CHAPTER 358: CHAPTER 353: THE OLD MANOR MASTER

The Divine Wood Mountain Villa remained brightly lit and bustling with activity.

At the banquet, many cultivators raised their cups and vowed to eradicate all demons in the world.

Mu Lingfeng held his cup, looking at everyone, a trace of disdain flashing in his eyes as he lowered his head. Eradicate all demons in the world?

Li Mountain couldn’t do it, the court couldn’t do it. Who did these cultivators think they were?

"Come, a toast with Master Mu?" A cultivator raised his cup to Mu Lingfeng, boldly saying, "This time, Divine Wood Mountain Villa stands out, a great merit, and after the demons are dealt with, the people of Qinghe County will surely erect a monument for Divine Wood Mountain Villa."

"Everyone, don’t be too careless. When the demons truly stand before you, can you still maintain such demeanor and confidence?" Mu Lingfeng asked, "As for slaying demons, it is a matter of life and death."

"Of course," someone boldly responded, "As cultivators, slaying demons is our duty. We’ve long put life and death behind us. Why fear demons?"

"In that case, I am at ease," Mu Lingfeng nodded.

"What’s that smell?" At this moment, a cultivator suddenly sniffed.

"Such a stench, what is that smell?"

"What’s going on? Why do I feel completely powerless?" said a martial artist.

"My mana is also not circulating smoothly," a Qi Cultivator spoke, and everyone began examining their own conditions, quickly realizing that their strength was gone, and their expressions changed drastically.

"Master Mu, what’s going on?" someone asked in shock, clearly realizing something.

Cui Shan had warned those beside him earlier, and now he was certain his intuition was correct. There was a problem with Divine Wood Mountain Villa. Did Li Fan leave earlier because he sensed something?

"I’ve notified the family to bide some time," Cui Shan transmitted through Divine Sense to those around him. They all wore solemn expressions but remained silent, watching the situation unfold.

In the crowd at the banquet, Chen Zhen’s body trembled slightly. He, too, felt as if his mana was restrained, and the wine cup in his hand fell, making a crisp sound. He deeply regretted not heeding Li Fan’s advice. Li Fan had told Wang Yuyao and even took her away, but he didn’t listen.

Figures flickered around, surrounding the massive courtyard, and many figures appeared in the air, their eyes sinister and crimson like those of demons.

"Just like Mr. Ke," Chen Zhen’s face turned ashen upon seeing this scene.

"Ah..."

A scream echoed as a figure was suddenly pierced by a blade emerging from the ground, then vines instantly enveloped his body, the branches and vines consuming his flesh and blood. The body quickly withered, turning into a desiccated skeleton.

The sound of rustling swept across the villa as ancient tree vines and branches wildly grew, enveloping the Divine Wood Mountain Villa.

"Tree demons..."

People recalled the origin of Divine Wood Mountain Villa. It was said to be a place of ancient tree spirits. Now, was it spirit or demon?

The screams continued as those who had lost their strength and mana perished the fastest. After being killed, they were ensnared in the air, their withered bodies hanging on tree trunks, looking extremely sinister and horrifying.

Those who hadn’t drunk wine frantically scattered in escape, their eyes filled with fear, forgetting their bold words from earlier.

Cui Shan and Xie Lingxuan, on the other hand, did not act recklessly. They knew well the true strength of Divine Wood Mountain Villa and that if the villa was colluding with demons and had tree demons, escape was impossible.

Divine Wood Mountain Villa invited the cultivators of Qinghe County here to capture them all at once; they were unprepared, falling into the trap set by the villa.

"It seems you were not ready to face demons," Mu Lingfeng sighed, exclaiming that slaying demons was easy, but demons were not so easily killed.

"Bang!"

An explosion echoed from one direction, and Mu Lingfeng looked that way, seeing Cui Shan with a radiant Golden Body and Dharma Form appearing. Several elders shielded him, pulverizing the vines coming towards them.

"Master Mu, Divine Wood Mountain Villa has been in Qinghe County for many years, deeply rooted and respected. Why has it come to this?" an elder asked Mu Lingfeng.

"I didn’t want this either," Mu Lingfeng seemed to mutter to himself, and suddenly more terrifying vines surged towards them, like giant serpents.

Cui Shan and others quickly sped into the air, hurling ancient seals in all directions, but they were all devoured by those ’giant serpents.’

Behind Xie Lingxuan appeared a resplendent divine bow. She drew the bow and notched an arrow, instantly shooting countless arrows in all directions. One of the golden arrows was as brilliant as the sun, cutting through the night sky and aiming for Mu Lingfeng.

"The Xie Family has entrusted this to you." Mu Lingfeng looked at Xie Lingxuan. That bow is one of the clan’s treasures of the Xie Family, now in Xie Lingxuan’s hands, which shows the high expectations the Xie Family has for her.

"You all retreat first." A group of elders rushed forward, the aura of the Sixth Realm Dao Body Realm erupted, wanting to buy time for Cui Shan and Xie Lingxuan.

But at this moment, the ground shook, emitting rumbling sounds, and a giant tree behind the Divine Wood Mountain Villa continuously extended upwards, covering the sky and blocking the moonlight.

On that tree appeared a humanoid figure, as if integrated with the ancient tree, an elderly figure with a head full of white hair.

"Old Master Mu." Cui Shan and others looked at the elder’s figure, resembling a withered body, his face ashen pale, like a dead person, even exuding a sense of death and a faint odor, but the vitality of the ancient tree could overshadow this aura until the figure revealed itself.

Years ago, there were rumors that Old Master Mu’s health was declining. What exactly had happened?

Old Master Mu’s eyes were extremely eerie, those vines were like his arms, penetrating the bodies of cultivators, lifting them into the air. The old vines absorbed their flesh and blood, and mana flowed along the vines, then submerged into Old Master Mu’s body, seemingly infusing him with a trace of vitality. Only then did his ghastly face acquire a touch of color.

"What is this demon evil technique?" The cultivators of Yu Kun Academy looked extremely distressed, with suspicions arising in their hearts.

Could it be that Old Master Mu had already died, but forcefully extended his life using some demonic technique? Now, he even devours those cultivating to nourish himself.

Has he integrated with that Tree Demon?

Chen Zhen, witnessing the scene before him, went madly fleeing outwards. However, those cultivators who had not drunk could not escape, let alone his mana within his body could not be mobilized.

With a squelch, a blade pierced through his body, and Chen Zhen was carried into the air. He glanced downward; his blood, flesh, and mana were being consumed by the vines, and his inner core was wrapped, then extracted.

"I am dead."

Chen Zhen stared despairingly into the distance, but he could no longer see anything. Last night, he was saved by Li Fan, but today, he buried his life here by not heeding advice.

Yet, Li Fan is only in the Condensed Core Realm. Can he escape?

This web has trapped and slaughtered many elite cultivators from Yu Kun Academy and Qinghe County.

Li Fan and Lu Yuan hurriedly left the Divine Wood Mountain Villa, but hadn’t gone far when they heard movement behind them; several cultivators were rushing towards them.

"Be careful," Wang Yuyao exclaimed in alarm, seeing vines behind them transforming into sharp blades constantly extending forward, stabbing towards their backs. The moment they left the villa, they were targeted. How could the Divine Wood Mountain Villa let them leave alive?

Li Fan didn’t look back, the Li Hen Sword shot out from behind, transforming into nine sword lights, emitting piercing, sharp sounds as the flying swords drilled through and shattered the ancient vines, assailing the cultivators controlling the vines, as if he had eyes on the back of his head.

"Boom." Someone stomped on the ground, and instantly, vines sprouted from under the feet of Li Fan and the others, attempting to entrap their bodies.

Li Fan glanced down, and his Sword Intent immediately erupted, shredding all vines approaching them. Before Wang Yuyao could catch her breath, she was pulled forward by Lu Yuan. She didn’t pause for a moment, nor did she attend to the pursuers behind them.

"Courting death."

Li Fan muttered under his breath, and with a thought, the expressions of the pursuers changed drastically. Underneath them, vines grew just as quickly, lunging towards them. Their bodies soared, but the vines moved with astonishing speed.

One person was engulfed in flames, hoping to incinerate the vines, but those vines shone with a golden gleam, unafraid of the flames, instantly coiling around his legs.

"Buzz..." A cold light flashed; his expression changed dramatically, but it was too late, as the flying sword pierced through his throat.

Wang Yuyao glanced back, seeing under the dim moonlight, blood flying in the air. All those pursuing were fallen in a pool of blood, and Li Fan hadn’t even turned his head.

"His sword, so fast," a thought emerged in Wang Yuyao’s mind. The combat power of both sides wasn’t on the same level, allowing such swift kills.

The three continued rushing forward, but soon the ground emitted rumbling noises as if shaking. If one were to look down, they would see something seemingly writhing underground.

"Buzz..." Li Fan and Lu Yuan’s bodies simultaneously soared skywards, dodging with terrifying speed, only to see a sharp spike penetrate through the ground, reaching several tens of feet into the air.

"Boom! Boom! Boom!"

Violent tremors ensued, as immense spikes continuously thrust out from underground.

Li Fan and Lu Yuan soared rapidly to the sky, constantly evading. The emerging blades seemed endless, and each was like the prod of the earth. From the high altitude, looking down, they were densely packed, making Wang Yuyao’s scalp tingle.

"It’s the Tree Demon of the Divine Wood Mountain Villa." Wang Yuyao’s voice carried a hint of despair.