132: Purple-scaled Poison Lizard King

Yao Delong walked over to that docile Pack beast,

lifted Xin Yuelan down from it, and casually handed her a piece of dry rations.

Xin Yuelan took the rations but didn't eat them immediately; instead, she stood there somewhat awkwardly,

her fingers unconsciously twisting the hem of her clothes. Even through her mask, one could feel her discomfort.

"What's wrong? Do the dry rations taste bad?"

Yao Delong raised an eyebrow and said teasingly, "Lady Saintess, don't be so picky when you're in a pinch."

"Who... who's being picky!"

Xin Yuelan was like a cat whose tail had been stepped on; her voice suddenly spiked, then she realized something.

She abruptly lowered it, her tone carrying a hint of embarrassing annoyance,

"It's... it's all your fault! You sealed my cultivation! I... I can't even use the simplest Cleansing Spell!"

Her voice grew smaller and smaller, filled with a deep sense of grievance.

She had trekked along rugged mountain paths for an entire day. Even though she sat on a Pack beast for the latter half,

she had still been traveling through the sweltering mountain forest. Sweat had long since soaked her inner garments, sticking clammily to her skin.

For a Cultivator who was habitually clean and accustomed to using Spells for hygiene,

this mundane feeling of filth was simply unbearable, making her entire body feel terribly uncomfortable.

Hearing this, Yao Delong was first stunned, then it dawned on him.

Looking at the fidgeting, uneasy witch before him whose ears seemed to have turned beet red,

he almost burst out laughing. He had thought it was some major issue.

"Just that?"

His tone carried a hint of mockery, and without further ado, he casually waved his hand toward Xin Yuelan.

A soft, pure white light instantly enveloped Xin Yuelan's entire body.

The light was like warm spring water brushing past; wherever it went, the clinging dust and sweat stains vanished instantly.

Even her black dress seemed to have been re-washed and ironed, becoming crisp and clean.

It even carried a faint, fresh scent like clothes dried in the sun.

Xin Yuelan felt a lightness all over. That sticky discomfort vanished instantly, replaced by a long-lost feeling of refreshing comfort.

She subconsciously looked down at her clean robes and felt the cleanliness of her skin.

Her pretty face under the mask grew even redder, filled with both the annoyance of having her predicament seen through and a hint of... indescribable relief.

"Hmph!"

She could only turn her face away, using a cold snort to mask her inner turmoil,

and began nibbling on the dry rations in small bites, though her movements were much faster than before.

Yao Delong shrugged and also found a clean rock to sit on, watching the busy scene within the camp.

The guards were skillfully setting up the camp. Someone took out a Formation Plate engraved with runes.

After driving it into the ground and activating it, a faint, nearly invisible film of light formed.

It enveloped the entire camp, isolating most of the aura and sound.

Others took out some black lumps that emitted a strong, pungent odor.

They carefully scattered them around the perimeter of the camp—it was the dung of high-level Yao Beasts,

which had a natural deterrent effect on low-level Yao Beasts, effectively preventing them from accidentally wandering into the camp.

As night deepened, the campfire crackled, and the camp gradually grew quiet,

leaving only the footsteps of the patrolling guards and the chirping of unknown insects in the distant mountain forest.

After a day of tense trekking, most people had fallen into a deep sleep to recover their strength.

Yao Delong sat cross-legged not far from Xin Yuelan, eyes closed as he regulated his breathing, consolidating his newly broken-through Middle Golden Core Stage cultivation.

Xin Yuelan, meanwhile, hugged her knees and stared at the flickering campfire, lost in thought.

By the campfire, Li Chen's stunning display of power during the day was still a hot topic among the Cultivators.

"Sigh, the Moyang Sect's Prodigy truly lives up to his reputation!"

A middle-aged Cultivator smacked his lips, his eyes full of awe.

"How fast was that Shadow Claw Bat? How sharp were its claws?

Even an ordinary Late Foundation Establishment Stage Cultivator would have a headache facing it. Senior Li, on the other hand, just waved his hand like a blade and cut it like a vegetable!"

"You don't know the half of it, do you?"

A well-informed, tall, thin man nearby lowered his voice, speaking with a bit of pride.

"I heard the White Horse Merchant Guild really paid a fortune this time!

The person they invited is a Core Disciple of the Moyang Sect, a top ten Prodigy—Li Chen!"

"Li Chen?"

Someone gasped.

"That name... sounds familiar! In our Ba Xia Dynasty, the Heir to the Duke Rens Estate, isn't he also named Li Chen?"

"That's the one, it's him!"

The tall, thin man confirmed.

"I have a distant cousin who works in the outer sect of the Moyang Sect, and I heard it from him personally!

Heir to the Duke of Ren, Moyang Sect Prodigy—with this dual identity, tsk tsk, he's a true favored son of heaven!"

These discussions clearly reached the ears of Yao Delong, who was nearby with his eyes closed.

His heart stirred slightly: Heir to the Duke Rens Estate? Top ten Core Disciple of the Moyang Sect?

Li Chen's background and strength were indeed deeper than he had anticipated.

However, this had little to do with him; he only wanted to cross the Heavenly Demon Mountain Range safely.

Li Chen himself heard these discussions, but his expression remained calm,

though an imperceptible trace of helplessness flickered in the depths of his eyes.

The Duke Rens Estate was known for its 'benevolence and righteousness.' He didn't like relying too much on his family background and valued his own strength more.

He shook his head slightly, ignored them, and continued to rest with his eyes closed,

recovering the Essence energy consumed during his brief clash with the Rank Six Great Demon during the day.

The night passed without incident under the watchful guard.

The next morning, the merchant caravan set out again.

As they went deeper into the core area of the Heavenly Demon Mountain Range,

the Demonic Qi permeating the air almost condensed into substance, becoming so oppressive it was hard to breathe.

Towering ancient trees blotted out the sun, the light was dim, and the roars of beasts all around became more frequent and ferocious.

As expected, trouble followed.

Rank Five Yao Beasts, whose strength was comparable to the Middle Golden Core Stage and had previously appeared only sporadically,

began to appear in groups. The frequency and intensity of their attacks far exceeded yesterday's.

The pressure on the guard unit increased sharply, and even the Cultivators who had joined temporarily had to intervene frequently.

Shouts of battle, beast roars, and the explosions of Spells echoed one after another through the mountain forest.

Just as the group was struggling forward, a heart-stopping, terrifying pressure suddenly descended!

Roar—!

Accompanied by a deafening roar, a massive figure slowly stepped out from the dense forest ahead, blocking the caravan's path!

It was a Rank Six Great Demon—a "Purple Scaled Poison Lizard King" covered in dark purple scales, shaped like a giant lizard with a single horn on its head!

Its vertical pupils coldly scanned the caravan, filled with brutality and greed.

Li Chen instantly appeared at the very front of the group, his expression incredibly solemn.

Yao Beasts of the same rank were already physically formidable, and this Purple Scaled Poison Lizard King was especially famous for its poison and defense, making it extremely difficult to deal with.

He knew well that in a one-on-one fight, it would be impossible to take it down in a short time.

"Form a formation! Some Golden Core Cultivators, follow me to face the enemy! The rest of you, go all out to clear the low-level Yao Beasts and protect the caravan!"

Li Chen shouted sternly, his long saber already unsheathed. A hazy green Saber aura flickered on it, emitting a sharp killing intent.

From the caravan, four Golden Core Cultivators—including the guard captain Ma Lei and another at the Middle Stage, plus two at the Early Stage—quickly stepped forward,

forming an encirclement with Li Chen.

The remaining guards and Cultivators formed a defensive formation, shielding the Pack beasts and Mortals in the center,

as they tensely dealt with the Rank Four and Rank Five Yao Beasts that were surging forward again.