227: Chapter 227 Immortal Willow Protects Its Master

Ye Jing's shout was like a sudden clap of thunder, forcefully jolting those who were scared out of their wits.

They hurriedly used their Magical Artifacts, using what little Qi they had left to attack the black snake.

But as the clanging Magical Artifacts fell, the black snake remained completely unharmed. After flicking its tail, it simply coiled within the palace, flicking its tongue and staring at them with interest.

Ye Jing squinted at the black snake. As if sensing something good, the snake's blood-red pupils instantly lit up.

Suddenly, Ye Jing felt a daze and sensed that something was wrong; he wanted to use his Qi.

However, the surrounding space seemed to slow down directly, and in his eyes, the black snake forcefully bored into his own head.

Ye Jing felt a burst of dizziness, and in the blink of an eye, he arrived before the Immortal Willow, with that weird black snake right in front of him.

Seeing this scene, Ye Jing felt a chill run down his spine.

Since this place appeared, only Ye Jing could know of it, because it was formed from Ye Jing's Consciousness Space.

Now, a weird black snake from the tomb had entered so brazenly.

How could this not leave Ye Jing with lingering fear?

After landing, the black snake seemed to have discovered something interesting and quickly crawled toward the lush willow tree ahead.

Ye Jing immediately swung the blade in his hand, slashing at the black snake, but the blade edge shattered into pieces the moment it touched the snake's body.

The Hongmeng Immortal Clan Willow also sensed the crisis at this moment; its branches swayed as several Immortal Willow tendrils charged forward, instantly capturing the previously invincible black snake.

The emerald-green Immortal Willow branches shimmered with a faint Grandmist radiance; they were flexible yet indestructible, wrapping the black snake so tightly it was airtight, like an inescapable heavenly net.

The clear immortal power seeping from the branches was the bane of all evil in the world and should have instantly purified all darkness; however, as it wrapped around the black snake, it actually produced a sizzling, ear-piercing sound.

Wisps of black smoke rose from the gaps between the snake's body and the branches, carrying a foul, pungent stench. The Immortal Willow's leaves even curled slightly, seemingly enduring a powerful backlash.

"Hiss—" The black snake's body tightened from the constriction. Its originally crimson pupils were now churning with ink-colored malice, yet it showed not a hint of fear.

Instead, it let out a sharp hiss. The sound did not resemble the roar of an ordinary beast, but rather the wailing of tens of thousands of wronged souls.

It bored straight into the depths of Ye Jing's Divine Soul, causing a splitting headache once again. The Consciousness Space before him rippled, as if it might collapse at any moment.

Ye Jing gritted his teeth and endured, sitting cross-legged in the Void Realm. He urged his remaining Divine Soul power to stabilize the space while staring fixedly at the black snake. "What exactly are you? Why can you break into this place?"

As soon as he finished speaking, the black snake suddenly looked up, its tongue flicking wildly. It actually spoke human language, its voice hoarse and dry.

It sounded like crushed sand: "Consciousness Space? Merely a stepping stone for this deity to break the seal... A Grandmist immortal item is indeed a great supplement."

Before its voice could fade, a thick black mist suddenly erupted from the black snake's body. The mist contained the power of ultimate decay and destruction, causing the previously tough Immortal Willow branches to blacken and wither at a visible rate, and the strength of the constriction instantly loosened.

Ye Jing's pupils shrank. He clearly perceived that this black mist was not ordinary Demonic Qi, but a Power of Silent Extinction that had been dormant for ages, capable of even eroding Grandmist immortal power!

The Immortal Willow seemed to be thoroughly enraged. Its crown swayed violently as several branches simultaneously erupted with brilliant golden light, and the lush willow leaves instantly transformed into sharp Immortal Blades.

From deep within the trunk came an ancient and majestic low chant; it was the Dao Rhyme from when the Grandmist first opened, causing the entire Consciousness Space to tremble slightly under its pressure.

Wherever the golden light passed, the black mist rapidly dissipated. The black snake let out a shrill scream as its body was scorched by the golden light, emitting white smoke. Its scales fell off piece by piece, revealing the pitch-black flesh beneath.

The black snake let out a startled cry, its eyes showing a crimson hue as it looked at Ye Jing.

"You, a mere Mortal, actually have such an immortal item as a companion. Could it be that you are... Argh!"

Before the black snake could finish its words, it was instantly strangled by the Immortal Willow branches, leaving not even a trace of Blood Qi behind.

Ye Jing watched as that black Physical Body collapsed and could not help but be greatly shocked. He looked at the Immortal Willow within his body, which was once again calmly extending its branches.

His Meridians felt smooth and clear, as if the devoured black snake had directly transformed into nourishment for him, causing the Qi throughout his body to surge like a tide.

Using his Qi once again, his eyes immediately widened. After this weird black snake was devoured, he actually faintly possessed the strength to enter the Mid-stage Foundation Establishment.

This caused Ye Jing's eyes to widen. One must know that going from Early Stage Foundation Establishment to Mid-stage Foundation Establishment usually requires at least ten years of secluded cultivation before a Breakthrough is possible.

This not only shocked Ye Jing but also caused him to quickly realize three things.

First, this black snake was very strong, and he was by no means its match.

Second, this Immortal Willow shared the same root and origin as him; once it had nourishment, it would also provide feedback to him.

Third, that Soul Transformation Demon Cultivator had some understanding of this Immortal Willow and might even know something specific.

Ye Jing clenched his fists. He did not feel panicked; instead, he felt a bit more excited.

This meant his Immortal Willow had a significant background and was beneficial to him. He would eventually uncover those secrets in the future!

When he returned to reality once again, Yun Jian stepped forward and asked, "Senior! How did this black snake suddenly disappear?"

Ye Jing scanned the crowd and saw that they were filled with terror, yet they showed no confusion regarding his being attacked by the black snake.

It seemed that what happened within the Immortal Willow was only an instant in their eyes, and they likely could not see the scene of him being attacked by the black snake.

The crowd, who had previously been slumped on the ground with ashen faces,

Only felt a blur before their eyes as the black snake phantom that had caused their Soul Flying Away and Spirit Scattering suddenly dissipated, leaving only a faint, lingering stench in the air.

Where was there any black snake now? The surrounding black Evil Qi had long since vanished into thin air.

However, Ye Jing keenly saw a strand of black hair slowly floating in mid-air before turning into ash and disappearing.

For a moment, he was filled with mixed emotions; he hadn't expected that the source of the Evil Qi, the monster that suppressed all of their cultivations, was actually just a single strand of hair.

If that demon god were still alive...

That kind of pressure, that kind of Divine Ability—he feared that with a wave of a hand, it could destroy the entire world. His cultivation, which had just touched the threshold of Mid-stage Foundation Establishment, was not even worth being called an ant in front of such a being.

Ye Jing's heart tightened as he gazed at the strand of black hair that had completely turned to ash, his heart full of chill.

Since the black snake disappeared, the surrounding Evil Qi vanished in an instant, along with those terrifying textures on the walls.

All the Foundation Establishment Cultivators whose Qi had been suppressed regained their original strength in that moment, and their Qi flowed unimpeded once again.

In an instant, the team that had been formed out of mutual interest became quite tense.

They did not know who had killed that black snake.

Some people's minds became active, and they quietly gripped their Magical Artifacts, setting their sights on the treasures within the palace, completely forgetting their fear from a moment ago.

"The black snake... is just gone? Who did it?"

"Who cares who destroyed it? These treasures in the palace shouldn't be monopolized by one person!"

"That black snake was very strange just now. Anyone who could destroy it is definitely not a pushover. We'd better be careful."

Fragments of discussion rose and fell as suspicion and greed spread through the crowd. The originally loose team disintegrated in an instant, and several groups subconsciously pulled away from each other, remaining on guard.