Chapter 102: Astonishing Sword

Originally, the little black cat lazily perched on Gu Yao's shoulder. But now, Gu Yao noticed that its small body was tense like a bow, ready to spring out at any moment. Its eyes narrowed into slits as it stared intently at a certain direction ahead.

Jiang Yan said cautiously, "Yes, all this can only mean that there have been recent changes. Everyone, be careful. The scent emitted by the numerous exotic flowers and plants here, when mixed together, can have hallucinogenic effects. It's easy to fall prey to them without vigilance."

Zhou Li and the others were already in this state, but they became even more cautious after Jiang Yan's reminder. To prevent any unexpected occurrences, they even took a Clear Spirit Pill provided by Gu Yao. After taking it, a cool sensation quickly surged into their brains, making them feel clear-headed and refreshed. The surrounding beautiful world of flowers and plants was still there, but now they didn't feel safer than the secluded valley on the other side.

"It is impossible to enter a tiger's den without entering a tiger's lair. Let's go, try not to separate. If we get separated, try to stay awake," Jiang Yan reminded.

"Okay."

Although Gu Yao was extremely interested in the exotic flowers and plants here, he didn't act on his own before understanding the situation here, fearing that it would cause trouble.

As they took a few steps in the sea of flowers, the little black cat suddenly jumped down. Just as Gu Yao was about to call it back, he saw it brandishing its claws and slashing down a large area of flowers and plants in front.

"What is this cat doing? It's too dangerous like this, quickly call it back!" Zhou Li exclaimed.

"Wait!" Chi Changye spoke up to stop the actions of others, he took a few steps forward with Gu Yao and waved his palm to clear away the shredded flowers and plants. The scene below immediately revealed itself, causing everyone to gasp in shock.

"It's Senior Zhao E!"

Zhou Li and the others immediately recognized the person below, whose body was covered in roots. It was the missing disciple, but what was even more eerie was not only the roots sticking out of his body, but also his facial expression. It remained perfectly intact, with a satisfied smile as if immersed in the most wonderful world. However, his entire body had become nourishment for the flowers and plants, absorbed completely by the roots, leaving only a dried-up husk.

This indicates that Zhao E died in ignorance and unconsciousness. Maybe he was still immersed in the most beautiful illusion before he died. This speculation made Zhou Li's hair stand on end, and he almost followed in Zhao E's footsteps.

So, does it mean that those who escaped are lucky, and those who couldn't escape ended up the same way? Zhou Li immediately turned his head towards Jiang Yan, aware of how important Jiang Senior Brother was to Lu Senior Brother.

Jiang Yan's face indeed showed a rare seriousness and solemnity, no longer the ease he had before. Under these beautiful flowers and plants, who knows how many cultivators are buried? Just as he was about to collect Zhao Min's body and bring it back to the academy, the roots and vines unexpectedly started to move. The cut parts grew back at a visible speed. It seemed like they were about to conceal Zhao Min's body again.

Jiang Yan waved his hand, summoning a blade made of condensed water. The blade spun and cut off the vines and plants. He used a water snake transformation technique to wrap Zhao Min's body and was about to drag it over. Suddenly, more vines surged from the ground, trying to snatch it away. Zhou Li and the others immediately stepped in to help. As each fragrant flower was cut and shattered, the air around them became filled with an increasingly rich scent.

"Meow!"

The black cat cub let out a sharp cry, and Gu Yao looked around. The entire splendid world of flowers and plants transformed from motionless inanimate objects into living beings. They twisted and also exposed more bodies below, including disciples from Tianfu Academy, Qiuyu Sect, and many demonic beasts that should have lived in the Quqiu Mountains. None of their expressions showed pain because of the arrival of death; instead, they all wore satisfied smiles.

"Meow, meow, meow!"

The black cat cub turned back and called out to Gu Yao a few times, then turned its head and ran forward. Gu Yao sensed that the black cat cub wanted him to follow, as the layers of vines and flowers pressed and squeezed towards them. The fragrance was so strong that his mind was almost losing consciousness. If they continued like this, they would probably face dire consequences.

So, he said, "Quick, follow the kitten!"

"Okay!" Chi Changye understood the black cat cub's intentions as soon as he noticed its movement. He grabbed Gu Yao's arm and cleared the way with his sword, closely following the running black cat cub. He instructed Tian Feirong and Xiaopangzi, "Follow us! Hurry!"

Tian Feirong and Xiaopangzi naturally followed without hesitation. Their only chance of survival was to follow Chi Changye and the others. Otherwise, in such a sinister place, they would only await death.

"Follow them!" Jiang Yan immediately ordered, not hesitating for a moment as he ran after Chi Changye. At the same time, he used his powers to clear the obstructing vines on the path. "Hold your breath and don't inhale the outside fragrance!"

That black cat cub is indeed extraordinary, allowing Chi Changye and Gu Yao to trust it so much and follow without hesitation. Jiang Yan's mind quickly flashed this thought.

Shredded petals are swirling in the air, some fragments sticking to people. What is alarming is that these petal fragments are able to absorb the spiritual power in the body, making it harder to control the flow of spiritual power. In panic, they grab pills like Qing Shen Dan and Ji Du Dan and swallow them, hoping to hold on for a while longer. They might be able to break out of this strange place in the next moment, so they don't care about the potential issue of excessive toxicity.

As the black cat cub runs, its body gradually undergoes changes, growing bigger in size and surrounded by black mist. Whenever the petal vines touch it, they are immediately corroded, and the energy released is absorbed by the cub. The cub's aura also begins to rise.

Realizing that the unusual petal vines have not stopped attacking the black cat cub, but instead became more intense, Chi Changye, Jiang Yan, and the others may not have figured out why the cub is changing, but the actions of the petal vines have given them a hint that the place the cub is heading to may be the core that those things are guarding.

The entire world of flowers and plants has turned into a terrifying giant beast, opening its sharp teeth. The petals gather in the air, forming a storm, mixed with the thick and sturdy pythons formed by the condensed roots of the vines. They aim to devour the group of cultivators below.

In an instant, Chi Changye is enveloped in lightning, holding a sharp sword. Threads of lightning wrap around and dance, and with the command "attack," the sword slashes through the air. Accompanied by a loud explosion, the road blocked by the storm pythons is torn open. This time, Gu Yao quickly pulls Chi Changye in, and at the same time, the green vine formed by the small sword drags Tian Feirong and Xiaopangzi in.

"Phew!" Just as Chi Changye stabilizes himself, he spews out a mouthful of blood.

"Brother Ye, are you okay?" Gu Yao anxiously pours the highest quality healing pill from the bottle into Chi Changye's mouth, not caring if anyone sees.

Jiang Yan, Zhou Li, and the others are still immersed in the shock brought by Chi Changye's earth-shattering sword strike. It takes them a while to come back to their senses when they hear Gu Yao's exclamations. With Gu Yao's support, Chi Changye has already sat up, looks around the situation, and realizes they have escaped the dangerous world. He shows a reassuring smile to Gu Yao, then closes his eyes and adjusts his breath.

Gu Yao stays by Chi Changye's side, the black cat cub showing no abnormalities, returning to its obedient state as it lies on Gu Yao's lap. Tian Feirong and Xiaopangzi, although drowsy, still persist in guarding, fully aware that they were able to escape the danger earlier thanks to Chi Changye's extraordinary performance. It is clear that he has paid a great price, so they must do everything in their power to protect him.

Jiang Yan and his group step back and guard, looking at each other, still in awe. The power of that sword earlier far surpasses the strength of a Qi Refining expert, and even a Foundation Building cultivator might not be able to match it. So, what exactly is Chi Changye's cultivation level?

After adjusting for a while, the chaotic Thunder Spiritual Power on the body of Late Long Night calmed down a lot, and the breath also stabilized. Jiang Yan and others breathed a sigh of relief. Late Long Night should have forcefully increased his spiritual power to unleash that sword, exceeding the body's tolerance and causing backlash. The situation should be much more stable now. If irreversible consequences were caused, they would feel somewhat indebted. "I will stay here. Zhou Li, you take a few people to explore the surroundings and see the situation here," Jiang Yan instructed. "Okay, senior brother, don't worry." Zhou Li also adjusted for a while, restoring some spiritual power, enough to deal with average enemies. His senior brother was much stronger, so guarding Late Long Night shouldn't be a problem. Zhou Li took his people to investigate the environment here. As they looked around, they couldn't help but be curious about Late Long Night. "Wasn't he the attendant of Gu Dan when he first entered the academy? It wasn't until the battle with Wu Meng that he started to become famous. But today it seems that his strength is far beyond what he showed when fighting against Wu Meng. His Thunder Spiritual Power is extremely solid and pure. His talent must be very high. How come it wasn't detected back then? If it had been detected, would Wu Meng dare to provoke Late Long Night?" Zhou Li chuckled and shook his head. "He entered as an attendant back then. Who would test an attendant? Besides, which attendant in previous years has hidden themselves so well? Moreover, Late Bro has already caught the attention of Elder Yi. The other peaks can't make a move either." As far as he knew, Elder Yi hadn't given up on his plans. "Yeah, just by looking at the sword he just slashed, you can tell that he's a genius in sword cultivation. It would be unthinkable if he didn't enter the Sword Peak. Maybe he will be different from the people who challenged the Sword Pavilion in the past. If our Tianfu Academy produces another cultivator like the dean, our academy's status and reputation in the Tianlin Continent will greatly change." Who wouldn't want Tianfu Academy to have a good reputation, instead of being called a trash refuge like it is now? "Stop talking, the power of that previous sword makes me want to go and learn swordsmanship in the Sword Peak." Zhou Li's heart was moved. It turned out that sword cultivators really can challenge higher-level opponents. Although the group talked as they walked, they never let their guard down. Suddenly, Zhou Li's breath stagnated, and then he quickened his pace. "Quick, Senior Brother Lu is up ahead!"