Deep within the Jade Crystal Cave, blood had solidified into gleaming crimson crystals. The cave was riddled with numerous passages, forming a labyrinthine network. Thankfully, City Lord Dugu was familiar with the terrain and confidently guided everyone down the correct path.
"Aooo! Aooo! Aooo!"
"Wu ~ ~ ~"
"Ding!"
The group hadn't gone far when they were suddenly ambushed by a horde of demons, encircling them completely. These creatures were half-human, half-beast: wolf demons with lupine heads, tiger demons with fierce feline features, fox demons sporting vulpine visages, and snake demons with serpentine faces. In total, there were four distinct types of these fiends, numbering over a hundred, each varying in strength.
"Wolf Demon, Level 13 Monster, Fighting Capacity: 5000!"
"Tiger Demon, Level 14 Monster, Fighting Capacity: 6000!"
"Fox Demon, Level 12 Monster, Fighting Capacity: 4500!"
"Snake Demon, Level 14 Monster, Fighting Capacity: 6000!"
These monsters were far more formidable than the White Bone Demon, launching vicious attacks. Only a select few among Zhou Tao and his companions stood a chance against them. But they had an ace up their sleeve: Chen Guo.
Chen Guo declared, "We'll stick to the plan we used before. It's my turn to strike!" With that, he began to recite incantations:
"By the urgent decree of Primus, unleash the Divine Jade Thunder, swiftly!"
"By the urgent decree of the Great Monad, release the Divine Fire, now!"
"By the urgent decree of the Heavenly Worthy of Numinous Treasure, issue the Five Gods Spare Order!"
Facing such ferocious adversaries of no small caliber, Chen Guo resorted to the ultimate technique of the Maoshan Daoist arts—the Five Gods Spare Order! The Divine Jade Thunder conjured a vast purple electric web, crackling over the demons' bodies, scorching them into charred husks. The Divine Fire's might was boundless, erupting from Chen Guo's lips into several fiery dragons that ravaged the area. Meanwhile, Chen Guo's hands were a blur, forming intricate seals to invoke the Five Gods Spare Order!
This move from the Mount Maoshan Dao Arts leveraged the Heavenly Worthy of Numinous Treasure's Pardon to call forth five natural deities for a brief but potent assault. It was the most formidable technique within the Dao Arts, demanding an immense amount of mana.
In an instant, Chen Guo summoned the five natural gods.
Zhu Rong, the fire deity, his visage fierce and body ablaze, unleashed the Fire Thunder Technique, laying waste to the hordes of demons.
Gong Gong, the water god, his upper body a mass of solid muscle and skin the color of glacial ice, spewed forth torrents that skewered demon after demon.
Xing Tian, the war god, with eyes on his chest and navel for a mouth, brandished twin axes, plowing through the demonic masses in a relentless onslaught.
Lei Zhenzi, the thunder god with wings sprouting from his back, gripped the Thunder God's Chisel, calling down bolts of lightning to strike at the fiends.
And the Demon Girl, rumored to be the Yellow Emperor's daughter, clad in green with an impassive face, could with a mere gesture boil a demon's blood, leaving nothing but a desiccated husk.
These summoned beings were mere phantoms, not the gods in their true form. Chen Guo, after all, was no Heavenly Worthy of Numinous Treasure, lacking the clout to summon their actual presences. Yet, even as illusions, their power to wreak havoc was undeniably fearsome, overwhelming the demons with ease.
After deploying the Mount Maoshan Dao Arts' most devastating moves several times, Chen Guo's mana was nearly depleted. He had to meditate to replenish it. Thankfully, his proficiency in the Celestial Spell ensured a swift recovery.
With just three of these ultimate techniques, Chen Guo had the demons in disarray, leaving the trial challengers to simply mop up the stragglers.
"Boss, for you," Zhou Tao said, offering up a blue pill that exuded a refreshing fragrance and shimmered with light.
"What's this?" Chen Guo inquired.
"It's an Origin Pill, it helps to rapidly restore mana," Zhou Tao explained.
Chen Guo accepted the pill with a smile, swallowed it, and felt his mana fully replenished. "You've got a good eye. The Origin Pill is quite a find, far more precious than the thrombin pill."
Zhou Tao remarked, "Without your intervention, boss, the entirety of the Jade Void Temple would have been marching to their doom here. It's our privilege to be of assistance to you!"
Chen Guo, having replenished his mana, shifted from casting potent spells to using less powerful, less draining ones to mop up the remaining demons. United in their efforts, the team swiftly eradicated the demonic presence.
Although there were fewer monsters here than the White Bone Demon, they were of a higher level and possessed greater fighting capacity, yielding more slaughter points.
Chen Guo was on the cusp of leveling up, while the rest of the team had already advanced to the next level. The collective strength of the group had notably improved.
The team was filled with unspoken gratitude towards Chen Guo for his contributions.
City Lord Dugu couldn't help but express his admiration, "I never imagined these creatures would pose no threat to you, Young Hero. Your prowess truly is eye-opening."
Chen Guo responded coolly, "As I said before, these monsters are no more threatening than chickens and dogs. There's no need for surprise. Let's head to the Third Layer."
City Lord Dugu replied, "Follow me, then. The four demons in the Third Layer's Evil Blood Cave won't be so easily subdued!"
Navigating the serpentine and labyrinthine path was made easier with City Lord Dugu at the helm, and soon they reached the Third Blood Evil Cave.
The blood qi within the cave had nearly congealed into a tangible form, shrouded in a blood mist that obscured vision.
Had the team not employed Concentration Talismans, they might well have succumbed to unconsciousness.
The oppressive blood mist carried with it a palpable sense of danger, prompting a collective solemnity among the group.
"Didn't I tell you there was no need for you to come? You stand no chance against me!" A white-robed scholar emerged from the mist, his voice shrill as he clutched a painting brush, clad in traditional scholarly attire.
City Lord Dugu declared, "Bai Yuntian, this time I've secured a formidable ally. We will put an end to this nightmare once and for all!"
The scholar in white retorted, "You've sought help time and again, yet not once have you surpassed this challenge, let alone faced the master. This time will be no different."
"Do you two know each other?" Chen Guo inquired, a flicker of curiosity in his eyes.
City Lord Dugu offered an explanation, "Meet the Palace Painting Demon, Bai Yuntian, a protégé of the esteemed Painting Saint Lin Qingyu. He once created masterpieces for the emperor right within the palace walls. Sadly, he's now succumbed to darkness, serving as a minion to evil forces."
The crowd turned their attention to the Palace Painting Demon, their eyes widening at the revelation of his formidable statistics.
"Palace Painting Demon, Bai Yuntian, a Level 19 boss monster with a combat strength of 10,000..."
A boss monster whose combat strength soared past the 10,000 mark!
With a casual glance and a sneer of contempt, the Palace Painting Demon surveyed the group. His expression shifted to one of surprise upon noticing Chen Guo, "Ah, the reinforcements you've brought are no different from the usual rabble – nothing but worthless chum. However, this young man stands out; he's quite exceptional!"
City Lord Dugu proudly declared, "Indeed, he is a distinguished disciple of Mount Maoshan!"
"Mount Maoshan, you say? A direct successor of the Three Maos True Lord is certainly not without merit," the Palace Painting Demon acknowledged. "Being the least powerful among us four, I'll take the honor of testing him. If he can't even overcome me, his journey ends here."