Chapter 14

So they walked on, tossing out Spirit Fish as they went, and made their way up without a hitch.

When packs of demon beasts—Black Bear Monsters, Leopard Demons, and Lion-Tiger Beasts—charged at them, the beasts began with claws bared, eyes bloodred, and killing intent blazing. But the group soon calmed them the same way. Though the demon beasts and Spirit Fish were both on the mountain, only a short distance apart, these beasts had been sealed on Gathering Spirit Mountain for hundreds, even thousands, of years. When had they ever seen a delicacy like Spirit Fish? Drool splashed everywhere as they ate, flailing their limbs in delight.

As the saying went, the hand that took a gift grew short. The whole ferocious horde ate their Spirit Fish while moving to either side, clearing a path and letting the group up the mountain.

After eating, one Lion-Tiger Beast even lay down at its ease, licking its fur as it basked in the sun, its face a picture of blissful satisfaction.

"We reached the summit that easily?" Standing at the top, Ye Qingyao looked at the demon beasts sleeping off their meals. It all felt like a dream.

On the other side of the mountain, Shen Xingyan and the others were still locked in battle with the beasts. He already had his hands full when Luo Bingyao, fleeing a Lion-Tiger Beast, darted behind him and cried in panic, "Shen, save me!"

Caught off guard, Shen Xingyan took a swipe from the Lion-Tiger Beast. His chest was a bloody mess.

Seeing this, Jiang Kui hurled a row of poisoned needles and stopped the Lion-Tiger Beast's next attack. Otherwise, Shen Xingyan might have taken another vicious blow from its claws.

To hold back the beasts, Shen Xingyan organized the disciples of the Kongtong School and Thousand Mechanisms Palace into a tight circle. They formed a defensive array like walls of bronze and iron, driving the horde back step by step with Talismans and spells. Now and then, they even killed a few beasts that forced their way through.

It was slow but effective, holding back the beasts' fierce assault. Keeping formation, everyone edged toward the summit.

"Senior Brother Shen is so resourceful. I'm impressed."

"Without Senior Brother Shen, we never could have escaped the demon beasts and reached the summit. Once we obtain the Dragonblood Stones, he should get a few extra."

They had not even reached the summit, yet they were already currying favor and dreaming of how to divide the Dragonblood Stones. Shen Xingyan could barely suppress his smile. His puppy-dog eyes shone as he imagined the stones were already in his pocket.

The Dragonblood Stones lay in a cave at the summit of Gathering Spirit Mountain, guarded at its entrance by a Three-Headed Flood Dragon.

The Three-Headed Flood Dragon stretched dozens of meters long. Each of its three enormous, hideous heads wore a savage expression, and each mouth gaped wide to reveal fangs sharp as blades, gleaming with malice and greed in the dark.

It had reached the Nascent Soul Realm and was far stronger than the beasts they had faced before. A casual strike from it could gravely wound them.

"One Spirit Fish for one Dragonblood Stone. How about it?" Holding up a Spirit Fish, Ye Qingchuan screwed up his courage and stepped forward to negotiate.

The Three-Headed Flood Dragon whipped its tail, making the ground beneath their feet tremble and sending wind and broken stone tumbling around them. All three huge heads shook. It was not satisfied with the offer.

If one isn't enough, let's offer three. It does have three heads, after all. Inspiration suddenly struck Ye Zhenzhen.

At the offer of three Spirit Fish for one Dragonblood Stone, the Three-Headed Flood Dragon finally slithered out of the cave and opened all three cavernous mouths, ready to catch the fish directly.

And so, with a little over a hundred Spirit Fish, they traded for all forty-five Dragonblood Stones. Without breaking a sweat, they scooped up every last treasure in the Illusory Forest.

Dragonblood Stones could directly raise a cultivator's cultivation and speed up breakthroughs. They were also valuable materials for crafting artifacts; adding one to a Spirit Sword could strengthen its Sword Qi. At auction, a single Dragonblood Stone could fetch millions of Spirit Stones.

According to the original novel's plot, the Millennium Earth Ganoderma, the Millennium Phoenix Spirit Fruit, and the Dragonblood Stones were all supposed to fall into the hands of its male lead, Shen Xingyan, helping him race ahead on his path to becoming an unrivaled hero. Instead, every last one had ended up with the Cloudsky Sect.

Hahahaha, I can't! At the thought of those priceless treasures, Ye Zhenzhen grinned so hard she could not make her mouth come back down.

"I never expected Spirit Fish to work so well. Our Zhenzhen really does see things coming, as if she has divine help." Ye Qinghui could not help marveling, his fondness for his little junior sister growing even stronger.

Of course! Spirit Fish are plump and delicious. They taste amazing. Those ugly brutes got quite the treat.

Third Senior Brother, how many do we have left?

"A little over fifty, I think."

Ahhh! That's all? It's all that stinking flood dragon's fault. Three heads and such a huge appetite! Ye Zhenzhen's heart broke into pieces.

We'll have to make every Spirit Fish last from now on. They're so big that one should cover two meals: fish-head soup first, then grilled fish for the rest. The little abacus in her head clattered furiously.

Just as they were preparing to descend, Gathering Spirit Mountain, no longer guarded by the Dragon Crystal Stone, began to quake violently. A vast crack split its middle and spread like a giant dragon.

Before Ye Qinghui and the others could react, an irresistible force dragged them into the fissure.

Fragments of rock and earth flew through the air. Howling, blade-sharp winds surged from the fissure, while cries of grief and despair filled the space around them.

They lost their balance and plunged into the depths, falling into an unknown darkness.

Ye Zhenzhen: Spirit Fish are so tasty.

Eldest Senior Brother: Are they? Then I'll get you a whole stretch of fishponds someday.

Chapter 14

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In the darkness that swallowed every trace of light, their Spirit Swords failed and their spells were useless. They thought they would smash to pieces, but just before they hit the ground, some invisible force caught them and hung them from tree branches.

The branches were like impossibly long tentacles. Swaying, stretching, and twisting, they surrounded the group one by one and trapped them in separate wooden cages to the east, south, west, and north.

Though made of branches, the cages were airtight and blocked sound remarkably well. No matter how desperately they shouted, their voices could not get through. Ye Zhenzhen's thoughts were no exception; they were completely sealed inside her cage.

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