Chapter 548: Centipedes~
"Haha, I never expected brother Beetle to know someone like that!" As Xuan Hao left, one of the two demonic cultivators walked over to the demonic cultivator from the Black Rose Sect known as beetle while he said this with a smile on his face. Clearly happy that they would still be able to get their hands on the yin flowers.
"Let's just harvest the flowers and get out of here as quickly as possible… It would be best for us to leave as soon as possible!" Not feeling as happy as his companions, Beetle grabbed a large number of yin flowers as he said this with a solemn expression on his face. After all, he understood very well how he would end up in case Xuan Hao found out he had lied to him…
For now, Beetle hoped sincerely that the old woman was still staying around the location that he had given to Xuan Hao. At the very least he would be able to buy enough time to gather the yin flowers and escape back to his sect this way!
"I see… Guess that guy is not that good friends with your sect master and might change his mind later on after finding that old woman…" Understanding what their companion meant to some degree, the other two demonic cultivators quickly picked up their speed and began harvesting the yin flowers as quickly as possible.
As for leaving the yin flowers behind and escaping? There was no way they would give up a chance of possibly being able to reach the Third Demonic Transformation! Especially when they had just witnessed just how strong someone at that realm was!
Like this, the three demonic cultivators worked together in harmony to harvest all of the yin flowers. Not fighting with each other over who got what, as they understood doing something like that might cost them precious time.
When Xuan Hao returned in the future and possibly changed his mind about allowing them to take the yin flowers, they would regret having wasted even a single second arguing with each other over who would get what.
…
At the same time that the three demonic cultivators were busy harvesting the yin flowers, Xuan Hao arrived at the location that Beetle had pointed him in.
Whoosh~
Searching for any sign of Zhu Lian with his divine sense in his surroundings, Xuan Hao soon reached the edge of what could only be described as a bottomless abyss leading even deeper.
"Don't tell me she fell down there…" Muttering this to himself as he felt just how pure and dense the yin qi was inside the abyss.
Just from a glance, Xuan Hao understood that even if Zhu Lian was at full strength, she would not be able to survive for long inside the abyss in front of him. Even he himself might have to put in extra effort to make sure not to freeze to death inside the abyss if he went too deep…
I should look around the edge first and make sure if she really did enter the abyss or not.
Thinking this to himself, Xuan Hao decided to not enter the abyss for now, as he began searching close to the edge of the abyss.
No matter what, Zhu Lian should not enter the abyss unless she had no other escape path. Given that the three demonic cultivators were no longer chasing after her, she should be fine for now-
Rumble~
"Hm? Centipede demon beasts…?"
Suddenly seeing a massive number of centipede demon beasts appear in the distance as they made their way towards the abyss filled with pure yin qi, Xuan Hao could not help feeling surprised upon realizing that the centipede demon beast all had strength ranging between the middle and later stages of the Nascent Soul Realm.
In front of the group of massive centipedes, there was even one who was over a hundred meters long and had managed to reach the Domain Lord Realm!
[Sect Quest: Save Zhu Lian]
[Description: Save the Eighth Nascent Soul Realm Expert of the Flying Sword Sect before she dies.]
[Time Limit: 1.8 hours]
Feeling a bit afraid that the worst could have happened to Zhu Lian, Xuan Hao only managed to breath out a sigh of relief after seeing that nothing had changed to the quest. At least she should still be alive for now.
Looking closer at the group of massive centipedes approaching the abyss, there seemed to be someone running in front of them-
"Wait… Isn't that Zhu Lian!?"
Realizing just who the person running away from the group of massive centipedes was, Xuan Hao could not help wondering just how she would be able to get out of her current situation alive. After all, according to the quest, she would still be able to survive for around two more hours!
Knowing this, Xuan Hao felt a bit curious about just how she would escape from the massive centipedes as he decided to hide with his domain and follow close by.
Making sure to keep far enough away from the Domain Lord Realm centipede so as to not be found. After all, hiding close to a demon beast that had reached the Domain Lord Realm was impossible with his current strength!
…
Only a short time before Xuan Hao had showed up at the edge of the abyss, Zhu Lian, who had just found a place to recover her strength-
Bang!
Was interrupted as a giant centipede dozens of meters long suddenly broke through the ground a few meters away from the place that she was sitting.
Wha-
Swish~
Before she even had time to react, a massive eagle demon beast with a wingspan big enough to cover a small estate dived down from above as it grabbed hold of the massive centipede with its claws before carrying it off into the distance.
Bang-bang-bang!
What in the world is this place!?
Following the first massive centipede that got taken away by the massive eagle like demon beast, Zhu Lian could only freeze up in fear as she watched more than a dozen similar sized centipede break through the hard rocks beneath her before they began making their way in the direction of the abyss located not too far away from her current location
Rumble~!
Suddenly feeling the ground beneath her begin shaking violently, Zhu Lian quickly moved out of the way as another massive centipede emerged from the ground. This time around, directly beneath the place she had been sitting just a second ago!
Roar!
Spotting her the moment it emerged from the ground the centipede roared loudly. Instantly alerting the other massive centipedes in the distance as they all turned their attention towards her.
RUUMBLE!
However, before any of them could charge towards her, the ground beneath began shaking even more violently than before.
Whoosh!
Using this opportunity while the centipedes were all distracted by the loud rumbling noise coming from the ground, Zhu Lian rushed past the centipede still not fully out of the ground in front of her before making her way in the opposite direction of the centipedes. Wanting to get as far away as possible from them before they decided to eat her.
BANG!
ROOOAR!
However, she did not manage to get far before a loud sound of rocks breaking apart followed by a terrifying roar echoed out behind her.
Turning around for a short moment, Zhu Lian could not help feeling a shiver run down her spine as she witnessed a massive centipede more than a hundred meters long crawl out from the ground. Not only that, but she also discovered that the centipede focused its attention on her as soon as it appeared.
Just the stare from the massive centipede alone was more than enough to cause her to freeze up in fear as she felt a deep sense of hopelessness well up when confronted with the massive centipede demon beast that was staring directly at her with an all too clear killing intent.
Roar!
Rooooar!
Roar! Roar!
Seemingly in response to what the over a hundred-meter-long centipede did, the other massive centipedes all around it began roaring angrily towards her before all of them suddenly charged towards her filled with killing intent.
"I… I can't move?"
Feeling her body not responding properly to her as she felt the stare of the hundred-meter-long centipede, Zhu Lian could not help panicking as she saw the massive centipedes rapidly approaching her.
No! I have to escape! I just managed to reach the Nascent Soul Realm not too long ago, there is no way I will die like this!
Thinking about this as she desperately tried to move her body, Zhu Lian barely managed to turn her head around. Looking away from the hundred-meter-long centipede and in turn instantly causing her to regain control over her body again and also allowing her to use her movement technique with the qi she had managed to recover to run away just before the massive centipedes had time to catch up to her!