The Corrupted Caverns

The Corrupted Caverns are located at the site where the Barbarian Shaman's devastating curse was contained by Elder Ying of the Argent Sect. In the middle of the kilometer-wide depression, is a shaft which connects the regular world to a world twisted and corrupted. Protected from discovery by the unwary explorer by a set of powerful totems, this site has been reserved for Li Suyin and those she invites for a period of ten years.

Ecosystem and other Features
Little is actually known about the Corrupted Caverns at this point. However, what is known paints a disturbing picture. Everything in the Corrupted Caverns is toxic to life above ground, and vice versa. Indeed, to even venture into the Corrupted Caverns requires preparation of fresh air supplies. Due to this mutual toxicity, an entirely different ecosystem has developed in the caverns, based around the lack of light and what seems to be impurities.

Li Suyin notes that the beast cores that can be retrieved from the Corrupted Caverns are completely different than normal beast cores, and if used in normal pill, elixir, or formation work will inevitably destroy or corrupt the product. This is due to the fact that the beast cores seem to bring in and store impurities rather than expel them.

Instead of regular forests, fungal forests flourish in the upper levels, filled with sightless lizards and shambling fungal monstrosities. However, nothing above the yellow realm is noted to create a habitat in the upper layers, which makes it relatively safe for Li Suyin to explore by herself. It is when one descends even deeper that more dangerous creatures make themselves known.

Of note for features in the Corrupted Cavern was the discovery of a chasm which seemed to have no bottom. Even with her dark sight, Ling Qi could not see the bottom.

Enemies in the Corrupted Cavern
As noted above, in the first couple of layers, the caverns are not particularly dangerous, inhabited by small sightless lizard-like creatures and shambling fungal monsters. However, the difficulty can rapidly scale up dangerous levels for the unwary.

The first major opponent Ling Qi and Li Suyin faced in the Corrupted Caverns was an Impure Antlion of the third realm. Utilizing similar tactics as a larva antlion in real life, it created a cone of sand and debris in which to trap its prey and then employed something akin to weight manipulation or gravity manipulation to drag the prey to its mouth. Li Suyin demonstrated the first instance of mutual toxicity by throwing jars of pure air at the creature while Ling Qi forced its attention upon herself.

The second major opponent Ling Qi faced were different than anything she has faced in the world above. Legions of the first realm and second realm rat like creatures swarmed over Ling Qi and Li Suyin as they were investigating the Impure Antlion's nest. This swarm was guided and empowered by three green realm humanoid rat beings which used tools and talismans. This is indicative of some ability to either trade for those tools or make the tools themselves. Ling Qi was able to handle the swarm by unleashing the full fury of her arts, specifically Forgotten Vale Meldoy and Frozen Soul Serenade. While the swarm was being consumed by Ling Qi's mists, she battled the three green realm creatures, killing two and forcing the third to unleash a potent creation while escaping the way he came. While Ling Qi and Li Suyin were forced to flee from the creation, the time Ling Qi bought Li Suyin was enough for Li Suyin to gather priceless ingredients from Impure Antlion's nest.

Given the shapes which lurked across the chasm, these rat like creatures will not be the only things to challenge cultivators who embark to harvest the Corrupted Caverns.