Just when everyone thought the rift crisis had been resolved, something unexpected happened. The once-clear water sources of the Immortal and Mortal Realms suddenly became unbearably murky, as though they had been contaminated by something. Creatures that drank the water began showing symptoms of illness, and some even fell sick and could not rise again.
The young disciple and his companions realized the severity of the problem and immediately began investigating. Following the river upstream, they discovered that the water source had been polluted by a black slime. The slime gave off a foul stench and was highly corrosive, eating away at anything it touched.
Following the trail of slime, the young disciple and the others eventually arrived at a deep, secluded valley. A pungent smell filled the valley, making it difficult to breathe. The black slime was continuously flowing out from a bottomless cave.
As soon as the young disciple and the others approached the cave, they suddenly felt a powerful suction force that nearly dragged them straight inside. The young disciple hurriedly activated the Five Elements Spirit Pearls within him and cast a spell to steady his body, barely managing to resist the pull.
Everyone cautiously entered the cave. It was pitch-black inside, gloomy and terrifying. Faintly, they could see a huge Shadow Figure moving through the cave, occasionally letting out low roars. The young disciple looked closely and realized it was an ancient Water Beast controlled by the slime.
The Water Beast was enormous, its entire body covered in black slime, while an eerie red light flickered in its eyes. The moment it saw the young disciple and the others, it opened its gaping maw and pounced at them with a roar.
The young disciple and his companions immediately unleashed their respective spells and engaged the Water