Chapter 477

The bare-chested giant who jumped out to call out was a zhang and six feet tall, as burly as a bear. He had two steel sabers hanging at his waist, and on his back, he carried a green-scaled python formed from condensed cloud energy, which was almost tangible; it shook its head and wagged its tail, its fierce aura fully exposed!

When the bare-chested giant cast a sidelong glance, a pressure like a surging sea bore down upon them, causing the few demon cultivators on Yu Xiaoyu's side with weaker cultivation to have their breathing stifled. Cold sweat trickled down their foreheads, and they nearly collapsed to their knees, falling straight to the ground.

"Huang Xiong, what is your intention? Do you dare to commit insubordination!"

Ren Hong Guanshi glanced at Chen Heng's expression and, not daring to delay, hurriedly grabbed his weapon and stepped forward, shouting sternly:

"You—"

Before Ren Hong Guanshi could finish, a thick black mist suddenly surged from behind Huang Xiong's head. Thousands of skull heads the size of cartwheels jumped out from the black mist, roaring and darting through the air like flying arrows, continuously spewing murky smoke from their mouths.

In the blink of an eye, the sky above Huang Xiong's head was smoked into a murky black, as if painted with thick ink!

Struck by the roar from afar, not only were most of the demon cultivators around Chen Heng dizzy and nauseous—their performance even worse than before, with large numbers collapsing—but even Ren Hong Guanshi had the veins on his forehead throbbing wildly, his face showing signs of pain.

Seeing Huang Xiong being so disrespectful, even he himself was suffering.

Ren Hong Guanshi did not care about dignity anymore; he spat on the ground and cursed loudly:

"Huang Xiong, you are just the offspring of a family of horse slaves for generations, and only because of the great grace of Prince Yong's mansion have you reached this point today. What right do you have to show off your power here!

Does a mountain-guarding slave really think of himself as the master of this mountain? We came to this Fish Hushan with the approval of Prince Yong's mansion. How many guts do you have to defy the order? If you don't clear a path for our master, we... we will go to Prince Yong's mansion! Let's see how you explain yourself to those above when the time comes!"

Although Ren Hong Guanshi cursed quite satisfyingly at the beginning, the latter part of his speech was, more or less, lacking in vigor.

Huang Xiong was able to climb from a lowly house slave to his current position, so he naturally lacked no divine abilities or methods, and his cultivation was profound.

In Ren Hong Guanshi's view, if Huang Xiong were to suddenly go mad, the cultivators present would likely be beaten to death by this bear, and he himself would be no exception.

And just as Ren Hong Guanshi was feeling a bit of lingering fear, because someone had taken the lead, the demon cultivators on Chen Heng's side began to clamor one after another, all sorts of foul language filling the air. The demon cultivators on Huang Xiong's side, upon hearing this, were not to be outdone and hurriedly returned the favor.

For a time, the two sides began to curse fiercely. Many even took off their outer garments, standing naked on the clouds, striking all sorts of lewd poses to provoke the other side, truly stopping at nothing.

After a while, Huang Xiong also seemed to feel that this scene was meaningless, especially since his side was losing the verbal battle, which made him feel even less interested.

"Since this is the intention of the various lords of the Prince's mansion, I, Huang Xiong, will naturally comply. What just happened was merely a joke. I remember when we were at Iron Peak Mountain, Brother Yu also seemed to have sent a few old dogs to

play such jokes on me?"

Huang Xiong waved his hand abruptly, and the many generals behind him immediately fell silent as cicadas in winter, hurriedly lowering their heads. Huang Xiong paused and continued:

"But looking at it now, Brother Yu seems to be the same as before; have you not made much progress recently?"

After he finished speaking, the other side did not respond. Although Huang Xiong felt somewhat frustrated, as if he had punched empty air, he could not overstep his bounds in provoking them further, so he only said:

"It seems Brother Yu is cultivating his heart and nature. Very well, since you want to enter Fish Hushan to pick the fungus, then follow the agreement I made with you earlier. I think Brother Yu is from a prestigious family and should not go back on his word, right?"

Upon hearing this, Ren Hong Guanshi's heart tightened, and he looked at Chen Heng, probing: "Master?"

Yesterday, when he went to Huang Xiong's place to deliver the message, although he barely managed to get Huang Xiong to nod by using the letter from Prince Yong's mansion.

But Huang Xiong also proposed his own conditions and stated clearly that if they did not follow this proposal, there would be nothing to talk about, and even if they brought up Prince Yong's name again, he would have his own explanation.

And the condition Huang Xiong mentioned was that this vast Fish Hushan would only allow Yu Xiaoyu to enter alone, and he was not permitted to bring many attendants or servants.

Ren Hong Guanshi knew at the time that this was intentional harassment, but after several rounds of arguing, he could not make Huang Xiong change his mind. Fortunately, after returning, although his master was angry, he still reluctantly agreed.

"Please, do not go back on your word at this time, and do not turn hostile! Otherwise, if we really start fighting, my old bones will definitely not be able to beat Huang Xiong..."

Ren Hong Guanshi felt secretly terrified, constantly observing the expression on Chen Heng's face, his heart gripped tight.

Fortunately, under the watchful eyes of everyone, the Yu Xiaoyu that Chen Heng had transformed into merely vented a few harsh words of unwillingness before coldly sneering and nodding.

This left the group of demon cultivators who did not know the inside story feeling somewhat stunned while secretly breathing a sigh of relief.

"Has this thief really changed his temperament? He gritted his teeth and agreed even after being provoked like this. In the past, he would have been shouting for a fight long ago, wouldn't he?"

Although Huang Xiong was also somewhat surprised, since he had already taken advantage and made the other side suffer a secret loss, his mind was satisfied, so he could not keep pressing. He coughed twice and laughed feignedly:

"It is not that I want to make things difficult for Brother Yu, but the fungus in the mountain is precious, and there is a quota that must be offered to several high-ranking officials in the court. If I allowed Brother Yu's subordinates to enter the mountain together and pick sixty or seventy percent of the fungus, then my responsibility would be great."

Huang Xiong glanced at Chen Heng, then ordered an old man with deer antlers behind him to step forward and instructed him:

"I still have orders to guard the mountain and have no time to spare. Since Brother Yu wants to pick the fungus, you, old man, lead him in and roughly explain the mountain's terrain!"

After Huang Xiong finished saying this, he did not leave but stared at Chen Heng with burning eyes.

Only after Chen Heng was led into the formation gate by the old man with deer antlers, and Ren Hong Guanshi and the others did not follow, did he smile with satisfaction and withdraw his gaze.

"Just set your mind at ease.

After all, this person is also the heir of Duke Leyang. I only made him suffer a silent loss; I dare not take action against him. Since we are both ministers in the country, we will inevitably meet again in the future!"

Seeing that Ren Hong Guanshi and the others on the opposite side were all flickering with their eyes, Huang Xiong, after dropping this truth, could not be bothered to stay longer. He looked up to the sky and laughed several times, then quickly led the crowd of demon cultivators away, leaving Ren Hong Guanshi and the others to look at each other in dismay.

"Why are you looking at me? Has your brain gone numb? I assume he doesn't have the guts!"

At this time, Ren Hong Guanshi saw the surrounding demon cultivators staring at him, shrugged his shoulders and said:

"Let's go. Avoiding a fight is a fortunate thing anyway. Let's go back to the camp and drink!"

And just as Ren Hong Guanshi and the other demon cultivators were noisily returning to the camp, the scene inside Fish Hushan was another sight entirely.

The old man with deer antlers who was ordered to accompany them into the mountain clearly knew where his loyalties lay.

Although his attitude toward Chen Heng could be considered respectful, with no faults to pick, it was by no means enthusiastic. He merely took out a map and, as a matter of routine, pointed at it and drew a few circles.

However, after marking another hilltop on the map, the old man with deer antlers seemed to think of something and suddenly mentioned that the fungus in the mountain had not been growing very well recently. Compared to five hundred years ago, it was rare for a large Hunsu Yuan Zhi to emerge that was a zhang tall, and its spiritual efficacy had been reduced significantly.

Because of this, Huang Xiong had already invited several pharmacists to enter the mountain to clear the earth's energy and vent the dampness. Therefore, besides Chen Heng, there were other cultivators present in the mountain now.

This was originally a plain and unremarkable sentence, and even the old man with deer antlers himself did not care much about it, merely mentioning it as idle chatter.

It was intended to indicate that the areas where those pharmacists were located were unlikely to yield any good medicine.

But when Chen Heng heard this, a trace of strange color appeared in his eyes.

And Lu Rong, who had been actively taken in by the Five Qi Qiankun Ring, stood up abruptly. He paced back and forth in that inner landscape, lost in thought.

"The Yuanzu Wangzhi is beneficial to Xiao Lingji's cultivation. Although I do not know where she got the information, she will definitely not miss it. And in these few days, I have not found the whereabouts of Xiao Lingji or the monk Tan Su. Could it be that these two have already entered Fish Hushan ahead of me?"

Lu Rong pondered in his heart, and a wisp of killing intent slowly leaked from his eyes.

At such a time, and so cleverly, how could this not make him think more?

"If these two are really in this mountain, it saves me some effort!" Lu Rong already had an idea in his heart and transmitted his voice to Chen Heng: "True Person Chen?"

Chen Heng knew Lu Rong's intention. After probing around the edges and obscurely finding out the appearance and location of that group of pharmacists, he did not waste any more words and merely waved his hand to signal the old man with deer antlers to leave on his own.

Although the old man with deer antlers did not understand his intention, he had never dared to have too much involvement with Chen Heng anyway. This result was exactly what he wanted, so he hurriedly bowed and then flew away in a hurry.

Almost the moment the old man with deer antlers disappeared at the edge of the sky,

in an instant, the Five Qi Qiankun Ring shook in the air, and Lu Rong appeared here.

He did not say much, but with a rare solemn expression, he straightened his robes slightly and took the lead in performing a salute.

"Since True Person Lu has already taken out the Chi Fan Zhen to show sincerity, I will naturally not break my word. Da Sui Temple, the monk Tan Su..."

Chen Heng returned the salute with a smile, looked toward the vast distant mountains, and said:

"Then before we get down to business, let us first test the methods of this disciple of the Chan Sect."

At the same time, above a high mountain shaped like a large fish's dorsal fin, Xiao Lingji looked at the golden secret scripts covering the mountain body like a spider web, smiled softly, and spoke to the monk Tan Su beside her with admiration:

"Brother is worthy of being the dharma-heir disciple praised as 'First in Wonderful Dharma' within Da Sui Temple. Your wonderful power is perfect and bright; it truly makes it hard for people to fathom!"

Naturally bright and soft, growing only in places with lush vegetation, it is formed by seizing the creation of the earth's energy. It can treat various heart diseases and hysteria, and calm the spirit. Its shape is like a human palm; those with red color are superior, and those with green are inferior.

The above are the various characteristics of the great medicine Yuanzu fungus.

And because Fish Hushan is rich in this type of fungus, Prince Yong's mansion also guards this incomplete famous mountain very tightly, specifically preventing outside cultivators from entering the mountain to steal medicine.

Once there is any abnormality, the great formation guarding the mountain will be triggered.

Not to mention that Huang Xiong and his subordinates are not easy to deal with, Prince Yong's mansion would have great cultivators arrive in person to prevent any accidents!

And the fact that Xiao Lingji and the monk Tan Su could come to this Fish Hushan openly and aboveboard naturally involved playing some tricks; they did not simply fight their way in...

At this moment, facing Xiao Lingji's praise, the monk Tan Su shook his head and said modestly:

"This 'First in Wonderful Dharma' of mine is only within Da Sui Temple; the other Chan temples in the Boundless Light Heaven may not necessarily recognize this title. It is you, Little Sister... I see that your 'All Sentient Beings Are Delusional Dust-Matching Curse' has become increasingly proficient and perfect, so much so that even the mountain-guarding Huang Xiong did not see any clues.

It is a pity that Wen Wen Zhao Yin attained the Dao before you; otherwise, who would have ultimately won the position of Daoist of the Zhuihuan Palace might still be a matter of debate?"

Xiao Lingji could not help but laugh:

"Brother is too modest. The reason my 'All Sentient Beings Are Delusional Dust-Matching Curse' was able to deceive Huang Xiong is because Huang Xiong does not care much about these pharmacists, not because my divine ability is powerful. As for the Daoist of Zhuihuan Palace..."

Xiao Lingji sighed:

"I am ashamed of my own Dao nature compared to Wen Wen Zhao Yin's. However, this person is arrogant and proud, wanting to make that monk Yun Jie move with the desires of the muddy world, so that she can become the true 'Hehe Charmer'. If she succeeds, I fear that the future No-Thought Heaven will have one more truly great power.

For now, I only wish to get the Yuanzu Wangzhi into my hands and improve my cultivation first. As for fighting with Wen Wen Zhao Yin... that will depend on the fortune of the future."

After saying this

sentence, Xiao Lingji looked at the mountains under the clouds, and she was truly filled with emotion.

Not long after Xiao Lingji came to the Mo'e Lu Continent that day, she casually captured a tiger demon who was infatuated with her beauty. Unexpectedly, that tiger demon had some background, serving as a personal steward in Huang Xiong's mansion, with thousands of subordinates following him; his influence was not small!

And Xiao Lingji even learned from the tiger demon's divine sense that while the tiger demon was patrolling the mountain for Huang Xiong recently, by a stroke of luck, he had vaguely seen the traces of a Yuanzu Wangzhi deep underground.

Because he coveted the various wonderful uses of the Wangzhi, the tiger demon tossed and turned, finally choosing to keep the matter to himself, not reporting it to Huang Xiong, and even specifically cast a spell to cover it up a little.

Just as he was pondering how to get the Wangzhi into his hands, unexpectedly, while out one day, he encountered Xiao Lingji, this true transmission from beyond the heavens.

Not only was the news of the Wangzhi leaked, but even his own life and death were no longer under his control; he became Xiao Lingji's medicine slave.

And the fact that Xiao Lingji and the monk Tan Su could come to Fish Hushan was also the tiger demon's deliberate arrangement. He first ruined the growth of the fungus in the mountain, and then, using his position and Huang Xiong's trust, invited a group of pharmacists to come in and regulate the earth's energy.

Xiao Lingji and Tan Su naturally mixed in among the pharmacists. Then, after some searching, Tan Su finally urged his Shaman divine ability to seal the fleeing Yuanzu Wangzhi within the mountain, making it unable to enter or exit, wanting to force the Wangzhi to reveal its true form so that it would be convenient to take action.

"I also do not know what the variable that Brother predicted with his Destiny-Knowing Ability is exactly? And Lu Rong..."

Xiao Lingji's beautiful eyes were slightly cold, and she sneered in her heart:

"After I take the Yuanzu Wangzhi, my cultivation will inevitably improve. Lu Rong, sooner or later, I will take your primordial yang!"

Soon, another half an hour passed. At this moment, a burst of flying smoke suddenly erupted from a rock cave in the mountain, as if it could no longer hold back and was fleeing upward, only to be blocked by layers of golden light, failing to succeed.

And the flying smoke drilled downward again, only to be bounced back as well.

Xiao Lingji was not surprised by this. The Yuanzu fungus originally had the ability to hide like a ghost or a dragon, making it difficult for ordinary cultivators to pick, and the Wangzhi did not even need to be mentioned.

And at the beginning, the tiger demon clearly bumped into the Wangzhi but did not rush to take action.

This certainly included the tiger demon's concern about not knowing how to take the Wangzhi away, but it also included the consideration that he was not well-prepared and feared scaring the Wangzhi away for nothing.

However, now that Tan Su had taken action in person.

Then no matter what mystery this Yuanzu Wangzhi had, it could not escape the fate of being a bird in a cage.

Seeing that the flying smoke struggled for a long time and refused to give up, since it had already been forced to reveal its true form, Tan Su could not be bothered to wait any longer. He roared like a lion, alive and kicking, shattering the flying smoke like tattered fabric and erasing the Wangzhi's spiritual intelligence within it.

And before Xiao Lingji could reach out to take it, at this moment, a sharp whistle exploded in mid-air, and infinite blood shadows broke through the atmospheric gale and suddenly killed their way over!

Tan Su frowned slightly. Just as he was about to

take action to intercept, a chill suddenly rose from his back, as if a sharp blade were hanging over his head, ready to split him in two!

"This sword intent... is there another sword cultivator here like the monk Yun Jie?"

Tan Su was instantly terrified.