Immortal Path Space

Chapter 395: Tree Digging

In this mission, the cultivators participating will be rewarded generously by the Sect based on their harvest. However, while the rewards may be bountiful, it is not always a desirable outcome. Within this secret realm, where no one supervises, the darker aspects of human nature tend to magnify.

If fellow disciples resort to killing each other over Spiritual Herbs, it will not only weaken the overall strength of Qingxu Sect but also diminish the efficiency of this operation.

If there is no effective way to prevent such incidents, they are bound to happen. Because within this secret realm, even if rules are violated, and fellow disciples are slain, as long as one can cover their tracks and ensure secrecy, they can evade consequences.

However, the higher-ups of Qingxu Sect have devised a clever solution. To prevent fellow disciples from killing each other over treasures, including the cultivators gathering Spiritual Herbs, they have organized the participants into groups.

Each group consists of ten individuals who act collectively. Temporary alliances among these ten individuals are difficult to reach quickly, which makes it less likely for hidden agendas to surface.

Furthermore, in the presence of others, it is not easy to harbor sinister intentions. Simultaneously, attempting to exterminate an entire group of ten individuals without leaving survivors is a challenging task.

Since they are conducting the operation in groups, the final credit will also be recorded as a unit.

Wang Hong and his group of ten are currently advancing in their search. Occasionally, they encounter Demonic Beasts, but these Demonic Beasts in the vicinity are all at the first-tier cultivation level. Facing them is akin to inviting trouble upon themselves.

Though they can only utilize Qi Cultivation cultivation level at the moment, they are not easily bullied by these first-tier Demonic Beasts.

When they find the first demon-hunting tree, they discover that several types of Demonic Beasts are guarding its surroundings. These beasts are patiently waiting for the demon-hunting tree seeds to ripen.

Despite their annoyance at the arrival of another group of two-legged monsters, they do not pay much attention. They have already established a routine of peaceful coexistence until the demon-hunting tree seeds appear, at which point they will compete.

Several cultivators prepare to unleash their Magical Weapons and launch an attack.

"Hold on!" Wang Hong quietly stops everyone. "Let's approach them directly; these Demonic Beasts won't attack. We can strike when we get closer."

Wang Hong serves as the temporary leader of the group, so his words are heeded by the others.

This group of Demonic Beasts consists of over a dozen members. Although they cannot advance to the second-tier, their bodies are robust due to prolonged consumption of demon-hunting tree seeds, making them a bit challenging to deal with.

As they cautiously approach as Wang Hong suggested, the Demonic Beasts indeed show no reaction. Wang Hong, sneaking up to a Demon Wolf, seizes the opportunity to strike with a powerful punch to its head, causing the skull to shatter, and the Demon Wolf collapses.

While his cultivation level is limited, his physical strength remains unaffected.

Other members also act covertly at this moment, launching surprise attacks on the Demonic Beasts.

Some succeed in their sneak attacks, while others are evaded by the Demonic Beasts. After a few roars, the remaining eight Demonic Beasts charge at them.

Since the sneak attacks fail, all ten individuals have no choice but to employ their Magical Weapons and initiate a fierce assault.

At this moment, they realize that these Demonic Beasts are different from typical first-tier ones; their physical strength is formidable. Ordinary Magical Weapons barely inflict any damage on them, and even if they use Spiritual Weapons, the intensity of their Spiritual Power cannot exceed the Qi Cultivation level range.

This situation perplexes the group, but just then, they notice that Wang Hong is wielding a Long Spear and charging directly into the midst of the Demonic Beasts.

"He's not valuing his life, is he?"

"Do you think he deliberately rushed in, knowing these Demonic Beasts have formidable physical bodies?"

"Even for a Foundation Building cultivator, it's impossible to match the strength of these first-tier Demonic Beasts."

However, at that moment, Wang Hong, wielding a spear, charged into the group of beasts. A black ape was the first to pounce on him, but Wang Hong swiftly swept it with his Long Spear, cleaving it into two at the chest.

Continuing forward, his Long Spear pierced through the skull of an iron-headed beast.

It was only then that the other nine members of the team realized that Wang Hong was a body refinement cultivator, capable of overpowering these Demonic Beasts with his physical strength.

After Wang Hong had slain the remaining eight Demonic Beasts, they finally had the opportunity to carefully examine the demon-hunting tree.

The trunk of this demon-hunting tree had a diameter of a bit over a foot, with dense branches and some cocoons formed by winding branches around them.

Before coming here, the Human Clan cultivators were well aware of the characteristics of this tree and knew that its branches would attack any nearby living beings.

"Wang Fellow Daoist, what should we do next?"

In truth, Human Clan cultivators had methods to deal with demon-hunting trees. For instance, they could wield Magical Weapons from a safe distance outside the range of the branches' attacks, slowly whittling away the branches until they were all gone.

However, Qingxu Sect needed to preserve the branches as much as possible this time, avoiding excessive harm to the demon-hunting tree. Because they would need the tree once they dug it up; if they cut off all the branches, planting a tree stump would serve no purpose.

Therefore, this mission required them to maintain the demon-hunting tree's integrity. When calculating their contributions later, it would take into account not only the number of demon-hunting trees but also the completeness of their tree form.

At this moment, a cultivator picked up one of the Demonic Beasts they had killed earlier and tentatively tossed it toward the demon-hunting tree.

Almost immediately, the formerly quiet branches of the demon-hunting tree came to life, wrapping around the Demonic Beast as if it had been resurrected.

In just a few moments, the Demonic Beast's corpse was entwined into a large cocoon.

Seeing this, no one dared to make any reckless moves.

To dig it out now, they would need to excavate at the tree's roots. However, they might be carried away by the branches before even reaching the roots.

"I wonder if any of you Fellow Daoists have a good plan?" Wang Hong inquired, realizing he had come unprepared in his haste.

However, the surrounding nine individuals exchanged uncertain glances, clearly lacking any viable solutions.

"If all else fails, why don't we use Flying Swords from a distance to cut off all the branches?" one cultivator reluctantly suggested after racking his brains.

"Although that approach is feasible, it should be our last resort because it will take a long time for the cut branches to grow back. Let me try something else first and see if it works."

Wang Hong contemplated for a moment and then retrieved a net from his Storage Bag. It was a product of a previous failed refinement, merely a low-grade Spiritual Weapon, but it would suffice for the task at hand. With his current limited Spiritual Energy, he couldn't handle a higher-tier Spiritual Weapon.

After inputting Spiritual Power into the Spirit net, it instantly expanded and enveloped the demon-hunting tree overhead. Sensing the approaching large net, the demon-hunting tree lifted its branches to counter, but they were all ensnared by the net.

Then, the net contracted, tightly binding the demon-hunting tree, rendering it immobile.

[Read at /shanefreak, and heartfelt thankyou for your support!]