Chapter 3399: Leaving

At the top of the pool, some silver water droplets hung suspended, refusing to fall.

The lotus petals were crescent-shaped, nine in total, and its seeds were moonlight white, also numbering nine.

The Nine Nether Moon Lotus takes ten thousand years to grow a single petal. The one before them had nine petals, indicating it had grown for at least ninety thousand years.

The Nine Nether Moon Lotus seeds could assist Integration-stage cultivators in breaking through to the Mahayana stage. Taking two seeds had the same effect as taking one, as their effects could not be stacked.

Spiritual herbs and fruits that assist cultivators in reaching the Mahayana stage are very precious, largely due to their extremely long growth cycles.

"A Nine Nether Moon Lotus! And Crimson Jade True Water!" Wang Zongque and the others showed expressions of delight, yet they dared not lower their guard.

The Crimson Jade True Water contained potent toxins. While not as venomous as the Ten Great Poisons, if an Integration-stage cultivator inhaled too much, it would still cause trouble.

Wang Zongque held a cyan orb in his right hand, which emitted a dazzling cyan light.

Logically speaking, the probability of encountering demonic beasts here was low. However, they dared not be careless.

"We haven't detected any demonic beasts," Wang Zongque said in a deep voice, "but it's better to be cautious."

Wang Yi'er flipped his right hand, and a purple light flashed as a shimmering purple jade bottle appeared. The bottle, adorned with a pattern of purple lotuses, emanated astonishing spiritual energy.

The Purple Lotus Bottle was crafted primarily from corrosion-resistant Ink Fist Stone. It could be used to collect highly corrosive substances, so collecting the Crimson Jade True Water would not be an issue.

The primary mission of the Treasure Seeking Hall was to seek treasures. As its head, Wang Yi'er had brought many treasures with him on this expedition to the Myriad Spirits Ruins. These treasures were the clan's public property and would need to be handed over to the clan upon their return.

Wang Yi'er gently flicked his wrist, and the Purple Lotus Bottle flew from his hand, soaring above the pool. He struck a magic seal into it, and the bottle's spiritual light greatly intensified, its size rapidly expanding. It then spewed forth a stream of purple ethereal light, enveloping the pool water. Large quantities of the Crimson Jade True Water were swept up by the purple light, disappearing into the Purple Lotus Bottle.

The pool water visibly receded, and the Nine Nether Moon Lotus slowly sank.

Before long, all the Crimson Jade True Water had flown into the Purple Lotus Bottle. The pool was now empty, and the Nine Nether Moon Lotus rested on its bottom.

Wang Zongque collected the Nine Nether Moon Lotus. Its nine seeds could allow nine clan members to attempt to break through to the Mahayana stage. Besides the seeds, the Nine Nether Moon Lotus itself could also be used to refine eighth-tier medicinal pills.

They carefully inspected the area. Finding nothing else, they then left the place.

If they returned along the original path, they would surely encounter the Tiger Phoenix Butterflies. Their Immortal Transformation Paste had run out, and if they were to fight, they would be no match for the Tiger Phoenix Butterflies.

After crossing the peak, a vast yellow desert appeared before them, stretching as far as the eye could see.

Wang Zongque took out a piece of cyan beast hide. After examining it carefully, he frowned slightly. "This area isn't on the map," he murmured, "it's an uncharted territory."

Wang Rumeng raised her right hand, and a misty, water-element talisman flew from her grasp. The talisman, bearing a humanoid pattern on its surface, emanated astonishing spiritual energy.

She struck a magic seal into it, and the blue talisman immediately glowed with dazzling blue light, transforming into a graceful maiden in a blue dress. Runes flickered across her body, revealing her to be a Talisman Soldier.

This Talisman Soldier possessed Void Refinement stage cultivation and was skilled in water-attribute divine abilities.

Wang Rumeng gently pointed her finger, and the blue-dressed maiden's body erupted with blue light as she flew towards the desert.

The moment she appeared above the desert, strong winds began to rage. Countless yellow grains of sand flew with the wind, transforming into countless earthy-yellow arrows that shot directly at the blue-dressed maiden.

The blue-dressed maiden clapped her right hand towards the void. Countless blue water mists surged forth, forming a colossal misty-blue hand that crushed the incoming yellow arrows.

Countless yellow sand grains flew up, and two yellow giants, over a hundred zhang tall, flew out from beneath the desert. Their facial features were indistinct, clearly formations brought to life.

Wang Rumeng controlled the Talisman Soldier to attack the yellow giants. They were not yet aware of the nature of the restriction. They would first use the Talisman Soldier to explore and understand the restriction's power and attack methods, to facilitate their passage.

In a hidden underground cave, the stone walls flickered with yellow light, clearly indicating a restriction.

Cui Yao sat cross-legged on the ground, meditating to restore her spiritual energy.

After a while, a somewhat weak female voice sounded: "This time, it was all thanks to you. Otherwise, I would have died at the hands of that eighth-tier demonic beast."

Cui Yao opened her eyes. Turning her head, she saw Wu Xue standing behind her, looking much better.

"Grand Ancestor, you flatter me," Cui Yao said with a face full of respect. "This is what your descendant should do. It's good that you are safe."

She had been following and accompanying Wu Xue all along. Otherwise, if Wu Xue hadn't died in the mouth of the Golden Flame Sky-Devouring Python, she would have perished under the restriction.

It was mainly because the Golden Flame Sky-Devouring Python had only recently advanced to the eighth-tier, coupled with the interference from the restriction. Otherwise, they wouldn't have been able to escape at all.

"Regardless," Wu Xue said in a deep voice, "without you, I would be dead. It seems I'll have to send my true body next time. To think there's an eighth-tier Golden Flame Sky-Devouring Python here." She noted that an eighth-tier demonic beast's entire body was a treasure.

"How is it that it still can't shapeshift after advancing to the eighth-tier?" Cui Yao asked curiously. "And it couldn't even speak."

"Whether a demonic beast can shapeshift depends on the purity of its bloodline, not directly on its tier," Wu Xue explained. "Its bloodline was likely too impure. For it to even reach the eighth-tier, it must have been incredibly lucky. True Monarch Qianjin was of mortal origin, and his ability to refine the Qianjin Divine Crystal and advance to the Mahayana stage doesn't mean other mortals can do the same; he was merely an exception." Her tone shifted as she continued, "Let's leave this place first. In my current state, I'm not capable of acquiring anything else."

Cui Yao readily agreed. She put away the formation and followed Wu Xue as they left.

A vast swamp stretched out before them. The ground was covered with numerous puddles, and a rotting smell permeated the air. Multi-colored miasma hung persistently in the mid-air.

A loud boom echoed from the depths of the swamp. Red, cyan, and white lights intertwined, and waves of energy rolled forth.

Before long, a colossal crimson saber light and a vast white sword light appeared high in the sky, slicing downwards.

After two tremendous roars, dust filled the air, and the ground shook violently.

In the depths of the swamp, Wang Qingfeng, Dong Xueli, and Duan Tongtian stood in mid-air. Their faces were slightly pale. Not far away lay a massive, entirely black toad, its body split in two, as if severed by a sharp weapon.

"It's finally done," Wang Qingfeng said with a sigh of relief. When they passed through this swamp, they encountered a peak seventh-tier demonic toad. They had to use the Illusory Moon Treasure Mirror and the Soul-Devouring Blade, and it took the combined efforts of all three to finally eliminate this demonic beast.

"Let's hurry to the gathering point and meet up with them!" Duan Tongtian urged.

Wang Rumeng and the others' cultivation levels were not very high, so Duan Tongtian was naturally a bit worried.

Wang Qingfeng nodded. He put away the demonic beast's corpse, summoned a shimmering red flying boat, and the three of them boarded it.

He formed a magic seal, and the red flying boat sped outwards, leaving the area.