Chapter 1539: Ghostly Creatures with Spiritual Intelligence
“Fellow Daoist Rong Shao, I’ve suddenly recalled a secret art that might help us overcome our current predicament,” Song Wen said. “However, this art requires certain Ghost Dao spiritual materials, including one called Soul Infant Jade. I don’t have any on me. I wonder if you might possess any?”
Rong Shao shook his head with a wry smile. “No. I cultivate the Longevity Technique, a genuine Daoist cultivation method. It has no use for Ghost Dao materials.”
“Must we really return to the outside world?” Song Wen murmured.
“Ji Yin!” Gu Que’s voice suddenly rang out. “You two are overlooking something. This place is saturated with ghost qi, a true haven for the Ghost Dao. It must have nurtured a vast array of Yin-attribute heavenly materials and earthly treasures. Perhaps Soul Infant Jade is among them.”
“That’s very true!”
Song Wen then briefly explained the situation to Rong Shao.
Together, they leaped down the cliff and began their slow descent along the sheer rock face. Their dual purpose was to search for Soul Infant Jade and suitable ghostly creatures for crafting ghost puppets.
While both souls and Fierce Ghosts could be used to refine ghost puppets, they had to be of the fifth-tier or higher in power.
Such creatures were not uncommon in the Fallen Demon Valley.
On their journey to this place, the two had encountered several ghostly creatures, but all were weak, only possessing third or fourth-tier strength, and were easily dealt with.
After plummeting tens of thousands of miles further, they still hadn’t reached the bottom of the canyon. However, they discovered a ghostly creature suitable for refining into a ghost puppet.
It was a Fierce Ghost transformed from a fifth-tier Demon Soul, resembling a giant rat with a body nearly ten feet long. A Blood-colored Tentacle coiled around it, delivering the creature to the duo.
“immortal Lords, please spare this little demon’s life,” the giant rat pleaded, its jaws opening wide to reveal sharp fangs.
“Hmm!” Rong Shao exclaimed in surprise. “Your spiritual intelligence is so high, and you can even speak human language!”
Previously, all the ghostly creatures they had encountered possessed low intelligence, making communication impossible.
The giant rat’s eyes darted, a hint of fawning appearing in its gaze.
“This little demon was once a spirit beast of the human race. My master died tragically while exploring this place. But the Heavenly Dao showed mercy, preserving my Demon Soul. Later, nourished by the dense ghost qi here, my soul transformed into this ghostly body, retaining my former intelligence.”
“Then do you know where the Yin Spring is?” Rong Shao asked urgently.
Having finally found a native capable of communication, they naturally sought to interrogate it thoroughly.
If they could learn the location of the Yin Spring, it would perfectly resolve their concerns and eliminate the need to painstakingly craft a ghost puppet.
“immortal, please understand,” the giant rat said. “This little demon died less than ten years ago and has been a ghostly creature for less than five. Moreover, my strength was weak, and I dared not wander freely. I know little of the surroundings and have never seen this ‘Yin Spring’ you speak of.”
Rong Shao was immediately disappointed.
However, Song Wen discerned another meaning in its words.
“Did you and your master enter Fallen Demon Valley ten years ago?” Song Wen asked.
“It’s been about nine years, not quite ten,” the giant rat replied.
“What was your strength in life?” Song Wen inquired.
“Late sixth-tier,” the giant rat answered.
“And your master? What was his cultivation level?”
“Mid body integration stage.”
“Was he a member of the Divine Blood Gate?”
“Yes.”
“What was his name?”
“Tu You.”
“Did he die with you?”
“No… at least, he was still alive when I died.”
“What was the cause of your death…?” Song Wen asked.
“We were hunted by a ghostly creature of peak seventh-tier strength. Tu You was no match for it. To save his own life, he used me as bait, temporarily diverting the creature’s attention while he made his escape,” the giant rat replied.
“When you first entered Fallen Demon Valley, was your master alone?” Song Wen asked.
“No. Many entered the valley initially, but after venturing deep inside, we all went our separate ways,” the giant rat said.
As the man and the rat conversed, Song Wen pieced together a crucial piece of information. The weakening of the valley’s poisonous mist, which occurred once every century, had most recently taken place nine years ago. This meant that Song Wen and Rong Shao had definitely missed that opportunity.
I suppose we won’t encounter anyone from the Divine Blood Gate on this trip, Song Wen thought, feeling a faint sense of disappointment.
A wisp of spiritual power drifted from Song Wen’s fingertips, swirling and twisting in the air to form an image. The image depicted a dark green spirit mine stone, the size of a walnut, its semi-transparent form clearly recognizable as Soul Infant Jade.
“Have you seen this object before?” Song Wen asked.
The giant rat stared intently at the image for a moment before answering.
“I’ve seen it,” the giant rat replied.
“Where?” Song Wen pressed.
“In that direction,” the rat pointed west. “It’s a bit far, about a hundred thousand li away, in a cave. However, a powerful ghostly creature resides within. When I was alive, Tu You once led me through that cave, and the object is embedded in the rock wall near the entrance.”
“Take us there,” Song Wen ordered.
“Two immortal elder, please follow this little demon,” the giant rat said, knowing its life was in their hands and not daring to disobey in the slightest.
The giant rat led the way, with Song Wen and Rong Shao close behind.
The first tens of thousands of li passed uneventfully. Though they encountered a few waves of poisonous insects and minor ghostly creatures, none posed a threat to the trio.
But the moment Rong Shao remarked, “We should be near the third entrance now,” the situation suddenly changed!
On the right, the ghost qi that had been flowing like water erupted violently. A massive black shadow shot out like lightning, hurtling straight toward the two living humans.
It was a colossal serpent’s head.
The gray-white scales of the head were covered in dark, swirling patterns. Its vertical pupils glowed a pale, deathly white. Within its gaping maw, fangs like daggers gleamed, and white poison qi billowed incessantly.
As for its body, it was so massive that it remained hidden within the ghost qi, preventing even Song Wen and Rong Shao’s divine sense from perceiving its full form.
“Watch out! It’s the Ghost-Faced Demonic Python!”
Rong Shao roared, his body surging with magical power as he channeled it into the pagoda above his head and the flying sword before him.
Instantly!
The pagoda emitted a cyan spiritual light that suddenly condensed.
The flying sword, which had previously seemed slightly dim, erupted with a sharp, clear blade light.
The sword light surged forth, piercing through the air and striking directly at the python’s pale, vertical pupils.
Song Wen’s attack was no less swift.
From the blood sea churning beneath his feet, several ten-zhang-thick tentacles erupted, coiling outward to flank the python’s head and constrict it.
Seemingly stunned by the sudden assault, or perhaps sensing the formidable nature of his opponents, the python abruptly halted its advance.
Its gaping, blood-red maw opened wide, emitting a piercing hiss.
A torrent of white poison qi gushed from its mouth.
(End of the Chapter)