CHAPTER 368: CHAPTER 368: THIS WAVE CAN EARN A LOT

"Eating people? Who’s scared? Who got eaten?"

"Exactly, haven’t you seen those people at the very front baring their teeth and eagerly rushing forward? I didn’t see anyone getting eaten."

"Heh, they’re afraid too many people will snatch it away, so they’re creating panic."

"The Immortal Peach’s mature array is activated, its pressure will consume a lot of Spiritual Power, preventing people from moving quickly. Just look at those who are closest; aren’t they all trying their best to get closer? Let’s take a few more steps forward now, it’ll save us a lot of energy!"

"Tricking others to run while you reap the benefits, what a low tactic..."

......

However, the crowded cultivators beside them were reluctant to believe, fearing the enticing Immortal Peach would be snatched by someone else, they eagerly rushed forward.

The situation was urgent, Jiang Yuan pushed Yun Mo, "Quick, take everyone to the square over there! If things look bad, hide in the market and wait for me, hurry! Go, go, go!"

Everyone, including Xie Chenyuan, was bewildered. Though he realized something was amiss, Jiang Dao You’s claim that the Immortal Peach Tree eats people seemed too exaggerated.

Bai Yunqi and others, however, did not hesitate to believe him. Yun Mo revealed his true form, spreading his enormous wings, and the members of the small courtyard quickly jumped up, taking flight and soon reaching the open square on the opposite cliff.

At last, Xie Chenyuan understood why they hadn’t fallen into misfortune. They obediently listened and fled early!

Tang Qin stood motionless, not sensing any danger, nor having much trust in Jiang Yuan. Influenced by the frenzied atmosphere of others fighting for the Immortal Peach, she hoped to take a risk.

"Run quickly! There’s deceit here!" Just then, occupying the best position, one of the sect leaders who felt their Spiritual Power being absorbed could not break free. Realizing their life force was continuously being consumed, the stronger leader swallowed an elixir to replenish Spiritual Power and used the Lion’s Roar Skill, shouting, "Avoid the white on the ground, you’ll be trapped without escape, fellow Daoists at the back, run!"

The resounding voice echoed through the valley, and upon hearing it, Tang Qin decisively aimed to leave. Seeing Jiang Yuan and Xie Chenyuan unresponsive, she asked, "Aren’t you two leaving?"

Jiang Yuan contemplated the system’s details, with the peach tree root spread on the ground solely relying on forcibly absorbing cultivators’ Spiritual Power, anchoring them and rendering them immobile. Since he wasn’t a cultivator with Spiritual Power to be absorbed, he wasn’t afraid of being trapped.

As for having his lifespan absorbed, he was familiar with it; back then, didn’t he and Evil Cultivator Yuan Liyang mutually absorb it?

If the roots could be chosen to use the Soul-Devouring Demon Skill, it’s uncertain who would absorb whom!

He waited for the roots to spread within skill attack range and directly selected the Nine Nether Peach Tree Root, releasing a Soul-Devouring Demon Skill.

Upon using the skill, he saw those white fungus-like "threads" on the ground rapidly burning in part, as black ash separated and drifted off, leaving behind a segment of golden "thread" that floated onto himself.

[Lifespan +5 years]

"Holy... is it this good?!"

Jiang Yuan’s eyes instantly lit up. Bring it on! Let’s see who absorbs better, my skill gains more experience and can even level up!

[Lifespan +6 years]

[Lifespan +5 years]

......

As he absorbed more with each release, Tang Qin asked a question, and he excitedly replied, "I have my ways to handle it, Miss Tang, you better leave quickly."

The cultivators at the back hesitated momentarily upon hearing the Lion’s Roar, while the Bear Demon originally planned to approach them, but felt embarrassment holding him back. If necessary, he thought he could just hang around them to gain some benefits, no need to stick to them.

When he heard the little Daoist’s reminder, he was initially unwilling to believe, but after seeing all the cultivators leaving, he started to feel doubtful. Hearing the information from the Lion’s Roar, he immediately burned a Teleportation Talisman and reached the square on the other side.

Some believed, while others didn’t, convinced they were trying to deceive others into leaving to face less competition.

Just then, another loud roar rang out, "Don’t listen to him, he wants to hog the Immortal Peach, everyone rush forward! Summon enough Spiritual Power to resist the array, and swallow some more elixir!"

Well then, that shout made those who were hesitant about leaving stay.

The sect leader issuing warnings was furious, "Chen, you’ve reached the Nascent Soul Realm, yet have no mercy? Why are you making them rush forward? Seeking death?"

"Damn it, I originally had no hope of advancement with a short lifespan, now I’m trapped by this damned thing. Why can they escape? If I’m dying, I’ll take some with me!"

Thus, the complexity of human nature was revealed: those crying for help; those trying to escape but could only warn those behind to flee; those shouting to persuade more to stay and die together;

Even some, with enough stored elixirs to delay death, took out Communication Stones to summon friends and family for rescue, feeling it would be better to face danger and even death here, even if it meant gathering everyone together.

Of course, some took advantage of the situation to provoke enemies to come too, ensuring mutual destruction.

Everything happened in an extremely brief amount of time, and as they spoke, the white roots had already spread nearby.

The frenzied cultivators realized they were stuck, their Spiritual Power and life force mercilessly siphoned away, panicking as they cried out chaotically.

"Foolish children, run! We’re all trapped!" An elderly man, not believing in deceit, regretted too late as he got stuck, tearfully calling out behind him, "If you don’t leave now, it’ll truly be too late!"

In the urgent situation, Jiang Yuan realized the elder didn’t trick others into suffering together, and instantly nudged him away with his blade.

Affected by external force, the elder left the ground, feeling the cessation of life force and Spiritual Power absorption, surprising him.

"Quickly teleport away!" Jiang Yuan kept releasing skills to harvest the Nine Nether Peach Tree, and seeing the elder’s shock, he reminded him briskly.

"Many thanks, Daoist, for saving my life!" The elder immediately used the Teleportation Technique and vanished.

On the other side, Xie Chenyuan employed Sword Flight, using a retractable golden chain around his wrist to drag those trapped out. Saving people, he steadily retreated, maintaining distance from the spreading white.

After all, he personally saw someone being forcibly dragged down despite flying via Sword Flight, rendered immobile.

It became clear the white unknown substance had very potent suppressive effects, with flight above it impossible.

"Mr. Jiang, these corpse ghosts will assist you!" Seeing the two not leave and rescue other cultivators, Tang Qin immediately controlled the joyous sedan to fly toward the square, leaving those corpse ghosts lacking life. If they could save a few lives, she could accumulate some Yin Virtue.

Meanwhile, the roots had already spread to Jiang Yuan’s feet.

[Lifespan -1 year]

[Lifespan +5 years]

......

The absorption was reciprocal, but with the roots simultaneously extracting so many people’s lifespan, the attack power was naturally not very strong. Jiang Yuan calculated that he could profit considerably from this round.

Nearby, the corpse ghosts under Tang Qin’s remote control, filled with intense evil energy, naturally had no lifespan or Spiritual Power to be absorbed, hence they weren’t restrained.

One by one, they rushed forward like pulling radishes, "pulling" the trapped cultivators away from the ground, and upon seeing firelights flash and white smoke swirl, those rescued employed Divine Power to teleport from this place.

Some cultivators had not prepared Teleportation Talismans, witnessing this, they latched onto the corpse ghosts, tearfully begging others for help.

"Corpse ghosts aren’t restricted, so won’t my paper cranes be useful?" Jiang Yuan observed the scene, took a bunch from his Storage Bag, and gently blew them. The white butterfly-like mini paper creations drifted in the wind, growing as they flew.

The paper cranes circled above, emitting loud crane calls, then swooped down, grabbing those unable to teleport on their own, taking them to the square opposite.