113: Chapter 111: Treasure in the Mine?

113: Chapter 111: Treasure in the Mine?

The mine was pitch-black as ink.

Although martial artists who had entered the True Essence Realm possessed a degree of night vision, in this completely dark mine, they still needed to carry torches.

Ye Zhen, Fast Sword Cao Bufan, and Iron Palm Gao Xiong had barely entered the mine on the right side for a few dozen breaths when shouts of battle erupted.

The shrill voice of the Red-clothed Venerable was particularly piercing to the ears, and faintly, the shocked cries of Xie Shao, who had entered the middle mine, could also be heard.

As they delved deeper, after a few hundred breaths, the other two mines had encountered two or three waves of Demon Beasts and even sounds of injuries were heard, but the mine where Ye Zhen and the others were had not encountered even a shadow of a Demon Beast.

“Strange, they are all fighting so fiercely, why is there no movement on our side?” Iron Palm Gao Xiong was puzzled.

“That’s a good thing, isn’t it?

Or are you unhappy about it?”

As he spoke, Fast Sword Cao Bufan glanced at Ye Zhen unintentionally, having realized something when Ye Zhen had chosen the mine first, he did not expect it to be true.

“It’s also our good fortune!” Ye Zhen smiled.

However, this choice was not made by Ye Zhen listening to the Beast Language but by his careful observation.

In the mines, crawling creatures like mice, snakes, and ants were most common.

After arriving today and stopping in front of these three mines for an hour, in that time, only the mine on the right had six mice and a small snake emerge.

The other two mines didn’t show a single beast.

Ye Zhen had made a judgment: the mine on the right probably had the fewest Demon Beasts, so he quickly chose this mine!

Suddenly, a foul wind attacked, and three pairs of greenish eyeballs pounced from the depths of the mine.

“Be careful, it’s a Human-Level top grade Demon Beast with an eagle body and a ghostly face.

This fellow’s combat power is close to a Lower-grade Earth Level Monster Beast.

One per person, Ye Zhen, you hold on first!” Shouting sharply, Fast Sword Cao Bufan and Iron Palm Gao Xiong charged forward.

“Okay!”

The Chasing Star Step burst out like lightning.

He raised the Sky Crystal Sword and stabbed sharply, the Sword Gang shimmered like a myriad of blossoming plum flowers.

Winter Plum Swordsmanship’s Winter Plum Tremor!

Shhh, shhh, shhh!

In an instant, the ghastly face of the Demon Beast pouncing towards Ye Zhen became a bloody mess without even a chance to scream before it died.

Instant kill!

But this was normal!

Due to the Mirage Dragon Pearl, Ye Zhen’s True Essence was incomparably pure, even the True Essence Fifth Realm Peak existences had a less pure True Essence than Ye Zhen’s.

In such a situation, even though Ye Zhen was in the Early Stage of the True Essence Fourth Realm, he could rival someone in the Late Stage of the Fifth Realm or even its peak.

If there was a difference, it was only in his total amount of True Essence, which was much less compared to those at the Late Stage Fifth Realm.

In this situation, combined with the boost from the Sky Crystal Sword, even without using the Winter Plum Swordsmanship, his combat power was comparable to someone in the Early Stage of the Spirit Summoning Realm, not to mention when he actually used the sword technique.

With one sword, Ye Zhen instantly killed the Human-Level top grade Demon Beast with an eagle body and a ghostly face, stood with his sword sheathed, and watched Cao Bufan and Gao Xiong fight the Demon Beast.

Gao Xiong’s palm techniques were indeed powerful, his Fist Gang could extend nearly two meters, each punch causing the Demon Beast to roar continuously, winning was just a matter of time.

What moved Ye Zhen was Fast Sword Cao Bufan’s fast sword technique.

A sword thrust that looked not too fast, but in reality, it was extremely quick.

So fast that the sword light blurred into illusions, the originally one and a half meter Sword Gang, with a single thrust, extended like the sword suddenly grew an extra ten meters.

In just two breaths, Cao Bufan had thrust over a hundred swords at the Demon Beast with the eagle’s body and a ghostly face.

As the sword light dissipated like thunderclap, the eagle-bodied, ghoul-faced cat instantly fell dead to the ground.

Having killed his target, Cao Bufan quickly turned to look at Ye Zhen, and when he saw Ye Zhen standing with his hands behind his back and sword in hand, his eyes couldn’t help but widen in shock.

The speed at which Ye Zhen had slain the demon beast was even faster than his.

Seconds later, Iron Palm Gao Xiong, who had also just finished off his demon beast, was similarly stunned.

He had thought he might need to help Ye Zhen, but ultimately, he was the slowest and most strained one in their group.

His initial thoughts when entering the mining cave instantly changed, of course, surprise was inevitable.

However, as they ventured deeper step by step, encountering more and more demon beasts, Iron Palm Gao Xiong’s surprise grew even greater.

Because every time, Ye Zhen’s killing speed was the fastest, and he did it with such ease and composure.

In contrast, Iron Palm Gao Xiong himself was drenched in sweat, gasping for breath.

The deeper they went into the mining cave, the more demon beasts they encountered.

The tunnel Ye Zhen and his group were in was still manageable; they only encountered one or two demon beasts every few hundred meters, unlike the other two tunnels where the sound of fighting was almost incessant.

Even so, within over one hour of clearing the mining cave, the three of them had killed a total of forty demon beasts.

Including the occasional bones of other demon beasts eaten by more powerful ones on both sides of the tunnel, the number reached as high as sixty.

Just in this one cave, the number of demon beasts discovered exceeded the total number of demon beasts Che Tiejun, the Che Family Patriarch had mentioned as inhabiting the caves.

“Old Cao, something isn’t quite right here!”

“So far, we’ve killed more than fifteen lower-grade Earth-Level demon beasts and nearly thirty Human-Level ones.

The mere smell of blood from a few miners’ bodies, how could it attract so many demon beasts?” Ye Zhen grew more puzzled as they encountered more demon beasts.

“Yeah, I agree, something’s off,” said Gao Xiong.

“Ye Zhen, what are you suggesting?” Cao Bufan looked puzzled.

“Demon beasts are very territorial, and Earth Rank demon beasts even more so.

So many varieties of Earth Rank demon beasts converging in this cave,

it’s not just a few miners’ corpses, even the flesh of a Soul Summoning Realm powerhouse wouldn’t have such a strong appeal.”

Hearing this, Fast Sword Cao Bufan’s eyes suddenly lit up.

“Are you saying there might be some Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures in the depths of the cave that are attracting the demon beasts?”

“Exactly!” Ye Zhen nodded.

“So you mean, the Che Family misled us about the real situation, setting us up?” Iron Palm Gao Xiong frowned.

Ye Zhen shook his head, “That possibility is not likely.

If the Che family really knew there was treasure inside, they certainly wouldn’t have invited so many people.

Moreover, I suspect the Che family also didn’t know that the cave would attract so many demon beasts.

These demon beasts, I fear, were attracted by some treasure inside after the cave incident.”

“Treasure?

So if we keep fighting all the way to the deepest part, is it possible we could find the treasure?” Cao Bufan’s eyes brightened.

Ye Zhen nodded again.

“Then let’s hurry, where are the three groups now?”

“Really looking forward to it, a treasure that can attract lower-grade Earth-Level demon beasts must be something special.

” Fast Sword Cao Bufan rubbed his hands together eagerly.

“Attack!”

With the possibility of treasure ahead, the three of them sped up even more.

However, Ye Zhen was worried about another issue.

Before they even reached the depths of the mining cave, they were already encountering lower-grade Earth-Level demon beasts.

In the innermost parts, could there be even higher level demon beasts?

Moreover, the demon beasts in the left and middle tunnels were noticeably more numerous than those in the right tunnel.

If there truly was a treasure, it was most likely to appear in those two tunnels.

The trio’s fighting spirit soared as they marched forward, slaying demons along their route.

Strangely, the shouts and sounds of combat emanating from the left and center tunnels grew weaker and weaker.

Two hours later, Ye Zhen and his companions reached the deepest part of the right-hand tunnel.

After exterminating two Lower-grade Earth Level Monster Beasts, they searched the area but found nothing.

Not even a single Demon Core was harvested.

After a brief rest, the slightly disappointed trio turned back.

As they passed an intersection of mine tunnels, Iron Palm Gao Xiong, curious, walked over and peered down the central tunnel.

“Wow, there’s another intersection here.

I wonder how the others are doing with their fight?”

Boom!

Suddenly, an explosive sound burst forth at the intersection, and a mass of spirit light mixed with a human figure shot out.

“Roar!”

A tiger’s roar, chilling to the bone, and a massive quantity of green Spiritual Power shaped into Wind Blades, blasted through the tunnel entrance.

“Be careful!”

“The Green Origin Purple Eyed Tiger?”

“Back off, quick!

It’s the Mid-grade Earth Level Monster Beast, the Green Origin Purple Eyed Tiger!”

In the instant that the tiger’s shadow charged, Fast Sword Cao Bufan screamed with all his might.

“A Mid-grade Earth Level Monster Beast?”

Ye Zhen was instantly horrified.

He vividly remembered the terrifying combat power of a Mid-grade Earth Level Monster Beast, the Silver Line Demon Eagle King.

Even Senior Brother Chu, a Spirit Transformation Realm being, had had to sacrifice an eye to escape with his life in a desperate fight.

Although the Silver Line Demon Eagle King was a king among Monster Beasts and hence its combat power was greater, this Green Origin Purple Eyed Tiger wouldn’t be much less formidable.

Almost instinctively, Ye Zhen wanted to retreat like lightning.

“Help!”

“Save me!”

A voice, extremely off-key due to utter exhaustion, shrieked.

It was the person who had escaped through the torrent of Green Spirit Wind Blades from the Green Origin Purple Eyed Tiger.

The Green Origin Purple Eyed Tiger’s Wind Blades continued exploding, Spirit Light filled the air, obscuring the person’s identity.

Even more critical was that the Green Origin Purple Eyed Tiger’s tail was now raised high, its Spiritual Power bursting forth, whipping towards the fleeing figure like a Spirit Whip.

And that person, hanging in mid-air, could not possibly dodge.

If hit, that person was almost certainly dead!

The instant they heard the cries for help, both Ye Zhen and Fast Sword Cao Bufan instinctively drew their swords!

Whoosh!

The terrifying whip-like tail of the tiger, crackling with Spirit Light, lashed towards the figure with a fearsome breaking sound.

In the nick of time, two streaks of Sword Light, one on each side, sliced at the tiger’s tail.

Bang!

The two streaks of Sword Light were on the spot shattered by the tail whip, but they succeeded in wounding the tail.

Particularly, Ye Zhen’s sword cut through half of the tail, rendering the dreadful whip useless!

Roar, roar, roar!

The injured Green Origin Purple Eyed Tiger howled in mad rage and charged furiously towards them.

With a moment’s respite, the figure that had escaped down the central tunnel finally managed a narrow escape from death.

“Xie Shao?

Is that you?”

The moment they saw the figure clearly, both Ye Zhen and Fast Sword Cao Bufan were stunned.

Almost simultaneously, Xie Shao, without pausing at all, kicked out and sent Iron Palm Gao Xiong, completely unguarded at his back, hurling towards the charging Green Origin Purple Eyed Tiger.

Crack!

The Green Origin Purple Eyed Tiger opened its massive jaw and bit Iron Palm Gao Xiong in two.

Swish!

A Sword Light, bursting with tremendous True Yuan fluctuations, suddenly rang out behind Ye Zhen.

In the moment Ye Zhen and Fast Sword Cao Bufan were stunned by this sudden turn of events, Xie Shao, who had just kicked Gao Xiong, twisted around, chuckled sinisterly, and lunged at Ye Zhen with a stealthy sword attack.

“Xie Shao!”

Watching this scene, Fast Sword Cao Bufan roared furiously, his eyes nearly bursting!

Such a treacherous and brutal sword stroke from Xie Shao.

Xie Shao’s sword targeted the newly turned heart of Ye Zhen, vital and unprotected.

Not just in a stealthy attack, but even without the element of surprise, within the cramped mine tunnel, Ye Zhen had no space to dodge left or right.

Ye Zhen’s only choice was to retreat like lightning.

Not to retreat was to die!

But behind him was the Mid-grade Earth Level Monster Beast, the Green Origin Purple Eyed Tiger, rushing forward.

The still-twitching body of Gao Xiong, who had just been bitten in half, lay nearby.

If Ye Zhen retreated, he would end up in the maw of the Green Origin Purple Eyed Tiger, meeting a fate just as gruesome as Gao Xiong’s.

In an instant, Xie Shao had put Ye Zhen in a death trap.

Not to retreat means to be killed by him, Xie Shao!

To retreat!

To become the Green Origin Purple Eyed Tiger’s prey!

It seemed Ye Zhen was left with death as his only option!

“Ha, Ye Zhen, die!

Senior Brother Chu said there’s a big reward for killing you!” Xie Shao laughed wildly as he thrust his sword.

“Is that so?”

Ye Zhen’s gaze suddenly turned incredibly sharp!

The Hundred-Fold True Protective Gang Qi shone around his body with unprecedented brightness.

Pushing from his feet, Ye Zhen did not retreat but advanced!

He boldly moved into the sword light speeding towards him from Xie Shao!

“Seeking death!”

Without any hesitation, Xie Shao’s Sword Light cruelly pierced Ye Zhen’s chest!

Almost simultaneously, Xie Shao and Fast Sword Cao Bufan let out cries of shock in two different tones!(To be continued.

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