When the Human-Faced Jade Essence Flower bloomed, everyone who looked at it would be entranced.
Including itself.
So the instant it looked into the bronze mirror, it instead fell into a state of intoxication.
Seizing this opportunity, Lin Bei drew his sword from behind and moved to sever the flower stalk. As long as he plucked this flower, the mission would be complete.
But just then, a sudden change erupted!
Whoosh!
A white shadow abruptly descended from the sky, landing beside the Human-Faced Jade Essence Flower and Lin Bei. It struck with a claw, viciously tearing toward Lin Bei's throat!
Swift and venomous, a killing blow!
Fortunately, Lin Bei's reactions were not slow. He hurriedly raised his sword to block. With a clang, sparks burst from the blade, and he himself staggered back several steps. Had he been even a fraction slower, that claw would surely have taken his life.
Only then did the three maintaining the sword formation on the outskirts turn around and clearly see what had landed in the clearing: a monster as small as a child, its entire body white as jade, topped by an enormous head.
"Human-Faced Marmoset!" Fang Ting's expression changed, and he immediately drew his sword.
This exceedingly rare monster had never been part of his calculations.
Yet the creature moved with extraordinary speed. After knocking Lin Bei back, it casually snapped off the blooming Human-Faced Jade Essence Flower, then turned and fled.
Fang Ting acted just as quickly. He raised the Thunder Sword, formed a hand seal with his left hand, and in an instant, golden Sword Qi dragons filled the clearing, winding all around, above, and below, forming a prison of Sword Qi! Like a thunder pool, it trapped the monster within!
But the creature did not dodge at all. It leaped straight upward, its body suddenly turning transparent for an instant. In that moment, it passed through the Sword Qi prison, shot into the air, planted one foot on an inverted rock hanging in midair, and sprang away again.
In the blink of an eye, it had already fled dozens of yards!
"Demon, do not run!"
Fang Ting flew into a rage at once, flipping onto his sword. The sword light instantly transformed into a violent golden dragon and gave chase.
Boom boom boom boom!
But the valley was filled with interwoven, upside-down boulders, while that white shadow was incomparably nimble, deliberately choosing the most rugged paths ahead.
Sword flight was fast, but it favored straight-line travel over long distances. It was far less agile in such twists and turns, and before long, it repeatedly smashed through enormous rocks.
Had they been ordinary stones, it would not have mattered if he simply charged through them. Yet the strange rocks in this valley were exceptionally hard. Repeatedly striking them at high speed while flying a sword was already extremely dangerous; even a fourth-realm cultivator like Fang Ting could barely endure it.
Before long, he twisted in midair and switched to riding the wind with his body. Meanwhile, the Thunder Sword shot through the air, intending to slay the monster from afar with a flying sword.
But this made his speed even more sluggish, and in the blink of an eye, the distance between them widened greatly again. The flying sword chased the incomparably nimble monster, yet could never lock onto it.
All of this happened in a flash of lightning and sparks. Both sides raced forward like the wind, and without realizing it, they had reached the depths of the valley. Just as Fang Ting's body and mind remained focused on the white shadow ahead, a rumbling gust suddenly came from above. A thick black shadow covered him.
Boom!
He stopped himself in an emergency, only to discover it was a gigantic branch! And he had already arrived before a colossal tree that towered into the heavens!
At the center of the valley stood an enormous tree, dozens of yards tall if not more. Its canopy spread out to blot out the sky and cover the sun, as though all the vegetation in the entire valley had sprouted from it. Countless thick branches surrounded the giant tree, and whenever any living creature approached, they would be lashed by the branches.
Clearly, this giant tree was the demon king of this valley!
Fang Ting dodged the first branch, but could not avoid the second one coming head-on. Bang!
That blow sent him flying more than a dozen yards away!
After rolling to the ground, Fang Ting looked up again at the monster's white shadow. He saw it dodging, weaving, and leaping amid the giant tree's continuous barrage of branches, without so much as a leaf brushing against its body.
It was too agile!
Fang Ting's Thunder Sword Qi had always excelled in speed as well, but it was more suited to broad, sweeping attacks—direct and straightforward.
If they had been on flat, open ground, he was confident he could capture this Human-Faced Marmoset in moments. But within this rugged, complicated valley, he could do nothing to it.
And with that giant tree present, he did not dare give chase any farther.
He could only watch as the monster's back bounced farther and farther away in the blink of an eye...
"Damn it!" Fang Ting cursed furiously.
A Golden Core cultivator leading the team, yet the mission had failed. If he returned to the mountain like this, what would Master think of him? What would Senior Brother Ziyang think of him? What would Junior Sister Ziqing think of him... Hm?
Swoosh—
Just as he was stewing in frustration, a black shadow nearly impossible to catch with the naked eye flashed past him, instantly chasing after the monster.
And it seemed even faster, even more agile! The giant tree's branches did not even attack this black shadow, because it had already passed before they could react!
Swoosh swoosh swoosh swoosh swoosh!
Human-Faced Marmosets.
They were an exceedingly rare type of mountain spirit. At the exact moment a Human-Faced Jade Essence Flower matured, if it happened to be devoured by a ghost, that ghost would grow a new body and become a Human-Faced Marmoset.
This type of spirit monster was distinguished by its astonishing speed and unmatched agility.
The one in this valley had been lying in wait here for a long time. Toward the humans who dared lay hands on the Jade Essence Flower it had found, it naturally wished nothing more than to wipe them out completely.
But those human cultivators were extremely powerful, so it could only snatch the Human-Faced Jade Essence Flower and flee at once. As long as it returned to its cave and refined this flower as well, its cultivation would become twice as strong. Then... Heh heh heh heh heh heh heh...
Thinking of the scene where its cultivation greatly increased, the Human-Faced Marmoset could not help letting out a strange laugh.
As for the human cultivator relentlessly pursuing it from behind, it felt nothing but disdain. No matter how strong his cultivation was, he could only eat its dust from behind.
It knew this valley like the back of its hand and could shake him off with ease. He actually wanted to race through here on a flying sword? Heh, just wait until he smashed his head to pieces!
Once it entered the giant tree's range, the Human-Faced Marmoset knew it was safe.
Apart from itself, no second demon beast could move freely through the giant tree's branches. Those humans were even less capable!
It darted, twisted, and leaped with ease, as leisurely as strolling through its own courtyard. After a while, it felt it could turn back and take a look at that human's furious face. If it went any farther, it would not be able to see him.
With that thought, the Human-Faced Marmoset turned its head with a strange laugh.
Then the pair of eyeballs on its enormous human-like face suddenly bulged wide, as though it had witnessed something utterly terrifying!
What was that?
Its underdeveloped intelligence began questioning wildly.
Because when it turned around, it saw a black shadow directly behind it, only one body length back, closely following it.
Swoosh! Swoosh!
In the time it took to glance, the black shadow had leaped over its head, then moved to its side, running neck and neck with it!
How was that possible?!
Had it encountered a ghost?
No, that was wrong. It was the ghost!
In its memories, ever since it had been born, no one had ever been able to keep up with the speed of a Human-Faced Marmoset!
What in the world was going on?
Since both were maintaining extreme speed, they were relatively still in relation to one another. Thus, it was able to see the black shadow's true appearance clearly.
It was a young man in fine clothes with bound sleeves, rather handsome, with the appearance of a refined and easygoing gentleman.
Why did he possess such terrifying movement techniques?
As the Human-Faced Marmoset looked over, the young man also raised his eyes to look at it.
Then... he stuck out his tongue and licked his palm... At the same time, a sharp gleam shone in his eyes, as though he greatly enjoyed the feeling of chasing down prey.
The strange smile on the Human-Faced Marmoset's face shattered at once.
Mother of mercy, this was a pervert!