Chapter 1007: Chapter 619: Truly, Hao Datong’s Miserable Fate

Lu Lin descended, hovering five or six meters above the Poison Swamp.

Judging from some residual scents in the air, Lu Lin accurately found the passageway where the gas emanated.

At this moment, after inhaling the gas and confirming that no one was around, Hao Datong had just descended less than two meters.

However, his mind was completely immersed in the treasure below, completely unaware of Lu Lin’s presence above him.

The Poison Swamp, an infamous place, was marked as forbidden territory by some nearby Demon Race tribes, but outside it was not widely known.

Yet even so, the terror of the Poison Swamp was such that people would shudder upon seeing it.

Countless poisonous insects, mice, and ants patrolled back and forth, coldly observing Lu Lin hovering above, seemingly ready to pounce and devour Lu Lin the moment he lowered his height.

Meanwhile, yellow, green, and brown bubbles continuously emerged from various parts of the swamp.

After leaving the swamp’s surface, these bubbles quickly burst, dispersing the gas from underground into the air.

The entire Poison Swamp was a domain of poison.

A forbidden zone for ordinary life.

Lu Lin’s body now possessed the Four Dragons’ Strength, making it immune to ordinary poisons.

Even the Poison Swamp posed no challenge for Lu Lin.

However, as disgusting as it was inside, Lu Lin wouldn’t venture in unless necessary.

Then...

"Earth Control."

Earlier, Lu Lin’s Earth Control had reached the level of Eight Stars, making controlling the soil an effortless task.

Since he was unwilling to go down, he’d turn over all the swamp’s soil and examine it carefully; he’d surely find the source of the intoxicating gas.

Centering around the bubble’s eruption point, Lu Lin pushed the swamp outward within a hundred meters.

The snakes, insects, mice, and ants living there were in for a hard time.

They emitted shrill cries one after another.

Some poisonous creatures, mistaking it for an attack by an external enemy, desperately spewed various toxic liquids, stingers, and mists.

But these were of no use to Lu Lin.

He merely waved his hand to disperse most of the poison, and the rest had no impact on his body.

Hao Datong, exploring below, also felt dizzy, his vision spinning.

"What’s happening?!"

Hao Datong was alarmed.

But there was no time for contemplation as he spotted the dark sky outside and those eyes even blacker than night itself.

"Lu—Lin—"

"It’s you again!"

"Why?!"

"I came all the way here, yet you still found me!"

"Are you heaven-sent to oppose me?"

Hao Datong glared angrily at Lu Lin.

At this point, having been discovered, he could no longer hide.

However, in that instant, his emotions approached the brink of collapse.

Why.

He had been so careful in hiding, even preparing to stay hidden here for a hundred years lest Lu Lin came searching.

Yet why, in just a few days, Lu Lin found him again?

It’s like heaven destined his end.

"Oh, Hao Datong, I didn’t expect you’d hide underground. If you hadn’t spoken, I almost wouldn’t have noticed you."

Lu Lin teased upon hearing Hao Datong’s transmission. 𝗳𝗿𝐞𝕖𝘄𝗲𝕓𝗻𝚘𝚟𝕖𝐥.𝚌𝕠𝕞

Of course, he wouldn’t tell Hao Datong that the Guiding Star Skill’s golden arrow continuously pointed to Hao Datong’s position.

"What!"

Hao Datong was terrified!

Could Lu Lin not have come here specifically looking for him?

Did he not discover him?

Hao Datong, thinking Lu Lin came for him, couldn’t help but curse, thus exposing his whereabouts.

In an instant, Hao Datong felt a mix of emotions.

If he had hands now, he’d surely slap himself hard five hundred times—"Darn it, why keep cursing."

"Yes, I did realize you ran away, but in this vast wilderness, where would I find you."

"By coincidence, I have a friend, Wang Chou—yes, the little disciple of Master Wan Chong. He cultivates the Insect Refining Path and mentioned he wanted me to collect some poisonous insects in the Northwestern Domain—by coincidence I found the first spot with some when I found you. Haha, heaven truly has eyes."

Lu Lin chuckled, almost convincing himself with his own reasoning.

In reality, how could Wang Chou know his whereabouts, the two hadn’t contacted since parting ways at Refining Star Mountain.

He said it just to make Hao Datong feel worse.

Swinging Hao Datong up, Lu Lin first cleared some mud from his tree branch, then tied him with a rope around himself.

The rope, something he casually crafted while refining at Refining Star Mountain, was barely at the level of a Ninth Grade Star Tool, so Hao Datong shouldn’t escape again.

The priority was to check out what lay beneath the surface.

After all, Lu Lin’s goal remained to gather poisonous insects for Wang Chou.

Seeing Lu Lin’s actions, Hao Datong felt despair.

He’d attempted to escape twice, both times caught by Lu Lin.

First was due to the loss of his Avatar.

Second was due to losing his body.

Was a third attempt even worthwhile?

However, he found some small comfort in having a final backup plan—at the proper moment, he could activate a remaining Avatar.

This served as his sole mental solace for the time being.

With his Earth Control, Lu Lin dug rapidly downward.

As he had mentioned helping Wang Chou find poisonous insects, Lu Lin took out a jade box, a previous gift from Wang Chou.

Inside was a pair of highly toxic Insect Kings.

Normally useless to Lu Lin, who seldom succumbed to poison or used it on others, but Wang Chou explained it served as an extra precaution.

If Lu Lin ever inadvertently succumbed to poison, whatever caused it—be it insect, snake, plant, or flower—the Insect Kings could devour it and quickly secrete antidote crystals Lu Lin could consume to detoxify in minimal time.

Wang Chou himself researched it.

While he and his teacher Master Wan Chong both studied the Insect Refining Path, Master Wan Chong leaned more towards using it to kill enemies, whereas Wang Chou aimed to save lives.

Otherwise, he wouldn’t have comprehended the Insect King Rebirth from Lu Lin’s Guiding Star Skills, both non-aggressive Star Skills.

Back on topic, the jade box not only enabled Lu Lin to detoxify but also functioned as an ecological space for storing poisonous creatures.

If not encountered, so be it, but here in the Poison Swamp, Lu Lin refused to leave empty-handed, determined to bring Wang Chou a small gift.

Continuously excavating.

Rapidly collecting poisonous insects.

Lu Lin’s actions soon attracted Hao Datong’s attention as well.

By now, Lu Lin had dug almost a hundred meters deep. If only gathering some poisonous insects, why insist on this particular location?

Lu Lin must have an ulterior motive.

Wait!

Hao Datong suddenly had a realization.

If he wasn’t mistaken, Lu Lin should be digging along the bubble’s emerging path.

Did Lu Lin already know the Poison Swamp’s secret?

Though displeased, Hao Datong also felt curious.

While fate had denied him the treasure below, if Lu Lin found it, he at least wanted to see it.

With this thought, Hao Datong nurtured a faint sense of expectation.

Yet he refrained from sharing his hypothesis with Lu Lin. If Lu Lin seized the treasure below, it would satisfy his curiosity; if not, Hao Datong had no intention of reminding him.

"Hmm?"

After digging roughly one hundred and five meters, Lu Lin suddenly frowned.

He couldn’t dig further.