Lin Taichu stepped on the Black Bear's chest. As sword light gathered at his fingertips and pressed against its throat, he suddenly noticed faint green lines showing beneath its fur.
The lines spread across its neck like a spiderweb, perfectly matching the tiny needle holes he had seen on the monster beast corpses in the cave.
"These needle holes... are they Netherworld Ghost Needles?" His pupils contracted as he suddenly recalled the secret art of Netherworld Pavilion mentioned by the steward of the Myriad Treasures Merchant Guild.
The Black Bear trembled violently, releasing a muffled roar from its throat. "Human... you know about the Netherworld Ghost Needles?"
"Speak! Who poisoned you?" Lin Taichu increased the force beneath his foot, and the Black Bear's ribs let out a brittle crack under the strain.
"It... it was Poison Lady from Netherworld Pavilion..." The Black Bear was barely breathing. "She used ghost needles to control us and make us attack humans, then set up a Monster Gathering Formation on the mountaintop..."
Before it could finish, a deafening sound of chains snapping erupted from deep within the cave.
Lin Taichu turned back warily and saw countless ghostly green points of light emerge from the darkness—densely packed monster beast eyes!
"Oh no! The core of the Monster Gathering Formation is deeper inside!" The Black Bear suddenly grinned viciously. "Did you think subduing me would leave you safe? Poison Lady already expected Cultivators to follow..."
Before Lin Taichu could react, the spiritual energy around him suddenly fell into chaos.
Only then did he realize that the cave walls were covered in Inverse Five Elements Formation Patterns, which were frantically draining his spiritual energy.
The remaining medicinal power of the Dragon Origin Fruit in his chest suddenly erupted, forming a golden protective barrier over his body that