txolops Chapter 274 The Arrival of Extreme Yin
Chapter 274 The Arrival of Extreme Yin
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Luo Ming's heart skipped a beat, and he quickly asked telepathically, "What did you discover, senior?"
"This person's magical power is pure and profound, undoubtedly a top-tier wood-attribute technique. However, within the aura he exudes, I vaguely sensed a trace... somewhat similar to your original aura, also wood with a hint of fire." Tianjing Sanren's tone carried a hint of certainty.
"A shared aura?" Luo Ming exclaimed in shock. "Senior, are you saying that this wooden vine also possesses a wood-attribute spirit body? This... how come I didn't sense anything at all?"
"Spiritual bodies are so rare, how could they be as common as cabbages?" Tianjing Sanren denied. "If he really has such a wood-attribute spiritual body, combined with a top-tier wood-attribute cultivation technique, given his age, his cultivation level would definitely not be limited to the early stage of the Nascent Soul realm. He would probably already be in the middle stage of the Nascent Soul realm, or even a great cultivator in the late stage."
He paused, as if carefully discerning: "This person's wood-attribute magic is extremely pure, but at the core of that pure wood spirit power, there seems to be a very subtle yet extremely refined... fire-attribute power! If it weren't for my deep study of the Dao of Fire back then, my keen perception, and my careful examination of the aura left behind by this person when you used your spiritual essence to investigate, I'm afraid I would have had difficulty detecting it."
Luo Ming was startled, and a name and related information flashed through his mind instantly—Yan Fumu!
He remembered that in the original story, the natal magic weapon that Mu Tengzi relied on to become famous seemed to be made from a kind of strange wood called "Yanfu Wood".
Yanfu wood is a very special kind of divine wood. It is said to grow in places where earth fire is active, absorbing the essence of earth fire and the spirit of wood. It takes a long time to grow. Its essence is that fire is contained in wood, and fire helps wood to grow!
"So that's how it is... it's Yambu wood!"
Luo Ming suddenly understood, but then became even more vigilant. Since the other party could sense the special nature of his spiritual body, their purpose was probably not just the Nine-Bend Spirit Ginseng!
Just as Luo Ming and Tianjing Sanren were exchanging thoughts and trying to sort things out, Xuan Gu's face on the other side had become so gloomy that it was almost dripping with water.
Seeing that the Nine-Bend Spirit Ginseng was about to be obtained, it was intercepted at the last moment by this Nascent Soul old monster who suddenly appeared. You can imagine the anger and frustration in his heart.
But he was, after all, a seasoned veteran, and knew that circumstances were beyond his control. Kifutōko was a long-established and unpredictable figure, far beyond what he could currently match head-on.
Unless they can lure the opponent into the Four Symbols Black Tortoise Formation, and combine the strength of him, Luo Ming, and Han Li, they might be able to use the formation to their advantage and fight this old monster for a while, or even have a chance to turn the tables and kill him.
But... is that possible? The other party clearly won't fall into their trap easily. Moreover, what makes Xuan Gu even more anxious is that the old ghost, the Extreme Yin Ancestor, is eyeing Han Li covetously and could come chasing after him at any moment.
If Ji Yin and Mu Tengzi, these two Nascent Soul stage monsters, were to appear here at the same time, the situation would be completely out of control. Not to mention plotting against the Nine-Bend Spirit Ginseng and Luo Ming's physical body, he himself would probably be in danger of perishing!
"We can't stay here! We must get out of here immediately!" Xuan Gu made a decision instantly. The Nine-Bend Spirit Ginseng was good, but his life was more important. As for Luo Ming and Han Li... Hmph, let them face that old monster Mu Tengzi here!
Thinking of this, Xuan Gu suppressed his resentment and fear of Mu Tengzi, forced a stiff smile, and bowed to the old man in the bamboo hat in the distance, speaking in a dry voice:
"So it's Senior Mutōko who has graced us with her presence. This junior was unaware that you were also interested in this item. Since you have taken a liking to it, it is only right that it belongs to you. This junior will take our leave now, so as not to disturb your peace any longer."
After saying that, he moved slightly, and gray energy appeared around him. He was actually planning to ignore everything and escape directly!
Seeing that Genkotsu was so "sensible" as to try to escape without saying a word, Mutengzi's face showed no appreciation but rather a cold glint.
Did I let you leave?
His voice wasn't loud, but it carried an undeniable authority. Before he finished speaking, without even raising a hand or foot, the ground beneath the Xuan Bone suddenly split open, and several thick, blood-red vines covered in jagged barbs and emitting a strong, pungent stench, like venomous dragons lurking deep underground, shot out and coiled around the Xuan Bone with lightning speed!
The top of the vines was not an ordinary thorn, but several enormous, blood-red flower buds covered with sharp teeth. At this moment, they suddenly opened, like the ferocious mouth of a prehistoric beast, bringing a nauseating stench, and fiercely biting at Xuan Gu, as if to swallow him whole, soul and all!
Xuan Gu's expression changed drastically, his eyes flashing with bloodlust as he roared, "Mu Tengzi! Don't push your luck!"
At the critical moment of life and death, he held nothing back. Gray energy surged from his body, and just as the blood-red vines closed in to devour him, he suddenly shrank inward. Then, with a muffled "bang," he burst open like a punctured bubble, turning into a thick, viscous gray-black mist!
Each gray shadow exuded an aura extremely similar to the true form of Xuan Gu, making it difficult to distinguish between them. Clearly, it was some kind of extremely sophisticated secret technique for survival and escape.
Seeing this, Mu Tengzi raised an eyebrow under his hat, a hint of surprise flashing in his eyes: "Hmm? 'Mystic Soul Shadow Splitter'? Isn't that the old ghost Ji Yin's trump card for escaping? This kid is using it so skillfully... Could he be a disciple or successor secretly trained by Ji Yin?"
He did not continue the pursuit. Once the "Mysterious Soul Shadow Split" was unleashed, the four shadowy figures were connected yet independent, making it extremely difficult to distinguish the real from the fake, and their escape speed was incredibly fast, designed specifically for escaping. Although he was confident in killing Xuan Gu, his main target at the moment was not this person, and there was no need to waste energy chasing after a clone that might just be an illusion, thus wasting his mana.
"Fine, let them run away." Mu Tengzi stopped paying attention to the direction where Xuan Gu disappeared, and turned his gaze back to Luo Ming and Han Li in the formation below. Seeing that the two were on high alert and their whole bodies were tense, the cold and ruthless look on his face quickly disappeared, and he revealed a seemingly gentle but in fact unfathomable smile.
"My two young friends need not be so tense. I have come here with no ill intentions." His tone softened, carrying the composure of a senior master. "I am simply interested in this young friend and would like to make a deal with you." As he spoke, his gaze fixed clearly on Luo Ming. His eyes seemed peaceful, but Luo Ming could keenly sense the fleeting blue glint in the other's eyes, which made him feel very uncomfortable.
Alarm bells rang in Luo Ming's mind, and his bad premonition grew stronger. He forced himself to calm down, met Mu Tengzi's gaze, and bowed respectfully, saying:
"Senior is too kind. My cultivation is shallow and I have nothing of value. I really don't know what kind of things could make you give up such a good opportunity to pick spiritual herbs and follow me here? Please enlighten me, senior."
Mu Tengzi smiled slightly, not answering directly, but instead saying, "What I ask of you is something you cannot fulfill now. I only hope that after this trip to the Void Heaven Palace is over, you can spare some time to do me a small favor. This matter may not be difficult for you, but it is quite important to me. As payment..."
Before he could finish speaking, his expression suddenly changed. He abruptly turned his head and looked towards the distant horizon, his gaze sharpening like a knife. He muttered to himself, "Why is that old ghost Ji Yin here too? His aura is so obvious... Could he have come specifically for this kid?"
He instantly recalled the old grudge that seemed to exist between Luo Ming and the Extreme Yin Ancestor. If the Extreme Yin Ancestor were to capture or kill Luo Ming here, wouldn't his newly hatched plan be completely ruined?
In a flash, Mu Tengzi made his decision. Without hesitation, he tossed the jade box containing the Nine-Bend Spirit Ginseng into the air. The box traced an arc and floated lightly toward the array's light screen, hovering not far in front of Luo Ming before being blocked by the restriction.
"Here!" Fujiko's voice became more urgent.
"This item is indeed quite helpful for condensing a Nascent Soul, but it's of little use to me. I'm giving it to you, young friend, as a token of my sincerity in advance. That Extreme Yin Demon will arrive in the blink of an eye; we shouldn't linger here! I'll hold him off for a moment. You two should quickly proceed to the entrance of the second level, the 'Ice and Fire Path'! There, the Star Palace Elders are stationed to maintain order. Even the Extreme Yin Demon wouldn't dare to openly break the rules at the entrance and attack you!"
Luo Ming was taken aback by this sudden turn of events and instinctively caught the jade box that flew towards him. The box felt slightly heavy in his hand, cool and smooth to the touch—undoubtedly genuine. However, instead of joy, his suspicions deepened. This Mu Tengzi was acting strangely; one moment he was aggressive, the next he was offering a treasure as a favor? Where in the world could such a good thing happen?
His mind raced. As he took the jade box into his hand, he secretly sent out a wisp of his divine sense to scan the inside and outside of the box. Sure enough! In an extremely inconspicuous corner at the bottom of the jade box, he "saw" a faint, almost dissipated, yet pure wood spirit mark that shared the same origin as the aura on Mu Tengzi's body! If it weren't for his powerful divine sense and prior precautions, he would have had almost no chance of noticing it.
"As expected, they had a backup plan!" Luo Ming sneered inwardly, but remained outwardly calm. He quickly opened the jade box, and with a flick of his other hand, he used the Demon-Binding Rope to gently push the "Jade Rabbit" spirit towards the Nine-Bend Spirit Ginseng body inside the box.
The spirit and the physical body seemed to be naturally drawn to each other; with a flash of light, the Jade Rabbit disappeared into the humanoid ginseng. In an instant, the ginseng shone brightly, its fragrance grew stronger, and its form seemed even more lifelike. .
Luo Ming swiftly closed the jade box, simultaneously forming hand seals. Several subtle sealing runes quietly landed on the jade box, temporarily sealing it and also temporarily isolating and suppressing the wisp of wood spirit imprint. The entire process was fluid and seamless, taking only a moment.
"Thank you for the treasure, senior! I'll take my leave now!" Luo Ming hurriedly cupped his hands to Mu Tengzi, then without further hesitation, he called out to Han Li, "Junior Brother Han, let's go!"
Although Han Li was also full of doubts, seeing that Luo Ming had made a decision and that the terrifyingly powerful demonic energy in the distance was rapidly approaching, he immediately stopped hesitating, waved his hand to dispel the Four Symbols Xuanwu Formation, and at the same time transformed into two streaks of light with Luo Ming. They accelerated their escape speed to the extreme and shot away towards the general direction of the entrance to the second level in their memories!
They had only been gone a few breaths—
"Ugh—!"
A massive, dark, demonic cloud, blotting out the sky and carrying a chilling, oppressive aura that sent shivers down one's spine, crashed down upon the stone mountain. The cloud churned, revealing the figures of the Extreme Yin Ancestor and Wu Chou.