Chapter 811: What Lies Within Yunmeng Marsh?

Chapter 811: Chapter 811: What Lies Within Yunmeng Marsh?

Boluo’s incarnation collapsed into a substance resembling white clay and slumped to the ground.

This material had already been studied by Tianyan Sect. Nothing particularly special about it — just a slightly different fabrication method. Nothing to marvel at.

Several streaks of rainbow light descended to Bai Xuanling’s side — three Mahayana cultivators and two Tribulation Transcendence cultivators.

Their divine sense swept outward, spiritual energy rippling around them, and their gazes naturally locked onto the white-clay incarnation below.

Bai Xuanling gave a slight nod to indicate all was well. Then a long sword at her waist slid from its scabbard, its blade pressing downward with formidable pressure, piercing straight through into the still pool below.

Though the sword intent was razor-sharp, its control was exquisite to the finest degree.

It parted the pool water, revealing at the very bottom, flowing in serene silence without the faintest ripple of spiritual energy, a blood-red ritual formation.

The formation was dense with Sanskrit script, much of it in structural forms Bai Xuanling had never encountered before.

After studying it for a moment, Bai Xuanling committed the entire ritual formation to memory.

"Powered by blood qi," she murmured. Then she turned to the cultivators who had arrived to support her. "Everyone, please take your own impressions of the formation below. Thank you for making the trip."

"I’ll save the pleasantries for another time — I have matters to attend to."

"As for the rest, you may arrange it among yourselves."

Having spoken, Bai Xuanling clasped her hands in a proper, formal bow.

Everyone present knew of Bai Xuanling’s reputation — the living Yama, famed for her explosive temper and her habit of cutting people down without a word. To see her adopt such a correct and courteous posture... no matter how they looked at it, they could only conclude that the Bai Xuanling before them was the very picture of politeness.

They returned the bow. Everyone acknowledged.

Bai Xuanling did not linger. Her figure dissolved into a streak of rainbow light and soared away.

——————

Northern Julu Continent, Yunmeng Marsh.

Within the Yunze Cave-Heaven, the Yunze God sat with his expression one of absolute deference, his movements stiff and tense, perched on a side seat.

The main seat — which even Zheng Zhaoling had not been offered when she visited — today sat a handsome young man, completely at ease.

"Last time my disciple came here, apparently caused quite a commotion. I hear he troubled the Yunze God considerably. My apologies." Chu Xingchen raised the wine cup from the table, a warm smile on his face. "I’ll drink a penalty cup."

Yunze’s scalp instantly went numb at these words.

Though he understood now — the recent chaos around the Incense Divine Path had likely been orchestrated by Chu Xingchen’s disciple.

Back then, he had been furious enough to charge straight to Yunmeng Pavilion to demand an explanation, and in private had fantasized about flaying the mastermind alive and pulling out their bones.

But now, with the fog truly lifted and light breaking through — forget flaying alive.

All Yunze wanted now was for Chu Xingchen not to truly hold a grudge. After all, his ability to push Yunmeng Pavilion around was purely because the pavilion owed Yunmeng Marsh a debt of gratitude, and because his own status was not insignificant — Yunmeng Pavilion had no choice but to humor him in peacetime.

But the warm, smiling Chu Xingchen before him was another matter entirely.

This man could genuinely disregard Yunmeng Pavilion and crush all of Yunmeng Marsh with a single hand.

The reason was simple: when Yunze looked past Chu Xingchen to the Nascent Soul cultivator beside him — who did nothing but keep his head down and eat, occasionally letting slip a wisp of something that seemed both real and not-quite-real — a True Dragon aura, he felt the primal wariness of encountering a natural predator and an involuntary urge to submit.

Who knew what origins this creature truly held, what legendary being it might actually be?

And Yunmeng Pavilion was far too unreliable — that a figure of Chu Xingchen’s stature should come to Yunmeng Marsh and they not so much as send word!

Moreover, when Chu Xingchen said he had something to discuss privately with Yunze alone, they had actually been persuaded to withdraw the Pavilion elder’s surveillance. Such authority and influence was almost too much to bear.

Yunze hurriedly rose to his feet and raised his own wine cup:

"Senior is too kind. Someone of my standing cannot possibly ask Senior to drink a penalty cup. And the title ’god’ is far too grand in Senior’s presence — please, take it back."

Yunze drained his own cup as well, then spoke in a gentle tone:

"I wonder what matter brings Senior here this time?"

"I wouldn’t call it guidance." Chu Xingchen sighed lightly. "I came in haste and did not notify Yunmeng Pavilion — I’ll probably have to go apologize to them later. The real reason I’m here is that I need your help."

Yunze’s lips pressed together lightly, his voice calm: "If Senior has a matter, Yunze will naturally do everything in his power to assist. However, Yunmeng Marsh is small and weak, with limited strength. If there are things we cannot agree to, I humbly ask Senior’s understanding."

Chu Xingchen nodded with a smile, then raised a hand and lightly smacked the head of Yun Li, who was still busy eating spirit fruit.

Yun Li, having his head smacked, obediently set down the spirit fruit in his hands. His calm gaze settled on Yunze, and in a single glance it seemed to see through Yunze’s true form — a form whose cultivation far exceeded his own.

"This is my disciple — some sort of creature, couldn’t tell you the breed. Probably a snake, if I had to guess." Chu Xingchen spoke, then held up his thumb and forefinger, pinching them a hair apart. "Though there does flow through his veins a tiny, tiny trace of True Source."

Yunze’s gaze fixed on Yun Li’s face as the young man continued to chew with great deliberation.

His true body was a Teng Snake — a genuine, documented branch of the True Dragon bloodline.

Now Yunze felt a natural kinship toward Yun Li. The True Source Chu Xingchen had spoken of was almost certainly True Dragon True Source. But the intensity of Yunze’s own reaction... that could not be explained by a mere trace.

Yun Li must carry within him a purer True Dragon True Source than Yunze’s own.

Chu Xingchen’s eyes narrowed slightly as he continued: "You should know — for disciples of a slightly higher caliber, more than a few carry Spirit Sea inheritance. The reason you’ve never left Yunmeng Marsh, I imagine, isn’t entirely because of Yunmeng Pavilion’s courtesy. After all, with the whole world open, there are plenty of sects that could offer you more than Yunmeng Pavilion."

"All ancient records say the Divine Dragon perished in Southern Zhanbu Continent, its body divided by the Heavenly Demons, with only its Divine Resonance and True Source scattered across the land."

"But my disciple’s Spirit Sea inheritance tells a different story: Yunmeng Marsh is the ultimate emanation of the True Dragon’s final blessing."

"The Divine Dragon perished in Southern Zhanbu Continent — but its body ultimately drifted here, to the Northern Julu Continent, unimaginably far away. If not for the Spirit Sea inheritance, no one would have dared imagine it — nor would they have thought to."

Yunze’s eyes went wide, and a look of unmistakable disbelief finally broke across his face.

Given that the evidence was this conclusive, any further pretense was pointless. A Spirit Sea inheritance was essentially a perfect recreation of ancient memory.

Chu Xingchen observed Yunze’s expression, then cast a brief glance at Yun Li — who, even at the eleventh hour, had managed to find himself something to do.

Yun Li understood perfectly what his master meant. His gaze turned to Yunze:

"From what I can see of your situation, you have been borrowing the True Dragon presence here to sustain the Teng Snake bloodline — one that has been weakening with each generation. But the effect grows ever worse, doesn’t it?"

"The thinner the bloodline, the less feedback you can draw from it."

"I did not come to seize by force or trickery. The same blood flows through both our veins. I am willing to share my Spirit Sea inheritance with you."

Yunze drew two deep breaths, doing his utmost to steady the pounding in his chest.