Chapter 44: Instantly Kill Monsters

"I'm terrified!" Zhong Qi cried out, truly feeling the threat of death.

"Heh heh heh, you guessed wrong," Xu Yang said. "I'm really just at the Qi Cultivation stage."

Xu Yang had already walked to the side of the White Lotus Nether Spider. Its terrifying large mouth opened and closed, oozing foul-smelling saliva. The spider's pair of scarlet eyes glared at Xu Yang, radiating killing intent.

"What do you want to do? Let me go!" Zhong Qi cried, scared stiff, struggling with all his might as he spoke.

But Xu Yang's large hand held him in an unbreakable grip. Although it seemed gentle, trying to move even an inch was wishful thinking.

"You... just let me go," Zhong Qi pleaded. "Whatever it is, we can talk it over, alright?"

Under the threat of death, Zhong Qi became a sniveling coward, whimpering and crying. A strong smell of urine emanated from beneath him.

Xu Yang's brows furrowed, and he instantly felt a wave of nausea. He was already at the large spider's feet. With a wave of his hand, he threw Zhong Qi towards it.

The large black spider opened its mouth wide, catching Zhong Qi in mid-air. It chewed a few times haphazardly before swallowing him whole.

Xu Yang clapped his hands, preparing to leave. Suddenly, the large spider's leg violently lifted and crashed down, smashing towards Xu Yang. The long black leg left a blur in the air, landing on Xu Yang's forehead with a whoosh. The blow was incredibly fast and immensely powerful. Any other Nascent Soul stage cultivator would surely have been smashed into a pulp.

However, Xu Yang showed no fear. His expression turned angry. "Beast! Since that's how it is, then die!"

Xu Yang abruptly raised one hand and caught the descending black spider leg. Immediately, dust flew everywhere. Xu Yang was driven forcefully into the ground like a nail, with only his head and one arm exposed.

"Tsk tsk," Xu Yang muttered. "I didn't expect your strength to be quite formidable."

Xu Yang flicked his hand, and his body sprang out of the hole. With one arm, he forcibly lifted the large black spider and then slammed it down.

*Boom...*

With a deafening explosion, dust flew and black fluid splattered. The White Lotus Nether Spider, so arrogant just moments before, died without even a struggle.

Ling Qingshu calmly watched all this, showing no surprise. She was used to it. In this world, there was nothing Ancestor Xu couldn't instantly kill.

"Alright, let's go find the people who ran off earlier," Xu Yang said after cleaning up the scene.

After walking forward for about ten minutes, they saw the people who had scattered earlier. They had all gathered, huddled inside a cave, watching outside with horrified expressions.

When they saw Xu Yang and Ling Qingshu, one person cautiously crawled out of the cave. "What about that demonic beast from before?" he asked. "Is it still there? Is it behind you?"

"It's dead," Xu Yang replied calmly.

The people hiding in the cave were instantly surprised. That demonic beast had been so powerful; how could it have died in just a few minutes? But then they considered it and felt that Xu Yang shouldn't be lying. If Xu Yang, a mere Qi Cultivation stage weakling, could make it here alive, it meant there was at least no danger outside.

Just then, they suddenly realized someone was missing.

"Uh, what about Ancestor Zhong?" someone asked hesitantly.

"Yes, how come we don't see Ancestor Zhong?" a few people whispered amongst themselves.

"Are you talking about that old man?" Xu Yang asked. "He's dead."

Everyone was stunned, unable to believe what they had just heard. Ancestor Zhong Qi was a Nascent Soul stage senior. But such a Nascent Soul stage senior had died so easily?

"Then, what about that demonic beast from before?" another person asked.

"Similarly, it's dead," Xu Yang replied calmly.

Everyone was stunned. They hadn't expected this outcome: Ancestor Zhong Qi dead, and the demonic beast dead too? Could it be that Ancestor Zhong Qi and the demonic beast perished together?

But that wasn't the current problem. They had heard how dangerous this forest was, which was why they had sought out Ancestor Zhong Qi. Under the protection of a Nascent Soul stage cultivator, their lives should have been guaranteed. But they hadn't been inside for long, and even Ancestor Zhong Qi, a Nascent Soul stage old monster, was dead. Their protector was suddenly gone. For a group of Golden Core stage cultivators to walk through this extremely dangerous forest, where even Nascent Soul stage old monsters could die, was too perilous.

Many people began to have second thoughts.

"How about we go back now?" one person said, their eyes filled with fear and hesitation.

"Yes, it's simply too dangerous here," another added. "It's not worth dying here for an unknown spiritual herb. Anyway, no matter what you all decide, I have to leave."

"Exactly, I want to leave too," said a third. "That demonic beast from before was too powerful. If we encounter another one like that, there's no doubt we're dead."

Once one person began to retreat, everyone else started to withdraw.

Xu Yang calmly watched the scene without offering an opinion. Although he very much wanted these people to stay and help him gather spiritual herbs, since they didn't dare to remain in this place, he wouldn't force them. Besides, these people weren't essential to him.

"If you want to go back, you can try to retrace your steps," Xu Yang said. "You're only at the edge of the forest now, so it's very easy to leave." He then looked at Ling Qingshu. "I'm going in first. Take care of yourselves."

"Let's go. We'll go deeper and see." Saying this, Xu Yang turned and walked away.

Ling Qingshu quickly followed Xu Yang.

The Golden Core stage cultivators, who had just been discussing how to leave, all stared blankly at Xu Yang's receding figure. After a while, one person finally reacted, exclaiming, "Holy crap, a mere Qi Cultivation stage weakling! We're all leaving, and he still dares to go in alone?"

"I have a feeling he's not at the Qi Cultivation stage. Didn't you see?" another interjected. "There's a Golden Core stage cultivator beside him, constantly calling him 'Ancestor'?"

"Holy crap, 'Ancestor'?" exclaimed a third. "Could he be a Nascent Soul stage old monster?"

People began discussing animatedly. Although a few still insisted on leaving, influenced by the majority, ten people decided to continue following Xu Yang. Their decision to enter the forest, even knowing it was fraught with danger, naturally stemmed from wanting to take a gamble for an opportunity.