Chapter 1240: Heavy Restrictions

It is quite difficult for plants to achieve sentience, so cultivators possessing wood spirits are exceptionally rare. As Fairy Ziyue knew, wood spirits typically originate from peach trees or carnivorous plants.

She had received rigorous foundational cultivation knowledge since childhood and possessed an extensive memory, yet she had never encountered any records of brambles becoming spirits. It only went to show that the cultivation world was full of wonders.

“Advance to the fourth rank? I hope so!”

Wang Changsheng smiled, then put away the Black Crystal Scorpion's essence and demon core before continuing his journey.

The wood spirit led the way, with Wang Changsheng and Fairy Ziyue following behind.

Along the way, they encountered numerous demonic insects. The wood spirit easily dispatched them without Wang Changsheng needing to intervene.

An hour later, they emerged from the dense forest to find a turbulent black river before them, hundreds of miles long and over ten miles wide.

The river water had a suppressing effect on spiritual sense, making it impossible to scout the riverbed.

Wang Changsheng released dozens of Gold-Devouring Ants. As they flew over the river, they suddenly lost control and fell from mid-air.

Dozens of Gold-Devouring Ants flew upwards. As soon as they ascended more than ten *zhang* from the ground, they lost control and plummeted from mid-air. Clearly, an anti-flight restriction had been set up here.

Fairy Ziyue flipped her delicate hand, revealing a shimmering blue metal sphere. With a flick of her wrist, the sphere shot out. She then cast a spell, and with a mechanical whir, the metal sphere transformed into a snarling blue shark, two *zhang* long.

“Go,” she commanded.

The blue shark plunged into the turbulent river without any incident.

Soon after, the blue shark surfaced. Wang Changsheng put away the wood spirit, and he and Fairy Ziyue stepped onto the shark's back. The blue shark then carried them towards the opposite bank.

As they reached the middle of the river, Wang Changsheng's brow furrowed. “Something's coming towards us,” he said, “and there are quite a few of them.”

Fairy Ziyue swiftly cast a spell, and the blue shark accelerated its movement.

A fierce glint flashed in Wang Changsheng's eyes. He slammed both fists into the air to his left and right, sending out two massive blue fist shadows, each over ten *zhang* in size, which struck the river surface.

Boom!

The river water suddenly exploded, sending splashes several *zhang* high into the air, revealing two massive, entirely black crocodiles.

The river churned violently, as if something else were about to erupt from the riverbed.

A series of whistling sounds pierced the air as countless black water arrows shot up from the riverbed, appearing as if they intended to riddle Wang Changsheng and Fairy Ziyue with holes.

Wang Changsheng cast a spell, and countless wisps of water vapor surged around him, forming a light blue water barrier that enveloped them.

Fairy Ziyue took out a purple short ruler. With a gentle flick, a sheet of purple radiant light flew out, protecting both of them.

The dense barrage of black water arrows struck the purple radiant light, producing muffled thuds like frying beans.

Over a dozen black crocodiles, each three *zhang* long, burst from the river on both sides of the passage, opening their gaping maws and lunging at Wang Changsheng and Fairy Ziyue.

Wang Changsheng moved his arms, sending out a dense volley of blue fist shadows that precisely struck the more than a dozen black crocodiles.

A chorus of miserable cries erupted as the black crocodiles, hit by the blue fist shadows, plummeted to the ground, their skin torn and flesh mangled, bleeding profusely.

Seizing this opportunity, the blue shark increased its speed.

Wang Changsheng cast a spell, and his body glowed intensely with blue light. A fierce gale erupted, and dozens of whirlpools, several *zhang* in diameter, appeared out of nowhere on the river surface.

Wang Changsheng raised his hands high as if embracing something. The dozens of whirlpools suddenly exploded, and dozens of thick black water pillars shot skyward. Over a dozen black crocodiles, each two *zhang* long, were swept into the sky by these water pillars, then successively burst apart, turning into a vast shower of blood.

This was the spiritual art, 'Startling Waves and Terrifying Tides'.

Five breaths later, the wind and waves calmed, and no more demonic beasts attacked them.

A moment later, they successfully reached the opposite bank, which was an endless expanse of verdant grassland.

Wang Changsheng released the wood spirit, and they followed behind it.

Before long, they disappeared into the grassland.

Five days later, Wang Changsheng and Fairy Ziyue appeared atop a steep, emerald-green peak, where tens of thousands of black demonic bees fiercely attacked them.

These black bees had four wings on their backs, exposed sharp mouthparts, and a black stinger at their tails, making them appear somewhat hideous and terrifying.

Fairy Ziyue's slender brows furrowed slightly. She flipped her delicate hand, and the Fire Sparrow Fan appeared. With a gentle wave, specks of fire light materialized out of nowhere, suddenly forming a crimson fire sparrow over ten *zhang* in size, which plunged into the swarm of black demonic bees.

Wherever the crimson fire sparrow passed, the black demonic bees simply vanished into thin air, as if they had never existed.

The crimson fire sparrow circled around them twice, and all the black demonic bees disappeared.

Despite having a topographical map, they still encountered considerable trouble. The Ten Thousand Immortals' Tomb contained numerous demonic beasts, but fortunately, they had not yet encountered any fourth-rank demonic beasts.

Fairy Ziyue put away her Fire Sparrow Fan, and they began descending the mountain.

Ten days later, they arrived outside a narrow, elongated red valley. The stone walls on both sides of the valley were crimson, resembling glowing hot iron.

No grass grew within the valley; there were multiple large pits on the ground, and the soil was reddish-brown, giving it a somewhat desolate appearance.

On either side of the valley stood two peaks, ten thousand *zhang* high. A massive black thundercloud hovered above one peak, while the other was enveloped in thick black mist, emitting faint restrictive fluctuations.

“According to the map, crossing this valley will lead us to our destination,” Wang Changsheng said, pointing to the red valley. Even with the map, it had taken them ten days to reach this point, which was already the central region of the Ten Thousand Immortals' Tomb.

Fairy Ziyue nodded. The purple short ruler in her hand pulsed with increased light, releasing a large swath of purple radiant energy that enveloped both of them.

With expressions of full vigilance, they slowly walked into the valley.

As soon as they entered the valley, an anomaly occurred. Large sheets of crimson flames erupted from the stone walls on both sides of the valley, and a vast expanse of crimson flames also surged from the ground.

Fwoosh!

Rolling inferno assaulted them from all directions, emanating overwhelming waves of heat.

Fairy Ziyue quickly summoned her Fire Crow Bottle and cast a spell into it. The Fire Crow Bottle glowed brightly, and a swath of crimson radiant light surged forth. An astonishing sight unfolded: the crimson flames, as if guided by some force, flowed towards the Fire Crow Bottle and vanished into it.

Witnessing this, Wang Changsheng and Fairy Ziyue simultaneously let out a sigh of relief.

They slowly advanced, but the crimson flames seemed endless, constantly surging from all directions and striking at them.

The Fire Crow Bottle glowed even brighter. As soon as the crimson flames approached within three *zhang* of Wang Changsheng and Fairy Ziyue, they were drawn by a mysterious force and disappeared into the Fire Crow Bottle.

Less than a quarter of an hour later, they were still in the valley when rumbling thunder echoed from high above. Dozens of red lightning bolts, as thick as an adult's arm, tore across the sky without warning, striking down towards Wang Changsheng and Fairy Ziyue.

Wang Changsheng's expression changed. He quickly summoned nine Sea-Stabilizing Pearls, which spun rapidly around them. Wisps of water vapor emerged, forming layers of water barriers to protect both individuals.