Among towering mountain ranges and steep peaks, ancient trees grew unevenly, blotting out the sky and sun.
Amid such lush verdure, where did the rumored name "Withered Wood Ridge" come from?
Five figures walked through the ridges neither hurried nor slow.
Leading them was the Seven-Star Demon Hunter, Dao Lan. Like a sharp blade cleaving through fog, he pressed steadily along the most direct path through the trackless, winding forest.
The Old Angler walked in the center, dangling his exclusive magic treasure, the Sound-Capturing Bell, from his fingertips.
Flanking him to the left and right were Envoy Gouxing and Huangfu Song, both wearing solemn expressions.
And bringing up the rear was Luo Chen, the one with the lowest cultivation realm among the five.
Dao Lan led in front as the vanguard, his formidable strength guaranteeing their path. Luo Chen, despite having the lowest realm, guarded the rear—a placement that was likewise a testament to his strength!
The title "Demonic Lord Qingyang" was rarely spoken aloud, yet everyone kept it in mind. This was plain to see from the wary glances Huangfu Song cast at Luo Chen from time to time.
Luo Chen acted oblivious to Huangfu Song's gaze. While spreading his spiritual sense to scout in all directions, he recalled what the Old Angler had told them about Withered Wood Ridge on their journey here.
"Rumors spread by the world that Withered Blood Vines are gregarious organisms are completely mistaken.
"The Withered Blood Vine is a spiritual plant with a fierce territorial instinct. Generally, within a radius of a thousand li, no similar spiritual plants can survive.
"It may seem full of variety, with exotic flowers and strange grasses flourishing, but in truth, all of these plants are merely companion organisms to the Withered Blood Vine.
"Under normal circumstances, the Vine King remains in a slumber, continuously absorbing spiritual energy. Even when facing foreign intruders, it only sends out sub-vines infused with its own consciousness to deal with them.
"Those low-tier Withered Blood Vines are essentially tributary tendrils and offshoots of the Vine King; you can regard them as its sub-vines.
"As for the combat strength of these sub-vines, there is no need for concern. Even a Tier 4 Withered Blood Vine is at most equivalent to someone newly entered into the Golden Core stage. While troublesome for ordinary Golden Core cultivators, for us, handling them is merely a matter of time.
"All we need to do is sever as many sub-vines as possible to weaken the main body of the Vine King."
Though he recalled the Old Angler's words, Luo Chen did not let down his guard in the slightest.
This was territory held by wood-attribute spiritual flora. In other words, from the moment they took their first step onto Withered Wood Ridge, they had already been detected by that Tier 5 Withered Blood Vine.
What was more, according to their intelligence, besides the single Tier 5 Withered Blood Vine, Withered Wood Ridge was home to countless lower-tier Withered Blood Vines from Tier 2 to Tier 4!
Under the Vine King's control, these Withered Blood Vines could unleash shocking combat power.
Granted, spirits born from wood and stone typically possessed modest fighting capabilities—much like the Hidden Dust Sand, which despite reaching the peak of Tier 3, could only exhibit strength on par with an early Golden Core cultivator. Still, there was safety in vast numbers! When ants grew numerous enough, they could bite an elephant to death.
If it were truly so easy, the Old Angler would never have assembled a roster of five cultivators with late Golden Core combat prowess for this mission.
'Still, there are several other Seven-Star Demon Hunters in the Myriad Immortals Association who are all in late Golden Core. Why did the Old Angler specifically requisition me, a mere Five-Star Demon Hunter?'
This was a question that had lingered in his heart ever since they set out. He always felt there was something strange about the way the Old Angler looked at him. It was also one of the reasons he was reluctant to interact too much with them.
While Luo Chen was lost in thought, his steps suddenly halted.
The disturbance came not from ahead, but from behind.
Within the dim forest, white vines resembling writhing serpents and coiled pythons slithered in from all directions. The rustling sounds gradually swelled into the roar of a surging river. And across the ridge, countless white vines burrowed up from the ground, converging toward them.
At the very front, Dao Lan said nothing, but a massive broadsword dropped into his hand. With a single downward slash, he unleashed a saber beam several tens of zhang long. Wherever the saber beam passed, trees snapped and the earth split. The low-tier Withered Blood Vines that had yet to complete their encirclement were instantly cleaved in two beneath that strike.
'Is this Dao Lan, the Seven-Star Demon Hunter renowned for his combat power among the rogue cultivators of the Myriad Immortals Association?'
Glimpsing the slash, Luo Chen raised an eyebrow. Unquestionably domineering! A seemingly unremarkable slash had power scarcely inferior to his Blazing Sun Art, yet it required none of the incantation time.
Dao Lan held his broadsword angled toward the ground and let out a raspy rasp, "Merely flora spirits. Slay them, that is all!"
Dragging his long blade behind him, the burly man stepped back, yet no white vines pursued him.
Luo Chen said nothing, but a colossal hammer had already appeared in his grip. Why use an ox cleaver to kill a chicken? The ones appearing right now were merely low-tier sub-vines; there was no need to waste spiritual power.
A Tier 1 spell—Fireball Art.
With a fierce sweep of his wide sleeves, countless fist-sized fireballs flew out, bombarding the Withered Blood Vines slithering in from every direction. And Luo Chen could cast this kind of Fireball Art almost without limit, with virtually zero casting time.
Under the attacks of Dao Lan in front and Luo Chen behind, the five did not halt their stride, charging at a rapid pace toward the depths of Withered Wood Ridge. In the middle of the procession, only the Old Angler had yet to engage in battle.
"Keep moving forward!"
***
Deep within Withered Wood Ridge, a valley stood before them like a low volcanic crater. Outside the valley, massive white vines as thick as water barrels reared their heads, glaring at them menacingly. A foul-smelling mountain wind blew across the craggy, undulating rocks and brushed against their faces.
Five streaks of light, swift as falling stars, shot through the air and arrived. The moment they touched down, the expressions of all five changed simultaneously.
At the same time, the Sound-Capturing Bell in the Old Angler's hand issued a crisp chime. Staring at the bell chiming incessantly in his grip, the delight on his face grew ever deeper.
"Our heading is correct! The appearance of Tier 4 sub-vines means we are drawing closer to the Vine King's lair."
From ahead, Envoy Gouxing asked, "What is it?"
The Old Angler bypassed Dao Lan and stepped to the front. "There are quite a few—a good hundred of them. Gentlemen, this will be a tough fight!"
A hundred Tier 4 Withered Blood Vines meant a hundred early Golden Core opponents. Even if their methods of attack were crude—limited to instinctive moves like binding and piercing—their sheer numbers made them formidable. Fighting in such an environment offered zero geographical advantage.
For a moment, the hearts of the other four sank slightly. Huangfu Song felt a chill in his heart.
"If it doesn't want us to leave, then we'll go straight to it."
The Old Angler suddenly turned his head. "None of you will flee out of cowardice, will you?"
Huangfu Song declared loudly, "Old Angler, you promised me that as long as I completed this mission, you would negotiate with the Tianqu Chen family in the name of the Myriad Immortals Association! If not to rely on the mighty backer that is the Myriad Immortals Association, I wouldn't bother doing such a meaningless task."
Unfazed in the face of peril, the Old Angler spoke in an aged voice, "Your fighting spirit is sufficient. In that case... fight each for your own!"
Luo Chen could understand why the Old Angler set individual combat as the keynote for this battle. After all, the five of them were not close companions who knew one another intimately; their fighting styles would inevitably clash. Only by opening distance and fighting separately could each person unleash their full strength. If their abilities interfered with one another in the heat of battle, it would do more harm than good.
With the abilities of the five, fighting a guerrilla battle to pick them off one by one would not be overly difficult. Yet evidently, the Old Angler intended to mount a frontal assault on the valley and storm into the Vine King's lair.
A tough battle—it truly was a tough battle.
"Gentlemen, prepare for true combat! The Tier 4 Withered Blood Vines are here!"
"Here they come!"
As if sensing the movement, the poised Tier 4 Withered Blood Vines shot forward like arrows, tearing through the air. By now, the Withered Blood Vines had already completed their encirclement.
With that single command, the great battle abruptly erupted!
Without hesitation, five figures flew in different directions. Instantly, the hundred or so Withered Blood Vines split into five groups, pursuing each in turn. From high above, this scene looked strikingly like a monstrous deluge crashing down upon a few ants.
The vines pursuing the Old Angler were the most numerous!
The ones pursuing Luo Chen were the fewest!
Seeing this, the corner of Luo Chen's mouth curved slightly.
*Whoosh!*
A pair of wings unfurled from Luo Chen's back. Mid-air, Luo Chen unleashed extreme speed. Maneuvering with effortless fluidity, he turned into a crimson meteor, darting left and weaving right. Those slow-moving Withered Blood Vines could not keep up with him at all. Below, white vines thick as water barrels brandished their coils and claws, giving chase close behind.
Gripping a giant hammer, he soared into the sky. For the first time, he employed the Flowing Fire Hammer Technique at the Grandmastery level in actual combat. Under Luo Chen's control, the giant hammer swung in violent, relentless smashing blows, like a blacksmith forging iron.
The effect... was not particularly impressive. Those struck might wither slightly, but after tumbling to the earth and pausing for a moment, they would surge back once more.
'Bludgeoning and bombardment aren't suited for dealing with these Tier 4 Withered Blood Vines. I need to switch tactics. Slashing and piercing are far more fitting.
'A pity my favored Xuanhuo Sword has been destroyed.'
With a thought, he stowed the Flowing Fire Hammer back into his pouch. Without the Flowing Fire Hammer holding them down, the pursuing white vines below grew even more rampant.
Luo Chen paid them no mind, simply opening his mouth to exhale! A wisp of pale-white smoke billowed from his lips.
Since the battle on Lengguang Island, this was the only cluster left of the Blazing Fire Miasma he had refined from Wither-Bloom Fiendqi. Looking at the smoke, a hint of regret touched Luo Chen's eyes. He had intended to use it as a foundation to gradually restore the complete Blazing Fire Miasma. He hadn't anticipated that being so busy with artifact crafting over the years would leave him zero time to replenish it.
'Still, this technique isn't of much help to my battles nowadays anyway. I might as well leave its final embers here on Withered Wood Ridge! Besides, other methods will work just as well.'
Wither-Bloom Fiendqi was originally baleful aura born in places scorched by Wither-Bloom Fire year-round. Yet it happened to possess remarkable lethality against wood-attribute spirits.
Luo Chen pressed down with a single palm, driving the power surging downward. In an instant, the smoke transformed into boundless fireworks and flame. The white vines collided with the pale smoke-flames. The highly corrosive Wither-Bloom Fiendqi ceaselessly seeped into their forms, ravaging the inner roots of the Withered Blood Vines. Seeing the Tier 4 Withered Blood Vines still struggling frenziedly inside the Blazing Fire Miasma, Luo Chen gritted his teeth and ramped up his spiritual power output.
Taking a deep breath, he circulated his spiritual power smoothly once more. Murmuring softly, Luo Chen let his spiritual power surge forth like a torrent. Surging alongside his spiritual power were wisps of azure flame.
Wither-Bloom True Fire!
Now empowered by its source, on top of the amplification from Luo Chen's spiritual power.
"Burn!"
*Sizzle! Sizzle! Sizzle!*
A scorched, acrid stench permeated everywhere. The crackle of combustion grew louder and louder. In the sky, over a dozen colossal vines were completely engulfed in azure flames, looking like azure dragons writhing in agony. Only when Luo Chen began to feel his energy flagging did those "azure dragons" finally collapse limply to the earth. This process lasted a full cup of tea's time.
*Thump!*
Luo Chen's feet hit the ground. Looking at the Tier 4 Withered Blood Vines still squirming on the ground, he couldn't help but frown.
"Their vitality is truly absurdly tenacious!"
They were thick as water barrels, patterned like tree rings.
Luo Chen's hands rapidly formed hand seals, then his fingers straightened like a sword.
"Kusanagi Gengjin Sword Qi!"
This spell was not high in rank, only Tier 2; it was not even originally a combat spell, but merely a spiritual farming spell used by spiritual farmers to harvest mature spiritual plants.
Beams of sword qi slashed out from his hands. Amidst the burst of sword qi, the struggling white vines on the ground were severed at once. With the vines cut through, their vigorous life force vanished in an instant.
'The vitality of these sub-vines must stem from the mother plant?'
Nodding slightly, Luo Chen severed the Withered Blood Vine in his grip and stored it in his storage ring. After all, it was a Tier 4 spiritual plant; even as a mere sub-vine offshoot, it ought to fetch a decent price.
In the clearing, the red-robed man stood empty-handed, no foes remaining beside him. The intensity of the coming battle would surely rise to another level; he had to stay sharp.
Frowning, Luo Chen swept his divine sense across the other battlefronts. Under his scrutiny, everyone's fighting style became clearly visible.
Dao Lan fought with wide, sweeping strikes, his long blade unleashing surging waves of saber qi with every swing.
'Though reputed to have Golden Core combat strength, their methods are ultimately singular; once a countermeasure is found, they crumble easily.'
Envoy Gouxing looked calm. Treading with peculiar footwork, he roamed the craggy mountain path as though walking on level ground. He stood motionless as a mountain, yet the surrounding Withered Blood Vines could not come within three zhang of him. Whenever a Tier 4 Withered Blood Vine attacked, he would loose multicolored starbursts. That was the secret starlight art of the Heavenly Demon Star Sect, praised by countless people.
Yet through Luo Chen's spirit eyes, he saw that those were clearly inner cores of Tier 3 monster kings! Using monster king inner cores as stars to execute starlight arts? Luo Chen guessed that this was likely his greatest trump card. Worthy of a powerhouse from a former paramount sect—his foundation was profound, strolling with leisurely composure even amid such fierce combat.
Clad in a glittering astral robe, Envoy Gouxing beckoned toward the void, and beams of starlight converged toward him. Envoy Gouxing glanced around and shook his head. "A pity these Withered Blood Vines possess no monster cores, so they cannot be crafted into starlight."
Huangfu Song's side, however, appeared rather ungraceful.
Initially, he tried to sever the vines with his longsword, but the Tier 4 Withered Blood Vines were exceptionally tough. His sword qi was not as sharp as Dao Lan's saber qi, incapable of cutting them down in one blow. Failing that, he tried to emulate Luo Chen by opening up distance first. In frustration, layers of purple light erupted from his body, blanketing the area for several li around.
Luo Chen was very familiar with that purple light. Back on Penghu Lake, when Luo Chen had bewildered him with Flowers in the Mirror, Moon in the Water, that purple light had erupted once before. Enveloped within the purple light, his sword qi seemed augmented, growing increasingly fluid and potent.
*Boom!*
An imposing, righteous beam of sword qi slashed out horizontally, the billowing sword light sweeping forth like a tidal wave. That initial clash with the Tier 4 Withered Blood Vines had already forced him to deploy a magic treasure. In that misty purple radiance—the only battlefront yet to conclude—a square seal smashed down with a furious roar, forcibly grinding the Tier 4 Withered Blood Vines blanketing the ground into powder.
When the sword light expanded several li outward and gradually subsided, an arrogant Huangfu Song revealed himself, his gaze falling upon a struggling white vine at his feet. His haughty expression receded, replaced by a slightly grave demeanor.
In Huangfu Song's sight, Qingyangzi in his red-cloud Daoist robe was conjuring a giant spiritual power claw, firmly pinning down a Tier 4 Withered Blood Vine. The vine writhed like a python in his grasp, utterly unable to break free. Right at that moment, Luo Chen turned around, his gaze falling upon him.
Having swiftly taken in the battles of the others, Luo Chen understood at once. Evidently, Withered Wood Ridge, concealing countless Withered Blood Vines, was far from an easy venture.
Seeing this, Luo Chen instinctively glanced toward the valley. Yet seeing the Old Angler heading straight toward the valley, Luo Chen felt a slight sense of doubt.
'Does he dare beard the Vine King alone?'
And just as he looked up, he saw an aged figure standing atop the valley's cliff edge, having trodden over countless mangled corpses of Tier 4 Withered Blood Vines strangled and shredded by threads.
That person turned around, gazing down upon the land.
In his sight, the red-robed man stood empty-handed, no foes remaining beside him. Looking at that square purple seal, the Old Angler wore a pleased expression. With a flick of his wrist, a black-gold rod appeared before him, scorched threads fluttering in the wind.
The Old Angler looked toward Luo Chen; when their eyes met, they nodded to each other.
Facing the valley, the Old Angler said, "Your wings have been clipped. It's time for you to come out!"
Within the valley, an incomparably surging pillar of spiritual energy soared into the heavens. As if in response, the earth shuddered.
The five Golden Core cultivators looked up, their eyes quivering.
Within the pillar of spiritual energy, a massive white vine stretched across heaven and earth like a dragon.
Chapter 632