Wisps of miasma hung heavy in the air, punctuated by the guttural roars and cries of ferocious beasts. This was a forbidden territory for ordinary men, a place only the most powerful Heavenly Masters who had reached a certain realm dared to tread.

Returning to the Great Marsh of Cloud Dream after so many years, Ji Changkong no longer needed to constantly evade the savage beasts and the omnipresent toxic fog as he once did. Powerful Heavenly Masters frequented this place, and over time, the native beasts had learned to distinguish which beings were delectable prey and which were utterly untouchable.

As he traversed the areas dense with predators, there was no need to intentionally project the vast magnetic field of his primordial energy. Even the beasts that would have been an insurmountable threat to common folk instinctively kept their distance, wary that a slight shift in his mood might turn them into a casual appetizer.

Because Shao Kang had given him specific instructions before his arrival, he wasn't rushing straight towards the most noxious area, the Dragon’s Abyss, where the poisonous fog was thickest and the beasts most ferocious. Instead, he meandered at an unhurried pace through various regions, hoping to serendipitously resolve any troubles for Nie Yuanshan along the way.

He was intimately familiar with the Great Marsh of Cloud Dream; he had once traversed every corner riding his Sky-Turtle Wyvern. Apart from the ancient, spiritually sentient beasts that seldom left the marsh, few creatures knew this land—every blade of grass and every tree—better than he did. Even the Southern Barbarian Heavenly Masters, who favored gathering herbs in the densest miasma, could not compare to his depth of knowledge.

After drifting around the outer reaches of the Great Marsh for a while, he saw no sign of Southern Barbarian-attired Heavenly Masters. He only encountered a few Heavenly Masters from the Water Cloud Kingdom—all at the Tianren level, below the Tianzhi realm—collecting medicinal herbs in the periphery. For those gathering resources in the outer zones, as long as they didn't blunder into a beast's lair or allow the toxic fog to penetrate their bodies, they were usually safe.

However, if they accidentally strayed into the area of the Sacred Dragon Pool and encountered the Sky-Turtle Wyvern, the supreme overlord of the Great Marsh, it would surely mean certain death.

Ji Changkong paid little attention to these low-level practitioners and did not intentionally disturb them, continuing his unhurried journey toward the Dragon’s Abyss.

He unfurled his divine sense, detecting any creature with a strong life fluctuation within a ten-mile radius. Thanks to the extraordinary sensory power of the Tai Xu Secret Record, his passage through the Great Marsh was nearly unimpeded. Coupled with his Xuan Yuan bloodline protecting him from the toxic fog, he feared no creature or harsh natural environment within these lands.

A wave of primordial energy collision, neither overwhelmingly strong nor weak, suddenly reached him from seven or eight tan lengths ahead. The fluctuations were agitated and frequent, clearly indicating an intense confrontation was underway.

His heart stirred, and Ji Changkong accelerated his pace, activating the Thousand Shades Swift Shadow. His entire form blurred into a hazy silhouette, like a phantom or spirit in the woods, moving toward the combat zone at a speed imperceptible to ordinary men.

Soon, he arrived at a swamp where the fighting was taking place.

Five or six Southern Barbarian Heavenly Masters, clad in colorful animal hides and straw leaf conical hats, were locked in battle with a dozen Heavenly Masters from the Central Plains. Although the Southern Barbarians were fewer in number, their cultivation realms were generally higher. The bows they wielded, when loosed, often trailed a faint green aura. Once an arrow neared a Central Plains cultivator, it would suddenly explode into clouds of green smoke.

This green smoke was clearly derived from the toxic miasma of the Great Marsh, possessing potent corrosive properties. The Central Plains cultivators were deeply wary of the murky green vapor. Two of them, having inhaled it accidentally, let out strange, choked moans and began vomiting large mouthfuls of dark, black blood.

A strikingly beautiful woman stood alone at the front line. As her pure white jade hands moved, cascades of colorful light shimmered forth. This radiant energy possessed a miraculous defensive capability, slicing the swirling green smoke into manageable fragments before she waved her hands again, dissipating the vapor entirely.

With just one glance, Ji Changkong instantly recognized the identity of this stunning woman... Zhou Miaoshan, the wife of Ye Hongru of the Ye family.

This woman had once purchased the saliva of the Thousand-Year Purple Gold Toad from him at a high price during the Ye Family's Spirit Treasure Assembly. Furthermore, during the assembly, Zhou Miaoshan had treated him with great kindness and even warned him to be cautious of that woman from the Mo Rong family.

Behind Zhou Miaoshan, a girl of about seventeen or eighteen calmly took out vials and jars, administering antidotes to two Ye family servants who had inhaled the poisonous smoke. She resembled Zhou Miaoshan by about seven or eight tenths—bright eyes, brilliant teeth, a straight, elegant nose, and an air of resolute self-possession.

Though the young girl’s cultivation was only at the Fourth Tier of the Celestial Realm (Sixiang Tian), she showed no panic facing the siege by the ferocious Southern Barbarian Heavenly Masters. Her crisp, oriole-like voice constantly reminded the Ye family members to guard against the toxic smoke and cover their mouths and noses.

“Qiangwei, stay away from me!” Zhou Miaoshan struggled to fend off the incoming attacks, yet still managed to call out a sharp reprimand.

“Mother, don't worry about me; I will be fine,” Zhou Qiangwei replied softly without halting her movements as she administered the spiritual medicine to cleanse the two Ye family servants poisoned by the miasma, burying her head back into her task.

“Cough, cough, Miss, don’t mind us; just take care of yourself. We are merely servants of the Ye family; ensuring the safety of our masters is the highest priority, cough, cough. Miss, please don’t risk yourself for our sake!” After consuming some of the spiritual medicine, one man’s frequent vomiting of blood slowed. Pale-faced, he tried to push Zhou Qiangwei away.

“You were injured defending the Ye family; the Ye family will never abandon you,” Zhou Qiangwei sternly rebuked him, then calmly added, “Quickly drink this medicinal juice. Only when your bodies recover can we work together to drive these Southern Barbarians back.”

The man was filled with gratitude, immediately stopped arguing, obediently downed the entire bottle of medicine, struggled to his feet, and roared, “Even if I die, I must ensure the Miss and Madam get out of the Great Marsh of Cloud Dream!”

The other man also wore a resolute expression; it seemed he wouldn't even frown if Zhou Qiangwei commanded him to his death.

“Why bother? We only want the two women from the Ye family; it has nothing to do with you servants. If you agree to leave, we absolutely won't stop you,” a plump Southern Barbarian woman said in strangely accented Central Plains Mandarin.

“Heh heh, two women, we only want those two women! Move aside, and after we are done playing, we might let you have a turn. Don’t resist anymore…” A burly, scarred Southern Barbarian youth also persuaded them in clumsy Central Plains speech. His jackal-like eyes continually roved over Zhou Miaoshan and Zhou Qiangwei, a trickle of saliva unconsciously leaking from the corner of his mouth.

There were about ten Ye family members in total, yet not a single one flinched at these words. Mother and daughter Zhou Miaoshan and Zhou Qiangwei clearly enjoyed the loyalty of their subordinates. Even in this dire situation, the Ye family servants showed no hesitation, their expressions firm, appearing ready to fight to the death.

It was precisely because these loyal servants refused to abandon them that this small party had managed to hold out against the Southern Barbarian Heavenly Masters’ attacks until now. Although some were wounded, if the Southern Barbarians wished to kill them all, they too would have to pay a price.

When Ji Changkong first arrived at this location, he hadn't planned to intervene. He had been treated maliciously by members of the Ye family when he was in the Heavenly Martial Nation. Although those individuals acted under the behest of Yi Jia and Yi Rou, Ji Changkong still harbored some resentment.

However, after observing for a while, he was secretly moved by the way Zhou Miaoshan and Zhou Qiangwei treated their subordinates. Recalling the friendly manner Zhou Miaoshan had shown him at the Spirit Treasure Assembly, and considering that the ones who opposed him back then were not her, he decided to lend a hand.

The Southern Barbarians noticed the death-defying resolve in the eyes of the Ye family servants and finally realized that verbal persuasion was likely futile. They decided to strike lethally, determined to annihilate the Ye family contingent, even if it meant suffering some losses.

These few Southern Barbarians were superior in cultivation, and with the aid of the toxic smoke, their full assault made the Ye family’s defense increasingly difficult. Two Ye family servants were carelessly pierced through the chest by slender arrows and died instantly.

Several others sustained various injuries under the fierce onslaught of the Southern Barbarians. Every wounded Ye family member quickly developed a blueish tinge to their complexion, clearly indicating that the weapons and divine artifacts of the Southern Barbarians were also coated in poison.

Zhou Miaoshan’s face was filled with bitter grief. She finally realized their strength was insufficient and adopted a stance suggesting mutual destruction, shouting fiercely, “You take Qiangwei and run! I will hold him off with my life!”

“Mother, if we die, we die together; I am not leaving,” even at this moment, Zhou Qiangwei showed no panic. She gripped a delicate dagger tightly, her expression firm. “Even if I die, I will not let these jackals have their way!”

“Little lady, don't be rash! I don't really want to kill you; I just want to have some intimate fun with you,” the scarred Southern Barbarian youth exclaimed urgently when he saw Zhou Qiangwei preparing to die.

“You dream!” Zhou Qiangwei stared coldly at him, the dagger held against her pale, snowy neck, ready to fall at any second. Her actions only galvanized the Ye family servants further; casting aside their poisoning and injuries, they desperately shielded Zhou Miaoshan and her daughter, shouting for the mother and daughter to flee quickly, ready to sacrifice themselves as a rear guard.

Just then, a ghost-like figure suddenly materialized beside Zhou Qiangwei.

Zhou Qiangwei’s heart jolted. Instinctively believing a Southern Barbarian master had reached her side, she didn't think twice, violently driving the dagger towards her own fair neck, intending to defend her chastity with death.

A slender hand, appearing with supernatural suddenness, gently grasped her pure white, crystalline wrist, preventing the next movement from continuing.

“There’s no need to seek death,” a bright, sunny smile suddenly bloomed before her eyes.

A flash of bewilderment crossed Zhou Qiangwei’s eyes. She stared at the abruptly appearing Ji Changkong, momentarily stunned. Then, a look of fierce hatred flashed in her gaze: “Vile villain! You are colluding with these Southern Barbarian poisons!”

Zhou Qiangwei struggled, her face contorted with indignant fury, desperately trying to stab Ji Changkong with the dagger in her hand.

Clearly, she had completely misunderstood the purpose of Ji Changkong’s arrival.