My Beasts Grind Proficiency For Me

Chapter 367 - 226: The Demon Sect’s Great Army

Crackling Taixiao True Thunder surged as Yang Jing forcibly bound it to his blade, forging it into Sword Gang. Empowered by his True Martial Demon-Vanquishing Divine Techniques, this Sword Gang was something no Celestial Demon could withstand.

However, as Yang Jing observed the tree root with his Sword Heart, he felt far from optimistic. The root that had suddenly appeared was far tougher than he had anticipated.

Channeling all his Giant Power, he brought the Celestial Waterfall Sword slashing down. The moment it cut into the root, the blade’s speed slowed immediately. Yang Jing had to channel his Taixiao True Thunder with all his might, and only then did he sever the section of root with great difficulty.

"This is a Pure Yang Apricot Tree!"

Yang Jing glanced at the severed root and noticed something strange.

This root was actually from a Pure Yang Apricot Tree, and judging by its age, it was at least five or six thousand years old. A Pure Yang Apricot Tree of this age would be a priceless treasure even within the Nine Yang Sect. If its branches were harvested, they would be Tier Two Upper Grade Spiritual Materials at minimum.

This Pure Yang Apricot Tree must have been planted here in the valley, inside that Golden Core Cultivator’s Cave Mansion.

Its trunk had been felled at some unknown time, leaving only the roots buried deep underground. Corroded and saturated by Demonic Qi day and night, it had transformed into a terrifying Demon Monster.

What troubled Yang Jing the most was that even though the Pure Yang Apricot Tree had become a Demon Monster, its fundamental nature meant that the suppressing effects of his Thunder Technique and True Yang Body were greatly diminished against it.

If not for his True Martial Demon-Vanquishing, his mastery of the Five Thunders Divine Techniques, and the recent surge in Qi Power from his Divine Great Strength Talent, he would have found it nearly impossible to sever this root with a single slash.

He looked up at Lou Lidar, who had already fled into the distance.

"Your so-called Nine Nether Evil Transformation Array... I suspect you laid it upon the roots of this Pure Yang Apricot Tree long ago. The roots run deep underground—no wonder I couldn’t detect them."

The severed root writhing on the ground continuously emitted a dense Evil Qi.

’These True Disciples of the Eastern Demon Sect must have been plotting to ambush me for a long time.’

’Lou Lidar is clearly not skilled in Swordsmanship, yet he used a Flying Sword to ambush me. He probably thought that as a Sword Cultivator, I’d be fascinated by a Flying Sword, making me an easy target.’

Lou Lidar’s eyelid twitched as he saw the severed root. Empowered by the Nine Nether Evil Transformation Array, the roots of this tree Demon Monster were as tough as a Tier Two Defensive Spiritual Artifact. The section Yang Jing had just lopped off was as thick as a water tank.

’If I hadn’t summoned that Demon to block the attack and had instead confidently relied on my Defensive Spiritual Artifact, I’d have been sliced in two at the waist by now.’

After setting up the Nine Nether Evil Transformation Array with his junior brothers and sisters, they had all been certain that Yang Jing would die the moment he stepped inside. Now, that confidence was rapidly wavering.

"Quick, release all the Demon Corpses!"

he roared at his junior brothers and sisters hidden underground.

Lou Lidar was a disciple of the Eastern Demon Sect’s Corpse Refining Hall. The art of Corpse Refinement was somewhat rare on the Western Continent, but on the Central Continent, it was a common practice among Independent Cultivators. It was considered an unorthodox path, but not necessarily an evil one.

This was because while the Central Continent’s resources were far more abundant than the Western Continent’s, they were completely monopolized by the Noble Families and Major Sects, forcing Independent Cultivators to survive in the margins. In such an environment, the art of Corpse Refinement, which required very few Spiritual Materials, became extremely popular.

Some elders would even make preparations before their deaths to have their bodies refined into powerful corpses, giving their descendants an extra tool for defense.

However, ordinary refined corpses absorbed Yin Qi and Evil Qi from the Spirit Veins in the earth. The Eastern Demon Sect, on the other hand, used Demonic Qi and Evil Qi for its Corpse Refinement. This seemingly small distinction made a world of difference.

Demon Corpses refined with a mixture of Demonic Qi and Evil Qi were far more ferocious. Moreover, a Demon Summoning Technique could be used to call upon a Celestial Demon to possess the Demon Corpse, making it even more terrifying.

Lou Lidar had chosen to set up the Nine Nether Evil Transformation Array here precisely because of this tree root that had become a Demon Monster. Although this Pure Yang Apricot Tree had not undergone a full Demon Transformation, it had grown for thousands of years on a node of a Tier Three Spirit Vein and had long since developed Spiritual Essence. After its trunk was felled, it immediately seethed with immense resentment.

Even among Demon Monsters, it could be considered exceptionally vicious.

The reason the Golden Core Cultivator’s Cave Mansion had remained largely intact was due not only to the Pure Yang True Gang emanating from the Golden Core Remains, but also to the intimidating presence of this Tree Root Demon Monster.

The Eastern Demon Sect’s Corpse Refining Hall wasn’t limited to refining human bodies; the corpses of demons and other monstrous beings were also well within their repertoire.

And this tree root was a top-tier choice for Corpse Refinement.

It was only because of Lou Lidar’s status as a True Disciple—while the juniors he’d brought to set up the Array were merely Inner Sect Disciples—that he was in a position to claim this Demon Monster for himself.

At his command, a pair of Demon Claws suddenly shot out from the ground beneath Yang Jing. They grabbed for his ankles, attempting to drag him down into the earth.

Having been buried year-round within the earth’s Spirit Veins, these Demon Corpses usually possessed a crude Earth Escape Skill that allowed them to move freely underground.

"Hmph!"

Having already been blindsided by the deeply buried tree root, Yang Jing was now paying close attention to everything happening underground. The crude Earth Escape of these Demon Corpses could not possibly fool his senses.

"Rise!"

He raised two fingers, pointing them upward.

The ground, hardened like stone by the Demonic Qi, suddenly surged like a great wave, peeling back in all directions. With a tremendous RUMBLE, the displaced earth slammed into the barrier of the Nine Nether Evil Transformation Array, causing the whole Array to shake.

Where the ground had been, there was now a massive crater over twenty zhang deep. The Demon Corpses hiding within the earth were all exposed. And there, too, were the tree roots, tangled together in a writhing, python-like mass.