Marrying the Master's Wife: My Path to the Pinnacle - Chapter 38
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Chapter 38: The Bewildering Swamp
[Translated By Divinity]
About fifteen minutes later, Lu Chengfeng walked out of the General Affairs Hall, warmly seen off by the steward. Without further delay, he swiftly headed towards the Bewildering Swamp.
‘I’ve done everything I can. Whether it succeeds or not depends on fate now.’
If it weren’t for the beast tide outbreak, he could have used other methods to woo the woman and win her over. But in the current situation, he couldn’t afford to be distracted.
Arriving at the entrance of the Bewildering Swamp, he immediately saw an incredibly tall boulder. The stone seemed to be stained with blood, covered in dark red marks. At the top, there was a gaping cleft, as if it had been split open by a divine weapon.
This was the renowned Dragonbreak Stone.
It was said that an underground river flowed from the Boundless Dragon Abyss beneath the five Inner Peaks, leading directly to the Bewildering Swamp.
The river was filled with poisonous miasma, and years of erosion had caused countless venomous insects, snakes, and ants to thrive in the swamp. The air was thick with poisonous miasma that could bewilder the mind, making it incredibly dangerous.
Usually, the Boundless Dragon Abyss was suppressed by the five peaks. But once it became turbulent, countless demonic beasts would surge out through the underground river and emerge in the Bewildering Swamp.
The Bewildering Swamp was surrounded by mountains on all sides, originally with no exit. Legend had it that thousands of years ago, a venomous dragon emerged from the underground river, spewing terrifying venom that corroded a narrow passage through the mountain. Its head poked out of the passage, attempting to escape the swamp.
At the critical moment, the then-Sect Master of Cloud Firmament unleashed the Great Five Elements Extinction Divine Light Sword, severing the dragon’s head with a single strike. The already weakened mountain, eroded by the venom, was completely cleaved in two.
And this Dragonbreak Stone was where the dragon’s head fell!
The legends from thousands of years ago were a mix of truth and fiction. No one knew if dragons truly existed in this world. But the earth-shattering beast roars from the Boundless Dragon Abyss and the periodic beast tides led many disciples to believe that a true dragon was indeed sealed beneath.
When Lu Chengfeng arrived, the place was already bustling with activity. Numerous True Disciples registered at the Dragonbreak Stone and were given a set of black iron armor and a Sky-Soaring Flare. After changing into the armor, they were organized into teams and sent into the swamp.
“Make sure to wear this black iron armor properly. It has a special phoenix blood silk lining that can quickly stop bleeding in case of injury and also prevent the poisonous miasma in the swamp from corroding you.”
Perhaps recognizing Lu Chengfeng, or maybe after seeing his name on the register, the disciple distributing the supplies gave him some extra advice.
“Use the Sky-Soaring Flare when you encounter danger. Activate it with your inner energy and throw it into the sky. It will turn into a distress signal visible for miles around.”
“Thank you, Senior Brother, for the reminder,” Lu Chengfeng said, receiving the items and stepping aside to put on the armor.
At that moment, a burly, bald man with a full beard called out to him, “Junior Brother Lu, we’ve been waiting for you.”
Lu Chengfeng walked over and saw four people, including the bald man, looking at him.
“I’m Tan Xiong, a disciple of Yellow Dragon Peak,” the bald man introduced himself. “When we True Disciples go on missions, most of the time, it’s a collaboration between the five peaks, with five people in a group.”
“These three beside me are Lu Lingxi from Azure Cloud Peak, Xu Changge from White Rainbow Peak, and Duan Li from Crimson Firmament Peak.”
Lu Chengfeng greeted each of them one by one, addressing them as Senior Brother and Senior Sister. He was the youngest among them.
Lu Lingxi was a delicate-looking woman around twenty-seven or twenty-eight years old. She wore a long, light blue robe, her figure slender with long legs. Now, clad in the black armor, her beautiful curves were completely concealed, and her hair, styled in twin buns, was hidden beneath the iron helmet.
The swamp was filled with poisonous miasma, and venomous insects were everywhere. Long hair would only be a hindrance in critical moments, so before entering the swamp, they all tied their hair up completely with iron helmets for ease of movement.
Xu Changge from White Rainbow Peak and Duan Li from Crimson Firmament Peak were easily distinguishable. One wore a white robe with a sword at her waist and held a folding fan in her hand, while the other wore a bright red robe, her face as beautiful as jade, but with striking red eyebrows.
“Junior Brother, I’ve heard of your great name for a long time. It’s a pleasure to finally meet you today,” Xu Changge said with a playful smile. “I admire your methods greatly. If we have time later, I’d like to seek your guidance.”
Lu Chengfeng, seeing him winking, immediately understood that he was referring to his marriage to his master’s wife. His face darkened slightly, and he quickly changed the subject. “Senior Brothers and Sister, this is my first time participating in the beast tide, and I have no experience. If there are any key points, please do enlighten me.”
The somewhat taciturn Duan Li simply said, “Just raise your sword and kill. Besides our fellow disciples, everyone else is an enemy.”
Tan Xiong, with his burly physique and fierce aura, spoke in a surprisingly steady manner. “Junior Brother, you’ve only recently entered the Inner Peaks. I assume you haven’t had any experience in the Bewildering Swamp. The environment here is complex, the terrain treacherous, and there are many poisonous creatures.”
“I suggest we five first familiarize ourselves with the outer perimeter and cultivate some teamwork. We can venture deeper when the time is right. What do you think?”
Lu Lingxi said, “Senior Brother Tan’s suggestion is the most prudent.”
Xu Changge also agreed, “That sounds good.”
Duan Li didn’t speak but didn’t object either.
Tan Xiong said, “Then it’s settled. Among us five, I’m the oldest and have cultivated my swordsmanship to the eighteenth level. After entering the swamp, I’ll temporarily take the lead. Do you have any objections?”
Xu Changge chuckled. “Senior Brother, you’re one of the Seven Heroes of the sect, the Raging Bear. Even though we have some skills, how can we compete with you? Naturally, we’ll follow your lead in the swamp.”
“I only yield to Senior Brother,” Lu Lingxi said. Her personality was somewhat aloof, and her tone was indifferent, but she showed some respect for Tan Xiong.
Duan Li snorted coldly. “Don’t get too cocky. One day, I’ll surpass you. For now, I’ll let you take charge.”
Lu Chengfeng also said, “I have no objections. Please guide us, Senior Brother.”
Having reached a consensus, Lu Chengfeng finished putting on his black armor, tucked the Sky-Soaring Flare into his waist pouch, held his sword in his left hand, and entered the swamp with the others.
They hadn’t gone far when they saw a gray mist lingering in the air. The ground was damp, and the soil was soft.
Lu Chengfeng looked around and noticed that the trees in the swamp were very tall. Many trunks were entwined with thin vines, and moss grew at the base of the trees, some even glowing blue, clearly indicating their toxicity.
In addition, there were more and more poisonous creatures like centipedes, scorpions, and snakes. The air was humid and hot, and there were no birds to be seen.
Occasionally, shadowy figures flashed through the forest, but they were just jackals. Sensing the presence of humans, they prowled around the perimeter.
“Junior Brother, demonic beasts are different from ordinary beasts. They possess intelligence, are incredibly cunning, and can wield demonic powers, making them very difficult to deal with.”
“Demonic beasts are inherently different. You’ll know when you see one. More importantly, they can command wild beasts to attack, which is how the beast tide forms.”
“The root of the problem lies with those demonic beasts!”
Tan Xiong, wielding a copper staff, led the way. Lu Chengfeng followed on his left, Lu Lingxi on his right, while Xu Changge and Duan Li brought up the rear.
As they ventured deeper into the swamp, everyone’s expressions became more cautious, carefully observing their surroundings.
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