“It must be your blood that killed my Bone Spirit!” Yu Ziling pointed at Ji Changkong, her voice brimming with hatred.
“What does that have to do with me? You must have mixed the potion incorrectly!” Ji Changkong naturally denied it; in his view, his blood was perfectly ordinary and could never be the source of any problem.
“It was you! It was definitely you!” Yu Ziling shrieked, her voice rising higher and higher.
Ji Changkong remained silent, ignoring her.
Buzz, buzz, buzz! Buzz, buzz, buzz!
Suddenly, a peculiar humming sound emanated again from the small holes in the beast bone. The half-section of bone held tightly in Yu Ziling’s grasp began to oscillate joyfully.
Yi!
Yu Ziling gasped, staring at the bone in disbelief. She cursed playfully, “You lunatic! Your body is only half intact, yet you claim you feel so much better! Nonsense! It has nothing to do with that stinking drop of his blood! If you truly feel better, it’s only because I possess boundless magical power!”
After muttering a few strange curses, Yu Ziling noticed the half-bone growing active again and reluctantly put it away with a sense of relief.
“Hmph, I suppose it really had nothing to do with you then. Let’s go; we need to continue and intercept those envoys from Southern Yi!” Yu Ziling’s smile returned to her face, as if nothing had transpired between them.
“Shouldn't we focus on dealing with Old Mother Wushan and her group first?” Ji Changkong inquired.
“Let’s leave them be for now; that old hag is formidable.”
Yu Ziling shook her head, hesitating for a moment before continuing, “From this point on, the malevolent spirits lurking in the Great Marsh of Yunmeng will only increase. We need to be cautious. Even I could fall prey to a single misstep. You need to take me around here first so I can familiarize myself with the area. Only by knowing every blade of grass and every stick of wood intimately can we increase our chances of survival.”
“Let’s go to Poison Dragon Pool!”
Ji Changkong suddenly suggested. The Tianyuan Winged Dragon and the myriad fierce beasts were all concentrated there, along with the perpetual toxic miasma. As soon as they entered the Poison Dragon Pool's sphere of influence and let the Winged Dragon and the beasts know he had returned, he guaranteed few Heaven Masters would dare to move against him.
“Are you mad?” Yu Ziling quickly shook her head. “That place is absolutely off-limits, and the Southern Yi envoys won't pass through there either. I hear that the last time some Heaven Masters accidentally strayed into that area, none of them walked out alive. I have no intention of seeking death, and Old Mother Wushan and her ilk aren’t foolish enough to go there either.”
After thinking it over, Ji Changkong nodded. “I’ll show you the surrounding terrain, but you must promise me you will continue to help me deal with Old Mother Wushan’s faction.”
With Yu Ziling present, there was no need to rush immediately to Poison Dragon Pool. If the situation truly deteriorated to a critical point, he would naturally venture there regardless of the danger.
“Of course! Even if I don't go after them, they certainly won’t spare me,” Yu Ziling chuckled.
...
Over the next few days, Ji Changkong guided Yu Ziling through one dangerous area after another where toxic miasma frequently appeared.
Gradually, without needing Yu Ziling’s reminder, Ji Changkong also noticed the influx of many unfamiliar faces in the Great Marsh of Yunmeng. Those cold, skilled figures in bizarre attire he had seen back in Qingyan City seemed to have all converged here.
Day or night, one could often hear piercing, agonizing shrieks suddenly erupting. Every time this happened, Ji Changkong’s heart would clench, knowing another life had been taken—perhaps even the life of a Heaven Master far more powerful than himself.
...
Perched high in the branches of a dense tree, both Ji Changkong and Yu Ziling were concealed among the leaves, observing a group of various Heaven Masters drawing water near a lake in the distance.
Since breaking through to the Three Talents Heaven Realm, his eyesight and hearing had improved dramatically. From a distance of a hundred zhang, he could clearly make out the features of each person collecting water, and with the wind favorable, he could faintly catch one or two muffled words.
Suddenly, a familiar figure caught his eye.
Jia Rongfeng, short, stout, and dark-skinned, accompanied by a graceful, beautiful woman whose face bore faint pockmarks, strolled towards the clear lake, laughing with several accompanying experts as they filled their water skins one by one.
As families originating from the same Qingyan City, Ji Changkong had once met Jia Rongfeng at Lord Nie Yuanshan’s manor. His short, stout, and dark appearance was highly recognizable. Although Ji Changkong had only met him once, he instantly recognized the man laughing and chatting with the beautiful woman by the lake.
A thought struck him, and Ji Changkong focused intently to hear what they were saying.
“...Ji family… little slut… the scars have healed…”
He couldn't quite make out Jia Rongfeng’s words, but he faintly caught the shrill, barbed tone of the beautiful woman. Recalling the sudden strangeness surrounding his Aunt Ji Wanyun back in Qingyan City, Ji Changkong immediately guessed the woman’s identity.
The Tu family—Zhao Meilan!
Ji Changkong’s eyes turned icy, his face contorting into a mask of ferocity as he stared intently at the venomous woman who had once inflicted four scars upon Ji Wanyun’s face, clenching his hands tightly.
“You know them? Do you have a grudge with them too?” Yu Ziling, hidden nearby in the dense foliage, asked quietly, sounding puzzled.
Ji Changkong nodded.
“Say no more! I’ll help you deal with them!” Yu Ziling boldly took ownership of the matter, her eyes darting around as if another scheme was already brewing.
“No need!” Ji Changkong shook his head. “I must visit Poison Dragon Pool first! If you are willing, I can take you with me. I guarantee you that as long as you accompany me to Poison Dragon Pool, the fierce beasts inside will not harm you!”
“What makes you so sure?” Yu Ziling asked, startled.
After a brief pause, Ji Changkong replied, “Go or stay, it’s up to you. Regardless, I’ve already walked you through the vicinity, even telling you when and where the toxic miasma is likely to appear. That settles my debt to you regarding Old Mother Wushan. Neither of us owes the other anything now. For you, I offer little remaining value... in fact, my low strength might just slow you down.”
“Can you truly guarantee my safety at Poison Dragon Pool?” Yu Ziling pondered for a moment, then asked suddenly.
“I dare guarantee it!” Ji Changkong affirmed.
“Very well, I’ll go with you to Poison Dragon Pool, but you must lead the way,” Yu Ziling conceded after consideration.
“No problem, follow me.”
...
Seven days later, Ji Changkong and Yu Ziling appeared within the territory of Poison Dragon Pool.
“Great Wind, I have returned!”
As soon as he arrived, Ji Changkong felt his entire body relax, and he suddenly burst into loud laughter.
From the distance, where the miasma shrouded the Poison Dragon Pool, a colossal entity suddenly leaped out, bearing down on them like an advancing black cloud, immediately releasing a thick scent of blood.
Numerous nearby fierce beasts scrambled out from the undergrowth, the depths of the pool, and the ancient trees, all charging toward Ji Changkong.
Yu Ziling’s face turned ashen; without a word, she spun around and bolted back the way they came.
Ji Changkong grabbed her arm. “Don’t be afraid! Here, my word is law!”
For more novels, visit storyread.net.