Chapter 138: Illusion [Please Subscribe]

Could it be that you still require materials not found in my possession? What manner of material is it precisely? Tell me, and I shall see if I can assist you in acquiring it, Lingling asked with curiosity.

It is not a material for forging artifacts. I am seeking a type of alchemy ingredient known as the Beast Extension Fruit, explained Yang Xiao. With this, one can refine the Spirit Beast Pill, which is immensely beneficial for the advancement of spirit beasts. Such a material is frequently generated in the vicinity of the lairs of advanced spirit beasts. My journey to the Beast Sea is precisely to search for it.

So that is the case. Yet the Beast Sea is fraught with great peril, and since you intend to venture into the lairs of advanced spirit beasts, the danger is all the greater. You must therefore exercise utmost caution regarding your own safety, Lingling said with concern.

There are now merely three days remaining before the clan tournament commences, Lingling added, so I hope Brother Yang will make haste and return promptly in time for the tournament.

Rest assured, I could hardly forget the matter of the tournament, Yang Xiao said affirmatively. My trip to the Beast Sea is merely to see whether I can find this spirit fruit, the Beast Extension Fruit. Whether I find it or not, I shall return without delay.

Since it is so, I shall point out the direction of the Beast Sea to you, Lingling said. From here, heading north for several dozen miles will bring you to the region of the Beast Sea. However, a restrictive barrier exists at the edge of the Beast Sea, which was established by my ancestors to prevent the spirit beasts within from emerging. The disciples of the various clans within the Exquisite Abode Blessed Land occasionally travel to the Beast Sea for training, and I happen to possess a token for this barrier. Take my token, and you will be able to enter the Beast Sea smoothly. With these words, Lingling handed a small, brilliantly golden token into Yang Xiao's hand.

If that is the case, I thank you greatly, Yang Xiao said. He had not anticipated that entering the Beast Sea would be so troublesome, yet it was entirely reasonable. With the barrier in place, reckless spirit beasts could be prevented from escaping to harm people. Fortunately, Lingling possessed the token to control the barrier; otherwise, his plan to enter the Beast Sea would likely have come to nothing.

Brother Yang must truly mind his safety and make all haste in going and returning, Lingling reiterated, showing that she indeed cared deeply for his safety.

Rest assured, I shall be mindful, Yang Xiao replied. Having taken Lingling's barrier token and stowed it away securely, he bade her farewell and galloped swiftly in the direction of the Beast Sea.

Before long, Yang Xiao arrived at the edge of the Beast Sea. Waving the barrier token before the barrier, the restriction automatically parted to form a fissure, allowing him to enter the Beast Sea smoothly.

Once inside, he discovered that the various spirit beasts here were indeed numerous. However, upon first entering, he encountered only low-grade spirit beasts that posed no threat to him whatsoever. Disregarding them, Yang Xiao proceeded straight toward the depths of the Beast Sea.

After flying further for a time, the grade of the spirit beasts grew increasingly high, and intermediate-grade spirit beasts began to appear successively. There were even flying intermediate-grade spirit beasts that attempted to intercept him, but the consequence of such actions was invariably being directly cleaved apart by the flash of Yang Xiao's sword. Seizing the opportunity, Yang Xiao gathered some materials from these intermediate-grade spirit beasts, intending to take them back to the marketplace of the Exquisite Abode Blessed Land to trade for other precious materials. The spirit stones Yang Xiao originally carried were not abundant, and purchasing various ingredients had already depleted seven or eight tenths of them. Consequently, slaying intermediate-grade spirit beasts would allow him to exchange for a considerable number of spirit stones and acquire other useful items. Otherwise, he feared he would soon become destitute, unable to afford even the materials he fancied should he encounter them.

In the marketplace of the Exquisite Abode Blessed Land, there were indeed several establishments that acquired spirit beast materials. At the time, Yang Xiao had naturally been unaware of the existence of the Beast Sea within the blessed land; it was only later, during his conflict with Feng Wei, that he heard Lingling mention it. This Beast Sea happened to serve as a convenient tool for him to amass wealth.

With thunderous methods, Yang Xiao swiftly dispatched numerous intermediate-grade spirit beasts. Even intermediate-grade spirit beasts comparable to those in the mid-stage of Qi Condensation were unable to withstand the assault of his precious sword, demonstrating that the newly forged Dragon-Snake Sword had indeed increased in power significantly.

As Yang Xiao pressed forward, he abruptly discovered a palace lying ahead. This palace was resplendent and magnificent, appearing exceptionally grand, which left him greatly puzzled.

How could a palace appear within the Beast Sea?

Driven by curiosity, Yang Xiao naturally flew toward the palace. Yet no sooner had he flown a short distance toward it than he suddenly sensed something was amiss. Turning his head, he discovered that another palace had materialized behind him, and he was now actually situated within a palace itself, standing upon a massive plaza.

This is wrong! I clearly remember not flying an excessive distance; it is utterly impossible to have reached a palace so swiftly, Yang Xiao immediately perceived the strangeness of the situation.

This must be an illusion technique. Yet this illusion is truly formidable, appearing entirely indistinguishable from reality—whether it be the palace or the bluestone pavement beneath my feet, all are so vividly lifelike that one can scarcely believe them to be false, Yang Xiao deduced instantly.

The moment he made this judgment, Yang Xiao hastily erected various protective measures, fearing that the caster of the illusion might seize the opportunity to launch a sneak attack. Since he was currently trapped within the illusion, it was utterly impossible for him to know the precise location of the caster, a circumstance immensely disadvantageous to him.

Had it not been for Yang Xiao's acute perception and his modest understanding of illusion techniques, he likely would not even have realized he was trapped in an illusion, leaving him utterly defenseless against an enemy ambush.

Nevertheless, Yang Xiao's current predicament remained quite dire. Based on his knowledge of illusions, he knew that if he could not break the illusion swiftly, the consequences would be unimaginable.

At that very moment, another abrupt change occurred. From the palace not far away, several ferocious spirit beasts flew forth. Their forms resembled centipedes magnified countless times, save for the fact that each centipede bore a pair of snow-white wings upon its back.

These centipede spirit beasts launched a ferocious assault upon Yang Xiao. Each beast bared savage fangs, looking as though it intended to swallow him alive.

Such ferocious spirit beasts, and all of them are at the mid-stage of Qi Condensation! Yang Xiao was greatly startled. However, his Sword Soul realm was swiftly unleashed, and in the flashing brilliance of the sword, all these spirit beasts were cleaved into multiple segments. Their corpses plummeted downward one after another, littering the ground with mutilated remains in an instant.