The Corrupt Poison's Source Revealed

After traveling toward the Netherworld Swamp for roughly half a day, the surroundings grew steadily harsher.

The towering trees gradually vanished, replaced by low shrubs and rotting dead branches. The ground turned so muddy that every step sank deep and cost them considerable Soul Power.

The stench in the air grew stronger, mingled with the smell of rot. It made their heads spin; if their cultivation had not been so advanced, the fumes would have overwhelmed them already.

"The Netherworld Swamp certainly lives up to its name. This place is wretched in the extreme."

Chen Xin frowned and circulated his Soul Power to shut out the surrounding stench. The sword in his hand trembled faintly, as though it, too, recoiled from the filth.

Gu Rong fared somewhat better. His Martial Soul was tied to plants, giving him some tolerance for the decaying environment.

He pressed his gaunt fingers into the mud, and his Soul Power quietly spread outward. "The swamp is riddled with corrupt poison beneath the surface, and plenty of Soul Beasts are lying in wait. Watch your footing."

Through his soul link with the Skyvault Bamboo King, Xiao Shenghe could clearly sense the fear radiating from the nearby plants. The leaves of the low shrubs had turned yellow, plainly corroded by the poison.

The Tigerfang Blazing Panda, meanwhile, grew increasingly restless. Orange-red Soul Power churned deep within his soul, as though it wanted to burst out and tear apart the foul air it hated.

Senior Panda, please stay calm, Xiao Shenghe soothed it silently.

We need to find the source of that rank smell first. Once we deal with it, we'll leave.

The Tigerfang Blazing Panda's thoughts reached him, tinged with impatience, but it gradually settled down.

Lu Xue took several emerald-green pills from her Storage Soul Tool and handed them out. "These are Purifying Poison Pills made by my clan. They can temporarily protect you from the corrupt poison. Take one."

Everyone swallowed a pill. A cool sensation rose from their cores, sweeping away their discomfort in an instant. Even the surrounding stench seemed to fade a little.

"Thank you, Clan Leader Lu." Chen Xin cupped his hands. "The Clouded Deer's pills truly are remarkable."

Lu Xue smiled faintly. "They're only simple pills. I'm glad they can help. The corrupt poison is growing stronger, so the source of that rank smell must be nearby."

Lu Xuan stopped and looked toward the thickest bank of mist ahead. "That's the heart of the Netherworld Swamp. The poison is most concentrated there, and that's where the smell is coming from. Be careful. We may encounter powerful poison-type Soul Beasts."

He had barely finished speaking when several black tentacles erupted from the mud ahead, trailing foul slime as they lashed swiftly toward the group.

The tentacles were as thick as barrels and covered in spikes. Some Soul Beast lurking in the swamp had clearly launched an attack.

"Watch out!" Xiao Shenghe warned. He circulated Symbiotic Power and merged his Soul Power with Lu Yao's. A silver-and-emerald glow flared, forming a shield before them.

Bang!

A black tentacle slammed into the shield with a dull thud. The shield shook violently but held firm.

Xiao Shenghe felt the tremendous force and corrosive poison carried by the tentacle. Black stains instantly spread across the shield, but thanks to the Purifying Poison Pill, the poison did not seep through.

"It's a Corrupt Poison Tentacle Monster!" Lu Xue's expression shifted. "They're common Soul Beasts in the Netherworld Swamp. They usually hunt in groups, and their poison is extremely potent."

Before she finished speaking, dozens more black tentacles burst from the mud around them. They attacked from every direction, their dense assault making everyone's heart tighten.

"Hmph. Petty tricks!" Chen Xin snorted. Soul Power erupted from him, and golden sword intent shot skyward.

With a sweep of his hand, dozens of golden sword rays tore through the air, striking the black tentacles with deadly precision.

Slash! Slash! Slash!

The sword rays were razor-sharp. Black tentacles fell one after another, spraying dark slime across the ground. It hissed as it ate small pits into the mud.

But the Corrupt Poison Tentacle Monsters were extraordinarily tenacious. Their severed tentacles swiftly grew back, and more kept appearing, seemingly without end.

"This won't work. We have to find their bodies!" Gu Rong said. As he circulated his Soul Power, countless thick Bone Vines appeared behind him. They slithered into the mud like long snakes, probing toward the source of the tentacles.

"Found it!" Gu Rong shouted a moment later, wrenching the Bone Vines upward.

The ground shook violently as a massive monster was dragged out of the mud.

Its enormous body resembled a giant ball of flesh covered in black tentacles. Its head bore nothing but a pair of scarlet eyes that shone with savage malice. This was a Corrupt Poison Tentacle Monster, a Soul Beast with ten thousand years of cultivation.

Roar!

The monster let out a piercing roar. Countless tentacles thrashed wildly, lashing toward Gu Rong.

Gu Rong's gaze sharpened. His Bone Vines wove into a net, binding the monster fast.

At the same time, a faint golden light rose from the vines, suppressing the monster's poison.

"Shenghe, strike!" Lu Xuan called.

"This monster contains a considerable amount of the corrupt poison's source. We might find a clue to that smell inside it."

Xiao Shenghe nodded and exchanged a glance with Lu Yao. They circulated Symbiotic Power together.

The Symbiotic Heaven Soul Martial Soul unfurled behind Xiao Shenghe. Blue-gold patterns and orange-red Flame Marks flickered across its silver-white wings, and an aura blending three powers spread outward.

He raised his hand. Blue-gold Bamboo Soul Power intertwined with orange-red Berserk Power, forming a many-colored energy blade that slashed toward the monster.

Slice!

The blade struck the monster's body squarely, splitting its thick hide. Black slime and green blood gushed out.

The monster shrieked in agony and struggled violently, but Gu Rong's Bone Vines held it so tightly that it could not move.

Xiao Shenghe did not stop attacking. He could sense something inside the monster's body.

Beyond its own corrupt poison, a foreign black energy lurked there. That energy had made it far more savage than usual, and it was one source of the rank smell.

That's the energy!

A thought flashed through Xiao Shenghe's mind. He circulated Symbiotic Power and reached out. His silver-and-emerald Soul Power formed a thin thread that slipped into the monster's wound, seeking to draw the black energy out.

But the black energy was stubborn and fiercely corrosive. The moment it touched his Symbiotic Power, it tried to eat through it.

A burning pain shot through Xiao Shenghe's fingertips, and even the flow of his Soul Power grew sluggish.

"Brother Shenghe, let me help you!"