Chapter 6: Such a Huge Pile of Poop

Seeing that there was still a fox in the lair, Xu Chen suddenly held his breath. After waiting for a moment and discovering that the fox had not the slightest movement, he carefully released his Divine Sense to scan it, then instantly felt relieved. This should be that old fox nearing the Second-Tier; although it still had a sliver of breath, its Soul was scattered and it was already completely at death's door.

So he gathered his courage, walked up, and extended his foot to gently nudge it. Unexpectedly, the fox actually moved. Xu Chen was startled and instantly had the urge to trigger a Spirit Talisman, but in the end, he restrained himself. His Divine Sense landed on the fox once more. Under the pressure and stimulation of his Divine Sense, the fox slowly opened its eyes, took a single look at Xu Chen, and then slowly closed them again.

Xu Chen stared fixedly at the old fox, not daring to be the least bit careless.

Even if a Second-Tier Spirit Beast had only one breath left, it was still extremely dangerous.

However, after a moment, he discovered that the old fox had actually stopped breathing, and its Soul aura had completely vanished from his Divine Sense.

It just died?

Xu Chen's spirit completely relaxed in an instant. He observed the surroundings and discovered there was no other movement; it was evident that this litter of foxes was truly dead.

Putting away the two Spirit Talismans, Xu Chen reached out and dragged the old fox out of the grass nest.

A Spirit Beast nearing the Second-Tier was worth a considerable amount even in death, at least two Spirit Stones.

"Huh, there's still a little fox; it's actually still alive."

After dragging the old fox out, there was actually a small fox with white fur inside the grass nest, only the size of a palm. It seemed to have been born not long ago. What surprised Xu Chen the most was that it was actually still alive, though its breath was very weak, and it looked like it was about to die too.

Xu Chen originally wanted to leave it behind, but after putting the old fox's corpse into his basket, he thought about it and tossed the little fox in as well.

Aside from the large and small foxes, there was nothing else in the cave. Xu Chen took a rough look around and prepared to leave. Before departing, he used his Divine Sense to scan the entire cave once more. Suddenly, he let out a "huh," and then strode toward a small puddle dripping down beneath a crack in the rock.

Beside the small puddle where water droplets were constantly falling, he actually sensed a faint fluctuation of aura, which tugged at his Divine Sense.

However, he observed carefully near the puddle and did not discover any Spirit Grass, Spirit Medicine, or other things containing Spirit Qi. Even this aura was unstable, appearing intermittently. He looked up along the rock wall toward the top, his gaze landing on the dripping water. Then, his Divine Sense steadied; he felt an aura that faintly made his Soul palpitate. Observing carefully with his eyes, he discovered those were speckled, pale blue things, sticking to the rock wall like bird droppings.

And at higher positions, there seemed to be even more, forming sparse, scattered spots of light in his Divine Sense, like fireworks set off in the dark night.

"What the hell is this thing?"

Xu Chen was full of suspicion. Having grown up and cultivated on the mountain for five years—although his cultivation was a complete mess—he had seen quite a few things containing Spirit Qi: Spirit Grass, Spirit Medicine, immortal pills, Magic Treasures, beast bones, Demon Beast cores, and all sorts of strange cultivation materials. But he had never seen this kind of eerie thing that even made his Divine Sense feel like it was being ignited.

Could this be the thing that poisoned the litter of foxes to death?

Xu Chen was both amazed and somewhat terrified. He calculated and speculated internally, and was roughly able to reach a reasonable explanation.

That was that this thing was poisonous. The dripping spring water carried it into the puddle below, and then the foxes drank the water and slowly became poisoned.

Only this explanation could ensure that an entire litter of foxes was poisoned to death without anyone knowing.

Thinking this, Xu Chen mounted his Flying Sword and slowly rose into the air along the rock wall, arriving at the location of these spots to observe carefully.

This was neither moss nor any kind of sap, but a pale blue, gel-like substance. It was clearly not something that originated inside the cave, but something that had fallen from above.

Xu Chen originally wanted to use his finger to dab some and feel it carefully, but he thought better of it and didn't dare take the risk. If a Spirit Fox nearing the Second-Tier could be poisoned to death, he, a piece of trash who had just entered the Qi Refining stage, shouldn't seek his own death. He even simply held his breath to avoid inhaling too much poisonous gas and kicking the bucket.

Half a quarter of an hour later, Xu Chen climbed out of the cave through a narrow crack in the top, and then his eyes suddenly lit up, and he couldn't help but exclaim:

"What a huge pile of poop!"

He saw that less than a zhang away, a large pile of blue stuff hung in a semi-solid state on a protruding rock above the crevice, and it had even flowed into a very familiar shape.

Based on his three years of experience in collecting dung and his rich experience in the field of feces, this was definitely a piece of Demon Beast or Spirit Beast feces rarely seen in the world.

Therefore, while exclaiming, his Divine Sense scanned over it as well. Then, he felt his Soul suddenly brighten, as if a spark had fallen into a pot of oil. Instantly, scorching blue light filled his Sea of Consciousness, stimulating him so much that he couldn't help but cover his brow and let out a muffled groan. He stumbled and almost fell back into the cave from the rock crevice.

Just from this brief contact with his Divine Sense, he felt as if his soul had been pricked by countless needles, and he convulsed all over from the pain.

What on earth is this thing?

Xu Chen was so scared that he didn't dare release his Divine Sense again. His face was pale and terrified as he steadied himself, but his eyes were even brighter.

He was certain that he had discovered an incredible treasure today.

This pile of poop definitely had an extraordinary origin.

As for how extraordinary, he was unable to judge, because the highest level he had ever seen was a Third-Tier Demon Beast core, and the most powerful cultivator he knew was only the Great Elder of his sect.

The Great Elder was already at the Danyuan Late Stage, only one step away from transforming his soul into an infant, but he could clearly feel that even if the Great Elder released his Divine Sense with all his might, it wouldn't have such a terrifying impact.

Let alone that this was just a pile of poop.

Therefore, the beast capable of producing this extraordinary pile of poop must be a terrifying existence ten or a hundred times greater than the Great Elder.

"I'm rich!"

This time, Xu Chen truly felt an unprecedented stroke of financial luck descend from the sky, transforming into a pile of crystal-clear, spirit-radiating poop that smashed onto his head.

"Awoo~~"

Suddenly, from the peaks of the mountains to the southeast, came a long, low, and highly penetrating wolf howl.

Xu Chen was suddenly startled back to his senses. If his guess was correct, this should be that Third-Tier Demon Wolf two hundred miles to the south.

Thus, Xu Chen didn't dare delay. He put down his basket, grabbed the dying little fox and tucked it into his bosom, then took out the old fox corpse that had almost filled the entire basket and threw it on the ground. He took out a dung shovel and rushed to the edge of the rock. Without even having time to look closely, he used extremely practiced movements to scrape the large pile of feces hanging above into his basket in a flurry.

Once packed, Xu Chen didn't dare be negligent. He looked at the old fox's corpse, hesitated, and didn't put it back into the basket. Instead, he used the dung shovel to dig a small piece and stuffed it into the Spirit Fox's mouth, then kicked it back into the cave. Only then did he mount his Flying Sword and take to the air, flying for his life toward the sect gate, while not forgetting to stuff a Great Origin Pill into his own mouth.

The Third-Tier Demon Wolf was already the most powerful Demon Beast near the Taiyuan Sect; only the three Elders could deal with it, and to kill it, only the Great Elder had the strength.

When the Demon Wolf roared, the sound shook a hundred miles.

Judging by the sound at the moment, this Demon Wolf was at most thirty miles away.

And for such a powerful Demon Beast, a distance of thirty miles was nothing more than the time it takes to drink a cup of tea; it would arrive in an instant. As long as he fled even a little bit slowly, the Demon Wolf would have plenty of time to catch up before Xu Chen could rush back to the Taiyuan Sect.

"Faster, faster!"

Xu Chen rode his Flying Sword, speeding across the vast mountains, his facial muscles twitching incessantly.

Behind him, the Demon Wolf's roar was getting closer and closer, and there was even a faint feeling of being locked onto by Divine Sense.

Xu Chen's Soul trembled violently, as if he were being stared at by a vicious wolf, and the hair on his body stood on end.

Two quarters of an hour later, he could already see Zhaoyang Peak standing alone among the mountains ahead. Xu Chen instantly breathed a sigh of relief, desperately urging his Origin Qi to pour into the Flying Sword. Finally, he turned into a streak of light and plunged into the sect's territory, and the fierce Divine Sense that had been constantly closing in behind him immediately stopped abruptly and vanished.

The sect-protecting Array concealed Xu Chen's aura and cut off the Demon Wolf's Divine Sense.

The Demon Wolf seemed to know that the Taiyuan Sect was not to be trifled with, so after howling a few more times, the sound disappeared.

At this moment, the entire Taiyuan Sect was alarmed.

On several adjacent peaks, several figures rose into the air, and soon a deep, resonant voice echoed in the minds of all the Disciples: "It is that Third-Tier Demon Wolf. It seems something must have happened nearby. Recently, without my permission, no one is allowed to step one foot outside the sect gate."

"Yes, Third Elder!"

All the Disciples hurriedly responded together using their Divine Sense.

"Where is Xu Chen?"

The Third Elder seemed not to have heard Xu Chen's response, and asked in a majestic voice.

Xu Chen had of course heard him, but his vital energy was currently exhausted, and he had just landed and not yet had time to reply; hearing the voice, he hurriedly responded panting with his Divine Sense: "Third Elder, I am at the mountain gate!"

"That is good. Do not go down the mountain recently, and cultivate diligently."

"This Disciple obeys!" After Xu Chen finished answering, he could not help but ask another question: "Third Elder, what about the few senior brothers and sisters who went down the mountain and encountered the Demon Wolf?"

"I will arrange for this matter myself; you need not worry!"

"Yes!"

The Divine Sense exchange lasted only an instant; as the Third Elder's voice vanished from his mind, Xu Chen could not help but plop down onto the ground, then fell flat with a thud, opening his mouth to gasp violently.

The pressure brought by the Demon Wolf just now was unprecedented; if he had entered the mountain gate even half a quarter of an hour later, his life would likely have been lost.

Lying on the ground to rest for half a quarter of an hour, once his mood had calmed down, Xu Chen finally climbed up and sat cross-legged, preparing to recover his energy.

That desperate flight just now, sprinting over a hundred miles in two quarters of an hour, was the fastest he had ever run since he began cultivating; of course, the consumption was also terrifying, and if not for the support of one Great Origin Pill, he estimated his Qi sea would have been drained dry by now.

However, even so, under the violent impact of the Great Origin Pill's vital energy, he felt his dantian and meridians aching faintly; this was likely caused by the vital energy circulating too quickly.

The dantian and meridians are the foundation of cultivation; once damaged to the point of being irreparable, it would cause irreversible consequences for future cultivation, so for those who cultivate, the most taboo thing is to risk one's life; one or two minor instances of damage might seem insignificant and can be recovered from with rest, but after eight or ten times, small injuries accumulate into chronic damage, and slowly, a person is ruined.

Therefore, Xu Chen did not dare to be careless; he closed his eyes slightly, performed breathing exercises, and slowly entered a state of meditation; after several consecutive small cycles, the residual medicinal power of the Great Origin Pill was slowly gathered and returned to the dantian Qi sea, and the discomfort in his body finally began to disappear.

However, this did not count as being fully repaired; he would still need to rest for a few more days afterward.