Staying in the sect, controlling beasts and cultivating immortals

"They are an intelligent race! Non-human! They are fighting against the withering laws and the miasma!"

Another scout whispered, his voice trembling with excitement.

They witnessed a seemingly young alien being accidentally touched by a wisp of dissipating withered gray energy. His skin instantly turned ashen, but a green light carrying a purifying quality immediately surged from his body, struggling to expel the gray energy, though he himself became somewhat weaker.

Ling Wuying's eyes were sharp as an eagle's as he quickly recorded the images and energy data.

"They're in a bad situation. Keep an eye on the perimeter!"

He pointed to the tops of giant trees on the edge of the village and the floating islands in the swamp.

There, a simple watchtower made of withered bones and black crystals could be vaguely seen. Some fierce alien warriors with ferocious bone totems tattooed on their bodies were on guard, their eyes scanning the direction from which the Sky-Splitting Alliance might attack from the depths of the Rotten Swamp Forest.

A sense of oppressive tension and scarcity of resources permeated the village, and many of the "houses" clearly showed signs of repair and battle damage.

“Record their coordinates and analyze their defensive weaknesses and social structure. Pay special attention to any signs of conflict with the Rift Sky Alliance.”

Ling Wuying gave the order.

The scouts began to operate efficiently.

After several days of lurking and observation, they captured crucial information: the Burial God Guards of the Rift Sky Alliance regularly organize small teams to venture deep into the Rotten Swamp Forest, seemingly with the aim of hunting down these alien races and collecting some kind of core substance containing purifying power from them for some kind of evil ritual or research.

A small-scale conflict was recorded in its entirety by the scouts. A small squad of the Burial God Guards used specially made anti-miasma artifacts to launch a surprise attack on the edge of the village. Although the alien warriors resisted tenaciously by taking advantage of the terrain and their strange purification abilities, causing casualties among the Burial God Guards, they suffered even greater losses themselves. Several warriors were forcibly abducted, and the strange light plant in the center of the village seemed to dim a little.

The alien warrior's eyes burned with deep-seated hatred and despair.

"The intelligence value is enormous."

Ling Wuying made a judgment in her mind.

He carefully extracted a segment of conflict footage that did not involve the core defense of the village. Along with detailed coordinates, racial characteristics, energy analysis, hostile relationship with the Rift Sky Alliance, and a preliminary assessment of its special purification ability, he used specially made encrypted runes on the Guixu Star Orbit sub-disk to inject a wisp of the Annihilation Sword's aura as verification. He then compressed it into an extremely thin gray beam of light and sent it back towards the anchor point of the Guixu outpost, penetrating the barriers of layers of spatial turbulence and withered laws.

Guixu Sentinel Post · Zishan Fortress
At the core of the formation, Yu Changsheng sat cross-legged.

The imperial robes had long since turned to ashes in the previous battle, and the exposed upper body was covered with deep purple-gold cracks, like glass about to shatter. The chaotic imperial blood flowing inside emitted a faint but tenacious light, continuously pouring into the "Purple Mountain Returning to Ruins" beneath him, which was based on the wreckage of the flying boat and the shards of glass, with array patterns drawn by Mo Heng's blood and the chaotic power of Wang Cheng.

This pale purple light membrane was their only refuge on the edge of the void pit, stubbornly resisting the erosion of the deathly energy outside, while inside it was nourished by the continuously drawn-in fortune of Qingzhou, forming a small oasis of life.

Wang Cheng stood not far away, his newly formed chaotic bone arm gleaming with a metallic dark gold luster, brimming with power, yet his gaze remained solemn as he guarded the array's core. Chen Xueqing, on the other side, closed her eyes to regulate her breathing beneath the illusory image of the Pure Lotus. The lotus image solidified, her aura steady, but a lingering trace of weakness remained between her brows.

Mo Heng was busy in front of a pile of parts that shimmered with a ghostly light and a miniature Wanhua Guixu Furnace projection, directing the repaired "Guixu Barrier War Puppet" to carry out daily patrols and energy extraction.

Suddenly, the core of the Guixu Star Orbit Compass floating beside Yu Changsheng trembled violently. An extremely faint gray signal struggled to penetrate the barrier and was captured, amplified, and decoded by the compass core. The information stream sent by Ling Wuying instantly flooded into Yu Changsheng's sea of ​​consciousness.

Yu Changsheng suddenly opened his tightly closed eyes, his deep purple-gold pupils blazing with a brilliant light that seemed to pierce through the void and reach the depths of the rotten swamp forest. The flow of the Chaos Emperor Blood around him accelerated abruptly, and the purple-gold battle patterns flickered, revealing the turmoil within his heart.

"Wang Cheng, Mo Heng, Xue Qing." Yu Changsheng's voice was deep and clear, carrying an undeniable penetrating power that instantly attracted the attention of all the core members. With a slight thought, the core of the Guixu Star Orbit Compass projected a light screen, clearly displaying the key information transmitted back by Ling Wuying—an aerial view of the alien village, fragments of the fierce conflict with the Burial God Guards, the alien race's physical characteristics, and energy analysis charts—to everyone.

"...The Swamp Spirit Clan?" Mo Heng looked at the twisted, glowing core plant and the purifying light emanating from the alien race, his withered face showing astonishment.

"How could they survive and reproduce in such a desolate place, while still retaining the original purifying power to resist the withering laws? Although the essence of this power is not as pure and vast as the Pure World Green Lotus, its resilience and environmental adaptability are incredible! The Rifting Heaven Alliance must be hunting them down because they covet this power, either to neutralize some backlash, or to plot something even deeper!"

Wang Cheng stared at the scene on the light screen where the warriors of the Miasma Spirit Clan were cruelly abducted by the Burial God Guards. His newly grown bony arms clenched involuntarily, making a soft metallic scraping sound. His eyes blazed with rage: "Damn those Rift Sky scum! These alien races are being treated like prey on their own territory! The commander's intelligence is correct. Their hatred for the Rift Sky Alliance is so deep that even the most rotten swamp water couldn't wash it away! They are natural allies!"

Chen Xueqing gazed at the strange luminous plant in the center of the village and the process of the miasma spirits purifying the withered plants. Her clear eyes seemed to be deep in thought: "Brother Yu, although their purification power is primitive, it contains a kind of 'life' that is tenaciously rooted in 'decay' and born from it."

Their paths seem to converge with my Azure Lotus Path, perhaps offering a new perspective on 'vitality arising from annihilation.' Gaining their trust might even offer some small assistance in stabilizing your foundation."

She looked at Yu Changsheng with concern in her eyes.

Yu Changsheng slowly stood up. His cracked body seemed to bear the weight of the entire shattered world, yet it exuded a rock-solid determination.

His gaze swept across the rudimentary defensive fortifications of the Miasma Spirit Clan on the light screen and the indomitable fury in the eyes of the warriors, finally settling on the star map coordinates leading to the Burial God Ridge projected from the core of the Guixu Star Orbit Compass.

"What Ling Wuying brought back was not only intelligence, but also a glimmer of hope for breaking the deadlock."

Yu Changsheng's voice echoed within the barrier, carrying the decisiveness and foresight of an emperor: "The Rift Heaven Alliance is powerful and deeply rooted. With the power of the Burial God's Remains, they are also secretly coveting the Chaos Origin Core."

The Divine Dynasty has just suffered a defeat, and everything is in ruins. Even though the Guixu Fortress provides temporary security, it is no different for an isolated army to penetrate deep into the Central Plains and directly attack the Burial God Ridge than to throw an egg against a rock.

The best strategy is to forge alliances and sow discord, to divide and weaken them. This 'Miasma Spirit Clan,' born in the scorching swamp, resisting the tyranny of the Heavenly Rift, possessing extraordinary abilities, is a divinely ordained ally!

His eyes flashed like lightning, instantly locking onto the candidate.

"Wang Cheng!" Yu Changsheng shouted in a deep voice.

"Your Chaos Bone Arm is newly formed, and your domineering blood is rekindled. Carrying the might of the Divine Dynasty in breaking through cities and capturing enemy lines, you will go forth as an envoy to demonstrate the 'courage' of our Divine Dynasty, to intimidate the alien races, and to let them know that we are not mere bluffers!"

“Mo Heng!” He turned to the withered array master.

"You understand the principles of the myriad transformations and their return to nothingness, possess the Star Orbit Sub-Disk, discern directions, analyze energy, and comprehend advantages and disadvantages. Go forth as the envoy's 'wise eye,' discerning their needs, using the Ruins of Nothingness barrier and the techniques of the War Puppet as bait to demonstrate our sincerity in cooperation and alleviate their urgent defensive crisis!" Yu Changsheng's gaze finally settled on a middle-aged cultivator in a corner, exuding a cold aura and dressed in black robes. This man was none other than Gui Yinzi, an elder of the Yin Puppet Sect who had surrendered during the battle of the Valley of Ten Thousand Corpses.

His cultivation level was at the mid-stage of the Nascent Soul realm. He was an expert in puppetry, corpse refining, and the ways of poisonous miasma. He was quite familiar with the various sects and factions in the Central Plains, as well as the hidden forces and even the environment of the rotten swamp. He was one of the representatives of the cultivators who had infiltrated the Central Plains with Ling Wuying.

"Ghost Yinzi!" Yu Changsheng's voice carried an undeniable air of authority.

"You come from the Central Plains and are familiar with the geography and customs of this place, especially skilled in the art of creating poisonous miasma and corpse puppets."

On this perilous journey to the Swamp of Decay, you will serve as the messenger's 'guide' and 'bridge,' using the bonds of kinship to dispel his doubts, and your skills to prove our unwavering resolve to resist the Heavenly Rift! If we succeed, you and the Yin Puppet Clan will be meritorious officials of the Divine Dynasty, your past sins erased, and when the Heavenly Rift falls, you will be rewarded accordingly!

Gui Yinzi's body trembled, a complex look flashed in his eyes, but it was quickly replaced by awe and a hint of ambition.

He knew this was a golden opportunity to shed his demotion status and regain his position, and also a perfect chance to show his loyalty to this unfathomable emperor.

He bowed deeply: "I will obey Your Majesty's command! I will do my utmost to live up to Your Majesty's trust! I will make sure that the Miasma Spirit Clan knows that only the Divine Dynasty can help them break free from the shackles of the Heavenly Rift!"

"Depart immediately! The route has been planned using the Star Orbit Compass, avoiding known Sky Rift Alliance outposts."

Exercise extreme caution; prioritizing exploration and establishing initial contact is paramount.

Demonstrate power with authority, win hearts with virtue, expound the calamity of splitting the heavens, and proclaim the divine dynasty's will to conquer the heavens! If danger arises, safety must be the priority; the secondary star orbit disk can trigger a short-range space jump to return to the sentry anchor point!

"I obey the Emperor's decree!"

Wang Cheng, Mo Heng, and Gui Yinzi solemnly accepted the order, their eyes burning with different flames: fighting spirit, a desire to explore, and a determination to prove themselves again.

Deep in the swamp, on the outskirts of the miasma village
The enhanced Ruins Stealth Shuttle, like a venomous snake blending into the shadows, silently slipped into the outermost layer of the Miasma Spirit Clan's vigilance zone.

The poisonous miasma in the air suddenly became a hundred times thicker, with strong corrosive and hallucinogenic effects, and even the shield of the stealth shuttle emitted a hissing moan.

Guiyinzi immediately took over part of the control, chanting incantations and forming hand seals. A cold, yet subtly harmonious, spiritual energy was injected into the runes on the shuttle body, skillfully guiding the miasma to avoid key areas, much like an old fisherman skilled in water navigating a small boat through turbulent waves.

"Ahead lies the 'Thousand Miasma Bewitching Array'!" Gui Yinzi shouted. The light screen revealed that hidden within the seemingly calm swamp and vines were countless energy traps composed of highly poisonous spores, illusory moss, and natural magnets, enough to make even a Nascent Soul cultivator lose their mind and cause their physical body to decay.

"Master Mo, it's up to you now!"

Data streams flashed rapidly in Mo Heng's eyes, and the Guixu Star Orbit Sub-Disk spun rapidly, shooting out countless tiny probe beams.

"The key to the formation is three on the left and seven on the right, with the floating log at the Kan position and the poisonous vortex at the Li position! General Wang, unleash the power of chaos to strike the root of the floating log at the Kan position three inches deep, with seventy percent of your power! Gui Yinzi, draw the poisonous miasma from the Li position to impact the vortex and disrupt its balance! At the same time!"

Wang Cheng roared, and his newly formed bone arm was instantly covered with a layer of dark golden light. Through the stealth shuttle, a condensed, almost tangible, chaotic fist energy was precisely unleashed! At the same time, Gui Yinzi flicked his ten fingers, and Yin energy transformed into invisible threads, subtly stirring the displaced poison pool. Boom! Buzz!

The floating log at the Kan position shattered, the vortex at the Li position became chaotic, and the energy flow of the entire Bewitching Array momentarily stagnated, creating a brief and narrow safety gap. The stealth shuttle didn't stop and slipped through like a ghost.

Just as they passed through the maze, a sudden change occurred! Seven dark green figures emerged silently from the rotting mud and the shadows of giant trees, moving with lightning speed!

They are the most elite "Shadow Swamp Guards" of the Miasma Spirit Clan, their skin blending perfectly with the environment, their poisoned bone blades carrying a sharp, purifying white light, piercing straight into the energy nodes of the stealth shuttle!

Their attacks were cunning and ruthless, and their teamwork was seamless; they had clearly already detected the intruders and laid an ambush!

"Hmph! Hiding your head and showing your tail!" Wang Cheng's eyes were filled with fighting spirit. Without waiting for Mo Heng's analysis, he suddenly pushed open the hatch. His Chaos Bone Arm grew out of shape and transformed into a dark gold giant blade more than ten feet long. It swept out with the domineering momentum of splitting the Demon City!

Boom!

A deafening clang, like metal clashing against metal, accompanied by an energy explosion, sent three Shadow Swamp Guards flying. The purifying white light on their bone blades dimmed instantly, and they groaned as they sank into the swamp.

But the bone blades of the other four Shadow Swamp Guards had already pierced the shuttle's body!
Mo Heng calmly lit up the Guixu Star Orbit sub-disc, and a miniature Guixu Barrier light membrane instantly appeared at the key part of the shuttle body!
Chi Chi Chi!
The bone blade pierced the gray light membrane, producing a piercing friction sound. The purifying white light and the power of returning to nothingness clashed fiercely, causing the light membrane to fluctuate violently but not being pierced!
Gui Yinzi raised his hands, and several "Soul-Eating Needles," condensed from pure Yin energy yet containing a faint aura of annihilation, shot out silently. They didn't attack the Shadow Swamp Guards' bodies, but rather precisely struck the floating mud beneath their feet and the vines they were using for leverage. *Puff puff puff!* The mud collapsed, the vines withered, and the four Shadow Swamp Guards were thrown into disarray, their attack crumbling.

The battle erupted and ended in the blink of an eye.

Wang Cheng stood proudly before the shuttle, blade in hand, his chaotic aura surging, like a war god descending upon an abyss. Mo Heng held a star chart, the light membrane of the void flowing around him, his wisdom in his grasp. Gui Yinzi exuded a sinister aura, his techniques unpredictable and strange, and he filled in the gaps in time.

Although the three did not use lethal force, they displayed overwhelming strength, exquisite teamwork, and an aura that was completely different from the Rift Sky Alliance, carrying a majestic yet unfathomable presence.

The stealth shuttle came to a steady stop. Wang Cheng's loud voice pierced through the thick miasma, carrying the vibrations of chaotic power, clearly reaching the core of the village and the Shadow Swamp Guards hidden in the shadows:

"Wang Cheng, Commander-in-Chief of the Divine Dynasty's Demon-Slaying Army!"

"Mo Heng, the Grandmaster of Divine Dynasty's Array Weapons!"

"The Divine Dynasty's envoy, Gui Yinzi!"

"By order of my lord, Emperor Yu Changsheng, I have traversed this land of death to pay homage to the Lord of the Rotten Swamp! Not as an enemy, but for the grand plan to jointly destroy the Rift Heaven Alliance! Please show yourself!"

The roaring sound echoed through the desolate, decaying swamp forest.

In the center of the village, the strange, luminous plant swayed gently.

On the highest "treehouse" platform formed by the intertwined roots of the giant tree, an exceptionally tall old man, with tree-like markings on his face resembling ancient runes, and holding a bone staff inlaid with luminous crystals, slowly opened his eyes. (End of Chapter)