Shengui Changsheng: Start from Zhenwuwei and add some points to cultivate immortality

Back at the inn in Linze Town, Fu Shaoping carefully put away the token he had obtained from Qingyi. The Bibo Water Mansion might be useful, but it was not advisable to develop a deep relationship with them at the moment. After all, they were a major local power, and a slight misstep could drag him into a deeper vortex.

He refocused his energy on Zhou Huai'an's injuries and his own cultivation. Under the care of medicinal pills, Zhou Huai'an's injuries stabilized, and his complexion improved day by day, but a full recovery would still take time. Fu Shaoping continued to study the black stone tablet, attempting to integrate the newly acquired "Human Contract" framework with the *Netherworld Contract Book* and the *Military Oath Contract*. At the same time, he also consciously began collecting information about the ancient cultivation cave in the Misty Ghost Swamp.

Based on fragmented intelligence, the cave dwelling is suspected to be the final resting place of an ancient water-element Golden Core cultivator. Its outer defenses are extremely strong, and over the past few months, many cultivators have perished in the Ghost Swamp's natural perils and the backlash from its defenses. Recently, the three major powers seem to have reached some kind of tacit agreement, preparing to jointly explore the core area, and are recruiting powerful independent cultivators or small teams as outer vanguards or pathfinders.

"Joining forces to explore? I'm afraid they each have their own ulterior motives," Fu Shaoping sneered inwardly. He wasn't particularly interested in the cave dwelling itself, but since it was an ancient cultivator's cave dwelling, perhaps there were some items or clues related to the contract remaining? More importantly, the fact that the three major forces' attention was drawn to the cave dwelling might be an opportunity for him to secretly deal with the iron box or seek a Foundation Establishment opportunity.

A few days later, news spread throughout Linze Town: a Foundation Establishment stage "Water Patrolman" from the Cao Gang was found severely injured and unconscious near Chensha Bay, with obvious traces of evil martial arts on his body! The scene also retained the unique "bloodthirsty" aura of the Blood Shadow Cult!
The news sent shockwaves through Linze Town. The Blood Shadow Cult dared to directly attack a Foundation Establishment cultivator from the Canal Gang? This was blatant provocation! The Canal Gang's leadership was furious and dispatched several Foundation Establishment cultivators to lead a massive search for Blood Shadow Cult remnants in Chensha Bay and the surrounding waters, instantly escalating the tense atmosphere.

Upon hearing this news, Fu Shaoping's heart skipped a beat. The Blood Shadow Sect was indeed not going to let this go, and their actions were becoming increasingly brazen. Was their appearance at Chensha Bay a coincidence, or... were they after the Iron Box? After all, they had once ambushed and killed Zhou Huai'an and his grandson in the wasteland.

He immediately became more vigilant, instructing Wang Hu and Li Bao to be extra careful, and he himself reduced the frequency of going out.

That evening, Fu Shaoping was in the quiet room of the inn trying to integrate a wisp of the "oath backlash" into the "military soul lock" when suddenly, there was a gentle knock on the door.

"Brother Mo, it's me, Zhou Ling." A girl's deliberately lowered voice came from outside the door.

Fu Shaoping opened the door and saw Zhou Ling carrying a tray with a bowl of steaming fish soup on it. "Brother Mo, Grandpa asked me to bring this. He said it's freshly stewed freshwater fish soup from the inn's kitchen, and it's very nourishing."

Fu Shaoping accepted the fish soup and thanked her. Zhou Ling, however, did not leave immediately. Instead, she stood at the door, her face showing hesitation and a hint of unease.

"Miss Zhou, is there anything else?" Fu Shaoping asked.

Zhou Ling bit her lip and whispered, "Brother Mo, I...I had a nightmare last night. I dreamt that the iron box...opened itself, and inside...it seemed like something was watching me. It was very cold and scary...Grandpa said I was just imagining things, but I always feel that the box...seems to be getting more and more...'alive'."

Fu Shaoping's eyes narrowed. The iron box was becoming increasingly "alive"? Recalling how the iron box had automatically activated the "Evil-Sealing Contract" to repel the Blood Shadow Cult elder, and the faint resonance he felt between himself and the iron box, Zhou Ling's nightmares might not be entirely unfounded. Was the seal within the iron box loosening on its own? Or had it sensed something "summoning" it?

"Don't worry too much, I'll keep an eye on the iron box," Fu Shaoping comforted him. "Things haven't been peaceful in town lately, so you and Uncle Zhou should try to stay home as much as possible."

After seeing Zhou Ling off, Fu Shaoping looked at the fish soup on the table, but lost his appetite. The unusual iron box, the Blood Shadow Sect's activity, the Canal Gang's investigation, the allure of the ancient cultivator's cave... all sorts of clues intertwined, making his heart heavy.

He had to make a decision quickly. Staying in Linze Town would only increase the risks.

In the dead of night, Fu Shaoping was suddenly awakened from his meditation. It wasn't that the warning array had been activated, but rather a faint yet distinct tremor originating from the depths of his consciousness—from that black stone fragment!
At the same time, he felt the iron box he kept close to his body vibrate slightly and emit a barely perceptible warmth!

Are the black stone fragments and the iron box resonating together? And they're pointing in the same direction—deep within the Yunmeng Great Swamp, roughly in the direction of the Misty Ghost Swamp!

"Could it be... that the thing sealed in the iron box, or the iron box itself, is related to that ancient cultivator's cave? Perhaps, the origin of the contract sensed by the black stone is also there?" Fu Shaoping's heart was filled with turmoil.

This discovery forced him to re-examine his trip to the Misty Ghost Swamp.

Going would be extremely dangerous, with the three major powers, the Blood Shadow Sect, and the Wild Wolf Gang all vying for power. As a mere Qi Refining Level 9 rogue cultivator, he would be like an ant. Not going, however, might mean the secret of the iron box would never be unlocked, and he might miss the contract's origin guided by the black stone. More importantly, if the iron box were to unseal itself or cause even greater trouble, keeping it by his side would be like a ticking time bomb.

Weighing the pros and cons, a resolute glint flashed in Fu Shaoping's eyes. Rather than passively waiting for a crisis to strike, he would proactively step into danger to seek a glimmer of hope and opportunity!

"We need to make thorough preparations," Fu Shaoping began to plan. First, he needed to settle Zhou Huai'an and his grandson, as well as Wang Hu and Li Bao. Second, he needed to purchase some means of survival and to cope with the aquatic environment. Finally, he needed to gather more detailed information about the Ghost Swamp.

The next day, Fu Shaoping sought out Zhou Huai'an and frankly shared his thoughts. He didn't mention the resonance of the iron box, only saying that he had heard of the opportunities in the ancient cultivator's cave and wanted to try his luck there, while also searching for a spiritual medicine to heal Zhou Huai'an's injuries.

Zhou Huai'an, a man of many experiences, saw that Fu Shaoping's mind was made up. He sighed and said, "I have no way to repay your life-saving grace, my benefactor. This journey is dangerous, so please be careful. Ling'er and the iron box... I entrust them to you, my benefactor." His words implied that Fu Shaoping could take the iron box with him.

Upon hearing this, Zhou Ling's eyes reddened. She wanted to say something, but Zhou Huai'an stopped her with a look.

Fu Shaoping solemnly said, "Uncle Zhou, rest assured, as long as Mo Chen has a breath left, he will definitely protect Miss Zhou and this item. After I leave, you, Wang Hu, and Li Bao should stay here and recuperate. I will leave enough spirit stones. If I do not return in three months..." He paused, "then you can leave on your own and go to Qianji Pavilion to try to appraise this item, or seek other methods."

After settling Zhou Huai'an and his grandson, Fu Shaoping summoned Wang Hu and Li Bao, giving them a sum of spirit stones and instructing them to protect the Zhou family and keep an eye on the town's movements, especially news about the Blood Shadow Sect and the Wild Wolf Gang. Next, Fu Shaoping began purchasing supplies. He spent nearly a thousand spirit stones at several large shops in Linze Town, acquiring several high-quality "Water-Repelling Talismans," "Miasma-Dispelling Talismans," and "Restriction-Breaking Talismans," a mid-grade water-attribute defensive magic artifact called the "Mysterious Water Shield," a bottle of "Turtle Breathing Pill" that could temporarily increase underwater breath-holding time, and a more detailed map of the outer perimeter of the Misty Ghost Swamp.

Finally, he went to "Bibo Pavilion" and presented Qingyi's token. He was received by a steward of the Water Mansion. Upon hearing that Fu Shaoping wanted to go to the outer edge of the Ghost Swamp for "training", he did not ask any questions, but only reminded him that the Ghost Swamp was dangerous. He then sold him a jade slip containing information about several relatively "safe" routes and known temporary shelters on the outer edge of the Ghost Swamp (at a considerable cost).

Everything was ready. Three days later, Fu Shaoping bid farewell to Zhou Huai'an and the others, and set off alone for the Misty Ghost Swamp.

He didn't choose to take a boat directly from Linze Town into the Great Swamp, as that would be too conspicuous. Instead, he first took a detour by land, traveling along the edge of the Great Swamp for two days, until he reached a remote fishing village and spent spirit stones to rent an inconspicuous small awning spirit boat.

The spirit boat can only accommodate two or three people. It is easy to operate and not fast, but it is excellent at stealth and is suitable for solo travel.

Fu Shaoping steered his awning boat into the vast marshland. The marshland was boundless, with water and sky merging into one. At first, scattered fishing boats and islands could be seen, but the deeper he went, the thicker the fog became, and undercurrents lurked beneath the surface, with various aquatic creatures and monsters appearing more frequently. He carefully avoided the marked dangerous areas and aquatic lairs, following the route provided by the Azure Wave Water Palace.

Three days later, visibility in the waters ahead dwindled, a thick fog blanketing the surface as if it were a tangible substance, and a faint scent of humus and a chilling atmosphere filled the air. They had reached the outer edge of the Misty Ghost Swamp.

Ghost Swamp is not entirely a swamp, but rather a vast expanse of water perpetually shrouded in thick fog, dotted with floating islands, underwater reefs and swamps teeming with danger, and countless spatial rifts resembling "water fissures." The environment here is extremely complex and harsh, riddled with natural mazes, and filled with a kind of "yin evil miasma" that can erode one's consciousness and mind.

Fu Shaoping put away the awning boat and instead used a low-level flying artifact called the "Floating Disc" (obtained through procurement). He flew slowly close to the water's surface, while compressing the perception range of the "Identification Technique" to ten feet around his body, carefully probing every trace of energy flow and water ripple change like tentacles.

Following the map's directions, he first needed to find a temporary foothold called "Snake Coil Island," one of the few relatively safe areas on the outskirts of the Ghost Swamp, tacitly approved by the three major powers, where rogue cultivators often gathered to try their luck.

After groping around in the thick fog for half a day, relying on his keen perception of the earth's veins and water flow through his "Identification Technique," Fu Shaoping finally found Snake Coil Island. It was a small island with a twisted shape, resembling a giant python coiled up. The island had sparse vegetation and jagged rocks. There were already dozens of cultivators scattered around the island, most of them moving in a hurry, exuding a sharp aura, and clearly wary of each other.

Fu Shaoping found a secluded corner to land, put away his levitation disc, and silently observed. Most of the cultivators on the island were at the late Qi Refining stage, with a few early Foundation Establishment cultivators whose auras were barely discernible. There were also people from the three major forces, each occupying a distinct territory.

He noticed that on a relatively flat boulder in the center of the island, people seemed to be exchanging information or issuing missions, and a large crowd had gathered around.

Fu Shaoping walked over and heard a burly, one-armed man with a face full of scars shouting: "...Three more died yesterday at 'Blackwater Ravine'! Damn it, those 'ghost face vines' underwater are too evil; they can absorb people's true energy! However, someone found a fragment of ancient jade nearby, and the runes engraved on it seem to be part of some kind of ancient restriction!"

"What about Poison Dragon Pool? I heard that the strongest barrier fluctuations are near the lair of the 'Crimson Scale Crocodile'?" someone asked.

"The Poison Dragon Pool is even more dangerous! The Crimson Scale Crocodiles are second-tier demonic beasts (equivalent to the early Foundation Establishment stage), and they come in packs! The Azure Wave Water Mansion and the Canal Gang joined forces to probe it a few days ago, but they both suffered losses, with several people dying!" The one-armed giant shook his head. "However, the people from the Thousand Machine Pavilion seem to have discovered a hidden waterway that can bypass the Crimson Scale Crocodile's lair and get closer to the core area, but that waterway is said to be haunted by 'vengeful spirits,' it's very eerie!"

A vengeful spirit? Fu Shaoping's heart skipped a beat. He had cultivated the "Netherworld Contract Book" and had a certain degree of control and understanding over vengeful spirits and ghosts.

"Hey, newbie?" The one-armed giant noticed Fu Shaoping and sized him up. "Ninth level of Qi Refining? Alone? You've got guts. Want to team up? We're just about to try our luck at 'Sinking Corpse Bay,' there are lots of water corpses there, but supposedly there's an entrance to a side hall of an ancient cultivator's mansion underwater."

Fu Shaoping shook his head and said calmly, "Thank you, I'll take another look."

He circled the island, silently gathering information. Currently, the main attention of the three major forces and the independent cultivators is focused on several areas with the strongest restrictions, such as Poison Dragon Pool, Blackwater Ravine, and Corpse Bay. As for the hidden waterway with vengeful spirits discovered by the Thousand Machine Pavilion, it seems that not many people are mentioning it. Perhaps the news has not yet spread completely, or it is too dangerous, and few people are interested in it.

"Perhaps that waterway is an opportunity," Fu Shaoping pondered. Vengeful spirits might be trouble for others, but not necessarily for him. If he could avoid the main competition and quietly approach the core area, he might make an unexpected discovery.

He decided to explore that hidden waterway. But before that, he needed more information about it.

He lingered on the island for another half day, and finally, in exchange for a few spirit stones and a bottle of healing pills, he obtained the approximate location and some information about the waterway from a seemingly distraught rogue cultivator at the eighth level of Qi Refining who appeared to have just escaped from the depths of the Ghost Swamp.

“That waterway… is about thirty miles southeast of Snake Coil Island. There’s a group of floating islands covered with ‘Crying Soul Grass.’ The entrance to the waterway is on the shady side of the largest floating island… The water is extremely deep, icy cold, and has many forks in the path. And… there really are ghosts! Many vengeful spirits dressed in ancient costumes wander in the water, attacking all living things… My companions were dragged down by them…” The rogue cultivator said, his face still showing fear.

Fu Shaoping noted down the information, thanked the person, and then left Snake Coil Island, flying southeast.

Thirty miles was difficult to find in the thick fog. It took Fu Shaoping nearly an hour to locate the so-called "Weeping Soul Grass" floating islands. These were eerie aquatic plants with long, narrow leaves that emitted a faint, mournful sound, growing in patches along the edges of the floating islands and emitting a faint hallucinogenic aura. (End of Chapter)