163: Misty swamp, rain nourishes the seedlings of love

The Misty Swamp is a vast wetland region located at the border between the Eastern Region and the Central Region. It is shrouded in thick, gray-white fog all year round, severely obstructing both vision and Divine Sense. Within the swamp, there are man-eating quagmires, eerie poisonous miasmas, and various dangerous Yao Beasts that have adapted to this environment. Ordinary Cultivators would never dare to enter it lightly.

Lin Xuan and his group of five chose this path precisely because they valued how its complex environment could effectively block pursuit. They had all altered their appearances, their aura restrained. Su Wanqing covered her stunning face with a plain white veil, revealing only a pair of cold, clear eyes; Qu Feiyan transformed into a woman of ordinary appearance and gentle temperament, though the occasional flicker of her eyes still carried a faint, lingering hint of seductiveness; Lin Xuan himself had also adjusted his facial lines, appearing much more ordinary; Yun Shang used the ability of her star gauze garment to blur her own presence; only Gongsun Yu had the least change, merely tucking her conspicuous purple lightning pendant inside her clothes, but that lively and spirited temperament of hers was difficult to completely conceal.

Stepping into the range of the swamp, a damp, stuffy sensation mixed with the stench of rotting water plants and soil rushed toward them. The thick fog was pervasive, with visibility less than ten zhang. When Divine Sense reached out, it was like sinking into a quagmire, feeling sluggish after extending no more than a hundred meters.

"Follow closely and watch your step." Lin Xuan led the way, his Divine Sense combined with the System, acting like the most precise detector, scanning the path ahead. He could clearly "see" where the solid ground was, where hidden quagmires lay, and where there were energy anomalies.

Su Wanqing and Qu Feiyan took positions on the left and right, vigilantly watching the sides and rear. Yun Shang tried her best to sense the flow of the thin Star Power in the mist, assisting in determining the direction.

Gongsun Yu followed closely behind Lin Xuan, almost stepping in his footprints. Watching Lin Xuan's steady and firm back in the mist, and feeling his composure that seemed to be able to discern all dangers, her heart was filled with a sense of security and indescribable admiration. Recalling Lin Xuan's heroic posture while battling the two Nascent Soul Cultivators earlier, as well as his gentle guidance and unintentional protection in daily life, ripples began to spread across the young girl's heart.

"Big Brother Lin... is truly amazing." She thought silently in her heart, her small face slightly flushed. Subconsciously, she moved a small step closer to Lin Xuan, almost able to smell that familiar scent on him, a mixture of faint masculinity and the fresh air of grass and trees, which made her feel incomparably at ease.

The swamp was fraught with danger. A "Rotten Poisonous Miasma Snake" disguised as a withered branch suddenly sprang from the muddy water, spewing poisonous mist as it attacked Yun Shang on the flank of the group!

Yun Shang let out a cry of alarm. She excelled in Star Power sensing, so her reaction to such a sudden attack was slightly slow.

"Careful!" Gongsun Yu, who was standing diagonally in front of her, reacted extremely quickly. Almost instinctively, she merged her fingers like a sword, and a condensed purple lightning arc burst forth instantly. Starting after but arriving first, it struck precisely at the seven-inch mark of the miasma snake!

"Crackle!"

Lightning flashed, and the miasma snake was instantly scorched black by the electricity. It fell into the quagmire, twitched twice, and then lay motionless.

"Thank you, Senior Sister Gongsun!" Yun Shang said, still feeling lingering fear, and hurriedly thanked her.

Gongsun Yu shook her head a little embarrassedly: "It, it's nothing, it's only right." She secretly glanced at Lin Xuan and saw him looking back with approval in his eyes. Suddenly, her heart felt as sweet as if she had drunk honey, even happier than when she herself had a Breakthrough in her Realm.

Lin Xuan was indeed quite satisfied with Gongsun Yu's performance. This little girl had a solid Foundation and quick reactions, and what was even more rare was this heart to protect her companions. He smiled gently: "Well done, Xiaoyu."

A simple word of praise made Gongsun Yu so happy she almost jumped up. She tried hard to purse her lips to hold back her smile and nodded vigorously, thinking to herself: "I must become even stronger so I can help Big Brother Lin more!"

Continuing forward, they encountered several waves of attacks from swamp Yao Beasts, most of which were quickly resolved by the group working together. Lin Xuan intended to train the team, so he did not easily intervene, only providing support from the sidelines, and only using his finger-sword or Taichu Sword Domain to resolve fatal crises at critical moments.

During one encounter with a group of thick-skinned "Swamp Giant Crocodiles" capable of spitting acid, Qu Feiyan's Blood Lotus Demonic Art and Su Wanqing's Taiyin Sword Qi formed a wonderful combination; one corroded their defenses, while the other froze their movements, with extremely high efficiency. Although the two women still didn't communicate much, their tacit understanding in battle was growing day by day.

Gongsun Yu always roamed near Lin Xuan. Her Chaos Thunder Gang was extremely Yang and rigid, having a natural restraint against the yin and filthy things in the swamp, often producing miraculous effects. She was like a vigilant little bird, guarding around the great tree that was Lin Xuan; any danger attempting to attack from a tricky angle would be met with her unhesitating thunderous strike.

Night fell, and the fog in the swamp thickened, and a kind of "Illusion Mist" that could confuse the mind began to drift about. The group found a relatively dry foothold formed by several huge reef rocks, set up concealment and defense Formations, and took a temporary rest.

A bonfire was lit, dispelling some of the chill and dampness. Su Wanqing sat quietly to adjust her breath, Qu Feiyan was studying the yaoguang immortal sound zither, and Yun Shang was silently contemplating the "Star Ancient Scroll".

Lin Xuan sat by the fire, wiping the sin-severing sword. Gongsun Yu hesitated for a moment, then took a water skin and a small package of dried meat carefully wrapped in oil paper from her Storage Pouch, and walked cautiously to Lin Xuan's side.

"Big Brother Lin, you... you have the greatest consumption. Drink some water and eat something." Her voice was thin, carrying a trace of imperceptible trembling. She handed the items over, her small face flushed under the reflection of the firelight.

Lin Xuan looked up, seeing the undisguised concern and nervousness in the young girl's pure eyes, and his heart softened. He took the water skin and dried meat, and said gently: "Thank you, Xiaoyu. You are tired too, sit down and rest."

Gongsun Yu sat down beside him as instructed, hugging her knees with both hands, secretly watching Lin Xuan's profile as he drank and ate, feeling her heart beating wildly. She suddenly remembered back in the Nether Abyss, when Lin Xuan stayed behind alone to protect them; she remembered his gentle smile when he gifted her the thunder urgency sword; she remembered his mesmerizing demeanor every time he fought... A feeling mixed with admiration, dependence, gratitude, and hazy affection quietly sprouted in her heart, becoming clearer and clearer.

"Big Brother Lin," she suddenly mustered her courage, her voice small but firm, "I... I will work hard to Cultivate! In the future, I also want to be like Senior Sister Su and Senior Sister Qu, to be able to stand by your side and help you share the burden!"

Lin Xuan was slightly startled by this, and turned his head to look at the young girl beside him. Under the reflection of the firelight, her big eyes flashed with incomparably serious light, pure and persistent. His heart was touched; he reached out and gently rubbed her head, smiling: "Okay, I believe Xiaoyu can definitely do it. However, the road of Cultivation is long, one must not be impatient; steady and solid progress is the Righteous Path."

Feeling the warmth and weight on her head, and listening to his gentle encouragement, Gongsun Yu felt her whole body warm and fuzzy, and nodded vigorously: "Mm! I will listen to Big Brother Lin!"

She quietly moved a little closer to Lin Xuan, feeling the reassuring aura coming from him, her heart filled with happy satisfaction. As long as she could always follow by his side like this, watching him, and helping him, even if it was just a trivial amount, she was willing.

The night deepened, and the roars of unknown Yao Beasts came from the swamp. But in this small space protected by the Formation, the bonfire crackled, and warmth surged quietly. Su Wanqing opened her eyes, glanced at Gongsun Yu sitting close to Lin Xuan, a trace of understanding and faint softness flashed in her icy eyes, and then she closed them again. Qu Feiyan pursed her lips and muttered to herself, "Little girl," but there was not much malice in the depths of her eyes, and instead, there was a trace of imperceptible approval.

Lin Xuan watched the leaping flames, feeling the overt or covert affection and reliance of the three women beside him, and the sense of responsibility on his shoulders and the desire to protect in his heart grew stronger. The road ahead was arduous and dangerous, but he was not walking alone.

The mist would eventually dissipate, and they would continue to move forward.