Chapter 81

Over the past five years, Ru Hongming felt increasingly powerless about the relationship between Ru Limeng and Gu Xuyao. Gradually, he no longer interfered with the two, but sometimes, Gu Xuyao could see a lonely figure following Ru Limeng after she left. However, this time Gu Xuyao was wrong. Before he could speak, Ru Hongming at the door silently lowered his head, looking at his toes.

"Don't misunderstand, I didn't come to ruin this moment of your embrace. I just came to inform the various devotees that if they can enter the White Mist Cloud Marsh to find the antlers of the Cloud Marsh Flower Deer and the mature Inert Birth Grass for the Ru family, the family head is willing to offer half of his wealth as a reward."

Clearly, the sight of Ru Limeng in pain in Gu Xuyao's arms had hurt Ru Hongming's heart. Thinking about this, Gu Xuyao felt a bit uncomfortable and patted Ru Limeng, signaling that someone was at the door. Gu Xuyao left the house and stood in front of Ru Hongming.

Although Gu Xuyao had lived in the Liao Wu Manor for five years, this was the first time he had spoken face-to-face with Ru Hongming.

"In fact, there is one thing I have always been very curious about. Three years ago, the lady fell ill with a strange disease, and the family head was unwilling to reveal any information. How could we cultivators be troubled by any illness? Actually, the Ru family has treated me well. Entering the Cloud Marsh for the lady is not impossible, but I want to know what exactly happened to the lady. If so, even if I get lost in the Cloud Marsh, I will do it willingly."

The White Mist Cloud Marsh is vast, and it is said that its edge has already reached the middle of the Lingxiao Realm. Within the entire White Mist Cloud Marsh, there are other marshes, and the White Mist Cloud Marsh is one of them.

"Do you want to know?" Ru Hongming looked at Gu Xuyao with a strange expression.

Gu Xuyao nodded.

"Alas."

"Actually, the matter is not as you have heard. The lady did not fall ill with a strange disease but was infected with a peculiar curse."

Gu Xuyao's brows furrowed.

"Curse? Is it the special insects that some evil cultivators use to poison others?"

"Exactly, it is that kind of thing. At first, the family head was unsure, but after inviting experts from the Sun family, it was finally confirmed that it was indeed a curse."

Curses are very peculiar entities. In the cultivation world, there are many small insects that carry terrifying poisons but have unremarkable appearances. Some cultivators, seeing their power, collect them, refine them with their essence energy, and feed them more poisons. Once such a refined curse enters a cultivator's body, it is extremely difficult to remove unless the one who cast the curse removes it voluntarily.

"Since it is a curse, it must be the work of a cultivator. The Liao Wu Manor has always been peaceful. Why would a cultivator do this?"

Ru Hongming sighed.

"No one knows who did this to the lady. But yesterday, the family head suddenly received a hexagonal stone. It said that if the family head does not leave the White Mist Cloud Marsh, he will immediately make the curse in the lady's body kill her. The family head loves the lady deeply but also bears the responsibility of continuing the family. Therefore, he has humbly asked the experts of the Sun family for the antidote."

Gu Xuyao nodded slightly and glanced at the closed door.

"Does Limeng know about these things?"

Ru Hongming shook his head.

"Alright, since that's the case, I will go to the White Mist Cloud Marsh."

For the family head to mobilize the devotees, the White Mist Cloud Marsh must be a special place. Although Gu Xuyao had not heard of it, he had a vague feeling.

Ru Hongming's eyes were complex, and he also glanced at the closed door. He pursed his lips and finally handed a hexagonal stone to Gu Xuyao.

The role of the devotees is to show their worth in times of crisis. Unfortunately, among the Ru family's devotees, only Gu Xuyao was willing to enter the White Mist Cloud Marsh. As for the cultivators of the Ru family, none of them would go. This is the nature of a family. In the current Ru family, apart from half of the true Ru family bloodline, the other cultivators are all like Ru Hongming, who are from the outer branches. Unless the clan leader is in trouble, they will not risk their lives to save him. Even if they share the Ru family bloodline, the clan leader's wife is not surnamed Ru, so they will not go to save her. The family head, Ru Dongsheng, would not lower himself to ask for their help.

If there is trouble in the clan, everyone will step up without hesitation, but if it only involves an individual, it is a different story. This is the coldness of human nature. The vast Ru family can only rely on Gu Xuyao to save the family head's wife.

The hexagonal stone is a very convenient magical tool. Besides storing text, it can also store images. All the basic information about the White Mist Cloud Marsh is stored in this hexagonal stone.

The White Mist Cloud Marsh, as its name suggests, is covered by white mist. Unlike other places, the White Mist Cloud Marsh is a very dangerous marsh. However, its danger is relative because the White Mist Cloud Marsh is static. Unless you intrude, it will not endanger others.

The danger of the White Mist Cloud Marsh lies in its ability to devour cultivators who enter it. It is said that the White Mist Cloud Marsh was once the cultivation ground of an ancestor. This ancestor had a very high level of cultivation but ultimately could not escape the fate of sitting in meditation until death. After his death, the white turtle he had raised for many years also died. To commemorate its master, the white turtle transformed its body into this white mist. Any cultivator who dares to step into it will never be able to leave and will become a sacrificial offering to the ancestor.

Besides these legends, the White Mist Cloud Marsh is also a place with very dense essence energy. Perhaps due to the white mist, the essence energy in the Cloud Marsh is several times more concentrated than in other parts of the White Mist Cloud Marsh. Therefore, many cultivators hope to break through their cultivation bottlenecks by using the dense essence energy inside. Unfortunately, very few cultivators have come out after entering, and those who did come out did not talk about the Cloud Marsh and showed no improvement in their cultivation, eventually dying in despair.

This dense essence energy not only attracts cultivators from outside but also nurtures a unique ecosystem in the White Mist Cloud Marsh, such as the Cloud Marsh Flower Deer and the Inert Birth Grass. These are extremely precious, and in terms of rarity, they can be considered rare items.

"The White Mist Cloud Marsh, it seems that the mysteries of the White Mist Cloud Marsh far exceed what I can imagine." Gu Xuyao thought to himself as he left the Liao Wu Manor and followed the map in the hexagonal stone.

Gu Xuyao's thoughts were not wrong. The White Mist Cloud Marsh is not a place that ordinary cultivators can understand. Its vastness and the secrets it contains are truly terrifying.

The journey from the Liao Wu Manor to the White Mist Cloud Marsh is not short. With Gu Xuyao's speed, it would take half a month to go back and forth, and the lady of the Ru family only has half a year left.

The tranquility of the White Mist Cloud Marsh is well-known. In half a month of rapid travel, Gu Xuyao did not encounter any obstacles. Now, he was already surrounded by white mist.

Just from the white mist, besides clearly feeling the surging essence energy inside, he could not detect any danger.

Taking a deep breath, he touched the gourd at his waist, which contained the magical tools, essence stones, and consumables he had bought in Meteor City earlier. Some were used up in the fight with Xiang Yunshan, and after being controlled by Zhenxuezi, he could feel without looking whether the Heavenly Evil Pearl was inside. So the gourd was still in good condition.

"Wuuu..."

While passing through the white mist, Gu Xuyao vaguely heard a crying sound, but it was not clear.

However, once he entered the White Mist Cloud Marsh, this matter was quickly forgotten by Gu Xuyao because the entire world suddenly became silent. The White Mist Cloud Marsh is full of life, and although it is quiet, there are always rustling sounds. But once he entered the White Mist Cloud Marsh, there was suddenly no sound at all, as if even the air was still.

Frowning slightly, this oppressive feeling made Gu Xuyao uncomfortable.

"Indeed, I can't go out anymore..."

Looking around, Gu Xuyao found that he had no way to retreat. There was no way back behind him. He was now in a desolate marsh, with no sunlight. The white mist emitted a faint light for illumination, and the trees were short and twisted. The air lacked the fresh scent and had a heavy feel.

The world inside the Cloud Marsh has always been very mysterious, so no one knows how to find the Cloud Marsh Flower Deer and the Inert Birth Grass. These things are known only from those who managed to escape, and they also brought some samples out, from which the medicinal properties were determined.

Although he had no clue, Gu Xuyao was very skilled at searching. Since he could not leave once he entered, he decided not to think about how to leave and focused on finding the items first.

The White Mist Cloud Marsh is not small, and it is extremely difficult to determine direction inside. The irregular trees are the only reference, but they are not sufficient for navigation.

The black-green marsh was soft and damp, but in the Cloud Marsh, there was no need to worry about insufficient essence energy. As long as he did not fly too fast, the dense essence energy was enough to replenish Gu Xuyao's needs.

"It is said that once you enter, it is difficult to leave. Regardless of other things, the White Mist Cloud Marsh is so vast, and there are countless families inside. Every year, cultivators should enter the Cloud Marsh, but why have I not seen anyone after flying for so long..."

There was no sign of danger around, and he could not see any living beings.

While flying, a black shadow suddenly flashed in front of him, moving extremely fast and disappearing in the distance in a blink.

Seeing a living being for the first time, Gu Xuyao would not let it go. Speeding up, he quickly caught up with the black shadow.

"Cloud Marsh Flower Deer!"

The black shadow was indeed a deer, white in color, with yellow spots of various sizes, and two hard horns that were black and purple. Based on Gu Xuyao's experience, this deer must be quite old.

Chasing it, the deer, unable to shake off Gu Xuyao, let out a long cry. Suddenly, another roar sounded, and a black shadow darted out from the deer's body, charging straight at Gu Xuyao!