Secrets of Ancient Books and Hidden Trace in the Mist
Inside the ancestral hall of Qingwu Town, flickering candlelight illuminated the yellowed ancient tome spread out on the table. Meng Meng's three clan elders sat around the table, their fingertips brushing over the blurred handwriting on the pages, brows furrowed. Su Xiao placed the third evil core on a wooden tray covered in red silk. The red light of the Red Sun Gu still lingered on the crystal, maintaining its temporary seal.
"This is the 'Secret Record of Sealing Evil' passed down in our clan," said Meng Bo, the eldest of the clan, pointing to a page, his voice grave. "It records that the triple evil core was originally the center of the ancient 'Evil Suppression Formation.' Back then, our ancestors used their own spiritual energy to split the core power of the Evil Witch God into three, sealed them within the evil core, and then locked them with the 'Three Centers of the Formation' - Fengwu Mountain being one of them, and the other two being 'Wuyinze' and 'Burning Heart Cave'."
Lin Xi leaned closer to the page, the copper bell trembling gently in his palm. "You mean, to completely seal the evil core, we need to find the other two array centers and reactivate the evil-suppressing array?" Meng Bo nodded, pointing to the hand-drawn map in the corner of the page. "That's right. But the Mist Hidden Marsh is shrouded in thick fog year-round. It not only contains soul-devouring miasma, but also the 'Marsh Spirit' that guards the array center. The Burning Heart Cave is deep in the volcano, and the magma contains 'fire leeches' that can melt spiritual energy. Both places are extremely dangerous."
Su Xiao picked up the map and her eyes fell on the location marked "Wuyinze"—it was a hundred miles northwest of Qingwu Town, surrounded by mountains. "Let's go to Wuyinze first," she said firmly. "The fire leeches in the Burning Heart Cave suppress spiritual power, and we're too passive in our current state. While the soul-devouring miasma in Wuyinze is toxic, Meng Meng's Gu-repelling fabric might be able to resist some of it."
Meng Meng stroked the tear in the fabric and whispered, "It's badly damaged. We need to repair it with Trachelospermum erythrorhizome. This vine only grows on the cliffs behind Qingwu Town. It's most effective when picked before the morning dew has dried." Zhao Yu immediately stood up and said, "I'll go pick some! I know the way back there and will be back early tomorrow morning."
The next day, before dawn, Zhao Yu carried his bamboo basket up the mountain. The cliffs were slippery, and morning dew dripped down the vines. He carefully scraped at the rocks and plucked the Trachelospermum jasminoides entwined on the wall, roots and all. The vines were pale green, and their sap carried a faint fragrance, which was exactly what he needed to repair the Gu-repelling fabric.
By the time Zhao Yu returned with the Trachelospermum jasminoides, Meng Meng had already prepared her needle and thread in the ancestral hall. She boiled the vine's sap into a paste, mixed it with her own spiritual energy, and applied it to the ripped fabric. Then, she carefully sewed it with silver thread. As the needle and thread shone, the cracks in the fabric slowly healed, eventually returning to their original state, even more lustrous than before.
"We can set off now." Su Xiao placed the evil core into the Chiyang Gu Box. The red light of the Gu worm shone through the box's walls, counteracting the evil core within. Lin Xi tied the copper bell around her waist, while Zhao Yu prepared sufficient dry food, torches, and insect repellent herbs. The four of them walked in the morning light towards Wuyin Lake.
As they headed west, the closer they got to Wuyin Lake, the thicker the air became. When they reached a mountain pass a hundred miles away, a thick, white fog suddenly appeared before their eyes—as thick as milk, with visibility less than three feet, even sunlight unable to penetrate. Meng Meng immediately unfolded the Gu-repelling fabric, and a blue light enveloped the four of them. She warned, "This is the Soul-Eating Miasma. Once inhaled, it will corrode the mind. Everyone, do not remove your mask."
The four of them walked into the thick fog, the path gradually becoming muddy. The copper bell at Lin Xi's waist suddenly chimed softly, and she stopped immediately. "Something's following us in the fog." Just as she finished speaking, a rustling sound suddenly erupted from the dense fog, and several dark figures darted out from the brush on either side. They were giant frogs half the height of a man, their skin gray-black, their eyes glowing a faint green, and they continuously spewed out a miasma-infused saliva.
"It's a fog frog!" Meng Meng shouted, and the blue light of the Gu-repelling fabric surged, blocking out the miasma exhaled by the giant frog. Su Xiao flicked his fingertips, and the Red Sun Gu flew out. The red light landed on the giant frog, instantly igniting it into flames. The giant frog let out a shrill cry and turned to escape, but was startled by Lin Xi shaking the copper bell. The buzzing sound waves penetrated the thick fog, causing the giant frog to tremble and its movements to become sluggish.
Zhao Yu seized the opportunity, raising his machete and slashing at the giant frog's head. With a puff, the frog fell to the ground, its body quickly reduced to ash by the Red Sun Gu's flames. But before the four could breathe a sigh of relief, more rustling sounds emanated from the thick fog, and countless dark shadows closed in on them.
"Too many! We need to get out of the fog!" Su Xiao shouted. The Red Sun Gu condensed into a streak of fire ahead, illuminating the path. The four of them quickened their pace. Meng Meng's Gu-repelling fabric maintained a constant blue light barrier, while Lin Xi's copper bell continuously emitted sound waves, repelling the approaching fog frogs. Zhao Yu, holding a knife, covered the rear, slashing and slashing at any giant frog that escaped.
After walking for an unknown amount of time, the dense fog ahead suddenly thinned. A flicker of joy flashed in Meng Meng's eyes. "We're right up ahead, at the heart of Wuyin Lake!" The four of them quickened their pace and finally broke through the fog. A vast lake appeared before them, its water a deep green, with layers of lotus leaves floating on its surface. In the center stood a small stone island, upon which stood a half-human-high cyan stone tablet, engraved with ancient runes. This was the second key point of the Demon Suppression Formation.
But at this moment, huge waves suddenly rose on the lake, and a huge black shadow rose from the bottom of the lake - it was a giant snake with a blue-black body, two antlers on its head, eyes as big as lanterns, a forked tongue sticking out of its mouth, and a thick miasma.
"It's the spirit in the lake!" Meng Bo's words echoed in Su Xiao's ears. The giant snake pounced towards the four people, stirring the lake water into a turbulent state. Lotus leaves shattered, and a miasma filled the air. Even the blue light of the Gu-repelling fabric began to flicker.
Su Xiao took a deep breath and raised the Red Sun Gu box high above his head. "Lin Xi, disrupt its perception! Meng Meng, protect everyone!" The red Gu worm instantly expanded, transforming into a massive fiery snake, charging towards Ze Zhongling. Lin Xi simultaneously rang the copper bell, its rapid humming sound waves like a sharp blade, piercing Ze Zhongling's consciousness. A new fierce battle officially began in the heart of Wuyin Lake.
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