Chapter 405: Five-tier Abyssal Beast!

"Black Crystal Divine Plant," Yunhe had once glimpsed it in an ancient text; it is said to be a heaven‑earth divine spiritual plant that can raise a cultivator's spirit root, hence its name "Divine Plant."

You should know that a cultivator's spirit root is basically fixed at birth; even a Yuan Ying Cultivator, or even a higher‑level God Transformation Cultivator, cannot change a cultivator's spirit root.

Even a cultivator like Yunhe who has obtained the "Tai Shou Great Five Elements True Scripture" can only condense a spirit body with the aid of the art's secret technique.

It can to some extent replace the spirit root, but it cannot change the spirit root.

After all, Yunhe's spirit root remains merely a lower‑grade gold‑water dual spirit root, and his spirit body has largely taken its place.

Even so, the spirit body condensed by the "Tai Shou Great Five Elements True Scripture" comes at a huge cost.

It requires not only monster beast essence blood and even true spirit essence blood, but also a great sacrifice of one's own lifespan.

Lifespan is the most important thing for any cultivator.

Only a special existence like Yunhe can overlook this shortcoming.

But Yunhe remains doubtful about the purpose it claims for itself.

"What are you after, then?" Yunhe asked.

So far.

"It's no harm to you, Junior Brother, or to you human cultivators, is it?" the Heavenly Corpse Insect said in a tone of utter confidence.

But the fact that the Heavenly Corpse Insect has wiped out a major sect and can use its offspring insects to control deaths shows that, if it grows strong enough, it could by itself destroy the entire Eastern Border Cultivation World.

And it certainly includes Yunhe!

Thus it is clear how precious the "Black Crystal Divine Plant" is, which seems to improve a cultivator's spirit root quality without demanding a great price.

As for the Heavenly Corpse Insect plotting to harm an Abyssal Clan cultivator, Yunhe does not find that surprising.

Their exchange of ideas is not lacking, but the communication via divine sense is swift—only a few breaths.

He knows Yunhe could never get ahead of him, and he is not worried about Yunhe's sudden attack.

But he also has to admit that, if he could improve his own spirit root quality, it would likewise greatly aid his cultivation speed.

Just as his cooperation with the Heavenly Corpse Insect appears superficial, deep down each wants the other dead.

As for how much a cultivator's spirit root can be raised, that ancient text gives no description; likely because such spiritual plants are exceedingly rare, and even the few who obtain them may experience varying effects.

The Heavenly Corpse Insect laughed.

Whether it is spirit root or spirit body, improvement is long‑lasting.

But it cannot be slain, so that side can only first choose "cooperation".

Yunhe does not know how the "Heavenly Insect Sect" was wiped out, nor the Heavenly Corpse Insect's true strength, nor what purpose it has in assisting the foreign races.

If his spirit root could be raised to upper or even earth grade, his spirit body combined with the spirit root would not clash but rather complement each other, bringing him boundless benefits.

"I want the body of that Abyssal Clan cultivator."

The Heavenly Corpse Insect's cooperation with the Abyssal Clan surely hides an agenda, though he does not know what it is.

This is where it feels it can manipulate Yunhe.

What exactly did the ancient Abyssal Clan hide in these depths?

They actually layered countless formations for protection.

The more he comes into contact with the Corpse Soul Insect, the more Yunhe feels this insect is extremely dangerous—not just in strength, but in its schemes and aims.

Although Yunhe is now planning to condense a "Five Elements Spirit Body," once successful his spirit body would make his cultivation talent comparable to that of a heaven‑grade spirit root cultivator.

He gazed at the Heavenly Corpse Insect, his eyes gradually calming.

If his strength were sufficient, he would truly want to draw his sword and slay the Heavenly Corpse Insect right now.

Afterwards, on the journey.

This also explains why the formations previously driven by Sangwu were all trapping formations.

Refining a "Heaven Capital Insect Corpse"?

Or rather.

Regarding what the Heavenly Corpse Insect said, he does not doubt that the holy palace's depths contain a "Black Crystal Divine Plant," for if it were confirmed absent, Yunhe would not dare to venture in, and even the so‑called cooperation could not continue.

Numerous thoughts flashed through Yunhe's mind and vanished.

After all, the effects of using a lower‑grade spirit root versus an upper‑ or earth‑grade spirit root are certainly different.

They saw layer after layer of shattered formations—some broken long ago, others apparently destroyed by violent force.

"In other words, these formations are not meant to keep out external intruders, but to guard the interior—or rather, to imprison what lies within."

Seeing Yunhe not answer, the Heavenly Corpse Insect didn't mind and said with a smile, "Let's go."

Hmm?

Body?

Upon hearing this, the Heavenly Corpse Insect gave him a deep look before slowly saying:

"How do you use the 'Black Crystal Divine Plant,' Junior Brother?"

Moreover.

"If it weren't so, I, Yun Mou, wouldn't be here listening to you say these things." Yunhe said lightly.

But if this were the Abyssal Clan's holy land in ancient times, how could any outside force have broken through here?

If they had indeed broken through to this point, then the existence of these formations would actually be meaningless.

Having said that, he turned and fled once more into the depths of the passage.

But the deeper they went, the more solemn Yunhe's expression became.

"No wonder it's the Orthodox Unity Sect of the Great Mystery—this Nine Netherworld Spring Formation has been forcibly broken."

The Heavenly Corpse Insect suddenly stopped, gazing at the utterly ruined formation traces, and clicked his tongue in admiration.

Seeing the remnants of the formation, Yunhe could perceive more than the Heavenly Corpse Insect could; he realized this formation must have been forcibly broken by Fushan using a treasure similar to a Formation‑breaking Bead.

Upon reaching this spot, they could already hear the commotion coming from inside.

It's quite obvious.

Fushan Daoren and that Abyssal Clan cultivator have already engaged in battle.

Both approached cautiously, in tacit understanding.

Then they saw a huge space deeply buried in the Holy Mountain's depths, its surroundings consisting of rock walls formed from black, sturdy stone, shining with a metallic luster, appearing extremely hard.

And in the center of this space, two figures were engaged in combat.

"Moving Mountain Technique!"

Accompanied by a low shout.

The disheveled, bedraggled Fushan Daoren threw the magic treasure in his hand that resembled a small cauldron; after casting the spell seal, the small cauldron rapidly expanded, turning into a huge mountain that came crashing down.

Boom!!!

The entire space violently trembled, accompanied by falling debris and dust, yet the space showed no sign of collapsing, indicating its sturdiness.

"A fourth‑level supreme magic treasure!" Tianshigu, seeing this mountain, couldn't help but exclaim again, "You human cultivators indeed occupy plenty of resources."

Yunhe ignored Tianshigu's remark, merely gazing at the entity suppressed beneath the mountain.

No.

Not to say suppressed.

Because such a mountain weighing ten thousand jun is actually still swaying.

"Roar!!"

Then a low, deep howl came from beneath the mountain, and the huge mountain was actually being lifted up, shaking.

Seeing this, Fushan Daoren's face grew extremely grave, yet he did not look very surprised—evidently he had witnessed such a situation before.

He immediately cast a spell seal and at the same time threw the Mountain‑Measuring Ruler in his hand.

"Seal!"

The patterns that appeared out of nowhere condensed in the air and fell upon the mountain.

In an instant, the weight and oppressive feeling of the mountainpeak magic treasure seemed to increase considerably again.

Afterward, the Mountain-measuring Ruler seemed to become the last straw that would break a strong ox, falling straight onto the mountainpeak.

Boom!!!

Finally, the huge mountainpeak magic treasure heavily and solidly smashed onto the ground, kicking up a tremendous disturbance and a large cloud of dust.

Seeing this.

Fùshān Dàorén let out a long breath, yet he dared not relax in the slightest; he hurriedly pulled several talismans from his storage bag, and with his fingers dancing in the air, he drew the Talisman Script, which also fell down together.

Several talismans were affixed onto the mountainpeak.

Accompanied by a humming sound, the faint disturbance still lingering in the mountainpeak magic treasure completely subsided.

Only now did Fùshān Dàorén finally relax his breath, slowly descending from midair.

Suppressed?

Yunhe's heart stirred, but the Tiānshīgǔ beside him at this moment emitted an extremely solemn aura.

"This person is in danger." the Tiānshīgǔ said in a solemn tone.

As expected.

Just as the Tiānshīgǔ's words fell, Fùshān Dàorén, who had finally managed to relax his breath with great difficulty, turned pale and stared in disbelief at the mountainpeak.

"Impossible!"

Puff!!

Seeing this, all the talismans on the mountainpeak magic treasure burst into flames with a puff, and the Mountain-measuring Ruler let out a wail, shooting back to fall before Fùshān Dàorén.

Next second.

"Boom!" With a tremendous roar, the mountainpeak collapsed, and Fùshān Dàorén's mountainpeak magic treasure was actually lifted up by force!

Yunhe also finally saw the Abyssal Clan cultivator fighting against Fùshān Dàorén.

No, he could not even tell now whether that was an Abyssal Clan cultivator or an Abyssal Beast.

He maintained a humanoid appearance, but he had lost the Abyssal Clan cultivator's pallid skin, replaced instead by a black keratinous scale armor like that of an Abyssal Beast, especially on his head, where the cultivator's original pair of small horns had grown enormously, like those of an Abyssal Beast.

The only thing that remained the same.

Possibly his scarlet eyes.

But at this moment he also displayed a beast-like ferocity, while lacking some reason.

"Roar!!"

Seeing him let out a low growl, he exerted tremendous force with both arms, actually smashing Fùshān Dàorén's mountainpeak away!

Fùshān Dàorén's face was grim at this moment; he raised his hand to retrieve the flung mountainpeak, cradling it once more in his palm, and looking into the depths of the Abyssal being's eyes, he already showed a intention to retreat.

He had already exhausted all his means.

But the guy opposite, after swallowing something, became less like an Abyssal Clan member and more like an Abyssal Beast, his power surging to an exaggerated degree.

At this moment, relying solely on the weakest physical strength of an Abyssal Clan cultivator, he could actually withstand his magic treasure.

And opposite him.

Lingya gazed at the timid-looking Fùshān Dàorén, grinning with a ferocious smile.

A low growl, his whole body tensed up like a bowstring pulled to its limit.

The next instant, his figure vanished from the spot.

Fùshān Dàorén's face changed drastically.

At this moment, Lingya was essentially a body-refining cultivator, or rather a powerful demonic beast.

Once such a being gets close, even if there is a gap of one realm, it is dangerous, let alone now Lingya is stronger than Fùshān Dàorén.

Bang!!!

Fushan Daoren was slammed hard against the rock wall, the protective barrier he hastily erected shattered with a boom, and fresh blood spurted from his entire body.

A single blow almost caused Fushan Daoren's body to collapse.

Such power.

Even a late Nascent Soul cultivator would find this very troublesome, right?

"Are you scared?"

Tianshi Gu suddenly spoke, seeming to have recovered from his previous solemn state, wearing a look as if watching a show.

Yunhe gave him a sideways glance and slowly said:

"The one who should have a headache isn't me."

"Do you have a headache?" Tianshi Gu chuckled, "Did you see the cage over there?"

On one side of this space, there is a huge fence made of countless rods of unknown material.

Within this cage, a pile of something is stacked, along with a slowly flowing dark river, whose source and destination are unknown.

"That is an abyssal beast from ancient times," Tianshi Gu said without beating around the bush.

"An ancient abyssal beast?"

Yunhe can be certain that this abyssal beast is already dead.

Because he senses no trace of life.

But when an abyssal beast dies, it shouldn't turn into black abyssal mist, leaving only a "black soul crystal," right?

"So..." Yunhe's eyes flickered, "Is this abyssal beast the one imprisoned by the Abyssal Clan in this holy mountain?"

"Not bad." Tianshi Gu nodded, "A fifth-level abyssal beast."

"Fifth-level abyssal beast!"

Yunhe's heart jolted.

An abyssal beast comparable to a Spirit Transformation cultivator!

"So, Tianshi Gu's target is actually the corpse of this fifth-level abyssal beast?"

Yunhe couldn't help but think that.

Ordinary abyssal beasts, upon death, leave only a "black soul crystal" and black abyssal mist, but this fifth-level abyssal beast has left a corpse; with Tianshi Gu's ability, if he refines this fifth-level abyssal beast's corpse into a "Heavenly Capital Gu Corpse," there would likely be few in this realm who could still restrain him.

Seeming to have guessed Yunhe's thought, Tianshi Gu smiled and shook his head, "Junior Brother, you also have gu worms, so you should know that, due to the abyssal beast's special nature, the difficulty of refining it into a corpse is far greater than refining a human cultivator, after all, a human's Nascent Soul is the easiest to refine, while the abyssal beast's 'black soul crystal' is too solid for the gu worms to enter."

Yunhe narrowed his eyes and remained silent.

While this may indeed be true for him, for Tianshi Gu, who once wiped out an entire great sect, it may not be.

"Speaking of which, I, as your senior brother, am actually more interested in your gu worms, Junior Brother." Tianshi Gu said half-jokingly.

If he didn't still need Yunhe's assistance, and if he hadn't always felt he couldn't see through Yunhe lacking absolute certainty, perhaps he would have already acted.

"Quite a coincidence." Yunhe glanced at him sideways, speaking in an even tone: "I, Yun, am also quite interested in you."

If Shihun Gu could obtain Tianshi Gu, Yunhe couldn't imagine how great a benefit Shihun Gu would gain.

Hearing his unyielding words, Shihun Gu shrugged indifferently and returned to the subject:

"The abyssal beast's corpse, whether for me or for you, Junior Brother, actually isn't of much benefit. But if the Abyssal Clan obtains it, with three to five abyssal beasts sharing its flesh..."

"It could possibly give birth to three to five late fourth-level abyssal beasts." Yunhe continued in a low voice.

(End of chapter)