Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
A man spoke. âAfter cutting through the Cloud Dream Swamp, weâll reach the Li Tribe.â
Gao Peng squinted at the vast expanse of swamp ahead. The edge of the swamp was covered with dense bubbles filled with black and gray silky strands, like tumors growing on a human body. They grew over time and burst open upon reaching the maximum size to emit a gray fog.
The gray fog dissipated into the air, and the entire swamp had a large amount of fog hovering over it. The fog obscured oneâs view and limited vision in the area.
âFlamy, can you see clearly?â As a mystical bird, its vision was naturally very good, but now, it couldnât see too far.
Da Zi snuck through the Blood Contract and said within Gao Pengâs brain, âGao Peng, thereâs a lot of anger in it.â Da Zi observed the surroundings secretly as it spoke.
Gao Peng nodded. âI know.â The master and servant were equally prudent.
âAre those emotions powerful?â Gao Peng asked Da Zi quietly. The more powerful the soul, the stronger the emotional fluctuations it had.
âStrong!â Da Zi nodded fiercely, and the feathers on its neck exploded.
âCan we go around it?â Gao Peng changed the topic.
âAs far as I know, thereâs no other way. You canât fly in Cloud Dream Swamp without inviting disaster,â said the old man hesitantly.
Gao Peng was very puzzled. âDisaster? Is it a curse?â
âNo, I just heard the elders mention that you canât fly in Cloud Dream Swamp because thereâs a terrible existence in the fog.â
âCan you elaborate on that?â
The old man shook his head in pity. âIâm sorry, but I only know so much. When I was captured, I was only 17 years old. I overheard many things from the adults in the tribe.â
Seventeen? Gao Pengâs body shook. He looked at the old manâs face carefully, then hesitated and asked, âWhatâs your age now?â
The old man seemed to know what Gao Peng wanted to say. âIâm 32 this year. I just look old.â
Dark green trunks grew defiantly through the mud, and several dark-colored beetles resided on nearby branches. From time to time, the wings on their backs spread out, and a caution-worthy gas gushed from the tips of their butts. Every so often, croaks could be heard in the muddy swamp. In the shadows behind them, the parasites were well-nourished, skipping and cheering in the soil. Dead branches were half sunk into the ground, and mosquitos were gathered around rotten leaves. When someone passed, they would flock and dance in the air. The fog was swirling, and the swamp was very quiet. There were no large movements except for the sound of mosquitoesâ wings and the fluttering of small creatures.
The terrain of the swamp wasnât a single form. There were flatlands, ponds, mud lands. and even lakes and hills.
âIf weâre lucky enough to meet the hunting warriors from the tribe, we might be able to go straight back in,â someone whispered.
âOf course, that would be best,â Gao Peng responded with a smile and a nod. Everyone moved very quickly, probably because Gao Pengâs familiars were of high levels.
Because the levels of the beasts were high, there was a natural strength released. The average monster knew how to avoid a threat and, naturally, wouldnât look for trouble.@@novelbin@@
âGroan...â The sound of the tremors of the mountains was growing softer. The monsters hidden in the darkness seemed to notice that Gao Peng wasnât easy to deal with and had chosen to retreat.
âHurry through its territory so that it wonât chase us later,â Gao Peng urged.
The monster hidden in the dark had to be a Saint-tier, which would, after all, make it the dominator of the Cloud Dream Swamp. Although there was no need to fear the monster, Gao Peng didnât want to get entangled with it and draw the attention of other monsters.
A large lake in front of them stopped Gao Peng from passing through the rotting marshland. At first glance, one couldnât see the end of it, be it to the left or the right. All views were covered by the lake before them.
Gao Peng said with a smile, âHave we left Cloud Dream Swamp?â
âIâm afraid... not.â Fatty Big Sea stared at the fog on the lake. âThe fog is a characteristic unique to the Cloud Dream Swamp. I can sense the big guy in the lake and the area of ââthe lake. Iâm afraid itâs not small.â
âThen letâs go around it,â Gao Peng said.
âNo need to be so troublesome. You can put other people into Dumbyâs space, then merge with me. Weâll just sneak away in the water,â explained Fatty Big Sea. âAs long as it isnât a god-level existence, with or without intent, they wonât be able to find me in the water.â
In the beginning, whenever Gao Peng merged with Fatty Big Sea, the monster was like a grumbling housewife, now, its tone was light-hearted. What a significant change.
Gao Peng put the other people away, merged with Fatty Big Sea, and quietly went into the water.
...
In the middle of the lake, deep at the bottom, a giant black iron shell lay at the bottom of the lake. It had to have been there for a long, long time. It was covered with moss and coral reefs on its back shell. Even mud and lush seaweed grew from the soil.
Its silhouette could only be seen looking straight down at the lake from above, calmly waiting like a behemoth hidden in the abyss. The bottom of the lake was the quietest and most peaceful part. There were no monsters to kill and no battles. Only this giant shell stood alone in its original place.
Monsters who reached a certain level of intelligence could detect the danger here. Aside from regular fish swimming through the seaweed, there were no creatures.
âNo wonder thereâs no danger in the lake. The real danger is here,â Fatty Big Sea, watching this place from afar, said to Gao Peng through the Blood Contract.
âIs that a shell?â
âThatâs a clam, and it has been cultivated to a very high level.â Fatty Big Sea peered and said, âGao Peng, do you want to do something big?â
âWhat do you want to do?â
âThat nutritious clam is so big that if I eat its core crystal and meat, I can increase at least two levels.â Fat Big Sea greedily stuck its tongue out from the corner of its mouth.
âYouâre too passive. In the past, in everything that you did, you passively accepted it, and that isnât right.â Fatty Big Sea started educating Gao Peng. âYou must learn to take the initiative to fight, to grab, to win! Either you die or I die, itâs a fight to the end. Youâre just not aggressive enough.â
âNo monster in this world is innocent. Wolves eat sheep, the sheep graze, the grass plunders the earth. The sheep arenât innocent, and the grass isnât innocent.â Fatty Big Sea grinned evilly.
âThat thought isnât good. Itâs no wonder you landed in this state. According to you, you arenât innocent either.â Gao Peng lost his smile.
âI never regretted it!â Fatty Big Sea said. âI lost because I wasnât as skilled. These years, have you heard me mention the guy who knocked down my god-level status? I only pray that he doesnât die so I can eat him myself,â Fatty Big Sea said arrogantly in a clear voice.