Lu Xuan lingered around for a while, then flew deeper into the swamp. After about the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, he found the scene he wanted to see. Here, another merfolk tribe existed.
The number is not as large as before, probably less than two thousand. Judging from their appearance, they are not the same species as before.
These before us appeared even more rugged and ferocious. They wore no clothing whatsoever. Their entire bodies were covered in large scales.
They are much larger in stature, with mouths filled with sharp, densely packed fangs. They wield various weapons, including machetes, axes, and even hammers. Overall, they are a hybrid of savagery and ferocity.
"How...how can there be so many alien races?" Several rogue cultivators realized they were in deep trouble. They could barely speak.
"It seems that during the years that Incense Valley guarded the southern border, they also took the time to do other things."
"Sect Leader Lu, are you saying that these were arranged by Burning Incense Valley?"
"Who else in the world could possibly gather so many barbarians besides them? These creatures can't amount to anything in the Southern Frontier because they're too unintelligent and savage. They can't be united. Now, someone has not only gathered them together but also trained them into an army. This makes me certain that these are just a small part; there are definitely many more around. This must be a plan that has been in the works for decades, even centuries. Burning Incense Valley has been plotting this for a long time!"
"But what use are these barbarians?" Some people couldn't understand, but there was one who understood among the three.
"Don't forget how the three of us got there."
"That's because we were careless."
"Even if we don't let our guard down, how many of these barbarians can you handle? Ten is the maximum; any more than that and you'll have to fly away, right?"
"..." The other person was speechless, because his companion was right. A large quantity of these things would indeed be dangerous.
At this moment, Lu Xuan spoke up.
"These things can't amount to much in the Southern Frontier because they're too unintelligent and uncivilized. They usually live in small groups and can't band together. Now, someone has not only gathered them together but also trained them into an army, making them a force to be reckoned with. If these things really appear outside the swamp, they will surely cause a bloodbath. Even ordinary cultivation sects won't be able to withstand it!"
These words sent a chill down the spines of the three rogue cultivators. The crucial question was: how many more of these creatures might be lurking in this swamp?
Just then, Lu Xuan's ears twitched slightly. He sensed an unusual fluctuation of spiritual energy, and it seemed that a fight was taking place not far away.
At the same time, the mermen beneath him seemed to receive some kind of command, and began to go berserk, charging towards the outer perimeter.
When Lu Xuan arrived at the scene of the battle, he saw only a pile of severed limbs on the ground. It seemed that several cultivators had just been ambushed here by the fishmen and torn to pieces.
This is actually a belief among the fish-people. These not-so-intelligent barbarians do have their own beliefs. They believe in the existence of souls and fear that the souls of the dead will return for revenge. Therefore, every time they kill an enemy, they tear the corpse into pieces. They believe that in this way, the soul will also be fragmented and unable to return for revenge.
Considering the rioting of the surrounding merfolk, it's not hard to see that, due to the incident at the Heavenly Emperor's Treasury, these merfolk hiding in the swamp were likely spotted by many cultivators. The mastermind behind it all had no choice but to act prematurely.
This will likely cause serious trouble for the cultivators who entered the swamp. One or two, or even eight or ten, ambushing them wouldn't be a problem for the major sects. But with a larger number, they'll have to take it seriously. If thousands rush out at once, they'll probably have few options besides flying.
Faint screams could be heard coming from the swamp.
Lu Xuan wasn't worried about his disciples. These fishmen couldn't harm them. He was just curious about what Burning Incense Valley was up to.
This foreshadowing wasn't clearly explained in the original work, though it was hinted at in several places. However, it was ultimately left unresolved.
In retrospect, the so-called conspiracy was nothing more than unifying the righteous path. However, given the so-called grand plan mentioned in the text, it still gives people a more mysterious feeling.
It was also mentioned that Yun Yilan, the head of the Incense Valley, had reached the Jade Yang Realm, a level unmatched in the eight hundred years since the Incense Jade Scroll was first established. He seemed potentially stronger than Dao Xuan. However, this was never directly shown in the book.
In short, it's all very unclear and confusing.
Lu Xuan had also pondered this question. After all, Fenxiang Valley followed the lineage of Linglong. In Lu Xuan's mind, Linglong was probably the strongest cultivator in this world, even stronger than the original Qingye Ancestor. Moreover, she had once strived for immortality, much like Lu Xuan's goal. Most importantly, the Beast God she created was truly beyond the reach of this world.
The Incense Valley inherited her lineage's techniques, but they were clearly not comprehensive enough. Moreover, the Incense Valley has always harbored great ambitions. Therefore, both the Beast God and the Eight Fiends Profound Fire Array in Linglong's legacy are things that the Incense Valley will inevitably pursue.
Among them, the Eight Fiends Profound Fire Formation is said to be able to rival the Immortal Execution Sword. The Beast God is even immortal. Whatever Burning Incense Valley is plotting, it will inevitably involve these two things.
Lu Xuan flew while pondering. Unbeknownst to him, he found himself at the edge of the Death Swamp, only a hundred meters or so away from exiting the swamp. The fish-men deep within the swamp showed no intention of approaching the edge.
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Chapter 442 Methods and Pursuits
The treasure hunt in the Death Swamp has come to an end. The biggest winner is undoubtedly the Hidden Immortal Sect. Lu Xuan took all the benefits from the Heavenly Emperor's Treasury. Most sects made a wasted trip, though they all gained some small advantage.
Previously, Lu Xuan had fought the Yellow Bird and injured this ancient divine beast. Many of its feathers scattered on the ground. These were quickly snatched up by various sects. Each feather of this ancient divine beast contained astonishing spiritual power. They could be refined into various magical artifacts upon returning home.
Besides, there's this untouched jungle, teeming with rare treasures, which various sects ruthlessly exploited. Overall, they profited. Of course, this refers to the sects whose members all survived the Death Swamp.
The merfolk lurking in the swamp launched a frenzied attack, resulting in the deaths of numerous independent cultivators and members of various small sects.
Upon returning to his sect, Lu Xuan gave orders to closely monitor news from the Death Swamp and the Incense Valley. Then, he gripped his laboratory tightly and began studying the items he had obtained.
In the past, such grand schemes and conspiracies were Lu Xuan's favorite. Once discovered, he would investigate thoroughly. But things are different now; nothing is more enjoyable than cultivating immortality. Therefore, Lu Xuan is now more interested in secrets that can aid in cultivation.
First, there was that small cup of spiritual liquid. Its mere aroma alone possessed astonishing healing abilities. The immense spiritual power it contained surpassed any spiritual medicine Lu Xuan had ever seen.
After examining some samples, Lu Xuan conducted a detailed analysis. He ultimately discovered that the substance was a liquefied form of spiritual energy. This wasn't uncommon; Lu Xuan was capable of producing it himself. The key issue was the extremely peculiar nature of this spiritual energy. It was unclear whether it was natural or the result of artificial means.
This kind of spiritual energy has an inherent, almost infinite affinity with the human body. Spiritual energy does have attributes, and even pure spiritual energy isn't suitable for everyone. This is because each person's constitution has attribute preferences. The so-called bottleneck stems partly from the constraints of some unseen rule, and partly from the fact that most cultivators' early cultivation and the spiritual energy they channel into their bodies aren't perfectly suited to their own constitution. Over time, these subtle imperfections accumulate and form a bottleneck.
But this thing is different; it can perfectly suit the body of a cultivator.
This meant that as long as one drank this substance, one could improve their cultivation level without any bottlenecks. Lu Xuan almost instantly realized the substance's greatest value. Healing and saving lives were one aspect, but its greatest value lay in breaking through cultivation bottlenecks.
Having learned this, Lu Xuan immediately sealed the item away. He planned to use it again when he broke through to the Nascent Soul stage.
Next was that multifaceted spirit stone. Sealed within it was the third volume of the Heavenly Book. It was clearly a magical artifact for storing information. But it wasn't entirely that. Because this thing also possessed an extremely magical effect: it could project information directly into consciousness.
This is a characteristic that Lu Xuan later discovered. It's an extremely common trope in online fantasy novels, but for Lu Xuan, it was the first time he'd ever seen it in person.
Moreover, this thing's storage isn't simply about storing information. Its strongest ability is to record a kind of Daoist essence. Simply put, when it recorded the third volume of the Heavenly Book, it could also record the existence of those who left behind this information, their insights and understanding of the Heavenly Book. These things are inherently mysterious and almost impossible to express in words. But this spirit stone can record them all.
This is crucial, as it eliminates the possibility of younger disciples not understanding it. Its greatest benefit is that it perfectly prevents the sect's lineage from being severed.