Chapter 47: Demon Core Cave

Chapter 47: Chapter 47: Demon Core Cave

Though he didn’t know what kind of Secret Technique Lin Mu had used to sprout Spiritual Power Wings and take flight, the enraged Sleeping Tiger Elephants continued to chase him relentlessly on the ground.

Yi Xiaoyao sprinted, following close behind. He knew that no matter how high or fast Lin Mu flew, his Spiritual Power Wings would eventually run out of Spiritual Power.

Earlier, Yi Xiaoyao had been worried about the danger, so after having Jin Sanbao and Xuan Mo awaken the Sleeping Tiger Elephants, he arranged for them to wait for his return in a safe location.

After all, neither of them had any Spiritual Cultivation, and their means of self-defense were exhausted. They had virtually no ability to fight back or protect themselves in close combat.

The chase through the forest lasted for the better part of a day.

High up ahead, Lin Mu’s figure began to falter. His Spiritual Power Wings had become nearly transparent, and it looked like he could plummet from the sky at any second.

’This guy... he’s finally about to run out of Spiritual Power.’

Yi Xiaoyao marveled inwardly. He had to admit, Lin Mu’s flight-based Secret Technique was incredibly powerful to allow him to fly for so long using only Spiritual Power.

As for Yi Xiaoyao, he had been pushing his legs to their limits with bursts of Spiritual Power just to keep up, and his own reserves were nearly depleted as well.

He watched as Lin Mu, high above, seemed to erupt with his last vestiges of Spiritual Power, suddenly diving toward a valley below.

The next moment, Yi Xiaoyao’s expression changed, and he skidded to a halt.

Because the two Sleeping Tiger Elephants ahead had both let out long roars and stopped in their tracks.

Yi Xiaoyao found it extremely odd. ’These two behemoths have been chasing him all this way. Why would they suddenly give up when they’re so close to catching him?’

The two Sleeping Tiger Elephants grew extremely agitated, pacing back and forth within a confined area, yet they wouldn’t take a single step into the valley ahead.

Through careful observation, Yi Xiaoyao quickly came to a conclusion.

’It seems they don’t dare enter the valley ahead.’

’Now that I think about it, Lin Mu had a clear destination this entire time. He must have already known the Sleeping Tiger Elephants wouldn’t dare set foot in this valley, which is why he fled here to hide.’

Yi Xiaoyao began to hesitate, wondering if he should enter the valley as well.

He worried that a region that not even high-level Tier 2 Demon Beasts like the Sleeping Tiger Elephants dared to enter might be home to an even more powerful Demon Beast.

But he quickly dismissed the thought. While the two Sleeping Tiger Elephants were roaring in frustrated fury, he erupted with his full speed, dashed past them, and entered the valley.

’I have to get my Demon Core back, and I might as well kill Lin Mu! Besides, I’m also incredibly curious about what’s actually in this valley.’

Yi Xiaoyao muttered to himself, glanced back at the two Sleeping Tiger Elephants that dared not approach, and then resolutely vanished into the dense woods of the valley ahead.

「An incense stick’s time later.」

Yi Xiaoyao was now cautiously observing his surroundings.

Ever since he’d stepped into the valley, it had felt unnaturally quiet. There wasn’t a single bird in the trees.

Suddenly, Yi Xiaoyao’s gaze froze. There was a cave up ahead.

The cave was not only astonishingly large, but it also emanated a faint, mysterious glow from within.

Yi Xiaoyao stood outside the entrance, hesitating about whether to go inside and investigate, when a peal of ecstatic laughter suddenly echoed from within.

It was unmistakably Lin Mu’s voice.

...

The space inside the cave was quite vast. Embedded in the surrounding walls were glowing stones that bathed the cavern in a bright, eerie light.

Lin Mu walked through the cave, his face pale from the massive consumption of his Spiritual Power.

’My Immortal Soul inheritance is related to Demon Beasts. Aside from the Cultivation Technique, it also contains images of certain Demon Beasts. One of those images depicted this very place.’

’Because Qi Yue and the others were around before, I couldn’t reveal anything. I finally have the chance to come here.’

’According to the images in my inheritance, this should be an Ancient Demon Beast’s lair. Even if the Ancient Demon Beast is long gone, the Sleeping Tiger Elephants still wouldn’t dare approach.’

As Lin Mu muttered to himself, he suddenly froze, his eyes locked on what was in front of him. His face flushed red with excitement.

Ahead of him lay a mountain of Demon Beast skeletons and an uncountable number of Demon Cores!

The next moment, Lin Mu burst into a fit of ecstatic laughter.

"So many Demon Cores! I’ve struck it rich! I’m going to be number one in the Demon Core rankings for this assessment!"

He then began to frantically gather the Demon Cores, his once-pale face now glowing with excitement.

"Speaking of which, I really have to thank that Yi Xiaoyao. If it weren’t for him, how would I ever have had the chance to come here!"

Lin Mu remarked smugly as he continued to gather the Demon Cores.

Just then, a cool voice responded, causing Lin Mu to freeze mid-motion.

"Thank me? No need. I should be thanking you for bringing me here."

Yi Xiaoyao’s expression was also tinged with excitement. He never expected that following Lin Mu would lead him to a treasure trove of Demon Cores.

Lin Mu whipped around. Seeing Yi Xiaoyao standing behind him with a faint smile, his face instantly filled with Killing Intent.

"Yi Xiaoyao? You’ve got some nerve, daring to follow me all the way here."

Lin Mu said as he stood up, sneering, "Since you’re so eager to die, I’ll grant your wish and avenge my dead companions!"

Yi Xiaoyao’s expression remained unchanged as he smiled. "Is this how you thank me?"

"Hmph! Yi Xiaoyao, don’t think you can compete with me just because you killed my three companions. The last two were severely injured by the Demon Beasts, and as for Zhao Fei, he underestimated you. That’s why you killed him before he could even use half of his strength."

As he spoke, Spiritual Power erupted from his body. He sneered, "And I won’t repeat Zhao Fei’s mistake!"

A faint smile remained on Yi Xiaoyao’s lips, completely unfazed by Lin Mu’s words.

"Your fate will be the same as your three companions’. The Demon Cores you’re carrying, and all the Demon Cores in this cave, will be mine."

As he spoke, the Bloodthirsty Sword in Yi Xiaoyao’s hand let out a clear hum, and Dark Spiritual Power began to swirl around it.

"We’ll see if you live long enough to take them!"

Lin Mu roared, and the phantom image of a ferocious beast materialized around him. With overwhelming Momentum, he charged toward Yi Xiaoyao.

Yi Xiaoyao gave a low chuckle, his own sword emitting a brilliant light as he raised it to meet the attack.

Yi Xiaoyao’s strength had improved significantly since his battle with Zhao Fei ten days ago. He felt no fear facing a cultivator at the First Realm of Foundation Establishment going all out.

In the eerie glow of the cave, the two figures clashed in an instant, unleashing a shocking ripple of power.

BANG!

A deafening blast echoed through the cave. The beast phantom covering Lin Mu was shattered by the Sword Shadow, and his expression changed drastically as he staggered backward. Yi Xiaoyao, however, only retreated three small steps.

’What? This kid is only at the Ninth Realm of the Qi Condensation Realm! How can he be this strong? I used my full power and still ended up on the losing end?’

Now, Lin Mu finally understood that his three companions hadn’t died for nothing.

He now realized that Yi Xiaoyao was genuinely powerful.

Lin Mu’s expression was grim, but in the next moment, it twisted in alarm.

The Spiritual Power around his body suddenly began to flicker, threatening to dissipate at any moment.

’Damn it. Using that Secret Technique to escape has completely drained my Spiritual Power.’

Lin Mu cursed inwardly. He was already struggling against Yi Xiaoyao. Once his Spiritual Power ran out completely, how could he possibly kill him?

But then, his face suddenly lit up with ecstatic joy, and a wide grin spread across his face as he looked at Yi Xiaoyao.

At that moment, Yi Xiaoyao’s brows were slightly furrowed. The Dark Spiritual Power surrounding him was also dimming, on the verge of flickering out, giving him the appearance of someone lacking Spiritual Power.

"Haha! Yi Xiaoyao, it looks like you’ve run out of Spiritual Power too after chasing me all this way!"

Lin Mu roared with laughter and continued, "Perhaps I’m not your match when it comes to Spiritual Power, but without it, my Foundation Establishment Realm physique is far stronger than your Qi Condensation Realm body!"

Far from panicking, Yi Xiaoyao’s brow relaxed, and his expression became calm, with a strange look on his face.

"Is that so? Then why don’t you give it a try."

As he finished speaking, the Spiritual Power radiating from his body completely vanished.

"Still trying to act calm at a time like this? You’re already a dead man!"

Lin Mu let out a vicious smile. He felt that with both of them out of Spiritual Power, the heavens themselves were on his side.

Then, Lin Mu ripped off his shirt, revealing his muscular physique, and charged at Yi Xiaoyao with a look of utter confidence.

Just then, a sharp aura erupted from Yi Xiaoyao’s body once more, as if countless sharp swords were hidden within him.

He slashed his Bloodthirsty Sword toward the charging Lin Mu. As the blade fell, a violent torrent of Sword Qi poured out, forming a black crescent moon that swept across the entire cave!

"That’s... Sword Qi!!!"

Lin Mu’s triumphant smile instantly contorted into a mask of pure terror. His eyes filled with despair as the overwhelming aura of death enveloped him.

’How is this possible? I knew he had cultivated Sword Qi, but Sword Qi is released using Spiritual Power! He’s already exhausted his Spiritual Power, so how can he still release so much Sword Qi?’

It was a question Lin Mu had no time to ponder before his death.

But at last, Lin Mu understood why Yi Xiaoyao had been smiling with such confidence all along.