LIGHTNOVELONLINE Chapter 385: Underground Assault
In the small courtyard of the camp, several slender, faint dark red Parasitic Yin Threads moved freely, appearing and disappearing intermittently, attempting to parasitize by entering the body if one wasn't careful. However, as soon as they got close, they were firmly blocked by a barrier of spiritual energy, thwarted in their efforts.
Lu Xuan stood at the edge of the spiritual barrier, with Feng Yu and another on either side, controlling the formation to guard against any surprises. Since Huo Lin'er's departure, fellow disciples returning to the camp in the past few days had brought more Parasitic Yin Threads, increasing the sample size for Lu Xuan's research and experiments.
He entered the formation and roared at the Yin Threads, his voice majestic and commanding like a dragon's roar, evoking a sense of involuntary submission in those who heard it. When the Arrow Vine matured previously, Lu Xuan obtained a body refining technique called "Great Void Dragon Transformation" from a luminous orb. Through diligent practice and the contribution of fresh blood from countless Flood Dragons in the Thousand Dragon Lake, he had achieved profound mastery in this technique. His roar contained a hint of dragon's might.
The roar swept over, and the freely moving, elusive Parasitic Yin Threads seemed to be stimulated, instantly calming down. The slender thread grass curled up, quickly forming into a small, faint red grass ball.
"Sound wave attacks indeed have a miraculous effect on these mutated Parasitic Yin Threads," Lu Xuan remarked, continuing to observe the contracted Yin Threads.
Half an hour later, the Yin Threads slowly unfurled and cautiously moved about, searching for a host to parasitize. Feng Yu and the other, seeing this breakthrough in Lu Xuan's research on the peculiar spirit plant, congratulated him.
"Congratulations, Brother Lu, on resolving another mutated spirit plant issue."
"Brother truly is the most renowned botanist in our sect, breaking through this challenge in just a few days. I bet even those in the Divine Peaks Sect's camp feel inferior."
Although they had already recognized Lu Xuan's profound knowledge in botany, witnessing it again still filled them with excitement and surprise.
After resolving this issue, Lu Xuan's research workload lightened considerably, allowing him to shift his focus to exchanging spirit plants.
That day, he visited the camp of the Myriad Beasts Sect.
Known in the cultivation world for raising demonic beasts, the Myriad Beasts Sect's understanding of spirit plants naturally couldn't compare to the neighboring Divine Peaks Sect. Lu Xuan took this opportunity to look for potential bargains.
"Daoist Long, what do you think of my proposal?" he asked the robust yet elegant female cultivator, knowing her straightforward nature and preference for direct communication.
"Alright, let's proceed with the exchange as you suggested, for certain varieties of spirit plants," Long Miaomiao, though inexperienced, agreed to follow Lu Xuan's lead.
The Divine Peaks Sect and Sky Sword Sect had been exchanging mutated spirit plants, and the activities within the Myriad Beasts Sect's camp were well-known, even down to the specific plants being exchanged.
Lu Xuan was more than pleased with this arrangement, taking out the required mutated spirit plants for the exchange and returning from the Myriad Beasts Sect's camp with his desired plants.
As night fell, a pair of emerald-green eyes of a Cloud-Stepping Lynx shone particularly brightly in the darkness, coldly scanning the surroundings. Its gaze occasionally fell on Lu Xuan, who was deeply immersed in cultivation.
Without any change in its emotional state, only the tufts of grey-white fur on its ear tips trembled slightly, indicating its contentment.
The Demon Ghost Vine's grey tendrils spread out like countless tentacles, lying motionless on the ground.
Suddenly, the vine seemed to sense something, one of its tendrils rising, sniffing around. Then, it violently plunged into the dark red soil.
"Hmm?"
Lu Xuan was startled by the Demon Ghost Vine's movement, emerging from his meditative state, puzzled by the vine's increasingly deep burrowing.
Focusing on the grey vine, Lu Xuan sensed a thought from the Demon Ghost Vine.
"Delicious, delicious, so many things I like to eat."
"What does that mean? Are there many things underground that the Demon Ghost Vine likes?" Lu Xuan wondered. The Demon Ghost Vine, with a penchant for spirit fruits, various parts of spirit plants, and demonic beast flesh, and extremely sensitive to spirit seeds, indicated that many spirit plants and demonic beasts were attacking the camp from underground.
He immediately became alert, with the fifth-grade Profound Spirit Tablet in his mind slightly illuminating, enhancing his spiritual consciousness which rapidly dove into the
earth's depths.
Recently, his spiritual sense had improved significantly under the continuous nourishment of the Profound Spirit Tablet, finally coming into play at this moment.
His spiritual sense detected a large number of demonic beasts attacking the camp from deep underground.
Leading the charge were beasts proficient in burrowing, clearing obstacles for the other spirit beasts' advancement.
Lu Xuan noticed the weak aura of all the beasts, which had gone undetected by the cultivators of the three sects in the camp until now.
He also sensed a faint discordance on hundreds to thousands of these beasts, with mechanical movements and dull expressions, seemingly acting on instinct.
"They look like puppets. Could it be that all these beasts have been parasitized by the Parasitic Yin Thread?"
A sudden thought struck Lu Xuan. He pulled out the Demon Ghost Vine and handed it a mutated Parasitic Yin Thread.
"Does the atmosphere inside those beasts underground contain the scent of this peculiar plant?"
Although the Demon Ghost Vine lacked facial features and limbs, it managed basic expressions. Upon hearing Lu Xuan's question, it rapidly nodded.
"It looks like your feast is coming!"
Lu Xuan took out a fourth-grade Wind and Thunder Sword and several fourth-grade sword talismans, ready to activate them at a moment's notice.
"The camp is well-protected with several formations set up on all sides and above, but I never expected such a large number of puppet-like demonic beasts to find another way to launch a surprise attack from underground."
Lu Xuan couldn't help but reflect. Seeing that Feng Yu, Zhang Ruiping, and other injured fellow disciples in the camp had yet to react, he sent a telepathic message.
"Feng Daoist, Zhang Daoist, wake up. The camp is under attack by demonic beasts."
Both were deep in cultivation, but upon hearing Lu Xuan's message from outside, they quickly woke up, extending their spiritual consciousness underground, changing their expressions and preparing for battle.
"Roar!"
A two-zhang-long earthy yellow Earth Dragon burst out from the dark red spiritual soil, emitting an urgent roar.
Long Miaomiao burst out of her dwelling to meet her spirit beast, and after a brief exchange, her expression changed, and her voice echoed throughout the camp.
"Fellow Daoists, we are under attack by demonic beasts from underground, in large numbers. Please be cautious."
Her Earth Dragon, skilled in earth manipulation and various earth-based techniques, quickly noticed the changes in the spiritual soil.
Although the camp's cultivators specialized in cultivating spirit plants and raising spirit beasts, they were still inner disciples of a major sect. Being relatively less adept at combat was just that—relative. Thus, they were quickly prepared, ready to strike the mind-controlled horde of demonic beasts.
Lu Xuan, along with Feng Yu and a few fellow disciples healing in the camp, stood together, their expressions grave.
Feng Yu slapped his storage bag, and a watery blue spiritual barrier swiftly emerged, enveloping everyone within it.