Unlike the ease with which Ye Qin's team traversed the forest region, Qian Bojiang's squad encountered numerous demonic beasts immediately upon entering. It was precisely because Qian Bojiang and the other four cultivators walked ahead, attracting the attention of many demonic beasts within the forest, that Ye Qin, Sun Shi, and the others met so few on their journey. Qian Bojiang, Yang Zhen, and the other three Qing Dan realm cultivators had not anticipated such a high density of demonic beasts in the forest beforehand. They inadvertently stumbled into the lair of a group of Black-Bellied Demon Snakes, provoking a furious frenzy among the snake swarm. Fleeing while fighting, they managed to slay more than a dozen pursuing third and fourth-tier Black-Bellied Demon Snakes before they finally burst out of the forest region in disarray, shaking off the pursuit. Escaping the stifling darkness of the forest brought them immense relief, and looking back at the gloomy woods, they still felt a lingering fear. They were now in the swamp area. Although eerie mist permeated the surroundings, the visibility was noticeably clearer and more open compared to the oppressive darkness of the forest, which was obscured by omnipresent, dense thickets.

"Senior Brother, if we had known there were so many demonic beasts in this forest, we should have moved with Ye Qin and the others. Ten Foundation Establishment cultivators working together—a mere nest of several dozen third and fourth-tier demon snakes wouldn't have been anything to fear," Yang Zhen grumbled, stomping on a skull he accidentally stepped on after exiting the forest, feeling deeply unlucky and venting his frustration. The other three Qing Men cultivators were similarly discontented. With their original strength of ten Foundation Establishment cultivators, they should have had sufficient power to defend themselves even if they encountered danger in the Cold Lake Forest. Yet, Senior Brother Qian insisted on splitting up, halving their numbers, which resulted in their embarrassing ordeal, forcing them to actively avoid even a medium-sized demon snake nest.

"Hmph, what do you few know? To reap rewards, one must separate and act," Qian Bojiang scoffed upon escaping the forest, his gaze cold as he surveyed the swamp ahead, seemingly contemplating something. "Senior Brother, do you have some plan?" Yang Zhen, sensing hidden meaning in Qian Bojiang's tone, quickly inquired. "Of course," Qian Bojiang nodded without concealment, then sneered, "Those fellows have been hesitant all along; they have no intention of fighting the cultivators from Wanyue Lake. Moreover, their cultivation is low; traveling with them is just a burden. Instead of sticking with them, it's better to use them as bait to draw the attention of the Wanyue Lake cultivators. I deliberately acted hurried when we left the city to rush into the Cold Lake Forest, making them mistakenly believe I was eager to earn merit and would rush to the front. They could safely trail behind to pick up the scraps. But am I that foolish? They never imagined we would hide and quietly follow them, letting them take the brunt of any danger, while we wait for an opportunity to benefit. If the enemy proves too strong, we retreat and let them cover our withdrawal."

"Senior Brother, we are all fellow sect disciples. Using them as shields... isn't that a bit inappropriate!" One cultivator sounded genuinely surprised and hesitant after hearing Qian Bojiang's strategy. Qian Bojiang immediately gave that cultivator a cold glare. The cultivator shivered, daring not to say another word. They were all acquaintances who had known each other for a long time, intimately familiar with Qian Bojiang’s ruthless nature—he would stop at nothing. Using fellow disciples as shields was merely a minor tactic for him.

"Hmph, all of us were sent out from the sect to fight—cannon fodder. If we aren't careful, we might all die here in the Cold Lake Forest. Remember this: what we seek is longevity and wealth. Their life or death is none of our business. Don't be wishy-washy good Samaritans! For our own safety and to secure enough battle merits for future glory and wealth, this is necessary. Let's go. First, find a concealed spot in the nearby swamp to hide. Once their squad passes, we follow behind them!" Qian Bojiang wasted no more words and plunged into the swamp. The cultivators exchanged glances and accepted the plan. Although Qian Bojiang’s methods were ruthless, they all stood to benefit. For the sake of earning merit, they chose to comply. Led by Qian Bojiang, their group rushed into the swamp to find a hiding place.

About half an hour later, at the edge of the swamp where decaying leaves emitted pungent, foul-smelling bubbles, Ye Qin descended from the branches holding his flying sword. He found no trace of anyone having passed by the swamp's edge and muttered, "Strange. Were Senior Brother Qian's group moving that fast? I’ve been tracking for so long and haven't found any sign of their movement. Did they take a different fork in the forest?" It was understandable that Ye Qin misjudged the situation. Qian Bojiang's hurried rush toward the Cold Lake Forest upon leaving the city had given Ye Qin the false impression that Qian Bojiang was desperate to earn merit by killing Wanyue Lake cultivators, so Ye Qin didn't consider other possibilities, nor did he think Qian Bojiang had been plotting to use them from the moment they left the city.

However, Ye Qin was accustomed to acting cautiously. Regardless of what Qian Bojiang intended—whether to sacrifice himself or kill enemies—Ye Qin proceeded warily, unwilling to easily create any opening. He never placed his hopes on these fellow disciples with whom he shared no deep connection. In the dangerous Spirit Mist City, one had to rely on one's own cultivation and strength; others were unreliable, even fellow sect members. Ye Qin gazed toward the swamp ahead, where poisonous charcoal mist spread thickly. Due to the fog, visibility extended only a few dozen feet. This swamp area appeared quiet and eerily silent, seemingly devoid of any demonic beast activity, though Ye Qin knew this was deceptive. He did not rashly enter but waited for the other members of his squad. Soon, Sun Shi cautiously emerged from the forest and landed beside Ye Qin. Then, Shen Bao, Feng Tong, and Shi Wen-hong followed. The forest was dim, so they advanced using a flanking strategy—two in front, three behind, providing mutual cover. While this method slowed their progress, it was the safest. "We haven't found any trace left by Senior Brother Qian's group. We might have lost contact with them and must prepare for contingencies. If we encounter the enemy, timely mutual support may not be possible," Ye Qin soberly informed the other four disciples. Sun Shi, Shen Bao, and the others were unconcerned; they had anticipated this outcome.

Ye Qin surveyed the swamp, his gaze suddenly sharp. He noticed a broken, black skeleton floating in a dark pool of water ahead. He carefully prodded the skull with a dry branch to examine it. The Cold Lake Forest yielded Ice Spirit Stones and water/ice element spiritual materials; many adventuring cultivators had died here over the centuries, so seeing skeletons in the area was normal. He had seen several in the forest already. However, this skeleton looked relatively new, and a piece of tattered cloth still clung to it, not yet fully dissolved by the swamp's corrosive mud. "This skull has been dead for about ten days, and there are bite marks from ferocious demonic beast teeth—it was likely killed by a fierce beast. This cloth is quite thick. This skeleton must belong to a Wanyue Lake cultivator; it seems our enemy has arrived." Ye Qin carefully examined a small piece of residual cloth taken from the skeleton, then tossed it aside plainly.

"Junior Brother Ye, this cloth seems ordinary. Since there's no mark indicating its origin, how can you tell this skull belongs to a Wanyue Lake cultivator? Do you know what kind of cloth Wanyue Lake cultivators wear?" Shen Bao picked up the scrap, pondered it, and asked with surprise. "Look closely at the thickness—it's two to three times thicker than our clothes. Didn't you notice?" Ye Qin smiled faintly. He didn't know much about fabrics, but comparing it to his own clothes and the brocade garments worn by Sun Shi, Shen Bao, and the others, this piece was visibly several times thicker. Foundation Establishment cultivators generally weren't bothered by cold and weren't particular about clothing materials, but Wanyue Lake was a perpetually cold region. Lower-level Qi Refining cultivators couldn't withstand the cold and naturally wore thicker clothes. Even after reaching Foundation Establishment and no longer fearing the cold, they maintained the habit of wearing thick-spun clothing. Conversely, the Spirit Mist cultivation world had a temperate climate, and ordinary cultivators had no habit of wearing thick fabric. The materials they wore tended to be thinner. Ye Qin had only realized this by chance and deduced the skeleton belonged to a Wanyue Lake cultivator, not a Spirit Mist cultivator. Of course, this guess was only seventy to eighty percent accurate, and it didn't really matter; they would likely find more traces of Wanyue Lake activity deeper inside.

Sun Shi’s expression immediately grew serious. Having spent a hundred years as an elder in the Qing Dan Sect, he had only reached the fourth level of Foundation Establishment. He naturally felt a degree of wariness and distance toward younger cultivators like Ye Qin, whose cultivation had already reached the fifth level of Foundation Establishment. He could see Ye Qin's limitless future, far beyond that of an aging cultivator like himself, so he had no intention of vying for the leadership role. Ye Qin’s unintentionally revealed caution and meticulousness further surprised and awed him. "Junior Brother Ye, based on your deduction, Wanyue Lake cultivators have already appeared in the Cold Lake Forest. Since Foundation Establishment cultivators don't die easily, this skeleton likely belongs to a Qi Refining cultivator. A Qi Refining cultivator here would only serve one purpose: collecting Ice Spirit Stones." Sun Shi also grasped this point, stroking his beard in thought.

"That's right. I estimate Wanyue Lake cultivators have begun mining here, and many of them are Qi Refining cultivators. We just don't know how many Foundation Establishment guards they have. There shouldn't be too many, or else this Qi Refining cultivator wouldn't have been killed accidentally by a demonic beast. In this swamp, we might have an opportunity to disrupt their mining activities here," Ye Qin stated seriously. "Then what are we waiting for? Let's go scout their situation immediately. Maybe we can slaughter a few of them! We'll earn merit and return to the city, perhaps resting for several months without needing to take on killing missions again." "Exactly! Our two squads total ten Foundation Establishment cultivators. We can certainly inflict heavy damage on them!" Shen Bao, Feng Tong, and Shi Wen-hong became excited. Although they weren't overly keen on earning merit, passing up an easy advantage would be foolish. If the enemy was only a group of Qi Refining cultivators, their mission would be much easier. Ye Qin saw their excitement and shook his head flatly, "Don't celebrate too soon. We’ve only just entered the swamp's edge. It’s still a long way to the Ice Lake mining area. If there’s a large contingent of Wanyue Lake Foundation Establishment cultivators at the Ice Lake, we might face a fierce battle. Let's go check the situation at the Ice Lake first!"

Just as Ye Qin was preparing to move, his expression suddenly changed, and he looked sharply toward the front of the swamp, his shield and flying sword already grasped tightly in his hands. A few dozen feet away, emerging indistinctly from the hazy fog, were four shadowy figures. They included both men and women, chatting and laughing, failing to notice Ye Qin's group. Judging by their attire, they mostly wore plain white and blue, and they were all high-level Qi Refining cultivators. One white-clothed woman stepped out of the mist and carefully plucked a spiritual grass surrounded by faint water vapor from a pool in the swamp. "Ah, I found another Water Mist Flower, over ten years old! There are so many water-element spiritual grasses in this area; it’s strange no one has picked them. It’s not like at Wanyue Lake where it takes strenuous effort to find anything," she said excitedly, looking up, only to freeze in astonishment. The Wanyue Lake cultivators behind the woman also saw the five Spirit Mist Foundation Establishment cultivators—Ye Qin, Sun Shi, Shen Bao, and the others—standing silently not far in front of them, all looking bewildered. They had absolutely not expected to encounter cultivators from the Spirit Mist Realm here, let alone five Foundation Establishment cultivators appearing at once. Any one of them could crush them like ants.

"There aren't many enemy beasts here, but it is quite dangerous. Surrender obediently to our leader," Sun Shi never imagined such low-level Wanyue Lake cultivators would deliver themselves to their doorstep. He laughed heartily, controlling his flying sword to press toward them, intending to capture the woman alive to interrogate her about the number of Wanyue Lake cultivators in the Cold Lake Forest. "Not good! Run!" "Quickly fire the signal for help!" The few Wanyue Lake cultivators changed color in terror, rapidly turning to flee. Simultaneously, a streak of fire rocket shot into the sky—it was launched by one of the more vigilant cultivators who had lagged behind.

"Damn it! How dare you!" Sun Shi saw they had launched the signal and failed to stop it in time, flying into a rage. He immediately drove his flying sword forward. A streak of golden light flashed by, utterly merciless: "Thwack!" Before the few Qi Refining cultivators could flee twenty feet, they were severed at the neck, collapsing into the swamp. After killing the enemies, Sun Shi quickly confiscated the spiritual artifacts and any slightly valuable items from their bodies. These were his evidence of merit. Spiritual artifacts retained the magical aura of the cultivator; each aura was distinct, and these items could prove how many enemies he had slain and of what cultivation level. The fire rocket that had soared into the sky exploded above, emitting dazzling, multicolored light. Soon, sounds of alarm and shouting erupted from dozens of miles deep in the swamp, rushing toward their location.

Ye Qin had not taken action against the few Qi Refining cultivators; Sun Shi alone was enough. The fire rocket and the shouts surprised him, causing him to frown. Not only were there Wanyue Lake cultivators here, but it seemed their numbers were not small, otherwise, such a large commotion wouldn't have been raised. "Junior Brother Ye, now that we've been discovered, what should we do? Should we charge directly toward the Ice Lake, or hide first?" Shen Bao anxiously asked. "Enemy strength and numbers are unknown. Rushing in blindly is seeking death. Let's observe first and figure out the situation," Ye Qin retorted with an exasperated eye-roll. "Completely destroy these corpses and leave no trace. There are many demonic beasts here; they might assume a beast killed them. This Cold Lake Forest spans hundreds of miles; there are countless demonic beasts, and the fog is dense. It's normal for a few cultivators to be ambushed by beasts and fire a signal for help while dying. Besides, people can hide anywhere here. It won't be easy for the enemy cultivators to find us."

Shen Bao nodded, casting several fireballs with Feng Tong and the others to incinerate the corpses of the Wanyue Lake cultivators, then thoroughly churning up that section of the swamp. Afterward, the five of them, led by Ye Qin, concealed themselves within the swamp region. This area consisted either of dark forests or misty swamps; even if a thousand Wanyue Lake cultivators gathered here, it would be difficult to search them out easily. Moreover, Ye Qin knew this was merely an Ice Spirit Stone collection point, not a vital location. Wanyue Lake would never stockpile a large number of cultivators in such a remote place far from the main battlefield. Having a few dozen or a hundred Qi Refining cultivators mining Ice Spirit Stones here would be plenty. As for how many Foundation Establishment cultivators might be present, that was uncertain. Just as Spirit Mist cultivators came to raid Wanyue Lake cultivators, Wanyue Lake would also send ambushes.

Shortly after Ye Qin and the four others left the scene, Qian Bojiang emerged from his hidden spot in a nearby part of the swamp, cursing in frustration. His original plan was to follow Ye Qin's group, letting Ye Qin and the four others act as the vanguard so he could gauge the situation with the Wanyue Lake cultivators. However, the situation suddenly changed when a few low-level Wanyue Lake cultivators, who seemed to be courting death, appeared and were cleanly taken by Sun Shi. The entire Cold Lake Forest was now in chaos. Once the Wanyue Lake cultivators were alerted, they would surely dispatch large forces to search everywhere. Qian Bojiang's group could encounter Wanyue Lake cultivators in any direction at any moment. His previous plan was now obsolete. "Things are messy here. It will be hard to figure things out. We'll fight separately, grab some battle merits, and then return to Spirit Mist City. Hopefully, we don't run into any of their powerful Foundation Establishment cultivators," Qian Bojiang muttered a curse and, with his team, swiftly vanished into the swamp. Before he knew the actual strength of the Wanyue Lake cultivators here, he dared not reveal his own power carelessly.