nashuaworldcup Chapter 283 The mantis stalks the cicada
Chapter 283 The mantis stalks the cicada
Chapter 283 The mantis stalks the cicada
Seven days later.
Fulin Riverbank.
The massive ship, Yao Hai, slowly came to rest on the murky riverbank.
The river water was dark green and viscous, with large patches of grayish-white foam floating on the surface, occasionally revealing one or two hollowed-out animal bones.
Chen Jinshu was dressed in a green robe, with a Yinshan Sparrow, which had transformed into an ordinary gray sparrow, perched on her shoulder. The jade hairpin that Qingheng had transformed into shimmered with a faint, warm luster in the thick fog, helping to dispel some of the uncomfortable chill that had invaded her mind.
"Young friend Chen, the road ahead is fraught with danger. Take care."
The voice of the True Lord of Raging Waves came from behind him.
Then he slowly stepped forward and handed over a small bronze lamp with an antique design.
The lamp is only the size of a palm, and the lamp base is engraved with intricate soul-suppressing runes. The wick is a piece of "soul-stabilizing wood" that is neither gold nor jade, but has a pale gold color.
It was not lit at the moment, but it naturally emitted a very faint, calming glow.
"This lamp is called 'Soul Stabilizer'. It is activated by true energy. Wherever the lamp shines, evil spirits and demons have nowhere to hide. It can also protect the soul and resist the erosion of the mind by the poisonous miasma of this place."
Although it's only a third-tier magic weapon, it might be more practical than offensive treasures in the Blackwater Swamp.
Chen Jinshu gratefully accepted it with both hands.
The gentle light enveloped his palm, and he immediately felt his restless mood, which had been aggravated by the oppressive environment over the past few days, calm down considerably.
"Thank you for your generous gift, True Lord." She bowed solemnly.
The gift wasn't expensive, but it was extremely thoughtful and would make her trip to Blackwater Marsh much more convenient.
Lord Futao waved his hand, his gaze falling upon the boundless marshland, his tone becoming more solemn:
"No need to be so polite. You've done a good job on the ship, so this item is just what you need."
"Blackwater Marsh is no benevolent place, and the Burial Abyss of Souls is an even more perilous realm. Since you insist on going, young friend, I cannot say more."
I only hope you remember that the path to immortality is paved with alchemy, but one must first survive.
If things are beyond our control, taking a step back may just open up a whole new world.
"This junior will remember the True Lord's teachings." Upon hearing this, Chen Jinshu bowed again.
She knew that this was a rare expression of care and reminder from an elder to a younger generation.
Then, Chen Jinshu stopped thinking about it and, with a flash of emerald light, his Azure Phoenix Chasing the Moon Shuttle transformed into a faint streak of light, flying towards the Blackwater Marsh.
The massive hull of the Demon Sea slowly turned around behind her and soon disappeared into the increasingly thick fog.
……
Three days later, on the outskirts of the Blackwater Marsh, there was a low, gray-black mountain, no more than a hundred feet high.
The exposed rocks of the mountain were covered with slippery, dark green moss, and a few twisted, withered trees stretched out like dying arms toward the gloomy sky.
Chen Jinshu stealthily made her way here. She stood in the shadow of a slightly concave giant rock, her gaze, enhanced by spiritual power, piercing through the thinner poisonous miasma, and looked down at a relatively open valley filled with black mud and jagged rocks.
Then they saw three groups of people facing off in the valley not far ahead.
On the east side, there were about ten people, all dressed in black robes, with grotesque ghost head patterns embroidered in dark silver thread on the cuffs and collars.
The elderly man at the head of the group held a strangely shaped black compass.
The compass was not a guide; instead, a grayish-white bone needle, constantly trembling slightly, floated in the center, its tip gleaming with an eerie light, pointing towards a certain direction deep within the valley.
Beside him, a pale-faced, sinister-looking middle-aged cultivator whispered:
"Elder Li, the compass indicates that the 'Dead Soul Beach' is three miles ahead, and the fluctuations are becoming clearer. That thing... is probably about to take full shape."
Elder Li stroked the cold patterns on the edge of the compass, then said in a deliberately mysterious tone:
"The Yin energy is gathered together, and the soul power is pure... It is indeed an excellent material for refining the main soul of the 'Ten Thousand Ghosts Devouring Heart Banner'."
The sect leader has ordered that this item must be obtained at all costs.
He raised his eyes, his cloudy pupils sweeping over the other two groups, a cold killing intent flashing in his eyes.
"Anyone who blocks the way, whether righteous or demonic, can be refined into the banner to increase their ferocity."
On the west side, there were seven or eight people dressed in different ways. They seemed to be independent cultivators, but their positions subtly matched some kind of simple formation. They exchanged quick glances with each other and their movements were quite orderly.
Leading the group was a refined male cultivator dressed in a Taoist robe and blue gown, whose cultivation level was at the late Golden Core stage.
Beside him was a Taoist nun with a thin face and sharp eyes, holding a whisk.
He said to the Taoist nun:
“Junior Sister Yuqing, judging from the compass and clothing, they are undoubtedly from the Yinming Sect.”
What they are looking for must be the nascent form of the 'Mysterious Yin Ghost King,' which is about to naturally coalesce from the vengeful spirits of the underworld! If this thing falls into the hands of the demonic path and is refined into an evil treasure, who knows how many more atrocities it will cause!
The Daoist nun Yuqingzi nodded slightly, and the snow-white whisk on her whisk moved without any wind.
"That's right. And judging from this formation, the Yinming Sect has sent more than just the people they've shown up; there might be an ambush in the shadows as well."
Old Ghost Li is personally taking action; his intentions are far from insignificant.
"That lone traveler in the south... his aura is strange, neither righteous nor evil. I can't quite discern his cultivation level, but he's definitely not someone to mess with."
The green-robed cultivator sneered:
"Who cares if they're easy to mess with or not! Since our 'Righteous Alliance' has accepted the mission to investigate the unusual activity in the Blackwater Marsh, we have no reason to stand idly by when we encounter something like this!"
That nascent form of the Xuan Yin Ghost King must be destroyed, or... brought back to the alliance to be suppressed!
On the south side, on a dark boulder that is somewhat far from both the east and west sides, only one person sits alone.
He was dressed in gray, exuding an air of mystery. Occasionally, a glint of his gaze would pierce through the shadow of his straw hat, sweeping over several groups of people not far away.
Chen Jinshu hid behind a rock, observing the situation.
The Yinming Sect, the Righteous Alliance, and a lone traveler of unknown origin and strength—all three seem to be working towards a common goal.
She wasn't particularly interested in acting on behalf of Heaven or seizing rare and precious treasures, but the place where such an extremely yin and evil entity as the "Mysterious Yin Ghost King" gathered was often also the most likely environment for the growth of extremely yin and poisonous herbs such as the "Bone-Eating Orchid" or the "Nether Soul Grass".
"Jinshu, there are so many people down there, it feels like a fight is about to break out." Qingheng's thoughts, tinged with tension, echoed in her mind.
"That old man with the compass seems even more terrifying than Xuan Yinzi; he's probably a troublesome character. And the gray-clothed man on the stone... he seems to have noticed us watching?"
Upon hearing this, Chen Jinshu immediately became alert and focused all his spiritual senses on observation, relying almost entirely on his eyesight.
That man in gray was indeed frighteningly perceptive.
"Let's wait and see," she sent a message back.
In the current situation, it's easy to fish in troubled waters, but one must also be careful not to become the target of public criticism.
Elder Li of the Yinming Sect took a step forward, with black mist surging beneath his feet.
He then made a slight hand seal, and the bone needle on the Soul Searching Compass in his hand trembled more violently, with waves of dark gray spiritual energy slowly spreading out.
“This place is a gathering place for evil spirits and malevolent beings, which is about to give birth to something monstrous and is an unacceptable disaster for heaven and earth. Our Yinming Sect, upholding the way of heaven, has the responsibility to suppress and purify it.”
His tone was cold and authoritative, full of domineering intent, clearly indicating his desire to possess the item. "All bystanders, leave immediately, lest you be tainted by the evil energy and lose your lives."
Upon hearing this, the refined male cultivator in blue robes couldn't help but spit out a "Pah!"
"Old ghost Li, stop spouting nonsense! Everyone knows what your Yinming Sect is up to! You want to monopolize that Ghost King prototype for treasure? You'll have to ask my 'Evil-Slaying Sword' first!"
With a clang, he drew his broadsword from his back. The sword was thick and blunt, and it shone with a layer of majestic golden light, dispelling some of the surrounding chill.
The Daoist nun Yuqingzi also stepped forward, gently waving her whisk, her voice clear and melodious:
“Fellow Daoist Li, if the Xuan Yin Ghost King is formed, he will surely bring calamity to the region.”
Our Righteous Alliance, entrusted by the nearby immortal city, is investigating unusual activity. Having encountered this evil entity, we cannot stand idly by. In my humble opinion, it would be better if we joined forces to nip this embryonic form in the bud, thus preventing future troubles.
As for the possible presence of some Yin-attribute spiritual materials... that can be discussed further." The Daoist nun then said solemnly, attempting to ease the current situation.
Elder Li's lips curled into an extremely ugly arc, resembling both a smile and a mockery:
"Join forces? With you hypocrites who spout benevolence and righteousness but are actually coveting treasures?"
He shook his head, and the bone needle on the compass suddenly fixed, pointing to a specific location deep in the valley.
"No need for further words. The Yinming Sect is determined to have this item. Those who obstruct me will die."
Upon hearing the order, the black-robed cultivators of the Yinming Sect stepped forward in unison, their bodies radiating black energy. Faint, mournful cries of ghosts could be heard. The combined aura of the dozen or so of them resembled a ferocious demon awakening, ready to pounce.
The Righteous Alliance members also revealed their magical treasures. The refined male cultivator in green robes and Yu Qingzi released their late-stage and mid-stage Golden Core spiritual pressure without reservation, connecting with the auras of other cultivators in the alliance to form a spiritual light barrier that, while not as sinister and terrifying as the other side, was more upright and resilient.
The two sides were on the verge of exchanging blows. Spiritual energy and Yin energy collided silently in mid-air, causing the gray-green poisonous miasma in the valley to churn violently and form small vortexes.
The gray-clad figure on the southern boulder remained motionless, as if he had become part of the stone.
Only the long, thin object wrapped in gray cloth seemed to tremble slightly.
Chen Jinshu held his breath, his gaze quickly sweeping across the three directions before finally settling on the direction pointed to by Elder Li of the Yinming Sect's Soul-Searching Compass.
The poisonous miasma there was exceptionally thick, with a faint, dark, yin energy rising slowly like a column of smoke.
"The Bone-Corroding Orchid and the Soul-Soul Grass... are probably located nearby."
She gently stroked the Soul-Stabilizing Lamp in her storage bag. Perhaps, this confrontation was her opportunity.
"Om..."
Just as the two sides were locked in a stalemate, a strange, low tremor slowly came from the depths of the valley, from where the black yin energy was rising.
The next instant, a pure yet extremely violent and chilling soul force, like the first breath of a sleeping beast, suddenly spread out!
The bone needles on the Soul Searching Compass spun wildly, and then with a "crack," they exploded into countless fragments!
Elder Li's expression changed:
"The nascent form of the Ghost King has awakened ahead of schedule? No... someone has triggered a Yin Meridian node!"
Then the gray-clad man who had been sitting quietly suddenly looked up!
In the shadow of the straw hat, two eerie red lights flashed and disappeared!
He gently pressed down on the end of the gray cloth-wrapped object on his knee with one hand.
"call out!"
A hazy, hair-thin beam of light shot into the depths of the valley, at a speed beyond the reach of spiritual sense, towards the source of the erupting yin energy.
"How dare you!"
"stop!"
Elder Li and the refined male cultivator in green robes roared simultaneously, no longer caring about their confrontation. They sprang up, transforming into two streaks of black and gold, rushing straight towards the gray-robed man and the direction the gray light had gone!
The man in gray let out a cold snort that was neither a laugh nor a smile. His figure flickered and disappeared from the boulder like a ghost. The next moment, he appeared dozens of feet away. His speed was terrifying.
Clearly, his target from the beginning was the newly formed "Mysterious Yin Ghost King" prototype, or rather, something that accompanied its birth!
Upon seeing this, a glint flashed in Chen Jinshu's eyes.
Her figure emerged from her hiding place like a wisp of smoke. Instead of rushing towards the center of the chaos, she used the speed of the Azure Phoenix Chasing the Moon Shuttle to skim along the edge of the mountain's shadow and the densest poisonous miasma, making a large arc and silently sneaking towards the side and rear of the place where the yin energy was erupting.
The mantis catches the cicada, and the oriole is behind.
She wanted to pick the "Orchid" and "Soul Grass" that might be growing near the cicada's nest before the sparrow could make a move.
……
But then Elder Li shouted a rebuke.
"Stop him!"
He could no longer afford to conserve his strength. A black banner about a foot long flew out from his sleeve, growing longer in the wind until it was about ten feet in size.
Countless pained and contorted faces appeared on the banner, emitting deafening screams!
The sound waves, mixed with intense resentment and malevolent energy, instantly enveloped the gray-clad man.
At this moment, the refined male cultivator in green robes also made his move. The jade ruler in his hand flew out and transformed into a dazzling white rainbow, slashing towards the gray-robed man.
Faced with attacks from both sides, the gray-clad man flicked his wrist, causing the gray cloth in his arms to burst open, revealing a straight sword with an ancient design, a dark body, and a dark red blood groove on the blade.
'Clang!' He swung the knife backward with a backhand motion.
A flash of light appeared, sparks flew everywhere.
The white rainbow formed by the jade ruler collided with the dark blade light and was forcefully slashed back, its brilliance dimmed. The refined male cultivator in green robes let out a muffled groan, his face turning pale for a moment.
The man in gray continued walking until he reached the edge of the valley, where he was about to step inside.
"You're courting death!" Elder Li's eyes widened in fury at the sight. He bit his tongue and spat a mouthful of blood onto the black banner.
'Splash!'
The black banner suddenly shone with a bright crimson light, and the fierce spirit within it solidified several times over, transforming into a gigantic ghostly claw that swept towards the gray-clad man with terrifying power.
"clang!"
The man in gray swung his sword backhand, unleashing a streak of dark light that knocked the black banner askew.
The next instant, he transformed into a gray shadow and rushed straight at Elder Li.
"A feint to the east while attacking in the west!" the refined-looking male cultivator in green exclaimed in surprise.
The black straight blade slashed at the black banner pole, and Elder Li was struck as if by a heavy blow. He and the banner were sent flying backward, and a trickle of black blood spilled from the corner of his mouth.
The blood-red light on the black banner dimmed considerably, and several illusory figures of fierce spirits vanished with mournful cries.
Having landed a successful blow, the man in gray didn't hesitate; he flashed again and dashed towards the valley in the blink of an eye.
“Fellow Daoist, your skills are impressive. However, when the snipe and the clam fight, the fisherman benefits. If we fight to the death here and disturb the Ghost King in the valley, or attract other things, I'm afraid none of us will benefit. Why don't we stop for now and discuss a plan?”
Upon seeing this, the refined male cultivator in green felt reassured and then spoke to the man in gray.
The man in gray was silent for a moment, seemingly agreeing with the idea, and then asked, "How should we divide it?"
The refined-looking male cultivator in blue robes pondered for a moment and then said:
"Why don't we first investigate the true strength of the Ghost King in the valley before making further plans for its distribution?"
Meanwhile, Chen Jinshu had already arrived at the rear of the valley.