The group followed the eastern passage, searching through one cave after another. To prevent any mishaps, they usually had three people enter a cave to explore while the others guarded the passage, ensuring the Shadow Horse Mushroom wouldn’t seize the chance to escape.
Before long, they arrived at the small cave where the burly man surnamed Yuan had spotted the Shadow Horse Mushroom. This time, the black-robed beauty and Bai Yaoyi stayed outside while Han Li and the old man entered to investigate.
As soon as they stepped inside, they noticed something unusual about the cave. Not only was the Yin wind extremely weak inside, but there was even a faint warmth in the air. Aside from discovering soft, loose soil, they also found a few rare pieces of raw warm jade piled in a corner. The air carried a faint, pleasant fragrance—somewhat medicinal, somewhat like sandalwood, as if a blend of the two. When they looked down, they could clearly see chaotic hoof-like footprints on the ground, though they were several times smaller than normal.
“No mistake, this is definitely the Shadow Horse Mushroom!” After circling the footprints twice and sniffing the lingering fragrance, the old man surnamed Fu rubbed his hands together excitedly.
“Since Brother Fu confirms it, then there’s no doubt. Let’s pursue it immediately. This passage isn’t very wide—it’s likely a branching path. If we follow it step by step, we’ll eventually corner it,” the burly man surnamed Yuan said, his face flushing slightly with excitement.
“Hmm, that makes sense. Let’s—” The old man surnamed Fu nodded, but before he could finish, a deafening rumble suddenly echoed through the cave. The ground beneath their feet trembled violently, and the entire cave shook. Then, a series of thunderous roars erupted from outside the cave, sounding as if they were coming from just nearby.
Startled, the three of them immediately activated their spiritual light and transformed into streaks of light, fleeing the cave in an instant.
In the blink of an eye, they reappeared in the passage, where the two women were staring ahead in shock. From the direction they were looking, heavy footsteps resounded one after another, each step causing the entire passage to tremble. The terrifying roars also came from the same direction, clearly originating from the same creature.
Exchanging glances, the group didn’t need prompting—they immediately summoned their magic treasures, their expressions grave.
While the others were still hindered by the black Yin wind and couldn’t see far, Han Li’s pupils flashed with blue light, allowing him to spot a ghostly creature over a hundred feet away.
What he saw made him suck in a sharp breath. It was a massive wolf covered in green fur. The beast stood on all fours, towering at nearly ten feet tall, with a head as large as a small house. Its eyes burned crimson like blood, and its four pitch-black claws were as sharp as blades.
But what truly unsettled Han Li was the green corpse fire the wolf spewed from its mouth with each roar. Whenever the green flames brushed against the icy walls, deep circular grooves instantly melted into the surface, shimmering with an eerie glow.
“A Corpse Wolf?” The name of this ghostly creature flashed through Han Li’s mind. However, ordinary Corpse Wolves were merely low-level ghosts—even if they were larger, they were never this exaggerated. This one’s size far exceeded any records in ancient texts, and the aura it exuded was nothing like that of a common ghost.
Just as Han Li was about to warn the others, his gaze suddenly caught sight of something half-hidden in the wolf’s fur. A cry of surprise escaped his lips.
“That’s… the Shadow Horse Mushroom!”
“What? What do you mean, Brother Han?” The old man surnamed Fu turned his head slightly, bewildered.
“A powerful ghost is approaching, and the Shadow Horse Mushroom seems to be with it,” Han Li replied succinctly.
“The Shadow Horse Mushroom?” The others’ faces lit up with excitement.
By now, the massive wolf’s silhouette had become faintly visible through the Yin wind. Though its true form wasn’t yet clear, its sheer size immediately put the old man surnamed Fu and the burly man on edge, their smiles vanishing instantly.
The black-robed beauty’s expression darkened. Suddenly, she flicked her fingers, sending over a dozen white light orbs shooting upward. Instead of targeting the wolf, the orbs exploded high in the air, casting a blinding white light that illuminated the area ahead. The terrifying visage of the Corpse Wolf was now fully exposed to everyone.
The four of them couldn’t help but pale. They were all experienced individuals, and the wolf’s ferocity was immediately apparent. Yet, in the same instant, they also spotted a white, fuzzy creature perched atop the wolf’s head. Though its lower body was buried in the green fur, the visible part was unmistakably the head of a plump, white horse, its emerald-green eyes fixed intently on them. A mix of shock and excitement surged through the group.
“Everyone, be careful! Don’t let the Shadow Horse Mushroom escape. This Corpse Wolf is likely a mutated ghost—though troublesome, the five of us, as Nascent Soul cultivators, can easily handle it. Fellow Daoist Bai, focus solely on capturing the Shadow Horse Mushroom!” The old man surnamed Fu warned, slapping his storage pouch. A chain-like treasure shot out, glowing with dark light as it coiled toward the giant wolf like a serpent.
The others wasted no time. The black-robed beauty flicked her sleeves, releasing three crimson flying swords. The burly man tapped his jade tablet, summoning several winged scorpions that lunged forward. Han Li exhaled lightly, and several flying swords erupted with radiant light, transforming into golden streaks that swept toward the wolf.
Meanwhile, Bai Yaoyi flipped her palm, revealing a translucent silk net. With a gentle shake, the net transformed into a misty white aura that descended directly toward the Shadow Horse Mushroom on the wolf’s head.
Though this was their first time fighting together, the combined might of their treasures was awe-inspiring.
The Shadow Horse Mushroom seemed quite intelligent. Seeing the attacks, it immediately flattened itself deeper into the wolf’s fur, refusing to show itself again.
Faced with so many assaults, the Corpse Wolf’s eyes flashed with savagery. It stopped roaring and instead opened its maw wide, spewing an endless stream of green corpse fire that instantly formed a towering wave of flames to counter the incoming treasures.
For a moment, green flames and radiant treasures clashed, locked in a fierce struggle. Whether it was Han Li’s flying swords or the others’ magic treasures, none could break through the corpse fire to reach the wolf. The winged scorpions summoned from the jade tablet were engulfed by the flames before they could dodge, instantly turning to smoke—proof of the fire’s formidable power. Even the white silk net meant for the Shadow Horse Mushroom was held aloft by the flames, unable to descend.
Seeing this, Bai Yaoyi let out a cold snort. The North Night Palace was located in a land of ice and snow, and her cultivation and treasures were all ice-attribute. Naturally, she held this corpse fire in contempt.
Before Han Li and the others could react, she formed a hand seal and let out a sharp cry. A dazzling white light erupted from her body, accompanied by a surge of icy mist. A brilliant crystalline glow enveloped her, making her appear as ethereal as a glacier fairy. The temperature in the surrounding air plummeted instantly. While Han Li and the old man surnamed Fu remained unfazed, the black-robed beauty and the burly man shuddered from the sudden cold.
The giant wolf seemed to sense the danger. Taking a deep breath, it spewed even more corpse fire from its mouth.
Almost simultaneously, Bai Yaoyi opened her mouth and spat out an icy fan, which circled once before landing in her delicate hand. Bathed in cold light, she gently waved the fan toward the Corpse Wolf. This time, instead of the yellow wind Han Li had seen earlier, a bone-chilling blizzard mixed with countless ice crystals surged forth.
Green and white radiance clashed, drowning out the glow of the other treasures. Explosions rang out continuously as the two forces collided.
The Corpse Wolf’s flames were astonishingly potent—even against ice-attribute techniques, they held their ground. Bai Yaoyi’s face flushed with irritation. With a slight shake, her fan expanded to twice its size, and the icy wind it unleashed grew even more powerful.
Meanwhile, having tested the wolf’s strength, the old man and the others weren’t about to let Bai Yaoyi fight alone.
The old man pointed at the chain he had summoned earlier. With a soft *pop*, black flames erupted along its length. The chain then multiplied into dozens of identical fiery chains, forming a massive net above the wolf that descended like a celestial snare.
The black-robed beauty chanted under her breath, and her three crimson flying swords trembled violently before merging into a single giant sword over ten feet long. It slashed through the air with overwhelming force.
The burly man surnamed Yuan calmly stowed his jade tablet and produced a blue gourd instead. From it, a dense purple mist billowed forth, drifting slowly toward the wolf—its effects unknown.
Seeing the others unleash their full power, Han Li’s brow twitched slightly. With an imperceptible flick of his sleeve, a red streak shot out and vanished in an instant.
Under such a concentrated assault, the Corpse Wolf, despite its formidable abilities, began to falter. As the fiery chains and crimson giant sword joined the fray, the corpse fire was steadily pushed back. The purple mist was also about to reach the wolf.
Though the wolf’s intelligence was limited, its innate instincts screamed danger. With a flash of green light, its body shrank slightly, and the coarse fur on its back bristled. Letting out a low growl, it unleashed a dense barrage of green needles, targeting all five cultivators at once.
This caught the group off guard. Though they quickly defended against the needles, their offensive momentum slowed. Seizing the moment, the mutated Corpse Wolf suddenly turned and bolted back the way it had come.
The old man and the others were momentarily stunned.
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