With the shark leading, the road was smooth. They passed many dangerous places and entered a deep valley. They bunched together, thinking to themselves, “The immortal root was hidden in such an obscure place. No wonder we couldn't find it.”
Wu Yu was behind the group, and a good distance away. He was in no hurry.
"Quickly, quickly!"
Those in front exhorted the shark to move more quickly.
"The immortal root is about to show itself."
Wu Yu thought of Jiang Junlin stealing away the Lifegiving Fruit. If he had managed to get his hands on that precious Lifegiving Fruit back then, he would not have needed to come into this Valley of Immortal Fate to compete.
"I wonder if Jiang Junlin has reached the fifth tier of the Qi Condensation Realm and laid down the ultimate immortal roots. Who knows if he is my match now?"
He was clear that his own dao techniques had grown significantly as well.
It was said that dao techniques were imparted from true immortals to mortals.
Just as Wu Yu was thinking about these things, there was a commotion in front. Wu Yu immediately went to take a look.
"Damn it, it's the Black Bear Spirit. He must be here to save the shark."
A few Heavenly Sword Sect disciples were engaged in combat.
Lan Shuiyue and her group were at a disadvantage, and therefore no longer hid at the back. They entered the fray. This way, they could contest for the immortal roots from a higher moral ground.
"If we capture the Black Bear Spirit, we'll have two immortal roots!"
As expected, they wanted to take down the Black Bear Spirit on the spot.
However, it was undeniable that their dao techniques were all very polished. Especially their sword cultivation - although these techniques were rarely honed on actual demons, they were very effective in battle.
Many sword dao techniques filled the air, sending all the poisonous insects, birds, and beasts in the area scurrying.
Roar!
The Black Bear Spirit suddenly raised a mountain again, which stood between him and the disciples. He could not save the shark demon, but instead chose to escape again.
Evidently, he could not hold up against the combined attacks from so many disciples.
Wu Yu was just deciding if he should lend a hand when the Black Bear Spirit had already escaped again. He continued to remain behind. In front, Lan Shuiyue and the other disciples were conferring. They joined the main group, and they went ahead to contest for the immortal root.
Although the rest were unwilling, Lan Shuiyue was of high status, and she pressured them.
"Esteemed Heavenly Immortals, we are almost there. Please follow me," the shark demon simpered as he continued to lead the group within the dark valley. However, Wu Yu noticed that the path seemed to have changed. They were headed for the even deeper underground. The poisonous lifeforms on this path were teeming, and the ground was extremely marshy. The disciples' feet often sank into the mud.
Their surroundings grew darker and darker. Mortals could not even see their outstretched hands in this place. It was an abysmally dark cave, just bigger than normal caves.
"Demon, are you sure it's ahead?" Lan Shuiyue marched up and stared at the shark demon.
"I'm sure. Of course I'm sure. It's not far. Once I bring you all there, this little demon's mission will be complete." The shark demon chuckled.
True enough, before they had gone too far ahead, there was a broad, underground space. Although it was moist and dank, it looked like a likely place to hide an immortal root.
......
In the dark cave, the fox demon inquired curiously, "Senior, what are you doing?"
At this moment, the handsome man was retrieving skulls and arranging them in the underground space. Soon, there were 99 of them displayed.
"Making a spirit design."
"Spirit design.... Isn't that something that only seniors with Yaodan can fashion?" The fox demon's face was full of reverent wonder.
"Indeed. I'm copying it, and putting the needed items down. Although it's not a true spirit design, it can fool some young martial cultivators with ease." The handsome man laughed lightly. He looked very amiable indeed.
"Qian Er heard that spirit designs are even more marvellous than dao techniques or demon techniques. Even the seniors with Yaodan can only fashion mimicries of spirit designs. If one wishes to create true spirit designs that are perfect, how many tens of thousands of years would it take, I wonder?" the fox demon wondered.
The handsome man looked up with a solemn expression. "Spirit designs are incomparably wondrous. In this aspect, we demons are far behind the humans. Once a human reaches Jindan, they can mimic spirit designs. Once they reach the Realm of the Violet Sea Throne, they have the power to move heaven and earth itself, but still they cannot master spirit designs. Only those who reach the legendary Primordial Spirit Transformation Realm can morph their souls into primordial spirits and truly create spirit designs through the primordial spirits. Ordinary demons cannot cultivate primordial spirits even after tens of millennia. To reach the fabled Primordial Spirit Transformation Realm, one must be a super demon of the finest bloodline."
"Senior, you mean that in the vastness of the Dong Sheng Divine Continent, there are adult demons who have attained the Primordial Spirit Transformation?"
"Definitely, just that we cannot find them. Now stop the pestering. Our prey is almost here." Saying thus, the handsome man glanced towards the cave mouth, his face changing. His movements sped up as well. Besides the skulls, he also scattered many strange objects in curious positions, even burying some of them in the ground. From above, all of his arrangements formed a huge skull diagram.
"It's done. You stand here and don't move. Or you will also be confused by the ‘spirit design.'" The handsome man placed the fox demon in a position.
"Senior, what is this spirit design called?"
"Lost Heart Design."
"What does it do?"
"Nothing much. It will cause them to drowse in an illusory world, allowing me to crush them in one hit. Nobody will have the chance to use their Beacon of Flame."
As he finished speaking, the sound of chatter came from outside. Their prey had already been led here by the shark demon.
"It’s here." The shark demon entered the Lost Heart Design without hesitation under their bidding. Although this was not a fully formed design, it was still effective against these young disciples of the Qi Condensation Realm.
The immortal root was here, so everyone was very excited. They were guarding against each other and surveying their surroundings. When the shark demon said that the immortal root was inside the spirit design, they all rushed in.
"No time to lose!"
Wu Yu had also entered the cave. It was dark and gloomy. The lure of the immortal root had caused all the disciples to enter a crazed state.
At this moment, only Wu Yu remained outside of the spirit design.
"What's going on?"
From Wu Yu's perspective, the nine disciples and the shark demon seemed to become addled upon entering the Lost Heart Design, looking around them with wide eyes. They looked like they were underwater, their hands and legs flailing wildly.
This was definitely not normal!
"A trap!"
Although he did not know who was behind it, this was definitely a trap! Wu Yu's hair stood on end. Instantly, he chose to retreat, leaving the place. An animal instinct told him that staying here was trouble.
He could see clearly. Lan Shuiyue was looking very comfortable. She had actually lied down on the muddy floor as though it were a cosy bed and gone to sleep peacefully.
All of this was unimaginable to Wu Yu, who had just embarked on the path of dao not long ago!
"Danger!
"Leave!"
He turned to run.
But at this moment, two people appeared behind him. One was an elegant and handsome man, the other the femme fatale - the beguiling fox demon.
"The Demon Fishing Rod doesn't control him!"
Wu Yu was stunned.
In an instant, he realized something. The handsome man was not held by any line from the Demon Fishing Rod.
Only, his strong demonic aura belied that he was definitely an adult demon!
Moreover, he was even more terrifying than the Black Bear Spirit, because the fox demon stood behind him. Clearly, he was the leader.
"This is the Valley of Immortal Fate. How would an uncontrolled demon appear here? Could he have snuck in?"
This was the only reason.
In that instant, fear swamped him. The kind that heralded imminent death.
The demons on the path of dao were plentiful.
The fox demon laughed and said, "Wu Yu, I've finally found you. You deceived me the last time, and I've gone through so much trouble to find you again this time. How could you bully me?"
This line would evoke pity even when uttered by a mortal. But with her demon techniques playing havoc, Wu Yu hurriedly visualized his Inner Ape to avoid falling into the warm heaven of this fox demon and giving his life up.
"Beacon of Flame!"
Wu Yu suddenly recalled the one thing that could save him.
"Keke."
A pity that the handsome man had already prepared. While the fox demon spoke, he moved. In the blink of an eye, a dark green vine circled his arm. There were many sharp leaves and thorns growing from it, as well as a jade green snake. A green light swirled from inside the vine, and one could make out jade green designs swirling on the leaves.
"Immortal treasure! Demons can use immortal treasures too!"
Wu Yu was certain that this green vine immortal treasure was many times more powerful than the Demon Subduing Staff. Besides Feng Xueya and Lan Huayi's swords, and the Demon Fishing Rod, this was the most terrifying immortal treasure that Wu Yu had laid eyes on.
The moment it appeared, his heart quailed.
It was also a binding-type immortal treasure. The green vine was many times more powerful than the Rainbow Lasso. In an instant, the green vine coiled three times around Wu Yu faster than the eye could see. His arms and legs were held tightly. Most fearsome of all were the sharp leaves and thorns which directly pierced Wu Yu's body.
Deadly pain!
Pssht!
Wu Yu's godlike body was actually pierced, and fresh blood flowed. The piercing pain was indescribable.
Wu Yu had originally intended to use the Beacon of Flame but had been forcibly stopped.
"Don't struggle. It's no use. The Viridescent Ivy is not something you can beat. The more you struggle, the more it hurts. No need to worry. Senior has already given you to me. For a while, you won't die." The fox demon giggled. That seductive smile was something that he would not forget as long as he lived.
Viridescent Ivy.
True enough, as long as Wu Yu did not struggle, the Viridescent Ivy only bound him but did not attack him.
At this moment, Wu Yu could see that the Black Bear Spirit had also walked in. He suddenly thought of the time when the Black Bear Spirit had attacked. In a flash of understanding, he knew that this handsome man must have ordered the Black Bear Spirit to do so, and also instructed the shark demon to bring them here. This was all a plot. But what could their motive be?
"The fox demon says that I won't die for now. Does that mean that all of them will?"
This thought caused Wu Yu to inhale sharply.