Lim Tian lifted his head high, full of arrogance and confidence. "Old fool," he said dismissively, "you think you can kill me?"

Meng Yiyu’s purple eyes flashed. A strange violet light flooded the land as the Primordial Qi from dozens of miles around seemed to be instantly absorbed. A heart-stopping pressure descended from the sky, landing squarely on Lim Tian’s shoulders.

BOOM!

With a thunderous roar, Meng Yiyu’s arm shot toward Lim Tian, and the air around them trembled.

Lim Tian saw this and held his breath, focusing his mind. He drew a fist back to his waist, then shot forward at top speed.

BAM!

Where the fist and palm met, strange ripples spread through the air, expanding endlessly. The aftershock alone was enough to pulverize the surrounding rubble and trees into dust, followed immediately by another deafening crash.

THUD!

Lim Tian’s body slammed heavily into the ground, kicking up a cloud of dust as he was half-buried in the earth.

’Strong!’

’Too strong!’

The onlookers were all aghast, their faces pale with shock.

Meng Yiyu looked nonchalantly at Lim Tian on the ground and said slowly, "When I first made a name for myself, you were still playing in the mud somewhere. What makes you think you’re worthy of spouting such nonsense before me?"

Hearing Meng Yiyu’s words, Lim Tian’s face flushed red, and his eyes darted about nervously.

"I... will not kill you." Seeing Lim Tian’s expression, Meng Yiyu instantly knew what he was thinking.

Lim Tian sneered. "You don’t dare kill me, do you?"

"While I may not kill you, I will teach you the meaning of a life worse than death."

Meng Yiyu’s expression remained unchanged, but his words sent a chill through the hearts of everyone present.

"You!"

As Lim Tian watched Meng Yiyu walk toward him, an emotion he hadn’t felt in years suddenly crashed over him like a tidal wave. In an instant, his face turned deathly pale.

「...」

The Ice Python’s body executed a swift dive, plunging directly into the pitch-black forest.

As soon as he entered the forest, Wen Qingye felt a wave of dizziness, as if the strength was draining from his limbs.

’This Miasma is potent.’ Wen Qingye quickly circulated his Primordial Qi to dispel the Miasma around him while pulling a Profound Pearl from his Sumeru Mustard Seed.

If not for his formidable physique, he probably would have thrown up on the spot.

The Ice Python stared ahead and said slowly, "The air here is intense. I can even sense a trace of poison in it. You should be careful."

"That’s not a problem. My Longevity Technique suppresses poisons. What worries me is... have you noticed our surroundings?"

CRACK! Just as Wen Qingye finished speaking, the Profound Pearl in his hand shattered with a crisp sound. Its Primordial Qi completely exhausted, the Profound Pearl had turned into an ordinary stone.

This was the second Profound Pearl that had crumbled to dust. As his cultivation increased, his consumption of Profound Pearls was also growing larger.

"Our surroundings?" The Ice Python finally took notice, its eyes scanning the area. It came to an abrupt halt and said in a choked voice, "Here... It looks like we were just here a moment ago."

Wen Qingye smiled. "That’s right. It seems we’ve been going in circles."

"Then what do we do?" the Ice Python asked.

Wen Qingye’s gaze was profound as he looked ahead. He said softly, "The most dangerous part of the Purple Nether Swamp isn’t this area, but the thousand-mile marshland at its center. That swamp glows with a purple light, and the Miasma is thick. It emits a strange field that radiates outward. I think we’re already being affected by it."

After a pause, Wen Qingye continued, "What we’re seeing is just an illusion created by the Purple Nether Swamp. If we keep pushing forward, I believe we can definitely break through it."

The Ice Python nodded. "I suppose that’s our only option," it said with resignation. "I’ve completely lost my bearings. Trying to go back is impossible now."

With that, the Ice Python’s body transformed into an arc of blue light and continued to race forward.

The surrounding Miasma grew heavier and more pervasive, seeping in from all directions. If not for Wen Qingye’s exceptional constitution and the miraculous Longevity Technique, he would have long since been consumed by it.

SWOOSH!

While the Ice Python was flying, a massive golden gleam shot toward Wen Qingye.

’A blade of light?’

With a flash of starlight, Wen Qingye drew his sword. In a graceful arc, his blade struck the incoming blade of light directly.

CLANG!

Wen Qingye staggered again, nearly falling from the python’s back.

’What a powerful blade of light.’

This blade of light was clearly just a splinter, less than one-ten-thousandth of the original Sword Aura’s power, yet Wen Qingye could barely withstand it. This was a testament to how incredible the full Sword Aura must be.

The Ice Python grew uneasy as well. "Could there be a peerless master here?"

Wen Qingye shook his head. "No. Although this Sword Aura is powerful, it lacks flexibility. It’s filled with an air of death, completely devoid of life. It doesn’t seem man-made."

"Not a person? Then what could it be?" the Ice Python asked, confused.

Wen Qingye said slowly, "I’m not sure either. But my guess is that it’s definitely related to a sword. It could be a peerless sword, or perhaps the lingering will of a peerless expert. Whatever it is, it must be extraordinary, because this blade of light is too pure."

The Ice Python nodded and fell silent.

In the time that followed, several more blades of light flew at them, but the Ice Python blocked them all. Wen Qingye didn’t suffer much harm.

After flying for several more days, the Ice Python and Wen Qingye had still not managed to pass through the miasma-filled forest. Meanwhile, Wen Qingye found his injuries were healing faster and faster.

Presently, the man and the python found a relatively open area to rest. The Ice Python coiled its body, and Wen Qingye sat cross-legged beside it.

The Ice Python flicked its tongue and said softly, "My Eighth and Ninth Tribulations will arrive in about a year."

Wen Qingye smiled faintly. "That pearl of yours is truly magical, to be able to predict the arrival of your tribulations so accurately."

His clothes had been completely dyed purple. This was due to the encroaching Miasma. Although Wen Qingye had blocked it, some of the Miasma had still clung to the surface of his robes, staining them violet.

The Ice Python said nothing. It raised its enormous head to the sky and opened its mouth, revealing four sharp fangs. Slowly, a warm, gentle aura began to emanate from its throat.

Wen Qingye’s eyes sharpened. He slowly rose to his feet, staring unblinkingly at the Ice Python’s massive, open mouth.

A few more breaths passed. A golden light began to shine from deep within the Ice Python’s throat. It was immediately followed by the release of a vast, ancient aura. The purple Miasma on Wen Qingye’s clothes instantly vanished, and even the surrounding Miasma scattered in all directions. A large, round pearl slowly emerged from the Ice Python’s throat.

"Is that a Dragon Pearl?" Wen Qingye asked, stunned, when he saw the pearl.

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