From the memories Lin Mu had extracted from the Right Elder of the Ephemera Sect, Lin Mu was confident he could guide them to the Ninefold Crypt, the heart of this corrupted land.

Though to most, the marshes appeared like a chaotic maze of identical landscapes, the Ephemera Sect had left subtle markers throughout for their own use. To the untrained eye, they were nothing more than odd rocks scattered about, half-sunken in mud or resting at strange angles.

But Lin Mu recognized their deliberate placement. Each one contained faint energy signatures that aligned with a pattern only visible to those who were already familiar with it. He followed these invisible trails, leading the army deeper into the unknown.

Kilometer after kilometer passed.

The terrain began to shift subtly; the water grew darker, the air denser, and the faint hum of baleful energy intensified. Occasionally, a distorted shadow would flicker in the mist, but it vanished before anyone could fully see it.

The soldiers grew restless. The monks muttered quiet prayers beneath their breath.

Finally, after what felt like an endless march, Lin Mu raised his hand again. His eyes caught something different ahead... a change in the landscape.

The endless marshland gave way to solid stone.

A faint ripple of Qi spread through the air as they stepped onto firmer ground. It was strange and unnerving after hours of slogging through mud and water. The oppressive weight of the baleful energy also seemed to lessen slightly, as though they were crossing into a new domain.

And then they saw it.

Stretching out before them was an immense stone complex, partially buried beneath layers of rotting moss and shadow. Towering spires of black stone jutted into the air like the spines of a long-dead beast.

Each one bore carvings that glowed faintly under the dim light, their designs resembling twisted runes and flowing lines that seemed to shift when looked at directly.

In the distance, at the very heart of the structure, stood a colossal obelisk.

"This..." Lin Mu's eyes widened slightly as he recognized the design.

It was nearly identical to the one he had seen at the base of the Hollow Eye Sect, though vastly larger. This obelisk rose almost four hundred meters high, its surface covered in etched patterns that pulsed with faint baleful light.

At its base yawned a massive entrance, an opening nearly two hundred meters wide, descending through a series of stone steps into the earth below.

The army stopped to take in the sight. The very air vibrated faintly, the aura of the place suffused with ancient and terrible power.

Lin Mu exhaled slowly and spoke, his voice carrying across the quiet ranks.

"It seems we've reached the Ninefold Crypt."

The leaders exchanged solemn nods. They had finally arrived at the destination the Ephemera Sect had hidden for tens of thousands of year.

Rumble

But just as Lin Mu was about to give the order to advance, a faint rumble spread through the ground beneath their feet. It was followed by a low hum, one that grew louder and louder, echoing across the vast structure.

Humm...

HUMM...

HUMMM...

Lin Mu's eyes snapped toward the towers.

Each of them, one by one, burst to life.

SHUA SHUA SHUA SHUA

Faint grey flames erupted from the tops of the ancient towers, spiraling into the sky like ghostly beacons. The glow was eerily familiar, the exact hue and flow of the flames from the Death Obscuring Torches Lin Mu himself had crafted. But these were not protective flames.

They were of the same origin, yet inverted, twisted into something malevolent. The soldiers instinctively raised their weapons. Some stepped back, others looked toward Lin Mu for guidance. The monks began chanting defensive sutras while the drakes emitted low growls, frost leaking from their nostrils. HONG LONG

The flames spread rapidly, connecting from one tower to the next until a vast web of light formed over the entire stone complex. The baleful energy that had hung in the air was instantly dispersed, revealing the full extent of the crypt below.

The mist cleared. The silence broke.

The Ninefold Crypt now stood fully exposed, illuminated in the haunting glow of the grey fire.

But none of them felt relief.

Every Transcendent present could feel it... the faint tremor of spiritual waves hidden within that light. The flames were a signal, a proclamation.

The enemy had noticed them.

Lin Mu's eyes hardened as the realization sank in.

"They know we are here," he said quietly.

The faint echo of his voice was swallowed by the rising hum of energy that now emanated from the heart of the crypt. The battle they had all been preparing for was about to begin.

And as the flames continued to burn, faint shadows began to stir within the obelisk's dark entrance.

The silence of the marsh was finally broken.

The Ninefold Crypt trembled...

At first, it was subtle, just a faint vibration in the earth that made the rippling marsh waters tremble. But within moments, a deep, reverberating hum filled the air. The sound grew into a low, dreadful resonance that clawed into the bones of every living thing present.

Then came the cries...

AAAHHHHHHH!!!!

REEEEEEEEEEE!!!

K|||||||||||||||||IIIIIII!!!

A thousand wails.

A million screams.

They erupted all at once, overlapping, echoing through the ancient structures and the open skies like the dirge of a world about to die. It was the sound of agony itself, thick enough to taste. The cries seemed to press against the inside of the skull, making even the most steadfast cultivators clutch their temples in pain.

Only the monks of the Silent Lotus Temple were ready for it.

Their golden robes fluttered as they sat cross-legged in neat formation, forming hand seals and opening their mouths in unison. From them rose a solemn, powerful chant, the sacred syllables of the Lotus Sutra of Compassionate Stillness.

HUMMM

The harmony of their voices clashed with the cacophony of ghosts, pushing

back against the psychic pressure. Waves of calming energy spread outward, and golden halos shimmered around the soldiers, shielding their minds from the mental assault.

"Maintain the barrier!" one of the senior monks shouted, his voice shaking with effort. "Let no mind waver!"

The chant grew louder, clearer.

The golden light strengthened, forming a dome of protection that blanketed the vast army. The wailing of the ghosts lessened, turning from an overwhelming roar to a painful hum that lingered in the background.

Lin Mu stood at the front, his eyes sharp, his aura calm yet ready to explode at any instant. The Transcendents beside him stood still as mountains, their Immortal senses focused ahead, waiting.

Then, the obelisk began to shine.