Immortality and Cultivation: This old man seeks enlightenment through mere survival.

Let's rewind to more than ten days ago...

Qingming Zhenren and Huangtian Laozu led the Zemeng members from Huangze City to the desolate waters.

There were over a hundred Foundation Establishment cultivators in the group.

There are countless low-level Qi Refining cultivators!

The group, some flying on swords, some riding spirit boats on the water, and some riding spirit beasts, entered the Black Miasma Forest, which spanned thousands of miles.

They had just crossed the boundary marker.

The light dimmed instantly, as if we had entered another world—an abyss that devoured everything.

Forest.

The poisonous miasma that clung to the surface of the mud resembled pus and blood oozing from a festering wound, causing everyone to hold their breath and feel their blood and qi stagnate.

"The miasma is poisonous; take the antidote in advance!"

An elder from a certain faction quickly reminded him.

Many cultivators who were entering the Black Miasma Forest for the first time quickly took out antidote pills and swallowed them.

Some erected magical shields to filter out the poisonous miasma...

Jiuyou also ignited the flames of blood and qi in his body to isolate himself from the poisonous miasma.

In fact, with his cultivation level, even if he inhaled these poisonous miasmas, it wouldn't cause him any harm.

However, considering that the role I'm playing right now is only in the early stages of Foundation Establishment, it's best to keep a low profile.

Jiuyou looked around.

The ancient trees, some hundreds of years old, had long since withered and twisted their branches.

Its menacing posture, like a ghostly shadow, was reflected on the murky water, gripping the heels of those cultivators who had inadvertently stepped into the mud.

Bubbles rose from the decaying leaves and seaweed, emitting a thick, whimpering sound...

"It looks really creepy..."

At this moment, a female disciple in the late stage of Qi Refining from a certain force trembled slightly beside Jiu You.

This was her first time entering the Black Miasma Forest, and she was hoping to follow her master to seek some opportunities.

Suddenly, her gaze was drawn to a bright red fruit growing on a vine at her feet.

'Could it be a Vermilion Fruit?'

The female disciple's eyes lit up; she hadn't expected to find such a treasure so soon after entering the Black Miasma Forest.

Afraid of being discovered, she quickly bent down to pick the fruit.

call out!

Suddenly, a whooshing sound came, and the seemingly still vines suddenly sprang up and pierced the female disciple's throat with a "whoosh"!

"Uh ah ah ah..."

She had no time to react and could only wail and cry.

The vines twisted and turned wildly, and blood gushed and swelled up along with them!

"You audacious monster!"

Her master then came to his senses and swung his sword down, severing the vines.

Blood gushed out instantly, exploding in the crowd!

The remaining vine contracted rapidly, burrowing into the mud and disappearing from sight.

"Watch out, it's a Blood Fruit Vine!"

Then several more "plop" sounds came from the crowd, followed by screams, causing panic.

Clearly, more than one person has been infected!

Jiuyou raised an eyebrow and watched quietly as this scene unfolded.

He did discover those "Vermilion Fruits" in time. As Lu Zaian's clone, Jiuyou recognized the disguise of these "plants," but he had no obligation to warn others.

The female disciple's master was a beautiful woman dressed in palace attire.

She turned around and saw Jiu You looking calm and collected. She was immediately furious. Her eyebrows furrowed and she shouted angrily.

"You clearly knew this monster existed? Why didn't you warn my disciple?!"

Suddenly prompted by this, Jiuyou couldn't help but ask a question.

"Do I know her?"

"You!" The beautiful woman in palace attire was speechless and immediately retorted:

Even if you don't know her, what's wrong with giving her a reminder?

Moreover, you were the closest just now and could have saved her, but you watched helplessly as she was killed by the demon. It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that you caused my disciple's death!"

Seeing that the other party was being aggressive, they even tried to morally blackmail him.

He blamed himself for his apprentice's death?

Jiuyou couldn't help but laugh in anger, grinning to reveal his gleaming white teeth.

"Who can you blame for your own stupidity?"

"If the master couldn't even teach his apprentice this basic common sense, who do you think was responsible for the death?"

"You...you!!"

The sarcastic remarks fell.

The beautiful woman in palace attire trembled with rage and immediately drew her sword, pointing it at Jiuyou.

"I knew you were up to no good, you wicked demon! You probably wish for more people to die so no one can share the treasure!"

No one would look pleased if a sword were pointed at them.

Jiuyou's face also turned cold, and a pair of deep eyes faintly revealed murderous intent.

"Oh, what then?"

So, should we take action?

The Nine Netherworlds don't care.

If it weren't for the fact that the two leaders were Core Formation cultivators...

A mere Foundation Establishment stage character like the palace-dressed beauty would have been crushed by Jiuyou long ago if she dared to utter another word in front of him…

Suddenly locked onto by Jiuyou's killing intent, the beautiful woman in palace attire shivered for no reason.

The person in front of me stood motionless with their arms crossed, and at first glance—

He was clearly full of weaknesses.

But it seemed that if he swung his sword, he would be the one to die the next.

The beautiful woman in palace attire was caught in a dilemma: whether to swing her sword or not. She was frozen in place.

At this moment, the Azure Nether Immortal spoke up.

"This is still the outer edge of the Black Miasma Forest, why bother arguing over such a trivial matter?"

Those fellow cultivators who died unexpectedly will be held responsible, and the Ze Alliance will provide compensation afterwards..."

For a Core Formation cultivator, the death of a Qi Refining cultivator is indeed a minor matter.

Seeing that Master Qingming had given her a way out, the beautiful palace lady had no choice but to nod in agreement and dare not be presumptuous any longer.

After this brief interlude, the monks continued their journey deeper into the forest.

Having learned from past mistakes, everyone became much more cautious with every step they took.

They constantly used their magical powers to observe their surroundings, not daring to be careless in the slightest.

They continued to venture several miles deeper, and thankfully, no monsters appeared.

People gradually got used to the gloomy environment around them.

A few people, emboldened by their actions, retrieved several magical artifacts left behind by their predecessors from the shallow water...

Although most of it was corroded, it was still a gain nonetheless.

"Looking at it this way, the Black Miasma Forest isn't so bad after all. As long as we're careful, we can still find treasure..."

"Yes, it seems that the Tianming Palace's safe route is still reliable."

"..."

Perhaps the atmosphere in the forest was too oppressive, so some monks began to talk loudly, trying to relax their minds and bodies.

However, a sound like a baby crying suddenly came from the surroundings.

"Wow wow wow..."

"Woooooooo..."

Accompanied by eerie crying sounds, thick, pitch-black fog began to surge in from all directions!

Some Qi Refining cultivators on the outer edge of the group were the first to come into contact with the thick fog, and their figures disappeared into the darkness in an instant.

Dead silence.

"Damn it, what is this?!"

shhhhhh! ! !

boom--! !

Various attacks—be they bolted through the air, flying swords, or magical artifacts—burst into the eerie mist.

However, even the clanging sound of the flying sword cutting through the air was swallowed up.

Everything seemed to have fallen into an emptiness, an abyss.

Nine Netherworlds ignited with flames, ready to deal with the strange creatures within the eerie mist at any moment.

Just then, Qingming Zhenren's loud shout came from the front.

"Everyone be careful! We have now officially entered the ruins of an ancient sect."

This eerie fog is the work of a fog demon lurking within.

The mist demon is most afraid of masculine things, so it stays close to me!

Master Qingming took out a glass lamp and infused it with his Core Formation power.

All of a sudden.

As the lamp wick burned, a seven-colored, crystalline light shone forth!

This is actually a Buddhist treasure.

The tangible light of Buddha pierced through the eerie fog, illuminating the procession.

*Sizzle sizzle sizzle—!*

The eerie fog, like butter on a hot pan, was pierced by the Buddha's light, leaving it riddled with holes. Suddenly, a series of mournful roars echoed from within the fog!