Chapter 1557: Corpse Flame Moth

Inner Valley barrier, he recalled how he and the Cloud Wanderer had discovered traces of the Supreme Gate Master here, which led to all the events that followed.All kinds of memories came flooding bac...Two mountains stood close together, and from a certain angle, they looked like a couple cuddling.

Local monks call it Mount YinYang.

From the pass of Mount Emei and Mount Xian, entering the basin, is one of the safe paths that local cultivators have explored over countless years. A group of low-level cultivators gathered on the mountain.

The miasma of the basin rises in a regular pattern at night and falls back during the day.

Night is the most dangerous.

As soon as the sun sets, they will flee from the valley and wait for the next sunrise on Mount YinYang. Those with high cultivation levels, or who have prepared antidotes, can withstand the miasma for a longer time, but even they need to come out for a while after staying there for a period.

The mountains of Male and Female were once glorious, forming a not-small marketplace. As the resources in this area were depleted, they gradually declined, and those merchant guilds migrated elsewhere.

Now only these low-level cultivators remain here, barely surviving.

The old scenes are gone.

They entered the dilapidated marketplace and found a few empty houses at random. They took out various bottles, jars, and herbs, boiling them into medicine. Each person had a bowl, and immediately they sweated profusely, purging the miasma from their bodies.

Such actions were done countless times, with great proficiency.

The crowd regained their spirits, chatting and laughing as they sorted through the spoils of their journey.

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"Alas! The medicinal herbs in the vicinity of Mount Xiongnu are becoming increasingly scarce. This harvest is only 80% of last time's yield. At this rate, when will I be able to afford a new batch of Huiling Powder"

At the head was a powerfully built man, his expression downcast.

"Hehe, with the Huiling Powder, breaking through to the tenth level of the Qi Condensation Period is still a piece of cake. We need to gather Spirit Stones to buy the Foundation Establishment Pill, and even one might not guarantee a breakthrough. Since your leader finds it so difficult, we dare not even dream about it. Let's make some money, go back and marry eight or ten wives, and if we get lucky and have a child with good talent, that will be enough," someone chimed in jokingly."

"That's not difficult at all. If we find a Linghuan flower, we'll be set. A few Zhuji Dan wouldn't even be a problem. There's a legend about a guy who got a top-grade Linghuan flower seed. Rumor has it that the trading guild he handed it over to immediately sold it to a big shot, at a price dozens of times higher. Even so, that guy made a fortune and moved his whole family away," the second-in-command in the team said with envy when recounting this story.

Another person beside him spat, "Second Brother, you only talk nonsense. While the Linghuan flower is indeed precious, it only appears during the most turbulent periods of miasma. With our level of cultivation, we wouldn't even know how to die if we went in…"

...and his words were still hanging in the air.

The front door suddenly creaked open and was pushed in by two people.

The crowd was astonished, grasping their respective weapons, as if facing a great enemy.

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The burly leader stared intently at the two unexpected guests, his heart pounding with every glance. He held back his companion, stepped forward and bowed: "It's fate that we meet like this. The night is cold, if you two are looking for shelter, I'll have my brothers give you a room."

The person who arrived was Qin Sang and Lu Zhang.

Lu Zhang was eager to find Shi Ma's trail. He didn't have time for idle chatter, he just released a wisp of true essence, and the group of people collapsed in a heap, leaving only the strong man with his face full of astonishment.

"Where did you say the Linghuan flowers appear"

The strong man's legs trembled, his voice shaking as he spoke. "Reporting to the senior, we heard it through rumors and legends. We were told that the location is never fixed, but it's probably somewhere in the center of the basin. If you want to find out for sure, head west for eight hundred miles, there's a market town where someone must know..."

Lu Zhang nodded slightly, threw a few spirit stones to the strong man, and turned to leave.

Qin Sang recalled something and interjected, "Do you know what kind of gods the nearby villages worship"

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The strongman thought for a moment, then cautiously said, “Senior are you talking about the Gu God Sect I’ve heard of it. They are just things that merchants use to swindle people. They spread the Gu God Sect everywhere and under the banner of the Gu God Sect, they sell herbs with hallucinogenic effects at high prices to those villages… We don't believe in it.”

No wonder those mortals are so passionate.

Taking hallucinogenic drugs for years, coupled with psychological suggestion, means even the simplest talismans can have some effect later on.

If one were to consume this kind of medicine every day, a normal person's body would have long since collapsed.

Only spread in the mortal realm, but on high, it is protected by Yuan Ying guardians.

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Is this such a division, truly from the same force

Qin Sang felt strangely.

The two left Mt. Male and Female, entered the market town, made a little inquiry, then with heavy miasma filling their nostrils, they pressed on non-stop into the basin.

The intervals between when the stone toads come out to absorb purple qi can sometimes last for decades.

Moreover, Lu Zhang judged that this stone toad was nearing maturity and could transform and escape at any time. It couldn't wait outside endlessly.

The area where the stone toad scatters its spores has a certain range, so its body must be hidden within that range. However, the range is not small, and they need to search carefully for a while. Also, it is uncertain whether it is on the surface or underground.

It is said that the underground is full of tunnels, connecting everywhere. They are the source of miasma and are very dangerous.

...'snoring'...

Qin Sang and Lu Zhang plunged straight into the ground. The miasma hit them head-on, urging their true essence to form a protective shield. Looking up again, the thick miasma blocked the moonlight.

Both eyesight and spiritual perception are affected.

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According to the information he had gathered, Lu Zhang drew a rough range and flew through the miasma for a while. Once he reached his destination, he took out the treasure-colored bell.

‘Ding ding ding...’

In the wide expanse of the basin, the sound of the bell became all the more crisp and clear.

The BaoGuang formed an aura, rippling outwards far and wide.

Lü Zhang could isolate Ling Yin nearby, but he couldn't conceal the fluctuation of Bao Guang. Otherwise, the Bao Se Ling would lose its effect of dispelling illusions.

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Ordinary treasures cannot detect the Stone Toad's disguise.

On their journey, they encountered several trade guilds but found no artifacts that satisfied them. They could only rely on the Precious Colored Bell. Without separating, one person controlled the Precious Colored Bell while the other kept watch, and they took turns acting this way.

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Lu Zhang held a purple-colored bell in his palm and nodded to Qin Sang, starting his search.

Qin Sang and Lu Zhang maintained a distance of several zhang. When Lu Zhang was not paying attention, Qin Sang released his true yuan protective shield and deliberately drew in a wisp of miasma into his body.

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The miasma wandered through Qin Sang's body for a while, but he didn't feel any obvious discomfort.

>

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It's obvious that this miasma damages the physical body the most. The avatar is a spirit wood body, which can to some extent be immune to this kind of damage.

>

This is a boon for future actions.

Qin Sang estimated that the possibility of finding Shi Ma on the ground was slim, and it would definitely have to go deep underground.

The subterranean environment is cramped and the source of miasma. Defending against it while maintaining the Precious Bell's aura is a heavy burden. Not to mention, poisonous beasts and insects dwelling underground are also attracted by the Precious Bell's fluctuations, attacking them.

Besides them, few dared to venture deep into the basin at this time.

I searched all night and didn't meet a third person.

During that time, many poisons were indeed attracted, all easily dealt with by Qin Sang.

By the next morning, the miasma began to subside. Even at its lowest point, a layer still lingered on the ground, and their pressure did not lessen as a result.

However, their movements were more cautious than at night.

They have already investigated, this place is not a major sect's dojo, but there are many Nascent Soul forces in Nanzhou. Too much commotion will attract the attention of local snakes and cause trouble.

The two of them took turns searching the surface for a while, but to no avail. They didn't find the toad demon. Finally, they arrived at an entrance to an underground tunnel.

Everywhere across the basin, these entrances were found, covered by humus. You could brush it aside to reveal them; some were narrow as cracks in rock, while others could accommodate dozens of people.

Every entrance was filled with miasma, and at night it would continuously spew out from within.

"Go down from here."

Lu Zhang said.

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Qin Sang nodded, handing the precious colored bell to Lu Zhang. He took out a spirit stone and held it in his hand, recovering his true essence.

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They chose this path that wasn't too wide or narrow. It was said that the underground tunnels were all connected, and there were rarely any dead ends. You could enter from anywhere, and it would lead to the same place.

Even during the day, few cultivators dare to enter the underground.

How deep the underground passage is remains a mystery to this day.

Qin Sang and they are going to measure it themselves.

They set a direction, passing through one dark passage after another, going down constantly. They couldn't count how far they had gone, until finally reaching a dark passage that they couldn't tell if it had an end.

The miasma here is thick as water, like a river of darkness formed by the miasma.

Qin Sang was fine, but Lu Zhang needed to expend more true essence to resist the miasma.

"Hiss!"

Qin Sang had a headache. "To search this area thoroughly, it would probably take two or three months. I just hope that toadstone hasn't moved."

Lu Zhang also didn't expect it to be so troublesome. He helplessly said: "Before they mature, stone toads can only rely on instinct to move, and their speed is not fast. They generally won't leave the nest where they were born... It will delay Dao Chang for some time."

Qin Sang shook his head, "Since I promised Daoist Lu, I will definitely see it through."

The two of them stopped talking and silently began to move.

The underground passageways crisscross.

Some are straight, some are curved, and their movements are unpredictable.

Fortunately, both of them were Yuan Ying cultivators, so even the most complex terrain couldn't confuse them.

Qin Sang constructed a map of the terrain in her mind.

As days turned into nights, the map grew fuller and clearer, with each hidden passage becoming more distinct.

> It's been a month already.

After searching nearly half the area, there was still no sign of the stone toad. However, both of them were strong-willed and would not waver in their determination because of this.

There are still some harvests.

Qin Sang obtained many corpses of venomous beasts, venomous insects, and poison pills. He went back to give them a try to the fat silkworm to see if it liked any. Lu Zhang saw Qin Sang's interest in these things and gave them all to him as well.

The two of them walked through a dark passage that stretched for several thousand zhang.

At the end, a stone path connected, and of all the dark tunnels they had walked through during their time here, this was the widest.

After a brief observation, Lu Zhang urged Bao Se Ling to enter the stone path first.

Qin Sang followed behind.

A ray of light illuminated one side of the stone wall, and the sound of the bell reverberated only around the two of them.

They were like pedestrians with lanterns, moving silently forward.

After walking for a while, Qin Sang's eyes showed suspicion. He suddenly called out to Lu Zhang, "Lu Daoist friend, something is not right here. We have walked for so long and haven't seen even a single venomous insect or beast."

Lu Zhang stopped, his expression becoming more serious.

Based on their experience, the most likely scenario in this situation is that a Beast Lord's lair is nearby, and other beasts dare not approach the territory of the lord.

This period of time, the most powerful poisonous beast they encountered was a venomous python in the middle stage of the demon core.

Could it be that there is a shapeshifting demon of the Nascent Soul stage or a spirit insect that has undergone its fourth transformation here

The insect beasts inhabiting this place are likely adept at poison manipulation, their threat level significantly amplified in this peculiar environment. They dare not underestimate the danger.

Lu Zhang compressed the range of the Bao Se Ling.

Qin Sang then grasped the Frost-Stepping Divine Saber in his palm.

They journeyed for a while longer, but were not attacked.

Just as they were about to leave the stone path, a strange rustling sound came from deep within the miasma. It was very faint, like scales rubbing against the ground.

Lu Zhang reacted extremely quickly, pressing down on the Bao Se Ling with his hand.

Qin Sang's footsteps immediately stopped.

They glanced at each other, communicating telepathically for a few moments. Lu Zhang led the way, while Qin Sang held the Snow-Treading Divine Sword concealed and prepared his profound energy palm strike.

>

The two of them walked, one in front and the other behind, not far when they saw a clump of dim firelight ahead.

The flames flickered.

After taking a few more steps, I finally saw what was ahead.

It really was a ball of fire.

The flame floated on the ground, expanding and contracting at intervals. It enveloped a venomous spider about the size of a human head, its breath weak, near death.

The flame pressed tightly against the poisonous spider, burning through its shell.

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The Poisonous Spider felt the pain, its body spasmed, but it couldn't resist the flames. In the blink of an eye, it was consumed by the fire, leaving only a shell behind.

Lu Zhang frowned, unable to recall the origin of this flame for a moment.

"It's a Corpseflame Moth!"

Qin Sang said.

He went everywhere to collect the secrets of insect taming, and recognized that this was a venomous insect.

Like the corpse moth and phosphorescent firefly, the blaze moth is a social insect that lives in groups. They gather and disperse like flames, and their fiery glow is actually a camouflage made of poisonous powder on their bodies.

The fire broke away from the poison spider's body.

Vaguely visible in the firelight, dozens of yellow poisonous moths the size of fingernails were huddled together, like the heart of a flame.

“How many Corpseflame Moths are there” Lu Zhang asked in a deep voice.

Qin Sang hesitated, "It's not necessarily so. At least a few hundred, maybe even…"

Before the words had even faded, the miasma ahead suddenly churned. One after another, patches of dim firelight flickered to life, dense and countless, easily numbering in the thousands visible to the naked eye.

Only in this poisonous and pestilent place could so many Corpse Flame Moths be bred!

"They've found us," Lu Zhang shouted, a halo erupting from his body, sweeping through the surrounding void. "Poison dust!"

'Boom!'

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The buzzing sound suddenly intensified, reverberating through the enclosed underground space with a power that seemed to pierce the eardrums.

In an instant, all the flames coalesced into a single mass and surged toward them, instinctively consuming any living creature in their path.

The fire was blazing brightly in the stone path.

Endless poisonous dust swirled in like a hurricane.

It's hard to imagine that such a tiny solitary corpse moth could unleash such a formidable attack.

Qin Sang didn't say a word. With a slight tremor of his wrist, the Stepping Snow Divine Blade shot out with a chill light, carving a path through the snow.

The sharp blade split the flames in half like a mighty force.

The corpses of the corpse moths were frozen into ice pebbles and scattered on the ground, but the swarm was unaffected. They moved in perfect unison, pressing forward relentlessly.

Lu Zhang was not slow either. His brow flashed with green light, and then his whole body was enveloped in it. Finally, he covered Qin Sang as well, turning them both into a green ancient bell.

The ancient clock protects, the azure light rolls back towards the horde of insects, cooperating with the Snow-Treading Divine Blade to split the insect horde apart.

...Just as they were battling the swarm of insects.

Deep underground.

>

The Unknown Land.

A growl echoed through the darkness.e me to translate!To the left of the incense burner stood a female cultivator, her voice trembling with fear.“I wish I hadn't gone so deep. The traces outside haven't even had time to be erased. There...