Night again shrouded Qingxu Temple, but this time, the secret stone hall deep in the rear mountain bamboo grove had a completely different atmosphere. The air was so heavy it seemed to drip water. Spiritual power fluctuations were firmly locked by formations. Only severalglowstone provided limited light, illuminating the faces seated around the stone table.
Tang Xiao Qi, Mu Qingfeng, Liu Yun, representing Qingxu Temple. From the Shadow Breaking Alliance, besides Alliance Master Feng Wuji, two more people were present: one was the thin man bearing a longbow seen before, codename "Falcon"; the other was a short, sturdy, taciturn middle-aged man, hands covered with calluses, aura steady as mountain, codename "Stone." These two were the Shadow Breaking Alliance's most experienced, strongest core members, cultivation at late Foundation Establishment.
At the stone table's center lay spread open a massive map, made from some unknown beast hide. The mapped area was precisely the terrifying Southwest Ten Thousand Poison Marsh. Dense symbols, annotations, and danger zones were marked with different colored cinnabar and ink. This map was the crystallization of Shadow Breaking Alliance's years of painstaking effort, now displayed without reservation before Xiao Qi and the other three.
"Based on our final confirmed intelligence, combined with... special channel source," Feng Wuji's gaze swept across everyone, pausing slightly on "special channel"—everyone tacitly understood, "Shadow Snake Pavilion headquarters entrance will appear in forty... no, now forty-eight days from now at Zi-Shi time, at Ten Thousand Poison Marsh's core area 'Soul Burying Depression,' lasting twelve hours."
His finger pointed to that area on the map marked with interweaving dark brown and dark green, nearly at the marsh's exact center. There a ferocious skull mark was drawn. "Soul Burying Depression, the most dangerous area in Ten Thousand Poison Marsh—no question about it. Legend says it's a relic from some ancient great battle, where experts fell,resentment, death qi, poison qi intertwined, forming a naturalspirit-dead zone. Ordinary cultivators entering have sluggish spiritual power circulation, strength reduced to less than one-tenth. It's also a nest for powerful poison creatures and mutated demon beasts."
"And the entrance, not a fixed structure, but a spatial rift manifesting with the marsh's earth-vein poison source tide." Feng Wuji looked at Xiao Qi: "To safely pass requires Daoist Tang using Xu family bloodline or token, combined with unique technique seal guidance. This technique seal's use will certainly alert the demonic entity—meaning the moment we step through the entrance, we'll be under Shadow Snake Pavilion's highest-levelwatching, no more secrecy."
Everyone's expression solemn. This meant the infiltration plan from the start was a modified direct assault, juststrive fortoaa"legitimate" chance to enter the core, but after entering, every step would be under enemy eyes.
"Our objectives are two," Mu Qingfeng interjected, voice steady, logically clear: "Primary objective—destroy the Soul Control Jade, rescue possibly controlled Elder Xu Zhan, sever one arm of the demonic entity. Secondary objective—if opportunity arises, attempt to reinforce or repair the Nine Heavens Demon Suppression Formation sealing the demonic entity's main body, at least delay its breakout time."
"Difficulty extremely great." Liu Yun crossed her arms, brow tightly knitted: "We know nothing about Ten Thousand Soul Hall's internal structure, the Soul Control Jade's specific location, guard forces, demonic entity's state—all unknown. After entering, likeblind men describing an elephant."
"So the plan must be thorough, and we must prepare for the worst." Feng Wuji spoke deeply: "I propose dividing the team intolight and dark two lines."
His finger moved across the map: "bright (Bright) line, led by Daoist Tang, relying on bloodline and technique seal, leading a crack team, from Soul Burying Depression entrance, enter properly. Your mission is to attract Shadow Snake Pavilion's vast majority attention, create chaos, and seize opportunity to find the Soul Control Jade."
"Thedark (Dark) line," he looked at Mu Qingfeng and Liu Yun: "led by Daoist Mu, Daoist Liu, leading my Alliance's 'Falcon' and 'Stone,' plus three other members skilled in concealment and formations. They infiltrate through another path."
"Another path?" Xiao Qi questioned.
Feng Wuji pointed to an unremarkable mark near the marsh's southeast corner, close to "Thousand Weeping Pool" on the map. "Here, there's an extremely hidden underground river tributary—one our Alliance member proficient in water escape, at huge cost, discovered. This river can bypass most marsh dangers and peripheralalert, directly reaching headquarters' peripheral area, possibly even... approaching Ten Thousand Soul Hall's lower foundation structure."
He paused, continuing: "Dark line's mission: use the opportunity created by bright line, silently infiltrate headquarters' interior, conduct reconnaissance, map internal layout, find Soul Control Jade's exact location, assess demon suppression formation's state. If bright line encounters difficulties, dark line can serve assurprise force support, or at critical moments, execute demolition, destroy formation nodes, create opportunities for bright line."
"a feint, building plank roads while crossing secretly." Mu Qingfeng's eyes showed approval: "This plan is feasible. Bright line attracts fire, dark line strategizes then acts. Just, the dark line's infiltration path also has enormous risk—that underground river..."
"Full of unknowns." Codename "Stone" the short sturdy man spoke for the first time, voice like stone grinding: "The river has swift currents, contains deadly poison, has aquatic demon creatures, possibly also Shadow Snake Pavilion's underwater monitoring formations. We have only one chance—once exposed, all previous effort wasted."
"Risk accompanies opportunity." Liu Yun's phoenix eyes carried killing intent: "Better than everyone assaulting from front, being wiped out together."
Next came detailed, near-excruciating task assignments and deductions.
Bright line team, final composition: Xiao Qi as core, Shadow Breaking Alliance sending "Falcon" the archer plus two other mid Foundation Establishment members skilled in direct combat and defense. Their main duty was protecting Xiao Qi, ensuring he could safely use the technique seal to enter headquarters, and after entering, serve as the most conspicuous target, attracting enemies.
"After entering Ten Thousand Soul Hall, how do we find the Soul Control Jade?" Xiao Qi raised a key question.
Fruction Wuji took out a compass-shaped artifact, its surface pointer emittingeerie glow. "This is called 'Soul Attraction Compass,' has faint sensing toward powerful soul imprisonment objects. Soul Control Jade imprisons Elder Xu Zhan and countless souls—its soul fluctuation extremely strong. Within certain distance, the compass should guide direction. But after entering Ten Thousand Soul Hall, internal interference formations will certainly exist, effect greatly reduced, and cannot be used frequently to avoid detection."
Dark line team, led by Mu Qingfeng, with Liu Yun as deputy, plus "Stone," "Falcon" (before dark line succeeds, "Falcon" first follows bright line actions, after arriving at headquarters periphery, uses his agile movement to attempt joining dark line or transmitting messages), and three Shadow Breaking Alliance specialists—a formation master, a trap expert, a pharmacist (responsible for interpreting poison barriers, treating injuries).
They needed precise time calculation. After bright line team departs, simultaneously infiltrate through the underground river. Using Mu Qingfeng's steadiness and Liu Yun's sharpness, when enemies are attracted by bright line, infiltrate like shadows.
"How to solve communication problem?" Liu Yun asked. Within the demonic qi-filled, formation-covered headquarters interior, ordinary communication talismans were nearly useless.
Feng Wuji again took out several deep purple talismans, shaped like scales. "These are 'Demon Scale Talismans,' refined from demon creature scales mixed with special materials, can to some extent simulate demonic qi fluctuations, conduct encrypted communication at short distances. But usable times limited, still risk of being intercepted by high-level demonic cultivators. Non-emergency situations, maintain silence as much as possible."
Withdrawal plans, several sets similarly formulated. Best case: both teams complete missions, return via original path, or within headquarters create greater chaos, find other exits. Worst case: plan fails, completely trapped inside—in that case, each fights alone, preserves combat strength as much as possible, or...mutual destruction.
"Forty-eight days." Feng Wuji finally summarized, gaze sweeping across each person, carrying unquestionable resolve: "We have only forty-eight days preparation time. During this period, need to familiarize with map, rehearse coordination, prepare sufficient detoxifying pills,miasma-avoiding talismans, healing pills, formation-breaking tools, and... prepare consciousness forgo to death."
He looked at Xiao Qi, Mu Qingfeng, Liu Yun, at his own subordinates: "This journey, nine deaths no life. But to eliminate demonic disaster, console the dead, we... without hesitation!"
"without hesitation!" In the stone hall, low yet firm voicesgathered together, carryingburn one's bridges'scourage and a trace oftragic and solemndetermined.
Detailed infiltration plan, within this dark stone hall, wasapointpointhone to shape. Every link, every possibility, repeatedly deliberated, argued, perfected. This was an action gambling life, honor, and belief—target directly that dragon's den like Shadow Snake Pavilion's heart.
The detailed infiltration plan, within this dark stone hall, was polished into shape bit by bit. Every link, every possibility, repeatedly deliberated, argued, perfected. This was an action gambling life, honor, and belief—target directly that dragon's den like Shadow Snake Pavilion's heart.