Chapter 52 – Blood in the Mire
The Marsh Awakens
The Mire of Broken Souls swallowed light and sound, every breath heavy with the scent of rot. Lin Xuan's group pressed deeper, the compass glowing steadily in Wen's hand. The closer they came to their target, the thicker the mist grew, wrapping around them like a living shroud.
The swamp floor shifted beneath their boots. Shapes twitched under the surface of the water—bones, corpses, remnants of long-dead cultivators whose resentment had seeped into the mire.
A ripple. Then another.
From the black water rose a creature of muck and bone—a Marsh Revenant, its frame a patchwork of skeletons bound by sludge, its eyes twin lanterns of green fire.
Bai Liang's saber flashed instinctively. "This swamp doesn't want us here."
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The Battle Begins
The Revenant struck with arms of dripping bone, each blow carrying the weight of resentment qi. Bai Liang's Azure Sky Severing Saber Art cleaved into its arm, severing it, but the sludge stitched itself back together almost instantly.
Mu hurled phoenix-shaped flames that clung like napalm, hissing as they burned the creature's body. For a heartbeat it staggered, only for more bones to bubble up from the swamp to replenish its frame.
"It feeds on the mire itself!" Wen shouted. His sword carved sharp arcs, cutting smaller revenants rising around them. "We'll drown in them if we don't strike the core!"
Lin Xuan's eyes narrowed, spear humming with lightning. He vanished into Shadow Mirage Steps, his afterimages weaving through the revenants until his strike pierced the glowing core within the beast's chest. Lightning and fire surged, shattering the construct with a thunderous crack.
The swamp stilled… for a moment.
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The Hunters Reveal Themselves
A slow clap echoed through the mist. From the reeds emerged dark-robed cultivators, their masks etched with blood-red sigils. Their qi reeked of corruption—demonic sect assassins.
"So the rumors were true," one drawled. "Cloudsky's brats carry heaven's fortune. What luck that the swamp softened you for us."
Bai's saber lifted, rage flaring. "Ambush."
Mu's voice trembled but held steady. "They've been waiting for us."
Lin's spear lowered, the pike's tip glowing. "Then they'll regret it."
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Clash in the Mire
The assassins moved like shadows, blades coated in poison, qi flowing sharp as razors. But Lin's group met them head-on.
Bai Liang's Heaven-tier saber arts cut arcs of azure through the fog, each strike splitting both revenants and assassins who slipped too close.
Mu's flames spread like wings, shielding her allies while forcing their foes into choke points. She gritted her teeth, eyes blazing, her vow to Lin echoing in her heart as she pushed her flames harder than ever before.
Wen, empowered by Lin's secret upgrade, moved like a reaper. His sword qi carved with unnatural sharpness, every swing ending a life. The assassins faltered, startled by his sudden leap in power.
Lin Xuan himself faced the leader. The man's dual blades clashed with Lin's spear in rapid succession, sparks showering the swamp.
"You fight like a monster," the assassin hissed.
Lin's eyes narrowed. "You have no idea."
He unleashed his upgraded Heavenstorm Lance, spear thrust splitting into a triad of strikes carried by space distortion. The leader's guard cracked, one blade snapping in half before lightning surged through his chest.
The assassin collapsed, smoke rising from his body.
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Aftermath
The remaining assassins broke, retreating into the mist. The swamp was silent again, broken bodies sinking back into the mire.
Bai panted, saber dripping with both blood and swamp water. "They know we're here. They won't stop."
Mu wiped soot from her cheek, voice shaking. "That wasn't just a random ambush. They were waiting. Someone leaked our movements."
Lin Xuan gripped his spear, expression cold. "Then from now on, we move as ghosts. No allies. No strangers. Only us."
The compass pulsed brighter in Wen's hand, leading them deeper into the swamp. Their target was close.
But so were their enemies.