"Master, the target has entered the Thunder Marsh Circle ahead of schedule!" At this moment, a man clad entirely in purple approached from one side and respectfully addressed the girl.

"Huh? That fast? Is the information confirmed?" The girl raised her brows slightly, surprise flickering in her eyes.

"Confirmed!" The man stated firmly.

"Very well," she said seriously, taking the little girl's hand and marching forward without delay. A few men followed closely behind them...

No more than a quarter of an hour after this group left, another eye-catching ensemble appeared in Starlight City. This was a party of two men and two women. The leader was a white-haired man wearing a black samurai suit and carrying a long sword wrapped in cloth slung across his back. Behind him were a pale-skinned, emaciated young man and a silver-haired woman with matching eyes—clearly an Asera tribe member—who clung to the other man's chest while he openly groped her through her clothing. Trailing behind them was a fifteen or sixteen-year-old girl with porcelain-pale skin but vacant expression.

These individuals were naturally Ye Jingyu and Liang Xiaoke, among others. As for Gong Sun Lu, she had been summoned by Liang Xiaoke immediately after delivering the Huya Qiren clan to the southern wilderness.

"This city marks the entrance to the Thunder Marsh Circle," Lian Lingna murmured against Liang Xiaoke's shoulder as her hands traced patterns over his chest. "I haven't returned here since marrying that good-for-nothing waste. Never imagined I'd be stepping back into it now!"

"Hahaha! Your family resides within those marshes, right?" Liang Xiaoke laughed heartily, squeezing her breast more firmly. "Once we rescue your siblings, I'll visit your father and ask him to give you to me as my wife!"

"Mm?" Lian Lingna gasped at the sudden pressure before lifting her head. "You truly want to marry me? You won't despise me?" Her face blossomed with unexpected delight.

"Of course it's true!" Liang Xiaoke adopted an earnest expression. Hearing this, Ye Jingyu felt his skin prickle—last night's dinner churned ominously in his stomach.

*You claim to love her? More like you're obsessed with her body!*

Without glancing back at the couple's exhibitionist display, he quickened his pace toward the city gates.

"Oh darling," Lian Lingna purred against Liang Xiaoke's neck, "your words make me so emotional... Oh I adore you! Wait—Silver Serpent communication! He's already entered the Thunder Marsh Circle!" Her silver eyes suddenly widened as she clutched at his tunic. "Xiaoke, we must hurry to rescue my siblings before it's too late!"

At her words, Ye Jingyu furrowed his brow and increased speed even further. Liang Xiaoke finally released Lian Lingna from his embrace, gripping her wrist instead as they sprinted forward. Once inside the marshes, they'd be entering demonic territory where their chances of saving Luo Ling'er would dwindle rapidly—the Thunder Marsh Circle was their final hope.

Just beyond Starlight City's gates lay an endless expanse unlike any other. The vegetation here resembled crystalline sculptures rather than living plants—each formation smooth and translucent as if carved by the most gifted artisans. Through Lian Lingna's explanation, Ye Jingyu learned these were plants refined by thunderstorms themselves, their impurities stripped away to form structures resistant to lightning attacks.

The sky remained tinged with violet light, random bolts of electricity striking downward in regular intervals but producing only ephemeral blooms of energy where they struck the ground.

"This is just the Thunder Marsh Circle's power?" Liang Xiaoke sneered at the thin filaments of lightning. "Hardly impressive."

"Dear," Lian Lingna began gently, "this is merely the outer zone. The real danger lies deeper in—where the frequency and intensity increase dramatically. A thunderstorm here could strip even seventh- or eighth-tier Demon Lords down to bare flesh! And if you're unlucky enough to encounter a powerful beast..." Her voice trailed as she gestured toward the thickening fog where demonic energy throbbed with every step they took inward.

The cloud cover grew denser, daylight dimmer. Here, mist obscured not just vision but even spiritual perception, limiting awareness to no more than hundreds of paces in any direction. The four clung together closely as they navigated cautiously—Lian Lingna's previous flirtatiousness now replaced by quiet focus beside her partner.

After traveling roughly forty li through the oppressive atmosphere, a sudden cacophony erupted ahead. Ye Jingyu surged forward without hesitation, and Liang Xiaoke immediately followed.

"Wait for me!" Lian Lingna cried as she watched them vanish into the mist. Her own power was weakest among the group—last time she'd needed guards to accompany her through this place. She quickly transformed into a silver serpent and slithered after them at maximum speed...

Yet before she could cover much distance, both Ye Jingyu and Liang Xiaoke halted abruptly mid-advance, transfixed by whatever waited ahead in the fog...

**(I wonder how many readers can offer anything besides curses? Lately with the new website launch, I've uploaded multiple times but they haven't shown up. I'm more anxious than anyone else about this. Just a quick aside—most authors post updates in the afternoon; how many actually update early morning? Despite uploading at all hours to get content out faster for you, sometimes it doesn't display and everyone turns on me with accusations? It's just writing a book! Do they really think I deserve such abuse for that?)