Chapter 142

Inside the cave, the residual warmth of the medicinal pill circulated through his limbs and bones, gradually filling the fatigue and depletion left from battle.

Wang Shan sat cross-legged in the corner, appearing to cultivate, but ninety-nine percent of his mind was sunk in the system's light screen.

【System, continuously lock onto the Purple Monkey Flower's position, updating energy fluctuation data in real time.】

【Command received. Analyzing Purple Monkey Flower energy fluctuations…… Warning: target spirit qi leakage speed increased by 37%, estimated maturation time: no more than one day.】

On the light screen, the purple halo representing the Purple Monkey Flower brightened noticeably to the naked eye, like a piece of charcoal blown by wind, ready to flare at any moment.

"One day…… the time is locked down this tightly."

Wang Shan's fingers unconsciously tapped his knee.

He switched his view to another area, where two massive energies were violently colliding, throwing the entire region's energy field into utter chaos.

【Live battlefield broadcast activated.】

On the light screen, Wan Tianjue had disheveled hair, his splendid robe torn to rags, a glaring trace of blood at the corner of his mouth, his chest heaving violently. Beneath his feet, a complex blood array flickered in and out, continuously draining his power.

Opposite him, the fourth-tier Red Flame Flying Lizard King was even more miserable. Large patches of its crimson scales were forcibly torn off its massive body, revealing the charred flesh beneath. One of its forelegs hung limp, obviously crippled.

Yet even so, the beast king's ferocity was fully aroused; each breath spewed thick smoke laced with sparks, and its beastly eyes held only a desire for destruction.

"Roar——!"

Another roar, and the flying lizard king launched a reckless charge.

"Beast! Submit to me!"

Wan Tianjue also unleashed true fire, forming seals with both hands; behind him, the blood array blazed, and blood chains materialized out of thin air, tightly entwining the flying lizard king.

"Is this kid burning his essence blood to forcefully activate his technique?" Wang Shan watched the scene, his mind as clear as a mirror, "It seems he also knows the Purple Monkey Flower is about to mature, and wants to seize this beast outright at the last moment to use as a lackey."

Go all out; best if both fight to the death.

Thinking that, he switched his view to a third party, the mysterious black-clothed persons.

These people were silent as a nest of hibernating vipers.

Their position perfectly overlooked both Wan Tianjue's battlefield and the valley where the Purple Monkey Flower grew; the leader of the black-clothed persons was embedding the final array plate into the ground.

【Warning: detected forbidden array has completed a closed loop. Preliminary analysis: guidance, suppression, resonance.】

【This array highly overlaps with the earth vein's energy flow, and also exhibits a weak resonance with the Purple Monkey Flower's energy fluctuations.】

Wang Shan looked at the system's analysis, his mind racing.

"Resonance…… these people aren't blind; they can also sense the Purple Monkey Flower's condition. This array probably isn't just for hiding; they likely intend to make a move on the earth vein, delivering a harsh blow to Wan Tianjue or that beast at a critical moment."

The three forces were like three beasts poised to strike, eyeing each other and also eyeing that slab of meat about to ripen.

And that slab of meat is the fuse that will ignite everything.

"System, analyze the Purple Monkey Flower's growing environment once more—anything special?"

【Analyzing…… target grows at the junction of earth vein's yin and fire evil, environment special. Its roots and stems are extremely sensitive to life aura and spiritual power fluctuations; any living creature approaching within a hundred zhang will instantly provoke the guardian demon beasts into a violent assault.】

"Heh, still a spiky treasure."

Wang Shan glanced at his storage space, where lay quietly a core the size of a pigeon's egg, emitting a soft green glow.

【Life Essence Core】.

A trump card he had been reluctant to use until now.

Now it seems he must use it.

Forceful entry definitely won't work; not to mention he's only at Body Refining, even if a Foundation Establishment cultivator came, they couldn't expect to wait peacefully under that fourth-tier beast king's eyelids for the flower to mature.

The only way is to seize victory from chaos.

When Wan Tianjue and the black-clothed persons are fighting fiercest, and the flying lizard king is preoccupied, he will sneak in, use the Life Essence Core to instantly mature the Purple Monkey Flower, pluck it, and flee.

This time window might be only a few breaths.

Too late, and it's death.

"Li Hu, Zhang Mei."

He called softly.

The two, who had been meditating with eyes closed, instantly opened their eyes.

"Boss?" Li Hu stood up, clenched his fists; after recuperation, his spirit and energy had clearly recovered considerably.

"We've got work, a life‑risking job." Wang Shan didn't beat around the bush, directly sharing the system light screen's three‑way standoff scene with them, "See? Two giant mantises, both eyeing that cicada."

Li Hu stared, eyes wide: "My goodness…… that guy is Wan Tianjue? That big fellow is fourth‑tier? And these black‑clothed people…… boss, what are we……"

"We'll be the mantis catching the cicada, with the oriole behind us." Wang Shan interrupted him.

Zhang Mei's gaze fell on the light spot of the Purple Monkey Flower, then she glanced at Wan Tianjue and the black‑clothed persons' positions, quickly understanding what was meant.

Wang Shan pointed to a route on the light screen: "The Purple Monkey Flower will mature soon, at most one day. Once those two sides go all out, we'll sneak in from here."

He traced a route hugging the cliff wall, extremely concealed.

"This place is highly sensitive to life aura and spiritual power fluctuations; we must restrain all our aura. I will assist with talismans."

"Once we're there, I'll use something to make the Purple Monkey Flower mature instantly. Zhang Mei, you handle watch, especially the black‑clothed side. Li Hu, your task is the heaviest; once you have it, you carry Zhi'an and Zhitao, use the Earth Escape Talisman I gave you, follow my preset route, and retreat without looking back! I'll cover the rear."

Upon hearing this, Li Hu stiffened his neck: "No way! Boss, if we retreat, you should go first! I'm thick‑skinned and tough‑fleshed; I'll hold the rear!"

"This is an order." Wang Shan's tone left no room for doubt, "You can't run as fast as I can; staying behind would be suicide. Only when you're safe can I withdraw without hesitation. Don't forget I still have an Earth Escape Talisman?"

Li Hu opened his mouth, then swallowed his words, and nodded heavily: "……Yes, boss."

"Zhang Mei, don't hold back on your bow when the time comes; shoot to kill anything that tries to block the way."

"Understood." Zhang Mei drew three specially made armor‑piercing arrows and slipped them into her most convenient spot.

Wang Shan looked at the two and finally instructed: "Remember, our sole target is the Purple Monkey Flower. Grab it and leave immediately, without lingering a moment. The chaos outside is none of our concern; who lives or dies, don't worry about it."

The wind at Ghost Sorrow Cliff seemed even colder.

The atmosphere in the air, stretched to the limit, was like a string about to snap at any moment.

Wan Tianjue was waiting, waiting to completely subdue the beast king.

Black-clothed Person was waiting, waiting for the formation to be fully activated, also waiting for someone else to make the first move.

Wang Shan was also waiting.

Waiting for a moment that could let him go from prey to hunter.

He watched the Light Screen, where three forces were intertwined like interlocking canine teeth, and the corner of his mouth twitched into an arc no one could see.

Who is the prey?

It's not certain yet.