A Fortuitous Encounter

Not only did he slay these monsters, but Li Fan also discovered that he had figured out some of the principles Si Nan.

For example, when he was scouting in the clouds, the Si Nan was still pointing north towards the Devil Embryo. This shows that Fei Mountain Mine and Li Fan actually had no 'connection'.

But when he killed all the monsters, the owned treasures became ownerless, and the spoon immediately began to sway back and forth, and 'fate' immediately came.

It seems that opportunities really do need to be seized. You see, if you encounter one but don't act, it's gone. Be more proactive and take the initiative, and then everything will come your way. So, as long as you have the biggest fist, your opportunity is my opportunity, and my opportunity is still my opportunity.

Once the monsters were mostly dead, Li Fan rolled up his sleeves to remove the surrounding array flags and talismans, and waved his hand to extinguish the remaining smoke and flames. Then, carrying the Si Nan, he began searching for treasure among the charred and putrid monster corpses and flesh.

These monsters are definitely organized. Seven monsters have formed inner cores, and they also found five of those dragon beast jade pendants, which are storage magic treasures. They are probably mass-produced using the same mold, and their Magic Treasure, textures, and sizes are all similar.

One of the demons, the snake, had three pendants; two demons had one pendant each; and the other four demons had none. The number of pendants likely indicates the demon's rank within the group. It seems the five maids he killed initially were quite high-ranking, all minor leaders. This demon probably wasn't wealthy enough to provide every Core Formation demon with Storage Jade; even the disciples of Ink Bamboo Mountain who received their Dao Regalia received a jade pendant.

The few hundred lesser demons who had not yet formed their inner cores naturally did not possess any magic pendants. If we consider ordinary animals and mortals as a single category, then spirits and monsters like the Golden Scale Fish, which have begun to consume Heavenly Treasure and precious treasures and possess some spiritual energy, are roughly equivalent to the Qi Refining Stage of human cultivators.

These mutated organisms, the demons and monsters that stand up and walk on their hind legs, can probably be compared to Foundation Establishment cultivators in humans. The newly born Jin Qing is probably also in this category, except that he is nurtured by special secret methods, making him more human-like in form.

Considering it this way, these forest spirits, equivalent to the Foundation Establishment stage, are numerous, yet they are only used as laborers. Although the Demon Race seems extremely powerful, and Foundation Establishment Formation are as easy as turning one's hand, Li Fan has already figured out their actual combat strength after just a casual fight.

It's not that he's so great, it's just that this whole group is trash.

Without proper cultivation methods, even those who can expel inner cores are merely spewing out mottled spiritual energy attacks, relying purely on their physical strength like beasts. In sword duels, even the Foundation Establishment Perfected Realm disciples of Ink Bamboo Mountain can kill 'Golden Core level' cultivators with their wondrous techniques, which is utterly useless.

Clearly, these Demon Race don't have their own cultivation methods. Only demons who have achieved inner core cultivation try to take human form, hoping that one day they can become 'real people' and practice human cultivation methods.

These fifteen Storage Jade and seven inner cores were the main gains from this battle. The materials from the other monster bodies were scattered and messed up by the formation, and Li Fan had no interest in collecting them for the time being.

His rampage, with its billowing smoke, was bound to alert the nearby monsters. Therefore, Li Fan also hurried to search the military camp inside the mine for any trace of Nangong Xianbing.

Since the Devil Embryo 'lamb' was summoned by someone and regarded as a 'captain,' and its true form was even stuck underground, Nangong Family's immortal soldiers had disappeared without a trace, and the mine had been occupied by a group of monsters.

Li Fan now has a general guess that the Devil Embryo is probably transformed from Nangong Xianbing, and its main body should be in the mine. He should be able to find its main body by following the mine tunnel, and maybe even find some useful clues.

The magical weapons in the barracks had all been looted by the monsters, and the mines were in such a mess that there were no maps or anything like that.

Fortunately, the project that Ink Bamboo Mountain helped automate was implemented in this mine. There are overhead conveyor belts and mine carts in the caves and tunnels that transport ore up around the clock. The monsters wouldn't dare to mess with such high-tech gadgets, because if they broke them, they would have to go down and dig themselves. So the core control room of the central hub is intact.

The "Summary of Mechanical Principles" in Li Fan's possession also contains an explanation and introduction to the Ink Bamboo Mountain mining system, since mine maintenance is an important metalworking practice course for the apprentices of the Heavenly Craftsmen.

This also made it easier for Li Fan to check the operational status of the mining mechanisms below. Those mine tunnels that were still operating normally and automatically could be ignored. Li Fan checked the central control core and indeed found that one mine tunnel was not operating properly. The mechanisms in the mine were unresponsive, and no fault signals were being transmitted back. So it was probably tainted by the evil energy of the Devil Embryo and could not operate normally.

So Li Fan took the engineering diagram from under the cardinal's control panel, found the corresponding conveyor belt in the mine tunnel by the number, and made a deduction based on the approximate location of the Devil Embryo. Those black tentacles should be extending from the mine Daotong pipes, and the main body should be at a hub checkpoint in the north. Because there are spiritual veins and waterways near that point, it is very convenient for cultivation and escape.

The tentacles above lure monsters to come and engage in dual cultivation to gather information, while the main body below waits for the opportunity to gestate. If everything goes smoothly, it can break through the ground and escape. But if it is discovered, it can also escape through the tunnel along the mineral vein into the deep mountains.

Having deduced the whereabouts of the Devil Embryo, Li Fan naturally needed to prepare. So, as he advanced into the mine, he began to draw talismans on his command flag.

Given how large the Devil Embryo was, and how the mines were interconnected, it was impossible for Li Fan, with his novice array formation skills copied from the textbook, to completely suppress and seal it.

Li Fan was just leaving a way out for himself. According to the Nine Palaces Bagua and Qimen Dunjia, he arranged the formation flag gate of Earth Escape. To put it simply, within the scope of this formation, he could hold the command flag Earth Escape and shuttle back and forth between the flag gates in the mine. He could deal with the enemy, pursue or escape. In short, he would be invincible first, and then he could plot something else.

After making all the necessary arrangements, Li Fan figured there wasn't much else to prepare, so he decided to get started and fight the boss!

So Li Fan covered his Unknown Face, closed his eyes, and then opened them again. The red line between his eyebrows split open to the sides, and scarlet pupils rolled out from between the muscles of his eyebrows, shining a rainbow light straight into the mineral vein. Just to be on the safe side, Li Fan used the number of transformations to grow fingers and palms from his face to block his ears and cover his mouth and nose.

Then he mentally calculated the location of the demon fetus, waved the Earth Escape talisman flag in one hand, and jumped into the cave with the Earth Avoidance Technique. The rumbling rocks and gravel passed by Li Fan, as if he was in a sandstorm, and the flying dust flew away from his cheeks.

In the blink of an eye, Li Fan passed through the hundred-foot-high rock layer and emerged from the stone wall, revealing his upper body.

Sure enough, just as predicted, the enormous creature was crouching in a key stone chamber for maintenance within the mine, when it was suddenly spotted by Li Fan, who emerged from the ground with his red eyes, and the two met face to face.

Of course, saying "face to face" might not be accurate, as this thing doesn't actually have a 'face'. However, Li Fan now understood why the system called it a 'lamb'. Although the parts exposed above the ley lines were tentacles, the main body underneath was supported by four limbs resembling sheep hooves. Its body was a black, plump lump of flesh, with sticky, twitching flesh smeared together on top.

Moreover, it suddenly shuddered and fell, as if the 'lamb' had also suddenly appeared. Its face was covered by a bunch of hands, revealing only its red eyes. It looked at Li Fan, who was more frightening than a ghost, and seemed to be startled. More than thirty pink bloody mouths split open on the fleshy mass, emitting a series of sharp screams.

"The Qiankun Flying Dragon Sword!"

At the same time, amidst this shriek, Li Fan unleashed his Sword Storm, using the Five Ghosts to control sword energy from five directions to attack. The tunnel was instantly engulfed by the Twin Dragon Sword Energy. The rumbling rocks and the sword whistles and 'lamb' screams from within the tunnel blended together, and the entire mine suddenly became like a ghostly realm, filled with chaotic noise and deafening sounds, as if some ancient behemoth had been suddenly awakened!

The mad cry of "Lamb" caused blood to spurt from Li Fan's mouth and nose, but thankfully, compared to the attack of that Divine Transformation old monster, this damage was nothing.

Li Fan's attack was remarkably effective. His Twin Dragon Swords, like drills, pierced into the 'lamb's' fat flesh, spilling out dark red blood and gore. The 'lamb's' screams grew louder and louder, and its four hooves trembled uncontrollably.

But it didn't seem to be hurt, but rather frightened.

For some reason, Li Fan felt that the other party seemed very 'afraid' of him, as if it was genuinely terrified by his strange appearance and was experiencing uncontrollable fear, as if it wanted to turn around and run away immediately.

"What's going on? Do you think I'm ugly? My mood is plummeting all the time, you know?"

Li Fan's mood improved slightly.

Li Fan's mood improved slightly.

"Wow, system, are you helping it or me?!"

Li Fan used the Divine Court Golden Core to maintain his brow eye, staring directly at the fleshy mass to control it. At the same time, his Inner Landscape Golden Core unleashed its full power, and the Qiankun Flying Dragon Sword dealt tons of damage. Layers upon layers of blood plasma splattered on the ground.

The mouths on the 'lamb' kept screaming, and when Li Fan's red eyes swept over them, they spat out mouthfuls of dark blood plasma.

It's unbelievable how efficient that eye between his brows was at targeting the Tai Su Devil Embryo! And can you believe it even boosted his mood? He couldn't bear to kill such an adorable 'lamb'...

The captain said, "I am also willing to cultivate together with you."

Li Fan's mood improved slightly.

"Bullshit! System, what nonsense are you spouting!"

The captain said, "Come on, let's cultivate together."

Li Fan's mood improved slightly.

The captain said, "If you cultivate with me, I'll let you pass."

Li Fan's mood improved slightly.

Li Fan, "..."

What's going on? Could it be... really? The Devil Embryo seems to have suffered severe injuries and is beginning to collapse, losing its mind. As a result, the mouths on the main body have started spitting out blood and speaking.

The captain said, "The mine is yours, if you cultivate with me."

The captain said, "Don't be afraid. I'm not here to eliminate you. I've already achieved the Nascent Soul Stage, but my physical body is still unstable. As long as you cultivate with me, you'll surely stabilize your realm in time..."

The captain exclaimed, "Aaaaaah! Aaaaaah! I will definitely achieve the Nascent Soul Stage! I absolutely must achieve the Nascent Soul Stage!"

The captain said, "Brothers, do not be afraid. I have attained the true Dharma. Come, become one with your elder brother!"

The captain exclaimed, "Xinyi, Xinyi! Father has made progress! Father has already met the Dao Ancestor! Father will definitely achieve the Nascent Soul Stage! Father will definitely be able to come home to see you!"

"The captain said, 'Brothers! This secret technique is the very one I obtained from Ink Bamboo Mountain! It's a quick way to master the Great Dao of Tai Su Dao through stargazing Moon Worship! Come! Let's study it together! We're sure to achieve something!'"

'The captain declared, "The Boundless Pure Void Supreme Saint, the True Ruler of the Three Realms and Ten Directions... This! This technique isn't! You're actually from the Black Lotus Sect!... Fine! I agree!"'

The captain retorted, "What do you mean, 'forbidden'? Why not? I don't care what your abbot says! So what if we're on different paths? So what if the Moon Worship Secret Method is dangerous? Do you expect me to watch these brothers from Fei Mountain die here, trapped in the deep mountains, wasting their lives waiting to die?!"

The captain declared, "Brothers, Liu Five Declines of Heaven and Man. Do not worry. I have made a secret pact with Ink Bamboo Mountain. Whatever they want, we only request a righteous cultivation method to reach the Nascent Soul Stage. As long as there is a path, everyone still has hope of rising above their circumstances and returning to the Central Land."

'The captain exclaimed, "Xinyi! Xinyi, waaaaaah... Damn Nangong Wuling! That damned Nangong Family! I will wipe out your entire clan! Aaaaaahhhhh!"'

The captain declared, "There's no such thing as a free lunch. The secret techniques of Ink Bamboo Mountain aren't so easily obtained. I don't care what your intentions are. The brothers of Fei Mountain all have families and children; they won't get involved in your affairs with the Nangong Family. No matter how many times I try to persuade them, they'll only give the same answer..."

With a loud "bang," the 'lamb' exploded.

The scene was a mess of blood and rotten flesh, and the 'captain's' rambling nonsense and the reminder that 'Li Fan's mood has improved a little' finally stopped.

Li Fan remained silent for a moment, then removed the Unknown Face and opened his eyes to look at the mangled flesh on the ground, unrecognizable as human.

Although the system was reporting points every second for those two or three minutes, adding two or three hundred points to Li Fan's account, he didn't feel particularly good at all...

'Well done, clean and efficient!'

'Hurry and collect it before the evil aura dissipates!'

"Didn't the old man at the mortuary give you a coffin so you can be stored in it for a longer time?"

Remember to pick up a couple of good pieces of meat to feed the fish.

Li Fan sighed, bursting out of the ground and landing in a pool of dark red blood. Following the system's instructions, he took out the coffin, wrapped it with his true energy, and filled it with meat. He then took out the Jade Pure Bottle to collect the evil spirits.

You two are truly cold-blooded. Do you think that for a chess player who can calculate everything perfectly, all the pieces on the board are like this captain—materials to be manipulated and consumed at will?

'What's so cold-blooded about that? Do you really intend to let this captain engage in dual cultivation, nurturing the body of a Dao Ancestor to wreak havoc everywhere?'

'This captain was pitiful, but when he saw the Dao Ancestor, his primordial spirit had already been corrupted, which was tantamount to death.'

'Clean up every nook and cranny, lest it pollute the environment and be swallowed by snakes and insects, turning into Devil Embryo.'

"Oh, right, there are a few demonic creatures practicing dual cultivation up there. Who knows how much bodily fluids they've absorbed from Devil Embryo? Just in case, you know what to do."

Of course I understand. This captain was caught up in the power struggle and forced into this state. He was beyond saving. Killing him might be the only relief. How could I not understand? All Li Fan could do was kill a few more members of the Nangong Family to vent his anger if he encountered him again in the future.

However, it must be said that Ink Bamboo Mountain is a truly murky place. It's just a local sect on the southern border of the Twelve Countries of the Central Land Plains, yet it's not only divided into northern and southern factions among its disciples, but also has connections with the Li Country, the Nangong Immortal Family, demons, and even remnants of the Black Lotus Sect constantly eyeing it, potentially getting involved with Tai Su's Devil Embryo at any moment. It's truly a mess; aside from Laozi Qinjiu diligently working for the organization, the entire sect is full of lazy, unhelpful spies. Damn, this is incredibly shady...

Forget it, let's just be good chess pieces and focus on improving our own strength first. Let's strive to become the key pieces that the players are reluctant to give up, like the rooks, knights, and cannons, instead of sacrificing them like the captains.

So Li Fan sighed, gathered his thoughts and stopped thinking, and took the full coffin back to Jade Perry. With a wave of the flag, Tudun walked and broke out of the ground.

He glanced at the monsters, covered in slime, dazed and exhausted, lying unconscious amidst the pile of withered tentacles. He counted exactly ten; they must have been attracted here earlier. It seemed they were 'destined' after all.

"Slay the demons, be quick and clean, don't get them tainted."

The demon-slaying sword acknowledged receipt and unleashed a flurry of attacks, effortlessly wiping out the demons who had been exhausted and asleep after their previous battles.

So after Li Fan cleaned up the battlefield and picked up four Storage Jade, the Si Nan finally swayed and began to slowly rotate like a clock, no longer pointing directly to the west.

It seems there are no other opportunities to be found in the Fei Mountain areas for the time being, and the map of the Mao Mountain Dojo is too close to the monster's lair, so now is not the time for Li Fan to go there to level up.

After these two westward journeys to hunt monsters, Li Fan calculated that he had collected the following materials: a coffin of flesh and blood from Devil Embryo 'lamb', twenty-four demon cores, and thirty-two Storage Jade, including at least 102,000 strings of Divine Astral Coin.

Hmm... not bad, made a small profit, can go back and turn in the quest and upgrade a new set of equipment.