Zhu Xian: The way of heaven collapses, and I only have one sword!

Chapter 86 Death Swamp, Good and Evil Gather Together!
A gray sky enveloped the entire Death Swamp. A chilling wind blew from nowhere, creating a chilling, eerie feeling. A faint path stretched into the weed-covered swamp.

At this moment, a group of seven from the Qingyun Sect, led by Xiao Yicai, stood at the entrance to the Death Swamp. Looking inside, they saw lush aquatic plants everywhere, with a few isolated trees occasionally standing tall. The air was filled with the smell of decay, and the swamp was shrouded in a thin layer of mist.

Since ancient times, the Death Swamp has been one of the most dangerous places in the world, and no one knows how dangerous it is.

The Qingyun Sect had come all the way west this time, and after Chen Qiye's departure, Xiao Yi became their leader. At this moment, he was observing the depths of the Dead Marsh, saying to the others, "Yesterday, I received a letter from Li Xun of Fenxiang Valley. They've already entered the Dead Marsh."

The six people behind him are Wen Min, Lu Xueqi, Song Daren, Zhang Xiaofan, Lin Jingyu and Zeng Shushu.

"If only Chen Qiye were here," Zeng Shushu murmured, his voice filled with nostalgia and regret. His words were like a stone dropped into a calm lake, stirring ripples in everyone's hearts.

Upon hearing this, Lu Xueqi's delicate body trembled slightly, and a complex and indistinguishable look flashed across her originally cold eyes, but she quickly returned to her calm appearance, and only subconsciously glanced at the Qiu Shui Wuhen sword on her back.

Wen Min stood quietly by. Hearing Zeng Shushu mention Chen Qiye, her thoughts instantly drifted back to the past. On Liubo Mountain, Chen Qiye's confident, carefree smile, and his deep affection for Lu Xueqi, seemed to be still vivid before her eyes. She sighed softly and said softly, "If Qiye were here, with his abilities, he would easily resolve the dangers of this Death Swamp."

After saying that, Wen Min turned to look at Lu Xueqi. Seeing that her expression was calm, but her hand gripping the hilt of the sword was slightly pale, he gently walked forward, patted Lu Xueqi's shoulder, and whispered comfortingly: "Xueqi, don't be too sad. Qiye is a lucky person. Maybe he will come back one day."

Lu Xueqi nodded slightly, a faint smile on her lips, but that smile did not reach her eyes. "Thank you, Senior Sister. I'm fine."

Xiao Yicai swept his eyes over everyone and said in a deep voice, "Whether Qiye is here or not, our mission this time is important and we must go all out. Everyone, be vigilant. This Death Swamp is definitely not a good place."

Everyone responded, their expressions becoming more solemn.

Elsewhere, Ji Zai and Qin Wuyan, who had already entered the Death Swamp, now met up with Jin Ping'er from the He Huan Sect. However, to Ji Zai's surprise, Jin Ping'er had also brought Xiao Huan and Zhou Yixian into the Death Swamp.

Under the black robe, half of Ji Zai's face was blocked, and no emotion could be seen on his face. He looked at Xiao Huan and said in a deep voice: "Why are you here too?"

Xiaohuan blinked her bright eyes and smiled playfully, "Big brother, it's natural for grandpa and I to come join in the fun in such a lively place. Besides, I always feel that something very important will happen here, and maybe I can help." As she spoke, she shook the candied haws in her hand, the bright color of which seemed out of place in this gloomy death swamp.

Jin Ping'er gently took Xiaohuan's arm and said to Ji Zai with a smile: "Don't be surprised, Master Gui. This little girl is very clever. However, you have seen her abilities before. Maybe she can really come in handy."

Ji Zai frowned slightly, his eyes swept back and forth between Xiao Huan and Jin Ping Er, and finally nodded, "Since we are here, we should make the best of it. However, the Death Swamp is full of dangers, so you should stay close and don't run around."

Just as Ji Zai finished speaking, a sudden roar of thunder echoed from the sky. A moment later, bean-sized raindrops poured down, instantly forming a curtain of rain across the Death Swamp. The raindrops landed on the murky water, creating layers of splashes that blended with the stench of decay that permeated the swamp, making the air even more oppressive and dreary.

"Boss, here's an umbrella for you." Taoist Wild Dog took out an oilcloth umbrella from his arms, opened it quickly, and handed it to Ji Zai.

"Give it to the little girl. She wears little and she is not one of us who practices Taoism." Ji Zai said as he took out a black cloak and handed it to Jin Ping'er.

Jin Ping'er took the cloak and gently put it on Xiaohuan, who thanked her sweetly.

At this time, Qin Wuyan took a few steps forward, gently waving his folding fan in his hand. He looked relaxed, but his eyes were vigilantly observing his surroundings. He said, "It looks like the rain will continue for a while."

"Then let's wait." Ji Zai responded, then walked to a big tree, sat down, and closed his eyes to rest.

The rain curtain was like a veil, densely covering the entire Death Swamp. The raindrops fell on the lush aquatic plants, splashing layers of water and making rustling sounds.

Ji Zai leaned against a large tree, his body enveloped in a faint purple-black magical light. The moment the raindrops touched the magical light, they turned into wisps of water vapor and dissipated. Seeing this, Jin Ping'er and Qin Wuyan also walked to the nearby large tree and found a place to sit.

Wrapped in the cloak Ji Zai had given her, Xiao Huan felt a touch of warmth in this damp, cold environment. She secretly glanced at Ji Zai, who was resting with his eyes closed, her heart filled with doubts: Is he really still Chen Qiye?

It wasn't until dusk that the storm gradually subsided. After the heavy rain, the gloomy sky brightened a little, and even the rotten smell in the air temporarily disappeared.

Xiaohuan, dressed in a black robe, stumbled upon a small pond with aquatic plants not far away and without thinking, walked over. The pond was lush with aquatic plants. Xiaohuan looked at her own reflection in the water, slowly tidying herself up and slowly gathering her hair that had been tousled by the wind and rain.

At that moment, Xiao Huan suddenly discovered a pair of giant eyes, twice the size of an ordinary person's, staring at her from under the water in the pond. She screamed in shock. Several people who had closed their eyes and were resting under a tree not far away were immediately awakened.

The water surface of the pond in front of Xiaohuan suddenly erupted, and a thick water column rose up, accompanied by a burly black figure, rushing towards Xiaohuan.

Xiaohuan's face paled, and she instinctively took a step back. Just as the water column was about to reach her, a flash of purple-black light flashed across her body like lightning. Ji Zai instantly appeared before her, holding Chen Qing across his chest. Powerful magic surged out, forming an invisible barrier that completely blocked the impact.

The burly black figure was knocked back by the magic power, and when he saw that he had failed, he fell back into the pond.

"How dare you!" Ji Zai snorted coldly, and the Chen Qing flute in his hand was already at his lips.

Suddenly, an eerie flute sounded, piercing and sharp, as if it could penetrate the soul. Wherever the sound reached, the air around it trembled, and the water in the pond seemed to boil, stirring up a surging wall of water. A black figure soared into the air, tumbling backward with the current, and landed with a "plop" among the water plants. Its body twisted and swam forward with incredible swiftness.

Everyone was also stunned. The monster looked like a human, but how could an ordinary person move in the water like that?
"Come and die!" Ji Zai shouted angrily, and the sound of the flute became more and more rapid. The devilish sound was like an invisible net, tightly enveloping the monster.

As the flute's sound vibrated, the air around the monster felt as if cut by a sharp blade, making a sizzling sound. It struggled desperately among the water plants, trying to escape this terrifying grasp, but each struggle was futile, only allowing the demonic sound to penetrate deeper into its body.

The monster let out a shrill roar, its voice filled with pain and fear, but Ji Zai remained unmoved, his Chen Qing magic flowing continuously. His eyes were as cold as ice as he stared at the monster, his gaze seemingly penetrating its every thought. At this moment, Ji Zai exuded a chilling aura. In his eyes, the monster was nothing more than an insignificant ant. Daring to harm Xiao Huan in his presence was absolutely unforgivable.

Just as the monster's struggles faded, Ji Zai suddenly lifted Chen Qing upward. A beam of purple-black magic light shot out from the tip of the flute, like a flash of lightning, instantly piercing the monster's body. The powerful force tossed the monster high into the air, arcing through the air before crashing heavily to the ground. A massive bloody hole pierced its body from front to back, and blood gushed out like a fountain, staining the surrounding water plants a brilliant red.

Everyone's eyes dropped to the ground, and then everyone was stunned. The newcomer had limbs like a human, and even wore clothes, but the exposed skin was covered in fish scales. The most shocking thing was the fish head, without ears or nose, and even the eyes were like a fish's.

"Big brother, what is this?" Xiaohuan pulled Ji Zai's sleeve and said.

"Do I look like someone who knows about this?" Ji Zai said, shaking his head. Not only him, but even Jin Ping'er and Qin Wuyan had no impression of this thing.

At this moment, Zhou Yixian said loudly: "I know the origin of this monster."

Ji Zai and the others looked up at the same time. Even Xiao Huan was a little surprised and asked, "Grandpa, you know?"

Zhou Yixian stood with his hands behind his back and said, "Your grandfather has traveled the world his entire life, crossing more bridges than you've ever walked! This monster is called a fishman, but it's not really a monster. It's a fishman, one of the sixty-three alien races that inhabit the Hundred Thousand Mountains of Southern Xinjiang."

Jin Ping'er frowned and said, "That's strange. Southern Xinjiang is thousands of miles away from this deadly swamp. Why did this fishman come here?"

Zhou Yixian scratched his head and said, "Then I don't know."

"Girl, if you're okay, leave the Death Swamp as soon as possible." Ji Zai sighed, waved to the wild dog, and walked in one direction. Soon, the two of them disappeared in the increasingly thick fog.

At the other end of the Dead Marsh, Yu Yangzi, the head of the Changsheng Hall, dressed in a black and white Taoist robe, stood with his hands behind his back, looking up at the night sky in the Dead Marsh. He sighed slightly and said, "What's going on?"

"I have already searched key areas such as the Black Water Ditch, the White Horse River, the Snake Slope, and the Night Cat Ridge. I haven't found any members of the Ghost King Sect, the Myriad Poison Sect, or the Hehuan Sect. There are only a few isolated individuals from smaller sects. I will take care of them immediately."

Yu Yangzi's spirits lifted, and he nodded, saying, "Then we have nothing to worry about. Tonight, we will attack those ignorant young people of the righteous sect with all our strength."

"Master, three days ago, the secret sentries near Dawang Village reported that Ji Zai and Qin Wuyan had already reached the Dead Marsh. And Jin Ping'er of the Hehuan Sect is always elusive. We must be on guard!"

Yu Yangzi took a deep breath and said hatefully, "How could I not know this? Those people from the righteous path only want rare treasures, but the Ten Thousand Poison Sect and the Ghost King Sect want my life!"

"Master, what should we do?"

Yu Yangzi snorted and said in a deep voice, "At this point, there's no turning back. Before the Myriad Poison Sect, Ghost King Sect, and Hehuan Sect arrive, let's first deal with these righteous villains, and then focus on searching for the rare treasure. Once we get it, we'll have a chance!"

"Best regards, Sect Master."

Yu Yangzi nodded slightly, stretched out his hand and waved it forward. Immediately, all the people in Changsheng Hall who were hiding in the darkness rushed towards the direction of Yu Yangzi's finger.

Just after the people from Changsheng Hall took action, Ji Zai, Jin Ping'er and Qin Wuyan had already arrived not far away, and they just watched Changsheng Hall attack the people from the righteous path.

(End of this chapter)