The Injured Jadeleaf Butterfly

In the center of the clearing lay an injured Jadeleaf Butterfly. Wind blades had slashed several gashes through its wings, and green blood dripped from them. Its breathing was faint; it had clearly fallen victim to the fight.

"A Rock Giant Rhino and Windblade Foxes. They're all common Soul Beasts in Mistveil Valley," Lu Xue said softly.

"Their territories border each other, and they've always lived in peace. Why would they suddenly start fighting?"

Gu Rong studied the battle, his bony fingers tapping lightly against his palm. "Something's wrong. These Soul Beasts are acting strangely. Look at that Rock Giant Rhino—its eyes are bloodred, and it's attacking wildly, as if something enraged it. Those Windblade Foxes are much more aggressive than usual, too."

Xiao Shenghe had noticed it as well. After communicating with the Skyvault Bamboo King through their soul bond, he said, "Senior Bamboo King says there's a faint fishy smell in the air beneath the mist's hallucinatory Soul Power. It's making the plants uneasy. That may be why these Soul Beasts have lost control."

"A fishy smell?"

Lu Xuan's eyes darkened. He raised a hand and released a stronger surge of Soul Power, dispersing the surrounding mist.

Sure enough, everyone caught a barely perceptible whiff of something fishy, tinged with rot. It turned their stomachs.

"That smell... It's like a Corrosive Poison Soul Beast from the Netherworld Swamp," Lu Xue said, her expression shifting.

"The Netherworld Swamp lies north of Mistveil Valley, with a natural barrier between them. Soul Beasts from there shouldn't be here."

Chen Xin gripped his sword hilt, a faint sword intent radiating from him. "Whatever the reason, we should stop this fight first. If it goes on, the Jadeleaf Butterfly will die, and both sides will suffer heavy losses."

He was about to act when Lu Xuan stopped him.

"Patience, Sword Douluo. The Soul Beasts of Mistveil Valley have their own rules. If we interfere rashly, we might make enemies of them. Let Shenghe try."

Everyone turned to Xiao Shenghe.

Xiao Shenghe took a deep breath, nodded, and stepped forward.

He circulated his Symbiotic Power, merging his own Soul Power with the Skyvault Bamboo King's blue-gold Soul Power. At the same time, he released a gentle aura that spread toward the fighting Soul Beasts.

"Stop!"

Magnified by Soul Power, Xiao Shenghe's voice carried the Skyvault Bamboo King's aura of plants. Gentle yet penetrating, it reached straight into the minds of every Soul Beast.

Blue-gold Soul Power fell like fine rain upon the Rock Giant Rhino and the Windblade Foxes.

The Soul Beasts visibly faltered. A trace of clarity returned to their bloodred eyes, and their savage auras subsided a little.

The Rock Giant Rhino stopped attacking and looked at Xiao Shenghe in confusion, as though it could not understand why it had suddenly attacked the Windblade Foxes.

The Windblade Foxes stopped firing wind blades, too. They watched Xiao Shenghe warily but launched no further attacks.

"That smell really did cloud their minds," Lu Xuan said.

"The pure aura of plants within Shenghe's Symbiotic Power can suppress their frenzy for now."

Xiao Shenghe continued releasing blue-gold Soul Power and said softly, "There's no reason for you to fight. Something from outside has affected you. Stop now. Keep fighting, and you'll only bring ruin on both sides."

He went to the injured Jadeleaf Butterfly and raised a hand. A wisp of silver-and-jade Symbiotic Power settled gently over its wounds.

The warm, healing power closed the Jadeleaf Butterfly's wounds at a visible pace, and its breathing gradually steadied.

The Jadeleaf Butterfly gave Xiao Shenghe a grateful look. Its wings trembled lightly, producing a faint hum, as if thanking him.

Watching this, the Rock Giant Rhino and Windblade Foxes gradually lost the hostility in their eyes.

Xiao Shenghe's pure Soul Power suppressed the smell's influence. Their senses returned, and they realized how absurd their fight had been.

The lead Rock Giant Rhino gave a low bellow and slowly retreated with its herd.

The Windblade Fox leader called out as well, and the foxes became streaks of afterimages that vanished into the mist.

Just like that, Xiao Shenghe had brought the fight to an easy end.

Approval flashed in Chen Xin's eyes. "Not bad, Shenghe. That Symbiotic Power of yours has some remarkable uses."

Gu Rong nodded too. "Being able to soothe Soul Beasts that have lost control is a valuable ability in the Star Dou Great Forest, where there are so many of them."

Xiao Shenghe smiled and withdrew his Soul Power. "It was mainly Senior Bamboo King's power over plants. I only guided it."

Lu Xuan came to Xiao Shenghe's side, his expression grave. "Can you sense where that smell came from through your Soul Spirits?"

Xiao Shenghe closed his eyes and communicated with his two Soul Spirits for a moment before shaking his head.

"I can only tell that it came from the north, toward the Netherworld Swamp. I can't pinpoint it. The scent is well concealed, too. If Senior Bamboo King weren't especially sensitive to the aura of plants, we wouldn't have noticed it at all."

"Then we should go to the Netherworld Swamp first," Lu Xuan said.

"The smell has affected the Soul Beasts of Mistveil Valley, and it may also be connected to clues about the Secret of Symbiosis. The Netherworld Swamp holds many ancient secrets. Perhaps we'll find answers there."

Xiao Shenghe nodded, then looked at the Jadeleaf Butterfly, which had recovered somewhat. "Senior Jadeleaf Butterfly, do you know what happened in the Netherworld Swamp recently? Why has this smell spread all the way to Mistveil Valley?"

The Jadeleaf Butterfly's wings trembled softly, and a faint thought entered Xiao Shenghe's mind. "Not long ago, a tremendous noise came from the direction of the Netherworld Swamp. After that, the smell spread here. Many Soul Beasts near the swamp's edge have grown aggressive. A young one in our group was affected, and that's why we clashed with the Rock Giant Rhino."

"A tremendous noise?"

Lu Xuan's eyes darkened.

"Could a Soul Beast have broken through? Or... is someone stirring up trouble in the Netherworld Swamp?"

Chen Xin gave a cold snort. "Whoever dares whip up wind and rain in the Star Dou Great Forest, I won't let them off!"

Gu Rong said, "Let's set out at once and see what's happening in the Netherworld Swamp. The sooner we deal with that smell, the sooner the Soul Beasts of Mistveil Valley can have peace again."

The group did not linger. After thanking Xiao Shenghe, the Jadeleaf Butterfly beat its wings and disappeared into the mist.

Xiao Shenghe and Lu Yao walked side by side behind Lu Xuan, while Chen Xin and Gu Rong brought up the rear. Together, they headed toward the Netherworld Swamp.

The mist grew thicker, and the fishy smell in the air became more pronounced.

Xiao Shenghe could feel the Tigerfang Blazing Panda stirring restlessly deep within his soul, plainly repulsed by the smell.

The Skyvault Bamboo King, meanwhile, radiated faint blue-gold Soul Power, shielding the group against the smell's corrosive effects.

The road ahead was unknown and fraught with danger, but Xiao Shenghe felt no fear.

He looked at Lu Yao beside him and felt the answering presence of his two Soul Spirits deep within his soul. With two Titled Douluo, Lu Xuan, and Lu Xue watching over him as well, strength filled his heart.

He knew the journey to the Netherworld Swamp would be anything but peaceful.

But whatever dangers awaited, he would press on—not only to seek clues to the Secret of Symbiosis, but also to protect this hard-won path of equal coexistence.