I forge immortality with a pagoda.

Shen Yu stood frozen in place, his gaze falling upon a demonic corpse as large as a small mountain.

The monster resembled a giant lizard, but had three heads and bony spikes protruding from its back. Even though it was dead, its remaining ferocity lingered. This was a monster no less powerful than a peak Foundation Establishment cultivator, yet it was worn down and killed here.

Around them, there were still quite a few figures moving mechanically in place.

Among them were human cultivators and demons of various forms, all of whom now resembled puppets, their pupils unfocused and their heads bowed.

Shen Yu shivered, her back already soaked with cold sweat.

If the Xuanqiong Pagoda hadn't suddenly emitted a clear light, alerting him and waking him from his dazed state, he would likely have become one of these walking corpses, forever trapped in this eerie area.

He suppressed his lingering fear and was about to leave when he suddenly noticed a strange phenomenon.

In this area, all the corpses still treading are facing the same direction.

Shen Yu strained his eyes to look, but all he could see was a darkness as thick as ink, making it impossible to discern its true nature. He could only sense a terrifying aura emanating from it, chilling him to the bone.

His heart pounded, and Shen Yu's unease grew stronger. He knew that with his meager skills, attempting to explore the secrets of this place was tantamount to a moth flying into a flame, courting certain death.

Shifting his gaze, Shen Yu took a deep breath, suppressing the agitation in his heart, and then quickly strode away from the place.

Once she left the area, Shen Yu encountered no further obstacles and traveled smoothly.

Ahead lay a marshland, which, according to Cui Youxin, was called Blackwater Marsh. Many aquatic beasts inhabited it, and some water-loving demons also lived there.

If one wants to reach the Ganyu Mountains where Yue Ling is located without passing through this place, it will take more time. Even at Shen Yu's speed, it will take at least five more days.

At this moment, Yue Ling's fate was uncertain, so Shen Yu naturally couldn't afford to go astray.

Although flying is faster, the area above the water is extremely dangerous. If one were to fly away rashly, one might be mistaken for prey by the strange beasts in the water, causing unnecessary trouble.

Therefore, Shen Yu simply walked along the land in the Blackwater Marsh, focusing all his divine sense on the water surface to prevent any sudden attacks from creatures.

A damp, cold wind kept blowing across his face. This place was no longer as lifeless as before. He could hear water beasts leaping out of the water in the center of the pool, creating ripples.

He quickened his pace, and suddenly noticed several auras ahead, which seemed to be the auras of living people.

Shen Yu paused, then pricked up his ears. He could vaguely see several blurry figures in the darkness ahead, whispering and discussing something.

"Young Master...bait..."

The sound was intermittent and extremely unclear, but Shen Yu still managed to hear some key words.

These people seemed to be planning a famous fishing trip, or rather, they wanted to catch something in the pond.

"This is really weird. All sorts of people come to this godforsaken place. What's wrong with you that you'd come here to fish..."

Shen Yu muttered to himself, secretly complaining.

Not wanting to cause any more trouble, Shen Yu turned and left, intending to bypass the group by taking a side road.

"Who is it, young master? Someone's here!"

Suddenly, one of the cultivators among them shouted, noticing Shen Yu.

The green-robed cultivator known as "Young Master" and the old man beside him holding a strange fishing rod did not react immediately upon hearing the sound, but merely glanced indifferently in the direction of Shen Yu.

However, the four cultivators beside him had already responded and moved.

"Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!"

Four dark figures shot up like arrows released from a bow, leaving only afterimages, rushing towards Shen Yu from different directions.

"trouble!"

Shen Yu's heart sank, and he cursed under his breath, knowing that his whereabouts had been exposed.

He reacted extremely quickly, circulating his internal energy, and with a light touch of his feet on the ground, he attempted to retreat rapidly.

However, just as he was about to move, a whooshing sound suddenly rang out, and a huge talisman sword, carrying immense power, shot towards him with a roar.

The giant sword did not strike Shen Yu, but instead pierced the ground three zhang behind him.

Most of the sword was submerged in the mud, and the violent impact caused the ground to tremble violently, splashing up a large amount of mud.

Immediately, the giant sword shone brightly, and thousands upon thousands of fine, silk-like sword energies burst forth, forming a net that completely blocked all of Shen Yu's escape routes.

In the instant that the sword energy blocked the way, the four cultivators had already closed in on him, taking up positions on all four sides and forming an encirclement. Their overwhelming pressure made Shen Yu's breath catch in his throat.

Shen Yu's gaze swept quickly over the four people. They were all dressed in black, their faces covered with black veils, and each of them carried a thick, blunt sword on their backs.

Shen Yu had no way of knowing the depth of the four people's cultivation levels, and a sense of despair welled up in his heart.

They remained silent, standing like four iron towers, their cold gazes fixed on Shen Yu, as if they would attack instantly if he made any move.

In the distance, the green-robed cultivator and the old man with the pole strolled over, their demeanor composed.

Only when he got closer could Shen Yu see the appearance of the leader.

He appeared to be about the same age as himself, with a handsome face, bright eyes and relaxed eyebrows. He wore a blue-gold Taoist robe, a jade belt around his waist, and a pair of phoenix-patterned cloud-stepping boots. He possessed an air of dignified composure that looked down upon all living beings.

His eyes were clear, yet carried a faint air of arrogance.

"A cultivator at the Qi Refining stage..." Xiao Yue'an's gaze swept over Shen Yu. "To dare to venture into the Abyss alone, he does have some courage, or rather... he's courting death."

Shen Yu stepped forward and performed a Daoist curtsy, "Greetings, fellow Daoists. I had no intention of disturbing your peace and quiet, and I apologize on my behalf."

Xiao Yue'an nodded slightly in acceptance of the greeting, and then asked calmly, "Who are you? What school do you belong to? What brings you to Blackwater Marsh?"

Shen Yu knew in his heart that in such a dangerous place, facing a group of cultivators of unknown origin and whose strength far surpassed his own, if his next answer displeased them, he would probably die on the spot.

"Fellow Daoist, I am Shen Yu, from Dongling Prefecture. I am passing through Blackwater Marsh because I have important business to attend to on my way to Ganyu Mountain Range to find a fellow disciple of mine."

"Dongling Prefecture?" Upon hearing this, Xiao Yue'an's eyebrows twitched slightly, as if he had thought of something, and he continued to ask, "Is the senior sister you mentioned a disciple of the Lu Jing Sect in Dongling Prefecture?"

Shen Yu quickly glanced at Xiao Yue'an and knew in his heart that this person must have met Yue Ling before, which was why he mentioned the name of Lu Jing Sect when he heard that he was from Dongling Prefecture.

"What you say is true, fellow Daoist. My senior sister and I are indeed from the Lu Jing Sect of Dongling Prefecture."

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