At the End of the Miasma Forest, the Gorge Emerges

The dim miasma behind them gradually thinned, like fading ink. Su Lie held the old Beast Hide Map in both hands and respectfully presented it before Lin Chen. Mud marks from his earlier kowtow still stained his forehead, while his eyes brimmed with unease and expectation.

Lin Chen's gaze rested on the hide scroll for a moment, but he did not immediately reach out to take it. His deep eyes seemed capable of piercing through the beast hide, seeing every line and every marking drawn upon it.

Su Lie's heart could not help but rise to his throat. This senior was impossible to read. What if he found Su Lie's little offering too crude and beneath his notice? What then?

Just as sweat began to form in Su Lie's palms, Lin Chen finally extended his hand. His movement was not quick, yet it carried an unmistakable finality.

He took the Beast Hide Map.

It felt slightly heavy in his hand, possessing the particular toughness of leather and a faint scent of tanning. Time had worn down the map's surface, and its edges had even curled somewhat, yet the care of its maker was still evident.

"Thank you, Senior! Thank you, Senior!" Seeing Lin Chen accept the map, Su Lie felt as though he had been granted a reprieve. Genuine gratitude and delight filled his face, as if having the map accepted by this senior was itself an immense honor.

Lin Chen paid no attention to Su Lie's excitement. His focus had already settled entirely upon the map in his hands.

He slowly unfurled the hide scroll.

The map's drawing style was somewhat crude, created with some kind of mineral pigment that would not easily fade. Simple lines outlined mountains, rivers, and several distinctive terrain markers. The mapped area was not particularly large, mainly centered around a long, narrow region flanked by towering sheer cliffs. That was clearly the so-called Luofeng Gorge.

Several relatively safe areas had been marked in red, with crooked little notes beside them reading "Shelter Cave," "Clear Spring Eye," and "Stone Pillar Forest (temporary shelter possible)." Deeper inside the gorge, however, several skull symbols had been drawn, accompanied by warnings such as "dense Wind Blades," "demonic beasts entrenched," and "Bewitching Slope."

Though crude, this map was undoubtedly of immense value to anyone entering this place for the first time. At the very least, it could help them avoid several obvious deadly traps.

Lin Chen's gaze swept swiftly over the entire map like a scan. With his memory now far beyond that of an ordinary person, he had almost instantly etched every piece of information on it firmly into his mind.

Luofeng Gorge...

Judging from the map, the place truly lived up to its name. Its terrain was long and narrow, like a cleft split open by a giant axe. On both sides stood steep cliffs that soared into the clouds, while within the gorge lay jagged rocks and densely branching paths, forming a natural maze. Several areas marked "strange winds year-round" had been specially noted on the map, proving that Su Lie had not been exaggerating.

Such terrain was both a perilous place and an excellent spot to hide and train.

For Lin Chen, who urgently needed to raise his strength while evading pursuit from the Lin Family and the Wang Family, this might be a good choice.

Without betraying a hint of emotion, he rolled the Beast Hide Map back up and casually tucked it into his robes. Seeing this, Su Lie felt even more reassured.

"Senior, this map only roughly marks some of the outer regions," Su Lie hurriedly added when he saw Lin Chen put it away. "Even our Su Family knows very little about the depths of the gorge. Especially the area around the legendary Yin Wind Ravine, where Purple Cloud Mushrooms may grow—it is exceptionally dangerous. They say high-level demonic beasts guard it, and the strange winds there..."

At this point, a trace of apprehension appeared on his face. "The wind there is unlike ordinary mountain wind. They say it can erode one's soul, impossible to guard against. Several members of the scouting party we sent last time fell there, and even their bodies were never recovered."

Yin Wind Ravine?

Lin Chen silently remembered the name. Any place that could give the Su Family such trouble was certainly no trifling matter. Still, he was not particularly interested in those so-called Purple Cloud Mushrooms. What concerned him more was whether the gorge's environment was suitable for cultivating the Myriad Dao Fusion Art.

"Mhm." Lin Chen merely gave a faint response, offering no further indication. He raised his head and looked ahead.

As the group continued onward, the surroundings indeed began to undergo obvious changes.

The suffocating gray-green miasma had completely vanished. The air became much fresher. Though it still carried the dampness of mountain forests, it no longer had the rotten, clammy feeling of Black Marsh Forest.

The mud and rotting leaves beneath their feet gradually dwindled, replaced by solid earth and scattered stones. The trees on either side no longer looked sickly and twisted. Though still tall, noticeably more light filtered through their branches and leaves.

The most striking change was the wind.

Gusts of breeze began blowing in from ahead, carrying the coolness unique to mountain rock. The wind echoed through the forest with a low, mournful howl, as though it were the whisper of the gorge.

"Quick! Put your backs into it, everyone! We're about to leave this damned Black Marsh Forest!" Su Lie perked up and called back to his subordinates.

The surviving guards also showed renewed spirits at his words. After the successive bloody battles and the terror of the mosquito swarm, making it out of this dangerous place alive was already a blessing from heaven. Supporting one another, they quickened their pace.

The carriage still moved slowly in the middle of the group. Its curtains remained tightly shut, but judging from the occasional faint sounds within, Su Ling'er's condition seemed to have stabilized. She was no longer coughing in pain.

Within Lin Chen's senses, Su Ling'er's Aura remained weak, but it was far steadier than before. The cold, sinister force of mosquito venom that had invaded her body had indeed been temporarily suppressed by that thread of his origin vitality.

However, as he had said, it was only suppression, not eradication. The Blood-Sucking Poison Mosquito's venom was exceedingly tyrannical, and there seemed to be an even deeper "root of illness" hidden within her body. A complete recovery would be far from easy.

After moving forward for roughly the time it took an incense stick to burn, the view ahead suddenly opened up!

They had finally left that oppressive Black Marsh Forest!

Before them stretched a relatively open expanse of rocky ground. Strange, jagged stones covered the earth in every imaginable shape. In the distance, they could vaguely make out two enormous mountain walls, sharp as if carved by knives and axes, rising magnificently into the clouds. Like two silent giants, they guarded the deep, shadowy cleft between them.

That cleft was the entrance to Luofeng Gorge!

Even from a distance, they could feel the mountain wind blowing from the gorge entrance, far stronger than before. The wind howled like ghosts weeping and wolves howling, carrying an untamed, primal wildness.

The sky had begun to brighten as well. A pale, fish-belly glow appeared on the eastern horizon, driving away the last trace of deep night's chill.

"We're out... we're finally out!" One guard looked at the open landscape before him and the distant gorge entrance, tears streaming down his face as his legs nearly gave way.

"Enough! Don't let your guard down!" Though Su Lie had also breathed a sigh of relief, he remained vigilant and shouted sternly, "We may have left Black Marsh Forest, but we've entered Luofeng Gorge's territory. We cannot afford to be careless! Find a place to rest first, tend to your wounds, and recover your strength!"

His gaze turned to Lin Chen, carrying a question and a request for instruction. "Senior, what do you think...?"

Lin Chen glanced at the sky, then swept his eyes across the surroundings. Finally, his gaze settled on a spot near the gorge entrance's side wall marked on the map in his robes. A simple cave symbol had been drawn there, with the words "Shelter Cave (relatively safe)" beside it.

"Go there." He raised his hand and pointed in that direction, his words brief and direct.

"Yes, Senior!" Su Lie immediately understood, his spirits lifting. With this senior present and the map to guide them, they finally had a sliver of security within this perilous gorge.

He immediately directed the group toward where Lin Chen had indicated.

The so-called Shelter Cave was not far from their current location, only about half a li away. Its entrance was concealed behind a pile of rocks and was not conspicuous at all. Without the map's guidance, it would have been difficult to find.

The entrance was small, allowing only two or three people to enter side by side. Yet the interior was more spacious than expected and relatively dry. Ashes from old fires still remained on the cave walls, showing that others had stayed here before. Most importantly, this place could indeed effectively block the fierce wind blowing from the gorge entrance.

"Alright, we'll rest here for now!" Su Lie arranged. "Two men guard the entrance. Everyone else, hurry and tend to your wounds, then sit and regulate your breathing!"

The guards obeyed, each finding a place to sit. They took out wound medicine and bandages, beginning to treat the injuries left by poisonous mosquito bites and the earlier battles. Though Lin Chen's intimidating presence and the map's guidance had helped them, after surviving so many dangers, every one of them looked utterly exhausted.

Su Lie personally went to check on the carriage.

He carefully lifted the curtain and asked in a low voice, "Miss, how are you feeling?"

"Uncle Su... I'm much better..." Su Ling'er's voice was still somewhat weak, but it was far clearer than it had been in Black Marsh Forest. She leaned against the cushions. Though her face was still pale, some life had returned to it at last, and the bluish-black tint on her lips had completely faded. "Is it safe here?"

"Yes, for the moment." Su Lie nodded, a trace of relieved smile appearing on his face. "This is a Shelter Cave found by Senior. We can rest and recover properly here. Miss, drink some water first, then eat something to regain your strength. Once you've rested, we'll figure out a way..."

He had wanted to say they would figure out a way to find the Purple Cloud Mushroom, but the words reached his lips only to be swallowed back down. After the bitter lesson they had just endured, he no longer dared place too much hope on that elusive Purple Cloud Mushroom. What mattered most now was ensuring the safety of the young lady and the remaining people.

Su Ling'er accepted the water pouch Su Lie handed her and took a few small sips. Her gaze inadvertently drifted toward the cave entrance.

Lin Chen had not gone deep into the cave. Instead, he chose a spot near the entrance, where he could both observe the situation inside and respond to external danger at the first possible moment, then sat down cross-legged.

His eyes were closed, as though he were meditating and regulating his breath, yet Su Ling'er could sense that his almost tangible awareness blanketed the entire cave and its surroundings. Not even the slightest rustle of wind or grass could escape his detection.

Was he truly just a passing senior?

That question surfaced in Su Ling'er's heart once more.

She silently lowered her head and looked at the mosquito bites on her wrist. They were no longer worsening, leaving behind only swollen red marks. Her fingertips lightly brushed the space between her brows, where a faint trace of warmth seemed to linger still.

Lin Chen was indeed regulating his breath, but not because he had exhausted himself.

Earlier, in order to suppress the mosquito poison in Su Ling'er's body, he had used a thread of exceptionally pure life force from his origin. This power came directly from his blood, qi, and the Myriad Dao Furnace's origin. Though the amount had been small, it still needed time to recover after being expended.

The Myriad Dao Furnace slowly revolved within him like an eternal smelting furnace, continuously refining and purifying the natural essence he drew into his body, as well as some of the stored essence from demon beast flesh and blood. It replenished what he had just used while nourishing his limbs and bones, strengthening his physical body.

After refining the scales of the Scaled Earth Dragon Beast, he could feel that his body's defenses had risen another level. Now, even without using true qi, ordinary blades and swords would likely struggle to injure his skin. The sheer strength of his physical body filled him with a sense of security.

But he knew it was still far from enough.

At the Body Tempering Realm Seventh Layer, he was still at the bottom in the vast Green Peak Mountain Range. Leaving aside those powerful demon beasts, the pursuers that the Lin Family and Wang Family might send were enough to pose a deadly threat to him.

He had to raise his strength as quickly as possible. At the very least, he needed to reach the Foundation Establishment Realm before he could possess some ability to protect himself.

And this Luofeng Gorge might be his opportunity to break through.

The environment here was harsher than in the outer mountain ranges, but that also meant there might be stronger demon beasts and more abundant cultivation resources.

His gaze "looked" once more at the crude map in his mind.

Yin Wind Ravine; high-level demon beasts; strange winds that eroded the soul;

And the Purple Cloud Mushroom that the Su Family was willing to seek at any cost.

The corner of Lin Chen's mouth curled into an imperceptible smile.

Danger and opportunity often walked hand in hand.

He had no intention of immediately venturing into Yin Wind Ravine. The urgent task was to first make use of the environment around Luofeng Gorge to consolidate his cultivation, while seeing whether he could hunt some suitable demon beasts and continue using the Myriad Dao Furnace to improve his physical body and true qi.

As for the Su Family members...

Lin Chen's awareness swept over the guards tending to their wounds with weary expressions, then over the figure in the carriage whose aura was gradually stabilizing, though she remained weak.

It was fine to let them rest here.

Once they recovered somewhat, perhaps he could draw more detailed information about Luofeng Gorge from Su Lie.

Moreover, with them around, they could, to a certain extent, attract some potential dangers and buy him time and room to maneuver.

Of course, that was provided they did not stir up another huge mess like the Blood-Sucking Poison Mosquitoes.

With that thought, Lin Chen slowly opened his eyes and calmly looked out of the cave.