CHAPTER 640: CHAPTER 638: DO YOU WANT TO BECOME STRONGER?_2

The overall style is quite Cthulhu Mythos; anyone with trypophobia would want to vomit at first glance.

"Venerable Family, let’s leave. The aura that thing emits is terrifyingly strong, and its pollution power is very potent. There’s no one alive here anymore, no need to take unnecessary risks." Hu Zhile’s keen sense of smell detected danger in the wind, making her little heart race wildly.

Jiang Yuanxin thought, how could that be okay? The system gave a Resurrection Talisman for free to prepare for dealing with this big guy. How could you just say no to such a huge piece of land, which also has a Spirit Stone Vein?

Whether it’s a mule or a horse, you have to take it out for a walk at the very least. If it’s impossible to beat, then consider escaping!

"By the way, how’s that place I had you hide in earlier? Are you satisfied?" Just as he was about to stow away his contracted pet, he realized that he didn’t even know the situation inside the pet item slot, not knowing if it was comfortable, so he asked a follow-up question.

However, Hu Zhile misunderstood, thinking that the little space was purposely created by the Venerable Family, and nodded happily, "It’s perfect! There’s a lot of space inside and the spiritual energy is abundant, perfect for secluded cultivation!"

So that’s how it is. Then it’s reassuring.

"As long as you’re satisfied, you can go back and rest. I have to take down that scourge." Jiang Yuan didn’t wait for her response and directly clicked, sending the contracted pet back to the item slot.

You can’t use paper effigies against the eerie because it’s easy for them to mutate when polluted, causing even more trouble.

You can’t use spiritual power-infused magical treasures or weapons for long, especially the Clear Wind Bright Moon Sword, which is more susceptible to pollution since it’s not bonded.

"It’s still better to use exoskeleton equipment!" He frowned slightly, activating the equipment, as the terrifying demon god with demonic aura spilling out descended once more!

This thing’s mixed style is super fierce, super cool, and super brave, perfect in every aspect except that getting hit still hurts.

Normally, even if the health bar is severely hit, there’s no feeling, but with the exoskeletal equipment, even a regular attack hurts, though the pain is outweighed by the fact that one doesn’t actually bleed, reducing fear instead.

"Do you want to become stronger?"

Just as Jiang Yuan was about to fight the boss, a disembodied tempting voice floated to his ears.

No creativity at all, after getting rebuked last time, this grudge had been obediently silent for a long time, probably having adjusted its mentality ready to start up again.

"You were already beaten to death by me, and now you’re asking if I want to get stronger. What are you thinking? Do you have a brain? Can you think independently?" He casually asked while hurrying on his way.

The grudge inherent in the mutated skull was silent for a few breaths, then said gloomily, "I can make you stronger!"

"Tell me how. Do you have Heavenly Level cultivation techniques or Divine Artifacts? Without either, how can you make me stronger?"

"Let me devour more grudges to become stronger, and you can become stronger along with me."

"Oh? Finally, something different." Jiang Yuan couldn’t help but laugh, "That does make some sense. If you can make yourself stronger with higher attack power, it would indeed be more convenient for me to use. But where am I supposed to find grudges for you to consume?"

If I recall correctly, last time, this thing encouraged me to devour other cultivators and got rebuffed.

Now it’s changed its story, saying it wants to devour grudges. I wonder what it’s up to this time.

"I can sense grudges and dissatisfaction in the forest ahead." The grudge sobbed eerily like a ghostly wail, a 360° surround sound tempting him, "Kill it and give me the remaining grudges, and you’ll become stronger!"

While speaking, Jiang Yuan arrived roughly at the spot where the Demonized Red Snake had recently appeared. However, apart from scattered fragments of clothing from fox demons and human cultivators, there was no trace left.

With no leads temporarily on where to search, he casually followed up, "Then point the way, where are the grudges?"

"Ahead to the left, it’s burrowing underground..."

Underground? It couldn’t be burrowing into a cave, could it?

Jiang Yuan thought of the clusters of snakes in the Empty Valley Stream, frowned, and then held the Soul Refining Banner in his hand.

The skull head, surrounded by gusts of eerie wind and black "exhaust," increased his sense of security while amplifying the terror of his overall image.

"Do you see that barren mound..." The grudge murmured, "Dig it up!"

No objectives for now anyway, might as well trust it this once.

To prevent this thing from playing tricks, Jiang Yuan deliberately kept a distance, urging the Soul Refining Banner to release a dense black aura of Yin Fiend, approached and overturned the small mound.

"Woooooo~"

"Sssssssss..."

First, a giant mushroom cloud of black mist erupted, followed by indescribable hissing sounds, sounding like someone whispering, someone screaming, crying, laughing, or cursing and roaring...

Jiang Yuan only felt a moment of darkness before his eyes and a buzz in his head.

He seemed to plunge into an endless abyss, with countless blurred faces of men, women, young and old flashing before him, speaking, crying, laughing, cursing, and contorting menacingly, surging as if to engulf him...

"Do you want to become stronger?" The inherent grudge in the mutated skull continued to echo eerily in his ears, "Then don’t let yourself die."

Death?!

Oh no! The Resurrection Talisman I painstakingly obtained!

The word "death" flipped a certain switch in Jiang Yuan, instantly waking him up as he bolted backward.

Critical Strike -5000!

Almost simultaneously with regaining consciousness and retreating, a blood-red number floated in his vision.

Luckily, the health bar had silently increased every day, with equipment offering both defense and damage reduction. Though encountering the big boss had wiped out 5000 health, placing him in a state of low health.

He quickly took a Blood Replenishing Pill from the storage bag and popped it into his mouth, watching the health bar swiftly rise until it was full before he could afford a long exhale.

"That was close, almost died!" The two Resurrection Talismans in the storage bag remained untouched, giving him an added sense of security.

[Braving direct confrontation with the Demonized Red Snake’s bizarre spiritual pollution damage, Willpower +20]

So, both groups of cultivators were tainted this way?

They were polluted and mutated, while I, having a system, merely lost health upon pollution without mutating. As long as there is a Resurrection Talisman prepared, it’s fine. Jiang Yuan instantly grasped the difference and launched a Heaven-Burning Storm!

Critical Strike -51000!

The Heaven-Burning Storm hit the black "mushroom cloud," scoring a critical strike, though it only reduced the health bar by less than one-twentieth, marking this as a protracted battle.

Luckily, the preparations were ample, and with skill cooldowns the only concern, there was no need to worry about consuming spiritual power; pills, tea, or chicken legs could all restore both health and physical strength bars, giving me the advantage!

Devouring Mountains and Rivers!

Soul Hook!

Five Elements Cloud-Piercing Thunder!

Instant Teleportation Technique...

After executing a smooth combo, Jiang Yuan’s health remained full, while the opponent’s was reduced by nearly one-tenth.

"Yuan! When are you coming home? Grandpa misses you..." Suddenly, the voice of his grandpa from memory echoed in his ears, shaking him as he saw his grandparents standing at the door of the old house waving at him, "Grandma made hand-rolled noodles for you, the dates in our yard are ripe, come home and pick some..."

The beautiful scene frozen in memory instantly moistened Jiang Yuan’s eyes. He craved his grandma’s hand-rolled noodles and unwittingly took a few steps forward in a daze.

"Do you want to become stronger?" The grudge seeped back into his mind, "If you die, you can’t become stronger."

Jiang Yuan immediately snapped back, knowing it was an illusion!

He halted abruptly, snapping his eyes open to see countless tentacles covered with massive eyeballs, twisting and entwining, lunging towards him!

His spine chilled as he retreated while swinging the Soul Refining Banner, unleashing vengeful ghosts from it that rushed towards the attacking tentacles.

"Hiss!"

The ear-piercing noise almost shattered his eardrums, making his skin crawl. Those tentacle tips split open, revealing fangs and spitting tongues; as expected, they were mutated snakes!

Critical Strike -5000!

[Encountering spiritual pollution damage from Demonized Red Snake, Willpower +10]

"This thing is really hard to deal with." Jiang Yuan grimaced; the illusion realm was much more realistic than the Green-eyed Fox’s machinations and provided quite the immersive experience, making it unexpectedly difficult to guard against.

While frantically activating skills, he retreated further and saw the Netherworld scene—a long-deceased grandpa and grandma chained, ushered by Yin Messengers among a group of souls, heading further along Yellow Springs Road...