Breakthrough Upon Entering the Poison Marsh?

It is rumored that the Ancient Nether Poison Swamp is a forbidden zone for humans in the Chu Yun Empire, shrouded day and night by the Sky-Covering Poison Miasma.

Even the most powerful poison masters are said to face certain death upon venturing deep into the swamp.

Yet, deep within those toxic depths, a wisp of flame, tempered by thousands of years of exposure to the miasma, eventually transformed into a poison fire.

That poison fire is none other than the Nether Poison Fire, ranked twentieth on the Exotic Flame Ranking.

This is how the system-rewarded map of exotic flames describes it.

But in reality...

Wasn't this supposed to be a forbidden zone for humans? Didn't they say poison masters would die if they entered? Why are so many people gathered here?

Witnessing the bustling scene before him, Xiao Yuan's eyelids twitched uncontrollably.

In the town on the outskirts of the Ancient Nether Poison Swamp, a dense crowd of people had gathered, their clamor merging into a deafening roar.

It was incredibly noisy.

The poisonous goods for sale were even more comprehensive than those in the towns he had just passed through.

Then again, it made sense; after all, the Chu Yun Empire is the world of poison masters.

It might be understandable not to cultivate poison-attribute Dou Qi here, but if you stepped out without a couple of poisonous tricks up your sleeve to kill a man or two, you would likely be laughed to death by your peers.

The attitude toward the poison swamp was no different.

Just as alchemists pursue exotic flames, poison masters are equally filled with longing for such rare, ancient poison swamps, hoping to elevate their own poison master rank.

"Sigh, let's go."

Xiao Yuan couldn't be bothered to dwell on it further and pulled Little Doctor Fairy's hand as they walked into the town.

Their arrival, however, startled the people in the small town.

Because they were followed by an Amethyst Winged Lion King, everyone's gaze turned toward them, and their eyes grew particularly fervent upon spotting the lion king.

After all, the Amethyst Winged Lion King is a treasure trove from head to toe.

Large quantities of Purple Spirit Crystal, powerful beast fire, and magic cores—every single item is worth a fortune!

"Hmph!"

Sensing the malicious gazes of these humans, the Amethyst Winged Lion King immediately released its aura as a Tier 6 magical beast.

The crowd turned deathly pale in an instant, not daring to look again.

The once-dense throng of people even parted to clear a path for them.

[See, this is the benefit of bringing a big lion along; you don't even have to lift a finger, and these people just fold.]

As they drew closer to the entrance of the poison swamp, feeling the gazes of those around them, Little Doctor Fairy gave his hand a slight squeeze.

"Little Brother Xiao Yuan, are we really just going into the poison swamp like this? What about those people tailing us?"

Her voice was very soft, and because she spoke almost directly into his ear, her fragrant, gentle breath sent a tingling sensation through Xiao Yuan's body.

"It's fine, it's fine. Let's just go in. If they dare to follow us inside, we'll just deal with them in the swamp."

[It is the Ancient Nether Poison Swamp, after all; it's perfectly normal for a couple of people to die inside.]

"Though, it really is a surprise. Little Doctor Fairy, you actually noticed the little tails behind us."

Little Doctor Fairy's pretty face flushed red at the teasing.

She hadn't discovered them on her own; it was only because of Xiao Yuan's earlier mental reminder that she had caught them by chance.

Immersed in her shyness, Little Doctor Fairy followed him step by step out of the town, their figures gradually disappearing into the dense forest outside the poison swamp.

However, shortly after Xiao Yuan and Little Doctor Fairy entered the swamp, several figures appeared outside the dense woods as well.

"They... they just went in like that?"

One of them spoke, his tone filled with disbelief.

The leader was a youth who looked to be in his twenties, dressed in a scholarly fashion, but even he was left baffled by the situation.

"Setting aside the Amethyst Winged Lion King with the strength of a Dou Huang and that youth whose strength I can't discern, that little girl is merely a Dou Shi—how does she dare to step into the Nether Poison Swamp?"

One had to know that even he, a Three-Star Dou Ling, wouldn't dare to enter this swamp so recklessly.

He couldn't fathom what gave that little girl the confidence to run inside.

"This old man does recall something."

The man standing beside the youth suddenly spoke, drawing everyone's attention.

He was a middle-aged man around forty, dressed in fine robes. A powerful aura surged from his body—a presence so formidable that it faintly carried the weight of a Dou Wang-level expert.

It stood to reason that this middle-aged man's cultivation was at least around the level of a seven or eight-star Dou Ling.

"Oh? I wonder what Senior Yan Li has thought of?"

The middle-aged man known as Yan Li nodded slightly, pondered for a moment, and said:

"I wonder if the Young Sect Master remembers that sixteen years ago, a female infant with the Woeful Poison Body appeared in our Chu Yun Empire?"

"Senior Yan Li, you mean...?"

"That's right."

Seeing Yan Li nod, the young man, who had been hesitant at first, now had his eyes wide with excitement and surprise.

Sixteen years ago, a baby girl possessing the Woeful Poison Body appeared within the borders of the Chu Yun Empire.

At that time, every major sect, faction, and family wanted to get their hands on this infant.

However, she was taken away by her mother.

They fled from the Chu Yun Empire to the Jia Ma Empire, living under assumed names.

The various families within the Chu Yun Empire had sent many people to the Jia Ma Empire to search for the girl, but they never found a trace of her.

In the blink of an eye, sixteen years had passed.

The baby girl should have grown into a young woman by now...

If the young female Dou Shi who had just entered the poison swamp was indeed that girl, then everything made sense!

If one possessed the Woeful Poison Body, why would they fear the Sky-Covering Poison Miasma of the Nether Poison Swamp?

He had originally intended to see what kind of background the youth with the Rank 6 Magical Beast had, hoping to gain some benefits or, at the very least, make an acquaintance.

He never expected to encounter such a surprise!

At this thought, the young man's heart burned with fervor, and he gripped his folding fan a little tighter.

That was the innate Woeful Poison Body; it was incomparable to the trashy, acquired versions they cultivated!

It was the ultimate pursuit of their poison masters!

The young man hurriedly instructed the two servants beside him:

"The two of you, return to the sect immediately and notify the Sect Master. Tell him we have found the Woeful Poison Body and that he must come to provide reinforcements at once!"

The two servants did not dally, immediately acknowledging the order and turning to leave.

"Senior Yan Li, why don't we follow them and take a look?"

After the servants left, the young man extended an invitation to Yan Li beside him.

"Very well, let us go in and see."

The two exchanged a smile and then strode into the dense forest.

Meanwhile.

Xiao Yuan had been riding the Amethyst Winged Lion King with Little Doctor Fairy through the outer reaches of the poison swamp for some time.

However, as they ventured deeper, they discovered that the poison miasma shrouding the forest was becoming increasingly dense.

From the initial layer of hazy mist to the current sky-filling fog, it was becoming nearly impossible to distinguish directions!

Furthermore, the toxins within the mist were growing stronger.

The lush greenery they had seen earlier was now reduced to nothing but withered wood and broken branches.

Just then, Xiao Yuan suddenly felt a ripple of heaven and earth energy coming from behind him.

Turning his head, he saw Little Doctor Fairy standing still, her aura climbing steadily.

No way, are you serious? She's breaking through already?!