On the opposite side of this marsh was still dense forest, but the distance across exceeded a hundred meters.
Jiang Chen approached the marsh and carefully sensed it. Beneath the black, rotten mud, numerous life fluctuations were hidden, remaining completely still, waiting for prey to take the bait.
The intensity of these life fluctuations was similar to the soul beasts he had encountered in the dense forest behind him, likely around one or two hundred years of cultivation.
His sharp eyes noticed a remnant piece of clothing still clinging to the black mud, indicating that someone had very likely perished here.
Besides the mud, other parts of the marsh had many seemingly calm water surfaces. The water was somewhat turbid, and it was unknown how deep it went.
Jiang Chen's gaze suddenly sharpened. He saw a creature as thick as a water barrel flash by beneath the water's surface. It appeared to be a massive black snake, its body no less than ten meters long.
This seemingly peaceful marsh area concealed countless dangers within.
He looked to both sides; the marsh stretched out endlessly, with no end in sight.
With a thought, Little Black Sparrow took to the sky and finally spotted a passable point very far in the distance.
Jiang Chen felt somewhat speechless. Going straight ahead was filled with all kinds of obstacles, but taking a safer route would cost several times more time.
Had those instructors really not considered flying soul masters? With a flying soul master, passing through such a place would present no difficulty at all and would allow one to far surpass the others.
"Should I risk it?" Jiang Chen pondered in his heart.
Zhao Youyue's team had surely already flown across, while Wan Tianqi's team had probably taken the sides.
If he also went along the sides, he would definitely fall far behind Zhao Youyue.
Moreover, he considered another issue: were the three days the instructors mentioned calculated based on the strength of most students, or based on the strength of those five great soul masters?
If it were based on most students' strengths, then Zhao Youyue might complete the task far sooner than three days.
This made Jiang Chen feel a sense of urgency.
But beneath that marsh lurked many soul beasts. Just within a range of a dozen meters around him, there were already several hundred-year-old soul beasts.
Across more than a hundred meters, the soul beasts hidden within were unimaginable.
Even a Soul Elder, if aware of so many hundred-year soul beasts here, would probably slink away and avoid the place.
The strange fish in the river earlier hadn't reached a hundred years of cultivation, so he hadn't needed to worry, but the soul beasts in this marsh were all hundred-year ones.
Push through forcefully or avoid it?
Gradually, shouts and footsteps came from the forest behind him. Jiang Chen knew that group of students had caught up.
He gritted his teeth, understanding that if he wanted to overtake Zhao Youyue, forcefully crossing this marsh was the key.
Otherwise, if similar places appeared later, would he have to take longer detours every time?
"Splash, splash..."
Bushes were parted, and dozens of boys and girls emerged, their appearances somewhat disheveled.
When they saw Jiang Chen, they clearly froze for a moment. After hesitating briefly, they cautiously approached.
Jiang Chen could sense that with the arrival of this group of students, the creatures in the swamp gradually increased in number, silently moving towards the edges and beneath the swamp, revealing cold and creepy gazes.
A thought stirred in Jiang Chen's mind. Perhaps he could wait a little, using these people to attract even more soul beasts from the marsh. When he made his dash, the pressure might lessen considerably.
The group of students showed curious expressions. A few girls wanted to walk toward the edge to study the marsh.
"If you don't want to die, don't go near there," Jiang Chen reminded them, his voice somewhat cold.
Hearing Jiang Chen's words, the few girls quickly retreated.
"Little brother, are there monsters down there?" one girl asked cautiously.
Jiang Chen nodded. "There are many hundred-year soul beasts inside, just waiting for you to deliver yourselves."
The faces of several girls turned pale as they retreated a few more steps, staring in horror at the black marsh. The group of ten-year-old strange fish in the river earlier had already been so terrifying, and now there was a whole group of hundred-year-old soul beasts in this marsh.
"Then where can we pass?" the girl continued to ask.
Jiang Chen pointed to both sides. "Both sides can get through, but it'll be much farther."
"I don't believe it!" A boy stepped out from the crowd, looking at Jiang Chen with suspicion.
He was one of the few in the group closest to the level of a great soul master. Seeing the prettiest girls consulting Jiang Chen's opinion, he felt somewhat displeased.
"Since you say there are a bunch of hundred-year soul beasts inside, and both sides can get through, then why are you still standing here and not leaving?"
Seeing Jiang Chen remain silent, the boy grew more confident. He walked to the edge of the marsh. "In my opinion, there are no soul beasts in here at all. This kid probably wants to trick us into going the long way while he figures out how to cross the marsh himself."
The boy's words made some sense, causing the other boys and girls to secretly nod and look at Jiang Chen with growing suspicion.
Thus, quite a few more boys walked forward.
The boy stood at the marsh's edge, bent down, and peered at the half-mud, half-water marsh. He turned back with a smile. "See? If there were soul beasts, why wouldn't they eat me?"
Just as his words fell, several massive black shadows shot out. Ferocious, terrifying mouths filled with densely packed interlocking teeth bit down in one gulp, taking the boy's head clean off. Blood gushed wildly.
These were actually several enormous crocodiles. The others fought to tear into the boy's remaining body, ripping it apart with a light tug. Disgusting things spilled everywhere.
The boys who had approached earlier fell to the ground, screaming in terror as they scrambled backward on all fours.
The group of girls let out ear-piercing shrieks; fear had stripped their faces of any beauty.
Seeing this bloody scene, even Jiang Chen couldn't help but feel a surge of nausea, but he forcibly steadied himself.
The crocodiles didn't charge onto the shore. After devouring the boy's corpse, they shrank back beneath the marsh.
Now was the moment!
Jiang Chen's eyes burst with a terrifying gleam. Martial soul possession, soul rings lit up, divine armor armed, in the blink of an eye, he completed it all. His speed reached its maximum as he dashed toward the marsh.
"Has he gone mad?" This was the thought in many people's minds.
Under everyone's shocked gazes, Jiang Chen's body turned into an afterimage. He leaped high, and when he landed, he was already more than ten meters deep into the marsh.
His toes lightly tapped on a lotus leaf, propelling his body forward again. Though slower than on solid ground, he was still remarkably fast.
At the marsh's edge, black mud churned as countless massive crocodiles chased after Jiang Chen.
Jiang Chen suddenly veered. Five meters ahead, a water-barrel-thick giant snake burst out of the water, jaws wide as it shot toward him.
The snake was nearly twenty meters long, exuding a terrifying aura that made the boys and girls on the shore retreat in continuous fear.
Jiang Chen could sense the hidden life auras below, so he could dodge in advance.
By the time he reached the center of the marsh, five giant snakes were already tightly pursuing him from behind.
Fortunately, Jiang Chen still held a slight edge in speed. Even as more and more soul beasts followed, they couldn't threaten him.
More than a hundred meters of marsh, Jiang Chen crossed it in just over ten seconds, charging into the forest with that swarm of variously colored giant snakes trailing him.
What the hell—this guy is still human?
Watching the direction Jiang Chen left in, everyone stood there in a daze.
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Here are the chapters for today (づ￣3￣)づ╭～