The tentacles were incredibly tough, clashing with the Chun Hong Sword with a crisp sound and only pausing for a fleeting moment.
But that moment was enough!
Bai Shengyi had already swept in front of Yue Miaomiao, seizing the Chun Hong Sword and drawing it again. The sword light raged like a storm, and with another precise cut at a tentacle, it severed it directly, causing the creature to release Yue Miaomiao in pain.
"Go to Xue Rou's side."
Bai Shengyi pulled Yue Miaomiao behind her with her other hand, determined to see what was causing this spectral disturbance!
Yue Miaomiao watched as Bai Shengyi charged alone into the red maple trees. Without a second thought, she prepared to follow, completely disregarding Bai Shengyi's earlier words.
"Miaomiao!" Fortunately, Lan Xue Rou quickly grabbed her. "Don't be impulsive. Listen to Auntie. It's too dangerous here. Let's go to the black maple trees."
"Senior Sister, but is Senior Aunt alone… can she manage?"
Yue Miaomiao was still shaken and wanted to follow. Firstly, she worried about Bai Shengyi, and secondly, she felt safe only by Bai Shengyi's side.
"Our cultivation isn't as high as Senior Aunt's. If we go, we'll only be a hindrance." Lan Xue Rou sighed helplessly, fending off the attacking black maple branches and comforting Yue Miaomiao, "Don't be afraid. Senior Sister will protect you."
On the other side.
As soon as Bai Shengyi stepped into the red maple forest, she felt an intense sense of being watched.
Her ears were filled with urgent "thump-thump" sounds, like rapid drumbeats. In a daze, she suspected that what lay before her wasn't a forest, but a sea of scarlet blood…
"Meow!"
"Master!"
"Shengyi!"
The urgent voices of the Moon Crescent Cat and the Qing Meng Vine Reincarnation Brush jolted Bai Shengyi back to reality. Looking up, she saw countless tentacles extending rapidly from all directions.
These tentacles were darker than before, almost black, and even bore slender tendrils, lunging at her with flailing limbs like vengeful water spirits.
"Scram!"
With a fierce shout, the Chun Hong Sword moved like lightning, repelling the nearest tendrils.
However, these tendrils became more aggressive with each clash. After a brief retreat, they surged back.
In the next exchange, the Chun Hong Sword actually developed a crack!
Bai Shengyi's eyes turned cold. The Chun Hong Sword was one of the only two things her master, Chun Hong, had left her!
"Little Vine Leaf, keep an eye on Er Gou." Bai Shengyi took out the Tian Ji Sword, placed the Moon Crescent Cat on her shoulder, called out to the Qing Meng Vine, and charged forward with her sword hilt!
The tendrils seemed to be seeing someone actively charge them for the first time. They "danced" joyfully, surging towards Bai Shengyi with glee.
Bai Shengyi's eyes held an astonishing chill. Her left hand wielded the Tian Ji Sword as if it were an extension of her arm, aiming directly at the base of the tentacles, "Wu Yin!"
"Bang!"
The rule of time, once unleashed, was like cold water poured onto hot oil, colliding with a tremendous roar. The tentacles that had previously required significant effort to cut with the Chun Hong Sword instantly snapped inch by inch. And from within them, dark red blood spurted out!
Bai Shengyi's pupils contracted sharply!
As expected!
This was no ordinary forest!
Bai Shengyi guessed that even if they had continued to follow the Nether Ravens, they would have ventured deeper into these red maple trees, becoming food for these tentacles. The black maple trees and the barrier were like whips, driving sheep into the wolf's den, preventing them from turning back.
In fact, Bai Shengyi's guess was both right and wrong.
If she had X-ray vision, she would have discovered that the sky, which had never illuminated, was actually a thick layer of fatty tissue, growing countless tiny blood vessels that connected to the tentacles in the red maple forest. Beyond the fatty layer was the bright sky and warm sunlight; it was clearly daytime!
At this moment, under the sunlight, one man and two women were quickly moving away. The male cultivator was holding a female cultivator's hand, covering her mouth. If Bai Shengyi were here, she would certainly be surprised.
Because those two female cultivators were Rong Xuelan and Yun Youyue.
"Yun Youyue! How dare you let Senior Brother Chen Yi cover my mouth? I am the Sect Master's daughter! You should obey my commands, do you understand?" Once she regained her freedom, Rong Xuelan pushed Chen Yi away furiously and pointed at Yun Youyue, unleashing a barrage of accusations.
Yun Youyue glanced at her with icy eyes. "If you don't want to die, then shut your mouth!"
"You! How dare you!"
Rong Xuelan's hands trembled with anger as she looked at Yun Youyue's arrogant and dismissive attitude.
If her father hadn't insisted she follow this vixen, she would have taught this vixen a lesson!
"Rong Xuelan, if you continue to be unreasonable, don't blame this venerable one for making you stay here forever!" Yun Youyue's red lips curved into a cold smile. "Do you think everyone is like your mother, indulging you?"
A terrifying, chilling killing intent shot towards Rong Xuelan. Rong Xuelan, who was only at the early Nascent Soul stage, her cultivation forcibly boosted by pills for the Vast Universe Minor Realm, could not withstand such a shock. Her face immediately turned pale.
"Alright, alright, You Yue, don't scare Junior Sister Rong. Junior Sister Rong simply doesn't know how dangerous it was just now."
Chen Yi said this in a seemingly fair manner, then turned to Rong Xuelan disapprovingly. "Junior Sister Rong, You Yue and I are thinking of your safety. That was the Heaven Swallowing Beast just now. If we had woken it up, it would have been troublesome."
"Heaven Swallowing Beast?" Rong Xuelan pondered for a moment, a look of lingering fear and panic appearing on her face. She pointed at the 'mountain' behind them and stammered, "Is it… that 'mountain'?"
If they were to speak of it, they hadn't encountered much danger on their journey. The only thing that was a bit strange was that oddly shaped, impossibly tall peak.
Yun Youyue said coldly, "Rest here for a while. We're waiting for someone."
"Why rest? Isn't it dangerous? Let's run quickly!" Rong Xuelan objected.
Yun Youyue's expression turned cold, and she sneered, "If you want to run, then run."
"You!"
"Junior Sister Rong!" Chen Yi pulled Rong Xuelan back and gave Yun Youyue a meaningful look. "It would be a shame if Junior Sister Rong left. This Heaven Swallowing Beast guards three Cold Pond Blood Ganodermas. Each one is at least a thousand years old, and the lowest is a Saint-grade spiritual plant."
Rong Xuelan was startled. "How do you know?"
Even as the daughter of the West Music Sect Master, she didn't know this. Why were these two so well-informed?
Chen Yi avoided the question and said, "You Yue also plans to wait for Young Master Jing Lan to arrive. We will act together while the Heaven Swallowing Beast is still asleep, and our chances of success will be greater."
Upon hearing Jing Lan's name, Rong Xuelan's eyes lit up, and she immediately forgot her earlier doubts, happily exclaiming, "Senior Brother Jing Lan is coming? Then I must tidy myself up."
Bai Shengyi was unaware of all this. She was at a critical juncture in her battle with the tentacles.
These tentacles clearly refused to give up on her as a delicious meal and continued to attack her.
These tentacles were also exceptionally strange. They couldn't be burned by divine fire, nor could they be frozen by ice and snow. Moreover, new tentacles would grow from the places where the Chun Hong Sword had cut them.
Fortunately, she still had the Tian Ji Sword. Although the divine sword was damaged, it remained renowned.
With the long sword held horizontally, countless tentacles were severed at the waist. Dark red blood splattered out, and the tentacles withered and died immediately.
Seeing the tentacles grow fewer and fewer, and the heartbeat-like "thump-thump" sound also disappear, Bai Shengyi did not relax her guard. Instead, she used the Tian Ji Sword in her left hand to block a tentacle, and with her right hand, she raised the Reincarnation Brush and wrote in the air—
"Fire!"
She spoke softly, her cold voice carrying a fierce and untamed quality.
The Art of True Words from the Nine Revolutions Reincarnation Brush!
"Sss!"
As soon as she spoke, fierce, orange-red flames erupted. In an instant, they surged towards the red maple forest with unstoppable momentum.
The brilliant flames illuminated the dark red blood flowing like a river on the ground, making Bai Shengyi's bright face appear even more calm and collected.
"Divine fire is useless, so let's try void fire!"
The Reincarnation Brush said proudly, "Just you wait! Shengyi, Bi Bi's fire is no less than divine fire!"
Bai Shengyi had no doubt about the Reincarnation Brush's words. After all, she had been able to manipulate "wind and snow" since the Nascent Soul stage, but she had only been able to fully use "fire" after reaching the Mahayana stage.
She glanced at the bright flames before her, a slight smile on her lips. Pointing at the spot where the sense of being watched was strongest, she commanded the flames, "Burn over there!"