Upon sensing something strange in the air, flames ignited around Ma Xiaotao's body.
Crackling sounds rang out as unseen matter was burned, yet wisps of gray smoke stubbornly clung to the outer layer of her fire.
"This stuff is poisonous. Even my Evil Fire can't burn it away—be careful not to inhale," Ma Xiaotao warned.
"You noticed quickly," Mu En affirmed. "This is a spreading poisonous miasma. At the center, even ten-thousand-year soul beasts dare not enter. The poison confuses perception and causes one to lose their sense of direction. Once trapped, you'll die inside. That's why Shrek hasn't searched deeply here for years."
If not for that demigod's guidance, even he wouldn't have painstakingly scoured this miasma, inch by inch.
"Yuhao, Wang Dong, think about how to deal with it," Xuanzi tested them.
The two exchanged a glance, then flew upwards together. Ma Xiaotao lagged slightly behind but quickly grasped their intent and followed.
At around 300 meters altitude, their vision cleared and the sunlight returned.
Climbing further, to about a thousand meters, they looked down to see a massive, color-shifting hemispherical dome, shimmering in seven hues, covering Sunset Forest like an inverted bowl.
Trailing behind, Xuanzi and Mu En were both smiling. Who wouldn't like bright children who used their brains?
"Wait here," Mu En said solemnly. "The miasma shifts constantly. That place isn't in the center, so finding it will take effort. Wait for my signal before descending."
"Yes!" ×3
Mu En transformed into a divine dragon and dove into the poison barrier.
His light-attribute soul power purified a great passage, but within moments the poisonous fog closed back in, swallowing everything.
It looked like a hell that devoured all without spitting out bones, chilling to behold.
"Didn't expect the place to be here," Xuanzi muttered. "Even I wouldn't dare stay long inside. Without your Brother Lan's guidance, Yuhao, this spot would never be found, not even after ten thousand years."
"But as far as I know, while that place has immortal herbs said to defy heaven's creation, it has no soul beasts, right? Yuhao, how will you get your second soul ring?"
Huo Yuhao shook his head blankly.
Brother Lan hadn't told him, so he hadn't asked. Could Brother Lan ever harm him?
Xuanzi mused silently, then dropped the matter. Since that demigod had given orders, there must be a plan. They'd know soon enough.
Suspended a thousand meters in the air for a dozen minutes, they finally saw a pillar of light shoot skyward about three kilometers away.
"Let's go!"
Xuanzi called, rushing ahead. But his speed was too fast, leaving Ma Xiaotao and the others trailing.
Huo Yuhao wrapped spiritual threads around Wang Dong's waist and Ma Xiaotao's arm, pulling them forward as they plunged into the miasma.
Instantly, visibility dropped to mere meters. The brilliant light pillar vanished.
With no landmarks, nothing but gravity remained.
If not for Huo Yuhao's prior bindings, they might have been separated instantly. As for Xuanzi, already charging in first, there was no sign of him.
"This old bull really doesn't know how to take care of people," Zhuge Lan grumbled. "No wonder whenever he leads, accidents always happen."
Huo Yuhao didn't ask further. He extended his spiritual power to shield himself and Wang Dong.
The corrosive sizzling sounds were constant—his energy draining rapidly.
With no choice, he donned the emerald crown and activated his soul bone skill: Spiritual Storage.
Ma Xiaotao's flames flared higher, burning through the toxins and dropping ashen flakes.
"No good, we've lost our bearings!" Ma Xiaotao shouted. "Let's go back up and relocate!"
"Agreed!"
Thankfully, gravity still worked, and all three could fly. Otherwise, they'd be doomed to wander endlessly in this poisonous hell until drained dry.
Back under the sun's embrace, they realized the light pillar was only a hundred meters away.
That close?
"This old man never learns," Ma Xiaotao muttered. Sure enough, Xuanzi burst out of the miasma just then. Seeing the three safe, his expression relaxed.
"Didn't I tell you to keep up? Why did you fall behind?"
Huo Yuhao, Wang Dong, Ma Xiaotao: "..."
What a shameless guy!
"You really don't realize how fast you were flying?" Ma Xiaotao snapped. "If not for Little Yuhao's caution, Wang Dong would be buried down there by now!"
Her high level and fierce Evil Fire let her burn through the miasma. Huo Yuhao's unique spiritual strength could shield him.
But what about Wang Dong? The Light Goddess Butterfly's passive purification would've drained him in minutes.
Realization dawned on Xuanzi, and regret filled his face.
"This old man... it was my negligence..."
He waved his hand, erecting a soul-power barrier to protect the three, keeping it tight around them.
"From here on, I'll lead you."
They descended along the light beam.
Visibility widened slowly, until hundreds of meters around them came into view.
A breathtaking emerald scene appeared—lush green plants crowded together, releasing a faint mist of green that rose upward, diffusing into the seven-colored miasma.
SSS-SSS-SSS!
Even Xuanzi's barrier began to "boil" under the corrosion!
Poisonous enough to erode the power of a Rank-98 soul master? Terrifying!
"So many Green Phosphor Seven-Abolishment Flowers? And some have even evolved into Nine-Abolishment Flowers?" Xuanzi exclaimed. "Outside, even a single stalk is worth a fortune to plant-type soul masters. But here, they stretch beyond sight? Just this alone could establish a top-tier plant-type academy!"
"Don't touch them—they'll strike back," Mu En's voice rang out. "Just fly above and push through."
The four obeyed, forcing their way through denser poisonous clouds overhead.
The hissing corrosion grew louder, but Xuanzi could manage.
They regrouped safely with Mu En.
Glancing back at the endless flowers, Xuanzi's eyes gleamed.
"Don't bother," Mu En said lazily. "That was deliberately planted to conceal this place. From now on, it'll serve as our protective barrier."
Xuanzi smacked his lips.
"Then at least let me pick one before we leave, to taste. Heard they're delicious. I'll grab a younger one—should survive it."
Everyone: "..."
Truly worthy of a glutton's martial soul.
Ma Xiaotao covered her forehead.
Next time she followed this old man, she'd have to stay alert. Who knew if he'd run off looking for food and abandon them?
Huo Yuhao and Wang Dong exchanged strange looks.
"Don't wonder why I despise this guy," Zhuge Lan sneered. "Reaching Rank 98—bet it was by sacrificing teammates."
"Sacrificing teammates?" Huo Yuhao asked curiously.
"You could think of it as an Evil Soul Master's way."
"Impossible, Shrek has a Supervisory Corps, they hunt down Evil Soul Masters," Huo Yuhao objected.
"Heh." Zhuge Lan sneered. "Little Yuhao, you're still too young... We'll talk about it later. First, claim the fortune here."
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