They journeyed on, soon arriving at a valley. The mouth of the valley was shrouded in thick mist, exuding an air of danger. Mo Wenjie stood still, his hands forming seals, sending a spiritual force into the valley. Everyone watched him tensely as Mo Wenjie's brows furrowed slightly then relaxed.
"There are many spiritual plants in the valley, but there are also demon beasts that guard it. Be careful as you proceed," said Mo Wenjie. The group nodded in agreement and cautiously entered the valley. Shortly after entering, a massive black panther emerged from the shadows, its roar causing everyone's eardrums to ache. Mo Wenjie remained calm, materializing in front of the panther and firing a beam of spiritual energy at it. The panther agilely dodged the attack and lunged towards Mo Wenjie with its fangs bared.
Only to see Mo Wenjie's figure flicker, like a ghost, sidestepping the ferocious strike. At the same time, his right hand seemed to spontaneously produce a chilly spirit sword! This sword had a slender blade, with gemstones inlaid in its hilt, and was currently radiating dazzling and blinding light, as if it couldn't wait to showcase its might.
In a flash, the air was filled with swirling sword Qi, as Mo Wenjie and the black panther engaged in a breathtaking battle. They traded blows without giving an inch. Mo Wenjie unleashed an exquisite and unparalleled swordplay, each move brimming with boundless power and change; the black panther, in turn, was no less fierce, relying on its agile movements and sharp claws to launch fierce attacks over and over again.
However, Mo Wenjie ultimately had the upper hand. In the fierce exchanges, he keenly detected a tiny flaw in the black panther's defense. As he spoke, he quickly inhaled and leaped, his spirit sword pointing out like a lightning bolt, accurately hitting the vital area of the black panther!
A bloodcurdling scream echoed as the black panther's massive frame collapsed to the ground. Soon after, a black mist billowed from within the panther's body and quickly spread outwards. Once the mist cleared, a smooth and polished inner core lay there quietly, exuding a thick aura of spiritual energy.
Witnessing this scene, the surrounding crowd couldn't help but be dumbfounded. They had originally thought that the battle would be exceptionally difficult, but they hadn't expected Mo Wenjie to defeat the powerful black panther so effortlessly. For a moment, admiration for Mo Wenjie surged within them, and they all praised him in awe.
"So amazing!" someone couldn't help but exclaim in amazement.
"Mr. Mo truly possesses exceptional martial prowess, worthy of our admiration!" another person chimed in, echoing the sentiment.
Mo Wenjie smiled slightly, sheathed his spirit sword, then bending down, picked up the precious inner core and put it in his bag. Turning to the group behind him, he said, "Let's go. We continue on, see what other treasures await us deep within this valley."
Thus, the group followed Mo Wenjie as he slowly walked deeper into the valley along a rugged path. The path was winding and steep, with thick weeds and thorns on both sides. Jagged stones occasionally snagged on their clothes. Every step was cautious, lest they stumbled and fell.
Mo Wenjie walked at the front, his eyes steady, constantly scanning for any signs of trouble. His wooden staff occasionally swiped away the foliage blocking their way, forging a clear path. Those behind him clutched their tools tightly, some glancing around nervously, their eyes betraying a touch of unease.
The valley grew increasingly deep and mysterious, the surroundings so quiet that it felt eerie. Occasionally, the calls of unknown birds added to the mystique. At some point, a thick mist enveloped them, lowering visibility drastically.
Mo Wenjie and Ding Qingxiu, Huang Ling'er, Jiang Yurou, Xiao Yawen, Ding Yan, Tuoba Yingying, Qin Xiaodie, Cao Chunling, Jin Can Incarnation of Silkworm Moth, Ling Xue along with the spirit fox. The group had to slow their pace down as they huddled closer together, relying on each other's body heat to dispel their fears. As they gradually delved deeper into the valley, the view ahead became increasingly indistinct and vague as if laden with countless unseen perils. Yet they had no choice but to grit their teeth and forge ahead with a mixture of trepidation and determination fueled by anticipation for their destination and the resolve to uncover the truth.
As they walked, a suddenly brilliant light appeared in front of them. Mo Wenjie became alert and signaled for everyone to stop. He slowly approached the light, only to discover a rare spiritual plant with leaves as jade and flowers that glowed in seven colors. Just as he reached out to pick it, the ground suddenly cracked open, revealing a group of thorny vines monsters. They swung their sharp vines at everyone with ferocity.
Mo Wenjie shouted a warning, charging forward to cut several vines with his spirit sword. Seeing this, the others also began using their own abilities or weapons to fend off the creatures. Huang Ling'er summoned flames to attack the vines, but Ding Yan was carelessly ensnared by one of the vines and dragged to the ground. Quick as lightning, Mo Wenjie threw his spirit sword to sever the vine and save Ding Yan.
At this moment, the Jin Can Incarnation of Silkworm Moth spat out silk threads to ensnare some of the vines. Mo Wenjie seized the opportunity to rush towards the spiritual plant, quickly plucking it and putting it into his storage bag. Then he turned around and unleashed a powerful attack, sending a wave of spiritual energy that shattered the remaining vine monsters. The group sighed with relief, took a brief rest, and then continued deeper into the valley with even greater caution, as no one knew what kind of danger they might encounter next.
As the group continued on, they suddenly heard a melodious flute sound. The sound was soothing and ethereal, as if coming from a paradise, but everyone knew that this place was filled with dangers and they couldn't let their guard down. Mo Wenjie followed the direction of the flute sound and saw a white-clad woman sitting on a giant boulder nearby playing the flute. She was surrounded by a faint glow, making her look otherworldly. Mo Wenjie whispered for everyone to be careful and slowly approached the woman. As he got closer, he noticed that there were many spiritual flowers and herbs around her, seemingly under her control.
Mo Wenjie asked who the woman was, and she stopped playing, her beautiful eyes looking at him and saying she was the guardian of the valley. She warned Mo Wenjie and his companions not to go any further, as doing so would lead to disastrous consequences.
Mo Wenjie stated that their purpose was to seek some spiritual plants to enhance their cultivation and that they had no ill intentions. After a moment of contemplation, the woman said that in order to obtain the spiritual plants, they must pass her set test. With a light wave of her sleeve, the scene around them changed, transforming into a dangerous area filled with traps and mechanisms. Mo Wenjie took a deep breath, clutched his spirit sword tightly, and prepared to face the challenge.
Mo Wenjie carefully inspected the traps and obstacles in front of him, noticing the strange patterns on the tiles beneath his feet, which seemed to hold hidden secrets. Taking a small step, he dodged a projectile arrow that suddenly flew from his side. Then, with a flick of his foot, he soared into the air, and his spirit sword unleashed a circle of spiritual energy waves to set off several hidden mechanisms. Projectiles and fireballs began to attack him from all directions. Mo Wenjie rapidly changed his shape in mid-air to avoid the crises one by one.
At this moment, he noticed a seemingly calm area ahead of him and guessed that it might be the passage leading to where the spiritual plants were located. After landing, he slowly approached that area. As soon as he stepped on the ground, the pressure around him suddenly increased as if a mountain was pressing down on him. However, he gritted his teeth and used the spiritual energy within his body to resist. Just when he was about to give in, he detected a faint spiritual energy fluctuation from the source of the pressure. He endured the discomfort and drove his spirit sword into the fluctuation site. In an instant, the pressure disappeared, and all the mechanisms and traps around them ceased their operation.
The white-clad woman appeared before him, her face showing approval. "You have passed the test, you may take the spiritual plants here," she said. Mo Wenjie bowed in gratitude and then led the group to gather the required spiritual plants before leaving the valley.
As the group joyfully carried the spiritual plants away from the valley, suddenly, the sky turned dark and cloudy, with thunder and lightning. Mo Wenjie felt a foreboding sense in his heart.
"Not good, we may have upset the deeper restrictions of the valley," said Mo Wenjie, looking grave. Before he finished speaking, dark shadows surged from all directions, transforming into the evolved forms of the vine monsters they had encountered earlier. These new creatures were much larger in size and their vines were entwined with streaks of electric light.
"Form a circle for defense!" Mo Wenjie shouted, and the group hurriedly complied. Mo Wenjie once again drew his spirit sword and charged into the swarm of vine monsters. He unleashed his strongest sword technique, but with too many monsters, the encircling circle kept shrinking.
As despair threatened the group, the white-clad woman suddenly appeared. With a swift motion of her hands, she released a silver glow that appeared to frighten the vine monsters. They ceased their attacks, as if struck by an immense force.
"You have passed my test, but you have disturbed the ancient seal of the valley. These spiritual plants should not have been taken in such great numbers. Leave half behind, and leave quickly."
Mo Wenjie had no choice but to follow her words. Ding Qingyao, Huang Ling'er, Jiang Yurou, Xiao Ayu, Ding Yan, Tuoba Yingying, Qin Xiaodie, Cao Chunling, Jin Can Incarnation of Silkworm Moth, Ling Xue and the spirit fox all reluctantly left the valley. Behind them, the valley slowly returned to its original tranquility.
As the group left the valley, their spirits were somewhat subdued. Mo Wenjie consoled them, "The yield this time is also quite bountiful. There's no need to be too disheartened."
As they walked midway, a sudden fierce wind howled past, accompanied by a familiar and powerful spiritual energy fluctuation. The group's guards were up, and Mo Wenjie tightened his spirit sword. Suddenly, the spiritual energy condensed into a massive bird-like figure, as if the spiritual awareness of the valley had taken form.
The spiritual awareness bird spoke, "You greedy group of people, even by returning some of the spiritual plants you still disrupted the balance of the valley." After that, it flapped its wings, unleashing a torrent of spiritual energy.
Mo Wenjie stepped forward, infusing his spirit energy into his spirit sword and struggling to resist. The other women also cast spells, joining forces to defend against the attack. However, the spiritual awareness bird was powerful, and the group soon felt the strain.
In a critical moment, Mo Wenjie remembered the white-clad woman's mention of a spiritual spring in the valley that could calm all disputes. He shouted, "If we can find the spiritual spring, maybe we can solve this difficulty!"
With their collective effort, they searched for the spiritual spring based on the clues in their memories. They finally discovered it at the back of a secret cave. Mo Wenjie used a special incantation to communicate with the spiritual spring, causing it to release gentle radiance and slowly fly towards the spiritual awareness bird. The bird was pacified and dissipated. Only then did everyone breathe a sigh of relief and continue their journey back, understanding that one should approach natural things with reverence after this experience.
