Gou Zai Fei Men made up myths

Shi Tie stood at the front of the line, also clad in heavy spirit armor, a giant axe strapped to his back, making him appear like an iron tower. His large, bell-like eyes swept over his men, and he spoke in a deep voice, not loud, but clearly reaching everyone's ears:

"My lads! I, Old Shi, won't waste any more words! Those rats from the Northern Desert are trying to use the blood of our Southern Domain's creatures to pull some tricks and summon something they shouldn't have! The sect leader has ordered us to chop off their claws and overturn their altars! Those who are afraid of death can back out now, I won't blame you! Those who stay, keep your balls firmly in your grasp!"

"This is a fight to the death! But if anyone chickens out and brings shame to our Qingyun Sect and the Battle Hall, I'll be the first to chop them down! Do you understand?!"

"Fight! Fight! Fight!" The deep, unified roar, like muffled thunder, resounded throughout the secret camp. Though suppressed, it still exuded a terrifying aura. Not a single person retreated.

"Board the ship!" Shi Tie waved his hand.

The group quickly and orderly split into two lines and boarded two Ink Cloud Shuttles. The cabin space was expanded by an array, so it didn't feel crowded. Everyone silently found their places, checked their equipment, swallowed pills, and adjusted their condition.

Shi Tie boarded the ship last, nodded to the few war hall deacons who remained behind, and made a gesture. The deacons understood and quickly activated the illusion array and restrictions surrounding the secret camp, completely concealing any trace of the place.

"Let's go!" Shi Tie shouted to the disciple controlling the Ink Cloud Shuttle.

"Buzz—"

Amidst a deep hum of spiritual energy, the two Ink Cloud Shuttles slowly floated into the air. The hidden runes on their hulls lit up, blending perfectly with the night. Then, like two silent black lightning bolts, they tore through the night and sped off toward the northern horizon!

Almost at the same time, deep within the Flowing Cloud Palace, Shen Mo slowly opened his eyes, his gaze gleaming with divine light, his spirit and energy having reached their peak.

He rose to his feet, took a single step, and his figure appeared in the night sky outside the palace. Without using any flying artifact, he simply rode the wind, his green robes fluttering, yet his speed was astonishing. Heading north, he followed the two ink-cloud shuttles, following them at a leisurely pace. Moonlight shone down, bathing him in a soft glow, making him appear like an immortal traveling in the night.

On Qingyun Mountain, the light of the mountain-protecting formation "Flowing Cloud Covering the Sky Formation" faintly shone in the night, then quietly disappeared, entering the highest level of alert.

Han Lin stood before his cave dwelling, gazing at the few remaining glimmers of light rapidly disappearing on the northern horizon. His aged hand gripped his old whisk tightly, and he murmured softly, as if offering a blessing, or perhaps a prayer:

"May the Ancestral Master protect you... May you all... return safely..."

......

Outside the Blackwater Marsh lies Broken Soul Ridge.

This ridge is treacherous, with jagged rocks and sparse vegetation. It is shrouded in a thin, poisonous miasma that flows from the Blackwater Marsh all year round, and the air is filled with a faint smell of sulfur mixed with decay.

Because it is one of the important passages in and out of the Blackwater Swamp, cultivators often met with misfortune here in the past, either dying from poisonous insects and miasma, or perishing at the hands of calamity cultivators, hence the name "Soul Severance".

In the past, this place was rarely visited by people, with only the howling wind and the rustling of poisonous insects. But today, in the valley sheltered from the wind at the foot of the ridge, there are many figures and mixed atmospheres, breaking the ancient silence.

The first to arrive were naturally the two "Ink Cloud Shuttles" of the Qingyun Sect and Shen Mo, who accompanied them. The Ink Cloud Shuttles, like two huge obsidian stones that absorbed all light, landed silently in the shadows at the edge of the valley, blending into the surrounding gray-black rocks.

Shi Tie led the elite warriors of the Battle Hall down the river in single file, quickly taking up advantageous terrain and setting up simple warning and concealment formations. The whole process was swift and silent, demonstrating extremely high military prowess.

Shen Mo stood with his hands behind his back on a protruding boulder, his blue robe swaying gently in the wind, his gaze calmly sweeping over the temporarily chosen gathering place.

Although the poisonous miasma and faint death aura from the direction of the Blackwater Marsh can still be felt here, it is vastly different from the outer edge of the true Bone-Corroding Pool, enough for cultivators below the Golden Core stage to take a short rest.

More importantly, this place is only half a day's journey from the Northern Desert Burial Valley if one were to fly at full speed using the Ink Cloud Shuttle, making it an ideal final springboard and intelligence gathering point.

About half an hour later, several pale blue streaks of light appeared on the northeastern horizon, moving at incredible speed, tearing through the hazy sky and carrying a chilling aura as they arrived in an instant. The streaks of light then faded, revealing more than twenty figures.

The two leading figures were both women. One wore a moon-white Taoist robe with a light blue veil over it. Her face was as cold and aloof as snow, and her features were exquisite. Yet, she possessed an icy aura that kept people at a distance. This was none other than Fairy Ling Shuang, the Pavilion Master of Xuanbing Pavilion.

Beside her was a young female cultivator dressed in a pale yellow dress, with a beautiful face and a charming and lively look in her eyes. She was Leng Yue, another late-stage Golden Core elder of the Xuanbing Pavilion.

Behind the two were thirty disciples of the Xuanbing Pavilion, both men and women, all dressed in light blue or moon white outfits, exuding a sharp aura and keen eyes. A faint mist swirled around them, clearly indicating that they all cultivated ice-based techniques.

"Alliance Leader Shen, I've kept you waiting." Fairy Ling Shuang landed, her cold gaze falling on Shen Mo. She nodded slightly, her voice like ice beads falling onto a jade plate, crisp but without much warmth.

Behind her, Elder Lengyue's eyes darted around as she curiously observed Shen Mo and the silent, menacing warriors of the Qingyun Sect. She lingered for a moment longer on Shi Tie's towering figure, a faint smile playing on her lips.

"Pavilion Master Ling Shuang, Elder Leng Yue, you must be tired from your journey." Shen Mo returned the greeting with a cupped hand, his expression calm. "I am deeply grateful to have you two personally lead your elite troops here."

"This concerns the survival of the Southern Region, and the Xuanbing Pavilion has an inescapable duty," Fairy Ling Shuang said succinctly. She then asked, "What's the situation at Burial Soul Valley?"

"The Shadow Guards are still investigating; the latest intelligence will arrive shortly," Shen Mo replied, glancing towards the valley entrance. "The fellow Daoists from the Green Wood Sect and Green Wood Temple should be arriving soon as well."

As soon as the words were spoken, almost simultaneously, the sound of air being torn apart came from the southwest and southeast. From the southwest came a green flying boat shaped like a giant leaf, with patterns of various herbs carved on its hull and emitting a faint fragrance of grass and trees.

From the southeast came a tan-colored, somewhat clumsy, square flying vehicle covered with Bagua (Eight Trigrams) and mountain and river patterns.

The turquoise flying boat landed first, and more than twenty people stepped out. Leading them was an old man wearing a turquoise Taoist robe, holding a jade whisk, with a thin face and three long, flowing beard. He was none other than Qingsong Zhenren, the junior brother of Qingmu Zhenren, the sect leader of the Hundred Herbs Sect.

His cultivation level was at the mid-stage of the Golden Core realm. His aura was peaceful and mellow, and his gaze was gentle, giving people a feeling of being bathed in a spring breeze. Most of the disciples behind him carried medicine baskets or gourds on their backs, and their auras were biased towards the wood and water elements, clearly indicating that most of them were alchemists and pharmacists.

"I am Qingsong, and I have come here with my disciples on the orders of my senior brother, to await the command of Alliance Leader Shen." Qingsong Zhenren stepped forward, bowed to Shen Mo, and was humble in his manner.

The disciples behind him also bowed, their gazes towards the Qingyun Sect and Xuanbing Pavilion members filled with curiosity and a hint of nervousness.

"You're too kind, Master Qingsong. We are grateful for your assistance." Shen Mo returned the greeting, quite satisfied with Master Qingmu's arrangement. Master Qingsong was renowned, skilled in healing and detoxification, and gentle in nature—exactly the support role the team needed.