Chapter 283: Second-Level Demon Beast

In a dense black forest, Sun Siwen was struggling in a two-on-one fight with two disciples from Huangsheng Palace. Not far away, beneath a large tree, grew several foot-tall black herbs. A massive black centipede lay near these herbs.

“Alright, I’ll let you have these Black Cloud Herbs,” Sun Siwen said, a fine sheen of sweat beading on his forehead as he frowned.

He had discovered these spirit herbs and killed the demonic beast. He would never have given them up if he hadn’t been weaker than his opponents.

“Let us have them? Do we need you to let us have them? Once you’re dead, the Black Cloud Herbs will be ours anyway.”

“What is the meaning of this? Fellow Daoist Li, a year ago we fought side-by-side on the front lines. Do you have no regard for our camaraderie?” Sun Siwen asked, his face grim.

“You just said it was a year ago. Times have changed. Senior Uncle Li said that once we enter the secret realm, everyone who isn’t a disciple of our sect is an enemy and can be killed.”

As soon as he finished speaking, both of them conjured several talismans, which transformed into ice cones, earth arrows, and wind blades, striking towards Sun Siwen.

Sun Siwen’s face paled. He quickly conjured a Wind Wall Talisman, which transformed into a towering azure wind wall, blocking in front of him.

With dull thuds, the ice cones, earth arrows, and wind blades struck the azure wind wall and shattered, vanishing.

Two azure flying swords struck, shattering the wind wall. The two azure flying swords then hit the protective shield around Sun Siwen, and the shield’s light dimmed considerably.

“Strike!”

Two red flying knives flared with light, knocking away two yellow short swords, and flew directly towards Sun Siwen.

Sun Siwen’s face turned ashen. He had very little spiritual power left, and his only two second-tier spirit talismans had long since been used up.

Just then, five azure flying swords shot forth, blocking the flying knives’ attack.

“Two against one? Is this how your Huangsheng Palace operates?”

A mocking voice rang out as Wang Qingshan emerged from the nearby bushes.

Honestly, Wang Qingshan wasn’t particularly keen on saving Sun Siwen. However, the Heaven and Earth Spirit Water was nearby, and there was a chance a powerful demonic beast guarded it. Sun Siwen might be able to help. After careful consideration, he decided to intervene and rescue Sun Siwen.

“Fellow Daoist Wang, thank you very much.”

Sun Siwen was overjoyed to see Wang Qingshan and expressed his gratitude.

“Fellow Daoist, you’re not a disciple of the Hundred Spirits Sect, are you? We advise you not to meddle, or you’ll be the one to suffer,” a Huangsheng Palace disciple said menacingly.

Wang Qingshan didn’t waste words. He conjured a stack of Wind Blade Talismans, which transformed into dozens of azure wind blades, striking towards the two Huangsheng Palace disciples.

With a flick of his incantation hand, his five Azure Lotus Swords blurred, transforming into hundreds of Azure Lotus Swords that slashed towards the two men.

The two men were only at the eighth layer of Qi Refinement. Having tangled with Sun Siwen, they had already expended most of their spiritual power. When Wang Qingshan attacked, they found themselves struggling even more.

“Take this Sky Thunder Orb!”

One of the Huangsheng Palace disciples shouted and conjured a black orb, throwing it towards Wang Qingshan.

Wang Qingshan frowned. He had heard of the Sky Thunder Orb’s reputation and dared not take it head-on. He quickly conjured two Water Wall Talismans, which transformed into two towering blue water walls, blocking in front of him.

As soon as the black orb neared the blue water walls, it immediately exploded, turning into a vast cloud of black mist.

“Oh no, I’ve been tricked.”

Wang Qingshan’s brows furrowed. As a precaution, he activated a protective shield around himself.

Soon after, the black mist dissipated, and the two Huangsheng Palace disciples had vanished without a trace.

Wang Qingshan didn’t mind. He looked at Sun Siwen and asked with concern, “Fellow Daoist Sun, are you alright?”

“I’m fine, Fellow Daoist Wang. I owe you a lot this time, otherwise I would have fallen into their hands.”

Sun Siwen said gratefully.

“You’re too kind, Fellow Daoist Sun. Your master is my fourteenth uncle, so this is what I should do. Fellow Daoist Sun, you should meditate and recover your spiritual power. I’ll stand guard for you. What I’m looking for is nearby. Just help me get what I need, and that will be enough.”

Sun Siwen agreed, sat down cross-legged, and swallowed a blue medicinal pill.

After roughly the time it takes to brew a cup of tea, his spiritual power had mostly recovered. He stood up.

“Fellow Daoist Wang, I’m ready. We can set off now. I will definitely help you find what you need.”

“Let’s go! It’s just ahead.”

Wang Qingshan stepped forward, and Sun Siwen followed closely behind.

After a short while, they emerged from the dense forest. A mountain several hundred zhang tall appeared before them, with a lake a few acres in size to its left.

“This is it. What I’m looking for is on this mountain.”

Halfway up the mountain was a cave entrance obscured by weeds. If one didn’t pay close attention, it would be easy to miss.

Both of them activated protective shields around themselves and stepped inside.

The cave was dark and damp, twisting and turning. After walking for over a hundred steps, a bone-chilling cold assailed them. Even with their protective shields, they couldn’t fully ward off the chill.

Turning left and walking another hundred steps, they reached the end of the cave: a black cavern over a hundred zhang in size.

To the left of the cavern was a pool several hundred zhang in size. In the pool were two black lotus flowers. Cold air continuously emanated from the pool, and the rock walls near it were covered in ice.

“Black Jade Lotuses! These are the spirit herbs!”

Wang Qingshan said, his face filled with delight as he saw the two black lotus flowers.

“Black Jade Lotuses have a special growth environment and are rarely seen outside. These two Black Jade Lotuses are at least four hundred years old. Fellow Daoist Wang, be careful; there must be a demonic beast beneath the pool. Otherwise, these two Black Jade Lotuses wouldn’t have been able to grow for four hundred years.”

Sun Siwen kindly warned him.

Wang Qingshan’s eyes darted, and he said with a smile, “I know that already. I have a Gourd Spirit Tool with me; I’ll just collect all the water from this pool. Then that demonic beast will have no choice but to show itself.”

He conjured a black gourd. With an incantation, the black gourd grew against the wind, emitting a vast expanse of black light that enveloped the black pool water.

Large amounts of black water rushed into the gourd. Soon after, dozens of black lights shot out from the pool, striking towards Sun Siwen and Wang Qingshan.

Sun Siwen and Wang Qingshan had already been prepared, and they quickly maneuvered their spirit tools to block the attacks.

“Boom!”

The pool surged with massive waves. A colossal black toad leaped out from it, its back covered in bulging warts. Its dark green eyes stared coldly at Wang Qingshan and Sun Siwen.

“A second-tier demonic beast! Fellow Daoist Wang, run! We’re no match for it.”

Sun Siwen’s face changed drastically as he exclaimed, and he instinctively made to flee.

The black toad opened its mouth and spewed a vast cloud of white icy mist, which instantly formed a thick layer of ice, blocking the exit.

“It’s only a low-grade second-tier demonic beast. Fellow Daoist Sun, help me kill it, and I will surely reward you handsomely afterward.”

As Wang Qingshan spoke, he conjured two second-tier Fire Dragon Talismans, which transformed into two colossal crimson fire dragons that lunged menacingly towards the black toad.

Before the crimson fire dragons even got close, they emanated an intense wave of heat.

They were incredibly fast, appearing before the black toad in a flash.

The black toad let out a strange croak. Vast amounts of white icy mist erupted from its body, and a thick layer of ice armor formed directly on its skin, encasing it.