nyslfriends Chapter 73 The Swamp of Death's Whisper, the exploration begins.
Chapter 73 The Swamp of Death's Whisper, the exploration begins.
Rowling nodded and turned back to the laboratory.
He was pleased to see Ellie's change in mindset.
A knight blinded by hatred will not go far in the end.
The right path is to let go of obsessions and focus on oneself.
He returned to the lab bench and continued mixing the original ink.
This time, he tried to add a trace of the original fire elemental aura, neutralized by star power, drawn from the fragments of the Molten Core.
The ink, within its specially designed container, faintly glowed with a golden-red luster, its energy fluctuations reaching a strange equilibrium.
Another piece of data has been added to the experimental record.
Inside and outside the courtyard, everything returned to its usual rhythm. Rowling focused on his research and preparations, making his final push towards the Deathwhisper Swamp.
Ellie, meanwhile, focused intently on practicing swordsmanship and breathing techniques, steadily improving her strength.
However, in Ellie's heart, something had quietly changed.
Her loyalty and reverence for Rowling deepened even further.
The dark gray iron longsword seemed to carry a heavier weight when wielded, as it not only held her own dreams but also a silent heart of protection and gratitude.
……
Time slipped quietly into early summer amidst focused preparations.
The mountains surrounding Black Rock Town are covered in a deep green coat, and the air is filled with the scent of growing grass and damp earth.
Rowling's exploration plan for the Deathwhisper Swamp has been detailed down to every step.
He repeatedly studied the maps and notes, deducing potential dangers and corresponding solutions.
The items on the supplies list were gradually purchased and stored in the dimensional bag, categorized and stored.
Meanwhile, preparations for the innate spells were also entering their final stages.
Breakthrough progress has been made in the formulation of the original ink. After dozens of failed attempts, a stable formula base has finally been found.
It is made primarily with purified dragon blood, infused with Stargrass juice which has a high energy affinity, and then with a trace amount of Molten Heart aura neutralized by star power as an energy catalyst. Finally, it is shaped and spiritually enhanced with a rare extract called "Moonlight Dew".
The successfully formulated primal ink presents a deep dark blue color, with tiny star-like specks and a faint golden-red halo flowing within it. It feels cool to the touch but contains active and stable energy.
It can perfectly carry Rolin's spiritual imprint and shows good compatibility with star power, space dust, and fragments of the Molten Core.
Although it has not yet incorporated the characteristics of Soulflame Flower, it is already excellent enough as a base.
He carefully divided the successfully prepared primordial ink into three specially made crystal bottles with preservation runes engraved on the inner walls, and sealed them for preservation.
This is only a preliminary success; after obtaining the Soul Flame Flower, a final blending process will be required.
The storage of spatial dust had also reached the expected target. He went to the collection point on the edge of the Gobi Desert again and harvested the newly condensed dust. Combined with the previous accumulation, the amount was enough to construct several talent spell models, leaving ample room for error.
Research on the Molten Core fragments has temporarily come to an end.
He has basically mastered its energy characteristics and the balance point with stellar power; all that remains is to perform precise manipulation when actually building the model.
My own condition has also reached its peak at this stage.
The Morning Star Core in his spiritual sea was operating stably, his spiritual power was full and refined, and he had complete control over the first-level spells.
The body is also in its best condition, with abundant blood and energy, and sharp reflexes.
It can be said that, apart from the Soul Flame Flower, everything else is ready.
That day, Rowling called Ellie to his side.
"I will be leaving for a while soon, heading to the Deathwhisper Swamp."
"The return date is uncertain."
Luo Lin directly informed him of his itinerary.
Ellie had a premonition; she had seen her husband's recent busy schedule and preparations for supplies.
Suppressing her worries, she respectfully replied, "Yes, sir. Please be careful."
Luo Lin glanced at her and handed her a small cloth bag.
"This contains three months' worth of cultivation resources, including potions and dried meat."
"While I'm gone, you practice on your own and keep an eye on the yard."
Ellie took the heavy cloth bag, knowing that her husband had arranged everything again.
"Ellie understands and will certainly live up to your expectations."
"You've mastered the Rock Breathing Technique, and your swordsmanship is also decent," Roland said, unusually adding a few more words.
"But remember, the way of cultivation requires a balance of tension and relaxation."
"Blindly practicing without critical thinking is not necessarily a good thing. Sometimes, stopping to reflect is more important than blindly practicing."
"Yes, sir, Ellie has remembered." Ellie kept these words firmly in mind.
Luo Lin nodded and said no more.
He has done all the arrangements he can.
Ellie needs to grow on her own; too much protection will only hinder her development.
The next morning, just as dawn was breaking, Luo Lin quietly left the courtyard.
Without alerting anyone, he disappeared into the morning mist, heading southwest towards the location of the Deathwhisper Swamp.
Baha stood on his shoulder, his dark golden eyes scanning the surroundings warily.
This journey is more dangerous than the Gobi Desert expedition, and it needs to play a greater role.
Ellie stood at the window of her cottage, gazing in the direction Rowling had left, until his figure completely disappeared at the end of the street.
She clenched her fists, her eyes filled with determination. Her husband had gone to pursue even greater power; she couldn't fall behind.
She needs to cultivate diligently and guard the courtyard carefully so that when her master returns, he can see an even stronger Ellie.
The Deathwhisper Swamp is located southwest of the Blackrock Mountains, more than ten days' journey from Blackrock Town.
Instead of choosing the shortest straight-line distance, Rowling selected a relatively safe route with water sources and hiding places along the way, based on the records in Old John's notes.
The closer you get to the Deathwhisper Swamp, the more eerie the surroundings become.
The vegetation gradually became bizarre, with trees twisted and leaves displaying an unhealthy gray-green hue.
The life force in the air diminished, replaced by a faint sense of decay and chill. The magical particles also became inert and chaotic, carrying negative energy that made Rolin feel somewhat uncomfortable.
He had taken the Lesser Undead Exorcism Potion beforehand, and a gentle positive energy enveloped his entire body, effectively dispelling the corrosive negative energy around him.
Baha also seemed somewhat agitated, his dark golden eyes constantly scanning the faint gray mist that permeated the surroundings.
According to the map and notes, Rowling set up a temporary camp in a secluded ravine some distance from the edge of the swamp.
Instead of rushing into the swamp, he decided to observe and adapt to the environment from the outside first.
Luo Lin released his mental energy and cautiously probed into the gray mist.
The range of perception was significantly suppressed and interfered with, as if sinking into a sticky quagmire.
The gray fog was filled with various negative energy noises and faint remnants of soul fragments, making people uneasy.
To the naked eye, the distant swamp area was muddy, filled with puddles, and the water surface had an eerie color.
Twisted, withered trees stretched towards the sky like ghostly claws, and occasionally, blurry shadows exuding an aura of the dead drifted through the mist.
"The environment is worse than expected."
Rowling assessed the situation.
The concentration of negative energy here is very high, which is extremely unfriendly to living things.
Even with protective medication, prolonged exposure to such conditions will continuously erode one's mental and physical well-being.
He needs to develop an efficient search strategy.
The Soul Flame Flower is most likely to grow at the boundary between life and death, where negative energy and life energy intertwine.
There may be more than one such place inside the swamp, and they need to be checked one by one.
So he decided to take a steady and cautious approach.
Instead of venturing into the core of the swamp, start from the periphery and conduct a fan-shaped search along the possible boundary between life and death.
Each exploration in the swamp should not exceed six hours, after which return to camp to rest, dispel negative energy, and recover.
With the plan set, Rowling wasted no time.
After resting at the camp for a night and getting himself into top condition, he led Baha into the edge of the Deathwhisper Swamp the next day.
The ground was covered in soft, sticky mud, and every step required caution, otherwise one might sink in.
The air was thick with humus and a strange, unidentifiable, sweet-smelling odor. A thick fog swirled around, severely obstructing visibility.
Baha flew in the air, but dared not fly too high, as the gray fog greatly affected its vision and perception.
It primarily relies on the Dark Silver Eye to observe energy flow, locate abnormal areas, and use the Dark Gold Eye to warn of potential undead creatures.
Rolin concentrated his mental energy around his body, forming a fine sensory network, wary of possible attacks that might suddenly appear from the mud, water, or fog.
The exploration has begun.