From inside the tornado, a buzzing and mournful sound could be heard from time to time. The Seven-Star Toad looked through and found that this firefly was not simple. It was clearly not seriously injured, but it was deliberately pretending to be dead.

Hearing the sound, the viper felt reassured and swallowed the "Replenishing Essence Pill" with a deep breath. Just as it was about to leave, it suddenly discovered that the rocks were surrounded by a thousand spider silks. With this delay, the golden sand tornado rushed towards it. Just as the viper realized that something was wrong with the tornado and was about to avoid it, a cloud of golden sand suddenly descended.

Hastily spraying venom to protect itself, the viper shuddered, its scales opening like sharp blades to cut through the spider silk, quickly creating a small hole. However, just as half of its body emerged, the viper looked startled, its body trembled violently, and then it stopped breathing.

Just after the viper died, a golden flying insect emerged from its head, swaying as if it had been drinking, and began to leave.

It turned out that the golden sand tornado and the attacking golden sand were just a smokescreen. The firefly had been hiding inside all along. When the viper opened its scales, it took the opportunity to burrow into its flesh and blood, and snatched the precious pill from the inside out.

Just then, the flying firefly suddenly felt its body stop, and a powerful suction force enveloped it. Due to the resistance of the precious pill's medicinal power, it was unable to resist for a while. In no time, it was swallowed by the Seven-Star Toad. The corpses of the viper and the green-tailed lizard also entered its belly.

"Little thing, you've certainly learned to scheme."

A gentle voice reached the toad's ears, and the toad immediately surfaced. Seeing Gu Xu arrive, it leaped and landed on Gu Xu's shoulder.

The toad croaked twice, its six star-like spots on its back shining brightly. When Gu Xu saw this, he reached out and flicked his hand, and a satisfied expression immediately appeared on the toad's face. This was because Gu Xu had helped it quickly digest the poison.

"Judging from this, it's going to sleep for a while." Gu Xu sensed the aura emanating from the toad and knew it was about to go into hibernation, so he put it into his Qiankun bag to rest.

Looking down at the miasma-filled Yunmeng Marsh, Gu Xu's face turned solemn. The miasma was increasing, indicating that the water veins were already overburdened and had to expel some of the poisonous gas. This was understandable, as Yunmeng Marsh originally had a strong self-regulating ability, but due to the blood disaster, the water veins were damaged and could not control the miasma, which led to this scene.

"Although Nanling Prefecture is now uninhabited, other creatures still exist there. If it is corrupted by the miasma fused with the power of blood and evil, the entire Nanling Prefecture may follow in the footsteps of Xiyuan Prefecture."

After a moment's thought, Gu Xu used his escape technique to travel from west to east and from south to north, carefully observing the changes in Yunmeng Marsh. Several hours later, Gu Xu stopped on the east side of Yunmeng Marsh.

"The situation is slightly better in the east and south, where the miasma tainted with bloodlust is not yet too severe. The key areas are the west and north, which are closest to Xiyuan Prefecture and are most severely affected by the power of bloodlust. No wonder the creatures there are all heading east and south."

After observing carefully for several hours, the most troublesome thing about Yunmeng Marsh is the miasma. Although this miasma is tangible and its erosion speed is slightly slower, its destructive power is extremely great. No matter what it is, it will turn to ashes when it comes into contact with the miasma. It seems that only by using an array to defend against it can it be trapped in a certain space.

"The earth's veins and water veins are severely damaged and cannot withstand the array's power. Now we have no choice but to accept the power of the three lights."

After the Blood Yang Phenomenon disappeared, the Three Lights returned to their pure and holy state, and the stars in the heavens could provide assistance, making it a perfect time to set up the Starry Sky Crystal Wall Formation. This formation was created by Gu Xu with reference to the Tong Clan's Star Formation. This formation does not target people, but only targets things like Qi and light.

Over the next few days, Gu Xu surveyed the terrain and selected the most suitable place to deploy the formation. Finally, he decided to focus on the northeast and west of Yunmeng Marsh, while leaving a gap in the south. The south faces the endless sea, so even if all the miasma spreads out, it won't cause much of a stir.

On the contrary, if the four sides are sealed off tightly, preventing the miasma from being released, even the strongest formation will eventually be destroyed. It would be better to leave a place for the miasma to be released, allowing time to slowly digest the excess miasma.

After finding some precious Yin-attribute materials in Yunmeng Marsh, Gu Xu began to refine the array pillars. In order to resonate with the sun, moon and stars, each array pillar had to be planted with a trace of star power. The Yin-Yang main pillar even had to draw on the Heavenly Yang True Fire and the Cold Moon Ember, which really took a lot of effort from Gu Xu.

However, hard work pays off. Several months later, Gu Xu looked with satisfaction at the 360 ​​jade-colored array pillars floating in front of him.

With a flick of his sleeve, he collected the jade pillars and buried them one by one at the pre-determined locations. It took several hours to arrange all the pillars. Finally, Gu Xu flew into the air, holding a red and a blue pearl. He poured his true energy into them and dropped them downwards. The red and blue pearls each flashed with light and then disappeared.

"Tai Chi Yin Yang, profound and wondrous methods, the True Martial Decree, the Three Lights Sealing the Order"

As the incantation was recited, rays of light emanated from Gu Xu's body, and all 360 array pillars responded, forming an invisible shield that not only enveloped Yunmengze but also included a part of Nanling Prefecture.

The miasma was immediately drawn in, and thick smoke billowed up. The miasma suddenly churned and attacked the protective barrier relentlessly, but the barrier was protected by the power of the Three Lights, and its energy was inexhaustible, blocking the miasma like a rock. The miasma then tried to rush to the east and west, but still failed to succeed.

Upon heading south, they discovered that the array's power was weakest there. Some miasma easily penetrated the array's power and surged towards the sea. However, after only a few breaths, the miasma was purified by the sea and had no effect whatsoever.

"Once this formation is complete, a hundred years will be enough to eliminate all this excess miasma."

The light shot downwards, and Gu Xu continued his treasure hunt.

While Gu Xu was searching for treasure in Yunmengze, Anle City in the southeast of Tianhua Prefecture suddenly became the focus of attention. People talked about the wonders of the Dragon King Temple in Anle City, and the incense offerings became even more popular. Even to offer incense, locals had to queue up.

(End of this chapter)