Under One Person: I Opened the Age of Mythology

Chapter 562

Sun Wukong's golden cudgel hung over the captive's head like a cold judgment. The air, carrying the scent of blood and chaotic dust, almost froze because of the chilling killing intent emanating from him.

"Black Mist Swamp..."

Sun Wukong repeated the name, his fiery eyes growing even colder. "What a desperate stronghold that's barely clinging to life."

Without pausing for a moment, he grabbed the limp prisoner, his figure transforming into a rainbow, like a golden meteor shooting backward, instantly rushing out of the gloomy cellar, leaving the ruined silhouette of Xiniu Hezhou far behind.

The target is Kunlun!
Meanwhile, deep within the Kunlun Mountains.

Yang Jian was leading an elite squad to explore a chilling, icy crevice in a valley.

The energy fluctuations here are chaotic, with a faint sense of residual chaos that has eroded the area, which is consistent with the characteristics of high-level Dark Star members hiding or handling dangerous items.

Suddenly, the jade talisman at his waist vibrated violently, transmitting an urgent divine message from the celestial general stationed at the Kunlun border observation post: "True Lord! A massive ferocious beast tide has erupted near Jade Void Peak on the eastern slope of the Kunlun Mountains! A large number of beasts corrupted by chaos have gone out of control, their auras are violent, and they are attacking the barrier of the human tribe at the foot of the mountain! The patrol team stationed there has suffered heavy casualties and requests reinforcements!"

"What?!"

Yang Jian's heart sank. The energy released when the Chaos Pearl shattered had polluted the beast's lair deep within the earth. He had thought things would gradually calm down as the energy subsided, but the eruption was unexpected—so fast and so violent! There must be a cause! The fragments of the Chaos Pearl!

He turned around abruptly, his gaze sweeping across the accompanying guards like lightning:

"The situation has changed! A ferocious beast tide has erupted at Jade Void Peak! Lieutenant General Li, you lead your troops to provide immediate support and protect the human village's barrier at all costs! The rest of you, follow me to continue searching this rift! The fragment is likely nearby; only by finding it can we sever the root of this calamity!"

He quickly calculated in his mind: the location of the ferocious beast surge was still some distance from "Far Western Cold Pool," the possible hiding place of the fragments from the prisoners' mouths, but the energy disturbances were likely to affect each other. He had to control the situation at Jade Void Peak first.

Outside the "Cloud Gathering" at the foot of Kunlun Mountain, the barrier light screen shook violently under the frenzied attacks of dozens of giant bears and unicorn wolves with bloodshot eyes and corrupted by chaotic energy, and cracks appeared frequently.

The two remaining squads of celestial soldiers fought valiantly, their formation nearly broken. Mortal cultivators within the village desperately channeled their spiritual energy, relying on the remaining formations to maintain the barrier, amidst cries and roars of beasts.

Just as the barrier was on the verge of collapse, reinforcements sent by Yang Jian arrived in time. Lieutenant General Li roared and formed a battle formation, their silver weapons surging like a tidal wave towards the berserk horde!

Heavenly Court, Qitian Palace.

Sun Wukong's figure landed heavily amidst a cloud of dust, tossing the prisoner to the heavenly generals guarding the palace:
"Keep them under strict guard and interrogate them separately! Report the coordinates of the Black Mist Swamp immediately after obtaining them!"

He strode into the hall.

Venus was frantically dealing with a pile of newly arrived urgent jade slips when he saw Sun Wukong return, as if he had found a savior.
"Great Sage! A ferocious beast horde has broken out on Jade Void Peak of Kunlun Mountain! Yang Jian has sent an urgent message! There are reports from various places that chaotic energy is disturbing the earth's veins, causing small-scale beast disturbances and natural disasters. Panic is spreading in the mortal realm, and several City God Temples have been attacked and burned down by angry refugees. There are signs that the power of faith is collapsing!"

Sun Wukong's sharp eyes instantly connected the information he had obtained from Xiniu Hezhou with the current chaotic situation.

"Scattered fragments, poisonous energy, damaged ley lines, rampant monsters, and resentment among the people... What a series of traps left behind by Dark Star's dying counterattack!"

He made a quick decision.

"Venus, you must immediately undertake three tasks: First, in the name of the Heavenly Court, proclaim to the Three Realms that the ferocious beast was caused by remnants of the Dark Star using the residual energy of the Chaos Pearl, and that the Heavenly Court is making every effort to eradicate it; Second, mobilize the Pill Refining Department and all the officials in charge of medicine and agriculture to cooperate with the Dragon Clan in clearing the earth's veins, purifying pollution, and providing disaster relief and peace to the people; Third, launch the 'Heart Lamp Project' to use incense offerings and merits to build emergency protection and solidify key nodes of faith!"

His gaze shifted to Nezha, who had rushed over. Nezha's face was still somewhat pale, but his eyes were bright, and the sand table, still cracked but with its light subdued, hung from his waist.

"Nezha, the Black Mist Swamp is the lair of the remnants of the Dark Star, and it must be heavily guarded, possibly with unexploded traps. Can your sandbox remotely pinpoint its exact location and energy core?"

Nezha nodded emphatically, his fingers brushing across the sand table at his waist:
"Although the cracks haven't healed and it's impossible to evolve the celestial sphere on a large scale, we can still try our best to conduct a deep scan and energy localization of a specific area! Give me one hour!"

He immediately sat cross-legged, the sand table hovering in front of him, its spiritual light flowing, and a wisp of his divine sense sank into it, beginning to perform a high-precision deduction of the dark location described by the prisoner.

Looking at the tired yet resolute Nezha, and the disheveled white-haired Taibai Jinxing, Sun Wukong felt a surge of iron-blooded killing intent and a heavy sense of responsibility welling up in his chest.

Beset by internal and external troubles, like Mount Tai pressing down on him, the Great Sage Equal to Heaven was never afraid!

He walked to the high platform in the center of the hall and looked down at the various celestial officials below, who were working efficiently despite the tension.

The command was given in a loud voice, like the clang of metal on metal, piercing through the chaotic clamor and reaching everyone's ears clearly:

"Send the order! All soldiers on rest days, cancel your rotations, immediately arm yourselves, and prepare to march! Target—Black Mist Swamp! In this battle, we will wipe out the remnants of Dark Star and cleanse the world! Send a message to Yang Jian: after the Kunlun beast tide has subsided, immediately withdraw and head to the Black Mist Swamp to rendezvous with me!"

The hall was instantly filled with a solemn and tense atmosphere, with only the sounds of running footsteps and the clanging of armor.

After a brief respite, the Heavenly Court's massive war machine roared back to life.

……

……

the other side.

The area beneath Yuxu Peak in the Kunlun Mountains has been transformed into a furnace of flesh and blood.

The ferocious beasts are fearless and their chaotic energy makes their attacks highly corrosive. Their claws and teeth can tear open the protective aura of the heavenly soldiers, causing their wounds to rapidly deteriorate.

Lieutenant Li's left arm was wounded, and his silver armor was corroded with charred marks, but he did not retreat an inch, roaring as he directed the rotation of the battle formation: "Frontline, hold the line! Crossfire on the flanks! Don't let them break through the defenses! Medic! Quick! Qingyun Powder!"

The corrupted mountain gods and earth spirits also appeared in the chaos, their divine power also carrying a violent and chaotic aura, driving rocks and vines to attack the heavenly soldiers.

Yang Jian's personal guard squad discovered a fist-sized fragment of a Chaos Pearl emitting a dark purple light deep within a crevice in the Ice Valley!
It is embedded in a twisted natural spiritual aperture, constantly emitting energy pulses, which is the source of the frenzied beast tide!
"found it!"

A cold light flashed in Yang Jian's eyes.

However, the fragment was surrounded by traps, with black, spike-like energy tendrils emerging from the ground, containing deadly soul-devouring poison.

"Be careful, True Lord!"

One of the guards shielded his comrades from the tentacles, but was instantly poisoned and half of his body became paralyzed!
"Form the Demon Binding Rope Formation! Suppress the tentacles!"

Yang Jian decisively gave the order, and at the same time, his third eye shone brightly, a condensed golden light shooting towards the fragment like a sharp arrow! He wanted to force it out of his spiritual aperture! "Bang!" With a muffled sound, the fragment was shaken by the golden light, but an even more powerful backlash energy shot out with a piercing scream, heading straight for Yang Jian!
Yang Jian grunted, a trickle of golden blood spilling from the corner of his mouth. He forcefully steadied himself, his three-pointed, double-edged sword drawing an arc of light to deflect most of the shockwave. The fragments ejected from his spiritual aperture in response!
"receive!"

A jade box covered in runes flew out from Yang Jian's sleeve, precisely sealing the fragment inside.

The violent energy within the icy valley suddenly stopped.

From the direction of Jade Void Peak, the ferocious roars of the beasts were noticeably weaker.

Lieutenant General Li's battlefield pressure was greatly reduced, and he seized the opportunity to launch a counterattack, which greatly boosted the morale of the Heavenly Soldiers!
"Eliminate the remaining enemy forces! Treat the wounded!"

Yang Jian wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth and looked towards the Black Mist Swamp.

"Quickly clear the battlefield, set up a cleansing barrier, and seal off the remaining chaos here. Then... follow me into the black mist!"

He sensed that Sun Wukong had locked onto that muddy abyss, and a great battle was imminent.

……

……

Inside the Qitian Palace.

An hour has passed.

Nezha suddenly opened his eyes, his forehead covered in fine beads of sweat, his face even paler, but his eyes shone with a sharp light!
"Found him! The Great Sage!"

He pointed to the sand table.

Above the sand table, a three-dimensional topographic map of a thick, viscous black swamp was projected, constantly churning.

One of the spots was marked by a striking scarlet dot.

"This place is the core! There is a massive energy reaction below, and the structure is similar to an underground palace! The sand table exploration is interfered with by a powerful barrier, making perception blurry and unable to delve into details, but it is undoubtedly the main stronghold of Dark Star! The energy properties are the same as those of the broken Chaos Pearl, and the interference intensity... far exceeds expectations! Its core defensive array can distort divine sense perception, and forcibly breaking through it would come at a huge cost!"

Nezha's voice carried a hint of exhaustion, but it was clear and firm.

"What's even more troublesome is that the entire swamp's miasma and waters have been infused with trace amounts of chaotic demonic energy and another compound toxin, which is probably... probably the same as the Gu poison that eroded the 'Bewitching Jade Disc'! Once injured or inhaled in excess, it will not only corrode the immortal body, but will also gradually erode the mind!"

"Poisonous miasma corrodes the spirit... It's that vicious trick again!"

Sun Wukong's gaze was as cold as ice.

"It's alright! Nezha, can the spiritual liquid you brought this time counteract this poison?"

Nezha nodded emphatically, a confident glint in his eyes: "That's exactly what we're preparing for! The improved spiritual liquid can form a temporary protective film to isolate the poisonous miasma and initially neutralize the demonic toxins that have invaded the body, mitigating their harm. But... the duration is limited, so we need to finish this quickly!"

"Very good!" Sun Wukong looked at Taibai Jinxing. "Jinxing, you will stay in the central command and coordinate Yang Jian's movements and resources. Nezha, take all the spiritual liquid and come with me first! After the heavenly soldiers assemble, the deputy commander will lead them. Following the coordinates of the 'safe passage' marked by Nezha, we will break through the core defenses and then advance at full speed!"

Time is of the essence. The longer we delay, the deeper the pollution of the earth's veins will become, and the more turmoil will ensue in the mortal realm!
Sun Wukong and Nezha looked at each other again. Without saying a word, two beams of light instantly rose from the Qitian Palace, tearing through the sky and rushing straight towards the black mist swamp that was devouring the light!
Target: The last lair of the Dark Star remnants—the demonic cave marked with crimson dots deep within the Black Mist Swamp!
Above the Black Mist Swamp.

The miasma churned like boiling water, and the thick, dark green fog carried a nauseating, sweet, and putrid stench.

This aura not only corrodes the immortal body, but also acts like countless tiny poisonous insects, trying to burrow into the divine mind.

Even with the protection of immortal power, Nezha still felt a bit dizzy and irritable. He subconsciously held his breath and activated the power of the spiritual liquid to form a thin layer of pale golden light on his body, which suppressed the discomfort.

Sun Wukong's fiery eyes struggled to penetrate the thick poisonous miasma, but the core area was shrouded in hundreds of layers of veil, enveloped by an extremely special power that distorted space and divine consciousness.

This is different from the rage of chaotic energy; it is more like a meticulously constructed cognitive maze, and forcibly trying to explore it will only lead you astray.

"What a sturdy tortoise shell! This barrier could not have been built by these remnants of the army. It must have been a lair built by 'Lord Dark Star' during his reign!" Sun Wukong sneered.

"Great Sage, we're counting on you!"

Nezha took the sand table off his waist and quickly drew on it with both hands. The spiritual light shone again, but it was obviously somewhat sluggish. After going deeper into the black mist, the distortion and interference of the core barrier was like an invisible quagmire, which greatly limited the sand table's deduction ability. It could only barely maintain the tracking of the previously locked core coordinate points.

"The barrier structure is constantly changing, and forcibly analyzing it would take too long and would trigger a violent backlash... The only option is to forcefully create a temporary opening!"

"Hmph, hiding and causing chaos in the Three Realms! Today I'll tear down your rat's nest!"

Sun Wukong's eyes blazed with fighting spirit as he gripped his golden cudgel tightly. The ancient staff erupted with an unprecedentedly brilliant golden light, a light that was no longer merely a burst of power, but seemed to embody the vast, primordial will of time, so heavy it could crush the void!

He leaped high into the air, pouring all his energy and spirit into this earth-shattering blow!
"Break it for me!"

The golden cudgel, carrying the supreme power to tear apart heaven and earth and suppress the universe, slammed fiercely into the distorted void above the core area!
Boom-! ! ! !

The entire Black Mist Swamp seemed to have been gripped tightly by an invisible giant hand!
The viscous poisonous miasma surged out like ocean waves, and at its center, the space was like fragile glass, cracking inch by inch under the golden cudgel!
Visible spatial turbulence surged into the cracks, only to be swiftly and forcefully closed by massive, distorting energy! A terrifying, invisible shockwave suddenly erupted!
"puff!"

Nezha was the first to be hit. Even with the residual light of the sand table protecting him, he was still violently knocked away by the double impact of the creation law and the barrier's counterattack, spitting out a mouthful of blood in mid-air.

The sand table at her waist emitted a heartbreaking "crack," the cracks instantly spread and deepened, and the light suddenly dimmed, almost going out.

He crashed heavily into the edge of the churning swamp below, his golden light dimming as he was nearly swallowed by the blackish-green poisonous miasma.

Sun Wukong was also forced back several steps, his blood churning in his chest and a metallic taste rising in his throat.

But his eyes were even more ferocious as he stared intently ahead.

The barrier, after experiencing a violent spasm, did not completely collapse!
Although the core was shattered and peeled away, revealing a deep, dark hole with a diameter that could only allow two people to pass through, covered with sharp energy spikes, the surrounding structure remained stubborn and was frantically absorbing the swamp's energy to repair itself. An aura mixed with intense chaotic demonic energy, countless resentments, and cold divine thoughts burst forth violently from the hole!

It seemed to be mixed with an ancient and malicious laugh.

(End of this chapter)