Chapter 1836: Chapter 1836: Teng Luo’s Escape
"Are you okay?"
Sikong Yu looked Li Feng up and down. Li Feng’s earlier performance was astonishing; the notoriously terrifying swarm of fire ants was eradicated by him, and the millennia-old demon plant also fell by his hand.
She wondered if it was just her impression, but the first time she met Li Feng, he seemed merely average to her. However, every subsequent meeting, he showed significant progress.
During the entrance assessment at Nine Layers Mountain, without using her Bloodline Power, she was already no match for him. And now, Sikong Yu felt that even if she exerted all her strength, she definitely wouldn’t be a match for Li Feng.
It hasn’t even been that long.
"I’m fine."
Li Feng was doing well; he felt his strength had taken another step forward. Judging by Golden Core Power alone, he had already reached the threshold of the Golden Core Late Stage, although he still lacked in aspects such as intention and Daoist Skill.
"However, it seems that the demon plant managed to escape."
"Escaped? Didn’t you already reduce it to ashes?" Ouyang Qiuhai exclaimed in surprise from the side. Li Feng’s earlier move was ruthlessly decisive; not only did he pierce the opponent’s chest with a single sword, but he also directly reduced it to ashes.
"That was just a diversion to attract my attention. The moment it appeared, it had already escaped as a clone."
Li Feng explained.
This is what makes demon plants difficult; they’re hard to thoroughly kill. Especially since this particular demon plant evidently has high Spiritual Wisdom, how could it be easily killed?
"How can you be sure?"
"I’m not sure, just a hunch." Li Feng said that when he pierced the demon plant, its face was indeed ferocious, but there was no fear or despair of death. Instead, its eyes showed a fierce will for revenge.
"If this demon plant really escaped as a clone, we wouldn’t be able to catch up even if we chased after, and this time it’ll surely need a hundred years of recuperation to recover its Primordial Energy."
"And you’ve already carved a path through Death Valley, even though there are still some residual fire ants, they probably wouldn’t dare to obstruct us. We should quickly pass through Life and Death Valley and head to the Molten Lava Cave."
Sikong Yu shook her head. Pursuing the escaped demon plant’s clone was evidently not feasible. Even if they did manage to track it down and eliminate it, who knew how much time it would cost.
As for whether the demon plant would seek vengeance someday, that would be many years later. In the short term, the demon plant certainly wouldn’t dare to show itself again.
Li Feng nodded.
After burying those trusted aides lost in Life and Death Valley, Li Feng led the personal guards through the north gate to this realm of molten lava from Life and Death Valley.
Upon reaching the end of Death Valley, a blast of scorching air hit them, suffused with the smell of sulfur.
"Is this the Molten Lava Land, one of the four Holy Lands?"
Ouyang Qiuhai gazed ahead at the desolate landscape full of volcanic canyons and rivers of molten lava winding across the land, drawing a deep breath.
The ground before them was so hot that the air itself seemed distorted. Aside from a few spiritual beasts that could survive here, this place was virtually a wasteland, and no wonder Molten Lava Land was also called Hell.
"Yes, let’s first move west along the base of Half Border Mountain, then south."
Half Border Mountain, what Li Feng and others saw when they arrived, was still lush green, but from their viewpoint here, nothing but red rocks baked by scorching winds could be seen on the slopes; the mountain was almost barren, glowing a reddish hue.
And this is just the periphery of the Molten Lava Land.
"Camp Master, some people in the personal guard may not be able to withstand this environment." Lan stepped forward. Most in the Personal Guard Camp have practiced the Burning Technique, but a small portion had cultivated other cultivation techniques.
And these individuals were only at the Foundation Establishment Stage, unable to proceed further due to the surrounding environment, even if they didn’t face any obstacles.
Li Feng turned to glance back. He wished to bring everyone to seize this opportunity, but evidently, some were destined to miss it.
However, he was uneasy about letting them retreat into Life and Death Valley. The escaping demon plant might still be lurking, and Li Feng couldn’t be certain about its actions.
Sikong Yu seemed to notice Li Feng’s concern, offering a suggestion: "People can follow for now; they should manage in the periphery. Life and Death Valley isn’t suitable for setting up camp, but if we continue moving towards the exit of Zi Wu Path, there isn’t much danger there, and there’s a temporary rest point."
The Sikong family’s maps marked everything; taking Zi Wu Path poses risks, but after passing the dangerous middle section, the end part of the path is easier to navigate, and there’s a small camp set up by the Sikong family to rest before leaving this place.
After entering Molten Lava Land, there’s no place for respite.
"Alright."
Li Feng nodded and immediately led the group westward along Half Border Mountain.
Just as Li Feng’s group entered Molten Lava Land, people from the Divine Dragon Hall were still stationed outside Life and Death Valley. Hearing loud movements within, the group exchanged glances and peered in the direction of the valley, but the entrance was obscured, making it impossible to see inside.
The Three-eyed Crow used as a scout was gone, and re-contracting a new one would take time.
"General, should we send someone to check?"
"Check? Would you like to go?"
Life and Death Valley was full of deadly traps; who knew what was inside.
The person proposing the idea immediately shut their mouth; whoever wanted to rush to their death could be their guest.
"A bunch of useless people."
The general cursed. Just then, a cultivator suddenly glanced near the valley entrance and saw a barely clothed, seemingly disheveled woman staggering out.
"General, look, someone came out, and it’s a woman."
"Hmm?"
The general turned to look toward the valley entrance, indeed seeing a woman stumbling out. Her clothes were in tatters, her long hair covering her face, but the exposed skin was fair as jade.
It occurred to him that Li Feng’s group had women, specifically the eldest daughter of the Sikong family and a young lady from the Ouyang family, both known as two of the top ten beauties in Ancestor Dragon City.
Judging by the noise earlier, Life and Death Valley must have witnessed a battle, but it was hard to believe Li Feng’s team could defeat that swarm of millions of fire ants.
Did they fail and flee hastily?
And only this woman survived; did all the others perish inside Life and Death Valley?
Thinking this, the general led his group forward, surrounding the tattered woman with eyes full of undisguised malice, scanning her up and down.
The general of the Divine Dragon Hall swallowed hard, managing to suppress his lust, and asked, "Are you the eldest daughter of the Sikong family or the Ouyang family?"
"Did only you escape? What about Li Feng and the others?"
This woman was actually the demon plant’s clone that escaped; the one Li Feng had defeated was another clone—or rather, part of her main body, a significant portion.
At this moment, she had lost seventy percent of her cultivation, which explained her current wretched state. She hadn’t even fully humanoid yet; if not for Fire Elements suppressing her, she wouldn’t have lost so miserably.
That man’s name was Li Feng?
The demon plant, Teng Luo, gritted her teeth inwardly and, noticing the man’s leering gaze, thought quickly, "They all died, only I escaped. Take me away from here, and I won’t treat you poorly."
