Chapter 2090: Black Luo Realm, Black Jiao Pond, Flying Butterfly Valley

The Fallen Demon Cave in the Black Luo Realm is one of its most perilous locations, an ancient battlefield brimming with powerful formations and rare celestial treasures seldom seen elsewhere. It is rumored that a Heaven-Reaching Demonic Treasure lies deep within the cave.

Every few centuries, the cave's formations enter a period of weakness. At such times, large numbers of demonic cultivators flock into the Fallen Demon Cave, seeking its hidden treasures.

The Fallen Demon Cave is a place of both extreme danger and immense opportunity.

Deep within the Fallen Demon Cave, a narrow, elongated valley occasionally echoed with tremendous explosions. A thick black mist lingered perpetually above the valley, refusing to disperse.

Inside the valley, Ye Haitang and Fang Mu were operating a formation, besieging a colossal golden python. The python, over a hundred zhang long, had a large fleshy crest on its head and emerald green eyes, constantly spewing golden flames from its mouth.

Behind the python was a pool over a thousand zhang wide. An entirely black lotus with three petals floated on the water's surface.

This was a Three-Leaf Nether Lotus, which grows one petal every millennium. This particular lotus had been growing for three thousand years. Its lotus seeds could assist demonic cultivators at the Nascent Soul stage in breaking through to the Soul Transformation stage.

A thick, verdant light barrier enveloped the golden python. Gusts of swirling green wind swept towards it, striking the golden python repeatedly. Its body was covered in wounds, large numbers of scales fell off, and blood flowed profusely.

Fang Mu and Ye Haitang changed their hand seals, and the formation plates in their hands immediately erupted with dazzling green light.

Within the green light barrier, space vibrated and distorted as countless green lights emerged. After a blur, they coalesced into a colossal, sky-piercing green blade that chopped down directly.

As the golden python was about to dodge, dots of green light appeared in the nearby void, forming into large green hands that held the golden python in place.

The sky-piercing blade descended, precisely cleaving onto the golden python's head.

With a dull thud, the golden python's head was severed. A miniature python flew out from its body, which was its spirit.

Ye Haitang withdrew the formation. With a flick of her wrist, a black light flew out from a spirit beast bead. It was an entirely black python, covered in black scales, with a pair of black fleshy wings on its back.

This was a Nine Nether Python. Nine Nether Pythons prey on souls and specters and can emit Soul-Devouring Forbidden Light to harm enemies, specifically damaging the spiritual consciousness of cultivators. No matter how strong the physical body, if struck by the Soul-Devouring Forbidden Light, the spiritual consciousness would be damaged. There were many specters in the Black Luo Realm, and after devouring a large number of them, the Nine Nether Python successfully advanced to the fourth rank.

The Nine Nether Python spewed a black mist, enveloping the miniature python and sweeping it into its mouth, where it vanished.

Fang Mu walked quickly towards the pool and summoned a palm-sized black jade bottle. He released a black mist, enveloping the Three-Leaf Nether Lotus and collecting it into the black jade bottle, where it disappeared.

"With this item, we can attempt to break through to the Soul Transformation stage," Fang Mu said excitedly. "However, one spiritual item might not be enough. Let's search other places; perhaps we can find more spiritual items."

"The Fallen Demon Cave is one of the most dangerous places in the Black Luo Realm," Ye Haitang said calmly. "It's already quite fortunate that we obtained the Three-Leaf Nether Lotus. Let's leave here immediately! One should know when to be content; greed can kill." She and Fang Mu were only at the Nascent Soul stage, and the Fallen Demon Cave contained many powerful formations. If they triggered these formations, they might not survive.

"Fairy Ye is skilled in the Dao of formations," Fang Mu said hesitantly. "If we're careful, we should be fine, right?" He had only over two hundred years of lifespan remaining. If he didn't advance to the Soul Transformation stage, he would inevitably perish when his lifespan ran out.

Ye Haitang frowned slightly. "Fellow Daoist Fang, I understand your point, but it's best not to be too greedy. We can search for other spiritual items to aid in breaking through to the Soul Transformation stage elsewhere..."

Before she could finish her sentence, a tremendous explosion echoed.

Both of them frowned and looked towards the source of the sound.

A green light swiftly flew towards them. Behind it were three streaks of light.

Soon after, they clearly saw the true appearance of the green light. It was a captivating young woman in a green dress, with skin as white as snow and picturesque features. On her sleeves were over a dozen colorful butterfly patterns.

The young woman in the green dress had a mid-Nascent Soul cultivation base. Her left arm was missing, and her face was pale.

The three streaks of light were three Nascent Soul cultivators, two men and one woman. The one with the highest cultivation was a slightly hunchbacked old man in a golden robe, at the perfected Nascent Soul stage. Their sleeves all bore a black flood dragon pattern.

"I am Mu Dieyi, Vice Valley Master of Flying Butterfly Valley," the young woman in the green dress said frantically. "I beg the two fellow Daoists for assistance; I will certainly repay you generously." If no one helped her, she would surely die.

Ye Haitang and Fang Mu had no intention of meddling, preferring to stay out of others' affairs.

"I am Zhao Longfei of Black Flood Dragon Pond," the old man in the golden robe said in a deep voice, with a serious expression. "This matter concerns us and Flying Butterfly Valley; I ask the two fellow Daoists not to interfere." Two cultivators at the perfected Nascent Soul stage were not to be underestimated.

Seeing Ye Haitang's and Fang Mu's expressions, Mu Dieyi bit her red lip lightly and flicked her sleeve. Two glowing red jade boxes flew out, heading towards Ye Haitang and Fang Mu.

"These are two Heavenly Demon Fruits, containing pure demonic energy," Mu Dieyi explained, her voice weak. "Even if consumed raw, they can assist the two fellow Daoists in breaking through to the Soul Transformation stage. If refined into pills, the effect will be even better."

Ye Haitang narrowed her eyes. If it were other items, she might not care, but a spiritual medicine that aids in breaking through to the Soul Transformation stage was a different matter entirely.

"Madam Mu, are you an alchemist?" Fang Mu pressed, his face full of anticipation.

"Precisely," Mu Dieyi nodded. "My purpose in entering the Fallen Demon Cave this time was to find Heavenly Demon Fruits."

Ye Haitang opened the two jade boxes. Inside each was an oval-shaped black fruit, emitting a unique, exotic fragrance, with faint silver patterns on its surface.

"Heavenly Demon Fruit!" Fang Mu's eyes glowed with fervor.

Seeing this scene, Zhao Longfei's expression turned grim. They had been vying with Mu Dieyi for the Heavenly Demon Fruits, but she had gotten there first.

"Fellow Daoists, you may take the Heavenly Demon Fruits," Zhao Longfei said meaningfully. "However, Madam Mu must be handed over to us for disposal. We'll mind our own business; there's no need to cross Black Flood Dragon Pond over two spiritual fruits."

"Fellow Daoists, Black Flood Dragon Pond has cultivators at the Soul Transformation stage," Mu Dieyi's tone was sincere. "If you stand idly by, they might come for you one day. They killed my Dao Companion. If the two of you can help me avenge my husband, I can help you refine Heavenly Demon Pills."

Fang Mu frowned. If they killed Zhao Longfei and his two companions, they would offend Black Flood Dragon Pond. Provoking a force backed by Soul Transformation stage cultivators was too unwise. If they let Zhao Longfei and his companions go, who knew if they would seek revenge later? They were in a dilemma.

"Act now. Dead men tell no tales." Ye Haitang was decisive. There was no perfect solution; every advantage came with a disadvantage. They were not cultivators of the Black Luo Realm, and once they obtained the Heavenly Demon Pills, they could go into seclusion to attempt to break through to the Soul Transformation stage. As long as they killed Zhao Longfei and his companions, there would naturally be no one to seek revenge.