Translator: CKtalon
A wraith tried to pull Ya’er from Zhou Wen’s arms, but Zhou Wen casually waved his hand and reduced it to ashes.
Demonic Neonate remained hidden in the lake and didn’t come out with Zhou Wen. Zhou Wen looked in surprise at where Demonic Neonate was and realized that the wraith-like objects didn’t entangle Demonic Neonate as though she didn’t exist.
Demonic Neonate isn’t leaving because she probably thinks there’s a chance. There’s no harm in observing. Zhou Wen thought for a moment and hid in the nearby forest to observe the battle in the lake.
Soon, Zhou Wen realized that the wraith-like objects couldn’t leave the lake. It was as though there was a barrier outside the lake.
Could it be that the scarecrow can’t leave the lake? Zhou Wen guessed.
The last time he passed here, the scarecrow hadn’t attacked him. Back then, he had walked on a small path by the lake, less than two meters away from the lake.
Such a distance was probably nothing to a terrifying existence like the scarecrow. There were only two possibilities for it not to attack Zhou Wen.
One was that it didn’t want to attack, and the other was that it couldn’t leave the lake.
If the scarecrow really can’t leave the lake, there might be a chance of snatching the purple bronze ball back. Just as Zhou Wen was pondering over it, he suddenly heard Yin Talisman King’s voice.
“Zhou Wen, let’s make a deal. Help me leave the lake and I’ll help you contract the strongest Guardian.” Yin Talisman King was pleasantly surprised when he realized that Zhou Wen had rushed out of the lake.
What surprised him was that Zhou Wen was able to escape the lake. This person had always exceeded his expectations. He had lived for so many years, but he had never suffered such a huge loss at the hands of an uncontracted human.
He was naturally happy that Zhou Wen could escape the lake. This might be his chance of survival.
Zhou Wen thought for a moment and shouted in the direction of the lake, “Tell me what that purple bronze ball is. What’s its use?”
As Yin Talisman King fought the scarecrow, he said, “That’s First Mountain Bronze.”
Zhou Wen couldn’t help but be slightly taken aback when he heard the name First Mountain Bronze.
First Mountain Bronze wasn’t a name for a type of bronze. First Mountain was a name for a place. In myths and legends, Yellow Emperor went to First Mountain to mine bronze and cast a tripod cauldron to stabilize the light from providence that shone on China.
There were all sorts of theories as to where First Mountain was. Many regions claimed that it was the true First Mountain. Zhou Wen didn’t know which was true.
However, even if the legends were true, First Mountain Bronze was only a metal used to forge cauldrons. Was it worth it for existences like Yin Talisman King and the scarecrow to fight for it?
“Don’t tell me you want to forge a tripod cauldron by snatching the First Mountain Bronze,” Zhou Wen said.
King Yin Talisman was in a perilous situation after being attacked by the scarecrow. Upon hearing Zhou Wen’s words, he felt a little depressed, but he had no choice but to say patiently, “The true value of First Mountain Bronze isn’t because of the material itself. The so-called First Mountain isn’t really called First Mountain. It’s the place where Yellow Emperor and Chiyou deployed their troops to battle. Countless experts from both sides died. The blood of human immortals and demons dyed the mountain range red and soaked through the mountain’s bronze mine. The blood-stained bronze cauldron that Yellow Emperor made could suppress the light from providence for ages. What kind of treasure is that? Emperor Qin went through all the trouble to find First Mountain Bronze in hopes of using the human immortals and demons’ blood essence in First Mountain Bronze to refine the Elixir of Longevity.
“Unfortunately, even after Emperor Qin passed away, the First Mountain Bronze couldn’t be refined. Instead, the blood essence in it became more and more condensed. It also absorbed the essence energy in the pill furnace and turned into two bronze balls. These two bronze balls can be said to be a kernel of the Elixir of Immortality, and they can also be said to be the strongest forging material for humanity.”
“Is that all?” Zhou Wen felt that Yin Talisman King hadn’t finished explaining the matter of First Mountain Bronze.
If that was the case, why would the scarecrow snatch it? It was immortal to begin with, and it couldn’t use tools forged by humans.
The situation on Yin Talisman King’s side wasn’t optimistic. His crystalline body was already tainted with the scarecrow’s demonic aura. He couldn’t last much longer.
“If you are willing to help me out of the lake, we can settle our past grievances. I can also help you refine the First Mountain Bronze. Only I know how to refine it...” Yin Talisman King attempted to convince Zhou Wen.
“I want to help you too, but I’m not capable enough to help.” How could Zhou Wen be willing to help Yin Talisman King? It would be good if such an old fellow died.
“Even if you don’t need to refine the First Mountain Bronze, you should still need a Companion Beast, right? I know where the Companion Beast used by Yellow Emperor Huang is. That Companion Beast has already returned to its Companion Egg form. With my help, you will definitely obtain it.” Yin Talisman King continued throwing out his chips.
However, Zhou Wen was completely unmoved. He ignored Yin Talisman King’s nonsensical words and pretended not to hear him.
When Yin Talisman King saw that Zhou Wen clearly wanted him dead and that it was useless to say anything else, he immediately steeled his heart and didn’t waste his breath. Taking advantage of his remaining strength, he suddenly advanced and slammed into the scarecrow.
Inside the crystal jade-like body of Yin Talisman King, there were dark-gold mysterious symbols flowing. The mysterious symbols suddenly collided with something.
Boom!
A golden beam shot into the sky like a nuclear explosion. It formed a huge golden mushroom cloud that blew up the entire lake.
The powerful shockwave shattered the nearby forest and caused the mountain walls to collapse.
Zhou Wen summoned Tyrant Behemoth to block the blast. Truth Listener kept monitoring the battlefield as the scarecrow’s body scattered amidst the golden explosion.
However, it was different from what Zhou Wen had imagined. After the scarecrow’s body scattered, it transformed into countless wraiths. It was as though its body didn’t have any corporeal form—the straw was made of wraiths.
The wraiths closest to Yin Talisman King were disintegrated by the terrifying golden light. Many of them died.
A cold beam flew out of the explosion. After rushing out of the lake, it landed on the ground and vanished.
Zhou Wen knew that it was definitely a trump card that Yin Talisman King had kept close to his chest, but he didn’t have the time to stop him from escaping. By the time Zhou Wen rushed over, the cold beam had already fled into the distance. It was probably kilometers away.
Even this can’t kill him? Zhou Wen was somewhat depressed as he turned to look at the lake.
The remaining wraiths in the lake were condensing towards a spot. There was a black core there, and all the wraiths were condensing towards the core. The numerous wraiths turned into a part of the outer core, gradually forming the scarecrow’s body.
Before it could condense into a scarecrow again, a black-purple sword beam flashed as Demonic Neonate’s demon sword pierced through the black monster core.
At the moment the monster core was pierced, the wraiths in the lake let out ear-piercing screams. Then, soul light brightly bloomed as wraiths rose into the sky amidst the light. The number was terrifying, and the scene was extremely spectacular.
After all the wraiths vanished into the sky, Demonic Neonate flew back to the bank with the purple bronze ball in one hand and the demon sword in the other.
The black monster core was still skewered to the demon sword. It was shaped like a walnut, but its texture was like obsidian. It also beat like a heart.
If not for Grim Demon’s power suppressing the monster core, it would have long fled.
Before Zhou Wen could ask Demonic Neonate what it was, Demonic Neonate had already opened her mouth and bit off the monster core like she was eating from a skewer. After chewing a few times, she swallowed it.