The Bian Hua Yao, or Shore Flower Demon, was a mythical creature from the age of legends.
It was said to have gone extinct in the early stages of the totem era.
The Shore Flower Demon was renowned for mastering a quasi-divine skill: Complete Oblivion.
Complete Oblivion not only caused the loss of all memories but also erased habits, personality, aspirations, willpower, and everything else.
Ultimately, the victim would become a puppet of the Shore Flower Demon.
Earlier, upon entering the Flower Sea Cemetery, "Old Liu" from the adventuring party Zheng Dong encountered had unknowingly fallen victim to the Shore Flower Demon's Complete Oblivion.
When the skill was dormant, no anomalies could be detected.
Only when the Shore Flower Demon willed it to activate would it continuously cause "Old Liu" to forget, eventually losing himself and obeying only the demon's commands.
Furthermore, Complete Oblivion had few restrictions.
Even individuals with a higher growth level than the Shore Flower Demon would be affected, though the process of forgetting would be slower.
Theoretically, the Shore Flower Demon could control any extraordinary being below the god-tier.
Of course, the number it could control depended on the Shore Flower Demon's own mental strength.
After all, controlling more beings consumed greater mental power.
Zheng Dong's clone also looked at the Shore Flower Demon.
This was a death spirit with a quasi-divine racial level.
Whether it was handed over to You You to be transformed into a death spirit puppet or killed and given to Ling Er to be converted into a death element spirit, both options were excellent.
Shen Bing also desired this Shore Flower Demon.
However, she lacked the ability to subdue it.
The Shore Flower Demon's growth level had reached Emperor-tier. Without a Hegemon-tier pet, it would be difficult to suppress and capture it.
Concurrently, the Shore Flower Demon was also assessing Zheng Dong's clone and Shen Bing's Undying Nether Phoenix clone.
It was quite surprised.
It hadn't expected anyone to venture into its core territory.
Immediately, it launched an attack.
Vibrantly colored pollen formed a misty tidal wave, surging towards Zheng Dong and Shen Bing's clones.
This pollen not only confused sensory abilities but was also highly poisonous.
A small amount absorbed would cause complete incapacitation.
This was the Shore Flower Demon's unleashed ultimate skill, Despair Pollen.
Zheng Dong's clone showed no fear.
He unleashed the super-tier skill Eternal Freeze, intending to freeze the pervasive pollen.
Unfortunately, being merely a clone, his abilities were limited, and he couldn't completely freeze all the pollen.
He only absorbed a small amount.
His sensory abilities were immediately lost, plunging him into a death-like darkness.
He could neither perceive any external sounds nor see anything outside.
He was trapped in loneliness and despair.
But it wasn't over yet.
Flower buds began to emerge from his body, continuously blooming.
With each blooming flower, his aura weakened.
Before long, Zheng Dong's clone completely vanished.
As for Shen Bing's Undying Nether Phoenix clone, it also couldn't hold on for long and collapsed.
With the clones falling, the Shore Flower Demon sensed that only clones had been defeated.
It quickly located the true bodies of Zheng Dong and the others, still within the Flower Sea Cemetery, by tracking the clones' auras.
Instantly, it revealed an enraged expression.
Following that, all the flowers in the tomb where Zheng Dong and the others were located began to emit the vibrantly colored pollen.
Seeing this, Zheng Dong did not hesitate. Grabbing Shen Bing and Shen Xue, he used spatial teleportation to reach the outside of the Flower Sea Cemetery.
The Shore Flower Demon quickly pursued them.
The countless flowers in the Flower Sea Cemetery, controlled by the Shore Flower Demon, also sprayed out vibrantly colored pollen.
A large amount of pollen spread wildly in all directions.
Anything it touched, whether a Beastmaster or another extraordinary being, would lose its sensory energy and die from poisoning.
Facing the Shore Flower Demon's attack, Zheng Dong summoned You You.
You You directly transformed into a colossal Death Spirit Tower.
The tower ignited with the karmic fires of reincarnation.
The karmic fires of reincarnation surged towards the vibrantly colored poisonous mist formed by the pollen. Upon contact, they ignited rapidly.
Although they didn't burn away all the pollen released by the Shore Flower Demon, the pollen close to Zheng Dong was incinerated.
Simultaneously, Shen Bing and Shen Xue also summoned their respective pets to respond.
They stayed close to Zheng Dong, jointly resisting the Shore Flower Demon's attacks.
Seeing that its Despair Pollen attack had not achieved the desired effect, the Shore Flower Demon unleashed its quasi-divine skill, Complete Oblivion.
Eerie powers emanated from the Shore Flower Demon.
They spread outwards like sound waves.
This power was formless and intangible, only perceptible but invisible.
It was akin to magnetic force.
Precognitive Sense was once again triggered, emitting strong danger signals.
Sensing the danger, Zheng Dong retreated continuously.
But it was still useless.
Within the depths of their pupils, both he and Shen Bing and Shen Xue had a strange flower about to bloom.
If the flowers fully bloomed, they would completely forget themselves and fall under the Shore Flower Demon's control.
Of course, besides Zheng Dong and his companions.
The Beastmasters who had been adventuring in the Flower Sea Cemetery and the wandering death spirits in the vicinity had also fallen victim.
The lower the growth level, the easier it was for the Shore Flower Demon to control them.
Numerous high-level Beastmasters and their pets emerged from the Flower Sea Cemetery, summoning their pets and launching attacks against Zheng Dong and his group.
Lord-tier and General-tier death spirits wandering nearby also charged forward, unleashing their fiercest attacks.
Seeing this, You You became enraged.
Who said only the Shore Flower Demon could control death spirits!
You You used its quasi-divine skill, Death Spirit Sovereign.
Death Spirit Sovereign could directly command all death spirits of the same or lower level as You You, and it exerted a strong suppressive effect on all death element extraordinary beings.
With the activation of Death Spirit Sovereign, all of the Shore Flower Demon's attribute powers were comprehensively reduced.
Furthermore, any death spirits nearby not affected by Complete Oblivion would respond to You You's command and attack the Shore Flower Demon.
As for those death spirits already affected by Complete Oblivion, they had forgotten themselves and would not obey You You's commands.
Unless You You's level reached Emperor-tier, allowing it to command an Emperor-tier Shore Flower Demon, it would not be able to influence these self-forgotten death spirits.
Relatively speaking, Death Spirit Sovereign was far more powerful than Complete Oblivion.
However, You You was limited by its growth level and could not unleash a more potent effect than the Shore Flower Demon's Complete Oblivion.
As a result, a small number of King-tier death spirits in the vicinity, not yet fully affected by Complete Oblivion, heeded You You's command and joined the battle.
But Zheng Dong and his group remained at a disadvantage.
After all, this was the Shore Flower Demon's home ground, and it had initiated the attack first, holding a certain advantage.
Seeing this, You You released the Purgatory Ghost-Eyed Vine and the Phantom Tree Spirit Emperor, which it had recently converted into death spirit puppets.
Although these two death spirits were injured in the previous battle, they were still Emperor-tier, quickly leveling the playing field against the Shore Flower Demon's advantage.
This thoroughly angered the Shore Flower Demon, which let out strange cries, calling for allies.
Unlike the solitary Purgatory Ghost-Eyed Vine and Phantom Tree Spirit Emperor, the Shore Flower Demon was adept at befriending its own kind, especially death spirits of the same level.
These death spirits, if their levels were consistently higher or equal to it, would be fine.
But as long as their growth level was lower than its own, they would be controlled by its Complete Oblivion.
In other words, the death spirits it befriended were its future prey.
Furthermore, it possessed the high-tier skill, First Impression.
Through First Impression, it could leave the most beautiful image in the hearts of others.
Because of this, it had good relationships with the death spirits in other nearby tombs.
Indeed, from these tombs emerged eerie death spirits, legendary beings said to be extinct.
These death spirits were also all Emperor-tier in growth level.
Zheng Dong counted them; there were six in total.
Shen Bing and Shen Xue frowned, feeling that this situation had become quite troublesome.
If things went wrong, they might die here.
The Shore Flower Demon also revealed a smug smile.
At its instigation, these Emperor-tier death spirits launched attacks against Zheng Dong and his group.
Facing the attacks, the Phantom Tree Spirit Emperor and the Purgatory Ghost-Eyed Vine were once again injured.
They glared angrily at the Shore Flower Demon and the other Emperor-tier death spirits.
"Don't be so smug, you'll soon be like us."
The Phantom Tree Spirit Emperor and the Purgatory Ghost-Eyed Vine knew that Zheng Dong possessed Hegemon-tier combat power.
This was something the Shore Flower Demon and the other Emperor-tier death spirits could not handle.
Meanwhile, Hu Maoxue and his group also arrived at the Mangshan Ghost Mausoleum.
They soon discovered Zheng Dong.
They did not reveal themselves but hid in the shadows, looking for an opportunity.
Seeing Zheng Dong in peril, Hu Maoxue was overjoyed.
"Bastard, you have your day too."
Lei Tianyu also stared at Zheng Dong with hatred, wishing he could immediately avenge Lei Tianqi.
Hu Maoxue's girlfriend, Ming Shuang, her eyes darting around, seemed worried whether the Holy Maiden Wei Yi of the Fire God Sect had caught up.
She did not wish for Zheng Dong to be harmed.
If Zheng Dong met with misfortune, all her efforts would be in vain.
"Old Hu, what now? Should we make a move?" Lei Tianyu asked Hu Maoxue.
Hu Maoxue patted Lei Tianyu's shoulder.
"Don't rush, there's plenty of time. Let's find a place and see if we can ambush Zheng Dong."
Saying this, Hu Maoxue looked around, searching for the best position for a sneak attack.
He soon found a spot.
It was seven to eight hundred meters away from where Zheng Dong and his group were fighting.
Hu Maoxue instructed Ming Shuang to summon her pet, the Ghost-Eyed Fox Cat, to conceal their group's aura and quietly approach.
They hid behind a strangely shaped rock.
Subsequently, one of Hu Maoxue's mechanical pets transformed into mechanical armor and donned it.
Lei Tianyu was also in a fused state with a pet.
Ming Shuang's beast-taming talent was peculiar; she could transform into the form of her contracted pet and wield all its skills.
However, she could not maintain this state for more than a day.
She was currently transformed into a Ghost-Eyed Fox Cat, identical to the Ghost-Eyed Fox Cat she had summoned.
Then, Hu Maoxue began his action.
He took out a specially made mechanical gun.
This mechanical gun was prepared by him specifically for Zheng Dong.
It could shoot a syringe containing the Vermilion Bird bloodline potion directly at Zheng Dong.
The syringe was not very large and was made of metal.
When fired by the mechanical gun, it would possess considerable destructive power, capable of piercing Zheng Dong's skin without issue.
Hu Maoxue raised the mechanical gun and aimed at Zheng Dong.
Zheng Dong's Precognitive Sense also detected danger.
However, Zheng Dong mistook the danger to be from the Shore Flower Demon and did not notice Hu Maoxue and his group behind him.
Therefore, Zheng Dong summoned Ling Er again.
Ling Er did not engage directly but summoned Hegemon-tier Light and Dark Elementals to deal with the Shore Flower Demon.
Upon seeing the sudden appearance of the Light and Dark Elementals.
The Shore Flower Demon was dumbfounded.
Zheng Dong was clearly only a Grandmaster-tier Beastmaster, so how could he possess Hegemon-tier combat power?
Hu Maoxue and his group were also surprised.
"Damn it, if only I possessed Hegemon-tier combat power!"
Hu Maoxue was filled with jealousy.
His gaze grew firmer; he had to cripple Zheng Dong.
Otherwise, he would never get ahead.
His finger rested on the trigger, ready to ambush Zheng Dong at any moment.
Lei Tianyu's face was filled with disbelief.
"How is this possible? Am I hallucinating?"
Even his father, a Legendary-tier Beastmaster, did not have the ability to contract a Hegemon-tier pet.
Ming Shuang also stared blankly at Zheng Dong, but she quickly regained her composure.
Then she glanced at Hu Maoxue beside her.
She suddenly realized that Hu Maoxue was worthless compared to Zheng Dong.
"If I could win Zheng Dong over, my future would definitely be better, and my status in the Fire God Sect would continuously rise."
However, she then looked at Shen Bing and Shen Xue beside Zheng Dong and frowned.
Compared to Shen Bing and Shen Xue, her appearance was slightly inferior.
Because she had transformed into a Ghost-Eyed Fox Cat, her subtle movements went unnoticed by Hu Maoxue.
Soon, Zheng Dong's Light and Dark Elementals also launched their attacks.
The Hegemon-tier Light and Dark Elementals were constantly competing.
They each attacked the Shore Flower Demon and other death spirits, seeing who could subdue more Emperor-tier pets.
Before long, they each subdued an Emperor-tier death spirit and threw them to You You.
The two exchanged glances, unwilling to concede, and attacked the next death spirit.
Soon, only the Emperor-tier Shore Flower Demon remained.
Therefore, they simultaneously unleashed their most ferocious attacks on the Shore Flower Demon.
Although the Shore Flower Demon was powerful, it couldn't withstand the attacks of two Hegemon-tier elementals.
It also panicked, unleashing its strongest counterattack.
But it was still useless. It was kicked to the ground by the Dark Elemental and then slammed into the ground by the Light Elemental.
The ground cracked, and more than half of the Shore Flower Demon's body sank into the earth, with only a small portion of its body and its head exposed, unconscious.
Subsequently, You You stepped forward and converted it into a death spirit puppet.
With this, coupled with the previously subdued Phantom Tree Spirit Emperor and Purgatory Ghost-Eyed Vine, she now possessed nine Emperor-tier death spirit puppets.
The moment the Shore Flower Demon fell, Hu Maoxue pulled the trigger.
Zheng Dong suddenly felt a sharp pain in his shoulder, followed by a strange force surging into his body.
This force disrupted his body's equilibrium.
The long-dormant Azure Dragon bloodline power erupted once more, surprising Zheng Dong. He had thought Ling Er had almost completely absorbed and refined the Azure Dragon bloodline power.
He hadn't expected that there was still a strong Azure Dragon bloodline power hidden within his body.
With the eruption of the Azure Dragon bloodline power, fine dragon scales grew on his body again, as if he possessed inexhaustible strength.
However, his complexion turned pale.
This was because his body could not yet withstand this immense power.