The system is the proficiency panel

In the early morning, the canyon's mist had not yet dissipated. Sunlight filtered through the gaps in the treetops, casting dappled shadows on the stone platform of their makeshift base. Lin Ji sat cross-legged on the bluestone, his spiritual energy coursing through him. The state of eternal fire circulated endlessly within him. He slowly opened his eyes, exhaled, and a glint of insight flashed in his eyes.

"Husband, it's time to go."

Xiao Ningxue's voice came from behind. She stood in the morning light, her hair as white as snow, her eyes clear, and in her hand, she held an engraved jade slip.

Lin Ji stood up and took the jade slip. A sweep of his consciousness revealed a topographical map of the core area of ​​the Quicksand Forest compiled by Xiao Ningxue, along with the dangerous spots marked by Pu Jianxing. He put the jade slip away, gently held Xiao Ningxue's hand, and spoke softly.

"I'll leave the matters of the stronghold to you and Master Pang."

Xiao Ningxue nodded and gently hooked her fingertips on his palm: "Be careful, the roots of the corrupted ancient tree are spread throughout the forest. If the situation is not right, retreat immediately."

Lin Ji smiled slightly, leaned over and kissed her on the forehead.

"Don't worry, I won't be stubborn."

As soon as he finished speaking, his figure turned into a streak of light and quietly disappeared outside the canyon.

……

At the edge of the Quicksand Forest, Lin Ji gathered his breath and rested on the branch of a dead, ancient tree. Before him lay a gray-brown forest, its trees twisted and withered, their bark covered in dark red veins that resembled blood vessels. The air was thick with the smell of decay, and the ground beneath his feet was soft as sand, sinking with the slightest effort.

"It really lives up to its reputation."

Lin Ji whispered, his eyes scanning the surroundings.

He didn't rush into the core area, but flew slowly along the forest's periphery, his consciousness spreading like water waves, exploring every inch of the land. Soon, he discovered several anomalies -

Occasionally, deep, bottomless holes appeared in the ground, their edges smooth, as if corroded by some acidic substance. The roots of decayed ancient trees lurked underground like giant pythons, occasionally wriggling slightly and emitting unpleasant mental fluctuations. Farther away, the corpses of several demonic beasts, drained of their life force, lay scattered, the surrounding ground a strange dark red.

'These roots... appear to be actively preying on living things.'

Lin Ji frowned slightly, gathering a wisp of sword energy at his fingertips and precisely slicing through a tiny root that was trying to approach. A drop of dark green liquid oozed out of the tiny crack, and when it landed, it actually corroded a small pit.

"The corrosive power is average. A diligent Qi cultivator can handle it. The danger is not great. But this is only the periphery. I estimate that the more core the area, the stronger the corrosive power will be."

After assessing his situation, Lin Ji headed deeper into the forest. His footsteps were as light as the wind, and his water-like state quietly unfolded, blending his aura perfectly with the surroundings. Even a Legendary being would have difficulty detecting him without careful observation.

Along the way, Lin Ji discovered many traces of cult activities - simple altars, scattered bones, strange runes carved on tree trunks... The deeper he went, the stronger the smell of corruption became, and the more frequent the sound of wriggling underground became.

Suddenly, his consciousness detected a faint fluctuation of spiritual energy—a mark left by Pu Jianxing! Lin Ji followed the direction of the mark and soon stopped in front of a hidden cave. The entrance was obscured by vines, and with the concealment formation provided by Xiao Ningxue, it would be impossible to find without careful exploration.

"Master Pu?"

Lin Ji called softly.

A low response came from the cave.

"Michiko, come in."

Lin Ji pushed aside the vines and stepped into the cave. The cave wasn't large, but it was equipped with a simple concealment formation. Pu Jianxing sat cross-legged in the center, flanked by Dao Yan, Feng Tian, ​​and the others. Seeing Lin Ji arrive, Pu Jianxing stood up and bowed.

"Michiko, thank you for your hard work."

Lin Ji waved his hand and glanced at everyone.

"How's it going?"

Pu Jianxing took out a confiscated animal skin map and spread it on the ground, pointing to the red mark in the center.

"This is the core area of ​​the corrupted ancient tree. The main root system covers an area of ​​100 miles, and the pollution is extremely deep. We have temporarily occupied the base of a small cult, which is still 100 kilometers away from the core area."

"A cult known as the Embrace of the Corrupted Maw lurks in the core area. They worship Morgaroth, the Maw of Corruption, and sacrifice living creatures in exchange for power. Most of their followers are corrupted elves and humans, infected by the spores of the ancient tree. Their strength is generally above that of a third-ringed mage or warrior (fifth level of Qi training). Their leader, Harkon the Hearteater, is a legendary warrior, and there are probably more legendary warriors hidden within."

Daoyan took over the topic, his white sleeves lightly brushing the edge of the map.

"Besides the Embrace of the Corrupted Maw, three other forces are active in the Quicksand Forest."

She pointed her finger at several blue marks.

"The Ash Merchants—a smuggling group made up of outlaws of various races, specializing in reselling all kinds of forbidden items; the Bloodthorn Mercenaries—will take any order as long as the price is paid; and the last faction is the Adventurer's Guild, the weakest and longest-standing, having existed before the Quicksand Forest was contaminated."

Lin Ji stared at the intertwined red and blue marks on the map and suddenly asked.

"How do these forces relate to each other?"

Daoyan sneered.

"On the surface, they keep their distance, but in reality, they often try to trip each other up. It's said that the Ash Merchants robbed a batch of offerings from the Embrace of the Rotmaw a few days ago as a warning to the other party to pay their outstanding balance as soon as possible. This news was spread by the Ash Merchants, and everyone knows it."

"Lin Ji, we need to clean up this place, so we might as well let them fight each other first. I suggest starting with the Ash Merchants. This group is wealthy and has complex personnel and interests, so it's easier to impersonate them."

Lin Ji's gaze moved between the marks of the Quicksand Forest and the activity area of ​​the Ashes Merchants on the map. Letting the Ashes Merchants and the Embrace of the Corrupted Throat, the two evil forces entrenched in the Quicksand Forest, fight each other first is undoubtedly the most labor-saving and lowest-risk solution at the moment.

"Daoyan is right."

Lin Ji tapped the mark on the map indicating the Ash Merchants' activity range.

"This Ash Merchant Group, with its mixed membership and conflicting interests, is indeed the perfect entry point for us to infiltrate and stir up trouble. They are profit-driven and unscrupulous. With enough reasons, it won't be difficult to get them to provoke the Embrace of the Corrupted Throat."

He raised his head, his eyes swept over the crowd, and lingered on Daoyan's cold face for a moment, with a hint of approval.

"This is a good entry point. We're new here, and our base isn't completely secure yet. Using someone else's strength to counter their own is naturally the best solution."

Yun Shitian rubbed his hands together, and the sharpness of his golden armor could not be concealed even in the dim light of the canyon.

"Ha! I love this job! Pretending to be a mercenary and stirring up trouble is what I'm best at! Daozi, leave this to me. I guarantee those smugglers will be so angry they can't wait to destroy the cultists' lair!"

Feng Tian crossed his arms across his chest, glanced at Yun Shitian with his fiery eyes, and snorted coldly.

"Reckless man. Don't try to get yourself into trouble without accomplishing anything. If the Ash Merchants can survive in this damn place, it would be strange if they don't have some tricks and foresight."

"you!"

Yun Shitian stared.

"What Feng Tian said makes sense."

Pu Jianxing's steady voice interrupted the possible argument, and his eyes swept across the twisted tree-shaped mark in the core area of ​​the Quicksand Forest on the map.

"The Ash Merchants can operate right under the nose of the Rotmaw's Embrace and even plunder its offerings, which shows that they are powerful enough to be underestimated and must have their own methods of survival. We need to sow discord among them delicately, convincing them that there is profit to be made or that a threat is imminent, without revealing our presence and leaving any loopholes."

He looked at Lin Ji.

"Daozi, this matter requires careful planning before action. I suggest that someone skilled in stealth and reconnaissance infiltrate the Ash Merchants' area of ​​activity to understand their internal structure, key leaders, and their modus operandi, especially the specific details of their conflict with the Embrace of the Rotmaw and their subsequent reactions. Only by knowing both ourselves and the enemy can we implement precise strategies."

Lin Ji nodded, Pu Jianxing's proposal was exactly what he wanted.

"Master is very considerate. Mo Ying."

He turned to the Lingtian Sect's artistic conception foundation-building cultivator in the team, whose presence was extremely low and whose aura almost merged with the shadows.

"You are responsible for this matter. You are an expert in stealth and tracking. Set out immediately and infiltrate the Ash Merchants' area of ​​activity. Your primary objective is to identify the movements of their core members and learn what transpired between them and the Ash Merchants after their last robbery of the Rotmaw's Embrace offering. What is the Ash Merchants' internal attitude towards this matter? Are there any new points of conflict that can be exploited? Be extremely cautious and safety is your priority."

"Yes, Daozi!"

Mo Ying clasped his fists in acceptance, his voice low and hoarse, like sandpaper rubbing against each other. His figure flashed, like a shadow blending into a crevice in the rock, silently disappearing into the depths of the canyon, so fast that even the air currents were not disturbed.

After arranging Mo Ying, Lin Ji's gaze returned to the map and his finger pointed at the core area of ​​the Quicksand Forest.

"Master Pu, the mission to explore the core of the Quicksand Forest is urgent. You are experienced and powerful, and it is safest for you to lead the team. Daoyan's foresight is crucial in unknown environments, and Fengtian's immortality can cope with sudden dangers. You will lead Daoyan, Fengtian, and Qingyu immediately and set out deep into the Quicksand Forest. Your goal is to find the source of that 'ancient and powerful' contaminating force you sensed earlier. We do not seek a direct confrontation, but to understand its nature, location, relationship to the roots of the corrupted ancient tree, and... whether it is related to the ritual of the Embrace of the Corrupted Maw."

He paused, his tone serious.

"Be careful. If things become impossible, retreat immediately. We will provide support from the base."

Pu Jianxing looked solemn.

"Understood. Don't worry, Michiko. I will protect them."

He looked at Daoyan and Fengtian, and they both nodded.

Daoyan's ponytail fluttered and his eyes were calm.

"Pre-awareness will be activated at any time to avoid risks."

Feng Tianze grinned, a flame shot up from his fingertips, and he was eager to try.

"It's a good opportunity to test the rules of this damn place and see if I can burn those disgusting tree roots!"

Qingyu, the female cultivator from Lingtian Sect who was good at healing, also responded gently.

"I will do my best to keep everyone in good condition."