Chapter 88 — The Deathmire

The sky was a dull gray, seeming to press down low, and from time to time a chilly wind blew from who knew where, making the skin prickle with cold whenever it passed.

Beside a swamp overgrown with tangled weeds ran a faint, intermittent path that stretched deeper in.

Zeng Shuyan and his fellow disciples of the Canglan Sect stood at the entrance to the Deathmire, peering inward. Everywhere they looked was a vast expanse of dense water-weeds, with here and there a solitary tree standing upright amid it all. A faint rotten smell drifted on the air, and over the swamp hung a thin mist like gray gauze, so that only the nearby ground could be seen, making the place seem all the more unfathomable.

Zeng Shuyan frowned and turned around. The thirteen young disciples of the Canglan Sect, with Xiao Yichen at their head, all wore rather grave expressions.

Since ancient times, the Deathmire had borne the ill name of a place "easy to enter and hard to leave," and no one knew what monstrous things lurked within. On this westward journey of the Canglan Sect, by rank and cultivation Xiao Yichen was tacitly regarded as the leader of them all. Now, after gazing long into the depths of the Deathmire, he said to the others without any change of expression, "Yesterday Senior Brother Li Xun of the Burning Cloud Valley sent me a letter. In most courteous terms he expressed a wish to join with our Canglan Sect in rooting out the demonic brood; and so they have gone on ahead and already entered the Deathmire."

A stir ran through the disciples behind him. Only Lu Xueling stood calm beside her senior sister Wen Pei, gazing silently into the mire. On the other side, Lin Jinghong, who had come down the mountain for the first time, gave a cold snort.

Xiao Yichen said mildly, "The Burning Cloud Valley's meaning is plain enough to us all. If they are the first to seize this nameless treasure, their power will swell greatly, and in days to come I fear there will be those who fancy themselves fit to sit in the seat of leadership of the righteous path." Here he paused, then a faint smile touched the corner of his mouth. "But there is no need for haste. These strange portents have long been manifest, yet to this day no one has obtained the treasure; clearly there must be many perils and twists along the way. They are eager for merit—let them go. Only after we enter the Deathmire must we take the utmost care in all things. This mire's evil name is known far and wide, its perils beyond reckoning, and there may well be demonic cultists here as well. Once inside, we must all watch over one another. Remember this, remember it well."

Zeng Shuyan said, "Senior Brother Xiao is right. It is getting late—why don't we go in as well?"

Xiao Yichen nodded. "Very well. Once inside, we should not stray too far apart, and above all do not land on the ground carelessly, lest we be stung by venomous insects or stumble into a bottomless bog."

The others nodded one after another. Xiao Yichen raised his right hand and summoned the Seven Stars Immortal Sword, leaping up and flying inward at the lead. Then the Canglan disciples rose one and all, transforming into dazzling beams of varied colors that followed close behind.

Moments later, this band of young Canglan elites vanished into the mist of the Deathmire. The open ground at the entrance suddenly fell into a vast emptiness and silence; only among the water-weeds a bubble suddenly rose from somewhere and went "glub," carrying far across the stillness.

*Smack.* Zhou Yixuan brought his palm down hard on the right side of his neck. The skin reddened at once, but the mosquito that had bitten him was already buzzing away, seeming to circle once before his eyes in triumph before flying off well satisfied.

Zhou Yixuan wore a bitter look, his face dotted with small welts from insect bites. Though not serious, they made him a sorry sight. Now he complained loudly, "What damned place is this, and where do all these cursed mosquitoes come from? One—one day's time, and the old man's had half his blood drained!"

Xiao Wan, walking ahead, turned back with some concern. "Grandfather, are you all right?"

Zhou Yixuan snapped, "Nonsense—do I look all right to you?"

Xiao Wan frowned. "Strange. These mosquitoes really are odd—why do they bite only you? Sister Ping'er and I are fine."

The beauty in the pale yellow dress standing beside Xiao Wan now also halted and looked back. She was leading Xiao Wan and Zhou Yixuan through the swamp; for all Zhou Yixuan's caution, he was constantly mud-footed and water-stained, while she moved like drifting clouds and flowing water, without a speck of filth on her person.

Zhou Yixuan was vexed. Seeing a small tree nearby, he went over and tested the ground, found the soil there fairly firm, and sat down squarely. "I'm tired of walking. We rest a while."

Xiao Wan, a little apologetic, glanced at the beauty in yellow, who was called Sister Ping'er. The woman smiled. "It's no matter. Let us rest a while."

Xiao Wan looked at her gratefully, then gazed about. The wilds stretched vast on every side, and a little farther off the mist was already thickening so that nothing could be seen clearly. Had Sister Ping'er not led the way on this journey, she truly could not have found her way in.

So she could not help saying, "Sister, is it Grandfather and I who are holding you back? If not for us, you could fly through the air—wouldn't that be much faster?"

The woman smiled sweetly. "It's no trouble. I did not come into this Deathmire to hurry along the road."

Xiao Wan was taken aback. "Sister, didn't you come on behalf of your Mighty Soul Sect to seize the treasure in this Deathmire?"

So it was that this striking woman in the pale yellow dress was none other than Jin Pingyue, whose name stood alongside Ming Li and Qin Wujiu. How Xiao Wan and Zhou Yixuan had come to know this famed new-generation master of the demonic cult was anyone's guess.

But Jin Pingyue clearly favored Xiao Wan and doted on her. Hearing this, she smiled and said, "That's right! But so many have come this time. Let us take our time—there's no hurry."

Xiao Wan found it strange, but on reflection supposed it was a secret of the Mighty Soul Sect and not hers to press. So she changed the subject. "Sister, we've been in this Deathmire a whole day now. Along the way you've seemed so familiar with it—can it be that you know the road?"

Jin Pingyue shook her head. "I have never been here before."

Xiao Wan was startled.

Jin Pingyue looked at her, and seeing those bright eyes full of doubt, could not help smiling. "Have you ever heard of an ancient book in fragmentary scrolls that records all manner of strange tales and wondrous beasts..."

Xiao Wan pondered a moment. "You don't mean the *Record of Gods, Demons, and Strange Beings*?"

Jin Pingyue nodded. "The very same. That book was written by a wondrous man of high antiquity. Legend says it held nine chapters, but most are lost. Besides the chapters that survive, 'Beasts and Spirits' and 'Goblins and Phantoms,' there was a fragmentary 'Mountains and Waters' chapter, which I chanced to obtain. At its very end are some records of this Deathmire."

Only then did Xiao Wan understand. But before she could say anything, from Zhou Yixuan's direction came another sharp *smack*, followed by loud cursing—he had no doubt been bitten again by some nameless mosquito and had his blood drained.

Xiao Wan was his granddaughter after all, and her heart was concerned for him. Then it occurred to her that although mosquitoes swarmed all along the way, they had not touched her or Jin Pingyue in the least, biting only Zhou Yixuan. There must be something odd about that, and since she herself had no such power, it must lie with Jin Pingyue.

So she turned back and looked at Jin Pingyue, who smiled as though nothing were amiss. "Sister, what is it?"