Chapter 180: Encounter with the Undying Creatures – Only Lin Qi’an Can Kill Them?
Lin Qi’an stepped into the Forbidden Grounds.
Beneath a blood-red sky lay a forest of crimson trees. Even the ground was a mottled dark red, exuding an eerie, foreboding aura.
The ten participants had all arrived in this unsettling landscape.
“You can let me out now,” Bai Jiuli’s voice chimed from within the Lotus Realm. “Don’t worry, I won’t interfere. I can even offer some assistance.”
Lin Qi’an activated the Lotus Realm, and a pink light shot out, transforming into a small, delicate bell hanging from his waist.
What a fascinating transformation technique. Carrying a golden bell could prove handy in these treacherous grounds, especially for tasks like eliminating the Destined Children.
In a place like this, death was commonplace. Lin Qi’an guessed that others shared the same sentiment—if they had the chance, they’d certainly try to kill him.
But the question was, who would strike first?
【Ding! Host’s killing intent detected. Initiating villain mission: Slaughter Without Mercy.】
【Mission: In this location, harming or killing any participant will accumulate rewards. Eliminating Destined Children will grant additional fortune rewards. Rewards will be tallied upon leaving the Forbidden Grounds.】
Simply put, the more kills, the better the rewards. Among the potential targets were two Destined Children, three holy sons, and five others. Killing them all would eliminate future threats and earn substantial rewards.
Ahead of the blood forest lay a narrow path.
The group advanced along the trail, passing scattered pools of blood on the ground. The oppressive and sinister atmosphere weighed heavily on everyone.
“No wonder this place is called the Forbidden Grounds of No Return,” someone muttered.
“Even just stepping in makes my spine tingle.”
Thankfully, these were all top-tier geniuses with strong mental fortitude, so fear didn’t overwhelm them.
“Everyone, I believe we should split up and seek opportunities separately,” said Jin Lingkong, the Golden Crow God Son, breaking the silence.
“I agree. Since we’re here, it’s only natural to rely on our own skills,” added Kui Long, the Divine Heir of the Kui Dragon Clan.
It was clear they preferred splitting up, as the Canglan Dao Domain only had three representatives and would be at a disadvantage in any conflict. Acting independently suited them better.
“Very well,” Zhao Yunji nodded. She had no desire to travel with the others either.
Soon, the group reached the end of the path, where their view opened to reveal a village.
Ahead, a villager was working by the roadside. She appeared to be a farmer, dressed in rough burlap clothing, and was digging a hole with a hoe.
“People actually live here?”
“This is surprising…”
“It seems the Forbidden Grounds aren’t as terrifying as rumored. Perhaps it’s all exaggerated.”
“Don’t move,” Lin Qi’an said instinctively, holding Lin Liuli back from approaching.
“Your hand…” Lin Liuli pouted, rolling her eyes, but she listened and didn’t step closer.
Meanwhile, Chen Jie, one of the Saint Sons, decided to step forward, eager to make an impression, “Hello, may I ask where this is?”
The farmer’s movements abruptly stopped, as if her body had mechanically frozen. Then, she turned sharply, lunging at Chen Jie like a wild beast.
Only now did the group see her face clearly. Her tattered clothes barely concealed the rotting flesh covering her face, grotesque and horrifying.
A chill ran through everyone.
Chen Jie never expected an attack from the seemingly ordinary farmer. Before he could react, it was too late.
“Ahhh!”
Her teeth sank into his neck, blood spraying everywhere.
The group was horrified.
Zhao Yunji immediately unleashed a golden divine light, blasting the farmer away. She was about to step forward when Lin Qi’an blocked her with his arm.
Chen Jie had started acting strangely. Dark veins crawled across his neck and face, which began to rot as he cried out in pain.
“It hurts! It hurts so much!” he screamed, clawing at his face until it was covered in bloody marks.
Lin Qi’an, having seen countless zombie movies, instantly recognized the situation. If this wasn’t a zombie, what was it?
“What… what’s going on?”
“Stay focused! Prepare to fight!” Lin Qi’an barked.
He wasn’t afraid. With his Ten Thousand Poison Immunity, he was completely immune to infections.
Sure enough, Chen Jie had been infected. Alongside him, the farmer, now rising to her feet again, twisted and lurched toward the group with grotesque movements.
“Attack!” Lin Qi’an commanded without hesitation.
The others, realizing the severity of the situation, unleashed their spiritual energy.
With so many geniuses attacking simultaneously, the power was overwhelming, instantly obliterating the two infected bodies.
Everyone exhaled in relief. Thankfully, these creatures weren’t particularly strong, their physical strength only comparable to a Transcendent Realm cultivator. As long as they avoided close contact, they could handle them easily.
“If the Forbidden Grounds only contain creatures like these, it’s going to be too easy,” Li Xuan said nonchalantly, ready to move on.
The others agreed, feeling that while the creatures were grotesque and eerie, they weren’t a significant threat.
But just then, a horrifying scene unfolded. The pile of broken limbs on the ground began to squirm, crawling and reassembling themselves.
“No… Impossible…”
“Reviving from death—what kind of monster is this?!”
The farmer and Chen Jie stood once more before the group, leaving everyone chilled to the bone.
Even after being reduced to such a state, they could still resurrect. It was too bizarre to comprehend!
“I’ll kill them!” Li Xuan stepped forward, brandishing his blade.
Countless slashes tore through the air, shredding the two figures into unrecognizable pieces. If there were a dish called zombie stir-fry, this would be it.
“That should do it,” someone remarked, their voice tinged with relief.
“Haha, if they revive again, then we’d truly be witnessing the supernatural.”
And yet, the terrifying reality unfolded before their eyes. In disbelief, everyone watched as the dismembered pieces began to move again.
The two figures revived once more, like immortal creatures that refused to die.
“Shit!”
“This is absolutely terrifying!”
Even the most seasoned geniuses were breaking into goosebumps.
“Is this the Undying Curse Poison?!” Bai Jiuli’s voice rang out through her divine sense.
“This is an incredibly vicious curse. Those afflicted will never truly die. There’s no cure, and they exist as mindless puppets.”
“You can’t kill these things! They’re highly infectious—run now!”
If even Bai Jiuli advised retreat, it was clear how dangerous the situation was.
Fortunately, Lin Qi’an had his Ten Thousand Poison Immunity, making him impervious to infection.
Golden Crow God Son Jin Lingkong refused to back down. Soaring into the air, his eyes burned with resolve as raging flames engulfed the two creatures.
The terrifying inferno consumed their bodies as they howled and writhed in agony, eventually collapsing into smoldering charcoal.
Jin Lingkong landed, wearing a self-satisfied expression. It was as if he were saying, ‘Good thing I’m here; otherwise, you’d have been helpless.’
“Brother Jin, we’re lucky to have you!”
“Haha, the Golden Crow Flame lives up to its reputation!”
The other two god sons were quick to flatter him.
“Idiots,” Bai Jiuli muttered through divine sense. “That pathetic Golden Crow Flame? It’s a joke if he thinks it can destroy these monsters.”
Crack. Crack.
The two charred corpses began to move again, standing up once more.
Jin Lingkong froze in terror, his eyes trembling. “What kind of monster is this?! Even the Golden Crow Flame can’t kill it!”
It wasn’t that the fire couldn’t kill them—it was that Jin Lingkong’s Golden Crow bloodline was far too weak. Compared to someone like Ye Yun, who had genuine Golden Crow essence blood, his flame was nothing.
“This is bad! We need to leave!”
“We can’t keep fighting these creatures!”
The god sons from the Tianhai Dao Domain immediately retreated, while Li Xuan and the Xiling Destined Child also backed away.
Seeing that Lin Qi’an wasn’t retreating, they smirked inwardly.
‘Let these undying monsters focus on him while we explore the rest of the area.’
“Idiot, why aren’t you running?” Bai Jiuli chided through divine sense.
“Let’s go,” Lin Liuli urged, tugging at Lin Qi’an’s sleeve. “Don’t linger here!”
Zhao Yunji hesitated but remained silent.
Lin Qi’an calmly summoned the Nine Yang Divine Sword, imbuing it with golden divine fire.
The blazing Nine Yang Divine Flame quickly consumed the two charred figures.
Crack! Crack! Crack!
The sound of exploding embers filled the air as their bodies shattered like dry wood in a roaring fire.
This time, the screams of the two creatures were far more intense than before. Their frenzied destruction of the surroundings only added to the chaos.
Soon, the two figures disintegrated into black ash, scattering into the wind.
Bai Jiuli was stunned, ‘This guy… He actually managed to kill creatures afflicted with the Undying Curse Poison!’
It seemed Lin Qi’an possessed far more treasures than she had imagined—Ancestral Dragon power, spatial artifacts, and now even high-level divine flames.
The rest of the group was equally shocked, unable to close their gaping mouths.
None of them wanted to praise Lin Qi’an openly, as he was their rival. But inwardly, they couldn’t help but feel alarmed.
Especially Jin Lingkong, whose face turned an ugly shade of green. The very thing his Golden Crow Flame failed to achieve was effortlessly done by Lin Qi’an with a different flame. It was a slap in the face, plain and simple.
Then the group quickly realized a serious problem.
In this treacherous Forbidden Ground filled with undying monsters, only Lin Qi’an had the means to kill them. Everyone else was powerless.
Didn’t this mean Lin Qi’an now had a massive advantage? That they might all have to rely on him?
Lin Liuli, initially stunned, suddenly smiled brightly, “Didn’t everyone say we should split up earlier? Now’s your chance to act on it!”
The group fell silent.
“…”