It’s at the Foundation Establishment Stage... it might even be a demon plant from the Middle to Late Period!
"Fellow disciple?"
Chen Ye chuckled as he approached step by step, his voice cold,
"Then why did you, a fellow disciple, want to strike me down? When I was thrown into this Grotto Heaven as an abandoned pawn, did you ever consider the words ’fellow disciple’? When you tried to take my apprentice and committed those beastly acts, did you think of our fellow disciple bond at all?"
"But... but..."
Ji Yuanliang still wanted to argue, but the little white fox sitting on the Vine King was already impatiently waving its little paw.
This little fox was always the most easily anxious...
Chen Ye couldn’t help but laugh, grasping its little paw and pinching its soft pink palm.
The feel was quite nice, no wonder his apprentice liked it so much.
"Chii!!"
The little white fox froze all over, was shocked, quickly pulled back its little paw, and stared at him suspiciously.
Chen Ye maintained a serious face, "I only touched your little paw. Don’t I usually hold Zhiwei’s little hand? We’re all one family; why be so distant?"
The little white fox quickly hid its paw behind itself, chirping in displeasure, "Who’s one family with you?"
Besides, it was a white fox, a fox, not a human!
...
In the distance, Wei Shu, leading the main force, followed unhurriedly from behind.
He listened to the brief sounds of magical battles ahead and the sudden appearance of vines in the stone tablet forest, sneering.
There really was a trap.
But this Chen Ye always had the same small tricks.
It was just using the identity of a Spirit Plant Master to manipulate demon plants in the Grotto Heaven to set traps.
Before it was Blood Reeds, now he switched to Demon-eating Vines.
"I underestimated him."
Wei Shu’s fingers stroked the nearly cracked Treasure Armor, his eyes suddenly cold,
"Clearly, his cultivation is lost, and yet he can still control a Qi Cultivation Ninth Layer Demon-eating Vine..."
"Guardian, Taoist Friend Ji and the others..." An Inner Sect Disciple hesitantly asked.
"It’s okay."
Wei Shu hesitated for a moment, finally waving his hand, his expression indifferent,
"It’s just some demon plants, Taoist Friend Ji’s cultivation is excellent, enough to handle it. We... just need to wait here for good news."
He said it lightly, but in his heart, he was already calculating.
No rush for the moment; it’s perfect to let Ji Yuanliang explore the reality, preventing that kid from having other backhands.
After all, it’s just capturing a white fox; with Ji Yuanliang’s Qi Cultivation Ninth Layer strength, isn’t it more than enough?
If Ji Yuanliang... truly were to die inside, it would actually be a good thing.
He didn’t want to return the Flying Light Sword anyway; once out of the Grotto Heaven, he could say to the Ji Family that the sword was returned to Ji Yuanliang, but Ji Yuanliang unfortunately fell in the Grotto Heaven, with the Flying Light Sword missing as well.
This way, with the person dead and no evidence, the Second Tier Magical Treasure would naturally become his.
About a few breaths later, that area fell silent, but Ji Yuanliang still didn’t appear.
"Guardian..."
The Inner Sect Disciple seeing this, became more worried, hesitating to speak.
"Go!" Wei Shu squinted his eyes, making a decisive call.
Could Chen Ye really have a way to kill Ji Yuanliang?
Since targeting him, perhaps he also had a way to deal with him...
"Hah, then I just won’t go!"
Wei Shu sneered ceaselessly, even if the Grotto Heaven failed to capture him, the Grotto Heaven would eventually close; by then, he only needed to wait at the only exit, and that Chen kid wouldn’t escape even with wings!
"Guardian Wei, but my second uncle is still inside!"
A Ji Family cultivator looked shocked, pleading.
"Ah! I am also worried about Taoist Friend Ji, but that Chen Ye colludes with the Demon Path, and his methods are ruthless... As your Guardian, I must be cautious about your lives."
Wei Shu sighed deeply, his face full of hypocritical righteousness.
The Ji Family cultivators gritted their teeth, seeing Wei Shu’s determination, helpless.
They looked at each other, filled with anger.
Damn it!
That Wei Shu was furious before, and now he just walks away.
So, this was a setup he and Chen Ye staged against Ji Yuanliang, wasn’t it!
However,
Wei Shu never guessed, this time, Chen Ye wasn’t setting a trap.
Instead, there was a Foundation Establishment Middle Period Vine King as his helper!
In the shadows, Chen Ye watched everyone coldly, seeing that they had entered the Wood Domain, thinking secretly:
"That’s enough..."
Though the Vine King was at the Foundation Establishment Middle Period, it was still limited by the nature of spirit plants and could only move within a certain range.
Though aided by the Wood Domain Tao Stele, it could only move freely in the Wood Domain.
He patted the little white fox’s head, the little white fox patted the Vine King’s tendril.
The next moment, the entire Wood Domain seemed to come to life!
"Boom—!"
The ground shook violently! Countless thick demon vines, like giant pythons breaking through the earth, frantically converged from all directions towards the area where Wei Shu and others were located!
"This is bad! Retreat quickly!"
Wei Shu’s face changed drastically. This was no mere Qi Cultivation Ninth Layer demon vine!
This kind of momentum... there must be several at the Foundation Establishment Stage!
He couldn’t care about his dignity, nor about the cultivators under his command, transformed into a stream of light, ready to be the first to flee the area!
Indeed, they had strength in numbers.
But these demon vines were far superior in both quantity and quality!
"Wei Guardian!"
The expressions of the cultivators changed dramatically; never did they expect, when the situation shifted, their leading guardian would flee directly!
"Hmph! Just as planned!" Chen Ye slightly smiled.
He wasn’t one to enjoy killing, nor did he wish to capture all those cultivators in one net.
Not to mention, many of those cultivators harbored goodwill towards him, like Bu Feifan and a few disciples of Lingyin Sect.
Wei Shu’s solo escape was simply to avoid harming the innocent!
Just as Wei Shu transformed into a stream of light, about to escape the encirclement!
"Snap—!"
A main vine far thicker than all others, dark green, appeared in front of him as if teleporting, fiercely striking his protective spiritual light!
"Puff!"
Wei Shu felt like he was struck by a heavy hammer, spewing blood, his entire body flew backward.
"Foundation Establishment Fifth Layer!!"
Where did that fiend get a Foundation Establishment Fifth Layer?
Wei Shu’s body was chilled, he forced himself to calm down.
This was merely a demon plant!
It is said that within the sacred lands of Lingxu States, there even exists Golden Core period divine trees.
But even divine trees remain rooted in the sacred lands their entire life.
How could this demon plant move freely here?
Now, he only needed to flee beyond this range!
"Fiend! Get out of my way!"
The instinct for survival prompted him to unleash all his spiritual power.
He switched hand spells, unleashing surging Gold Series Spiritual Power!
"Gold Light Mountain Split Slash!"
A golden giant sword condensed from pure Geng Gold Qi took shape above his head, cutting down towards the vine king with mountain-splitting momentum!
At the same time, he spat a mouthful of essence blood, transforming into a red light and fled.
The vine king remained indifferent, waving the tendril adorned with a pentacle.
"Clang—!"
A deafening metallic clang echoed!
The indestructible golden giant sword was struck apart by the tender tendril, golden shards raining down like stars.
"No... impossible!"
Wei Shu was scared witless, the tendril that had shattered the giant sword was trailing again!
"Pssh!"
The vine’s sharp tip pierced directly through his dantian!
Wei Shu wasn’t any kind of prodigy, his cultivation only Foundation Establishment First Layer, how could he endure a single move from a Foundation Establishment Fifth Layer vine?
The vines twisted, his essence blood reversed as it flowed into the demon vine.
"Guardian..."
His subordinate looked toward the sky in fear, only moments before, the Foundation Establishment Stage guardian was pierced through his dantian by a demon vine, which carried him back into the depths of Stele Forest.
Deep within the Wood Domain.
It wasn’t until now that the barely alive Wei Shu saw Chen Ye’s figure.
He was dragged along the tendril until he was thrown harshly at Chen Ye’s feet.
"Impossible... impossible..."
Blood bubbled at Wei Shu’s mouth, he lifted his head to look at the mild-mannered young man before him, still unable to believe.
"What?" Chen Ye looked down at him, "Wei Guardian, you seem surprised."
"Yes, do you know..."
Wei Shu whispered weakly, his fingers subtly twitching, attempting to stealthily activate the sealing spellbinding nail.
"Shh, I don’t want to know."
Chen Ye’s gaze fell on his fingers, villains die from talking too much.
He patted the little white fox’s head, casually said,
"Finish him."
At his command, the sharp spikes on the vine king’s tendril twisted fiercely!
"Ugh..."
The last glint in Wei Shu’s eyes completely faded away.