Death's Cove, situated on the periphery of the Great Swamp of Death, marks the boundary between its outer and inner regions.
While the outer edges of the swamp pose little threat, danger escalates dramatically upon reaching Death's Cove. Many have met their demise here unknowingly. Though it appears as but a sliver of water, it has become a grave for countless souls. The saying, "Death's Cove, one step into the gates of hell," is no mere exaggeration.
Upon arriving, Ye Lingyuan and his four companions were assailed by a nauseating stench of decay.
"Good heavens! How can it be so foul!" Shangguan Yulin exclaimed, rapidly fanning himself with his Vermillion Bird feather fan, a look of disgust on his face.
Rong Guang couldn't help but rub his nose, saying, "It truly stinks! No wonder it's called Death's Cove; this smell alone could kill many!"
Shen Liuxing patted the mask on his face, which immediately shimmered with light. The acrid odor was then shut out. He frowned and remarked, "The smell is bearable; the true terror of Death's Cove lies in the lack of solid ground to step on."
Xuanyuan Xun nodded. "Legend has it that beneath Death's Cove are nothing but swirling marsh whirlpools. Step into one, and you'll be submerged."
Ye Lingyuan's expression grew grave. "I fear it's more than just marsh whirlpools. Haven't you noticed that our divine senses can't extend outwards?"
Upon hearing this, the other four quickly tested it and discovered their divine senses could only reach about three feet beyond their bodies. In other words, their sight was more useful than their divine senses here. However, their eyes could only perceive dangers within their line of sight; the unseen perils were the most formidable.
"How can this be?" the four exclaimed in unison.
Ye Lingyuan gazed at Death's Cove before them. "Not only that, but there's also a no-fly zone. So, our only path forward is across the water. And beneath this water… I suspect there are other dangers besides marsh whirlpools!"
Shangguan Yulin snapped his Vermillion Bird feather fan shut, his face a mask of shock. "No way? The omnipresent marsh whirlpools are dangerous enough. If there are other threats, does that mean there's no chance of survival?"
Shen Liuxing's face, hidden by his mask, also turned incredibly solemn. "Master of Nether Abyss, are you certain there are other dangers here?"
Ye Lingyuan nodded. "I fear they are even more perilous than what I've sensed!"
"Then how do we cross?" Xuanyuan Xun asked, his brow furrowed.
Rong Guang also looked at Ye Lingyuan. "Can we find another way around?"
"No!" Before Ye Lingyuan could answer, Shen Liuxing interjected. "I inquired yesterday. To bypass the Great Swamp of Death, it would take at least two months. Sister Zi… miss cannot wait that long."
"Then what do we do? Even Death's Cove alone is this dangerous. Who knows what other perils await beyond the Great Swamp of Death?" Shangguan Yulin asked anxiously.
"This..." Xuanyuan Xun and Rong Guang fell into deep thought. Shen Liuxing, too, stared intently at the marshy expanse, lost in contemplation.
Ye Lingyuan gazed into the distance, then retrieved a piece of wood from his Nine Dragon Ring and began to whittle it.
"Is this... Wutong wood?" Shen Liuxing and Xuanyuan Xun's eyes lit up simultaneously. Wutong wood, also known as phoenix perch wood, is counted among the four great divine trees, alongside Jianmu, the World Tree, and Fusang, and is the origin wood from which the phoenix is reborn in fire.
Shangguan Yulin and Rong Guang crowded closer to admire the Wutong wood. Shangguan Yulin, in particular, had mastered fire element laws and, possessing the Vermillion Bird's flame, was especially sensitive to fire-attributed treasures. As he neared the Wutong wood, he felt an intense fiery aura emanating from it. The Vermillion Bird's flame within him stirred, almost bursting from his body. It was only through his timely restraint that the phoenix true fire contained within Ye Lingyuan's Wutong wood was not ignited.
"Master of Nether Abyss, why are you carving such a precious piece of Wutong wood?" Shangguan Yulin inquired.
Ye Lingyuan continued to whittle, paying him no heed.
Shen Liuxing shook his head, his expression odd. "Shangguan Yulin, I'm starting to wonder if the Shangguan family has a screw loose to have chosen you, a witless fool, as their young master!"
Rong Guang and Xuanyuan Xun also looked at Shangguan Yulin speechlessly, a flicker of pity in their eyes.
Shangguan Yulin blinked, then pointed at Shen Liuxing's nose and yelled, "You're the one with a screw loose! You're the witless fool!"
Shen Liuxing gave him a meaningful look, then turned to Ye Lingyuan. "Let me help you!" Xuanyuan Xun smiled and squatted down to assist.
Rong Guang patted Shangguan Yulin on the shoulder and sighed. "Alright, alright, don't be angry. After all, your intelligence... is indeed your shortcoming!" With that, he joined the others, leaving a bewildered Shangguan Yulin behind.
Finally, Shangguan Yulin seemed to grasp the situation and roared, "Rong Guang, I considered you a brother, yet you gang up with him to mock me..."
"Noisy!"
A sliver of wood flew from Ye Lingyuan's hand, landing directly on Shangguan Yulin's throat.
"..." Shangguan Yulin's voice abruptly ceased. He could only stare blankly at one person, then another.
Seeing this, Xuanyuan Xun kindly explained, "Since the Master of Nether Abyss brought out the Wutong wood, he naturally intends to craft an artifact to cross the Great Swamp of Death. Is that not obvious?"
Rong Guang added, "Indeed? Phoenix wood carries the aura of the divine beast Phoenix, which can deter beasts below the divine beast level. And the wood floats on water, able to drift on the swamp's surface. Such a simple matter, why even ask?"
Shen Liuxing chimed in, "I told you your brain was faulty, and you still deny it! Others grasp it immediately, yet you chatter on endlessly. Your intelligence is truly concerning!"
Upon hearing this, Shangguan Yulin froze, then managed a wry smile. He was accustomed to relying on others and not thinking too much, but that didn't mean he lacked a brain. And now, he was being looked down upon!
With the trio's diligent efforts, a dugout canoe fashioned from Wutong wood was soon completed.
"Let's go!" Ye Lingyuan tossed the dugout canoe onto the swamp's surface and leaped onto it. The canoe sank slightly before stabilizing on the marsh.
"Good!" Shen Liuxing responded and also jumped aboard. This time, the dugout canoe remained perfectly still, as Ye Lingyuan had already infused it with spiritual energy. Furthermore, a subtle flow of law power emanated from beneath his feet, reducing the canoe's load and keeping it afloat above the swamp.