Walker Of The Worlds

Chapter 3250: Marshes Of The Silent Skies

The formation lines carved across the platform’s surface pulsed with restrained energy, forming intricate spirals that seemed to twist infinitely, threading through each of the embedded jades.

The Ice Drake guard overseeing the array bowed deeply upon seeing them. The presence of both the Elder Ice Drake and Lin Mu, their saviour, was more than enough to command reverence.

Lin Mu handed over the required activation token of the Imperial Court, and the teleportation formation began to hum with deep, rhythmic vibrations. A blinding light erupted from beneath their feet, and in the next moment, their surroundings vanished.

The chill of the north faded, replaced by the heavy humidity of the Northern frontier. When the light receded, the group stood upon another teleportation platform, this one located in the fortified city of Heiyun, known as the Last Barrier of the North before the Marshes..

From this city, the border of the Marshes of the Silent Skies was less than an hour away by flight. Even from here, the oppressive atmosphere could be faintly sensed, like an unseen mist pressing against the senses.

Without delay, Lin Mu summoned Little Shrubby.

The fiery beast emerged with a low growl, its fur streaked with crimson and orange flames, each strand shimmering faintly with elemental energy.

"Let’s go," Lin Mu said, and the group mounted the beast before it took off into the air with a rush of heat and sound.

WHOOSH

The wind whipped past them as they soared over the sprawling wetlands that marked the outskirts of the marsh. Gradually, the green and brown of the land began to fade into colors that were wrong in every sense of the word.

Soon, the horizon turned into a sea of distortion.

The Marshes of the Silent Skies stretched before them, vast and endless. From above, it looked like a roiling ocean made not of water, but of swirling colors that seemed to breathe and move with a will of their own.

The air itself trembled with unseen malice.

A thick haze of Baleful Energy covered the landscape, shifting like living fog. It pulsed and twisted, taking on hues that hurt the eyes.

Sickly green light shimmered and faded into deep black, only to be replaced by ghostly blues and withering grays. The entire expanse looked alive, as though countless souls were trapped within the mists, writhing and whispering for release.

Cattaleya shielded her eyes, squinting into the distance. "It’s worse than I imagined," she murmured.

Daoist Chu’s voice was grim. "No wonder no one returns. Even standing this close feels unbearable."

Lin Mu remained silent, his gaze fixed on the horizon.

The oppressive energies rolled and surged like waves, retreating and advancing in irregular intervals. He had read that the Baleful Energies behaved like tides, expanding and contracting without pattern, sometimes swallowing miles of land before receding again.

Little Shrubby slowed its flight, circling down until they landed about a kilometer from the edge. The ground here was cracked and gray, the vegetation long since withered. Even the soil seemed drained of vitality.

"This should be far enough," Lin Mu said, dismounting.

The others followed, their expressions tense as they surveyed the land ahead.

The remains of an old wall stretched across the barren plain. Though worn and weathered, the faint glimmer of formation patterns could still be seen etched into its surface.

The wall had been built thousands of years ago to contain the spread of the marsh’s corruption. Ironically, it was a barrier meant to keep the horrors inside, not to defend against anything outside.

Lin Mu ran his hand along the stone.

The inscriptions were barely functional, their spiritual circuits thin and unstable. "It’s weaker than I expected," he said quietly.

Daoist Chu nodded. "The Empire sends repair teams every winter, but the Baleful Energy eats away at the arrays faster than they can mend them. By this time of year, the structure is at its weakest."

Monk Hushu looked toward the distant haze. "Even weakened, it still serves as a warning. The marsh is alive, and it will not tolerate intruders."

Lin Mu turned away from the wall, his gaze settling on the endless mist. "All the more reason for me to go first."

The others immediately looked at him.

"You mean to enter alone?" Cattaleya asked sharply.

Lin Mu nodded. "I need to test the torch first and figure out the exact combinations of energies needed to make more. If it fails, I will be able to retreat before the energies overwhelm me. But if we all enter without confirmation, we might lose everything in one stroke."

Daoist Chu frowned. "You have our trust, but still—"

Lin Mu held up a hand, silencing him. "I’ll be careful. My physique can endure the corruption longer than most. Once I confirm it works, I’ll inform you all."

For a moment, no one spoke.

Then Meng Bai stepped forward, bowing deeply. "Then may fortune guide you, Master."

Lin Mu offered him a faint smile before stepping away from the group.

Each stride brought him closer to the border where the air shimmered faintly, distorted by invisible currents. He could already feel it... the faint prickle of Baleful Energies brushing against his skin, like invisible needles pressing against his Qi barrier.

He paused, taking a deep breath, then let his cultivation flow freely.

The Burdenless Dominator Physique stirred to life, its resilient energy pushing outward and combining with his Sword Intent, forming an invisible barrier of resistance. The corrosive energy met his body and dispersed harmlessly, like waves breaking against a rock.

Lin Mu exhaled softly, a small measure of relief crossing his face. "It holds," he muttered. "At least for now."

Still, he knew that this was only the edge. The real danger lay deeper within.

From his spatial ring, he retrieved the Death Obscuring Torch. Its blackened surface seemed to drink in the surrounding light, and the faint scent of pitch filled the air. Lin Mu poured his Immortal Qi into it, channeling the precise pattern he had learned over the past week.