Chapter 175 – Stealing Treasure
The second devil’s eyes turned red. Without any warning, it charged toward the small creature. The small creature was also fierce; its divine sense flew out and charged forth as well.
The two immediately collided with each other, and due to the divine sense mark Wang Lin had left on the second devil, he was able to immediately notice the change. This confrontation was filled with many dangers as only one of them could exist. It was either the second devil would be devoured or that variant small creature would merge with the second devil.
Soon after, Wang Lin let out a soul. The devils he had made as a soul devourer already contained characteristics of a wandering soul; how could this variant compare?
The two souls began to fuse together and the second devil began to surface. The variant’s divine sense gradually faded until it was completely devoured by the second devil.
A group of small creatures quickly surrounded the second devil and formed the black tornado again. Wang Lin’s eyes lit up. The reason why these small creatures could merge their divine senses was because there was a powerful leader guiding them. The fact that these small creatures’ divine senses could merge and even devour each other were related to their nature.
The second devil let out a few cries and was ready to charge toward the variant in another black tornado when Wang Lin let out a cold snort. The second devil immediately stopped. Even the tornado stopped spinning and turned back into countless small creatures.
Wang Lin could clearly see that within the small creatures, the second devil revealed a painful expression with deep fear for Wang Lin in its eyes.
Wang Lin sent out a message. The second devil quickly let out a cry and the surrounding small beasts surrounded Wang Lin. Wang Lin remained calm; his eyes were as calm as water. He didn’t have any reaction toward the small creatures flapping their wings around him.
After those small creatures got close to him, they didn’t attack. Instead, they lifted him up and turned back into a black tornado.
The devil Xu Liguo wanted to follow him in, but he was repelled by the black tornado. He let out a series of roars because he felt very wronged. In the end, it was Wang Lin who reached out and dragged him inside.
While inside the black tornado, he didn’t even have to fly at all; he was standing on a few of the small creatures. Also, he was surrounded by the combined divine senses of all these small creatures, so the ones in other tornados could barely notice him through it.
Wang Lin’s eyes lit up. He gave the second devil an order and the tornado immediately flew toward where Hunchback Meng was. When he did that, the rest of the tornados followed. Soon, the ten tornados arrived at where all the other tornados were gathering.
When they got close, a powerful divine sense went past them. Wang Lin became alert, but the divine sense didn’t stop and just swept past them.
The divine sense clearly didn’t observe closely; it only took a glance and found nothing wrong.
Maybe in its view there couldn’t be any abnormality in the tornado. Wang Lin stared at the king tornado and sneered in his heart. Needless to say, that divine sense definitely belonged to the variant inside the king tornado.
He already had some understanding of these small creatures. In every single tornado, there was a more powerful variant inside. They were the ones that allowed the small creatures to merge their divine senses and gave orders.
This was like the difference between generals and soldiers. The normal small creatures were soldiers, the more powerful variants were generals, and the one in the tornado that seemed to reach the heavens was the king.
After getting close, Wang Lin could see that among this giant cluster of tornados, there was a sky high black tower. Hunchback Meng must’ve been inside.
Wang Lin wasn’t in a rush. The reason he asked the second devil to bring him here was because he realized that he could get close without being noticed. He acted based on the opportunities given. He didn’t think he could kill Hunchback Meng, but he wanted to use this chance to steal some treasures.
The divine sense mark left inside the second devil was different from the one left inside the devil Xu Liguo. The devil Xu Liguo was cultivated for a very long time, so Wang Lin’s divine sense mark was deeply ingrained in him. In fact, Wang Lin wouldn’t even need his Ji Realm, all he needed was but a thought to destroy Xu Liguo. However, in normal circumstances, he wouldn’t use the mark he had left to attack. He kept it as his last resort.
He normally used his Ji Realm to threaten and the mark to secretly manipulate. After all, Xu Liguo had recovered some of his memories, making him very different from wandering souls.
But the second devil was different. Although Wang Lin’s mark on the second devil wasn’t deep, he took the initiative at the start to make it so the second devil wouldn’t ever dare to rebel.
The reason Wang Lin stopped the second devil from merging with more of the variant creatures inside the other tornados was because he was afraid the fusion would dilute his divine sense mark. This would cause problems. With Wang Lin’s cunning, there was no way he would let something like that happen.
When even someone as tenacious as Xu Liguo was completely tamed by Wang Lin, there was no way a devil created from a simple beast could be a match.
Hunchback Meng’s face was as gloomy as mud water as he looked bitterly at the tornados outside. He paid special attention to the largest tornado with a look of dread on his face. The divine sense inside the largest tornado was as powerful as all the other tornados’ combined. It was able to use just its divine sense to push his heaven-destroying poison far away.
During this time, he had used up all of the spirit beasts inside his bag of holding. Although the techniques he used after using a spirit beast as a substitute was able to kill a lot of them, more creatures quickly arrived.
It was impossible to kill them all!
And if he made a mistake, then he would be hit by the combined divine senses of all those small creatures. Even though he was a Soul Formation cultivator, this would still injure him.
This wouldn’t be a light injury but a major injury that could cause his cultivation to drop greatly.
As for treasures, he had also used quite a few. Although they had some effect, the result was the same.
At this moment, he had reached the end of his rope. It was not that he hadn’t considered charging out; he had already tried doing so. That time, he used more than ten spirit beasts as substitutes, but just as he was about to break through the siege, the largest tornado hit him. Not only did it prevent him from leaving, it also injured him.
Hunchback Meng bitterly thought, “Could the heavens want me dead? I have already defied the heavens as I cultivated and finally reached the mid stage of Soul Formation. I originally thought I could use this cultivation to get a Soul Transformation pill and reach the Soul Transformation stage in one go, but…” He couldn’t help but think back to 1000 years ago when the last group came. Everyone but them four died.
There were many people among them that had higher cultivation levels than they did, but they all died. The four of them only survived due to sheer luck.
After 1000 years of preparation, he was able to increase his cultivation level from late stage Nascent Soul to mid stage Soul Formation. The reason he was able to increase his cultivation so fast was because he consumed one of the Giant Demon Clan’s major treasures, the Ancestral Demon Heart!
This was also why he was wanted and being hunted by the Giant Demon Clan!
Hunchback Meng revealed an expression of unwillingness. He clenched his teeth as his gaze fell on the toad. This toad, Li Tian, had been with him for thousands of years and had never abandoned him. He watched it grow from a low quality spirit beast to a high quality spirit beast. It was already considered a pseudo desolate beast. If there were some pills to help it, it could truly become a desolate beast in another 1000 years.
But now Hunchback Meng had no other option. He caressed the toad and whispered, “If I could teleport in this damn place, then I wouldn’t be in this situation. Li Tian, this time I’m depending on you!”
As he spoke, his right hand suddenly reached into the toad’s mouth. The toad’s body trembled and it revealed a painful expression. However, it didn’t resist; it only calmly looked at its owner.
Hunchback Meng closed his eyes but quickly reopened them. His eyes were now merciless as he said, with a heavy tone, “Li Tian, I’m sorry!” With that, his right hand viciously pulled back. In his hand was a green core that was emitting powerful spiritual energy fluctuations.
The toad, Li Tian, weakened until fell on its side. It let out a weak croak as all the pustules on its back began to break and leak a foul-smelling black liquid that covered its body. Even its croaking had no real strength behind it anymore.
Without any hesitation, Hunchback Meng threw the toad’s origin core into his mouth. His body immediately began to twitch and black smoke emerged from his face. He let out a few roars as all the pustules on his face broke. Black liquid shot out everywhere and released black smoke as it landed on the walls.
There are many levels of cores in a spirit beast, but only when a creature reaches spirit beast level does a true core form. Although some variants also have cores, those are just fakes. They are just formed by their spiritual energy and used as storage.
A real core is very different as they are the basis for all of that beast’s techniques. When a beast reaches low quality spirit beast rank, an earth core similar to that of a Core Formation cultivator’s core is formed. However, it is still very different from the core of a Core Formation cultivator.
When they become mid quality spirit beasts, their earth cores turn into heaven cores, and when they become high quality spirit beasts, their heaven cores turn into origin cores, only one step away from a desolate beast’s origin soul!
Only when they reach desolate beast rank do their origin cores turn into origin souls. At that point, they truly become powerful desolate beasts.
The black gas on Hunchback Meng became even denser as he lied on the ground and grabbed the toad. After grabbing the toad, he pressed it against his forehead.
More and more black liquid came out of the toad. This liquid covered the pustules on Hunchback Meng’s face and entered them. Eventually, the entire toad turned into black liquid, which was absorbed by Hunchback Meng.
The hump on Hunchback Meng’s back suddenly swelled up and numerous pustules appeared on it. These pustules covered his entire back. Looking at him now, he looked similar to the toad.
Hunchback Meng closed his eyes. Black gas gathered on his forehead and formed a vortex. Then he suddenly opened his eyes. His pupils were now triangular. They revealed a ruthless gaze.
As Hunchback Meng clenched his fists, black lightning appeared and crackled in his hand. He took a deep breath and muttered to himself, in a husky voice, “This ancient demonic technique is really amazing. By using the origin core of the high quality spirit beast toad, it was able to increase my cultivation to the peak of late stage Soul Formation. This time I will be able to charge through! However, this price is simply too great. If I wasn’t forced into this helpless situation… alas!”
With that, he slowly walked out of the black tower. When he came out, lightning formed by the merged divine senses suddenly descended. Hunchback Meng, with eyes fierce, spat out green gas. The moment the divine sense lightning entered the green gas, it slowed down a bit. Taking this opportunity, Hunchback Meng jumped into one of the tornados.
The tornado suddenly stopped spinning and the small creatures inside it spread out. However, they didn’t move far before exploding. Their blood rain downed from the sky.
Hunchback Meng’s eyes were ruthless as he jumped into the next tornado.
But shortly after, millions of divine senses merged together to form a lance that charged forth like it was going to break the sky.
This lance left many after images as it travel across the sky. One second it was in the air and the next it was closing in on Hunchback Meng, leaving behind sonic booms. Even the restrictions of the earth trial were affected; they let out thunderous roars.
The tornado Wang Lin was in was far in the back, so it didn’t affect him much. He stared at Hunchback Meng’s inhuman figure. He paid extra attention to the bag of holding on Hunchback Meng’s waist.
As for the divine sense lance, Hunchback Meng only took one gaze at it before forming a seal with his hands and letting out a complex chant. Suddenly, a small, four-legged cauldron covered in gas flew out of his mouth.
The moment the cauldron appeared, a thick, green gas began to spread out of it. The lance landed on the small cauldron. The collision of the two created a thunderous rumble and a 10-foot-thick shock wave quickly spread out. Even the tornados were forced to escape. Those that weren’t quick enough were hit by the shock wave. All of the small creatures inside those tornados turned to dust.
Wang Lin’s eyes sparkled as he backed up along with the other tornados, but his gaze was still locked onto Hunchback Meng. He didn’t blink even once.
The small cauldron in the air snapped in half and fell from the sky. But the lance that hit it began to turn green starting from the tip. Soon, the entire lance was green. It trembled before shattering into individual divine senses.
This was when something strange happened. Almost every divine sense that was part of the lance had a sliver of green on it. The green began to quickly spread and within only a few seconds all of the divine senses that were part of the lance became completely green.
The moment the green cauldron snapped in half, Hunchback Meng’s body suddenly weakened. He coughed out several mouthfuls of essence blood. That green cauldron was his life treasure. Using his late stage Soul Formation cultivation, he was able to use it to withstand the attack of more than a billion divine senses merged together, but it was split in half in the end.
Hunchback Meng didn’t have time to feel pain over the loss. His eyes were bloodshot as he stared at the green divine senses covering the sky.
All of the divine senses that were colored green exploded and turned into spiritual energy. Once their divine senses shattered, their bodies also died.
As the divine senses exploded, a large number of the tornados stopped spinning and the small creatures within them fell from the sky.
Hunchback Meng reached out and put the green cauldron that had snapped in half back into his bag of holding. He took this chance to escape, and the direction he went toward just happened to be where Wang Lin’s tornado was.
At this moment, the king tornado let out a thunderous roar. The tornado suddenly stopped spinning, revealing 30-foot-long flying creature.
Its size was many times larger than the rest of its kind, but to Wang Lin, it couldn’t even compare to the desolate dragon in the tunnel.
As the beast roared, it jumped forth. Sound waves spread out from its sharp beak as it flew. Wherever the sound wave traveled, the space of the earth trial showed signs of tearing. This showed just how powerful it was.
At the same time, all of the remaining tornados charged toward Hunchback Meng, especially the ones that were where Hunchback Meng was going. They all charged forth, not caring about their lives as they attempted to stop Hunchback Meng. Divine sense, sound waves, and various attacks rained down on Hunchback Meng. However, none of them were able to stop Hunchback Meng. Every tornado was destroyed when Hunchback Meng rammed into them.
However, every time he collided with one, the black vortex on his forehead became a bit fainter. He secretly complained in his heart. He knew that the increase to his cultivation level was about to end. If he paused for even one moment, he would be hit by the sound wave of the king tornado. Thinking about this, he flew even faster.
Wang Lin saw that at the moment the king creature let out the sound wave, there was a flash of light coming from the creature’s forehead. There was a golden finger sticking out of its forehead.
He didn’t have too much time to think about it, because Hunchback Meng was closing in. Wang Lin’s eyes lit up as he sneered and slapped his bag of holding. The dragon tendon suddenly flew out. It quickly condensed and created branches that also condensed around the same spot, creating a thick stick.
The moment Hunchback Meng closed in, the tornado he was in backed up. Among all the other tornados, his tornado was almost unnoticeable.
When Hunchback Meng charged by, Wang Lin threw out the dragon tendon. Hunchback Meng had just charged through a tornado when he suddenly noticed an abnormal fluctuation of spiritual energy. But at this moment, the area was filled with spiritual energy from the dead creatures, so unless he checked very carefully, it was hard to detect exactly what it was.
Hunchback Meng was dead set on fleeing, so while he noticed it, he didn’t think much of it. Hunchback Meng didn’t think there were any other human cultivators here besides himself.
However, when he suddenly felt his right leg being pulled by a powerful force, his expression changed greatly. Without even needing to turn his head, thanks to his experience, he was able to tell that it was a magic treasure made from the tendon of a beast. There was no way for those small creatures to use magic treasures, so the only other answer meant that it was a human cultivator!
Hunchback Meng normally wouldn’t care much about these kinds of treasures. All he had to do was use a bit of spiritual energy to shatter it and use poison on it to poison the user.
However, he was currently surrounded by black tornados that were sending endless waves of divine sense and sound wave attacks. He was already struggling to charge through by force on this last breath of spiritual energy. Especially due to the fact that his life treasure had shattered, he was in a sorry state. If it wasn’t for the combination of the ancient demonic technique and the toad, he would already be dead.
At this critical moment, this normally insignificant dragon tendon was like a death rune that was imprinted on his body. Although that dragon tendon shattered under his force, this caused him to pause for a moment.
It was just one pause, but it lasted long enough for the sound waves to arrive at his back and for the attacks from the nearby tornados to close in.
The straw can’t kill the camel, but it can be the breaking point that causes the camel to be crushed to death.
The effect of the dragon tendon was like that straw.
As Hunchback Meng was hit in the back by the sound waves, he coughed out blood and was sent flying. Just at this moment, a giant tornado passed by him. A hand reached out of it and grabbed the bag of holding on his waist.
At that moment, Hunchback Meng vaguely saw through the tornado. He saw Wang Lin’s mocking smile. He became furious and coughed out another mouthful of blood. The blood turned into a gas that would make people nauseous and chased after the tornado.
After Wang Lin grabbed the bag of holding, he ordered the second devil to fly as quickly as possible toward the vortex without any hesitation. That was the entrance to the second trial.
As for the blood, it was blocked by the small creatures that formed the tornado. However, the toxins inside that blood were no joke, and since Wang Lin was always cautious, he jumped out of the tornado the moment it was hit by the blood. Close behind him were the two devils.
The moment Wang Lin landed, he entered the ground with his earth escape technique and quickly moved forward. As for the tornado, the blood completely infected it and all the small creatures inside it died.
Although a lot of things happened, they happened very fast. In just the blink of an eye, the bag of holding on Hunchback Meng’s waist disappeared.
When Hunchback Meng was hit by the sound wave, his bones and flesh began to break. The many pustules on his back broke, releasing a black, foul-smelling liquid. Any small creatures that touched the black liquid immediately died.
At this moment, he saw that his blood attack was blocked and Wang Lin escaped. He didn’t even feel heartbroken about his stolen bag of holding. Instead, he was filled with a deep urge to kill Wang Lin. If it wasn’t for Wang Lin, he would have already made it through this blockade and reached the second trial.
However, all of this changed due to Wang Lin’s appearance. With Hunchback Meng’s intelligence, he immediately realized that he had been making a path for Wang Lin this whole time. He even attracted the attention of all the tornados. Otherwise, with that kid’s Core Formation cultivation, how else could he have safely passed through the first trial?