Chapter 624

Chapter 624: Dragon Hidden in the Marsh

A wave of mist infused with abundant spiritual energy rushed towards Wang Chen, instantly invigorating him.

Before him stretched an endless expanse of marshland.

The mist hovered over the water, and the morning sun cast its light on the lake’s surface, creating a dazzling spectrum of colors.

In the distance, a flock of white herons flew by, their cheerful calls echoing through the air.

Suddenly, a large green fish leaped high from the water with a splash, its body glinting in the sunlight.

However, before it could fall back into the water, a dark shadow swooped down.

A pair of sharp claws seized it firmly!

The triumphant eagle soared high, shaking off droplets of water as it ascended.

The law of nature—survival of the fittest—was vividly displayed in this vast marsh!

Upon reaching his destination, Wang Chen did not recklessly venture deeper. Instead, he skirted the edge of the marsh, familiarizing himself with the surroundings and ensuring there were no hidden dangers before cautiously entering Bailong Daze.

He sought the convergence of spirit gas.

In truth, the marshy mist contained a faint trace of spirit gas, but it was too sparse. Attempting to replenish the Supreme Mysterious Spirit Dragon True Form Image with this would be like trying to quench a raging fire with a cup of water; he had no idea how long it would take.

Wang Chen had no intention of staying here for a year or two.

The outskirts of Bailong Daze were relatively safe.

There were many ordinary animals, but magical beasts were rare. To avoid trouble, Wang Chen chose to bypass any he encountered, preferring to take a bit more time rather than engage in hunting.

Killing magical beasts was easy, but if he provoked a larger one, the consequences would far outweigh the benefits!

As the saying goes, “Efforts will be rewarded.” After nearly a day of searching, Wang Chen finally found a suitable spot.

It was a small island in the marsh, covering only a few acres, with some trees and an abundance of wild grass and water plants. Apart from a few small animals and birds, no magical beasts resided there.

In the center of the island, Wang Chen discovered a clear spring bubbling with pristine waters, its mist carrying a faint trace of spirit gas.

Although the spirit gas concentration was not ideal, it flowed continuously, seemingly endless. Its renewable nature was enough to compensate for its low quantity.

Wang Chen was not greedy and decided to settle here.

The small island’s location was excellent, offering clear visibility all around for observation. In case of danger, he would be able to detect it immediately. Moreover, the presence of spirit gas made it a satisfactory choice.

Wang Chen believed that deeper into the marsh, there must be places with even more spirit gas.

However, the risks would increase exponentially.

That was unnecessary.

He took out the Supreme Mysterious Spirit Dragon True Form Image and spread it over the spring.

This treasure map could autonomously absorb spirit gas, though its efficiency was somewhat low, it allowed him to free his hands for other tasks.

Wang Chen built a small hut beside the spring.

Then, he cast the Decay and Flourish Technique on the vegetation near the hut.

Under the influence of his magical power, the plants grew at a visible rate, and the vines and branches expanded rapidly, soon completely enveloping the small hut.

They covered it entirely!

Wang Chen did not merely nurture this piece of land; to prevent the Small House from appearing conspicuous, he extended the range of his spellcasting.

After ensuring that the Small House in the woods was entirely hidden, with the spring also perfectly concealed, Wang Chen began to dig a tunnel to establish a more secure refuge.

However, excavating a tunnel in the marshland was no simple feat. Even though Wang Chen had perfected the Earth and Stone Technique, it had little effect on the water-laden soil and mud.

This necessitated Wang Chen to first expel the excess water from the soil and then solidify it.

Moreover, he had to be cautious not to disrupt the spring’s water vein, lest he lose the source of spirit gas and be forced to seek a new location.

Thus, Wang Chen spent a full ten days carving out a concealed underground space for cultivation.

Yet, this was insufficient; he needed to dig additional tunnels for escape routes in case of danger.

Day after day, Wang Chen labored tirelessly, feeling akin to a beaver, toiling for survival.

His efforts, however, were not in vain; after over ten days, the spirit gas within the Supreme Mysterious Spirit Dragon True Form Image had remarkably replenished nearly ten percent.

With the new escape tunnel completed, Wang Chen finally settled down to cultivate the Supreme Mysterious Spirit Dragon Technique!

Time seemed to slip by unnoticed as he secluded himself in the outskirts of Bailong Daze for nearly two months.

Upon breaking through to the third level of the Supreme Mysterious Spirit Dragon Technique, the rate at which he gained experience significantly diminished.

This was largely due to the concentration of spirit gas in the surrounding area, as the technique relied on spirit gas for cultivation, much like how spiritual energy influences techniques.

Beyond the third level, the Supreme Mysterious Spirit Dragon Technique’s demand for spirit gas increased severalfold, drastically slowing Wang Chen’s cultivation progress.

He could, in fact, extract spirit gas from the Supreme Mysterious Spirit Dragon True Form Image to accelerate his cultivation, but doing so would severely undermine the map’s efficacy, resulting in a loss that outweighed the gain.

Wang Chen remained unperturbed; although the spirit gas was insufficient for the Supreme Mysterious Spirit Dragon Technique, the abundant spiritual energy in Bailong Daze allowed him to devote more time to cultivating the Preheaven Five Element Technique.

He was determined not to squander a single moment.

Wang Chen aimed to advance the Supreme Mysterious Spirit Dragon Technique to the fourth realm. Once the Supreme Mysterious Spirit Dragon True Form Image had amassed enough spirit gas, he intended to depart for his next destination.

One day, as he unfurled the Supreme Mysterious Spirit Dragon True Form Image, a sudden warning surged within him.

Without a second thought, Wang Chen activated the Spirit Concealment Technique, masking his presence.

Simultaneously, he discreetly extended his divine sense to scan the surroundings.

Soon, several voices reached his ears.

“This must be the place.”

“I was here last year; I recall a spring on the island, and the spring water brews excellent tea.”

“Hmm? Why are the trees so tall here?”

“Are you sure you’ve got the right spot?”

“Absolutely!”

As they conversed, several figures soared through the air, landing one after another on the small island where Wang Chen was concealed.

Meanwhile, Wang Chen had already retreated into the tunnel.

Given the visitors’ clear intentions, the Small House Wang Chen had meticulously hidden was swiftly discovered.

“There’s a house here!”

“I didn’t see this last year; it must be new.”

“Is anyone inside?”

“No one’s here.”

Wang Chen had constructed the Small House not for habitation but as a “decoy” to obscure the tunnel’s existence; inside, it was barren, devoid of any furnishings.

Weeds and mushrooms had even sprouted within, easily deceiving the newcomers into believing the place was uninhabited.

They had no reason to inspect every rock for a hidden tunnel.

Who would imagine someone would dig a tunnel in a marsh!

“Enough looking!” one of them said. “Let’s take some spring water and go.”

There were three visitors in total. After collecting the spring water, they departed promptly, lingering only briefly.

Once Wang Chen was certain they had all left, he cautiously emerged from the tunnel.

He was torn. Should he remain here, or should he move on to a new location ahead of schedule?

This was no simple decision!