All around the leaders, the army stood ready. Lin Mu glanced at them all, seeing no fear in their eyes. He said a silent prayer for them as well as the others who would be staying back to keep the world safe, Meng Bai included in them.

There was no way Lin Mu would risk bringing him along and as such, he had left him behind along with the Xian Sword Sect's disciples. He would be of better use making talismans for them than joining this fight.

Tens of thousands of cultivators, soldiers, and beasts filled the barren plain. The Death Obscuring Chandeliers hovered in formation above them, floating silently like a constellation of dark stars.

The atmosphere was solemn. No one spoke. There was no need for grand speeches or fiery declarations. Every man, woman and beast present already knew what awaited beyond that shrouded boundary.

They were walking into a place from which many might never return.

Lin Mu let his gaze sweep across the gathered host. His eyes passed over faces both familiar and new; disciples he had trained in the sword sect, monks who had prayed for him, soldiers who had bled for their dynasty.

Each one bore the same expression of quiet resolve.

When he finally spoke, his voice was calm and clear, carrying effortlessly across the vast field.

"Enter."

The single word echoed like a command from the heavens.

In the same instant, a chorus of mechanical hums filled the air.

Shua... Shua... Shua... Shua...

Over a hundred Death Obscuring Chandeliers ascended in unison, their bronze frames radiating soft gray light.

The runes across their surfaces flared to life, linking together in a grand web of energy that expanded outward. Within moments, the entire army was enclosed in a vast shimmering dome of light. The Death Obscuring Array had been activated, its concealment spreading like mist through every corner of the formation.

The barrier pulsed once, then stabilized, vanishing from sight.

From outside, there was nothing but silence.

Within, Lin Mu raised his hand. His Qi surged, resonating with the chandeliers, and the vanguard began to move.

The ground trembled faintly as the Ice Drakes took the lead. Massive limbs moved, and streams of frost filled the air.

Just as the Elder Ice Drake had promised, they would be the vanguard, the first to set foot into the Marshes of Silent Skies. Behind them followed the elites of the three powers, their movements synchronized, their hearts steady.

Lin Mu stepped forward, his figure leading the advance. The mists of the marsh parted before his gaze, revealing the shadowed expanse beyond.

The march had begun.

And as the first wave of their army disappeared into the gray depths of the Marshes of Silent Skies, the rest of the world held its breath.

For beyond that border awaited the final reckoning.

The moment the army of the three powers stepped into the Marshes of Silent Skies, an uneasy silence blanketed the vast, grey expanse.

Every soldier, monk, and cultivator walked in tense formation, their senses sharpened and ready for even the faintest disturbance. The faint mist that curled over the marshy terrain clung to their armor and robes, chilling the skin beneath as if the air itself sought to leech away their warmth and courage.

They had all heard the stories, the tales whispered in old sect archives and monastery scrolls about the horrors that dwelled in this place. The Marshes of Silent Skies were said to be lifeless, an endless grave where even sound dared not linger.

But the truth was far crueler. There was life here, though twisted beyond recognition.

Insects the size of men, beasts warped into grotesque parodies of their former forms, and even spiritual entities that had long lost their sanity roamed these mists.

They were born of corruption, their bodies and souls reshaped by thousands of years of baleful energy that flowed ceaselessly through this land. Each breath they took, each cry they made, carried the same poisonous energy that eroded the spirit and mind alike.

It was a cruel irony, Lin Mu thought. If even a few of these creatures managed to leave this place, the entire Silent Lotus World would be plunged into ruin. Fortunately, the very curse that gave them power also chained them here. Under the shimmering protection of the Death Obscuring Chandeliers, the army pressed forward. The faint grey barrier around them shimmered faintly, repelling the corrupt air as they marched through the sludge-like terrain. Every step sent ripples across the stagnant pools of dark water, their reflections wavering like ghosts beneath the surface.

Hours passed, the air thick with anticipation. No one dared to speak above a whisper.

Yet, nothing happened.

Not a single beast, not a flicker of movement. The marsh remained still, almost unnaturally so. The soldiers expected ambushes, roaring monsters, and unseen horrors leaping from the mist... but all they found was emptiness.

Lin Mu's brow furrowed as he continued at the front of the formation. He raised his hand, halting the army. The faint hum of the chandeliers was the only sound that accompanied his voice.

"Stay sharp," he said quietly, his tone calm but edged with suspicion.

"Something is not right."

He extended his Immortal Sense, letting it flow outward like a tide.

Yet, the moment it touched the edge of the chandeliers' barrier, it met resistance. The baleful energy outside churned like a sea of venom, eating away at his perception. He could sense only a few meters beyond the barrier before the feedback forced him to retract his senses.

"Ugh..."

Even for him, maintaining perception within the marshes was dangerous. The corruption here could infiltrate one's consciousness, tainting it in ways no purification chant could easily undo.

Lin Mu turned toward the other Transcendents; Grand Elder Huo, the Abbot, the Elder Ice Drake, and the Emperor of the Darkhan Dynasty and asked, "Can any of you sense beyond the barrier?"

Each of them closed their eyes for a moment, releasing their Immortal senses in turn. But one by one, they shook their heads.

"The corruption is too thick," Grand Elder Huo said grimly. "It's like peering into mud."

"Even my Immortal sense feels... rejected," murmured the Abbot, pressing his palms together. "This place defies clarity."

Lin Mu frowned, his eyes narrowing as he studied the silent mist around them.

The lack of resistance itself felt wrong. If the Ephemera Sect still had influence here, they would never leave the marshes unguarded.

Still, he knew the route.