Chapter 1429: Bloodthirsty Maw

"I am already very grateful that you helped me deal with the Ferocious Beast Fengxi," the giant mulberry tree rustled its leaves, as if smiling. "I am just a tree; how could I have so many wishes?"

A blush spread across their faces. This giant mulberry tree had experienced countless years of change and had long since viewed worldly affairs with detachment, exhibiting noble integrity, unlike humans, who are so calculating.

Zu An was a little distracted. Why did that last sentence sound familiar? The Fire Tree Silver Flower he encountered last time in the Yu family's mine seemed to have a similar tone. Could that guy be a descendant of this giant mulberry tree?

However, recalling the appearance of the Fire Tree Silver Flower, it bore no resemblance whatsoever to the giant mulberry tree before them. It seemed he was overthinking things.

Afterward, the group thanked the tree repeatedly. After bidding farewell to the giant mulberry tree, they followed its guidance and finally left the seemingly endless mulberry forest.

"Xiao Anzi, did you watch carefully just now?" Midway, Yun Jianyue found an opportunity to quietly ask Zu An.

"Of course, I didn't even dare to blink. Sister Yun, you are truly stunningly beautiful..." Zu An naturally knew what she was asking. He lavished her with praise, showering her with flattery.

Of course, these were also his true feelings. That scene just now was indeed beautiful. He had never imagined that the usually fierce Demonic Sect Master could have such a soft and alluring side.

"Is that all you thought about at the time?" Yun Jianyue smiled faintly, a hint of playfulness in her eyes.

Zu An's old face flushed. He frankly admitted, "Many blasphemous thoughts about Sister Yun appeared in my mind at the time. I deserve to die..."

"Are you trying to get yourself killed?!" Yun Jianyue had only intended to tease him a little, but she didn't expect him to be so blunt, which made her embarrassed instead. She quickly straightened her face and said, "I am Honglei's master. Don't think such indecent thoughts. Don't let it happen again!"

Seeing that her Rage value remained unchanged, Zu An knew she wasn't truly angry. He couldn't help but mumble, "I wonder who was dancing for me to see."

"What did you say?" Danger filled Yun Jianyue's phoenix eyes.

"Cough, cough. I mean, your Demonic Enchanting Dance and Demonic Enchanting Sound are too powerful. They make a person's brain lose control, leaving only instinctive reactions. So, you can't blame me," Zu An said, feigning injustice.

"I'm not blaming you either," Yun Jianyue was quite satisfied with his reaction. It wasn't in vain that she had treasured those things for so many years.

"By the way," Zu An suddenly looked peculiar. "Did you hide in the forest to change clothes earlier?"

Wouldn't that mean the old mulberry tree saw everything?

Normally, it would have been fine, but who knew the old mulberry tree had its own consciousness?

As someone of Yun Jianyue's caliber, having been steeped in the Demonic Sect, she immediately realized what he was thinking. Her face flushed, and she spat, "What are you thinking, you brat? For people of our cultivation level, using spells to conceal oneself while changing clothes is a basic operation. It's to guard against scoundrels like you."

"How did I become a scoundrel?" Zu An said indignantly. "How about you find an opportunity to dance for me alone next time? With others present, I can't fully immerse myself."

"Get lost!"

"Okay."

Yan Xuehen had actually noticed them mumbling for a while. She had initially intended to pretend not to see them, but seeing how compatible their conversation was becoming, she could no longer hold back. "What are you two talking about?"

"None of your business." Yun Jianyue felt a little guilty, but her response was quick.

"You!"

Rage value from Yan Xuehen +122122122...

Zu An was a little depressed. "You were choked by Yun Jianyue, why are you getting angry at me?"

He could only say, "We were just discussing the healing effects of the leaves given by the old mulberry tree."

Yan Xuehen was startled. She suddenly felt a little embarrassed, realizing she had misunderstood them. She quickly tried to make amends by saying, "Those leaves are indeed miraculous. I've noticed faint signs of my old injuries healing. At this rate, I should be able to recover ninety percent of my peak strength before long."

One must know that such severe injuries as theirs would normally not heal in ten or eight years. This time, they had already recovered significantly thanks to the spiritual spring in Yu Mountain. Now, with the added benefit of these mulberry leaves, they were almost completely healed. It still felt somewhat unbelievable to them even now.

"If it weren't for the incomplete laws of heaven and earth in this realm, that giant mulberry tree would probably have already cultivated into a spirit. Even ascending to immortality, as in legends, wouldn't be impossible," Yun Jianyue couldn't help but sigh in admiration.

The group chatted as they went. Soon, a layer of white mist appeared ahead. The ground beneath their feet became soft, and puddles were everywhere.

After walking a little further, Zu An, who was at the front, almost sank into the ground with one step. He quickly stopped. "This should be the Great Marsh of Dongting, where the Xiuzhe resides."

He wondered if it had any connection to Dongting Lake from his previous life.

However, the scene before him bore no resemblance whatsoever to the Dongting Lake in his memories.

Yu Yanluo looked at the dense mist around them. "This must be miasma, right? Thanks to the giant mulberry tree's leaves, I don't feel anything unusual at all right now."

"This miasma is indeed poisonous," Yun Jianyue sniffed lightly. "The deeper we go, the more potent its toxicity will likely become."

"With the protection of those mulberry leaves, this miasma is nothing to fear. However, we must be careful of the legendary Xiuzhe. It hides within this great marsh, and a sudden attack would be very dangerous," Yu Yanluo expressed some concern.

"No matter. Both the demoness and I have recovered a good deal of our strength. Even if we encounter the Xiuzhe, we won't be afraid. My biggest concern is that if it hides within this great marsh and doesn't emerge, it will be quite difficult for us to find it," Yan Xuehen said.

They had suffered enough difficulties searching for the Yaoyu and Fengxi on the previous two occasions. They truly didn't want to repeat that experience in this vast marsh.

Zu An had initially imagined the marsh to be a place where one would sink into accumulated mud upon stepping, unable to get out.

However, upon experiencing it firsthand, he realized that this marsh was mostly water. It was more like a lake, but shallower than typical lakes.

Many trees grew in the water, and they could even see various schools of fish moving and feeding among the trees' developed root systems.

Besides the fish, some animals were vaguely visible in the forest. It was unclear whether these animals had grown accustomed to the environment over long periods or for some other reason, but the miasma in the air seemed to have no effect on them.

The distant mountains were also lush and green, presenting a vibrant appearance.

Seeing this scene, the three women also breathed a sigh of relief. After all, the places they had been through before had few living creatures, whereas this place felt much more vibrant.

Next, the group constructed a simple raft. They drifted on the water while searching for traces of the Xiuzhe.

After a while, Yan Xuehen grew puzzled. "Do you think such shallow water can really hide a behemoth like the Xiuzhe?"

At first, they thought the water at the edges was just too shallow. But they had been paddling their raft inward for so long. Many places had depths of less than a meter, and even the deeper spots were only a few meters. Given their cultivation levels, their eyesight was sufficient to see through the conditions at the bottom of the water.

It was truly hard to imagine how a legendary behemoth could hide in such shallow water.

"Look quickly, there's a herd of elephants over there!" Yu Yanluo pointed excitedly into the distance. Several elephants were splashing water with their trunks by the water's edge, looking extremely naive and adorable.

The things they had experienced earlier had been too grim. Now, seeing such a harmonious scene, their moods lightened considerably.

"Aren't these elephants afraid of getting stuck in the marsh?" Zu An secretly muttered. In his previous life, watching 'Animal Planet,' he knew elephants had virtually no natural predators, but due to their immense weight, they could easily get trapped in mud, unable to climb out, and eventually get stuck to death.

Speaking of which, the environment of this great marsh was actually not very suitable for elephants.

However, he noticed that these elephants were even larger than the African elephants of his previous life, and during their movements, surges of elemental energy seemed to flow through their muscles. He immediately realized: how could there be ordinary elephants in this world of cultivation?

These creatures were clearly also ferocious beasts, and their strength seemed considerable.

At this moment, the elephant herd also spotted Zu An and his companions. The largest elephant, leading the group, stepped forward. Its trunk pointed skyward, and it bared its long tusks, roaring in their direction. It seemed to be issuing a warning, and from its posture, it looked ready to attack at any moment.

Zu An secretly grumbled. Sure enough, male elephants are ill-tempered no matter the world.

They didn't want to conflict with the elephant herd. Just as they were about to steer clear, the water surface beside them suddenly burst open. A gaping, blood-red maw shot out violently and swallowed the multi-ton elephant in one gulp.

Zu An and the others: "..."