Chapter 157: Origin Heart Jade Flower
Lin Zifeng flew into a rage, his long sword transforming into a streak of green light. Accompanied by a beast roar, a Green Clawed Wolf was faintly visible shooting toward the Gray Smoke Bear alongside the long sword.
One strike pierced through, leaving no room for any resistance whatsoever.
The Gray Smoke Bear was merely a late First-order Feral Beast that had been made into a Spirit Sealing Talisman by someone.
Its strength was not great; it only released mist to conceal its form, creating an opportunity to escape.
Now struck down by Lin Zifeng in one blow, it turned into a Spirit Sealing Talisman covered in cracks and fell to the ground. The three Li Yunxiang brothers had already fled into the cave.
Damn it!
Lin Zifeng’s face turned extremely ugly. To his left was the group of rogue cultivators led by Yuan Fan, their expressions varied, especially colorful.
To his right were the Beast King Sect disciples who had just arrived, also quite numerous at six or seven people, led by Zhang Xingqiu of Azure Dragon Peak.
“Nine Peaks Sect people?!”
Zhang Xingqiu’s gaze turned cold as he swept over the crowd before him, immediately realizing that Li Yunluo had deliberately led them here just now.
“Release the signal flare. Nine Peaks Sect is seizing treasure here.”
“Block them!”
Zhang Xingqiu immediately had his own junior brothers release the signal flare, but Lin Zifeng and Yuan Fan reacted extremely quickly. If the signal was allowed to go out, all the Beast King Sect disciples would rush over.
Then whatever was here would have nothing to do with them.
“Attack!”
The two groups simultaneously attacked the Beast King Sect disciples.
Zhang Xingqiu’s face darkened, and he slashed out saber light with his long saber, blocking in front of everyone.
Yuan Fan threw the blue short axe from his hand, its sharp edge surging straight ahead, shattering the saber light.
The signal flare had just been lit when the Green Clawed Wolf behind Lin Zifeng pounced out, its bloody maw opening wide to swallow the signal flare in one gulp.
Zhang Xingqiu released his Beast Taming Bag, and a pitch-black ridged Alligator Dragon flew out to pounce, colliding with the Green Clawed Wolf.
The two fought fiercely in form. Behind Zhang Xingqiu, a Muddy Flood Dragon rose, its True Intent enveloping as it attacked toward Lin Zifeng.
“Only you are at Ruyi Stage?”
Lin Zifeng sneered, waving sword light with his long sword to seal off the Muddy Flood Dragon’s attack, keeping the True Essence circled outside the sword net.
He reached out with his left hand, taking out a black Tiger Tally from his storage ring. Its metallic surface was mottled, like an old object.
“Vajra Tiger!”
The Tiger Tally hit the ground and instantly expanded, forming an iron tiger about a zhang long, its body dark golden, roaring as it charged toward the Muddy Flood Dragon’s True Intent.
The two entangled each other in combat, while their disciples also clashed, fighting in pairs.
Yuan Fan wanted to play sly tricks and also rushed into the cave.
But he was discovered by Lin Zifeng and Zhang Xingqiu. The two drove their True Intent Beast Spirits, instantly encircling this Yuan Fan guy.
One Muddy Flood Dragon and one Green Clawed Wolf simultaneously launched attacks.
Yuan Fan was furious. His short and fat figure shook, and Beast Spirit True Intent suddenly emerged—it was shockingly a rotund Giant Clawed Green Bear with claws like millstones.
The three fought together in a tangle. Yuan Fan fought the most fiercely but also suffered the most disadvantage.
He had neither a contracted beast nor those precious Spirit Sealing Talismans. If not for the three entangled and restraining each other, he would likely have been suppressed long ago.
“Rumble”
But at this moment, the cave shook violently, suddenly cracking open a huge gap.
The entire Huang Meng Mountain emitted intense tremors. A surge of spiritual energy rose like clouds and mist, surging out from this rift.
The crowd was closest and felt it most clearly, their faces all changing abruptly.
Origin Stone Vein emerging, spiritual energy gathering—this was an exotic treasure descending.
In an instant, Yuan Fan’s subordinates rushed straight toward the rift, about to explore this underground space.
They were not a completely united front. Now with such an anomaly, how could they stay here to continue fighting?
The Beast King Sect and Nine Peaks Sect groups—whichever won would take all—while they rogue cultivators could only scramble for scraps, taking whatever they could grab.
Lin Zifeng didn’t hesitate much at all. He struck with one sword to force back Zhang Xingqiu, then led his own junior brothers and junior sisters straight into the cave.
“The sect will surely receive the news. Let’s go first, don’t let them take advantage!”
Zhang Xingqiu made a snap decision and also chased after them.
In a moment, everyone surged into the cave, competing for opportunity.
Spirit ore initially appearing, there must inevitably be an exotic treasure descending.
For them, this was all opportunity.
“No more disciples within four or five li around, still a bit of time.”
Su Yan’s figure appeared, his gaze flickering as he looked at the huge gully rift valley that had appeared where the cave originally was.
This underground cave space was enormous. Just a glance at the rift showed it was interconnected in all directions, originally one of the earth veins.
With a thought, his Insect Bone Armor Body emerged, completely enveloping him. His figure resembled armor, his aura suddenly rising and becoming much colder.
Gold-Eating Demon Insects circled his body. With a whoosh, they flew into the rift valley first.
His figure moved, also quickly entering the rift valley, heading straight for the cave.
The cave space was vast. Just this one entrance tunnel was about two or three zhang high and over a zhang wide, enough for carriages to pass side by side.
The deeper in, the tunnel’s ceiling rift disappeared, and this core space became even larger, like an underground world.
Su Yan did not light any torches. On the contrary, in this cave, faint white fluorescent light flickered from time to time—no one knew if it was from origin stones or other ores—illuminating the cave.
He strode forward quickly, suddenly hearing screams ahead.
In two or three steps, he reached the source of the sound. Four or five calf-sized black Feral Beasts drilled out from the cave stone wall, their claws hooked and sharp, teeth like saws. One bite severed half the body of a martial artist near the cliff wall.
The Claw Cave Beasts discovered Su Yan’s tracks and immediately pounced.
Su Yan raised his gaze, reaching out to grab. The Blood Slaughter Hand immediately shattered it into fragments.
“Rogue cultivator’s people, and not even True Intent cultivation…”
He looked at the corpse on the ground and shook his head slightly. “If in the mundane world, he’d count as a little expert.”
Peak Spirit Nurturing Realm, Half-step True Intent—such strength was actually quite good in a small county town.
But not everyone wanted to huddle in one realm and scrape by for life.
He killed the Claw Cave Beasts, collected the corpses, then continued chasing forward.
After the Gold-Eating Demon Insects entered, they became increasingly excited. Origin stone veins were also part of their diet, and they were especially sensitive to these foods.
Su Yan went deeper, passing many cave forks. From what he saw along the way and his perception of spiritual energy, he already had some judgment in his mind.
This place’s vein overlapped with the earth vein. Just the scale of the minerals was probably enough for a Third-order vein.
Able to produce Third-order Origin Stones, plus many Second-order and First-order Origin Stones—such a scale would make even Dan Qiao True Persons fight fiercely.
The more so, the less he could stay here long, or rather, there wouldn’t be a second chance like this to explore.
Buzz
The Gold-Eating Demon Insects vibrated again, sending information to Su Yan, leading him straight to the left path in the cave.
Just as he entered, a fierce wind assaulted, three blade lights reflecting on Su Yan’s face.
He looked fixedly—shockingly, three Nine Peaks Sect disciples.
True Intent Martial Artists, hidden behind the tunnel, suddenly launching a sneak attack.
This attack was extremely vicious, Beast Spirit True Intent almost attached to the swords, arriving before Su Yan in an instant.
He reached out to grab, clanging resounding.
Shocked cries immediately came from the tunnel: “How is that possible!”
The three struck together, but not only did their blades fail to kill the opponent, they were grabbed in his hand.
Beneath the face armor, cold eyes swept over the three, instantly making them feel chills down their spines.
Pfft
The Gold-Eating Demon Insects struck first, instantly piercing one’s heart.
The remaining two wanted to draw back their swords.
But the next moment, buzzing sounds continuously came, countless Blood Bees suddenly appearing, directly enveloping them.
Sharp mouthparts continuously broke through their True Essence outer layer, blocking their vision.
They still wanted to summon True Intent Beast Spirits to strangle these Blood Bees.
But Su Yan let out a cold snort, True Intent Power contained within, breaking through the two’s True Essence defenses.
Instantly, the Blood Bees drained the remaining two, turning them into two nearly deboned mummified corpses.
“So many caves, easy to get separated upon entering. The Beast King Sect disciples are probably in a similar state… but with contracted beasts, it should be better…”
Su Yan followed the Gold-Eating Demon Insects’ guidance, hurrying ahead through the tunnel, just about to reach the end.
Suddenly, the Gold-Eating Demon Insects pfft toward the left rock wall.
The sound was crisp and hollow.
Su Yan’s expression froze, immediately realizing: this stone wall was hollow, with space behind it?
He gathered strength in his hand, striking with Fierce Ape Splits the Mountain.
Immediately, cracking sounds rang out. Half a palm-thick stone block shattered and fell to the ground, smoke and dust rising, a blasted opening appearing before him.
He probed inside, but upon looking up, he discovered three people waiting in strict formation.
“Li Yunxiang?!”
“Beast King Sect disciple?”
This was an even larger underground cavity, the cave as stone walls, origin stones embedded in various places on the rock walls like overgrown weeds, encircling the entire space.
Spiritual energy here was dense, almost turning into faint mist. In the very center of this cave was a natural stone platform with a two-chi-sized pure white flower.
The stem was like jade, petals like water, as if carved from origin stone.
The three Li Yunxiang brothers were before this stone platform, now looking vigilantly at Su Yan, faces full of shock.
From the look, the three brothers had just wanted to pick this Origin Heart Jade Flower.
The so-called Origin Heart Jade Flower was a stone flower nurtured by an origin stone vein, gathering spiritual energy, throughout like origin stone, its grade tied to the origin stone vein.
This Origin Heart Jade Flower here was probably Third-order quality.
“Well calculated!”
Su Yan spoke first, the three brothers’ faces changing.
“I wondered why a piece of Jade Marrow could make you betray the sect. I thought it was an accident, but didn’t expect something like this.”
Origin Heart Jade Flower—a treasure that could wash meridians and change marrow, altering bone structure.
Bone structure refined with Origin Heart Jade Flower not only made cultivation in True Intent Fourth Realm as easy as walking a flat path, but also increased the foundation for Qi Condensation.
It could be said that even a Dan Qiao True Person would be tempted, using it to alter bone structure and open more acupoints, let alone True Intent Realm martial artists.
His gaze sharpened. The Li brothers were meticulous and especially cunning.
Just this ability to incite chaos—even if plotting against fellow sect members went wrong—wouldn’t expose them all so easily.
Unless preparation was insufficient, and there was greater benefit.
“Kill him. We don’t have much time.”
Li Yuntao directly released his contracted Black Moon Wolf, pouncing straight at Su Yan. The True Intent behind him was also a Black Moon Wolf, its form almost merging with the contracted beast, erupting with full Ruyi Stage power.
The nearby Li Yunxiang and Li Yunluo, without prior agreement, were in the same stance.
In a moment, six fierce wolves and three martial artists surrounded Su Yan from three directions.
The three had previously been at great accomplishment Heart Ape Realm. After getting the Jade Marrow, they absorbed considerable vital energy, plus many prepared pills. Now they had all completed their breakthroughs.
Powerful auras pressed down, and Su Yan also felt a weight on his shoulders.
Then, the next moment, Su Yan directly released the Six-Winged Blood Centipede, Flame Armored Scorpion, and Blood Fiend Mother Worm, along with the nearby Gold-Eating Demon Insects, launching an attack.
Poisonous mist rolled, instantly enveloping the Black Moon Wolf pack.
Tens of thousands of Blood Bees surged out, accompanied by blood fiend qi, charging toward the contracted Black Moon Wolves.
In just one clash, the Black Moon Wolves were completely wrapped by Blood Bees, devouring blood in big gulps.
It wasn’t without resistance; demonic essence continuously attacked, killing large swaths of Blood Bees.
But the next moment, blood fiend qi eroded these demonic essences, then led the Blood Bees to tear into the Black Moon Wolf’s flesh.
Poisonous mist eroded the Black Moon Wolves’ True Intents as they tried to strongly attack Su Yan.
But this was simply impossible.
The Six-Winged Blood Centipede and Flame Armored Scorpion blocked their assaults like iron pagodas.
Their massive bodies and hard carapaces became an unbreakable city wall.
The three Li Yunxiang brothers’ hearts sank to the bottom. Three such ferocious contracted beasts—even if only showing True Intent Realm combat power.
But such methods—how could they be an ordinary person.
“Kill his main body”
The three desperately dodged, attempting to launch an attack on Su Yan.
The Gold-Eating Demon Insects had long been excited, charging straight at the three.
Gengjin Blades continuously swung. The three, with vision blocked in the poisonous mist and True Essence circulation needing caution against erosion, were in dire straits.
After several exchanges in this entanglement, Li Yunxiang and the others already felt utterly frustrated.
Su Yan stepped toward the stone platform. The three Li Yunxiang brothers grew anxious and threw out their long swords like flying swords, shooting straight at his body.
But the next moment, a ten-zhang giant centipede emerged with starlight, smashing through the three flying swords.
Green-scaled Poisonous Flood Dragon appeared, its dragon head’s bloody maw wide open, biting off Big Brother Li Yunxiang’s head in one chomp.
“Big Brother!”
Li Yuntao’s eyes turned bloodshot, hair standing on end in rage. He charged at Su Yan, abandoning his body.
He punched out, nearly a True Intent martial artist’s full power.
However, Su Yan reached out and steadily caught the fist.
Crack
He twisted his hand, instantly snapping it, bone splinters piercing out through the flesh.
Blood Slaughter Hand thrust out, directly piercing the body and crushing the heart.
Li Yunluo’s eyes split in rage, losing composure. The Gold-Eating Demon Insects flew straight at him, pfft—a sound, and his heart was instantly pierced.
With the master dead, the Beast Taming Seal on the contracted beast lost control, the contracted beast suffering backlash and dying instantly.
The entire cave space was now deathly silent, only the Origin Heart Jade Flower remaining on the stone platform.
“Quick battle, quick decision”
Su Yan strode toward the stone platform. The Gold-Eating Demon Insects grew even more excited—undoubtedly, this thing was what drew it here.
“The three Li Yunxiang brothers went to such lengths to draw people here before daring to pick the flower. This is probably guardian beast territory—gotta hurry.”
He stepped onto the stone platform in two or three strides, gently grasping the flower stem, then lightly snapping it off, storing the Origin Heart Jade Flower into the Insect Realm Space.
“Hm? This is a beast egg?”
He looked down. Beneath this Origin Heart Jade Flower was unexpectedly a hand-sized egg covered in purple patterns, mostly buried underground, continuously drawing spiritual energy from the Origin Heart Jade Flower and origin stone vein through the stone platform.
This was nurturing the egg.
