Mutated Tao

These Immortal Soldiers didn't seem to belong to the Dharma Sect—they appeared to be military creations.

This suggested that with the Dragon Veins’ ownership changing, the military factions of Nanping and Si Qi had also switched allegiances.

Li Huowang didn’t bother anymore with these people. While still engulfed in flames, he prepared to join the battle and help rescue the others.

He assumed the situation would resolve quickly, but the statues continued to emerge from the mist. Although they were no match for those like Li Huowang, they still kept everyone else busy.

Li Huowang realized what the enemy’s strategy was. They’re stalling for time!

Right then, the ground shook violently. The Earth Dragon was moving again.

The earthquake caused water in the swamp to flood out. As it shook, the expanded swamp quickly swallowed up anyone who couldn’t find solid footing.

Despite the chaos, more Dharma Sect followers emerged from the mist, determined to drag someone down with them regardless of the risk of being consumed by the swamp.

Li Huowang had experienced the tremors caused by the Earth Dragon moving many times, and he knew what they signified.

“How many divisions have we lost?” Li Huowang shouted to Xuan Pin.

Xuan Pin showed him one finger in response.

Li Huowang muttered, “One division… That means one of the three Dragon Veins has been destroyed!”

This bad news stressed him out even more.

In such dire circumstances, there was no point in discussing any further. He gritted his teeth and led the others against the Dharma Sect’s onslaught, advancing toward the center of Cloud Swamp.

As they neared the center, the number of worm-infested statues decreased. They were replaced by living and formidable Dharma Sect members.

The opponents didn’t just consist of Dharma Sect members from Great Liang and Great Qi. There were also various sects that had pledged allegiance to the Dharma Sect, identifiable by the black cloths on their shoulders.

Li Huowang was still engulfed in flames and did not want to waste this opportunity. He charged at the front and used the fire burning him to dry the ground, kill the Dharma Sect followers, and pave the way for his allies.

They made swift progress with his lead. After two hours, they reached their destination—the deepest part of Cloud Swamp, which was unexpectedly a parched area.

A formidable stone fortress had been erected, and only Dharma Sect followers were visible behind the spiked defenses. The continuous rain and ominous dark sky added to the tense atmosphere.

Peng Longteng threw Li Huowang high into the air so that he could catch a glimpse of what lay behind the fortress.

There was a Dragon Vein formed from stacked emperors. It was pinned in a triangular quagmire by some massive stone pillars. As the Dragon Vein struggled, the mud shook violently, and a noxious mist filled the air.

Dharma Sect witches in wide robes circled and danced around the quagmire. They formed a writhing chain and used their human bodies to draw a living curse aimed at destroying the Dragon Vein.

Li Huowang wanted to observe more details, but he felt his body start to stiffen and turn to stone. The Dharma Sect had noticed him.

When Li Huowang landed back on the ground, he found everyone had gathered around him. Since both sides had revealed their cards, it was time to strategize.

“I’ll leave everything else to you. The Dragon Vein is mine,” Li Huowang said.

The Dragon Vein could resist most supernatural attacks, and he was the most experienced in dealing with it.

“That was my plan,” Xuan Pin replied. His form dissipated like smoke, and he quickly reappeared before Li Huowang. “Remember, our utmost goal is to reclaim the Dragon Vein.”

“But there’ll definitely be some high-ranking Dharma Sect members in a place like this. Don’t get entangled with them too much. I will assist you. We win if we take back the Dragon Vein.”

“Understood.”

Li Huowang glanced around at the unfamiliar faces and asked, “Who are they? What’s your plan?”

Though he didn’t recognize them, it was clear they weren’t from the Surveillance Bureau.

“Li Huowang, this is not the time for such trivialities. Focus on the bigger picture,” Xuan Pin said.

Li Huowang could sense the underlying tension in Xuan Pin’s words.

Despite being forced allies against the Dharma Sect, Xuan Pin still didn’t fully trust Li Huowang. Xuan Pin hid many things from Li Huowang just because he was Ji Zai’s Twisted One.

But Li Huowang didn’t fully trust them either.

He turned to Bai Lingmiao and instructed, “Stay back and be ready to retreat if things go wrong!”

The heads of Bai Lingmiao’s two upper bodies, clad in red veils, gently moved up and down in unison.

Hou Shu’s Chief sounded the horn, and everyone began to advance.

Armored cavalry charged forward, their murderous aura enveloping them like a giant sword that was aimed at the fortress.

“Kill!”

The fight erupted with a battle cry. Both sides unleashed their abilities against each other.

Li Huowang ignored the chaos around him and burrowed into the ground instead. He moved his tentacles like an octopus as he moved towards the fortress.

He knew the Dharma Sect had experts, so he did not advance by himself. Li Huowang was accompanied by his allies as they waited for the right moment. He knew that they shouldn’t be impatient, especially at a time like this.

Two hours later, the fortress was breached. The entire heart of the Cloud Swamp was thrust into chaos as incantations and battle cries filled the air.

Li Huowang spotted Zheng Boqiao of the Fangxian Sect chanting a spell that turned a Dharma Sect witch into a ball of flesh and swallowed him whole. He knew his opportunity had arrived.

He took out a box he carried and stuffed it into his mouth. Li Sui watched a bulge in her dad’s throat slide downwards.

Suddenly, the surrounding mud turned to transparent water, and Li Huowang’s charred skin began to heal rapidly.

“Li Sui! Let’s go!” Li Huowang said, leaping upward as a spring gushed from the ground.

The mysterious appearance of the spring drew the attention of the people on the battlefield, and Li Huowang, hidden from view, swiftly approached the Dragon Vein. As he moved closer, the agonized roars from the Dragon Vein assaulted his mind.

Li Huowang clenched his fists when he was near the edge of the quagmire. He watched the churning mud solidify while the stone pillars that pinned the Dragon Vein’s body liquefied.

Just as he started to make his move, an unexpected change occurred. The colors of the stone pillars and mud all faded to black and white. Only the golden dragon robes on the Dragon Vein retained their hue, providing a stark contrast.

Who’s there? What sect’s technique is this? This thought had barely formed when Li Huowang noticed the colors on his body fading.

It was like he was transforming into a figure from a grayscale landscape painting.