boyutpedia Chapter 29 The Battle in the Mist
Chapter 29 The Battle in the Mist
After leaving the cave, Lu Ming and his group followed the map and headed towards the center of the secret realm.
Deep within the Yunmeng Marsh, the surrounding scenery became increasingly eerie.
Ancient trees with gnarled trunks reached for the sky, blocking out the sun. The forest was dark, with flickering light and shadow.
A few slivers of light pierced through the branches and leaves, falling onto the decaying leaves and moss, condensing into dark green, cold shadows.
The miasma in the forest turned dark blue, carrying a power that could make people lose their way, corrode spiritual energy, and attract inner demons. If one's Dao heart was slightly relaxed, restlessness and greed would quietly surge in one's heart.
The ground is covered with dark swamps, and the poisonous pools gleam with iridescent light. Under the fallen leaves and moss, poisonous insects lurk, ready to attack if one is not careful.
After traveling several miles, Zhou Ming was accidentally stung by a phantom scorpion. The venom instantly spread throughout his body, and he saw double images.
Li Yun hurriedly used an antidote to seal his meridians, which barely suppressed the poison, but it also left him unconscious for half a day, requiring someone to help him move forward.
"Concentrate and be on guard; do not let your guard down with your protective spiritual energy," Lin Feng reminded him in a deep voice.
Lin Feng held the Miasma-Repelling Pearl in his hand. Its bright white light spread out for about ten feet, and the dark blue miasma dissipated upon contact with it, creating a clean space for everyone.
Lu Ming walked in the middle of the group, protecting Zhou Ming on one side and keeping an eye on Hu Zhen on the other, with most of his mind focused on regulating his breathing.
The wisp of Qingping sword intent swirled gently in his mind, difficult to actively activate, yet it sharpened his spiritual senses.
The vitality of plants and trees, as well as poisonous insects and ferocious beasts, are all clearly perceptible.
Several other auras were hidden ahead, concealed in the forest mist, carrying a sense of spying and scheming.
"There's a formation ahead, it seems to be a mixture of the Thousand Entangling Silk Formation and the Bewitching Mist." Zhao Qian turned back after scouting ahead, landing with a gloomy expression.
"Time is limited, and there might not be enough time to take a detour."
Lin Feng's expression remained unchanged as he lightly twirled the miasma-repelling bead between his fingertips: "It seems someone is lying in wait, waiting to rob us of our resources. That's how trials are; everyone has to rely on their own abilities."
The group moved forward in silence. After several hundred steps, the fog ahead suddenly thickened, becoming so dense that no one could see their own hand in front of their face.
In addition to miasma, the air was filled with strange and exotic fragrances that made one dizzy and hindered the flow of spiritual energy.
"Rosemary dispels stagnation! Hold your breath, concentrate, and move quickly!" Before Lin Feng finished speaking, a sudden change occurred.
"Buzz—"
The white mist swirled and formed a vortex, from which countless nearly transparent threads of magic shot out from all directions. They were as thin as cow's hair but extremely hard, spreading out like a spider web, and the Thousand Entanglement Array was suddenly fully activated.
From the depths of the mist, several clear shouts rang out: "Bind!" "Imprison!"
A flash of yellow-green light appeared, and the ground instantly turned into a sticky mud that stuck firmly to one's feet.
The ancient trees around them had gnarled branches that danced wildly, sprouting green vines that seemed to emerge from their holes and coil around the people's hands and feet like venomous snakes.
"Form a circular defensive formation!" Lin Feng remained calm in the face of danger, drew his longsword, and the sword light cut through the white mist like a bolt of lightning, severing dozens of threads in response.
Zhao Qian moved with ghostly speed, weaving through the gaps in the silk threads. His short blade slashed precisely at the nodes of the formation, causing the formation to pause slightly.
Qin Feiyu's blood surged, and with a low shout, he broke the green vines that were binding him. However, he was half a step too late, and his ankles were stuck in the mud. He could only swing his broken spear to block the incoming threads and was unable to break free for a while.
Hu Zhen crushed the Qingfeng Talisman, her figure drifting back several feet. She then formed hand seals and cast the Vine Entanglement Technique in reverse. The green vines intertwined and entangled, barely blocking the opponent's wood-type spell and protecting everyone from most of the bindings.
Although Lu Ming was not at his peak, his spiritual sense enhanced by sword intent allowed him to accurately capture the trajectory of the silk threads. He slid to the side to avoid the net formation in front of him, his footwork light and agile as he moved through the muddy vines. With a casual swing of his sword, he severed several silk threads.
However, the opposing five or six people were hidden in the mist, and their restrictive spells came one after another. The threads of the Thousand Entangling Silk Array were endless, the scent of rosemary became stronger, and the clear light of the Miasma-repelling Pearl gradually dimmed.
Zhou Ming's poison wounds had not healed, and his reaction was slow. Several threads wrapped around his ankles, digging into his flesh and rendering him unable to move.
Li Yun was distracted while saving him, and suddenly a muddy swamp appeared beneath her feet, trapping her legs firmly in place, instantly creating a gap in the team's defenses.
"Hand over the Cloud Mist Flower and the monster materials, and we'll let you pass. Otherwise, you'll be trapped here and miss the deadline for the reception platform!" A young man's arrogant shout came from the mist, tinged with smugness. His magical attacks also slowed down, clearly trying to force everyone to compromise.
Lin Feng snorted coldly, his expression revealing disdain.
Suddenly, Lin Feng's sword aura surged, the sword light sweeping down like thunder, severing all the surrounding silken vines. He shouted, "Zhao Qian, break through the main formation's eye three zhang to the left, beneath the ancient pine!"
Lin Feng had already used the clear light of the Miasma-Clearing Pearl to see through the core of the formation.
Zhao Qian responded and leaped out, using the sword light as cover to avoid the layers of silk threads.
Knowing that the stalemate needed to be broken quickly, Lu Ming ignored the stinging pain in his meridians, urged his remaining spiritual power, and drew a trace of sword intent into the sword, causing the longsword's spiritual light to surge.
"boom!"
A powerful spiritual force, imbued with sharp sword intent, swept across the muddy ground.
Instantly, black mud splattered everywhere, and the sticky swamp solidified in an instant.
"Charge!" Lu Ming shouted in a low voice.
Qin Feiyu seized the opportunity, broke free from the mud, charged forward with his spear, and swept it out, severing all the obstructing threads and clearing a path for everyone.
Hu Zhen activated her full lightness technique, moving like a swallow, and deployed a defensive light barrier in front of her, protecting Zhou Ming as he followed closely behind.
At this moment, Zhao Qian had already reached the ancient pine tree. The disciples guarding the formation brandished their swords to block him, but he dodged to the side, and his short blade struck down like lightning.
With a "crack," the main array plate shattered, its spiritual light dimmed, the silk threads and green vines lost their strength and dissipated, and the white mist receded like the tide, revealing several disciples who had set up the array behind it.
Upon seeing the formation break, the disciples were thrown into chaos by shock. "Go!" Lin Feng cleared a path with his sword, protecting everyone as they charged straight through without stopping.
An angry curse came from behind, but no one chased after them. The other party had originally intended to rob them, and having no opportunity to take advantage of the situation, they were unwilling to continue the entanglement, fearing that they would miss the deadline for the reception platform.
Moreover, this matter is not honorable, and they don't want to be recognized.
After walking several miles quickly and confirming that no one was chasing them, the group stopped to catch their breath.
Zhou Ming and Li Yun's clothes were covered in mud and had red marks from the thread binding them, but they were only superficial injuries.
Qin Feiyu's broken spear was covered with bits of silk thread, and the bandage on his chest was slightly loose, without aggravating his old wound.
Lu Ming lowered his eyes to regulate his breathing. The stinging pain in his meridians intensified, but he kept it hidden, though cold sweat poured down his face.
Lin Feng put away the miasma-repelling pearl, his expression calm, but he also looked exhausted.
"A bunch of cowards! If you're so capable, have a fair fight!" Qin Feiyu said indignantly, patting the dirt off his body.
"The trials in the secret realm are all about individual skill. Utilizing the array environment is also a strategy," Lin Feng said calmly. "It was our lack of vigilance and our eagerness to get there that almost led to our downfall. We must be more cautious in the future."
Lin Feng reassured everyone, seemingly unperturbed by the actions of his fellow disciples, and took it all in stride.
The trial in the secret realm is not simply a contest of cultivation levels, since everyone's cultivation levels are roughly the same.
This is a contest of all aspects. If it weren't for everyone's excellent teamwork, we would probably have been in dire straits long ago.
Hu Zhen took out a handkerchief, first wiping away the mud from Zhou Ming, then carefully tidying up Li Yun's disheveled clothes, and gently comforting her.
Her gaze swept over Lu Ming, noticing his pale face, and she asked softly, "Lu Ming, did you aggravate an old injury?"
Lu Ming looked up and met her concerned gaze. His heart warmed, and he shook his head, saying, "It's nothing. It's just that my spiritual energy was a little depleted. I'll be fine after a short rest."
Everyone sat down to meditate and regulate their breathing to replenish their spiritual energy. The only sounds in the forest were the chirping of insects and soft breathing.
The miasma still lingered, but the people's focused vigilance kept it outside their bodies, making it difficult for it to penetrate even a little.
After a short while, everyone's strength recovered slightly. Although they were still exhausted, they did not stop moving.
The closer you get to the finish line, the fiercer the competition will become.
Lin Feng examined the light and shadow and said, "It's getting late, let's hurry on our way, the reception platform is just ahead."
The seven people supported each other as they headed deeper into the clouds. Above the sea of clouds, the faint spiritual light of the guiding platform was already faintly visible, like a beacon pointing the way.
However, within that mist, an unknown crisis still lurked.