Chapter 2383

The one cursing it was a tall long-armed ape, its back a patch of blood-red, its right arm still clumsy, clearly having suffered heavy injuries.

It and the remaining monsters were advancing under cover in the low shrubbery.

As the words fell, several flying rainbows descended from midair, faster than the speed of shooting arrows, whizzing and turning the roe deer into a sieve.

"The Spirit Mountain pursuers are closing in—run!" The long-armed ape daringly swung on a vine, leapt over a clearing two zhang square, and immediately two flying swords gave chase, clinging like a bone-deep carbuncle.

Again they came. The long-armed ape used two tricks before shaking off the flying swords.

The cultivators appearing on the Panlong Wasteland are getting stronger and stronger. It had only just knocked down two, yet it itself was badly wounded, now seeing spots before its eyes, its strength about to drain away with its blood.

Hah, just wait—Mother Sovereign my lord will sooner or later give these ignorant, foolish wretches a taste of their own medicine!

It urged anxiously: "Into the woods behind the relay station! As long as we reach the black soil, we'll be safe!"

Blackened soil is an extension of the Earth Mother's senses; events occurring on it are hard to conceal from her. Moreover, when the monsters of Jade Capital City fight within the black soil zone, their power is enhanced.

Once they reach the black soil, the Earth Mother will sense they are being hunted by cultivators, and reinforcements will soon arrive.

But from the shrubbery to the relay station lies a vast open space. The monsters had no choice but to grit their teeth and charge across.

During this process, another three monsters were struck down.

The long-armed ape was also wounded, but it finally led its three subordinates into the woods behind Bai Yuan Station. Here the trees are dense, blocking light completely, with only occasional sunlight reaching the ground.

The cultivators' vision from above was also obstructed, giving the long-armed ape a chance to catch its breath.

They hurriedly fled deeper into the woods when, unexpectedly, the final row of earthen walls at Bai Yuan Station stirred!

The houses here are not aligned properly; decades ago, when Bai Yuan Station was developed by private individuals lacking overall planning, some buildings were constructed rather abstractly. Later, when the authorities took over, construction and management became increasingly standardized, so after several rounds of additions, the old houses ended up at the very end.

These old houses are now dilapidated, at best usable as storage or firewood sheds, their outer walls covered in moss, tiles unevenly laid, the whole shaded by trees and never seeing sunlight year-round.

Thus, as the monsters passed by these old houses, they didn't even glance at them.

Who has time for that when fleeing for one's life?

So they failed to notice that one particular short, fat, round house had suddenly moved.

"Whoosh"—a faint sound came from behind.

The long-armed ape turned its head, saw no enemy, but noticed one of its subordinates was missing.

"Where are the white dog and the lu shu?"

The badger glanced sideways: "I don't know; before turning its head, they were still there..."

Hardly had the words left its mouth when a shadow flashed from its rear diagonal, swift as a gust of wind; the badger snapped its mouth shut, for its head had fallen off.

It fell so naturally, like a speck of dust returning to the ground.

There is an ambush in these woods—Lingshan truly is despicable! The long-armed ape's heart tightened, it halted, looked left and right, fully alert.

At that very moment, it actually saw a low house split its mouth open and smile at it.

That was a huge mouth—when it smiled, it stretched back to the ears.

Just as it felt a chill run down its spine, a red shadow came hurtling down from above, like a piece of dark red silk. The long-armed ape had no time to think, rolled sideways, narrowly avoiding it; the red silk brushed past its arm, sinking silently into the ground and leaving a small pit.

Only then did it realize: what lay behind was not some low house, but clearly a gigantic snail shell!

A snail? But...

It has lived for several hundred years and has never seen a snail with such thick thighs. Moreover, the red silk that had just flown to capture it was precisely this creature's tongue!

Its companion, then, is just as good as gone?

Unwilling to linger in battle, the long-armed ape turned and fled.

It will certainly report to the Earth Mother upon returning—these cunning cultivators of Lingshan... ah!

After a dozen breaths, three yellow-billed geese flew across the sky; several cultivators leapt down from their backs, landing and scanning left and right at Bai Yuan Station. The sword that had wounded the roe deer was in their sword case behind them. The leader said: "Junior brother, didn't you just sense that there are a dozen or so monsters here?"

He held a wooden staff in his hand, atop which coiled a small snake, yellow and white banded, now flicking its tongue at him.

"Oh, they're all gathered together... disappeared?"

This time, the small snake flicked its tongue toward the ground. From high altitude it could detect living beings in the woods, but not through clairvoyance—rather, by sensing the energy on living things.

This person walked into the woods, bent down, and touched the ground; their fingertips came away sticky with slime.

"Also a monster, probably rescued by the Earth Mother." He sighed, "Too bad—we were almost onto the leader."

The small snake raised its head again.

"Oh, there's the aura of a heavenly demon? Heavenly demons and the Earth Mother are indeed in league! First capture these few little ones back for interrogation—Master Xianchang of Si Hai has urged this several times already."

The long-armed ape's few remaining subordinates still lay on the open ground, seriously wounded and unable to rise. These people seized the prisoners, then once again mounted the geese and flew off.

……

After the cultivators had departed, the snail-toad again emerged from the ground behind Bai Yuan Station, slowly beginning to chew the grass there.

Not long ago it had rained; in this dark, sunless woods grew colorful poisonous mushrooms, each tasting different when eaten by the snail-toad. When it gets high, it shakes its head and sways its body, its two tentacles flailing wildly in all directions.

But within the snail-toad's internal space, several prisoners were bound in a row.

The long-armed ape glared at the person before it: "Mother Sovereign is now sweeping the entire wasteland! You dare move against us—Mother Sovereign will not let you go!"

"Is that so? Who are you to Mother Sovereign?" Dong Rui smiled narrowly, waved his hand, and the ghost ape pushed forward a small tool cart, three tiers high, each layer filled with various tools, neatly arranged and gleaming.

These tools—some the long-armed ape recognized, some it had never seen—but one glance told them the purpose was dreadful.

The ghost ape casually grabbed a wolf-tooth club, pointed it at the long-armed ape, which gasped for breath.

This club is good, so good! Thicker than its hind legs!

But Dong Rui pressed the ghost ape's hand down: "This one won't do—afraid it can't take it, one strike and it's dead."

Before the long-armed ape could catch its breath, he picked up a black-and-white striped thrusting sword, at least as long as a forearm, with a reverse hook at the tip.

"Come, let's try this first." Dong Rui wore a kind, approachable expression: "You lot—what were you doing running to Bai Yuan Station? Why were those cultivators chasing you?"

The ghost ape glanced at this thrusting sword, then at the wolf-tooth club in its own hand. Any difference? It instead felt the tools in its master's hand were more sinister.

It couldn't even last half a cup of tea's time before the long-armed ape shouted: "Stop, stop stabbing! Stop, I'll talk, I'll say everything!"

It felt itself about to become a sieve. After the heavy injury, its body was already overdrawn; now it could no longer endure the effort.

Dong Rui regretfully tossed aside Zhu Xiuer's short dagger, clapping his hands. This guy couldn't even survive the first round — truly useless.

(End of chapter)