Beasts Appear

Lin Yu said angrily, "So many Spirit Stones—how can you have the nerve to ask for that much!"

Fang Huai replied calmly, "Fellow Daoist Lin, don't rush to refuse. Hear me out on the full calculation first."

"For this trip, we need to bring back at least a thousand mortals. For each one short, fifty contribution points are deducted; for each one extra, twenty points are awarded. There are over four thousand mortals in the city. If we take them all back, that's sixty thousand contribution points, equivalent to six hundred Spirit Stones. But if we hand over all the mortals of Green Parasol City to you, not only do we lose the six hundred Spirit Stone reward, we'd also be fined five hundred Spirit Stones—that's a swing of eleven hundred Spirit Stones."

Fang Huai paused, then continued, "By that logic, asking you to trade eight hundred Spirit Stones for four thousand mortals isn't unreasonable, is it?"

The price of eight hundred Spirit Stones was set after repeated deliberation between him and Pu Ren'an.

Although Green Parasol City had four thousand mortals, most were elderly, weak, or sick due to the Vegetation Sha. Driving them back to the sect would be time-consuming and laborious, and given their condition, more than half would likely die on the road. Asking for eight hundred Spirit Stones not only saved them the risk of escorting them but also made Lin Yu feel indebted to them.

Pu Ren'an feigned reluctance and said, "We've already conceded three hundred Spirit Stones. Fellow Daoist Lin wouldn't refuse our goodwill and rely on his higher cultivation to bully us, would he?"

Lin Yu's face showed difficulty. Eight hundred Spirit Stones sounded reasonable, but it was beyond what he could afford.

Just as he hesitated, debating whether to haggle, the mortals erupted.

"Immortal Master Lin, the Immortal Masters of the Corpse Sha Sect have already compromised—please just agree!"

"With so many people in Green Parasol City, aren't we worth eight hundred Spirit Stones?"

"Lin Yu, if you keep hesitating, once we're free, we'll write a blood letter to the Mystic Sword Sect elders, accusing you of heartlessness and betrayal!"

"..."

Fang Huai sneered inwardly. This Lin Yu was truly pitiable.

He had fought desperately to protect these four thousand weak and elderly, yet after Fang Huai's scheming, he was now painted as a heartless villain who stood by while mortals suffered. If Lin Yu refused, he would cement that stain on his reputation, not only losing face among his peers but likely unable to explain himself to his sect.

Sure enough, Lin Yu's tone weakened: "Eight hundred Spirit Stones... that's not unreasonable, but..."

The ground suddenly shook violently, and a piercing roar echoed through Green Parasol City. The sound came from the Demon-Suppressing Wood at the city center.

Before he could finish, the earth trembled fiercely, and a harrowing shriek resounded across Green Parasol City.

The source of the sound was the Demon-Suppressing Wood at the city center, which had been suppressing the beast!

Amid the roar came Cheng Zhaozhao's tearful cries for help.

At that moment, a blinding golden light flared above Green Parasol City, instantly forming a thick barrier that sealed the entire city.

"A beast has appeared, and the Demon-Trapping Array has activated—what have you done?!"

Lin Yu roared and charged toward the source of the sound.

Fang Huai only then realized that Cheng Zhaozhao had long since vanished.

She must have noticed something unusual about the Demon-Suppressing Wood when she called them back. Taking advantage of their standoff, she returned to extract the Sha from the wood. She only knew that the strange Sha was a rare cultivation resource, unaware that it was mutually dependent on the Demon-Suppressing Wood. Driven by greed, she drained all the Vegetation Sha, inadvertently releasing the beast beneath the wood.

Pu Ren'an extended his spiritual sense, felt the beast's aura, and frowned. "A mid-Qi Refining beast—is it worth using a Demon-Trapping Array? Is this Lin guy trying to trick us?"

He urged his Paper Kite to catch up quickly, calling out, "Come with me to take a look—we can't let those eight hundred Spirit Stones slip away."

Pu Ren'an didn't understand the beast's strength, but Fang Huai and Liu Ye knew better.

A beast that required a century of suppression by the Demon-Suppressing Wood could never be just mid-Qi Refining.

Liu Ye hesitated. "Junior Brother Fang, should we go?"

Fang Huai shot a stream of spiritual power at the light barrier in the sky.

The power vanished like a stone dropped into the sea, stirring no ripple.

Realizing they couldn't break through the Demon-Trapping Array, he said, "Let's go. With our strength, we can't escape Green Parasol City anyway. Besides, if we don't bring back the Vegetation Sha, we're as good as dead."

When the two arrived at the Demon-Suppressing Wood, they saw Lin Yu and Pu Ren'an with grim expressions, their gazes locked on the spot.

A massive green spider crouched beside the collapsed remains of the Demon-Suppressing Wood.

The giant spider had nine eyes, eight of which were destroyed, leaving only black, hollow sockets.

The remaining single eye glowed with a dim light, slowly opening to scan the four of them.

In an instant, it closed again, as if it had merely glanced at insignificant ants.

[Green Scab Spider]

[Sixth Layer of Qi Refining (Foundation Establishment Middle Stage)]

[Weakness (White)] [Flesh Proliferation (Red)]

[Weakness: Realm has fallen, difficult to recover.]

[Flesh Proliferation: As long as one survives, wounds can be rapidly repaired.]

The Green Scab Spider's appearance was utterly horrifying.

Its body was flat as a thin shell, with eight limbs stretching a full hundred zhang in length, each joint covered in mottled blue-black patterns.

Its entire form was clad in dark green carapace, the gaps between the plates filled with venom, emitting a pungent, foul stench.

Though its realm had fallen to around the Sixth Layer of Qi Refining after a century of suppression by the Demon-Suppressing Wood, the lingering might of a Foundation Establishment Middle Stage demon beast remained.

At this moment, Cheng Zhaozhao's body was pierced by one of its limbs, her flesh and blood being drawn along the limb into the Green Scab Spider's body.

And as the flesh and blood poured in, the spider's eight ruined eyes writhed, as if gradually repairing themselves.

"Save me..." Cheng Zhaozhao's face was full of pleading.

Pu Ren'an, seeing Fang Huai and Lin Yu arrive, felt a bit more emboldened and spoke:

"Although this demon beast is only at the Sixth Layer of Qi Refining, before it was suppressed, it might have been at the Qi Refining Perfection Realm. Be more careful when we act."

Lin Yu said, "Daoist Pu, according to reports, this Green Scab Spider was at Foundation Establishment before it was suppressed..."

Pu Ren'an was greatly alarmed. The Green Scab Spider primarily cultivated its body; once it reached Foundation Establishment or above, its body would become exceptionally tough and hard to break through.

Even if its realm had fallen and its spell power had decreased, its physical constitution remained, making it no easy target for their group.

"Daoist Lin, can you lift the Demon-Trapping Array and let us leave? We don't want the mortals anymore—just give us five hundred Spirit Stones."

Seeing that Cheng Zhaozhao was already crippled, it was better to leave than risk saving her.

As for the mission reward, earning a little less was fine; they could just say the Mystic Sword Sect had obstructed them.

When Cheng Zhaozhao heard Pu Ren'an's words, she cried out in alarm, drawing the Green Scab Spider's gaze to turn hostile, and the sucking speed of its limbs increased.

Fang Huai's expression grew heavy; he speculated that the Sha-Gathering Bottle, filled with Vegetation Sha, should be on Cheng Zhaozhao.

Lin Yu saw through Pu Ren'an's intentions and sighed, "Even if I wanted to let you fellow daoists leave, I lack the means.

This Demon-Trapping Array was set up by a Foundation Establishment uncle, specifically to trap this Green Scab Spider.

Once this spider emerges, unless it is killed, the Demon-Trapping Array will not dissipate."

Seeing Pu Ren'an fall silent, he continued, "Fellow daoists, the Green Scab Spider has just awakened and its condition hasn't recovered. If we join forces, we might be able to slay it."

Fang Huai's gaze swept over the Green Scab Spider. This creature was clearly no pushover.

He silently mused to himself, how could he be so unlucky? In just two missions, one had involved a clan-protecting demon beast, and the other a realm-fallen demon beast—as if heaven itself was setting a trap for him.