Burying Gods Depression, located at the deepest part of the Ten Thousand Poisons Swamp. The five-colored poisonous miasma here was nearly solidified into substance, flowing slowly through the air like viscous liquid, blocking all light and plunging the surroundings into an eternal, suffocating dimness. The ground beneath was no longer marsh but covered with a thick layer of black viscous substance of unknown composition, soft and elastic to step on, emitting a pungent odor mixing intense rot and sulfur.
In the depression's center was not the flat terrain one might expect, but a grotesque landscape of jagged rocks like the remains of some massive beast. In the core area of these strange rocks, space presented abnormal distortion and fluctuation, as if an invisible, constantly writhing water membrane separated inside from outside. This was the location of Ten Thousand Souls Hall's entrance mentioned in Aunt Su's intelligence, set to open at midnight.
Tang Xiaoqi, Mu Qingfeng, Liu Yun, and the quietly rendezvoused Aunt Su—four people like ghosts—lay concealed in the shadows of a massive black rock arched like ribs at the entrance's periphery.
They had just completed a race against time. Though not fully recovered after resting in the limestone cavern, Xiaoqi could move. After separating from Falcon, relying on Aunt Su's map guidance and the Fire of Li miasma-expelling talismans' protection, he had narrowly avoided several waves of intensified patrols, finally reaching the deepest part of Burying Gods Depression before the entrance opened.
Almost simultaneously, Mu Qingfeng and Liu Yun had successfully broken through the underwater river exit's hidden sentries—a brief but fatal engagement where Liu Yun's sword, like lightning in the dark, had completely annihilated the guards before they could sound the alarm—and smoothly rendezvoused with Aunt Su as arranged.
The four-person elite team was finally formed.
However, when they truly approached that distorted spatial entrance, a pressure far deeper and more soul-trembling than the outer poison miasma, like cold tide water, washed over them.
On that constantly fluctuating "water membrane," one could vaguely see countless dark red, blood vessel-like pulsing strange runes. They wove into a massive, intricate network, firmly sealing the entire entrance. The runes flashed with ominous light, emitting dense demonic energy. One could even faintly hear countless grieving souls wailing and screaming, impacting people's minds.
This was the demonic seal guarding Ten Thousand Souls Hall!
"Such a powerful seal..." Mu Qingfeng's brows furrowed tightly. He could sense this seal contained immensely vast power, and it connected with the entire Ten Thousand Poisons Swamp's earth-vein demonic energy, endless and self-sustaining. Forcibly attacking would not only be difficult to break through but would instantly trigger alarms, inviting thunderous retaliation.
Liu Yun gripped her sword tightly, cold light flashing in her phoenix eyes. She was used to breaking ten thousand methods with one sword, but facing this massive barrier connected to earth veins, her sword was useless.
Aunt Su said softly: "This is a variant of the 'Ten Thousand Demons Soul-Locking Formation,' relying on the rich resentful energy and demonic energy of this place. Ordinary methods are extremely difficult to break, and it's abnormally sensitive to non-demonic spiritual power."
All eyes fell on Xiaoqi. He was the key to opening the entrance in the plan.
Xiaoqi took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing the intense discomfort from approaching this seal. He stepped forward, coming before that dark red rune network, slowly extending his palm.
He didn't immediately use the technique Aunt Su had taught him—that was for guiding resonance when the entrance opened. What he wanted to do now was attempt to weaken or create a gap in this seal without alerting the guards.
His mind moved as he carefully channeled the purification source from within his jade pendant. A cool, pure white light halo emerged from his palm, like a lone lamp lit in darkness.
He gently pressed his palm against that pulsing dark red rune.
"Sizzle—"
The moment purification white light contacted the dark red demonic energy, it was like cold water dropped into boiling oil, reacting violently. The touched rune instantly brightened, demonic energy churning madly, attempting to erode and defile that white light. Yet Xiaoqi's purification power was indeed slowly, bit by bit, neutralizing and dissolving the demonic energy at the contact point.
It was working!
However, Xiaoqi's expression instantly became incomparably grave.
It was too slow! This seal's demonic energy was not only dense but extremely condensed, and it shared the same source as the entire swamp's demonic energy, seeming to possess life—when purified away a trace, immediately more demonic energy would surge from all directions to repair that tiny damage. At this rate, opening a gap large enough for a person to pass would require several hours of continuous purification!
More importantly, with the continuous output of purification power, that touched rune network seemed like an angered swarm of bees, pulsing even more violently, the emitted demonic energy fluctuation clearly intensifying. Xiaoqi could clearly sense that at least several powerful spiritual senses were sweeping from the depths beyond the seal, carrying scrutiny and wariness!
He didn't doubt that if he continued purifying for a while longer, or if his purification power grew any stronger, it would instantly trigger an alarm, drawing Shadow Snake Pavilion experts stationed near the entrance!
He quickly withdrew his palm, the purification white light in his palm dissipating. That tiny purified area was almost instantly filled by surging demonic energy, returning to its original state.
"It won't work." Xiaoqi shook his head, his face somewhat pale. Just that brief attempt had consumed quite a bit of his already limited spiritual power. "Purification power works, but it's too slow and extremely easy to detect. This seal... is even more troublesome than we imagined."
Mu Qingfeng and Liu Yun's hearts also sank. Unable to silently penetrate the seal meant they had to, at the moment the entrance opened, under the gaze of potentially present guards, forcibly cast techniques to enter. That would introduce too many variables, greatly increasing danger.
Aunt Su didn't seem surprised by this; she said gravely: "The demonic entity places extreme importance on this place; naturally, the seal would be extraordinary. It seems we have no choice but to wait until midnight when the entrance naturally manifests, then proceed as originally planned with Xiaoqi casting techniques to forcibly enter. By then, the commotion of the entrance opening itself will attract attention—we must complete entry within an extremely short time and be prepared to handle interception."
The plan seemed to have returned to the most dangerous original path.
The four concealed themselves in the rock shadows, restraining all auras, motionless as stone statues, waiting for midnight to arrive. The surroundings were deathly silent, broken only by the faint sound of the demonic seal's runes pulsing, and occasionally the chilling cries of unknown poisonous creatures from the swamp depths. Time seemed stretched, every minute and second filled with torment.
Ten Thousand Souls Hall was close at hand, yet that powerful demonic seal was like an insurmountable chasm, lying before revenge and hope. They were like hunters hovering outside a dragon's lair, waiting for that sole opportunity—one that was fleeting and might come with thunderous fury.