Chapter 107: The Outbreak of War

"Such powerful demonic energy..."

Li Guanxuan flew forward on his sword, his gaze fixed ahead, his expression solemn. In that region, fierce demonic energy surged between heaven and earth; it was at the very least a demon king on the verge of entering the third rank.

"The Golden Sun Ganoderma is about to ripen." Qin Jiyue narrowed her alluring fox-like eyes. Only when the five-hundred-year-old Golden Sun Ganoderma truly reached maturity would it attract such a powerful demonic beast. Moreover, the peak Foundation Establishment cultivators from numerous sects would also launch a struggle for it there.

"There should be quite a few other spiritual herbs surrounding the Golden Sun Ganoderma. Let's not touch that powder keg; we'll see if we can scavenge some one or two-hundred-year-old herbs. If there aren't any, so be it, no need to force it. Our primary mission is to rescue Old Chen and help him return to the Ten Thousand Mountains," Li Guanxuan said seriously. His immortal energy could accelerate the ripening of spiritual herbs, so there was no need to scramble for those others—a few more sessions of dual cultivation would suffice.

"You don't intend to take the demon core of a beast about to enter the third rank? And that beast hide?" Qin Jiyue asked in a low voice. "This demon core might be our only leverage against a False Core master." A demon core could be used in the art of puppetry, and the hide could be made into talisman paper.

"No," Li Guanxuan said decisively. "Let's see whose hands that core falls into later. At worst, we'll spend some extra spirit stones to buy it off them, or have Master step in." Contesting for treasures came with a price. Li Guanxuan had already killed so many great Foundation Establishment cultivators from the Ink Pavilion; he had no desire to offend anyone else right now.

Hearing this, Qin Jiyue nodded slightly. When away from home, it was best to listen to one's man.

...

This area was crowded with demonic beasts, cultivators, and demonic practitioners. Almost all were at least mid-stage Foundation Establishment; those at the early stage couldn't even squeeze into this circle.

Chen Yinshan and Fang Xingzhi were hiding in a corner. Their target was not the five-hundred-year-old Golden Sun Ganoderma, which was something for late-stage and peak Foundation Establishment cultivators to fight over. Mid-stage Foundation Establishment cultivators like them only needed to keep their eyes on the surrounding two or three-hundred-year-old herbs.

Chen Yinshan had now reached the mid-stage of Foundation Establishment, and the madness in his eyes had been suppressed; at least his emotions were under control. Having cultivated the "Seven Kill Demonic Technique" to the second level, he feared no mid-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator. He was even a match for the average late-stage great cultivator. If he encountered someone stronger... he would simply run.

"Thunder Fire Sect, Bright Moon Sword Sect, Dan Ding Sect, Ink Pavilion... so many righteous cultivators. Aside from Yan Mingyao, that standout among mid-stage Foundation Establishment cultivators, Ling Jiansheng of the Bright Moon Sword Sect is here too." Chen Yinshan licked his lips, his eyes brimming with intense battle intent.

Fang Xingzhi said with a hint of a headache, "Take it easy. If we jump out, Yan Mingyao will be the first to deal with us. Don't forget, although he is only at the fifth level of Foundation Establishment, he possesses an eighth-level puppet. Both you and I would have to run if we saw him."

"Run? The area is crawling with demonic beasts. I'll lure that puppet into a pack of beasts and see if he doesn't feel the sting," Chen Yinshan sneered.

"Don't underestimate the enemy..." Fang Xingzhi sighed deeply, worrying like an old father over his foolish son. He said in a low voice, "Our target is the three-hundred-year-old Dragon Scale Fruit. Once you get it, swallow it immediately and then flee. Don't do anything extra, understand?"

Fang Xingzhi was no longer the hothead he once was. He knew how to make trade-offs and understood the meaning of planning before acting. Only through sneak attacks and lethal strikes could one truly survive. Reckless acts like robbery were for those without brains.

"Fine." Chen Yinshan nodded, scanning his surroundings, looking to see if he could find a trace of Li Guanxuan. *Old Li is probably at the early stage of Foundation Establishment, and with his timid nature, he shouldn't be here...* Chen Yinshan sighed inwardly. That was for the best; it saved him from worrying. If Old Li were here, he wouldn't be able to look after him. After all, he was at the bottom of the food chain here, with late-stage and peak Foundation Establishment masters overhead; if he encountered them, he would have to run for his life.

"Silver Maple City, Illusion Extreme Sect, Black Rain Sect, Starfall Valley—these demonic cultivators are here too... Huh, City Lord Cao Feng of Silver Maple City actually came himself. It seems he also has his eyes on this Golden Sun Ganoderma." Fang Xingzhi observed the demonic cultivators present, a flash of surprise in his eyes.

"Silver Maple City..." Chen Yinshan muttered to himself. He remembered someone telling him that Old Li lived in Silver Maple City because Qin Jiyue was also a demonic cultivator... He didn't know who that person was, only that they had white hair and white clothes, with an outrageously strong demonic aura.

"We should help Silver Maple City," Chen Yinshan whispered. "Old Li and his wives live in that city. If we can make the City Lord owe us a favor, he should be able to make things convenient for them."

Fang Xingzhi was taken aback. "Your old friend also lives in Silver Maple City?"

"Why?" Chen Yinshan looked at him, startled. "That benefactor of yours..."

Fang Xingzhi nodded. "Yes, he lives in Silver Maple City and is a guest elder of the Myriad Phenomena Pavilion."

"Myriad Phenomena Pavilion..." Chen Yinshan murmured. *What a coincidence.*

Fang Xingzhi pondered for a moment and said slowly, "If I remember correctly, your old friend is also surnamed Li, right?"

Chen Yinshan looked strange. "You don't think Old Li is your benefactor, do you? Don't overthink it. He has four-element low-grade spiritual roots; his aptitude is terrible. He is proficient in talisman making, and while he has dabbled in alchemy, he can only refine basic recovery pills. Advanced pills like the Foundation Establishment Pill are completely beyond him, let alone the art of puppetry." He simply did not believe Li Guanxuan could have become so remarkably talented. After all, they had been neighbors for decades; he knew the man's background inside and out. A second-rank mid-to-high-grade alchemist, talisman master, and puppeteer? And slightly versed in formations? Don't joke around—even with the greatest luck, it was impossible for Li Guanxuan to master four cultivation crafts.

Seeing Chen Yinshan's certain tone, Fang Xingzhi didn't dwell on it further. Indeed, someone with four-element low-grade spiritual roots reaching the level of his benefactor was unlikely in this lifetime.

At that moment, the Golden Sun Ganoderma ripened. Rich spiritual energy diffused through the air, making everyone's eyes turn red with greed.

...

"The Golden Sun Ganoderma has ripened! Move!" The Master of the Thunder Fire Sect's eyes shot out a gleam of intense longing. With the backing of a True Core master, he was the most imposing person there. However, the sect masters and elders of the Bright Moon Sword Sect, the Dan Ding Sect, and the Ink Pavilion did not move. This was because near the Golden Sun Ganoderma stood a Green-Eyed Fire Lion on the verge of entering the third rank.

"Roar!" The Green-Eyed Fire Lion let out an angry bellow. Around it, numerous demonic beasts glared with murderous intent, standing ready to face the human cultivators.

Aside from them, the demonic cultivators from Silver Maple City, the Illusion Extreme Sect, the Black Rain Sect, and Starfall Valley watched the Thunder Fire Sect Master and the others with mocking smiles. They were in no rush. To them, slaughtering righteous cultivators was far more satisfying than snatching a five-hundred-year-old herb. Moreover, these righteous cultivators carried valuable storage artifacts. Killing them would yield a bountiful harvest all the same.

The Thunder Fire Sect Master saw through their intentions and said coldly, "If you aren't here for the five-hundred-year-old herb, then leave this place. Don't think we'll be making wedding dresses for you... If you push us too far, no one will have it easy!"

"The Green-Eyed Fire Lion is currently absorbing the medicinal energy of the Golden Sun Ganoderma. Once it's finished, it will likely enter the third rank... We aren't forcing you; you're just too impatient." The Master of Starfall Valley was a woman in a purple dress, her figure alluring, with delicate curves and a slender willow waist. Every look and smile was soul-stirring, her red lips inviting a kiss. With the subtle charm techniques she exuded, men with weak resolve could hardly resist. But those who knew her understood that she was a poisonous scorpion in human skin. It was rumored that every man she took a liking to ended up dead before the wedding night. Thus, she was known as the bane of men.

The Thunder Fire Sect Master stared at her and sneered, "When the war breaks out, you'll be the first I kill!" To a puppeteer like him, women were never as fun as puppets.

"I await your arrival with pleasure," the Starfall Valley Master giggled, her charming eyes filled with murderous intent.

"Xing Yuan, use your divination to calculate who will end up with this Golden Sun Ganoderma, and we'll just slaughter that person first," Cao Feng said with a grin. Xing Yuan was the Starfall Valley Master's name, and she was also a diviner.

"Huh?" Suddenly, the Master of the Illusion Extreme Sect noticed that the eye of his formation had been moved, then placed back in its original position.

"What's wrong?" The Master of the Black Rain Sect was entirely clad in black, his eye sockets filled with endless darkness—not a hint of white to be seen—making him feel like a demon from the abyss. His observation skills were keen, and he could instantly spot the anomaly.

"Someone moved my formation eye," the Illusion Extreme Sect Master said softly. "But they put it back... How interesting. This person's formation skill shouldn't be very high, otherwise, they could have destroyed it."

"Which direction?" the Black Rain Sect Master asked.

"To the west."

The moment the words left his lips, the Black Rain Sect Master's divine sense swept across the area, only to find that the location of the formation eye was empty. He frowned. "No one there."

"No one?" The Illusion Extreme Sect Master was stunned, then laughed. "It seems the person is very cautious and has no intention of exposing themselves... Never mind. Looking at their actions, perhaps they discovered it by accident and had no malicious intent." After all, any other formation master would have wrecked it; why let him set up a formation in such a vital spot? The fact that they moved it and put it back clearly showed they didn't want trouble.

"Someone can't hold back anymore..." the Black Rain Sect Master chuckled.

As he spoke, the Bright Moon Sword Master summoned three spirit swords, a formidable sword intent spreading out as he struck at the Illusion Extreme Sect Master.

Slaying demons and eliminating evil had always been the duty of sword cultivators. Although the Bright Moon Sword Master also wanted the Golden Sun Ganoderma, he had to see a peak Foundation Establishment demonic cultivator fall first. Only then would the righteous side have a chance. Furthermore, if this dragged on, once the Green-Eyed Fire Lion became a third-rank beast king, all the human cultivators present would die.

"So impatient?" Cao Feng chuckled. He gripped his right hand, and a pitch-black long saber engraved with intricate silver patterns appeared, which he swung directly forward.

"Boom!" A loud sound shattered the silence.

The Green-Eyed Fire Lion roared in anger. It was declaring to all that the Golden Sun Ganoderma belonged to it; whoever dared to take it would die!

The Thunder Fire Sect Master remained expressionless. A third-rank puppet suddenly broke through the air, its punch heavy with power, smashing toward the lion. "Beast, you dare absorb the energy of the Golden Sun Ganoderma!" His murderous intent was set. In his eyes, the herb was his, and the lion was courting death!

The Green-Eyed Fire Lion possessed intelligence; seeing the third-rank puppet approach, it collided with it without fear. In an instant, the battle erupted!

Numerous mid- and late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivators joined the fray. They couldn't care less about anything else—first, they had to scavenge all the surrounding herbs! Since the five-hundred-year-old herb had ripened, it had inevitably accelerated the growth of the others. Their goal wasn't the Golden Sun Ganoderma, but the two-, three-, or even four-hundred-year-old herbs!

"It's started! It's started!" The scene before him made Chen Yinshan incredibly excited. His adrenaline surged, and he couldn't wait to charge out.

Fang Xingzhi gripped his shoulder tightly. "Don't be reckless. If you go out now to fight for herbs, you're just throwing your life away! We'll wait and see who grabs the two- or three-hundred-year-old Dragon Scale Fruit, then we'll kill them and take it!" This was the safest plan. With the battle raging, no one could pay attention to others; this was their best chance to pick up the scraps.

Chen Yinshan lowered his voice, a hint of madness in his eyes. "Once I get the three-hundred-year-old Dragon Scale Fruit, my 'Seven Kill Demonic Technique' will reach the perfection of the second level. A two-hundred-year-old one would only be half of the second level... Moreover, the moment I swallow it, my combat power will be comparable to the seventh level of Foundation Establishment. Even if it only lasts for the time it takes to burn a stick of incense, it'll be enough to kill many people!"

He could no longer suppress the desire in his heart. He saw a four-hundred-year-old Dragon Scale Fruit, and a late-stage Foundation Establishment master was already flying toward it.

"Steady!" Fang Xingzhi gritted his teeth. "I've gone through so much trouble to keep you hidden until now, not to have you go die! Believe me, I'll get that fruit for you!"

"I believe you, but I need power even more urgently. Only by forming a True Core can I resurrect my lover!" Chen Yinshan's eyes were gradually filled with madness, and a sinister, demonic aura permeated the air.

Just then, the head of the You family seemed to sense this familiar aura and looked over. "Deacon Yan, it's them!" he shouted in surprise.

However, Yan Mingyao had no time for them; he was flying toward a three-hundred-year-old Heavenly Origin Fruit. He needed the Heavenly Origin Pill and the Yellow Court Pill to break through to the late stage of Foundation Establishment! Right now was the best time to collect materials; he couldn't care less about some demonic cultivator.

Seeing that this dog of a man was so unreliable, the You family head cursed inwardly and led his clan's cultivators toward Chen Yinshan. In any case, only when these two demonic cultivators were dead could the You family sleep soundly!

"You damn idiot!" Fang Xingzhi slapped him across the face, growling, "If you die, your partner dies too! Everything you've done will have been for nothing!" He knew why Chen Yinshan was losing control. A four-hundred-year-old Dragon Scale Fruit was enough to support his cultivation to the third level of the technique, reaching the late stage of Foundation Establishment. The more he craved it, the more his desire bred madness, stimulating the insanity deep within his soul.

"I can't care about that anymore! Since leaving the Ten Thousand Mountains, I was destined to become something neither human nor ghost!" Chen Yinshan's eyes were bloodshot. He looked at Fang Xingzhi, struggling to maintain his sanity, and gritted his teeth. "Old Fang, I don't have much time left. You go first!"

Fang Xingzhi gritted his teeth. If Chen Yinshan lost control, he would tear him apart. He had to leave now! He couldn't handle this madman.

However, just as Fang Xingzhi turned to leave, he saw a figure flash past him and appear directly in front of Chen Yinshan. Then, the person raised their hand high and delivered a heavy slap across Chen Yinshan's face.

"Smack!" A crisp, resonant sound rang out.