Battle Through the Heavens: Xiao Yan, who was kidnapped to another world

'Poisonous insects...?' Looking at the seemingly pure and flawless snowflakes, Xiao Yan murmured somewhat heavily.

Chapter 161 Poisonous Insects

Within the danger zone, snowflakes continued to fall, and as far as the eye could see, there was only bitter cold.

Endless white snow enveloped everything. If these snowflakes hadn't remained intrusive to the edges, one might have mistaken this place for the end of the world. Even so, the tranquility and desolation hidden beneath the bitter cold still sent chills down one's spine.

After an unknown amount of time, beyond the limit of Xiao Yan's vision, the white gradually faded, replaced by a turquoise green, a turquoise green that seemed to smell of fishy stench just by looking at it.

As that emerald green hue encroached upon the snowfield, Xiao Yan gradually became able to discern what caused the expanding green expanse—

There were countless wriggling, slender, emerald-green worms, like maggots, emanating an extremely strong, unmistakable stench!

As the green creatures drew closer, Xiao Yan's expression grew increasingly strange. He subconsciously glanced at Zhou Ze beside him, only to find him calmly watching the dense swarms of emerald-green insects wriggling on the ground.

"Can't accept it?"

Noticing Xiao Yan's gaze, Zhou Ze turned his head and asked calmly.

"A little bit..." Xiao Yan's lips twitched slightly. "Will we have to step on the corpses of these insects to go deeper into the future?" Putting aside the toxins on those insects, just their appearance made Xiao Yan feel nauseous.

"Stepping on their corpses?" Zhou Ze revealed a strange expression. "The toxins contained in their bodies are a mixture of toxins that have mutated and merged in this poisonous swamp over the past hundred years. If there are only a few, it's fine, but if there are too many... even seventh or eighth-order poison-attribute magical beasts can't withstand it."

"Toxins resulting from mutations and fusion over the past century?"

Compared to the terror of the poison Zhou Ze mentioned, Xiao Yan was more concerned about the information that seemed to have been unintentionally revealed: "According to you, this ceremony is different from the past, right? But you've only been a guide for a little over ten years, haven't you?" His voice was very low, and no one else besides Xiao Yan and Zhou Ze could hear him.

“The town of Suffering has existed for more than a hundred years,” Zhou Ze said, his eyes slightly darting away. Then, he gave a less than satisfactory answer. “All you need to know is that after taking the Suffering Pill, we guides, including reserve guides like you, will not die because of this ritual.”

"So, the most crucial element in the Suffering Pill isn't the medicinal herbs, is it?" Upon hearing the latter part of Zhou Ze's sentence, Xiao Yan narrowed his eyes and asked in a low voice.

After taking the Suffering Pill, Xiao Yan analyzed all the medicinal ingredients contained in it. Because of this, Xiao Yan knew that the combination of those medicinal ingredients had no detoxifying effect.

At first, Xiao Yan thought it was due to his limited knowledge and even asked Yao Lao for advice. However, after listening to Xiao Yan's description of the medicinal ingredients, Yao Lao reached the same conclusion as Xiao Yan. This left only two possibilities: first, the refining method of this Suffering Pill was extremely special, and even a master alchemist like Yao Lao couldn't identify it; second—

"Whose is that wisp of soul power? Is it the mastermind behind manipulating you puppets? Or the person who organized the ritual in the Cloud Poison Swamp?" Xiao Yan asked in a low voice.

After carefully examining every part of his body, Xiao Yan finally found something unusual in his dantian, near the location of the spirit storage area. Although it felt like soul power, it emitted a scorching temperature. If he had to describe it, it was like the spirituality of a strange fire such as the Azure Lotus Earth Core Flame.

If that wisp of soul power really is a strange fire, then the only strange fire Xiao Yan can think of related to poison is the Netherworld Poison Fire. However, the Netherworld Poison Fire only contains potent poison and can travel through poisonous miasma like a ghost fire.

Even if someone possesses the Netherworld Poison Fire and is immune to all poisons, it's only because the poison of the Netherworld Poison Fire far surpasses most poisons in the world. If they were to encounter a terrifying poison that could kill a Dou Sheng or Dou Di, even someone formed from the Netherworld Poison Fire would only have one path: death.

Moreover, Xiao Yan could sense that after taking the Suffering Pill, the toxins were not unable to affect him, but rather they no longer 'approached' him, as if the toxins in this poisonous swamp had gained sentience!

"Let's go, follow them."

Only after Zhou Ze said those words did Xiao Yan notice that the emerald green insects were wriggling deeper into the poisonous swamp, and the rest of the guides were already following behind these insects, heading into the swamp.

"With them leading the way, there won't be any danger," Zhou Ze said calmly. "Any later, even with the Bitterness Pill, the toxins in the edge areas won't be enough to protect against them." After saying that, Zhou Ze calmly followed the main group, seemingly not worried at all about whether Xiao Yan would catch up.

"Tsk..." After watching Zhou Ze catch up with the main group, Xiao Yan clicked his tongue in amazement and followed.

And so, the group of several hundred people, led by the guide, followed the insects in a grand procession. If it weren't for the strange nature of the insects ahead, this dangerous area, which no longer contained any toxins, might have been a great tourist destination.

Once all the guides had entered the danger zone, at the boundary between the danger zone and the edge zone, the emerald green toxin slowly spread. Wherever it passed, trees, moss, and birds and beasts that had existed for an unknown period of time turned into pools of blood and merged into the toxin.

Outside of the town of Suffering, the disciples of the Poison Sect had already occupied the vast majority of the positions, and, at Shi Rui's request, these accustomed to being arrogant and domineering did not drive away the cultivators watching nearby.

"what's the situation?"

One of the fighting spirits twitched its ears and suddenly raised its head to look at the flocks of birds flying away in the sky.

"A beast tide?"

"It doesn't seem like it. If it were a beast tide, there would at least be ground tremors, but right now it's all calm."

"That's right, the way it looks now makes it seem like it was driven away by humans."

"Hey, are you saying those guides are deliberately creating chaos to confuse people?"

“I didn’t say that.”

……

Although the large flocks of departing birds caused some disturbance, the scene returned to calm after it was confirmed that there were no high-level magical beasts among the 'escaping' birds.

"Senior Scorpion, what are you looking at?"

As soon as Xie Biyan arrived outside the town of Suffering, his gaze fell on the fleeing birds. At the same time, Shi Rui, who had been watching Xie Biyan's every move, pretended not to understand and asked a question.

"It's nothing, I just didn't expect the ceremony to go by so quickly..." After turning his gaze away, Xie Biyan said with a forced smile, "Alright, little royals, it's time for you to take the stage."

The next moment, Xie Biyan's gaze shifted to the several Dou Huangs sent by the royal family of the Chuyun Empire beside him.

After exchanging glances, the eldest of the Dou Huang members of the Izumo royal family sighed and stepped forward. "Senior Scorpion, is this ceremony the same as before?" He glanced subtly at the three Dou Huang members beside Shi Rui.

"If you hadn't died right after taking your first step." Scorpion Bi Yan grinned, laughing unrestrainedly.

"……it is good!"

After giving Xie Biyan a deep look, the elderly Dou Huang took a deep breath and said in a deep voice.

Then, the Dou Huang walked straight towards the central avenue of Suffering Town.

?

Seeing that the Douhuang ignored him and walked directly towards the poisonous swamp, Shi Rui tilted his head and looked at Xie Biyan.

"What? Are you planning to replace him and be the first to scout ahead?" Xie Biyan glanced at Shi Rui, snorted coldly, and followed the Dou Huang.

"Scouting the way? What do you mean?" Shi Rui didn't care about Xie Biyan's attitude. After all, among everyone present, Xie Biyan was the strongest and the most familiar with this swamp.

After quickening his pace and catching up with Xie Biyan, Shi Rui asked, "Is the path that the guide scouted out earlier no longer passable?"

“If you think your sect has enough people, you can follow the safe route you previously explored,” Xie Biyan said without turning around. “During the large-scale ceremony that happens once every hundred years, the danger level in the peripheral areas is the highest. Just remember that.”

Soon, Xie Biyan and the others followed the elderly Dou Huang to the edge of the poisonous swamp in the town of Suffering.

More than half...

After glancing discreetly at the location of the town of Suffering, which was now occupied by the poisonous swamp, Xie Biyan lowered his eyelids slightly. He remembered that when he first came to Suffering Town, the boundary between Suffering Town and the poisonous swamp was clearly defined. He never expected that after two large-scale ceremonies, Suffering Town would be almost completely swallowed up by the poisonous swamp.

On the other side, the Dou Huang of the Izumo Empire's royal family cautiously took his first step after testing the waters for a long time.

The moment the soles of the shoes touched the mud, the emerald green mud gradually hardened. Finally, under everyone's watchful eyes, the mud completely receded from the spot where the Dou Huang stood, revealing emerald green earth.

"Alright, it's your turn." After nodding, Xie Biyan's gaze fell on Shi Rui.

"One person, one step?" Upon hearing Xie Biyan's words, Shi Rui understood how the Ten Thousand Scorpion Sect and the Izumo Royal Family had entered the depths of this so-called grand ceremony.

"One person, one step at a time. Success is best; failure means the next person takes their place." Xie Biyan nodded.

“…You, go.” After silently nodding, Shi Rui’s gaze fell on a poison master of the Fighter level in the crowd.

The poison master, whose name was suddenly called out, turned pale instantly. In his casual conversation with those around him, he learned that the person who called out his name was the sect leader of the Poison Sect, the legendary Dou Zong. Being watched by such a big shot, he couldn't even muster the thought of running away!

Trembling, he reached the edge of the poisonous swamp. Looking at the churning mud, the poison master swallowed hard, recalling the path his guide had once walked from afar. His body trembled like a sieve.

Xie Biyan watched calmly. If the Izumo royal family hadn't been declining and now only had a mid-level Dou Huang among all the people they could send, their actions would have been the same as Shi Rui's.

"To the right front, about 30 centimeters away."

Seeing that the poison master hesitated to move, Shi Rui became somewhat annoyed and, while saying this, manipulated the man's body to take a step forward.

It must be said that although Shi Rui was cunning enough, his judgment on poisons was very accurate. Although this poison master was only a fighter, he still managed to save his life after taking this step.

call--

Taking a deep breath, the fighter wanted to retreat and leave this place where he could easily lose his life if he wasn't careful.

"Straight in front, 20 centimeters away."

But before he could turn his head, Xie Biyan's voice rang out, and then his body uncontrollably took another step forward.

"What exactly are these poisonous insects?"

After following Zhou Ze for a long time, Xiao Yan asked the question.

“Snowflakes, scales, or sparks,” Zhou Ze replied after a slight pause, “they can be anything, but ultimately they are nothing more than filters.”

"Filter?"

"Absorb effective, new toxins, and then spit out all the toxins that have ever existed, leaving the dangerous area empty so that even newer toxins can be released later... What else could it be but a filter?" After saying these incredible words, Zhou Ze ignored Xiao Yan.

'Filter...'

'Teacher, the Netherworld Poison Flame is most likely no longer here,' Xiao Yan thought to himself, licking his lips. 'If what Zhou Ze said is true, this swamp seems to be just a breeding ground for Gu poison prepared by a powerful poison master…'

So, you're planning to leave?

Having lived with Xiao Yan for over ten years, Yao Lao naturally understood his thoughts at that moment, so he simply asked with a light smile.

'It's just that they're most likely not here,' Xiao Yan raised his head, his gaze falling on the dense swarm of poisonous insects ahead. 'I won't give up until I see it with my own eyes…'

Even if it might already belong to someone?

'Even if it already has an owner.' Xiao Yan's eyes sharpened.

Although the Burning Technique had evolved to the advanced Xuan-level after absorbing the Azure Lotus Earth Core Flame, even if it was only to achieve what Dan said—to become a Dou Sheng before the age of twenty-five—he still had to absorb and devour as many strange flames as possible. After all, there were only twenty-three kinds of strange flames on the Strange Flame Ranking, and he didn't know how many strange flames he would need to devour before the Burning Technique could evolve to the Tian-level.

Moreover, according to Elder Yao, the advanced Heaven Rank is not the most top-tier cultivation technique.

After walking for an unknown amount of time, a blood-red sky came into view.

"Phew, we've finally arrived. Why does this danger zone seem much larger than last time?"

As the group gradually came to a stop, Xiao Yan vaguely heard one of the guides complaining. At the same time, Zhou Ze, who was in front of him, suddenly took two steps back and bumped into Xiao Yan.

"You're too close, step back a bit." Frowning, Zhou Ze glanced back at Xiao Yan.

"Yes, I understand."

Feeling the pill Zhou Ze placed in his hand, Xiao Yan nodded, then turned around and patted Xu Chuan on the shoulder, "Did you hear that? Step back a little." A Suffering Pill landed in Xu Chuan's hand.

"Oh, oh, okay, okay."

After nodding hastily, Xu Chuan took a few steps back.

Including Xiao Yan and Xu Chuan, all the guides who knew about the Suffering Pill secretly put one into their mouths.

Chapter 162 Sealing

"Is this the legendary death zone ahead?" Xiao Yan squinted, looking at the blood-red sky.