“It actually worked!”
Ling Xiao had reverted to his human form. Though the Evil Beast Demon King had just shattered his body, thanks to the miraculous effects of the fifth layer, he had reassembled himself.
Even now, he found it somewhat unbelievable.
Moreover, the Primordial Golden Dragon form was truly terrifying. Though it was his first time using it, the power it unleashed was even more formidable than he had imagined.
Eh? Where’s my Earth Spirit Core?
While Ling Xiao was elated, he suddenly noticed that the Earth Spirit Core, previously stored in the Mountain River World, was gone. Not only that, but the rare herbs he had collected for healing were also missing.
“Damn it!”
Ling Xiao couldn’t help but give a wry smile.
“I knew there had to be a catch. It seems I was right. After reaching the fifth layer, the so-called ‘rebirth from a drop of blood’ is real, but it comes at a cost, and a hefty one at that.”
“You little brat, be grateful. This is a blessing in disguise.”
Yuan Zun suddenly spoke from the beast ring.
“A blessing in disguise?”
“Yes, haven’t you noticed? The Earth Spirit Core was used as material to repair your body. Normally, no martial artist’s body could fully absorb an Earth Spirit Core, but you’re different. Your body was nearly destroyed, and now it’s essentially been reformed by the Earth Spirit Core!”
Yuan Zun gave a wry smile, “Even I’m a bit jealous of your luck. You’ve formed an Earth Spirit Body without even cultivating for it. Its defence is likely impenetrable even by an Immortal-Grade Treasure Body. Plus, the Earth Spirit Body will grow stronger as your strength increases. Even I don’t know how far it can go.”
Hearing this, Ling Xiao circulated his true essence and, sure enough, a thick, earthy yellow glow emanated from his body.
Not only had his physical strength increased several times, but his true essence had also become much denser. In terms of sheer quantity, even an eighth-layer Mortal Realm martial artist couldn’t match him.
Truly a blessing in disguise.
Ling Xiao’s initially disappointed mood brightened considerably.
“Kid, hurry back and cultivate. The Earth Spirit Core’s energy isn’t limited to this. If I’m not mistaken, the residual energy from forming your Earth Spirit Body should be enough to push you to the sixth layer of the Mortal Realm.”
Yuan Zun reminded him.
“Right!”
Ling Xiao nodded.
But before returning, he planned to free the trapped martial artists.
Unfortunately, the Evil Beast Demon King had no real treasures. Apart from some rare, high-grade, and common-grade artifacts scattered in the cave, the rest of the treasures and spirit stones had been devoured by the Demon King to restore his cultivation.
It seemed the Evil Beast Demon King had many beast-like abilities.
Ling Xiao knew of a creature called the “Gold-Eating Beast” that could restore its cultivation by consuming gold, silver, copper, and iron.
The Demon King’s rapid recovery was likely tied to this special ability.
Sadly, after absorbing the Demon King’s soul, Ling Xiao realised that due to the low level of his Mountain River Martial Soul, he couldn’t convert it into a martial soul and could only freeze it in a glacier.
For now, he’d have to wait until his cultivation improved to deal with it.
His priority was to release the martial artists and make them owe him a favour.
After all, a debt of gratitude was worth more than most.
Though some might be ungrateful, there would surely be those who repaid kindness tenfold.
The people trapped in the prison were strong but didn’t understand formations. Plus, the special restraints they wore prevented them from using their true essence, making escape impossible on their own.
Seeing Ling Xiao, a glimmer of hope appeared in their previously despairing eyes.
“Young hero, what just happened?”
“The Evil Beast Demon King is dead. I’m here to free you.”
Ling Xiao said calmly.
“The Evil Beast Demon King is dead!”
The crowd’s faces were filled with disbelief.
Then came excited cheers and tears of relief.
Among them were two Heavenly Cave Realm experts, absolute powerhouses on the Heavenly Dragon Continent. Yet for years, they had been trapped here as the Demon King’s blood slaves, providing blood for him, a fate worse than death.
The thought of seeing daylight again filled them with joy akin to being reborn.
“But, young hero, this place is guarded by the Demon King’s formations. Though some of us understand formations, we couldn’t break them. Can you?”
Ling Xiao didn’t reply, only smiled and thrust his air sword into the centre of the formation.
Crack!
The formation shattered instantly.
He had already begun breaking it while speaking.
With only an hour before he’d collapse from overexertion, he had to act quickly.
“Amazing, young hero, what skill!”
The crowd was thrilled.
Ling Xiao gave a faint smile, opened the prison doors, and with a few air swords, cut through the shackles binding them.
“May we know your name, young hero, so we can repay you in the future?”
“Ling Xiao of the Moonlight Sect!”
Since he wanted them to owe him, Ling Xiao naturally gave his real name.
“Thank you, let’s go.”
Over half the prisoners, filled with gratitude, prepared to leave.
These were upright, grateful people.
“Wait!”
But the ungrateful ones soon showed their true colours.
The speaker was the strongest among them, a Heavenly Cave Realm expert.
Dressed in a tattered purple robe, now freed from his shackles, he exuded the aura of a master.
“This kid’s cultivation is mediocre, yet he managed to enter the cave. Don’t you find that odd?”
“It is a bit strange, but this young hero acted out of kindness.”
“Kindness my foot! I bet this kid was in cahoots with the Evil Beast Demon King. Now that the Demon King’s somehow dead, he wants to do us a favour to get something out of us.”
The purple-robed Heavenly Cave Realm expert sneered, “Kid, hand over what you got from the Demon King, and this Realm Master might spare your life.”
Heavenly Cave Realm experts were called “Realm Masters.”
“Heh, just kill him and take his storage ring. Even if he wasn’t with the Demon King, he must have some treasure to have entered the cave and killed him.”
Another yellow-robed Heavenly Cave Realm expert chimed in.
“Anyone else thinking this way?”
Ling Xiao looked calmly at the two idiots before him.
If I dared to free you, I’ve got something to rely on. Showing your true colours so soon? How foolish.
The two Heavenly Cave Realm experts must have been here too long, their brains addled.
