In a moment of desperation, he took out the second Soul Ember Fruit. With a hurried motion, he threw it not at the Scorpion, but behind the Scorpion's back.

  CRACK! Pzzzzzzzt!

  The explosion of Yang Essence behind it was much smaller than the first, but enough to startle the Giant Moss Scorpion. The creature, highly sensitive to Yin disturbance, stumbled, its moss-layered shell trembling.

  Zhi Xuan took advantage of that split-second distraction. He fell downwards, and while holding his breath, he grabbed the Blue Wind Sword that was half-submerged in the mud.

  He landed on the Blue Wind Sword, and with a rough channeling of Taiyin Essence, he shot into the air, flying past the still-confused Scorpion. He flew straight, heading towards the heart of the swamp, ignoring the hissing of the Giant Moss Pythons coming from the opposite direction.

  'Now, this is the time, Monkey!' Ruo Xianxue exclaimed, her voice filled with excitement. 'They are all busy! Fly to the heart!'

  Zhi Xuan flew at maximum speed, the Blue Wind Sword piercing through the thick devil mist. The Scorpion could only watch its prey disappear, too confused to chase.

  Within minutes, the devil mist became so thick that Zhi Xuan could not see anything in front of him. The Blue Wind Sword flew based on instinct and Zhi Xuan's mental map. He felt his Taiyin Essence was almost depleted again, but he did not stop.

  Suddenly, he hit an invisible barrier. THUD!

  Zhi Xuan was thrown off the Blue Wind Sword. His body struck a cold, elastic energy wall. He fell into the wet mud, which was thicker than before. The Blue Wind Sword fell beside him.

  'Ancient Seal Formation!' Ruo Xianxue hissed, her tone serious again. 'You have reached the Pure Spring Pool, Monkey!'

  Zhi Xuan coughed, spitting out putrid mud. He looked up. In front of him, in the middle of the thick black mist, there was a layer of faint golden light, encircling a dome-shaped area. The Formation did not emit a strong spiritual aura, but it felt extremely ancient, as if protected by a power beyond the understanding of a Divine Wheel cultivator.

  Inside the subdued light dome, Zhi Xuan could faintly see a pool of shimmering crystal water—the Pure Spring Pool. And in the center of the pool, on a floating lotus, bloomed a dim red blood flower: the Nine Lotus Blood Flower.

  However, the most surprising thing was its guardians. At the edge of the Pure Spring Pool, three different creatures crouched. The largest Giant Moss Python, its scales were iron-gray, not moss-covered. A similarly large Giant Moss Scorpion, its shell emitting a faint golden sheen.

  And the most terrifying, a small creature that looked like an ape but with golden eyes, wearing a withered leaf robe. It held a rotten staff that emitted an extremely concentrated Divine Sense aura.

  They all crouched calmly, as if the disturbance of the Soul Ember Fruits outside meant nothing to them. They were all at the Azure King realm or even higher.

  Zhi Xuan knew, he had not just encountered two Giant Moss Pythons; he had encountered an entire kingdom.

  'Giant Moss Dragon, Giant Moss Scorpion King, and Swamp Ape Sage—All Azure Kings!' Ruo Xianxue whispered, her voice filled with genuine shock. 'That Formation is extremely ancient. They will not move. They are observing the entrance. Monkey, you cannot breach that formation with your current strength!'

  Zhi Xuan held his breath, the putrid mud clinging to his face. He had no energy left. He had drained his Taiyin Essence. He looked at the Nine Lotus Blood Flower, which emitted a deadly invitation.

  Behind him, two smaller Giant Moss Pythons releasing Consciousness Transformation-level awareness sensed Zhi Xuan's position, their angry roars echoing from them.

  He felt the ground tremble behind him. The angry roar of the two smaller Giant Moss Pythons, which had now found his escape route, echoed loudly, pumping the surrounding Yin Essence. They were coming. There was no time to breathe.

  'Monkey! Move!' Ruo Xianxue roared, her tone now urgent. 'That Formation! You cannot enter, but you can use it!'

  Zhi Xuan flipped his body with difficulty, clutching the Blue Wind Sword. He looked back. The two Pythons were gliding with terrifying speed, their massive heads raised high, their faint red eyes fixed on the helpless prey. He had to think, quickly.

  "Ruo... That Formation... can it be breached from outside to inside?" Zhi Xuan asked, his voice ragged.

  'Not normally. It is a repelling formation designed to maintain the pool's purity. But!' Ruo Xianxue countered. 'It is also designed to isolate the poison and Yin Essence of the swamp. If you can trick them into attacking, the Formation will repel their attack back with equal force!'

  Zhi Xuan smiled bitterly. A perfect and deadly idea. He would use the invisible shield of the Pure Spring Pool for indirect suicide. He scrambled to his feet, his body shaking, and raised the Blue Wind Sword above his head—not to attack, but to draw attention.

  "You want to kill me?!" Zhi Xuan shouted, his voice hoarse, but filled with a cold aura of madness. "Then, come and get me, you stupid snakes!"

  His roar, amplified by his resolve, reached the ears of the Giant Moss Pythons behind him. They saw their prey standing right in front of a barrier they could not see, they were only focused on the disturbing Yang essence from Zhi Xuan, but they could sense the clean energy behind it. It was an unforgivable provocation.

  The two Pythons launched a simultaneous attack. Their mouths opened wide, and they released two concentrated bursts of Yin Poison—thick black mist that smelled foul, far stronger than the one he had avoided earlier. Zhi Xuan did not move. He closed his eyes, letting his last bit of Taiyin Essence protect his skin.

  WHUUUMMPHH!

  The two deadly poison bursts struck the Ancient Seal Formation in front of him. The Formation trembled violently, but did not break. Instead, like a mirror reflecting light, the Formation retaliated with equal force! The two concentrated Yin Poison bursts were hurled back at the Giant Moss Pythons. The snakes were surprised. They had no time to dodge.

  SZZZzzzttt!

  Their own poison struck their scales. Both Pythons shrieked in pain. Their moss-layered bodies suddenly emitted thick smoke, and they began to move erratically, writhing in the swamp.

  Zhi Xuan seized the moment. The Ancient Seal Formation, after repelling the counterattack, trembled and loosened for a moment—a split second where its protective layer thinned.

  'Now, Monkey! The Formation's backlash has created a gap!' Ruo Xianxue shouted. 'Run!'

  Zhi Xuan clenched his jaw. He did not run, he leaped. He forced every last drop of remaining Essence in his body, driven by his will. With the Blue Wind Sword in hand, he jumped through the thinning layer of the Formation. His body felt like it was being sliced by a thousand cold knives as he squeezed through the pinhead-sized gap. The Blue Wind Sword trembled violently, but Zhi Xuan's will forced it through.

  Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.

  THWIP!

  He fell onto the warm, dry moss-covered ground inside the Formation Dome. The foul smell of the swamp immediately disappeared, replaced by the sweet scent of lotus flowers and fresh air—air rich in pure Yang Spiritual Essence. The Pure Spring Pool! Around him, there were heavenly herbs, as if the three guardian beasts of this pool were fond of collecting heavenly herbs, making the herb scenery very rich.

  The three Azure King guardians—Giant Moss Dragon, Giant Moss Scorpion King, and Swamp Ape Sage—who were crouching silently, suddenly widened their golden eyes. They were shocked. They did not expect a Divine Wheel creature to be able to breach the Ancient Seal Formation activated by the Python's counterattack.

  ROOOOARRR!

  The huge Giant Moss Dragon let out an angry roar. It was the fastest. Its iron-gray body lunged towards Zhi Xuan. Zhi Xuan did not run. He knew he could not fight. Inside this Formation Dome, he was a serious threat to them, and they would kill him quickly.

  He saw the blood-red flower in the middle of the pool—the Nine Lotus Blood Flower. He had to move now. Zhi Xuan stood up and raised both his hands, showing his teeth in a funny grin and a gesture of surrender.

  "Hello, gentlemen. Sorry to interrupt!" Zhi Xuan chuckled lowly and awkwardly, slowly retreating but full of determined calculation. His hair fluttered slightly from the air roar displayed by the Giant Moss Dragon.

  The three beasts seemed annoyed with Zhi Xuan, they rose and the growl of Azure King-level beasts was enough to make his heart pound. Zhi Xuan continued to step back and waved his hands as if he did not want trouble. However, in just a split second he saw an opening.

  "Xiao Die, I am investing!" Zhi Xuan whispered.

  He took out the Swan Essence Jade Box containing the Thousand Feathered Moth reincarnation seed—Xiao Die. He opened the box, and with full control, he threw the entire box into the middle of the Pure Spring Pool. The jade box landed right beside the Nine Lotus Blood Flower. The pure Taiyin Essence stored inside the box immediately came into contact with the rich Spiritual Essence of the pool.

  FZZZZTTT!

  The contrast between the two opposing pure Essences created a small, yet explosive energy vortex in the middle of the pool. The Pure Spring Pool began to churn, and the Nine Lotus Blood Flower reacted, emitting a dazzling red light. The spiritual Essence contained within the pool was fearfully absorbed into the reincarnation moth seed.

  This was like his plan, the Demon Mist Swamp was a place rich in Yin essence, but Taiyin was a pure foundation for the Thousand Feathered Moth. The Pure Spiritual Catalyst was clearly the uprooted and planted herbs around the pool. And he did not need an artifact to plant the seed if the pure spring pool could be used as the replanting vessel simultaneously.

  It was an amazing sight, how the pool's water vortex shot up into the air forming a golden circle, the swan essence jade box shattered because the reincarnation moth seed was greedily absorbing the spiritual essence. The heavenly herbs trembled and were almost uprooted due to the intensity of the pure essence vortex, it was as if the moth was trying to be reborn only with the catalyst of heavenly herbs and pure essence!

  The action, so sudden and arrogant—throwing a jade box containing an insect seed right into their sacred pool—immediately turned the Giant Moss Dragon and the two other guardians from merely angry to insane.

  ROOOOOOOOARRR!

  The Dragon let out a louder roar, this time containing pure killing intent. It no longer cared about the insult; it cared about the damage to the resource they had protected for hundreds of years. The Scorpion King and the Swamp Ape Sage also rushed forward, their movements creating deadly spiritual waves.

  Zhi Xuan, standing at the edge of the pool, felt the shockwave originating from the small energy vortex in the center. He had used Xiao Die's seed as a catalyst, forcing the Pure Spring Pool, which was rich in pure Yang Essence, to start the reincarnation process at a deadly speed.

  'Monkey! That is suicide! The seed will explode if it absorbs that much energy at once!' Ruo Xianxue roared, her voice filled with a rare panic.

  "I have no choice, Ruo!" Zhi Xuan countered, his teeth clenched tightly. He had to buy time for himself, and more importantly, he had to fulfill his karmic promise. Now, the focus of the three Azure Kings was not on him, but on the energy vortex in the pool.

  The Giant Moss Dragon was the first to attack. Its iron-gray snout lunged forward, aiming to smash Zhi Xuan into a pulp.

  Zhi Xuan did not fight back. He did the most unexpected thing: he jumped backward, throwing himself into the Pure Spring Pool, just outside the vortex.

  BLARGH!

  His body hit the pure crystal water. The water felt like ice, but was immediately followed by a soothing warmth—a healing contrast after being exposed to the swamp's Yin Essence. He immediately absorbed the pure Yang Essence, filling his empty meridians and Sea of Consciousness.

  The Giant Moss Dragon was surprised. It pulled back its attack at the last split second, as it did not want to damage the Pure Spring Pool they were protecting. Its attack only created a giant water wave in the clear pool. The next thing that happened was terrifying, the sudden triggered transformation seemed to make the moth seed uproot all the herbs there.

  'Quickly grab the flower, Monkey!' Ruo Xianxue screamed sharply, her voice showing panic. "That moth will suck up everything here! Quickly grab the Nine Lotus Blood Flower and leave!"

  In the water of the Pure Spring Pool, Zhi Xuan felt the pure Yang Essence flooding his meridians. It was an incredible sensation—the pain from the Taiyin Essence exhaustion immediately vanished, replaced by a refreshing surge of energy. His body, which had been accustomed to the coldness of Taiyin, greedily absorbed the pool's Yang energy, preparing his foundation to reach the First Ember realm.

  However, he did not have time for cultivation.

  The energy vortex in the center of the pool had now become a small storm. The Swan Essence Jade Box was completely destroyed. Xiao Die's seed pulsed with insane speed, absorbing the pure Yang Essence from the pool and the life Essence from the Nine Lotus Blood Flower blooming nearby.

  The flower itself, which should have been Zhi Xuan's key to reaching the First Ember, now began to wither, its blood-red petals turning pale as its life energy was forcibly drawn by the greedy moth seed. The surrounding heavenly herbs were also being pulled in.

  ROOOOARRR!

  The Giant Moss Dragon and the two other guardians no longer cared about Zhi Xuan. They had turned, their focus centralized on the vortex in the pool. The Giant Moss Scorpion King launched its tail sting, not at Zhi Xuan, but at the floating seed. The Swamp Ape Sage, with a low growl, raised its rotten staff and struck the water, trying to disrupt the absorption process.

  'Monkey! The moth has been triggered by extreme Yang Essence! If you do not grab the Nine Lotus Blood Flower now, it will be completely absorbed by Xiao Die and you will never reach the First Ember!'

  Ruo Xianxue screamed, her voice containing anger at this risky plan.

  Zhi Xuan nodded in the water. He had anticipated this. He had sacrificed the Nine Lotus Blood Flower as an instant reincarnation catalyst, trapping the Azure King guardians. With the remaining energy he had just recovered from the Pure Spring Pool, Zhi Xuan swam quickly beneath the water surface. He moved calmly, taking advantage of the chaos above.

  The Giant Moss Dragon was busy attacking the vortex with deadly roars, but their attacks—aimed at disrupting the absorption process—only made the energy vortex stronger and faster.

  Zhi Xuan reached the base of the lotus where the Nine Lotus Blood Flower bloomed. The flower was now withered, leaving only three petals that emitted the last remnants of pure blood Essence. The other eight petals had turned to ash, their essence perfectly absorbed by the moth seed.

  He grabbed the withered flower stem. Even the remaining petals felt like they were emitting an extraordinary energy. It was still enough—perhaps not perfect for cultivation, but enough to trigger the First Ember. With a quick pull, he plucked the Nine Lotus Blood Flower—or rather, the remaining Three Petals of the Nine Lotus Blood Flower—from its roots. As he plucked it, the last life energy of the Flower was absorbed by the moth seed.

  WHOOOSHH!

  The energy vortex reached its climax. Xiao Die's seed, which had absorbed almost all the pool's Essence and the Nine Lotus Blood Flower's energy, suddenly emitted a blinding golden light. Zhi Xuan did not waste this blinding moment. He dove deeper underwater, away from the vortex. With the Three Petals of the Nine Lotus Blood Flower tucked into his robe, he swam towards the edge of the pool, where he entered.

  Zhi Xuan leaped out of the water. His body felt light and full of pure energy. He gripped the Blue Wind Sword lying on the dry ground beside the Ancient Seal Formation, which was now trembling violently. Zhi Xuan glanced back for a moment, seeing the moth seed begin to condense and form a cocoon.

  'Hurry and leave! The birth of a Celestial Insect will trigger a Heavenly Calamity!' Ruo Xianxue roared, her voice filled with gripping urgency.

  Zhi Xuan did not need to be told twice. He looked back for the last time. The golden water vortex in the middle of the Pure Spring Pool had now subsided, replaced by a cocoon emitting a dazzling jade-gold light, hanging above the calm water. The Nine Lotus Blood Flower was gone, the Pure Spring Pool was drained, and the Azure King guardians—Dragon, Scorpion King, and Swamp Ape—were frozen in petrified shock and fury.

  They had lost. Their life mission for hundreds of years—protecting the Pure Spring Pool—had been destroyed by a cunning Divine Wheel cultivator and a pair of greedy moths.