282: Chapter 282 Each Has Their Own Methods

At noon on the fifth day, sixteen Golden Core-level spiritual energy fluctuations appeared almost simultaneously outside the entrance of Soul-Severing Ravine.

Eight people from Qinghe Prefecture flew in from the north, while eight people from Pingling Prefecture came out to meet them from thirty miles outside Soul-Severing Ravine.

Both sides landed on an open rocky platform three miles from the valley entrance, separated by about fifty zhang.

The White-Haired Ancestor stood at the very front of the Qinghe Prefecture faction, his gaze sweeping over the eight people opposite him, pausing for a moment on the Grand Elder of Black Rock Palace.

"Fellow Daoists, you've recovered quite quickly," the White-Haired Ancestor spoke. "I heard you were severely injured by that demon python and thought you wouldn't show up. I didn't expect... what a pity."

The Grand Elder of Black Rock Palace had a calm expression: "Humph, it's just that we each have our own methods."

The last time both sides met was several years ago during that business with the Blazing Fire Sect; although they hadn't completely fallen out back then, they certainly weren't on harmonious terms.

Now that it was a contest again, naturally neither side showed the other a friendly face, though no one continued to indulge in verbal sparring at a time like this.

The White-Haired Ancestor's gaze shifted, getting straight to the point: "Since you didn't hesitate to consume heavy treasures to recover, I assume the treasure at the bottom of the valley is still there?"

The Grand Elder of Black Rock Palace did not answer directly, only saying: "You'll know once we go in. However, one thing must be agreed upon in advance: each prefecture deals with one demon python, and other matters will be discussed after the pythons are settled."

The White-Haired Ancestor glanced at the seven people behind him; the four Middle Golden Core and three Early Golden Core ancestors each nodded slightly.

"Agreed."

The Golden Core True Persons of both prefectures each had their own calculations, but their current consensus was clear: resolve the demon pythons first.

As for how to divide things afterward, that would depend on their respective abilities.

The Qinghe Prefecture side had also brought their trump cards, but there was no need to show them now; it wouldn't be too late to see the true results once they reached the bottom of the valley.

After briefly dividing their respective attack directions outside the valley entrance, the sixteen people split into two teams and plunged one after another into the thick layer of green poisonous miasma at the entrance of Soul-Severing Ravine.

The eight from Qinghe Prefecture took the left side, while the eight from Pingling Prefecture took the right.

The concentration of poisonous miasma at the bottom of the valley far exceeded the periphery, so even Golden Core True Persons dared not be careless.

The Whisk-wielding Old Man from Qingfeng Valley was the first to open a Miasma-Neutralizing Powder; the pale gold medicinal powder was sprinkled out and transformed into a thin film, enveloping the sixteen people and isolating them from most of the miasma's erosion, preventing everyone from wasting spiritual energy through distraction.

The further down they went, the higher the temperature became, and a fishy, sweet scent filled the air.

The bottom of the valley was an open area spanning dozens of miles, the ground covered in thick fragments of shed snake skin and black moss.

In the very center was a deep, poisonous pond; the water was dark green and thick, emitting a foul rot as bubbles churned.

In the heart of the pond, two emerald-green spiritual plants broke through the water, their roots thick and branches sprawling; within a radius of several zhang, life flourished, in stark contrast to the surrounding deathly silence.

At the top of each spiritual plant sat a palm-sized humanoid sprite.

Entirely emerald green with vaguely discernible facial features, they were surrounded by a faint green fluorescence, occasionally tilting their heads slightly as if dozing.

Wood Spirits.

Sprites nurtured by Heaven and Earth, they possessed subtle intelligence; they were neither grass nor wood, nor were they Yao Beasts, existing somewhere between spiritual objects and living beings.

Seeing this scene, the pupils of the eight Golden Core True Persons from Qinghe Prefecture all shrank slightly.

Having cultivated for hundreds of years and seen countless Heaven And Earth Treasures, they had only read about things like Wood Spirits in ancient records.

To be able to help a Foundation Establishment Peak Cultivator cross the Golden Core chasm, such a treasure was as rare as phoenix feathers or unicorn horns in the entire Tianlan Province.

But everyone had no time to look further, because in the shadows on both sides of the poisonous pond, two massive figures were slowly raising their heads.

Nether-molt Pythons, each about fifteen zhang long, their bodies covered in dark green new scales that glinted with a metallic luster; their heads were flat like shovels, and cold killing intent leaked from their vertical pupils.

The two pythons were coiled on either side of the poisonous pond, guarding the Wood Spirits in the middle, their tails slowly swaying and churning up the black moss on the ground.

Golden Core Peak Spiritual Pressure poured out from the two pythons, colliding head-on with the Spiritual Pressure of the sixteen Golden Core True Persons.

The air at the bottom of the valley emitted a sharp hiss under the compression of the two forces.

"Strike!"

At the White-Haired Ancestor's command, the eight people from Qinghe Prefecture lunged toward the Nether-molt Python on the left.

The White-Haired Ancestor led the charge; with a flip of his right hand, a three-foot green blade flew out from his Storage Pouch, its body engraved with dense runes that burst with white light after spiritual energy was poured in.

His Natal Treasure Artifact, the Frost Sky Sword, was infused with all of his Late Golden Core Stage cultivation; with one slash, the Sword Qi transformed into a hundred-zhang-long white silk ribbon, aiming directly for the python's head.

The Nether-molt Python raised its head to meet the attack, its mouth wide open as a pillar of dark green venom sprayed from its throat, clashing head-on with the white Sword Qi.

The moment the two forces collided, the ground within a ten-zhang radius cracked and sank, sending rock fragments flying.

Most of the Sword Qi was dispersed by the venom pillar, but its remaining momentum did not diminish, grazing the side of the python's head and leaving a shallow white mark on the new scales of its neck.

The White-Haired Ancestor's expression froze. The defense of a Golden Core Peak Yao Beast was indeed not something he, a Late Golden Core Stage Cultivator, could easily break.

The seven ancestors behind him followed closely, each using their own methods.

The Middle Golden Core ancestor from the Tiangang Sect sacrificed a Heavy Black Iron Shield; the runes on the shield's surface lit up, propping up a spiritual energy barrier on the python's flank to block its retreat.

The Middle Golden Core ancestor from the Qingxuan Sect activated an emerald-green vine shield, from which dozens of thick spiritual vines grew, coiling toward the python's body.

The Middle Golden Core ancestor from the Hundred Beasts Gate released two Early Stage Golden Core Spirit Beasts from his Storage Pouch—an Iron-backed Bear and a Crimson Flame Leopard; the two beasts came out together, harassing the python from two directions.

The Middle Golden Core ancestor from the Wanfa Pavilion took out a stack of Talismans; twelve third-grade Medium Grade attack Talismans were activated simultaneously, turning into twelve golden light pillars that slammed densely onto the python's belly.

The three Early Stage Golden Core ancestors were not idle either, each sacrificing supreme grade Magical Artifacts to support from the periphery, either cutting off the python's movements or filling in defensive gaps for the Middle Golden Core Cultivators in front.

On the other side, the eight people from Pingling Prefecture were launched an equally fierce assault on the Nether-molt Python on the right.

The Grand Elder of Black Rock Palace sacrificed the Nine Nether Soul-Suppressing Flag; ninety-nine ghost faces on the flag's surface opened their mouths simultaneously, emitting invisible mental shockwaves aimed directly at the python's Divine Soul.

The Nether-molt Python's movements stalled, its head shaking as a trace of daze flashed in its vertical pupils.

The two ancestors from the Qiankun Gate seized this gap, activating the Immortal-Trapping Bagua Disk; eight light pillars shot out from the plate, forming a semi-transparent Bagua cage around the python, the pillars continuously strangling the python's body and shaving off several dark green scales.

The Spirit Talisman Sect's twelve Myriad Thunder Formation Flags were simultaneously inserted into the ground; thunder light flowed between the flags, drawing down bowl-thick arcs of lightning that repeatedly struck the python, filling the air with the smell of char.

The two ancestors from Qingfeng Valley sacrificed the Jade Sky Wind-Blade Fan, and dozens of bone-eroding poisonous wind blades whistled out, specifically targeting the weak points at the joints of the python's scales.

The sixteen Golden Core True Persons, coordinating with their respective Sects' trump card methods, suppressed the two Golden Core Peak Nether-molt Pythons on either side of the poisonous pond.

The battle gradually reached a fever pitch.

Although the Nether-molt Pythons were suppressed, the vitality and combat instincts of Golden Core Peak Yao Beasts were far beyond imagination.

After enduring dozens of attacks, the python on the left suddenly swept its tail, snapping all the spiritual vines coiled around its body; the tip of the tail struck the Hundred Beasts Gate's Iron-backed Bear, sending this Golden Core-level Spirit Beast flying and smashing into the valley wall with its bones shattered.

The Early Stage Golden Core ancestor from the Qingxuan Sect failed to dodge in time and was hit by the residual force of the python's tail against his protective spiritual light; he was sent flying, blood seeping from the corners of his mouth.

The one on the right was even more ferocious; after struggling for several breaths under the mental suppression of the Nine Nether Soul-Suppressing Flag, the python actually forced itself awake by slamming its head against the ground, then opened its mouth to spray a mouthful of concentrated dark green venom at the Immortal-Trapping Bagua Disk.

The venom landed on the Bagua plate, and the Array Inscriptionss on its surface were corroded until they flickered uncertainly, cracks appearing in the light pillar cage.

"Give it your all!" The Grand Elder of Black Rock Palace poured his spiritual energy into the Soul-Suppressing Flag once more.

The battle lasted for nearly half an hour; both sides were consuming their strength, both sides were fighting desperately.

However, just then, six Spiritual Pressures descended from the sky at the valley entrance.

Every single one was at the Golden Core Peak.