C575

Yan Qiling's sudden appearance caught Yu Yuan completely off guard.

As per the Desolate God's edicts, neither Soul Wandering Stage cultivators nor Seventh Level demons were permitted in the Great Swamp—trespassers were to be executed without exception.

Yan Qiling certainly belonged to the ranks of those who should be eliminated, yet there he was, brazenly traversing the Great Swamp unscathed.

Whoosh!

A faint ripple disturbed the air. Yan Qiling disregarded the dull yellow light barrier, a construct of Lee Yuchan's soul consciousness, and breezed right through it.

To Yan Qiling, a master of spatial truths, Lee Yuchan's hastily erected and rudimentary barrier was nothing short of laughable.

In the blink of an eye, he had penetrated the barrier and came to a halt before Yu Yuan, exclaiming with surprise, "What brings you here?"

Yu Yuan responded with a beaming smile, "I heard about the colossal upheaval in the Desolate Swamp and had to see it for myself."

Lee Yuchan and Lee Yu had previously encountered Yan Qiling in both the Fallen Moon Forbidden Area and Darkmoon City, so he was no stranger to them.

It was Yan Qiling who had assisted Yu Yuan in freeing Lee Yuchan and Lee Yu from their confinement by the Huang family, allowing them a smooth escape from the Devil Moon Empire.

Lee Yuchan owed Yan Qiling her gratitude, yet her demeanor grew frostier after his arrival.

She had come to learn that her sister's capture was largely due to Yan Qiling's involvement.

"What's with all the aimless wandering?" Yan Qiling chuckled, rubbing his forehead in mock frustration, "Your presence in the Great Swamp is bound to stir up a storm of blood and chaos!"

"You've heard about that moniker the Babel Chamber of Commerce bestowed upon me?" Yu Yuan asked, taken aback.

"The God of Plagues? Of course, I've heard of it," Yan Qiling replied with a hearty laugh.

Lee Yuchan paused, the name 'God of Plagues' echoing in her mind. Reflecting on the events that had unfolded wherever Yu Yuan had gone, she found herself nodding in silent agreement.

Indeed, she thought, the title "God of Plagues" given by the Babel Chamber of Commerce was quite apt.

"Isn't there a rule by the Desolate God? Aren't you scared of meeting your end by entering here?" Yu Yuan scrutinized him, sensing that his presence was increasingly elusive. Although Yan Qiling stood right before him, Yu Yuan couldn't shake the eerie feeling that he was gazing upon someone from a different realm, as if through a veil separating worlds.

Yan Qiling's grasp of spatial power had clearly advanced significantly.

"I was invited, so there's nothing to fear," Yan Qiling said with composure. "A woman named Tan Yuan has called me here for a significant transaction."

"Tan Yuan!" Lee Yuchan's brow furrowed.

Yu Yuan also expressed concern, "You're not worried it's a trap?"

Tan Yuan, along with Shen Feiqing, the Silvermoon Queen, and Chen Liangquan, could all be part of the same enigmatic faction.

Back at the Absence Relic, Yan Qiling and his allies, including Zhou Cangmin, the Python Queen, Xu Zixi, and Yu Zhu, had thwarted their schemes. Surely they wouldn't just let that slide.

Could Tan Yuan be plotting a trap within the complex array of the eighteen meandering rivers?

"A trap?" Yan Qiling chuckled dismissively. "In this Great Swamp, no one but the Desolate God has the power to hold me."

His confidence was palpable.

"As you know, those adept in spatial power fear encirclement the least," Yan Qiling declared with pride, gazing into the distance. "Even those a level or two above me can't hope to ensnare and eliminate me. The Desolate God lurking in the swamp's depths has no intention of killing me, so Tan Yuan's schemes are of no concern to me."

Suddenly, a piercing whistle cut through the fog.

Lee Yuchan's face tensed. "I've been summoned."

"By whom?" Yan Qiling turned to Yu Yuan.

"Tan Yuan's people," Yu Yuan answered.

"Come on, I'll take you there." Upon seeing Yu Yuan, Yan Qiling instinctively wanted to draw him away from Lee Yuchan's side.

Having shared experiences in the Fallen Moon Forbidden Area, the Absence Relic, and the Jade Peak, the two had forged a deep bond and worked well together.

Yan Qiling might just be the person most privy to Yu Yuan's secrets, aware that he was favored by the sword soul of a Slash Moon cultivator, that he had mastered the Soul Forging Technique, and that he could connect with both the Heaven Sealing Soul Transformation Formation and the mysterious space beneath the Soul Transformation Pool.

Now, he had also learned through other channels that Yu Yuan had come into possession of the Evil Cauldron in the Ember Waters.

In Yan Qiling's eyes, Yu Yuan, though currently not very powerful, was destined to become an exceptional individual in the future. Moreover, he shared a significant connection with Yan Qiling. Both personally and professionally, he was committed to looking out for Yu Yuan and fostering a strong relationship with him.

"My name is Lee Qi, a member of the Lee family," Yu Yuan hurriedly explained. "I'll accompany her to assess the situation. If possible, please bring me along to explore the deeper parts of the mist."

Yan Qiling gave a nod and casually remarked, "No trouble at all."

With a tug, Yan Qiling conjured a chessboard woven with spatial patterns out of thin air. The chessboard, a mosaic of black and white, twirled momentarily before the space around it transformed, ushering in a shift as dramatic as the stars realigning. In an instant, Yu Yuan and Lee Yuchan reemerged at the very spot they had previously departed from. For Yan Qiling, such short-range spatial travel was effortless.

"Eh!" Faang Chun, by the Hidden Dragon Lake, couldn't contain his surprise. He stared, mouth agape, at the sudden appearance of Yu Yuan and Lee Yuchan, at a loss for words.

"Greetings, Mr. Yan!" Tan Yuan, having earlier arrived in a floating carriage, now emerged seemingly to meet Yan Qiling.

"I've arrived. Let's proceed," Yan Qiling declared, his tone exuding confidence. "I'm acquainted with this Lee Qi. He was of assistance to me during the trial in the Fallen Moon Forbidden Area." As he spoke, he drew Yu Yuan closer to his side.

Tan Yuan looked on in astonishment. "Mr. Yan, you met him in the Fallen Moon Forbidden Area?"

"Yes," Yan Qiling replied, his impatience evident. "He will accompany me inside."

Upon hearing this, Faang Chun, Qiao Xu, and the others, including members of the Qiao family, exchanged puzzled glances. They were unaware of Yan Qiling's reputation, but Tan Yuan's deference made it clear he was no ordinary figure. They wondered, how could someone of his stature hold this young man from the Lee family in such high regard?

"This doesn't quite adhere to protocol. I need to seek approval first," Tan Yuan said, her face reflecting her dilemma.

"Do it now," Yan Qiling pressed.

"Very well," Tan Yuan acquiesced, then turned to address three other women dressed in vibrant attire, "If the Bright Sect's representatives arrive later, please ask them to wait."

"Bright Sect!" Yu Yuan's heart jolted.

Lee Yuchan's eyes turned a shade colder, betraying a foreknowledge of the situation, yet he remained silent.

"Understood," the three women chimed together.

Tan Yuan and Yan Qiling offered their apologies before vanishing back into the enveloping white mist.

Time passed.

A trio emerged slowly from a different direction, led by an elderly woman with a face etched in wrinkles, leaning on a white jade cane.

Flanking her were Chung Miao and Chung Mann.

Lee Yuchan's face was a mask of frost as he let out a disdainful huff.

"Ah!"

At a hundred meters' distance, Chung Miao and Chung Mann caught sight of Yu Yuan.

They had anticipated encountering Lee Yuchan here, given that Shen Feiqing had previously intervened on Babel Island, dispatching several adversaries and aiding both Lee Yuchan and Lee Yu. The possibility of crossing paths with him again in the Desolate Swamp had crossed their minds.

Thus, seeing Lee Yuchan did not come as a shock to them.

What truly caught them off guard was the presence of Yu Yuan!

"Lee Qi of the Lee family, what a pleasure to see the two sisters once more," Yu Yuan called out with a hearty laugh.

Chung Mann was on the verge of exposing his identity when her thoughts suddenly scattered, and the words she had been about to utter slowly died on her lips.

Her sister, Chung Miao, peeked out and offered Yu Yuan a coy smile.

Her expression was sweet, her gaze teasing and full of intrigue.

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