Chapter 767: Purple Crystal

Ahead was a deep pit, resembling a small lake.

However, it contained no water, but rather a thick accumulation of purple mist that formed a 'lake' of purple vapor, even rising above the ground.

Even more peculiar, a massive vortex swirled in the center of the small lake, with purple mist continuously pouring into it. The object that attracted the Fat Silkworm was at the bottom of this lake.

Qin Sang stood at the edge of the small lake, staring at its center, his brow furrowed in concentration.

The toxic mist in the small lake was so incredibly dense it resembled real water. The Fat Silkworm had exerted all its might just to bring him here and dared not take even half a step into the lake.

Even if there was a treasure inside, he wouldn't dare enter.

He feared that a single ripple might sweep him and the Fat Silkworm away to their demise.

The Fat Silkworm hung its head in dejection, clearly realizing this as well. The alluring treasure was within reach, yet they were powerless to retrieve it.

“Something’s wrong!”

As if sensing something amiss, Qin Sang suddenly looked up, staring intently at the area above the opposite bank of the small lake. He then slowly retreated, circled around the lake, and approached silently.

Only upon arriving there did he discover that the opposite bank of the small lake was at the foot of a sheer cliff.

Qin Sang concealed himself in the shadows, hardly daring to breathe. Agile figures were clinging to the cliff face, and he could even discern chilling gazes through the purple mist.

These were fierce beasts!

Each was about the size of a Tibetan Mastiff, with a similar build, but they differed by having a pair of wings between their ribs.

They clung upside down to the cliff, their limbs gripping tightly. Their shoulders were highly prominent, tails tucked in, and wings spread like fans – thin as cicada wings, consisting only of a layer of membrane – adhering tightly to the surface. Their eyes were fixed intently on the small lake, as if awaiting something.

Even these creatures, accustomed to living in this perilous purple mist zone, dared not enter the small lake, which underscored its extreme danger.

Such a large group of fierce beasts was gathered here!

Qin Sang’s heart tightened. Hiding in a rock crevice, he suppressed his aura and watched the beasts above, lost in thought.

Judging by the beasts' posture, it seemed a treasure of interest to them was about to emerge from the center of the small lake, very likely the same object that had attracted the Fat Silkworm.

This meant there was no need to dive into the lake bottom; they could simply wait outside to acquire the treasure.

However, the nature of the treasure, the commotion it would cause upon emergence, and how to retrieve it were all unknown.

What Qin Sang most feared was the strength of these fierce beasts.

A pack of fierce beasts guarded this spot, not uttering a single sound. Clearly, the treasure in the small lake was crucial to them, and they would not easily yield it to others.

There were many fierce beasts, covering all parts of the cliff face visible to Qin Sang.

If only these beasts were present, his chances of snatching the treasure from their jaws would be high.

He vaguely sensed that these beasts were slightly stronger than the Purple Star Eagle. With his superior evasion speed, he had a good chance of escaping after seizing the treasure.

But Qin Sang dared not get too close; he hadn't seen their leader and was unsure how many more were above.

“Let’s wait and see,” Qin Sang thought to himself.

Qin Sang decided to wait a while to observe any unusual changes in the small lake.

Of course, his time was limited. If the small lake remained unchanged for an extended period, he would have to leave and attend to his main business, returning to scheme for the treasure another time if an opportunity arose.

Qin Sang released the Two-Headed Hou. Man and beast concealed themselves in the shadows, awaiting their chance.

Time passed.

Qin Sang silently calculated, ensuring he left ample time for his quest for the Spirit Fire and his journey to the Heavenly Tower.

Suddenly, the Fat Silkworm's upper body stiffened, its eyes burning with fervor.

Qin Sang’s heart stirred slightly. He shifted his gaze, fixating on the small lake.

Moments later, unusual ripples appeared in the vortex at the lake's center. From the depths of the whirlpool, a purple light seemed to spiral upwards, bursting out.

Simultaneously, the fierce beasts on the cliff stirred. They uniformly raised their heads, staring at the purple light with the same excitement as the Fat Silkworm.

Finally, the true form of the purple light became clear: it was a crystalline object. This crystal, the length of an arm, was a column, perfectly formed at one end but with a noticeable fracture at the other.

It was pure and flawless, emitting a dazzling purple glow.

It was precisely this purple crystal that had attracted the Fat Silkworm!

The fierce beasts had the same target.

“Could this be a purple crystal formed from the purest essence of the accumulated toxic mist?” Qin Sang mused silently.

Qin Sang privately speculated, a little surprised. He had expected to find poisonous fruits growing at the bottom of the lake, not this unprecedented purple crystal.

The center of the vortex was the calmest spot. Qin Sang and the fierce beasts watched as the purple crystal was drawn into the whirlpool, yet paradoxically, it rapidly ascended.

Qin Sang noticed that although the beasts were agitated, none of them impulsively leaped down.

Just as the purple crystal rose higher and higher, nearing the surface of the lake...

Suddenly, with a ‘crack,’ the purple crystal was struck by a surge of purple mist, causing a crack to appear. Shards fell from the fractured end, floating in the mist before being swept away and vanishing.

The purple crystal was unexpectedly fragile!

At that moment, the fierce beasts on the cliff suddenly moved.

‘Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh…’

The beasts powerfully pushed off the stone wall, spreading their fleshy wings and gliding down from above. The most prominent among them was a beast noticeably larger than the rest, with more robust fleshy wings.

It was clearly the leader, charging ahead, directly toward the center of the small lake.

The other beasts followed behind it. Upon reaching the edge of the small lake, they suddenly flapped their fleshy wings, rapidly ascending, seemingly hesitant to approach the lake's vortex.

Only the leader plunged directly into the lake's center.

At this point, the purple crystal was struck again, and its crack widened completely, causing a small piece to break off. This smaller piece, being lighter, quickly flew upwards, developing numerous tiny cracks as if it were about to disintegrate.

The leader let out a low growl, opening its mouth and spewing a stream of purple flame from a distance.

‘Bang!’

The flame shot towards the purple crystal.

Upon impact, the purple crystal disintegrated, breaking into numerous small crystalline fragments that scattered outwards.

Some fragments dissipated in the purple mist, but the slightly larger crystalline pieces successfully broke free. The fierce beasts, having glided to this spot, began to scramble fiercely for these crystalline fragments.

There was a certain order to this scramble.

Stronger beasts snatched the larger crystalline pieces, while the weaker ones, not only dared not compete, but actively shied away, only daring to consume smaller fragments. The leader swallowed the largest piece.

Qin Sang now understood the situation.

The purple crystal must have contained potent venom, making the beasts both desire and fear it.

At this point, he had a clear understanding of the beasts' strength and felt his chances of snatching the treasure from their jaws were quite high.

Although the leader was powerful, it hadn't reached the level of a transformed demon lord, nor was its speed particularly fast. Its advantage lay in its agility, thanks to its ribbed wings.

Some beasts, having acquired purple crystal fragments, flew away to their lairs to refine them.

The leader did not leave; it continued to secure more purple crystal for its fellow kin. Otherwise, before the purple crystal could fly out of the vortex, it would dissipate in the mist, and none of them would be able to consume it.

The next emergence of purple crystal was unknown, and Qin Sang couldn't wait here indefinitely. He decided to act directly and seize the remaining purple crystal.

The Fat Silkworm individually bestowed the Anti-Poison Armor upon the Two-Headed Hou. The Two-Headed Hou was the first to appear, emerging from the rock crevice and splitting into several illusions that lunged towards the group of beasts, instantly drawing all their attention.