NOVEL WEB Chapter 376: Chapter 376: A Great Gain
Chapter 376: A Great Gain
"These are the souls of those two from the Beast Sect, I assume…" Lin Langtian gazed curiously at the two green-glowing orbs Du Guqi held. Through the eerie glow, he could still make out two shadowy forms within, struggling violently, trying to escape the seal.
"These two souls are of no use to me. You take them," Du Guqi said with a smile, tossing the orbs containing Lin Shu's and Luo Gu's souls toward Lin Langtian.
The souls of two Life Profound Stage masters were quite a precious gift. Surprised, Lin Langtian caught the orbs and thanked him earnestly. He focused his energy, and dark tendrils began to emerge from his hand, covering the orbs completely. Inside, the two souls squirmed even more fiercely, but without their bodies and with their power sealed, their resistance was futile against the power of the Devouring Ancestral Talisman.
"Thank you, Elder Du Gu, for your assistance. Without you, these two would have been difficult to handle…" Lin Langtian said gratefully, securing the souls in his pack.
Their combined strength would have barely given him and Jinwu a fifty percent chance of winning; he might have had to surrender the Tiger King's treasury altogether. Du Guqi merely nodded and waved his sleeve, unleashing a cloud of green poison that engulfed the remains of Lin Shu and Luo Gu, dissolving their blood, flesh, and bones into nothingness.
"This was nothing. Had my power been what it once was, we could march straight to the Beast Sect if you wished," Du Guqi replied indifferently. But as his gaze fell on Lin Langtian, it softened. "Reaching the Ninth Nirvana Stage already… It's true, young friend, your growth has been extraordinary. I heard even the Little King Yuan Cang of the Three Kings has fallen to you. I dare say you'll soon reach the Life Profound Stage, and when that happens, perhaps you can rid me of this demonic infection at last."
Du Guqi's eyes sparkled with a glimmer of hope. For any martial artist, reaching the Life Profound Stage was no small feat; some spend their whole lives without achieving it. But he felt certain this young talent before him would quickly overcome that barrier and grow even stronger. And when Lin Langtian reached that stage, he would finally have the power to rid Du Guqi of the demonic taint within him, allowing the Poison Sovereign to reclaim his former might.
Lin Langtian nodded, acknowledging the weight of their pact. "Rest assured, Elder Du Gu, I haven't forgotten our agreement. Within six months, I'll have the strength to remove the demonic infection completely."
As he neared the Life Profound Stage, especially with the upcoming chance to obtain the Vitality Spirit Fruit, achieving that breakthrough felt all the more attainable. This alliance with Du Guqi would prove immensely valuable—after all, a powerful ally at the Wheel Stage was no small thing. It would even give him the confidence to stand against the three Grandmasters of Yuan Gate if needed.
Hearing this, Du Guqi's old eyes brightened, his usual steely expression giving way to genuine relief. After suffering the demonic infection's torment for decades, there was finally a flicker of hope, and even his stoic heart couldn't help but feel elated.
"Then I'll wait with anticipation, young friend. Though others might call me ruthless, they know my word is true. Once I'm free of this burden, I'll make good on my promise to assist you however needed," Du Guqi said, clapping Lin Langtian's shoulder firmly.
Lin Langtian nodded with satisfaction. He knew better than to wield his leverage over Du Guqi as a means to control him. Du Guqi was a man of pride, and a strong ally by choice was better than a resentful one bound by force. Lin Langtian understood that forcing the Poison Sovereign to act as his guardian would likely only end in disaster.
"Then I'll be off for now. Should any further issues arise, you need only send word to me," Du Guqi said, scanning the area and turning back to Lin Langtian. "Anything short of the Death Profound Stage, I can handle."
"Thank you, Elder. Your help was invaluable," Lin Langtian replied.
With a faint smile, Du Guqi bid him farewell, a rare hint of emotion showing on his weathered face. After exchanging a few final words, Du Guqi patted Lin Langtian's shoulder and leapt into the air, disappearing from view at remarkable speed.
Once alone, Jinwu, who had been holding back his curiosity, finally spoke up. "Brother, was that really the Poison Sovereign of the Western Profound Region's top ten powerhouses? How did you come to know him?"
Lin Langtian smiled, explaining how he and Du Guqi had crossed paths. Jinwu listened, nodding with admiration. "As expected from you, Brother, to have the Poison Sovereign himself as an ally—truly incredible!"
The top ten powerhouses were all in the Wheel Stage, a level so high even Jinwu's own Black Gold Raven Clan wouldn't dare look down on them. Though Lin Langtian was still in the Nirvana Stage, he had already forged a connection with such a figure. Jinwu was sincerely impressed.
"It was mostly luck," Lin Langtian shrugged humbly. "Besides, this is an alliance, not servitude."
Turning his gaze back to Jinwu, he smiled. "Let's go. It's time to locate that Vitality Spirit Fruit and make our way out of here. Still remember the way?"
"Alright." Jinwu nodded, then leaped forward, swiftly heading toward the heart of Tiger Mountain, with Lin Langtian following closely behind. The mountain, stripped of life and thick with the scent of blood, appeared more sinister than ever.
The two sped through Tiger Mountain, and with Jinwu's guidance, Lin Langtian quickly reached the back of the mountain. There, hidden in the rock face, was a large, dark cave, its entrance sealed by a glowing barrier—likely set by the Tiger King himself.
"This is the place," Jinwu confirmed.
Hearing this, Lin Langtian gripped his black tree staff tightly, summoning the powerful energy of his Flame Furnace within his core. A dense, potent force gathered in his arm, and without hesitation, he swung the black staff with all his strength at the barrier.
A fierce power shot out, shattering the seal instantly. If the Tiger King was no match for him, there was no way a mere seal would pose any threat.
"Let's go." With the barrier destroyed, Lin Langtian led the way into the dark tunnel, his powerful energy surging forward as he transformed into a beam of light and sped ahead.
The tunnel descended into the mountain, winding deeper. After several minutes, the darkness finally gave way to a glimmer of light up ahead, widening into an open space. They emerged into a brilliant scene, blinking as their eyes adjusted to the dazzling sunlight.
Before them lay a vibrant, lush expanse, and beyond it stretched an immense lake. The water shimmered under the sunlight, and a soft breeze stirred the surface, sending gentle ripples across it.
"This is the heart of Tiger Mountain—the place where the Tiger King stored all his treasures," Jinwu said with a sparkle in his eyes.
Lin Langtian nodded, sensing the vitality that pulsed through this hidden realm. The energy here was several times richer than anywhere else on the mountain. As he looked around, taking in the peaceful beauty, his gaze fell upon a small, verdant island in the lake's center. At the heart of this island, a faint glow emanated from the ground.
"The Vitality Spirit Fruit only appears when the sun and moon align," Jinwu noted, glancing at the sun slowly sinking toward the horizon.
Lin Langtian acknowledged this and decided to search the area while waiting. This treasure trove was packed with rare items—powerful spirit weapons, invaluable martial arts techniques, and items of various types and levels. There was enough here to outfit a small sect!
Yet, most of it was of little interest to Lin Langtian, whose standards had grown significantly over time. With Jinwu's guidance, he moved to a quiet corner of the cavern, where something caught his eye—a dusty, ancient map lying in the shadows.
"This… this is the last missing piece!" Lin Langtian picked up the map and brushed off the dust, recognizing the familiar patterns etched into it. His face lit up with joy; the long-lost map fragment had finally been found.
Just then, as he was savoring his discovery, the sun sank lower, and the crescent moon appeared faintly in the opposite sky. A hum of energy pulsed through the mountain's heart, causing the ground to tremble slightly and the lake to ripple. A soft glow began to rise from the central island.
"It's coming!" Jinwu's voice trembled with excitement.
Putting the map aside, Lin Langtian turned his attention to the lake. The ground on the small island shook as beams of light grew brighter, eventually cracking open the soil. From within, a green shoot emerged, sprouting upward like a newborn sapling.
The emerald-green tree burst forth, stretching its branches wide, surrounded by circles of radiant green light. These light patterns pulsed with life energy, emanating a power that seemed to give vitality to the very air around it.
As the light concentrated, two distinct points on the tree brightened, eventually solidifying into two glowing green fruits. Hanging beneath the lush leaves, they glowed with vibrant light, radiating life energy so intense that the air itself felt alive.
"Two Vitality Spirit Fruits!" Lin Langtian and Jinwu exchanged glances, their faces filled with delight.
"It's said the Vitality Spirit Tree can yield up to nine fruits, and only when the ninth fruit appears is the tree fully mature. Unfortunately, it's only produced two this time," Jinwu said, sighing with a hint of regret.
Lin Langtian paused, then turned his gaze back to the tree, a fiery glint in his eyes. It seemed this Vitality Spirit Tree was itself a priceless treasure.
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