https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-632-Withered-Blood-Vine-Withered-Wood-Ridge-Let-s-Go-/12942448/
https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-634-The-Battle-of-Blood-God-against-the-Vine-King-Fishing-at-the-Abyss/12942470/
Chapter 633: Individual Battles, The Vine King Emerges
Chapter 633: Individual Battles, The Vine King Emerges
Amidst towering mountains and lush forests, ancient trees towered, blocking out the sky.
In this verdant and lush landscape, how could there be rumors of a Withered Wood Ridge?
Five figures walked steadily through the mountain range.
Leading them was Dao Lan, a seven-star demon hunter, who seemed to be a sharp blade piercing through the mist, unwaveringly taking the most direct route through the winding, trackless forest.
The Old Fisherman stood in the center, his fingertips holding his unique treasure, the Sound Bell.
On either side were the Starlight Envoy and Huang Pu Song, each with a solemn expression.
Bringing up the rear was Luo Chen, the lowest in cultivation among the five.
Dao Lan took the lead, serving as the vanguard, his formidable strength ensuring the way forward.
Luo Chen, despite being the lowest in cultivation, still demonstrated his power as the rear guard!
The name of the Azure Sun Demon Lord was rarely mentioned, but everyone was aware of his strength, as evidenced by Huang Pu Song's occasional wary glances towards Luo Chen.
Luo Chen seemed oblivious to Huang Pu Song's gaze, as his spiritual sense spread out to scout the surroundings while recalling the information the Old Fisherman had shared about the Withered Wood Ridge.
This was a territory dominated by Wood Attribute Spirit Plants.
Although it appeared to be filled with all sorts of strange and exotic flowers and grasses, in reality, all the spirit plants were merely companions to the Withered Blood Vine.
In other words, as soon as they stepped onto the Withered Wood Ridge, they had been discovered by the fifth-stage Withered Blood Vine.
Fighting in such an environment offered no advantage in terms of terrain.
Especially according to the intelligence, apart from the fifth-stage Withered Blood Vine, there were countless second to fourth-stage lower-level Withered Blood Vines! These vines, under the control of the Vine King, could unleash astonishing combat power.
But this was just an illusion!
"It is said that the Withered Blood Vine is a gregarious plant, but in reality, this is a misconception."
"The Withered Blood Vine is a spirit plant with a strong territorial awareness, and within a thousand li radius, there are no other spirit plants of the same kind."
"Those lower-level Withered Blood Vines are essentially branches and tendrils of the Vine King, and can be considered as its offspring vines."
"Usually, the Vine King remains in a state of slumber, absorbing spirit energy. Even when encountering intruders, it will only send its offspring vines, which carry its consciousness, to deal with them."
"Our task is to cut off as many offspring vines as possible, weakening the Vine King's strength."
"As for the combat power of these offspring vines, you need not worry. Even a fourth-stage Withered Blood Vine is at most equivalent to an early-stage Golden Core cultivator. It may be troublesome for other Golden Core cultivators, but for us, it's merely a matter of spending some time."
Recalling the Old Fisherman's words in his mind, Luo Chen did not take them lightly.
Although spirit plants and their derived monsters generally had average combat power, like the Hidden Dust Sand, a third-stage Great Perfection monster whose strength was only on par with an early-stage Golden Core cultivator.
But, numbers were a different matter!
Even ants could kill an elephant if there were enough of them.
If it were that easy, the Old Fisherman wouldn't have assembled a team with the combined strength of five late-stage Golden Core cultivators for this mission.
Clearly, the Withered Wood Ridge, a mountain range teeming with countless Withered Blood Vines, was not going to be that simple.
As Luo Chen pondered, his footsteps suddenly halted.
"What's wrong?"
The Starlight Envoy asked from the front.
At the same time, the Sound Bell in the Old Fisherman's hand emitted a crisp sound.
The Old Fisherman looked at Luo Chen, and they nodded at each other.
"It's here!"
But it wasn't from the front; it was coming from behind.
In the dark forest, countless white vines, resembling spiritual snakes and pythons, slithered from all directions, their rustling sounds converging into a mighty river.
The Old Fisherman remained calm in the face of danger, his aged voice carrying a sense of authority.
"Keep moving forward!"
"If it doesn't want us to leave, then we'll find it."
At the forefront, Dao Lan remained silent, but a massive broadsword appeared in his hand.
With a single slash, a dozens-of-zhang-long blade light erupted.
Wherever the blade light passed, trees were shattered, the ground cracked, and the lower-level Withered Blood Vines that had not yet formed a complete encirclement were instantly severed by this strike.
Witnessing this strike, Luo Chen couldn't help but raise an eyebrow.
An ordinary-looking strike, its might was no less than his own Fiery Sun Technique, and there was no casting time involved.
"Is this the power of the seven-star demon hunter, renowned for his strength among countless loose cultivators in the Ten Thousand Immortals Assembly?"
Luo Chen muttered to himself, but his actions were swift.
He wildly waved his wide sleeves, and countless fist-sized fireballs flew out, striking the Withered Blood Vines approaching from all directions.
First-level spell—Fireball Technique.
Why use a butcher's knife to kill a chicken?
At this moment, only the lower-level offspring vines had appeared, and there was no need to waste mana.
Luo Chen could cast this Fireball Technique almost limitlessly, and there was no casting time involved.
With Dao Lan and Luo Chen attacking from the front and rear, the group's footsteps did not falter, and they charged forward at full speed into the depths of the mountain range.
Meanwhile, within the mountain range, countless white vines emerged from underground, converging towards them.
From a bird's-eye view, the scene resembled a mighty flood overwhelming a few ants.
...
Boom! A majestic and grand sword light slashed out, sweeping forth like a tidal wave.
As the sword light expanded to cover a range of several li, Huang Pu Song appeared, his proud demeanor evident as he looked down at a struggling white vine at his feet.
As thick as a water barrel, its patterns resembled tree rings.
"A fourth-stage Withered Blood Vine has appeared!"
His proud demeanor gradually subsided, and he became slightly more solemn.
He turned around, and his pupils suddenly constricted.
In his line of sight, Qingyangzi, dressed in a red cloud Daoist robe, was transforming into a giant claw of mana, tightly grasping a fourth-stage withered blood vine.
The vine was like a python, struggling in his hand, but it couldn't break free.
Just then, Luo Chen turned around, and his gaze fell on him.
Nodding slightly, Luo Chen severed the withered blood vine in his hand with a single strike and stored it in his storage ring.
After all, it was a fourth-stage spirit plant, and even if it was just a small branch, it was still quite valuable.
In the middle of the group, only the Old Fisherman had yet to engage in battle.
He stared at the bell in his hand, which kept emitting a crisp ringing sound, and the joy on his face grew stronger.
"Our direction is correct!"
"The appearance of a fourth-stage blood vine means we're getting closer to the Vine King's lair."
"Everyone, prepare for a real fight!"
Huang Pu Song's heart skipped a beat.
The initial battle with the fourth-stage withered blood vine had already forced him to start using his artifacts.
The intensity of the upcoming battle would surely be a level higher, and he needed to stay alert.
"If it weren't for relying on the backing of the Ten Thousand Immortals Assembly, I wouldn't want to do something so meaningless."
"However, there are a few other seven-star demon hunters in the Ten Thousand Immortals Assembly, all at the late Golden Core stage. Why did the Old Fisherman specifically summon me, a five-star demon hunter?"
This had been a question on his mind ever since they set out.
It was also one of the reasons he didn't want to interact much with the others.
He always felt that the Old Fisherman's gaze upon him was somewhat off.
...
Deep within the Withered Wood Ridge.
A valley stood like a low, crater-like mountain.
Five streaks of escape light shot through the air like meteors.
As soon as they landed, the faces of the five changed.
Outside the valley, numerous thick white vines, as wide as buckets, stood tall, staring at them menacingly.
The Old Fisherman, Dao Lan, stepped forward.
"There are quite a few of them, at least a hundred. Everyone, this will be a tough battle!"
A hundred fourth-stage withered blood vines meant a hundred early Golden Core stage enemies.
Even though their attack methods were scarce, limited to instinctive attacks like entanglement and piercing, their sheer numbers were daunting.
For a moment, the other four felt their hearts sink.
A tough battle, indeed.
But with their abilities, this battle wouldn't be too difficult if they employed guerrilla tactics and took them out one by one.
However, it was clear that the Old Fisherman intended to storm the valley and charge into the Vine King's lair.
The Old Fisherman suddenly turned around, "You won't be afraid and flee, will you?"
The stench of blood wafted through the mountain wind, blowing over the rugged, undulating rocks and onto the faces of the four.
Dao Lan pointed his broadsword diagonally at the ground, emitting a hoarse sound, "They're just plant spirits, cut them down!"
Huang Pu Song shouted, "Old Fisherman, you promised me that as long as I complete this task, you'll negotiate with the Tianqu Chen family on behalf of the Ten Thousand Immortals Assembly!"
The Starlight Envoy glanced around and shook his head, "Unfortunately, these withered blood vines have no demon cores, so they can't be used to make starlight."
Luo Chen remained silent, but he already held a giant hammer in his hand.
Seeing this, the Old Fisherman nodded in satisfaction, and with a wave of his hand, a black-gold rod appeared before him, withered silk threads fluttering in the wind.
"The battle spirit is still there, so... fight on your own!"
With this command, the great battle began! As if in response, the fourth-stage withered blood vines burst forth like arrows, tearing through the air.
The five figures didn't hesitate and flew off in different directions.
Instantly, the hundred withered blood vines split into five groups, each pursuing their target.
The largest group pursued the Old Fisherman! The smallest group pursued Luo Chen! Seeing this, Luo Chen's lips curved slightly.
However, upon seeing the Old Fisherman's figure charging straight into the valley, he felt a bit puzzled.
"Is he going to pluck the Vine King's whiskers by himself?"
But this doubt was cut short by the approaching army of withered blood vines.
Whoosh!
A pair of wings unfolded behind Luo Chen.
Holding the giant hammer, he soared into the sky.
Below, the thick white vines, as wide as buckets, snapped and clawed at him.
In mid-air, Luo Chen burst forth with extreme speed, his body spinning like a red meteor, darting left and right.
The slow-moving withered blood vines couldn't keep up with him.
In Luo Chen's hands, the giant hammer, under his control, was like a blacksmith's hammer, continuously unleashing ferocious strikes.
He used the Grand Flowing Flame Hammer Technique for the first time in battle.
The effect, however, wasn't that great.
Those struck by the hammer might wither, but after falling to the ground, they paused for a moment and then resumed their attack.
Luo Chen furrowed his brows, and his divine sense swept over the other battlefields.
The Old Fisherman's strategy of fighting separately set the tone for this battle, and Luo Chen understood it.
After all, the five of them weren't close companions who knew each other well, and their individual combat styles would inevitably clash.
If their methods affected each other during the battle, it would be counterproductive.
By keeping their distance and fighting separately, they could maximize their individual strengths.
At this moment, under his observation, the combat styles of each person were revealed.
Dao Lan continued his bold and unrestrained style, and each swing of his broadsword unleashed vigorous sword qi.
He stood still like a mountain, but the surrounding withered blood vines couldn't get within three zhang of him.
Truly domineering!
The Starlight Envoy remained calm, stepping in an odd rhythm as he moved through the rugged terrain, as if it were flat ground.
Whenever a Fifth Stage Withered Blood Vine attacked, he unleashed a series of colorful starlight.
This was the renowned secret Starry Sky Technique of the Heavenly Demon Star Sect.
But in Luo Chen's Spirit Eye Technique, he clearly saw that they were actually Nascent Soul Stage Demon Kings' demon cores!
Using Demon King demon cores as stars to cast the Starry Sky Technique?
No wonder he was once an Upper Sect Powerhouse; his foundation was profound, and even in the midst of intense combat, he remained calm and composed.
On Huang Pu Song's side, things were not going well.
At first, he tried to cut the vine with his longsword, but the Fifth Stage Withered Blood Vine was incredibly resilient, and his sword energy was not as effective as Dao Lan's. He couldn't sever it with a single strike.
When his first attempt failed, he tried to emulate Luo Chen by creating distance.
But by then, the Withered Blood Vines had already formed a encirclement.
Desperately, he unleashed a burst of purple radiance from his body, enveloping the area for several miles around.
Within the purple radiance, his sword energy seemed to be enhanced, becoming more and more effortless.
Luo Chen was very familiar with this purple radiance.
During the battle on Peng Island, when Luo Chen used the Mirror Flower Water Moon Technique to confuse his opponent, this radiance had erupted once before.
Luo Chen guessed that this might be the opponent's most trusted trump card.
After quickly scanning the battle scenes, Luo Chen's heart suddenly understood.
"Hammer strikes are not suitable for dealing with these Fifth Stage Withered Blood Vines; I need to change tactics."
"Slashing and piercing are more suitable."
"Unfortunately, my specialty, the Mystical Fire Sword, is already destroyed."
"However, aside from that, other methods are also worth trying."
With a thought, the Flowing Flame Hammer was sheathed.
Without the suppression of the Flowing Flame Hammer, the pursuing white vines below became more rampant.
Luo Chen ignored them and opened his mouth to spit out a wisp of pale smoke.
Looking at this wisp of smoke, Luo Chen's eyes showed a hint of regret.
After the battle on Cold Light Island, the Fiery Plague he cultivated using the Withering Flourishing Malevolent Qi was reduced to just this one clump.
He had originally planned to use this as a foundation to gradually restore the complete Fiery Plague.
But he never expected that these years of focusing on artificing left him no time to replenish it.
"However, this technique isn't very helpful in my current battle either. Let's leave the last of its power here in Withered Wood Ridge!"
With a murmur, Luo Chen's mana surged forth.
Along with the mana, strands of azure flames emerged.
Withering Flourishing True Flame!
The Withering Flourishing Malevolent Qi was originally the malevolent qi generated from the Withering Flourishing Fire's constant burning.
Now, with the source's empowerment and Luo Chen's mana amplification,
Instantly, the smoke transformed into endless flames.
Luo Chen pressed down with a single palm, surging downward.
In an instant, the white vines and the pale flames came into contact.
Sizzle! Sizzle! Sizzle!
The smell of charred flesh filled the air.
Seeing the Fifth Stage Withered Blood Vines still struggling within the Fiery Plague, Luo Chen gritted his teeth and increased his mana output.
"Burn them!"
Sizzle! Sizzle! Sizzle! The sound of burning grew louder, and in the sky, more than a dozen giant vines were enveloped in azure flames, resembling a blue dragon.
The highly corrosive Withering Flourishing Malevolent Qi invaded their bodies, destroying the internal roots of the Withered Blood Vines.
This process continued for an entire tea ceremony's duration.
Just as Luo Chen was about to feel exhausted, the "blue dragon" finally fell to the ground, limp and powerless.
Boom!
Luo Chen landed on the ground and looked at the still-struggling Fifth Stage Withered Blood Vines, his brows furrowing.
"Although it's said to have Golden Core battle strength, the methods are too singular. Once the countermeasure is found, it's easily defeated."
"However, its vitality is indeed incredibly tenacious!"
Taking a deep breath, he circulated his mana again.
Luo Chen's hands formed intricate hand seals, and then his fingers pointed like a sword.
Sword energies burst forth from his hands.
Grass Scythe Golden Sword Qi!
This technique's rank wasn't high, only at the second level, and it wasn't originally a combat technique; it was merely a Spirit Plant Farmer's Spirit Plant Technique for harvesting mature spirit plants.
But surprisingly, this technique was quite effective against wood-attributed spirit beasts.
Amidst the bursting sword energies, the white vines still struggling on the ground were instantly severed.
As the vines broke, their vibrant life force vanished in an instant.
Witnessing this, Luo Chen subconsciously looked towards the valley.
"The life force of these vine tendrils must come from the mother vine?"
Just as he looked up, he saw an aged figure stepping on countless Fourth Stage Withered Blood Vine corpses, shredded by silk threads, ascending to the peak of the valley's steep cliff.
The man turned around and looked down at the earth.
In his line of sight, the crimson-robed man stood empty-handed, with no more enemies in sight.
The big man dragged his longsword backwards, but the white vines didn't pursue.
The Starlight Envoy, adorned in a dazzling star robe, waved towards the void, and streams of starlight rushed towards him.
In the only place where the battle hadn't ended, amidst the purple mist, a four-sided purple seal emerged with a roar, crushing the Fifth Stage Withered Blood Vines covering the ground into powder.
The Old Fisherman looked at the purple seal, a satisfied expression on his face.
"The wings have been removed, so now you should come out!"
As if in response, the earth shook.
From the valley, a pillar of spirit energy erupted, surging into the sky.
The five Golden Core Cultivators looked up, their eyes trembling.
Within the pillar of spirit energy, a white vine stretched across the sky like a dragon.
(End of Chapter)
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