Nether Swamp

"So this is the Nether Swamp..."

Little Fairy Doctor stood at the bow of the Wind Riding Boat, gazing at the scene before her through the transparent energy barrier, her face unable to hide a look of astonishment.

As far as the eye could see, it was a landscape of somber, gloomy green, as if soaked in the essence of death.

The ground beneath was not solid soil, but a mixture of viscous sludge, rotting branches and weeds, and ghastly white bones half-buried everywhere, emitting a nauseating, fishy stench of decay.

Although this region appeared vibrant with life, with plants growing everywhere one looked, not a single insect chirped or bird sang. Even the wind felt oppressive and deathly silent, like a desolate ghost realm abandoned by the world.

"Xian'er, once we enter, remember not to leave the Wind Riding Boat for even a step. Keep a tight grip on the Protective Jade Slip I gave you, and if there is any danger, crush it immediately."

Ning Chen instructed softly, his gaze scanning the thick, almost tangible gray-green poisonous miasma ahead with caution.

"Mm, I'll remember."

Little Fairy Doctor nodded vigorously, then couldn't help but ask, "Ning Chen, we've reached our destination now. Can you finally tell me what we came here for?"

"Of course."

Ning Chen smiled slightly and steered the Wind Riding Boat to change direction. The boat glowed with a brilliant cyan light as it plunged straight into the dense miasma that seemed to swallow all light.

"Xian'er, have you ever heard of 'Exotic Flame'?"

"Exotic Flame?" Little Fairy Doctor paused, recalling, "Back in Qingshan Town, I heard a few words from some well-traveled old mercenaries. They say it is the most miraculous and powerful flame in the world, a priceless treasure. But what does that have to do with us coming here?"

As Ning Chen carefully navigated the Wind Riding Boat through the increasingly dim, miasma-filled swamp, he spoke slowly, "The twentieth on the Exotic Flame Ranking, the Nether Poison Fire."

"Nether Poison Fire?"

"That's right," Ning Chen said in a calm tone, "The Nether Poison Fire is a strange flame born within the ancient Nether Swamp. It has spent eons inhaling and consuming endless poisonous miasma, and its very flame has become one with the ultimate poison."

"An ordinary person would die from the poison the moment they touched even a spark of it. Because of this, it is one of the most difficult Exotic Flames to absorb and fuse with."

Having said this much, and thinking back to her own constitution—which could be called the master of ten thousand poisons—even if Little Fairy Doctor didn't know much about Exotic Flames, she completely understood the deeper meaning behind Ning Chen bringing her here!

"Ning Chen... you came here to find an Exotic Flame... for me?"

She stared blankly at Ning Chen's well-defined profile, her heart churning like a boulder had been thrown into a lake, creating massive waves. For a moment, she was even a bit incoherent, "But... why?"

He was actually willing to venture into such a dangerous place for her, plotting to obtain that legendary, deadly fire?

Could it really be as he said back then, that he just "couldn't bear to see the suffering of the world"?

Little Fairy Doctor subconsciously shook her head.

Although she was kind-natured by instinct, she was not naive.

Having truly stepped into this world, she knew that to become stronger, resources and opportunities were often accompanied by struggles of blood and fire. A "good person" in the traditional sense would find it hard to even survive for long, let alone become a Dou Wang.

So what was it for? Could he...

Little Fairy Doctor looked down involuntarily, her gaze sweeping over her own slightly heaving chest, before she secretly chided herself, her cheeks growing warm.

Ye Qingxian, oh Ye Qingxian, what kind of nonsense are you thinking about!

Watching the adorable appearance of the young girl beside him—at times enlightened, at times confused, and at times inexplicably shy—the smile at the corners of Ning Chen's mouth deepened.

By now, the Wind Riding Boat had completely entered the Nether Swamp.

The poisonous miasma here was so thick it wouldn't disperse; even with the protective barrier, one could still feel the bone-chilling toxicity trying to seep through.

The swamp was filled with stagnant pools, the water as black as ink, occasionally bubbling with poisonous gas.

Twisted, strange tree branches clawed at the air like ghost shadows, looking incredibly eerie.

The Nether Swamp was far larger than Ning Chen had imagined. Looking out, the sky and earth were the same color, as if they were in an ocean of poisonous miasma.

For nine full days, Ning Chen and Little Fairy Doctor piloted the Wind Riding Boat, covering almost every known dangerous area of this vast swamp, spending nearly the entire time being hunted by poisonous Magic Beasts.

However, apart from the increasingly dense miasma and the endless stream of dangerous Magic Beasts, there was no trace of the legendary Nether Poison Fire.

Furthermore, the Nether Poison Fire was different from the Green Lotus Core Flame; it was not confined to its place of birth and could wander anywhere.

It was no exaggeration to say that the entire Nether Swamp was its playground.

Patience gradually wore thin amidst the day-after-day of searching and evading.

On the evening of the ninth day, after once again avoiding a group of Poison Scale Crocodiles that radiated the aura of peak Dou Wangs, Ning Chen stopped the Wind Riding Boat, his brows furrowed.

"Searching like this isn't a solution."

"Then what should we..." Little Fairy Doctor also felt a bit discouraged.

Ning Chen did not answer. Instead, he flipped his palm, and a strange compass, the size of a fist and crystalline like purple crystal with countless tiny silver light spots flowing inside, appeared in his hand.

"What is this...?" Little Fairy Doctor asked curiously.

"[Heavenly Compass], a one-time trinket."

Ning Chen explained, his eyes brightening slightly, "It can center on the user and detect all life forms or special existences within a fifty-mile radius that have an energy intensity reaching or exceeding the Dou Huang level... for example, Heavenly Flames."

This was precisely the treasure he had exchanged from the system to locate the Nether Poison Fire.

Before his voice had even faded, Ning Chen injected a stream of pure Dou Qi into it.

The amethyst compass suddenly shone brilliantly, and the silver light spots inside began to swim frantically.

A moment later, the vast majority of the light spots went dormant, with only a few relatively bright spots lighting up at the edge of the northwest region indicated by the compass.

"It's reacting!"

Ning Chen's spirits lifted; although the light spots weren't dense, he finally had a clear direction.

He did not hesitate any longer and immediately urged the Wind Riding Boat forward, turning into a streak of cyan light as it sped toward the northwest.

I don't believe that if I turn these dozens of miles upside down, I won't be able to drag that hiding ghost fire out!

Guided by the [Heavenly Compass], Ning Chen began a carpet-style search.

However, the first two light spots were both Tier 6 Magic Beasts, having absolutely nothing to do with a Heavenly Flame.

Coming up empty-handed twice in a row made Ning Chen's expression look rather unpleasant.

Although the [Heavenly Compass] could detect existences at the Dou Huang level and above, it could not specifically distinguish whether they were Magic Beasts, humans, or Heavenly Flames, nor could it judge their state, which greatly reduced its efficiency.

Just as he was preparing to head toward the third light spot, the [Heavenly Compass] in his hand suddenly underwent a new change!

He saw that a light cluster, several times larger than the other spots, had suddenly intruded into the northwest corner of the compass.

No! Looking closely, it was clearly four light spots with extremely strong energy reactions clustered together!

"Four Dou Huang level existences, gathered in one place?"

Ning Chen's eyes suddenly sharpened, and he brought the Wind Riding Boat to a halt.

In this region of the Northwest Continent, whether it was a Dou Huang or a Tier 6 Magic Beast, each was already an overlord of their own territory; let alone Magic Beasts, even human Dou Huangs rarely gathered together.

When things are abnormal, there must be a demon!

"It seems we may have found the real deal, or if not, there is a great spectacle to be seen."

A cold arc curled at the corner of Ning Chen's mouth, and his previous irritation was swept away.

"Xian'er, hold on tight. We'll move closer to take a look. Remember, conceal your aura."

He instructed in a low voice, simultaneously urging the Wind Riding Boat to lower its speed and energy fluctuations to the minimum, sneaking cautiously toward the location where the four light spots converged like a silent fish.

About an incense stick's time later, a thick, nauseating stench rushed toward them, clearly detectable even through the protective barrier.

A massive black mud swamp appeared ahead, the water as viscous as paste and constantly churning.

And in the sky above the center of the black swamp, a shocking scene was unfolding.

A cluster of eerie green flames, about the size of a washbasin, was flickering and drifting like a ghost possessing intelligence.

Its opponents were three Black Scale Snake Kings hovering above the swamp, massive in size with pitch-black, gleaming scales, their auras clearly reaching the Dou Huang level!

They spat out foul-smelling venom and black lightning, constantly lunging at the eerie green flame, while the flame dodged nimbly, occasionally splitting into several fire snakes to counterattack, scorching the venomous snakes' scales until they hissed and let out painful shrieks.

As the eerie green flame leaped, it emitted an aura that was both intensely poisonous and scorching, making one's very soul feel icy cold.

It was exactly the Nether Poison Fire!