The final clash came down to a brutal close-quarters struggle. As the two powers collided, the horn of the lead unibull shattered, while the winged tiger fared no better. Its lower abdomen was sliced open by the broken horn, and it collapsed, no longer able to move.
Jian Dan gave a subtle signal to the other four. She leapt high into the air, closing in behind the tiger. With a second leap, she landed near its head. Gripping her broadsword, now sheathed in flames from her spellwork, she sliced cleanly across the tiger's neck. It was completely incapacitated.
The others were still surrounding the injured unibull. Sword light flashed everywhere, but only Cao Chenfeng's cultivated sword aura could leave a visible mark on its tough hide. The beast used its thick skin and sheer force to deflect their blows, knocking aside sword light with brute strength.
Jian Dan shook her head and called out, "Go for the limbs. It's a third-tier spirit beast, equal to a Nascent Soul. You won't break through its hide. Don't waste time."
The four took her advice. They each circled around and unleashed full-powered strikes at the bull's legs. Cao Chenfeng's blade cut deep into one of the front legs, causing the beast to stumble and fall. Seeing success, the other three continued hacking until the creature collapsed.
Jian Dan stepped in, drove her flame-wreathed sword through the other eye, and straight into the brain. "Take the winged tiger and this unibull. We need to leave quickly. Another team is headed this way."
"What about the rest of the herd?" someone asked.
"Cultivators must never be greedy," Cao Chenfeng replied coldly.
Zhang Xuefeng paused, then quickly followed the others off the field.
They traveled through the night, drawing closer to the Yan Fruit grove. As the sun rose, Jian Dan activated a defensive array and allowed everyone to rest briefly before beginning the harvest.
Jian Dan sat cross-legged on her spirit-gathering mat. The Golden Core phase of her Primordial Chaos Art had already unfolded within her spiritual sea. Following its path, she circulated qi through finer and finer meridians: hands, arms, chest, legs, and feet. Once all meridians were opened, she would be ready to shatter her core and form her Yuányīng.
Ever since entering Medicine Peak, Jian Dan had clearly felt the increased density of ambient qi, especially wood-elemental energy. Even while traveling, she had kept her technique running, slowly absorbing spiritual energy.
By midday, after passing a large pond, they arrived at the grove nestled in a mountain hollow. Jian Dan swept the area with her spiritual sense, surprised to find no guardian beast. She scanned again, still nothing.
"Shan Zhēnrén, is something wrong?" Jin Liuli asked quietly, noticing Jian Dan hadn't given the order to begin picking.
"No guardian beast," Jian Dan said. "Have you noticed anything?"
Jin Liuli shook her head. The others exchanged glances and indicated the same.
"Let's go in."
Jian Dan led the five of them into the hollow. After a cautious pause, seeing no signs of danger, they approached the Yan Fruit trees. Jian Dan ordered the group to begin harvesting while she kept watch.
Zhang Xuefeng quickly climbed a tree without using qi, wielding a dagger to slice off fruit and store them in his pouch. Jin Liuli was more delicate. She used a jade clipper to snip fruit into a sealed jade box. Cao Chenfeng simply flicked his sword to lift one fruit after another, finishing his section in no time.
Wei Zhengrong worked at the far end with a spirit sword. Suddenly, he felt something push up from beneath his feet. Reacting instantly, he channeled qi into his palm and struck the ground.
Jian Dan noticed the disturbance, but it was too late to stop him. As his palm slammed down, the ground trembled. Strange "thump-thump" sounds followed, and thick brown branches shot up, lashing toward them.
The closer to the trees, the fewer branches appeared. But the outer edge of the hollow was now teeming with them, thrashing wildly toward the team.
Cao Chenfeng leapt backward and immediately unleashed Nine Forms of the Heavenly Sword, his strikes coming in swift succession. The branches seemed almost alive, twisting and dodging like coils of thread. Some dodged the strikes entirely.
The ones that were hit sank into the ground and crumbled into earthy brown dust, vanishing.
"Shan Zhēnrén, these are Emerald Vines. They must be bonded to the Yan Fruit."
"Can we eliminate them?"
"Destroying their host plant would force them to find a new one. But..."
"But what?"
"We'd have to destroy the entire Yan Fruit grove. That's..."
Jian Dan understood. She gave a small smile. "A plant spirit thousands of years old? Perhaps we can negotiate. Have everyone fall back."
At her command, the others regrouped around her. Only Zhang Xuefeng was struggling. One arm was already entangled. As he tried to cut it free, another vine caught his sword. His legs were bound as well. He was slowly being dragged toward the densest cluster of vines, unable to move.