Chapter 271: This Life of Yours Has No Meaning to Keep
In the next moment, the fire beasts surged forward like flowing lava, charging straight toward the safe house!
The momentum was overwhelming.
It seemed as if they would flatten the safe house in an instant.
The defensive array of the safe house was already on the verge of collapse.
Now, it couldn't withstand the simultaneous assault of hundreds of fire beasts.
In less than a hundred breaths, it shattered into countless specks of light.
The last barrier had fallen.
At this moment, the safe house was as vulnerable as a defenseless maiden about to face the onslaught of hundreds of fire beasts.
However, an unusual fragrance drifted in with the wind.
The fire beasts suddenly stopped in their tracks.
They began to sniff furiously, as if they had caught a whiff of something terrifying.
In that instant, it awakened a deeply buried, ancient memory within their very bloodline.
"Roar! Roar! Roar!"
The fire beasts immediately ceased their advance, letting out anxious growls.
But their growls carried hints of fear and trepidation.
It was as if they had smelled the scent of a natural predator.
This scene struck everyone like a tidal wave of shock.
"What's going on? Why aren't the fire beasts moving?" He Tianchou and Ouyang Wei exchanged astonished and puzzled glances.
"It feels like they've sensed the presence of a natural enemy," Lü Dongxuan exclaimed in surprise.
Yang Wenyuan frowned slightly, "Could it be that a stronger fire beast has appeared, one that has replaced Liu Ruyun as their leader?"
Ye Yan furrowed his brow tightly, equally unsure of what was happening.
The other elders each had their own interpretations.
Regardless, the sudden halt of the fire beast horde was like a glimmer of hope piercing through the despair of the night.
Compared to the varied reactions of the group, Liu Ruyun's expression was deeply troubled.
She could clearly feel the fire beasts beginning to slip out of her control.
"What's happening?"
"Is the imitation Fire Beast Incense no longer working?"
Liu Ruyun pulled out a sachet and infused it with spiritual energy.
Fine powders dispersed into the air and entered the nostrils of the surrounding fire beasts.
However, the fire beasts still refused to heed her commands.
They remained in place, restless and agitated.
"An imitation is, after all, just an imitation."
"The Prefectural Governor's Office lacks the skill."
Shen Mo's voice floated in with the wind.
Liu Ruyun turned to the figure in green robes.
To her shock, she noticed that Shen Mo was also holding a sachet.
The faint aroma in the air was emanating from his sachet!
"That's… Fire Beast Incense? Impossible!"
"The Prefectural Governor's Office verified that when the Nine-Turn Pill Dao Sect was annihilated, all Fire Beast Incense was burned."
"Even the formula for Fire Beast Incense was destroyed long ago!"
Liu Ruyun's eyes widened in disbelief, a mix of shock and fury spreading across her face.
She had been completely confident that the imitation Fire Beast Incense would perfectly control these beasts.
The idea that the real Fire Beast Incense could resurface and ruin her plans had never crossed her mind.
Upon hearing Liu Ruyun's words, the other cultivators froze.
"Fire Beast Incense?"
"What's that?" Ouyang Wei scratched his head.
He Tianchou frowned, "My grandfather mentioned it once. It's something the Nine-Turn Pill Dao Sect used to control fire beasts."
"With Fire Beast Incense, even a Body Refining Realm cultivator could easily slaughter a fifth-tier fire beast."
Yang Wenyuan's frown deepened. "But Fire Beast Incense has long been lost to history. No one can make it anymore."
"Could it be that some remnants of Fire Beast Incense were left in the Fire Pill Palace? That seems unlikely…"
Lü Dongxuan's eyes lit up with excitement. "What else could it be? Little Junior Brother must have found some remnants of Fire Beast Incense!"
"Amazing, Little Junior Brother!"
After Lü Dongxuan's exclamation, the other cultivators' eyes sparkled with realization.
Of course!
It was improbable that the Nine-Turn Pill Dao Sect had completely eradicated every trace of Fire Beast Incense.
There was a chance that some remnants remained.
Just because they couldn't find it didn't mean no one could.
Clearly, Shen Mo was such a person of extraordinary fortune—he had found it!
Ye Yan's gaze was locked on Shen Mo's figure.
His fists clenched tightly.
His knuckles turned pale and stood out sharply.
Even he hadn't been able to find the Fire Beast Incense.
Shen Mo could find it.
But why?
Under the gaze of all present, Shen Mo casually tossed the sachet high into the air.
Then, with a flick of his finger, a strand of spiritual energy struck the sachet, shattering it.
In an instant, a vast amount of fine powder rained down from above.
The fire beasts instinctively inhaled the powder.
They confirmed it.
This was Fire Beast Incense!
"Roar!"
The fire dragon at the front, measuring forty-nine zhang in length, immediately prostrated itself.
Its submission triggered a wave of obedience.
Fire tigers, fire wolves, and fire leopards all lowered their front legs and knelt.
Fire crows, fire falcons, and other avian beasts descended to the ground, not daring to take flight.
Crash!
In an instant, all 362 fire beasts became docile, silent, and subservient, like cattle awaiting slaughter.
This was precisely the method the Nine-Turn Pill Dao Sect had used to harvest fire beast demon crystals in the past!
"My heavens…"
He Tianchou and Ouyang Wei were stunned, their mouths agape.
"Incredible, Junior Brother!"
Lü Dongxuan was so exhilarated he clenched his fists and guzzled from a wine jar.
Yang Wenyuan's expression was complex, and he said nothing.
Meanwhile, Ye Yan's eyes burned with undisguised hatred.
Shen Mo had just become his savior.
Did this mean he would now have to lower himself before Shen Mo?
Unforgivable.
Absolutely unforgivable!
Tap, tap.
Shen Mo strolled leisurely through the fire beast horde.
He stopped before Liu Ruyun.
At this moment, Liu Ruyun's once-radiant face had turned ashen, pale as paper.
"You… this is impossible… impossible…"
Liu Ruyun's eyes lost focus, and she muttered "impossible" repeatedly.
She had infiltrated the Jade Cauldron Sect for so long, pouring her heart and soul into completing this mission.
She had reached the final step.
As long as the fire beast horde charged forward and massacred the elders, her task would be complete.
Yet now, at the final moment, everything had been undone so effortlessly by one man, in a way she could never have foreseen.
Real Fire Beast Incense!
How could such a thing exist?
Thud.
Liu Ruyun couldn't accept it.
She fell to her knees.
Her heart sank into despair.
Her mission had failed.
Her identity was exposed.
What awaited her now was the endless interrogation and coercion of the Jade Cauldron Sect.
"You won't drag me back to the Jade Cauldron Sect for questioning."
"The Prefectural Governor's Office won't admit I'm their spy within the sect."
"In the end, you'll gain nothing."
Liu Ruyun suddenly raised her head and laughed hysterically.
Shen Mo spoke indifferently, "Take you back? There's no need for that."
"Your mission has failed, your identity is compromised, and the Prefectural Governor's Office will deny your existence. They'll wipe out your family to silence any leaks."
"I anticipated all of this."
"So, keeping you alive serves no purpose."
"Off you go."
Shen Mo extended a finger, pointing at Liu Ruyun. His lips moved slightly as he uttered three words, "Eat her alive."
Liu Ruyun's eyes widened in horror, darting toward the surrounding fire beasts.
She saw them, the creatures that had once regarded her as their master, now staring at her with savage, predatory eyes.
"No, the Prefectural Governor wouldn't treat my family like that…"
"No… stay back! Stay away!"
Her last scream was quickly drowned out as the ravenous jaws of the fire beasts closed in, tearing her apart.
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