Chapter 234: Spirit Plant Demon King
"Senior Sister Ding, let me take a look… can't we just carry this Jade Treasure Chest away directly? That way we wouldn't need to wait a whole day." Gu Mo replied.
"You're overthinking."
Ding Shiyan shook her head. "I heard people say this Jade Treasure Chest was placed here by a Nascent Soul Sovereign, and the treasures inside were also left behind by that level of existence."
Gu Mo had of course heard the rumors about the Jade Treasure Chest. This time in the Heavenly Chosen Battle, there were two such chests.
They were left behind separately by a Nascent Soul Sovereign from each side of the righteous and demonic camps. The formations on the Jade Treasure Chests were also set down by Nascent Soul Sovereigns. If they had been laid down by a Nascent Soul True Lord, then Gu Mo might have had a way to directly shatter the formation and then put the chest away into the Black Mist Space.
After his inspection earlier, Gu Mo had already confirmed that this Jade Treasure Chest and its formation were connected to the island's earth veins. Unless Gu Mo could carry the entire island away, there was no way to take the chest early.
So, the full day's wait was unavoidable.
The foundation of the formation created by the Jade Treasure Chest couldn't be destroyed, but the power of the protective light curtain could be managed. To sustain the light curtain, there were two methods: cultivators within the formation could inject their spiritual energy into it to extend its duration; or an identity token could be inserted into a formation node to greatly extend the light curtain's duration.
These identity tokens could be the guardians' own, or tokens robbed from others.
In other words, while the Jade Treasure Chest did need to be defended, the rules also encouraged offense. As long as one seized enough tokens to sustain the formation for a day, one could directly obtain the treasures within.
But right now, only Gu Mo and his two companions were inside the formation. Outside, more and more people were gathering. If they were to charge out, there was no way they'd make it back alive.
Unless Gu Mo revealed his trump card and summoned the plant battlefront from his cave Heaven. That way, Gu Mo alone could face everyone.
But doing so would draw far too much hatred. His incarnation had already drawn enough enmity; as his true body, he preferred to remain as low-key as possible.
Or he could choose a gentler approach—such as setting up another formation inside the Jade Treasure Chest's formation.
Earlier, aside from inspecting the chest, Gu Mo had also checked the surrounding spiritual energy. Due to the formation, the density of spiritual energy here was very high; after all, the Jade Treasure Chest was linked to the island's earth veins.
An endless stream of spiritual energy was being drawn in to feed the formation.
"Identity tokens can't be activated to leave while inside the formation." At this moment, Du Jinping shared the results of his own research. What he had been studying, naturally, was how to exit.
Sensing the swelling numbers outside, Du Jinping knew it was about time for them to retreat. But since tokens couldn't be activated inside the formation, they'd have to step outside first before they could trigger them to exit. And in the current situation, the instant the three of them stepped out, countless attacks would rain down on them.
"Let's wait for the True Disciples to arrive."
Ding Shiyan, however, was unconcerned. Since the Jade Treasure Chest had appeared, the righteous side's True Disciples would certainly come. As for the demonic True Disciples, they had already been terrified by that "Lin Wu." If they dared to show up again, Lin Wu could easily ambush and slay a few more.
Once the righteous True Disciples arrived, they could safely retreat.
And just as Ding Shiyan predicted, with the Jade Treasure Chest's emergence, the righteous True Disciples who had been searching for it naturally learned of it first.
But their joy was short-lived. When they learned of the chest's conditions for opening, the righteous True Disciples gave up.
Because they no longer had a full day—at most half a day before that demonic True Disciple would finish his breakthrough. If they couldn't secure the treasures before then to boost their power, it would all be meaningless.
Fortunately, there were two Jade Treasure Chests. The righteous True Disciples could only place their hopes on the second one, hoping it would not require so much time.
"This time, it was our Shennong Valley's people who discovered the chest. I'll go bring them out." Ji Xinglan frowned. Along with the news of the chest's appearance, he also learned who had found it.
It wasn't hard to imagine—Gu Mo and his two companions had found the Jade Treasure Chest, and right now they were absolutely the center of attention. Ji Xinglan worried for their safety and wanted to bring them back. As for the chest, the three of them couldn't possibly claim it anyway.
"Ji Xinglan, don't trouble yourself. The chest takes a full day to open, but we only have half a day. By the time our battle here is settled, that side will only just be getting started." One True Disciple shook his head.
This drew agreement from others. "That's right. Unless those people are fools, they won't launch an all-out attack right away. Since the Jade Treasure Chest takes a day, the smart move is to wait half a day, then strike. That way they won't have to waste time defending for long after breaking the formation."
Hearing this, Ji Xinglan thought it through and realized it made sense. He abandoned the idea of going over to help, and instead focused on searching for the second chest.
"Hahaha, the righteous True Disciples aren't coming!"
Outside the formation, the demonic cultivator prodigies burst out laughing. They had been worried about the righteous True Disciples showing up, in which case they'd have had to retreat.
But with the latest news that the righteous ones had no plans to contest this chest, it meant everyone else still had a chance.
"What should we do then!"
Ding Shiyan's expression turned grim upon hearing this news—the situation seemed troublesome.
"Don't worry, Senior Sister Ding. At least for the next half day, we're safe. After that, it'll depend on whether our True Disciples win." Gu Mo understood the situation clearly.
Though more and more righteous and demonic cultivators were gathering outside, none had attacked yet.
After all, with a full day left, even if someone broke the formation now, they would then have to shoulder the burden of defending it against everyone outside. Only a fool would do that.
The smartest option was to wait. Wait until the time was nearly up—then break the formation. That way, they'd only need to defend for a short while before the chest opened.
"It seems that's the only way!"
Ding Shiyan also understood the reasoning. Still, she gazed toward the edge of the island, where faint thunder rumbled, and worry filled her heart.
That demonic True Disciple's breakthrough really did seem imminent. By then, who would be able to defeat a Nascent Soul, especially one who had ascended from a True Disciple?
Outside.
At this point, everyone could see the situation in this Heavenly Chosen Battle. For the righteous side to turn things around, their only choice was to find the other Jade Treasure Chest and secure its treasures to boost their strength, so they could face the soon-to-be Nascent Soul True Disciple.
Meanwhile, all the demonic side had to do was wait for that breakthrough. Once it was done, they could sweep aside the righteous cultivators in one strike.
As for Gu Mo's Jade Treasure Chest, it was nothing more than a side prize of the True Disciples' battle. Whichever side won between the righteous and demonic True Disciples would also claim Gu Mo's chest as spoils.
"So where exactly is that other jade treasure chest? I see the orthodox true disciples have nearly turned the whole island upside down already."
Through the water curtain, the crowd watched as the true disciples searched, yet still without success.
During this time, the disciples had discovered quite a few bronze and silver treasure chests, and even two golden ones, but they abandoned them all.
Everyone knew that only the jade treasure chest could grant them the strength to rival a Nascent Soul. As for the other chests, they could wait until after dealing with the demonic sect disciples to collect them.
"Isn't the center of the island still unexplored?" someone spoke up.
"And don't you all know what's in the island's center? Searching there is no different from starting a battle with the Nascent Soul demonic cultivators in advance."
Since the start of the Heavenly Chosen War, the island's center had always been considered a forbidden zone—for it was the domain of a mid-fourth-rank spirit plant demon king.
"I think that second jade treasure chest is very likely in the island's center," said one true disciple after the fruitless search.
"Considering the rarity of a jade treasure chest, having a mid-fourth-rank spirit plant demon king guard it makes sense. It's just…" At this suggestion, no one found it unbelievable.
"Miao Lu, Ji Xinglan—you two are true disciples of Shennong Valley, most familiar with spirit plants. Do you have a way to enter the central area and search?" With less and less time remaining, the orthodox disciples had no choice but to consider the center.
"We're only spirit plant cultivators, not spirit plant masters. If we go near that mid-fourth-rank spirit plant demon king, it could swat us to death with a single slap," Ji Xinglan said irritably.
"Choose your death then—smashed by the spirit plant demon king, or slain by a Nascent Soul demonic lord." One disciple spread his hands.
At that, silence fell. Ji Xinglan and Miao Lu sighed heavily, then moved toward the island's center. Clearly, this risk had to be taken.
"Buzz!!"
The moment Ji Xinglan and Miao Lu stepped into the demon king's domain, a brilliant glow shot into the sky in the distance—the radiance of a jade treasure chest.
The second jade treasure chest really was in the hands of the mid-fourth-rank spirit plant demon king. To obtain it, there was no need to wait a full day—they only had to reach the demon king's presence.
But the path there meant facing the demon king's obstruction. And this was a mid-fourth-rank spirit plant demon king, in its own territory no less.
The difficulty was obvious.
The good news was that the demon king would only obstruct them, not attack outright. But that only meant their lives weren't at risk; the challenge of securing the chest was hardly any easier.
"Time is short—go!"
With the clock ticking down, several orthodox disciples charged toward the glow.
Once inside the demon king's domain, the surrounding vegetation instantly turned hostile. Vines lashed at them from all sides, and leaves struck their bodies with crushing force, making every step a struggle.
"Damn it, I can't merge with this forest at all." Ji Xinglan reluctantly dropped his hand seals. He had hoped to use his techniques to get closer quickly, but the entire forest here carried a powerful will. Ji Xinglan had no control over it.
Just as the disciples labored forward with difficulty, a blazing sword light tore ahead, unstoppable.
It was, of course, Gu Mo's sword-cultivator incarnation. With his sword core forming the Seven-Star Sword Array, his speed skyrocketed. Paired with Wind Escape, the vines couldn't even touch him.
Within just a few breaths, Gu Mo's incarnation had already covered half the distance, while the other disciples had barely advanced from the entrance.
"This Lin Wu of the Grand Yan Sword Sect is too strong," someone in the outside world exclaimed in awe. The distance between him and even the strongest true disciples of great sects was immense.
"Indeed, the only ones who could match Lin Wu are probably the top true disciples of the greatest sects." Not all the strongest true heirs had come to the Heavenly Chosen War.
Those elite successors were their sects' future, the bearers of the Dao lineage. They would never be thrown into a battle like this—should anything happen, even a great sect could not bear the loss.
"Crash!"
Gu Mo's rapid advance naturally drew the spirit plant demon king's notice. According to the rules of this Heavenly Chosen War, if the demon king managed to keep the chest until the end, the treasure inside would belong to it.
Therefore, the demon king least wanted anyone to seize the chest. Yet it also had to follow the rules—if it broke them, it wouldn't just lose the chest, it would lose its life as well.
After all, the one who had placed the chest here was a human Soul Transformation expert, far beyond what this demon king could oppose. But within the rules, the spirit plant demon king would give its all.
And Gu Mo soon felt that full might. A vast net of vines blotted out the sky, surging straight toward him.
To block his Wind Escape, the vine-net's openings were sealed with demon power, leaving no gaps to slip through.
"We're finished!"
From behind, the disciples despaired at the sight. There was nowhere to run. Once caught, the challenge would be over.
"Great Sun Golden Crow Sword!"
Inside his body, Gu Mo's sword core instantly deployed the Heavenly Twelve-Sword Fiend Array. At the same time, his Great Sun Sword Intent erupted, and a thread of Immortal Power ignited.
This was the strongest strike Gu Mo could unleash.
In that instant, everyone felt as if a blazing sun appeared overhead, then plummeted, smashing onto the vine-net.
"Boom, boom, boom!"
Where sun and vines clashed, several layers of the net tore apart. Seizing the chance, Gu Mo used Wind Escape to slip through the cracks.
He raced straight toward the glowing jade treasure chest.
"Is… is this Lin Wu's true strength?" The disciples behind him stared in shock. That one sword just now had made them feel utterly powerless.
So he hadn't shown his real power before. With strength like this, if he obtained the jade chest's treasure… could he truly defeat the demonic sect's true disciple on the verge of breaking through to Nascent Soul?
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