Chapter 229: Whatever You Want, If I Have It, You Can Take It
Half a month later, outside the Blood Vine Valley, at the entrance of a hidden cave.
A handsome young man brushed aside the surrounding vines and entered. His expression lit up with delight.
"Danhe, there really is a flaw in this formation!" he exclaimed.
A voice, aged and wise, echoed in his mind.
"Naturally, every formation has its flaws. It just depends on whether you can find them," Danhe replied with a smile.
Xiao Fan chuckled. "I never expected someone so devoted to alchemy like you, Danhe, to possess such mastery in formations as well."
Danhe simply chuckled. "Once you recover the memories of your previous life, you'll understand. Your talent in formations far surpasses mine."
Xiao Fan was intrigued. "Was I really that powerful in my past life?"
Danhe sighed with emotion. "You were the master of the most mysterious sect in the Jing Kingdom—the Burning Heavens Palace. Your mastery of eternal flames, formations, and swordsmanship was unmatched. Your fame spread far and wide."
"Even a Jing Emperor and a Demon Emperor fell at your hands!"
Xiao Fan laughed, somewhat at a loss for words.
He had recovered much of his past life's memories, but some crucial fragments remained missing. Oddly enough, Danhe seemed to know more about his past than he did.
"Go on in," Danhe urged. "The Blood Vine Valley is filled with treasures. Don't let anyone else get to them first."
Xiao Fan nodded resolutely and moved forward quickly.
He could sense something faintly calling out to him.
"My Heaven-Cleaving Sword Manual should have a page hidden here. If I'm not mistaken, it must be the Root Sword Manual."
Taking a deep breath, Xiao Fan's eyes gleamed with determination. "To uproot evil and burn the heavens to ashes… all six pages of the Sword Manual will return to me eventually!"
The Uproot Sword Manual had four pages, while the Burning Heaven and Scorching Earth manuals had two pages each, their power far greater.
Before long, Xiao Fan saw light ahead.
"This place… The spiritual energy is dense, and the blood vines are exceptionally thick. This must be the inner valley of the Blood Vine Valley."
Danhe sounded pleasantly surprised.
Xiao Fan reached the inner valley, where the most precious treasures could be found. He moved discreetly, careful not to alert the cultivators of the Jade Cauldron Sect.
After all, if he were discovered, as an outsider, he'd become the target of a collective assault.
"Stay cautious and keep a low profile," Danhe reminded in a hushed tone.
Xiao Fan smiled confidently. "Relax, Danhe. From what I know, the Jade Cauldron Sect elders only entered the Blood Vine Valley half a month ago."
"This valley is vast. In just half a month, even the fastest among them couldn't possibly have reached the inner valley yet."
"I'll be the first to arrive here."
"Meeting anyone else would be nearly impossible."
Danhe chuckled. "True enough."
A month passed in the blink of an eye.
The elders who carried one-petal, two-petal, or three-petal Moon Orchids had nearly all perished in the outer valley.
Out of the seventy-plus elders who entered the Blood Vine Valley, nine had already fallen.
Most of the remaining elders managed to reach the inner valley.
But when they arrived, they were dumbfounded.
The inner valley turned out to be even more barren than the outer valley.
Where was the fabled Crimson Blood Spirit Valley?
As if that disappointment weren't enough, they were shocked to encounter Bloodroot Dragons in the inner valley!
In a fierce battle, many elders were no match for the Bloodroot Dragons and were forced to retreat.
At this moment, three elders, led by He Tianchou, approached the center of the inner valley.
He Tianchou vividly recalled that this area had a cluster of buildings protected by a formation, offering a temporary refuge from danger.
"It's just ahead! We can use the formation there to hold off the Bloodroot Dragons!" He Tianchou, battered and exhausted, regained a glimmer of hope at the sight of the buildings.
The three elders behind him, equally worn out, quickened their pace eagerly.
Two massive Bloodroot Dragons, each eight or nine meters long, pursued them with savage ferocity.
The three elders were all at the early Nascent Soul stage, while He Tianchou alone was at the mid-Nascent Soul stage.
Bloodroot Dragons, formed from blood vine roots imbued with Yin energy, were inherently powerful and overwhelming. Cultivators of the same realm were no match for them.
Typically, two Nascent Soul stage cultivators were required to handle a single Bloodroot Dragon.
Even for He Tianchou, facing a single Bloodroot Dragon in his current state was far from certain victory.
Now, all four of them were injured, making it utterly impossible to stand against the dragons.
As they dashed toward the cluster of buildings, the ground ahead suddenly rippled.
Seemingly ordinary tree roots transformed in the blink of an eye into another dragon-like beast, ten meters in length.
It was yet another Bloodroot Dragon!
Despair clouded He Tianchou and the others' faces.
Two dragons behind, one in front.
They were now trapped in a deadly pincer, with no way out.
In such dire circumstances, who could possibly save them?
Boom! Boom! Boom!
At that moment, a powerful burst of fierce azure flames erupted from the side.
In the blink of an eye, the flames engulfed the Bloodroot Dragon standing in front of He Tianchou and his companions. It was as if the flames were boiling oil poured over a raging fire.
The Bloodroot Dragon was completely consumed by the flames.
Roar! Roar! Roar!
From within the flames came the anguished roars of the Bloodroot Dragon, its ferocious aura entirely subdued.
The sight left He Tianchou and the others stunned.
They were well aware that Bloodroot Dragons feared fire.
However, their own fire-based techniques barely scratched the creatures, only serving to enrage them further and trigger uncontrollable bouts of ferocity.
But this azure flame—what was it?
How could it so effortlessly deal such devastating damage to a Bloodroot Dragon?
He Tianchou, being a seasoned cultivator, scrutinized the flames carefully. His mind churned until two words surfaced.
Eternal flame!
He refrained from voicing the thought, however, swallowing it back with great restraint.
"Quick, into the shelter!" a familiar voice called from nearby.
Then, a figure emerged and unleashed another burst of ferocious flames, enveloping the two Bloodroot Dragons that had been chasing He Tianchou and his group.
He Tianchou's face lit up with joy. "Thank you, Elder Shen!"
Wasting no time, the four of them quickened their pace and rushed into the shelter, its faint glow of protection encompassing them.
Only then did they breathe a sigh of relief, their bodies nearly collapsing to the ground in exhaustion.
"Elder Shen is incredibly strong! He's fighting three Bloodroot Dragons on his own!"
"I underestimated him before. I thought he was too young and lacked combat experience. Now, it's clear I was blind to his true abilities," one of the elders beside He Tianchou admitted with a tone full of awe and embarrassment.
Before long, the three Bloodroot Dragons succumbed to the flames, their massive bodies reduced to ashes.
Shen Mo reached out and made a swift grasping motion. Several faintly glowing objects flew into his palm.
They were two Yin Sha Pearls and one essence blood root.
Shen Mo smiled.
He had been hunting Bloodroot Dragons near the shelter when he noticed an opportunity presented on his life panel, foretelling such a chance encounter.
Now, as predicted, he had obtained the corresponding treasures.
As for saving people? That had merely been incidental. Gaining He Tianchou's gratitude and owing him a favor was just an added bonus. Why not?
With long strides, Shen Mo entered the shelter.
He Tianchou and his group rose to their feet, their expressions filled with gratitude as they cupped their hands in respect.
"Thank you, Elder Shen. Without your intervention, we would have become food for the Bloodroot Dragons."
He Tianchou felt particularly emotional.
Fortunately, his relationship with Shen Mo had always been neutral—neither close nor hostile. Otherwise, Shen Mo would never have helped him in such a dire situation.
One of the elders couldn't help but ask, "Elder Shen, was that a Yin Sha Pearl and an essence blood root you just obtained?"
Shen Mo nodded slightly.
The other three elders looked on with envy.
They all knew that Bloodroot Dragons sometimes carried Yin Sha Pearls and essence blood roots within their bodies. However, not every Bloodroot Dragon would yield such treasures upon death.
Moreover, they had been completely outmatched by the Bloodroot Dragons since entering the inner valley, constantly fleeing and fighting for their lives. Acquiring such treasures was out of the question.
He Tianchou's expression turned slightly awkward. "Elder Shen, would you be willing to trade one essence blood root with me?"
"This item can greatly accelerate the healing of my wounds."
"Whatever you want in exchange, as long as I have it, it's yours!"
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