Chapter 276 - 269: The Divine Beasts Join Forces

Chapter 276: Chapter 269: The Divine Beasts Join Forces

After the giant Black Spider emerged from the ground, it menacingly tried to grab the Demon Beast corpse.

However, the root-like tentacles of the Beast God Tree emerged from underground and grabbed the Demon Beast corpse first.

When the giant Black Spider saw the root-like tentacles, it could only stop in its tracks and stare helplessly, not daring to make a rash move.

Meanwhile, Jiang Zuo and the other two had already retreated a great distance.

The Black Spider glanced at them, seeming to hesitate for a moment, but ultimately decided not to give chase.

"What should we do? It’s a fifth-rank Demon Beast. We’re definitely no match for it," Jie Qiu said, still shaken.

She was thankful they had brought Jiang Zuo; if she and her junior sister had come alone, they would have been doomed, even with a Teleportation Talisman.

"The Celestial Dog Essence Blood is hidden under that tree," Xie Xiuyue said with a frown. "Can we find a way around that Black Spider to get it?"

The Celestial Dog Essence Blood was within reach. After coming all this way, there was no way she could just give up.

"I suppose that’s our only option," Jie Qiu said, nodding. "We can use the beasts we brought with us to scout a path."

When exploring the Beast God Tree Forbidden Land, it was impossible for Cultivators to risk their own lives scouting.

Otherwise, no amount of Cultivators would be enough for the task.

Pioneering Cultivators would bring large numbers of wild beasts, and even first-rank Spirit Beasts, to scout the paths.

In the outer areas, ordinary beasts could trigger any Chaotic Spaces.

But deeper in, ordinary beasts became useless, and one needed to use Spirit Beasts—even the lowest-level, first-rank ones would do.

A Cultivator once joked that the endless supply of Demon Beasts in the Beast God Tree Forbidden Land was probably a result of Cultivators constantly releasing so many wild beasts and Spirit Beasts into the area.

If Cultivators stopped exploring the Beast God Tree Forbidden Land, the Demon Beasts inside might mostly die out after a thousand years or so.

Of course, this was just a joke, but many people felt there was a good chance it was true.

However, the Beast God Tree Forbidden Land had numerous entrances, making it impossible to completely forbid Cultivators from entering.

Jie Qiu had considered the need for scouting before they entered, so she had brought ten first-rank Spirit Beasts. Xie Xiuyue had done the same.

This revealed that Xie Xiuyue wasn’t actually using Talismans to navigate, but Jiang Zuo had already figured that out and didn’t expose her.

It was the first time any of the three had tried to navigate the Beast God Tree Forbidden Land, and only now did they realize just how difficult it was to pioneer a path.

Even with the ten first-rank Spirit Beasts Jiang Zuo had brought, their total of thirty first-rank Spirit Beasts failed to find a path that would take them any significant distance.

Let alone one that could lead them around to the other side of the earthen mound to secretly retrieve the Celestial Dog Essence Blood.

Jiang Zuo had his Pet Beast Spirit Garden and could summon a large number of Spirit Beasts.

But paving a path with them would consume an unknown number of Spirit Beasts, and Jiang Zuo had no intention of doing so.

"Master Gu, do you have any other ideas?" Jie Qiu asked with a wry smile. "If not, I’m afraid we’ll have to give up."

’I planned for everything,’ she thought, ’but I never expected the treasure to be right in front of us, only to be blocked by a fifth-rank Demon Beast.’

"I do have another way," Jiang Zuo said, nodding. "However, I must ask both of you to make a Dao Heart Oath that you will not reveal anything you see concerning me to anyone else."

’I have to get that Celestial Dog Essence Blood, no matter what,’ he thought. ’If I want to kill a large number of fifth-rank Demon Beasts for their Essence Blood in the future, I’ll probably have to rely on Great Black.’

"Alright! We swear!"

Jie Qiu and Xie Xiuyue agreed without a moment’s hesitation.

Jiang Zuo was only asking them to keep a secret. As long as they did, it wouldn’t harm them in any way.

After the two made their Dao Heart Oath, Jie Qiu and Xie Xiuyue turned to Jiang Zuo with expectant gazes, eager to see what solution he had.

With a flick of his hand, Jiang Zuo summoned the Fire Phoenix and Xiaoqing.

"Two more fourth-rank Spirit Beasts!"

"Not only that! This Firebird... could it be the legendary Fire Phoenix?"

Jie Qiu’s and Xie Xiuyue’s eyes widened in astonishment at the two newly summoned Spirit Beasts.

Xiaoqing still looked rather unassuming.

The Fire Phoenix, however, was a different story. Anyone who saw it would be captivated.

Under the pressure of the Fire Phoenix’s bloodline, the other two fourth-rank Spirit Beasts, Huahua and the Fire Fox, lowered their heads in terror.

Jiang Zuo didn’t bother explaining, letting the two women think what they would.

As the two women watched, Xiaoqing crawled onto the Fire Phoenix’s back.

Under Jiang Zuo’s command, the Fire Phoenix took flight with Xiaoqing and soared into the sky above the giant Black Spider.

The giant Black Spider had already burrowed back into the ground, but it emerged once more upon sensing an invasion of its territory, glaring fiercely at the Fire Phoenix in the sky.

It couldn’t fly, but after a hoarse, deep cry, it shot strands of Black Spider Silk toward the Fire Phoenix like arrows.

"There are so many, and they’re so fast! The Fire Phoenix won’t be able to dodge in time!"

The sheer number of silk strands was like a shower of arrows, and their speed was astonishing.

Sensing the Fire Phoenix couldn’t possibly dodge them all, Jie Qiu cried out in alarm.

The giant Black Spider was a fifth-rank Demon Beast, while the Fire Phoenix was only fourth-rank.

They were separated by an entire rank, a gap that would be magnified by the amplification effect of the Beast God Tree.

’Even a Fire Phoenix probably can’t withstand an attack from the Black Spider.’

Jie Qiu was right; the Fire Phoenix was indeed unable to dodge them all.

It dodged a large number of the Black Spider Silk strands, but a dozen or so still shot toward it.

However, just as the strands were about to hit, a small, cyan shield materialized in front of the Fire Phoenix.

This unassuming little cyan shield blocked every last strand of Black Spider Silk.

HA!

’You can’t hit me, but I can hit you!’

The Fire Phoenix was instantly fired up.

It had little interest in fighting ordinary Demon Beasts, but a fifth-rank one was a different story.

In an instant, streams of crimson flames rained down from the sky.

Spider-type Demon Beasts feared fire-attribute attacks above all else, to say nothing of the flames of a Fire Phoenix.

The giant Black Spider let out cry after cry of rage under the assault of the Fire Phoenix’s flames.

Unfortunately for it, all of its attacks were blocked by Xiaoqing, leaving the Fire Phoenix completely unharmed.

Meanwhile, the Fire Phoenix’s various Flame Techniques rained down on the Black Spider, inflicting significant damage.

If this were the outside world, the Black Spider would have long since retreated and fled instead of continuing this futile fight with the Fire Phoenix.

But inside the Forbidden Land, the Black Spider had completely lost its reason. Even though its attacks couldn’t reach the Fire Phoenix, it continued to attack with frenzied desperation.

After all, a fifth-rank Demon Beast from within the Forbidden Land was no match for a Demon Emperor from the outside world; their abilities were worlds apart.

In the end, after nearly a quarter of an hour of battle, the Black Spider was worn down and killed by the combined efforts of the Fire Phoenix and Xiaoqing.

From start to finish, Jiang Zuo and the two women hadn’t lifted a finger.

"The Fire Phoenix is incredible! It killed a fifth-rank Demon Beast while only at the fourth rank!"

"That little turtle is amazing, too! Its Magic Shield can even block a fifth-rank Demon Beast’s attacks!"

Jie Qiu and Xie Xiuyue watched it all unfold, their hearts filled with amazement.

Jiang Zuo collected the Black Spider’s corpse before the tentacles could appear.

The Fire Phoenix landed beside him with Xiaoqing on its back.

Jie Qiu and Xie Xiuyue desperately wanted to reach out and pet the Fire Phoenix, but it would have none of it. After it shot them a hostile look, they didn’t dare to try anything.

"Let’s go. First, we get the Celestial Dog Essence Blood," Jiang Zuo said, and the three of them carefully approached the withered tree on the small earthen mound.

"It’s buried in the dirt at the base of the tree," Xie Xiuyue said.

Jiang Zuo nodded and began to dig at the base of the tree.

After just a few scoops of dirt, Jiang Zuo unearthed a skeleton.

It was the skeleton of a human Cultivator. Beside it lay a weapon, long devoid of Spiritual Qi, and a jade bottle.

Jiang Zuo opened the bottle, and the thick, metallic scent of blood immediately wafted out.

While they found the stench of blood unpleasant, Great Black and Huahua caught the scent and couldn’t help but crowd around restlessly.