Chapter 6 : Check-In Completed, Preparing to Die
Chapter 6: Check-In Completed, Preparing to Die
Even if Long Tao had been slow-witted, he could still sense that something was wrong now.
The clear spring below, overflowing with spiritual energy, was eerily quiet.
By all logic, such a treasure ground should have long been packed with Demon Beasts like a marketplace, yet at this moment it was completely empty.
When something was abnormal, there was always a monster behind it—but a Qi-Refining Fifth Layer cultivator like him appearing here was the most abnormal thing tonight.
There was no time to think further.
This was his best chance to stay alive.
As long as he took advantage of this moment to hurry to the designated spot and check in, then take that so-called Nine-Leaf Ganoderma, this System Task would be considered perfectly completed.
As for whether it might be a trap? Heh… someone as insignificant as a Qi-Refining Fifth Layer nobody—if that Foundation Establishment Third Layer Demon Beast bigshot really set a trap specifically for him, then this life would have been worth living.
By the time he carefully climbed down the cliff and his feet had just touched the ground, a strong stench of blood and decay rushed straight to his head.
Under the moonlight, a scene of carnage entered his vision—gnawed-clean beast bones, scattered silver-gray fur, and half of a bloody hoof.
It really was a wolf den.
Judging from the thickness of the fur, it was most likely that Foundation Establishment Third Layer bigshot.
Anyway, if he ran into it, he would definitely be sent off in a single exchange.
If he was lucky, maybe he could even transmigrate back to Earth.
While his thoughts wandered, he had already followed the System arrow to a patch of grass by the spring.
But now there was a more troublesome problem—he did not study medicinal herbs or alchemy at all and had no idea what the Nine-Leaf Ganoderma looked like.
He had even heard this name for the first time today from the System.
“Host arrival at the check-in location confirmed. Check-in task completed. Please ensure that the Child of Destiny, Nan Yuchen, obtains the Nine-Leaf Ganoderma.”
When Long Tao heard the latter half of the System’s message, he could not help but curse under his breath.
Still, the fact that the check-in task had been completed so easily swept away a large portion of the gloom in his heart.
“Nine-Leaf Ganoderma… Nine-Leaf Ganoderma…” he muttered as he rummaged through the grass.
Before coming, he had instinctively thought that something called Nine-Leaf Ganoderma must be a radiant, immortal herb overflowing with spiritual light—like those glowing quest items in online games he used to play, placed in the most obvious spot, shining all over as if afraid you would not notice it.
However, when he found that gray, wilted-looking thing wedged between a clump of foxtail grass and stinging nettles, he fell into deep self-doubt.
He even confirmed with the System several times in his mind, afraid that he had made a mistake.
“Host acquisition of the Nine-Leaf Ganoderma confirmed. Please transfer it to the Child of Destiny, Nan Yuchen, as soon as possible.”
Long Tao still inspected it carefully several more times.
It did indeed have nine leaves, but this thing had nothing of the appearance of some legendary immortal ganoderma! If not for the System’s prompt and guidance, even if he passed by here every day, he probably would never have noticed it in his lifetime.
After sighing helplessly, he put the ganoderma into his bag.
Just as he was thinking about whether to climb back up the cliff and return the way he came, a familiar wolf howl suddenly came from another entrance to the basin.
The moment he turned his head to look, a massive figure covered in silver-gray fur was already charging toward him.
Under the moonlight, the figure was nearly four to five meters long.
Thick fur could not conceal its exaggerated muscle lines, and every step it took sent shattered stones jumping.
The Wolf King had returned!
Honestly speaking, the sight of a Foundation Establishment Demon Beast at least four to five meters long charging at full speed was far beyond the syllabus for a Qi Refining disciple.
Long Tao’s brain crashed on the spot.
Demon-Suppressing Talismans, Lightness Technique—everything turned into a muddled mess in his head.
He did not even have time for a so-called life-flashing-before-his-eyes moment.
It was over!!
When the opponent had already rushed to the vicinity of the spring, he finally realized he was dead for sure, watching helplessly as that gigantic claw—bigger than half his body—swung toward him.
“Ha!”
With another person’s shout, the wolf claw that had been swinging toward Long Tao slammed into the ground, while the giant wolf itself was kicked from behind, its body pitching forward and falling.
“You beast! Weren’t you arrogant just now? Why did you run back—Senior Brother Long!?”
“Nan… Nan, Junior Brother?”
The suddenly appearing savior was none other than Nan Yuchen.
It was unexpected, yet also reasonable—after all, he should have been on the mountain tonight anyway.
How he ended up fighting with this Wolf King, however, was an interesting question.
As the two sized each other up, the Wolf King had already climbed back to its feet.
No matter how useless Long Tao was, he should have reacted by now.
He took out the Demon-Suppressing Talisman he had been saving as his last resort and shouted to Nan Yuchen at the same time,
“Junior Brother Nan, I can probably immobilize it for about one breath. Find a way to hit it hard, then run!”
Nan Yuchen truly lived up to his reputation as the sect’s prodigy.
He immediately grasped the current situation and nodded without hesitation.
He then stepped into a horse stance, drawing back a single fist to gather power.
The Wolf King, however, paid him no attention at all.
The moment it stood up, it lunged straight toward Long Tao.
As expected… this beast was after that Nine-Leaf Ganoderma.
Long Tao’s entire body trembled and panic surged in his heart, yet he continued to pour spiritual energy into the Demon-Suppressing Talisman in his hand.
Its effect was powerful, but for a Qi Refining disciple, activating it consumed a great deal of energy.
“Freeze!”
With a loud shout, the Wolf King was actually immobilized mid-charge.
However, the inertia of its forward momentum still sent Long Tao flying.
Fortunately, within that brief single breath, Nan Yuchen’s previously charged attack was already complete.
It was a seemingly simple straight punch, but because it struck the Wolf King’s softer flank from the side, the effect was remarkable.
As Long Tao was knocked away, he even saw a terrifying dent cave into the Wolf King’s formidable body.
“Roar—!!!”
The Wolf King’s pained howl echoed throughout the valley.
Struck by this blow, it temporarily lost its combat ability, rolling and wailing nonstop like a puppy whose tail had been stepped on.
Having raised dogs in both his previous and current lives, Long Tao could not help but feel a bit of sympathy—it really sounded miserable.
“Senior Brother Long! Hurry! It will recover very soon!”
In reality, there was no need for a reminder.
Long Tao had already begun casting the Lightness Technique on his legs.
This was the last bit of spiritual energy he had deliberately saved earlier, originally intended as his final lifeline tonight.
As expected, he still had to use it.
“Which direction do we run?”
“The entrance where that beast rushed in just now. Do not run toward the cliff—that would be certain death.”
Though Nan Yuchen was young, his experience in such trials was rich.
He immediately guessed Long Tao’s route of arrival and warned him at once.
At this moment, neither of them had any intention of fighting further, sprinting desperately toward the exit of the small basin.
Nan Yuchen’s movement technique was agile and fluid.
His toes tapped lightly on protruding rocks, and his speed was astonishing.
Long Tao, on the other hand, was far more miserable.
The Lightness Technique’s effect was weak, and he was practically rolling and crawling, stepping deep and shallow on the muddy, slippery ground.
He nearly fell several times, each time being pulled up just in time by Nan Yuchen, who had deliberately slowed his pace.
After running out without daring to look back, Long Tao realized that he had once again entered the dense forest.
At this moment, the barely activated second use of the Lightness Technique gradually wore off, and his legs once again felt weak.
Summoning his courage, he glanced back and discovered that the big dog seemed to have stood up again.
“Awooo—!”
That howl truly made his soul want to flee his body.
The recovered Wolf King went completely berserk, charging straight at the two of them without regard for the wound on its abdomen.
“Senior Brother Long, run another five li into the forest. There is a sect-established safe zone there. We will be fine once we reach it.”
“Five li?! If I can make it there alive, I will cut my head off for you!”
At this point, Long Tao could not care about anything else.
He tore off the cloak he was wearing and was just about to throw it away to see if he could use the scent on it to distract the big dog, when a commotion suddenly arose ahead as well.
The two looked forward and discovered that a large number of wild beasts were charging toward them.
Running at the front was clearly a pack of wild wolves.
As a Foundation Establishment cultivator with exceptional eyesight, Nan Yuchen even noticed that the pack seemed to have been stimulated by something.
They were constantly sneezing and dripping with snot, with some unknown red powder still clinging to their bodies.
To avoid this wave of beasts, the two had no choice but to deviate from their original route.
However, Long Tao still flung the cloak forward, landing it squarely on one of the wild wolves.
The beast tide did not stop for such a minor interruption and continued rushing toward the direction of the spring.
At this moment, the Wolf King—still in an exposed state—also charged out from the entrance and collided directly with the beast tide.
That wild wolf wearing the cloak was likely drawn by the scent on it.
The Wolf King let out a hoarse snarl, and before it even figured out what was happening, it was bitten cleanly in half and swallowed whole.
Only then did Long Tao belatedly realize that this beast tide was the very group he had driven away earlier with Beast-Repelling Powder.
By some incredible coincidence, they had run here and had just happened to help block the Wolf King.
He could not help but look at Nan Yuchen running ahead of him with a somewhat complicated gaze, marveling at the Destiny Luck of the Child of Destiny—at critical moments, unexpected events always seemed to reverse the situation.
The Wolf King behind them was now also seemingly affected by the Beast-Repelling Powder on the beast tide, beginning to sneeze repeatedly.
Combined with the obstruction of the chaotic herd, even with its massive body, it could not catch up for the time being.
Long Tao, meanwhile, mustered his last bit of strength and sprinted wildly after Nan Yuchen.