https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-226-Entering-the-Qing-Tian-Jiao-Tomb/12533447/
https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-228-The-Green-Celestial-Serpent-s-Transformation/12533449/
Chapter 227: While We Fight, You Dig for Spirit Herbs
Chapter 227: While We Fight, You Dig for Spirit Herbs
The tunnel was dark and narrow, and the deeper they ventured, the more pressing the sense of urgency became.
Everyone was on high alert, quietly channeling their power to protect themselves from any potential crises that might suddenly arise.
The tunnel began to slope downward, and according to their estimates, they had now entered the swamp area.
Suddenly, a faint light appeared in the distance.
Everyone breathed a sigh of relief, especially the martial artists who were scouting ahead. They quickened their pace.
The light grew brighter, and they emerged from the tunnel into a tomb-like chamber adorned with what appeared to be stars.
"Moonlight Stones! So many of them!"
"It's said that the Green Sky Drake favors Moonlight Stones. This could very well be the tomb of the Green Sky Drake!"
Many of the proud sons of heaven grew excited.
Moonlight Stones, with their radiant glow resembling moonlight, were one of the items used for illumination in the Spirit Domain. However, as they were produced in the Misty State's Jade Sea, they were quite rare in Jade State, and thus not commonly used there.
"Be cautious." Xu Yan's alertness heightened as he entered the tomb. Unbeknownst to others, he had already enveloped himself and his surroundings within ten zhang with his sword intent.
His sword intent seamlessly merged with the environment, making it difficult for others to detect.
A gentle breeze swirled around him, a manifestation of his Xun Wind Sword Intent.
At the center of the vast tomb, there seemed to be a coiled dragon. In front of the dragon was a small tree, about five feet tall, with branches that twisted like a drake and lush green leaves.
Green Drake Tree!
On either side of the coiled dragon was a layer of thin, brown vines bearing small fruits.
Dragon Eye Fruits!
"A Green Drake Tree!" The proud sons of heaven exclaimed in delight.
"Dragon Eye Fruits!"
This was indeed the tomb of the Green Sky Drake; otherwise, the Green Drake Tree and Dragon Eye Fruits would not be growing here.
Both the third-grade spirit herb and the second-grade spirit herb were considered high-grade in the Spirit Domain, but they were not particularly rare. What made them precious was their scarcity.
It was said that the Green Drake Tree could greatly enhance one's physical body, even for Great Heaven Realm warriors, nearly doubling their physical strength.
As for the Dragon Eye Fruits, they could strengthen one's divine sense, making it more resilient. Once one broke through to the Refine Divine Realm, the refined soul would become even stronger.
There were also rumors that Dragon Eye Fruits could increase one's chances of successfully breaking through to the Refine Divine Realm.
It was precisely because these herbs held no value for those in the Refine Divine Realm that the various forces had eventually agreed to let their younger generations explore this place and test their mettle.
There were plenty of Dragon Eye Fruits, but only one Green Drake Tree. The atmosphere among the proud sons of heaven grew tense as they eyed the precious herb.
Xu Yan remained expressionless, his gaze calm. He did not rush to collect the spirit herbs, a decision born out of caution. It would be wise to let others test the waters first. With his superior strength, no one could rival him anyway.
His brows furrowed as he fixed his gaze on the coiled dragon. Suddenly, he realized that this coiled dragon might very well be the coffin of the Green Sky Drake.
Moreover, the dragon's form was not complete and differed somewhat from the true form of a dragon.
Of course, he had never seen a true dragon; it was just a feeling he had. This dragon lacked the overwhelming aura of a true dragon.
After all, his Dragon Subduing Palm had already grasped the intent of dragon might.
Suddenly, Xu Yan's eyes narrowed as he focused on the entrance of the tomb.
Something had entered just now, but as it had not crossed into the range of his sword intent, he couldn't identify what it was.
"Quite a formidable stealth technique."
Xu Yan's alertness heightened further, and he subtly expanded the range of his sword intent.
"The Green Drake Tree is mine, and I want three Dragon Eye Fruits," the young man from the Jade Divine Sect stated calmly.
His gaze fell on Shen Haizhou before shifting to Xu Yan.
"I have no objections," Shen Haizhou replied nonchalantly.
The rest of the proud sons of heaven remained silent for a moment before nodding in agreement.
The Jade Divine Sect was the number one spirit sect in Jade State, and the young man had both the background and the strength to make such a claim.
"You, go and dig up the Green Drake Tree," the young man ordered one of the scouting warriors.
"Yes!"
Although the warrior was not employed by the young man, he did not dare to disobey. Such was the authority of the number one spirit sect in Jade State.
The warrior approached cautiously, his senses alert for any abnormalities or dangers. Finding none, he heaved a sigh of relief and prepared to dig up the Green Drake Tree.
Xu Yan's expression suddenly turned grim, but he neither spoke nor made a move.
Whoosh!
In a corner of the tomb, a sword glint flashed and instantly pierced through the warrior who was about to dig up the Green Drake Tree!
Thud!
The warrior fell dead.
"Be careful!"
"Who made that move?"
The proud sons of heaven were shocked by the sudden turn of events.
Boom!
Their auras surged as they brandished their weapons, their gazes sweeping the surroundings warily. They moved away from each other, each on guard against the others.
The young man from the Jade Divine Sect wore a grim expression, a faint silver glow enveloping his body. In his hand was a narrow blade that radiated a chilling light.
"Who dares to make a move? Are you challenging my Jade Divine Sect?"
That flash of light had been too fast, a fleeting glimpse that escaped their notice as they had already relaxed their vigilance. They couldn't even discern what that light was.
It seemed like a sword glint.
"Do you care to explain yourself?" The young man from the Jade Divine Sect glared at Xu Yan, his eyes filled with suspicion.
Among those present, only Xu Yan, Shen Haizhou, and himself possessed the requisite strength, and Xu Yan was the only sword cultivator among them.
He was the most likely suspect.
Xu Yan gave him a cold glance, his eyes resting on the long blade in the young man's hand. "So this is a spirit artifact unique to the Spirit Domain. As expected, it's far superior to a treasure artifact."
"Using underhanded means to injure others is despicable, and I would never stoop to such levels." Xu Yan replied coldly, his gaze still fixed on the Green Drake Tree.
The previous attack, resembling a sword glint, had been incredibly fast and fleeting.
"Was it a dagger?" Xu Yan mused inwardly.
The young man from the Jade Divine Sect scowled and turned to another scouting warrior. "Go and dig out the Green Drake Tree."
"Yes, yes!"
The warrior trembled, his eyes darting nervously as he prepared to dig up the Green Drake Tree, vigilant against any potential attacks.
The young man's gaze remained fixed on Xu Yan, as did the gazes of the others.
In their eyes, Xu Yan was the most likely culprit.
The warrior approached the Green Drake Tree, glanced at Xu Yan, and, seeing no signs of an imminent attack, breathed a sigh of relief. However, he remained cautious and proceeded to dig carefully.
Suddenly, a flash of light flickered.
Pfft!
The warrior was instantly pierced, his corpse collapsing to the ground.
"Who dares to lurk in the shadows, too afraid to show yourself?" The young man from the Jade Divine Sect roared in anger.
Xu Yan had not made a move, which meant there was another powerful individual present.
This time, Xu Yan clearly saw what the flash of light was.
It was a snake!
"A spirit beast?"
This was the first time he had seen a spirit beast, and this snake was surprisingly powerful! Especially its speed and stealth capabilities.
During the attack, its body had turned crystalline, resembling a sword glint, but afterward, it instantly changed color, blending into the darkness.
The young man from the Jade Divine Sect held the spirit blade, his eyes cold as he stepped toward the Green Drake Tree. "Let's see how you plan to stop me."
He stood before the Green Drake Tree but did not stoop to dig it up, as that would leave him vulnerable and expose him to danger.
"Die!"
Seizing the opportunity, the young man from the Jade Divine Sect lashed out with his sword, sending a brilliant beam of light slicing through the air.
The proud sons of heaven all turned their attacks toward the light, but in that moment of distraction, Xu Yan continued to dig, undisturbed.
Finally, the Green Drake Tree was unearthed. Xu Yan quickly sealed it with a medicinal foil and stored it away in his pouch. He had learned this sealing technique from Meng Shushu.
He glanced back at the ongoing battle. The young elites were still furiously trying to corner the little snake, their angry curses filling the air. The snake was incredibly fast, and their attacks often missed, sometimes resulting in injuries.
Whenever an opportunity presented itself, the snake would strike, destroying another Moonlight Stone.
Xu Yan guessed the snake's intention—once the tomb was plunged into complete darkness, it would be the perfect time for it to launch its deadly assault.
After securing the Green Drake Tree, Xu Yan moved on to plucking the Dragon Eye Fruits.
He stood, watching Shen Haizhou crouch on the ground, carefully plucking the fruits and placing them into his pouch. Xu Yan said nothing, simply observing.
Shen Haizhou's expression was somewhat embarrassed. Finally, he spoke up, "Y-you... these are all yours!" He thrust the fruits he had collected into Xu Yan's hands and quickly scooted backward.
"Let's do it together. It'll be faster," Xu Yan said as he stored the fruits away.
The tomb was growing darker by the moment, and with the fading light, plucking the fruits became more challenging and dangerous.
"Y-yes, yes!" Shen Haizhou nodded vigorously.
The two of them began plucking the fruits, but the battle nearby was intensifying, and the tomb was becoming increasingly shrouded in darkness.
"Brother, I'm done! They're all here!" Shen Haizhou finally announced, handing over the last of the Dragon Eye Fruits.
"I'm not a greedy person. You can keep one-tenth of the fruits you picked," Xu Yan said sternly.
Shen Haizhou cursed inwardly. Wasn't that still being greedy? "Brother, you're too kind! Thank you so much for taking care of me, a stranger. I'm truly grateful!" he said, his voice thick with emotion.
Xu Yan kept a few of the fruits and put the rest into his pouch.
Suddenly, the sounds of battle ceased.
The tomb had become quite dim, illuminated only by the largest Moonlight Stone at the very top, which cast a faint glow over the chamber.
Dai Jun and the others stood there, stunned. While they had been busy fighting the spirit beast, Xu Yan had secretly dug up the spirit herb? And that bastard Shen Haizhou had disgraced his family name!
The little snake, its mouth foaming with blood, had managed to dodge most of the attacks during the intense battle, but it was not unscathed. Its tiny eyes widened, and white flames began to surge across its body.
"I'll kill you! I'll kill you for stealing my spirit herb!" it hissed.
Boom!
The little snake transformed into a ten-zhang giant serpent, its body crystalline and translucent, covered in white flames. It reared its head, its eyes blazing with fury.
"It's a Jade Crystal Serpent!" Shen Haizhou exclaimed in surprise.
Dai Jun and the others glared at Xu Yan, their eyes burning with anger. "Hand over the spirit herb, or else..."
However, Xu Yan ignored them, his attention fixed on the serpent. "It can talk?" he asked, intrigued.
Even Chi Cat, a powerful demon beast, couldn't speak.
"Most spirit beasts can't speak human language. Only sixth-grade spirit beasts can communicate through their soul force," Shen Haizhou explained as he cautiously backed away. "But this Jade Crystal Serpent is special. It can speak."
"Die!" The Jade Crystal Serpent roared in rage, its body expanding further, turning into a massive whip that lashed out.
Xu Yan was about to make his move when he suddenly changed his stance and, in an instant, shifted his position.
Shift Form!
Boom!
The serpent's massive tail slammed down where Xu Yan had just been standing, causing the entire tomb to shake. Stones shattered, and a cloud of black dust rose, filling the chamber.
"Don't even think about keeping the spirit herb for yourself! Hand it over!" the young man from the Jade Divine Sect shouted, leading the charge as they all lunged at Xu Yan.
Once again, Xu Yan's body flickered, and he shifted his position. The Jade Crystal Serpent struck again, but this time, its attack was met with something unexpected.
A figure, moving stealthily along the wall of the tomb, kept their eyes fixed on the coiled dragon at the center. Beads of sweat formed on their forehead.
Shen Haizhou swallowed hard, his heart pounding. In that brief moment when the Jade Crystal Serpent had attacked, he thought he saw something—a faint ripple on the coiled dragon's body.
Was that soul force?
Could the Green Sky Drake still be alive?
The mere thought sent shivers down his spine. Taking advantage of the chaos as the serpent and the proud sons of heaven focused their attacks on Xu Yan, Shen Haizhou slowly shifted his position, careful not to attract any attention. He made his way toward the entrance, his movements stealthy and silent.
However, he did not leave immediately.
The way Xu Yan had fought, using his uncanny movement technique to shift positions and avoid attacks, left Shen Haizhou in awe. This brother of his was truly powerful.
Xu Yan shifted his position once more, appearing before the coiled dragon, just as the Jade Crystal Serpent lashed out with another furious attack.
(End of Chapter)
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