Chapter 317: Chapter 115: What on Earth is the Blood of this Existence (Seeking Monthly Pass)
One day had passed. Shen Changqing had returned to Fengqiu Mountain. As he looked at the mountain range before him, he withdrew his gaze and turned to Luo Yuan and the others.
"When you venture into the mountains and encounter danger, open the jade box I gave you. The measures within are enough to ensure your survival in the face of Demon Evil. And once the jade box is activated, I will enter Fengqiu Mountain at the first opportunity. Your primary mission is to use the means provided by the jade box to entangle the Demon Evil, so it does not escape again."
Although the contingency in the jade box was equivalent to a living Half-Step Grandmaster, Shen Changqing could not be certain that the Demon Evil had not reached the Fiend Level. If it had, the drop of Essence Blood would not last very long. At this time, while Luo Yuan and the others might not offer much help, Shen Changqing believed the presence of the Essence Blood as a distraction might still have a slight effect. Moreover, he did not think they would neglect their own lives to entrap the Demon Evil. If it truly became a lost cause, these people would run even faster.
Luo Yuan held the jade box tightly, nodding gravely. "Lord Shen, rest assured, we know what to do."
"Hmm, go on then." Shen Changqing nodded.
Subsequently, Luo Yuan and the others bowed, exchanged glances, and then entered Fengqiu Mountain together. Watching their retreating figures, Shen Changqing stood with his hands behind him, silently waiting.
Since you feel threatened by me, I’ll let others enter to see if you really can restrain yourself! A cold light flashed in his eyes.
From the records and Chang Cai’s words, much could be gleaned. Since its appearance, the Demon Evil had killed many humans; if not ten thousand, then at least one or two thousand had perished at its hands. Ordinary hunters entering the mountains and some unsuspecting commoners who strayed in never made it out alive. After that, the people the Yamen sent, one after another, also disappeared without a trace. From this, it was evident that the Demon Evil had already killed many. Shen Changqing did not consider himself a noble person. However, as a member of the Human Clan and the Demon-Subduing Division, he had no reason to ignore such a Demon Evil that slaughtered humans. Therefore, what he had to do now was wait—wait for news from Luo Yuan and the others. At the Grandmaster Peak, the Demon Evil would not dare to make any move against him. However, a few Martial Artists from the Pulse Condensation Realm would be delectable treats.
「On the other side」
Luo Yuan and his group had officially entered Fengqiu Mountain.
"Old Luo, why don’t you let me carry the jade box? It’s not very convenient for you to hold on to it," Lv Anxin said with a light cough, suddenly speaking up. He looked around at the surroundings, and for some reason, a trace of an inexplicable chill arose in his heart. Even with his mid-Pulse Condensation Realm strength, it couldn’t provide him the slightest sense of security.
Luo Yuan’s expression was calm. "No need to bother Brother Lv. This old man can handle it myself."
"Hehe." Lv Anxin laughed awkwardly and said no more.
At this moment, Huo Qian, clad in a white dress, also looked around, her willow-like brows tightly furrowed. "What do you think? Where could that Demon Evil be hiding?"
"Who knows? Fengqiu Mountain is so vast. Even Lord Shen hasn’t been able to find it, so it must be well hidden," Lv Anxin shook his head.
As the two conversed, Luo Yuan rebuked in a low voice, "Don’t talk about that anymore. Demon Evil are not inanimate. If it’s hiding nearby and hears us, it could spell big trouble!"
Hearing this, Lv Anxin and Huo Qian both fell silent. Indeed, Demon Evil possess intelligence. If it realized they were merely bait and that there were plans to trap it, it likely wouldn’t show itself. Thus, following Luo Yuan’s reminder, the two ceased their conversation. The scene quieted down, and everyone silently walked deeper into Fengqiu Mountain.
Perhaps time passed too quickly, or perhaps the surrounding trees were too tall; before they knew it, the sky had darkened.
"Have you noticed that it’s too quiet around us?" Huo Qian asked, her voice trembling slightly. Although she had been part of the Jianghu for many years, she had always harbored a great fear of entities like Demon Evil. Their current environment was mountainous and densely forested. The darkness was one thing, but to experience such a deathly silence, an unseen oppression began to spread from within their hearts.
Hearing her, Luo Yuan’s expression grew grave. "Indeed, it is too quiet. Everyone, be cautious and try not to stumble."
Excessive silence was inherently abnormal. This was Fengqiu Mountain. Day or night, it should never be so quiet that not a single sound could be heard. Even if birds and beasts made no noise, tiny insects should still chirp. But there was nothing. Absolutely nothing. Forget insect chirps; there wasn’t even the faintest whisper of sound. Any normal person could now understand that this place was unusual.
Observing their surroundings, everyone heightened their vigilance. Luo Yuan gripped the jade box tightly; it was his only source of confidence. From what he had heard, his late-stage Pulse Condensation strength meant nothing in the eyes of the Demon Evil. If it indeed attacked, the only thing that could save him would be the jade box Lord Shen had provided. Even now, he had no idea what was actually contained within the jade box. But Luo Yuan knew there was no choice left for him. He could only trust that the jade box Shen Changqing had given him would truly work.
After walking a certain distance in the forest, mist suddenly surged up from nowhere. The originally clear vision instantly became much darker.
"There’s a problem!" Luo Yuan’s heart skipped a beat as he blurted out a warning. However, as his voice fell, there was no response.
Suddenly, he paused, turned around to look, but Lv Anxin and Huo Qian were nowhere to be seen or heard. At that moment, Luo Yuan’s face finally changed color. He hadn’t sensed at all when the two had disappeared. But obviously, under normal circumstances, neither of them would leave without a sound. Therefore, there was only one possibility—the Demon Evil hidden inside Fengqiu Mountain had already made its move in the shadows. The two hadn’t necessarily disappeared; it was possible that he himself had fallen into some Illusory Realm, which was why he couldn’t see them.
Thinking of this possibility, Luo Yuan didn’t hesitate. Following the method Shen Changqing had instructed, he bit the tip of his tongue, and hot blood immediately spilled out.
PFFT!
As blood spurted from the tip of his tongue, the image before his eyes suddenly twisted. When Luo Yuan regained his composure and looked around, he found that at some unknown point, he was no longer in the forest but inside an abandoned, dilapidated temple. Next, he looked to his left and right and saw many people kneeling with their heads bowed. He, too, found himself kneeling on the ground. Looking up, where the deity’s statue should have been, he saw a giant fox, over ten feet long, sitting cross-legged like a human. It had a sharp muzzle and simian cheeks, looking exceedingly terrifying. At that moment, the fox opened its eyes, its green pupils landing on Luo Yuan. Instantly, great fear surged in Luo Yuan’s heart.
Without any delay, he stood up and burst out of the decrepit temple. When he reached the outside, Luo Yuan was again shocked by the sight before him. There, a multitude of dried corpses knelt, as if they had been kneeling from life until death, for many years. Among these corpses, he spotted the unique uniforms of the Yamen officials from Qutai County. Without a doubt, these dried corpses were the Yamen officials who had entered Fengqiu Mountain some time ago. These officials had all met their end here. At a rough glance, the densely packed dried corpses numbered no less than a thousand. Luo Yuan found it hard to imagine that such a place existed in Fengqiu Mountain. He also wondered what kind of power could have forced so many people to maintain a kneeling posture even in death.
If I hadn’t come to my senses, would I too have become one of these dried corpses? Thinking of this possibility, Luo Yuan was horrified once again.
At that moment, a fierce gust of wind suddenly struck from behind him. Turning around, he saw the enormous fox, its expression ferocious, pouncing towards him to kill. Its movements were rapid, reaching an extreme. Terror-stricken, Luo Yuan was too late to dodge and could only follow Shen Changqing’s instructions, quickly opening the jade box.
HISS—
The fox, which was about to pounce on him, suddenly recoiled as a fierce, scorching aura erupted when the jade box opened. That aura made it feel as if it had met its nemesis; its massive body stumbled backward from some impact. Only then did Luo Yuan have time to see clearly what was inside the jade box. It was a drop of blood—a drop of golden blood. The blood emitted a terrifying power, making him feel like an ant in its presence.
What kind of being’s Essence Blood is this! Luo Yuan was utterly shocked. He had never imagined that the jade box contained merely a drop of blood. Furthermore, a single drop of blood possessed such terrifying might. It was hard to imagine just how powerful the blood’s owner must be.
Immediately, Luo Yuan thought of Shen Changqing. The jade box was from him, so the blood very likely originated from him as well. If that was the case, one could only imagine the extent of Shen Changqing’s strength. Originally, he had merely thought of him as an expert at the Grandmaster Realm, but now it seemed that was not a level any ordinary Grandmaster could match.
While Luo Yuan was still in shock, the giant fox, looking at the jade box, also showed deep fear in its large eyes. At that moment, the blood suddenly rose from the jade box and then, before Luo Yuan’s astonished eyes, transformed into the figure of Shen Changqing.
"Evil beast!"
The two words shook like thunder.