Except Kiaria and Diala, everyone who had survived the swamp had already reached a safe location.
The place they halted at was not truly safe–no place near the swamp ever was–but compared to the suffocating mire behind them, it felt like another world. The ground was firmer, the air thinner, less tainted by decay and Yin residue. Even so, silence dominated. Not the peaceful kind, but the kind that settled after catastrophe, heavy and unwilling to disperse.
Princess Lainsa lay on a cloak spread hastily over the ground.
Her breathing was even, but her mind was far from calm.
She was still unconscious, trapped within a dream that refused to loosen its grip. Her head tilted slightly to one side without awareness, dark strands of hair brushing her cheek as her brows tightened and relaxed in restless rhythm. Inside her dream, the swamp replayed itself in fragments–mud swallowing ankles, the oppressive pressure of Yin Qi pressing against her senses, and then the moment that eclipsed everything else.
The strike.
Chief Azriel's attack from behind.
The shock that traveled up her spine, the sudden loss of balance, the helpless fall as her consciousness slipped away while she was still facing the octopus. Even in dreams, betrayal cut deeper than pain.
Her fingers twitched.
Reality crept back slowly.
Lainsa woke with a sharp breath, her body tensing instinctively as if expecting another blow. The first thing she felt was pain–dull, lingering, radiating from the back of her neck. She raised a hand and rubbed the spot unconsciously, her fingers pressing harder than necessary, as though she could knead the memory out of her flesh.
A mild headache throbbed behind her eyes. When she tried to sit up, dizziness followed immediately, forcing her to pause and steady herself.
Her ears caught a voice nearby.
Chief Azriel.
The sound snapped her fully awake.
Her eyes hardened in an instant.
Without hesitation, Lainsa reached into her spatial ring. The familiar sensation of cold metal slid into her palm as her handfan emerged, unfolding with a crisp sound that cut through the tense air. She raised it and pointed the blade directly at Chief Azriel, the tip unwavering.
"You traitor," she said, her voice calm but edged like sharpened steel. "How dare you attack from behind?"
The reaction was immediate.
Chief's subordinates stepped forward almost as one, forming a guarded line between their leader and the Princess. Spatial ripples flickered as Ruyi Guns were drawn, the polished metal catching faint light as they aimed squarely at Lainsa. Their faces were tense, eyes alert, fingers wrapped tightly around their weapons.
The atmosphere tightened, breath held on all sides.
Then a single command fell, heavy with authority.
"STEP BACK."
The voice did not rise, yet it carried absolute command.
The subordinates froze, surprise flashing across their expressions. "What?" someone blurted out before catching himself. Reluctantly, they stepped back as ordered, though their caution did not fade. The Ruyi Guns remained in their hands, still raised, ready to fire if the situation turned.
Chief Azriel moved forward.
He did so slowly, deliberately, his expression stripped bare. Guilt was there–unhidden, raw–but beneath it lay determination, the kind that came from having already crossed a line and choosing not to retreat further.
Without saying a word, he began removing his armor.
Metal clasps released. Plates slid free and dropped to the ground with dull thuds, one after another, until he stood before Lainsa unprotected, his robe exposed to the blade aimed at him.
He continued walking until the tip of Lainsa's handfan hovered a breath away from piercing fabric and flesh alike.
"Lainsa," he said quietly. "I know I broke your trust." His voice did not waver. "But this is not the right time to settle it. I promise you–once we leave this place safely, you may punish me however you wish."
For a moment, nothing moved.
Then Lainsa stepped back–two measured steps.
Her wrist flicked.
The blade slashed downward with surgical precision, stopping just short of his boots. The force carved a deep, clean line into the ground, soil and stone splitting apart as if cleaved by intent itself.
Chief Azriel did not flinch.
He did not dodge.
He did not defend.
He let her anger strike the earth instead of him.
"If Ghost Shade is harmed when they arrive," Lainsa said coldly, her voice carrying restrained fury that made the air feel thinner, "I will repay you twice–no… ten times over." Her eyes locked onto his. "Pray they return unscathed."
Far away from that fragile ceasefire, the heart of the swamp throbbed with a different tension.
The dual cultivation was nearing its end.
The Yin–Yang crystal between Kiaria and Diala dimmed visibly, its once-vibrant glow fading as if drained by time itself. The distinct hues blurred together, thinning until the crystal lost its color entirely, the tip at its crown now resembling ordinary stone.
The balance was breaking.
"Dia," Kiaria said calmly, his gaze fixed on the crystal. "The petrification will stop in a few minutes. You should leave now."
"We will leave together," Diala replied instantly, the words spilling out without thought. "You promised me–you wouldn't play the hero again."
Kiaria turned to her, his expression composed yet firm. "I can't leave yet. I still have unfinished work here. And if you stay, I won't be able to do it at ease."
He reached out and cupped her cheek, his thumb brushing lightly against her skin. "You can use your beast companion. Travel through the sky."
Her hands clenched into his sleeves. "Then what about you?" she asked, her voice tight. "Can't you stop causing trouble for once? Leave with me."
"This octopus isn't ordinary," Kiaria replied, lifting a hand to point toward the petrified monstrosity nearby. "It has Eyes of Insight. It can see through refined energies."
"So what?" Diala protested. "We can come back later. With better preparation. Now let's leave together."
"Dia," Kiaria said softly, "refining its demonic beast core into Essence will improve my vision. We won't get this chance again." His eyes sharpened. "It's a wisdom-awakened beast. It won't repeat the same mistake twice."
He continued before she could interrupt. "Your beast is a fox. It can trace Elder Mu Li's blood. It will lead you safely. A Saint Beast can fly."
"But how will you return?" Diala asked, unease creeping into her tone.
Kiaria smiled faintly. "Did you forget? One of my bloodlines is the Blood Moon Wolf."
She exhaled slowly, then nodded. "Alright. Be careful."
She tightened her grip on his hands for a moment longer before releasing them.
"WHITE JADE!"
"Hahaha…" Kiaria laughed softly. "You don't need to shout. Just think of it. Your wills are already connected."
"Huh! I don't care." She turned her face away, pretending to be annoyed.
White Jade emerged in its true form, majestic and silent, fur shimmering faintly. Diala climbed onto its back.
"Let's go," she commanded. "Trace the route. Don't disperse the path behind."
The beast leapt into the air.
Kiaria watched until she vanished from sight.
"Now I'm alone," he murmured, stretching his arms lightly.
His lips curved faintly.
"Time for play… Evil Spider–COME OUT."
The spider appeared first as a small spiderling, bowing deeply. "Master, I'm here."
"Isolate the octopus in your domain. Don't underestimate it," Kiaria ordered. "I'm going to destroy this swamp."
"As you wish."
Black mist bloomed in midair. The spider vanished within it, and moments later its massive true form surged forward, binding the octopus in thick webbing and dragging it into its domain.
"Teleport."
At Kiaria's command, the domain folded into the treasure box.
Yang Qi from the spiritual spring awakened the petrified octopus. Cracks spread rapidly across its surface, stone splintering apart as the petrification shattered.
Inside the domain, resentment energy flooded everything. Outside, the inner world of the treasure box brimmed with pure Yang Qi–unseen, yet omnipresent.
The octopus felt it.
Evil Spider felt something worse.
Fear crawled through its vertical chains of eyes as it recognized the dominance emanating from the creature before it. Instinct screamed danger. It wove web after web, binding tighter and tighter, the sticky strands perfectly matched to the octopus' slimy surface.
The octopus did not resist.
Confidence surged through Evil Spider.
Too quickly.
The immobility was deliberate.
Digestive fluids seeped through the slime, dissolving the web from within. Evil Spider continued weaving, cocooning the creature fully, unaware that its final defense was already failing.
A chill crept up its back.
As a predator, Evil Spider knew–turning its head back meant instant death.
Instead, it cast Prison Spike.
The battle erupted.
Outside the relic world, Kiaria raised his hand.
Earth Core Green Fire manifested–compressed, layered with Coiling Dragon Beast Flame. He released it, letting it fall toward the swamp.
Mid-descent, the flame divided, forming a precise lattice over the mire. Below, Blood Worms awakened, confused and leaderless.
When the lattice touched the swamp, the dragon flame extinguished instantly.
The Earth Core Green Fire detonated.
Sentient flame swept through the swamp, erasing resistance. Blood Worms dissolved directly into Essence, which Kiaria calmly collected into vials.
"Now, only one left."
The fire returned to his sea of consciousness.
Inside Ghost Prison, Kiaria shattered the domain again and again, deliberately strengthening Evil Spider while filling the space with resentment.
Voices haunted the octopus.
Pressure mounted.
Evil Spider struck.
Kiaria intervened–too late for himself.
The tentacle slammed into him, driving him into the prison floor. Yet his body remained unmarred.
The octopus' massive body finally stilled.
For the first time since the battle began, it ceased hiding its gaze.
From beneath layers of twisted flesh and coiled tentacles, its Eyes of Insight opened fully. The moment they focused on Kiaria, the domain itself seemed to tighten, as though reality had been placed under scrutiny.
The eyes pierced through surface strength, through techniques and disguises, straight into the core.
What they saw made the creature pause.
Dense Yin–Yang circulation flowed within Kiaria's body in perfect rhythm, neither chaotic nor forced. It was abundant–far more than any ordinary cultivator at this stage should possess. Enough to sate hunger. Enough to sustain survival.
A distorted resonance escaped from the octopus, metallic and strained, as if its throat was unused to speech.
"F–E–A–S–T."
The single word carried no emotion–only instinct and desire.
Kiaria met its gaze calmly.
"Yes," he replied evenly. "You are right."
There was no mockery in his tone, no pride–only acknowledgement.
In the next instant, Earth Core Green Fire surged outward from within his body.
It did not explode violently. Instead, it unfurled like a living tide, flowing along his meridians, coating his skin, seeping into every contact point between him and the octopus. The sentient flame recognized hostility and responded without hesitation.
The octopus' slimy outer layer ignited.
Its greatest defense–its corrosive, adhesive body–became its greatest weakness. The flames clung to it, spreading rapidly, devouring its structure from the outside inward. Tentacles writhed violently, slamming into the Ghost Prison walls, but the fire did not waver.
"Don't you like to slam?" Kiaria asked quietly.
He seized one of the massive tentacles with both hands and brought the creature down hard, smashing its body against the ground. The impact sent shockwaves through the domain. Before the octopus could recover, Kiaria hurled it again–left, then right–each slam deliberate, measured, stripping away momentum and resistance.
"Prison Spikes," Kiaria commanded.
Evil Spider reacted instantly.
Dark spikes erupted from the domain floor, forming a cruel forest of restraints. Kiaria flung the octopus into them with brute force, impaling its bulk at multiple points. The spikes held–but only barely.
The octopus did not scream.
It endured.
"Indeed… you are a formidable enemy," Evil Spider said grimly and leapt forward, pressing its massive body against the octopus to pin it more securely.
That was the moment the octopus counterattacked.
A sudden contraction. A brutal twist.
One of Evil Spider's legs was severed cleanly, torn away and flung like a spear through the domain. Kiaria crossed his arms instantly, dragon-scale armor manifesting over his forearms as the limb slammed into him with overwhelming force.
He was thrown back, skidding across the Ghost Prison floor, dragged several meters before he stabilized himself.
Kiaria rose slowly.
Enough.
He retrieved the Dragon Cauldron.
The entire Ghost Prison folded inward, compressed and sealed within the cauldron's space. Flames surged around its surface as Kiaria poured power into it.
"Vanish Ghost Prison," he ordered calmly. "Follow me."
"Yes, Master," Evil Spider replied, retreating instantly as commanded.
Outside the cauldron, Kiaria placed a single drop of Spiritual Spring onto the severed limb of Evil Spider. Vitality surged, stabilizing the injury.
"Step aside," Kiaria said. "Reattach your limb. Cocoon yourself and recover."
Evil Spider obeyed without hesitation.
Earth Core Green Fire engulfed the Dragon Cauldron completely.
Inside, the octopus finally screamed.
Its body writhed, water bursting violently from its flesh as internal structures collapsed. Kiaria reinforced the cauldron with Dragon Beast Flame, sealing it tightly to prevent any Essence from escaping.
The Spiritual Spring Embryo floated above Kiaria's head, pulsing rhythmically, replenishing what little energy he expended.
Five minutes.
That was all it took.
When the flames subsided, the octopus' body had been completely reduced. Kiaria invoked the sentient fire once more–not to burn flesh, but to purify.
Its soul was incinerated.
Its Demonic Beast Core was refined.
Within the seal, pure Essence condensed–clean, stable, obedient.
Only then did Kiaria withdraw from the relic.
He activated his Blood Moon Wolf bloodline, senses sharpening instantly. The faint trail of blood ahead responded, guiding him forward. He followed the same route Diala had taken.
She was waiting midway, pacing anxiously instead of proceeding to the safe zone.
Kiaria emerged from the mist.
"Dia," he said, "didn't I tell you to leave? Why did you stop here?"
She turned sharply. "Why should I obey you? Did you ever obey me–or my brothers?" Her voice trembled with restrained frustration. "How many times have you broken your promises?"
Kiaria had no answer.
"…Let's keep going," he said quietly.
Ten minutes later, they crossed the swamp's boundary.
"Look–look! He's back!" the newcomers shouted.
Relief exploded across the camp.
"That's great…" Princess Lainsa laughed and cried at the same time. She rushed forward, hugged Diala tightly, then grabbed her hand and pulled her toward the safest area.
Others followed, ignoring their own wounds, crowding toward Kiaria with excitement and disbelief.
Kiaria smiled faintly. "Rest first," he said calmly. "Your lives matter more than curiosity."
Questions still spilled out.
"How did you escape that creature?"
"Can you teach us that technique?"
Chief Azriel exhaled sharply. "Enough. Don't behave like children. The Patron is exhausted. Give him space."
Kiaria turned to him. "Where is Elder Mu Li?"
Chief's hands trembled as he produced a brush and knelt, offering it with both palms. "Patron… he didn't make it."
Tears fell.
Kiaria accepted the brush. The moment his fingers closed around it, he felt it–a faint remnant, fragile yet persistent.
"A soul remnant…" Kiaria murmured. "Did Elder leave any message before he died?"
Chief shook his head. "He said nothing. Not to me. Not to Mu Long."
"Give me space," Kiaria said quietly.
The gathered treasure hunters stepped back at once.
Kiaria took a slow breath and rolled his fingers along the brush's rod. A pale white radiance unfurled from his palm–Fairy Nature Essence, the last reserve he had stored for emergencies.
The light flowed through the brush, illuminating it from end to end, then returned, carrying fragmented memories with it.
Elder Mu Li's wisp of soul entered Kiaria's consciousness.
"Patron," the elder said, his voice humble yet steady, "I have a request. I know it is excessive, and I know I have no right to stand before you… but this is my final wish."
"Elder," Kiaria replied gently, "you do not need humility with me. To stand with you in life and death is my honor. Speak. I will fulfill it wholeheartedly."
"Everyone in the team knows you are the son of the Grand Preceptor," Elder Mu Li continued softly. "Except that child… the one capable of miracles. That is why I ask for your help. I have a story to tell you. Do you have time to hear it?"
Kiaria's fist tightened.
"You all knew my identity…"
"Patron," Elder Mu Li said, placing a spectral hand on his shoulder, "your prestige is our hope. No one here would ever betray you."
Kiaria exhaled slowly.
"Then tell me," he said. "Tell me the story you wish to share."
Elder Mu Li smiled.
And took a deep breath.