Chapter 23: Chapter 23: Vanquishing the Sophora Demon and Gaining Treasure

Dogzi’s actions were strange.

Xu Yang immediately followed after.

After a night of recovery, plus the healing spirit elixir Dogzi had found, most of his injuries had healed—about seventy to eighty percent.

Even if he couldn’t fight at his peak, as long as he didn’t run into a True Void Realm opponent, he had nothing to fear!

He followed Dogzi, weaving through the wild mountains.

Xu Yang grew more and more astonished by the treasure hunting beast’s special abilities.

Any area where a magical beast was present, Dogzi would precisely avoid.

Its sharp sense of smell and perception weren’t just for finding treasure—they were perfect for avoiding danger, too!

This made Xu Yang even more determined not to let it slip away.

If he had to, he’d just tie it up and take it!

Suddenly, Dogzi stopped abruptly, turning to look at Xu Yang.

Xu Yang dashed in front and stared intently ahead.

What he saw was a gigantic fissure—a narrow valley had formed in the crack, giant trees towered all around, light couldn’t penetrate, and a faint chill lingered in the air.

“Dogzi, did you find something?” Xu Yang frowned slightly.

He hadn’t sensed anything!

“Woo woo woo~~”

Xu Yang stared at Dogzi in confusion. Weren’t you supposed to go ’wa wa’? Why the sudden change in style?

Wait a minute, that sound… Locust Demon!

Xu Yang jolted all over, glaring at Dogzi, “You found a Locust Demon?”

They locked eyes; after a moment’s confirmation, it was for real!

He couldn’t help pressing his hand on Dogzi, “You dare to mess with that?”

“That’s a Locust Demon, you know.”

Fear flickered in Dogzi’s eyes as it gave a low whine.

Then, it turned and shot straight into the valley.

“Dogzi!!”

Xu Yang was stunned.

Watching Dogzi dash ahead without looking back, his expression shifted.

Thinking of the treasure hunting beast’s sharp instincts in the pit, Xu Yang’s heart skipped a beat.

Could the Locust Demon be injured?

If Dogzi dares to go, it must feel confident!

With that thought, Xu Yang perked up and hurried after him.

Locust Demons are terrifying, always thriving where Yin Qi is thickest.

But if he could hunt one, its trunk nurtured a crystal—a huge boost for a Martial Artist’s Spiritual Power!

That’s a treasure!

He had heard that at Beixuan City’s auction, a few such crystals from True Void Realm Locust Demons had appeared, each fetching tens of thousands of golden leaves!

For a Martial Artist, boosting Spiritual Power was even harder than cultivation itself.

Spiritual objects like this were extremely rare and precious!

With boosted Spiritual Power, alchemy became easier.

He could control the Celestial Refining Divine Tripod with even greater skill, and use it as a lethal trump card at critical moments!

Half a quarter hour later.

At the end of the valley, the fissure narrowed—no sunlight in sight.

The air was thick with dense Yin Qi.

The temperature around dropped sharply.

It was chillingly eerie.

Dogzi had slowed down, tiptoeing ahead without making a sound.

Xu Yang was on high alert, following carefully.

Finally, the path ahead opened up suddenly.

A dense black mist shrouded the area, and within it, a giant locust tree swayed ever so slightly.

Looking closely, it was no locust tree.

It was clearly a monster!

Its form was just like a locust tree amidst black fog, but its branches, like snakes, were creepy and sinister!

This was a Locust Demon!

Xu Yang held his breath, his True Essence bracing for action.

Wa~~

Dogzi suddenly lunged—thunder and lightning in its stride.

Xu Yang just managed to react when he saw Dogzi lift its paw, fiercely tearing through the black mist, slashing at the Locust Demon.

Woo woo woo~~

Crack!

Several branches shattered and fell, writhing on the ground like snakes not quite dead.

The Locust Demon shook violently, its eerie voice turning shrill and piercing, as if howling in agony.

It waved a great mass of branches, like claws and fangs fending off Dogzi.

Seeing this, Xu Yang didn’t hesitate—he bolted forward like lightning.

He was already here—there was no turning back.

Man and beast both unleashed a fierce assault!

Dogzi was agile and impossibly quick.

The Locust Demon couldn’t lock onto it, so Dogzi dodged every attack, landing one savage strike after another.

“So, the Locust Demon really is injured.”

Judging by the Locust Demon’s movement, Xu Yang guessed it had fought with some other magical beast.

Dogzi’s display of strength was also absolutely jaw-dropping!

Almost at the Late Stage of the True Void Realm.

Combined with its astonishing speed, anyone below the Yin Realm could hardly hope to capture it.

After Dogzi had distracted most of the Locust Demon’s attention, Xu Yang darted in, slashing off several tentacles, then locked onto the thick trunk and smashed a fist into it.

BOOM!!

The fist sounded nine thunderclaps—like a thunderstorm unleashed!

Nine Extremes Fist!

Woo woo~~

The Locust Demon shrieked in anguish, thrashing wildly.

The trunk was smashed and split, black blood seeping out.

A tremendous force sent shockwaves; Xu Yang staggered back, eyes wide with alarm.

Such terrifying strength!

Without reaching True Void Realm level, you could never truly threaten a Locust Demon.

If not for its injuries and Xu Yang’s sudden attack, even that punch wouldn’t have hurt it.

Wa!!

Dogzi wailed, skipping forward like an arrow loosed—its paw slammed into the trunk.

Bang!

It was like a small mountain smashing down.

The Locust Demon’s scream cut off as its trunk split open with gaping wounds, black blood gushing forth.

It staggered, collapsing slowly, while the surrounding black fog fell apart and dispersed.

Xu Yang caught his breath; looking at Dogzi landing steadily, not a scratch on him, he couldn’t help praising, “Awesome!”

It was all Dogzi who finished off the Locust Demon!

Xu Yang strode forward, punched open the Locust Demon’s body, exposing a pitch-black crystal inside—about the size of an egg, looking sinister.

“Locust Demon Crystal!”

Xu Yang’s eyes blazed with excitement. He quickly glanced at Dogzi and bargained, “Dogzi, this crystal is vital for me. How about I refine lots of pills for you later?”

At the word ’pills,’ Dogzi’s eyes lit up, nodding rapidly.

“Thanks!”

Xu Yang was jubilant.

Dogzi, unconcerned, walked straight deeper in.

Xu Yang carefully stashed away the crystal, looked up, and couldn’t help raising his brows.

He saw that at the end of the valley, beneath the cliff, there was a small hole emitting weak Yin Qi.

Beside it, Dogzi had found seven or eight spirit elixirs radiating Yin Qi, along with two black spirit jades.

Thinking of the Locust Demon’s habits, Xu Yang’s mind spun.

This was clearly a natural Yin spirit place.

He walked over to Dogzi, checked them out—the spirit elixirs he could recognize, all quite valuable.

Only Martial Artists at the True Void Realm level could absorb them.

But only those cultivators who practiced Yin-type techniques could use them.

Regular Martial Artists couldn’t.

As for the two black jades, they were brimming with Spiritual Qi and could aid cultivation, too.

But again, they were pure Yin Qi.

With the Celestial Refining Divine Tripod, though, none of this would be a problem.

Xu Yang glanced at Dogzi, secretly sighed, I’ve really invested to lure you in!

He decided to refine all these spirit elixirs into pills.

First, get Dogzi totally hooked—once it can’t leave the pills, then we’ll talk!

This time, just getting a Locust Demon Crystal was enough for him.

Dogzi proudly pointed with his paw, as if to say, “It’s all yours—just hurry up and make pills!”

Before Xu Yang could laugh, Dogzi was already at the little hole emitting Yin Qi, scraping at it hard with his two legs.

Poof!

Crack!

With dirt flying everywhere, the ground split and the hole burst open.

Amidst a surge of thick Yin Qi, a half-foot long black vine emerged, rooted in stone and shaped like a fingerbone.

Seeing this, Xu Yang’s pupils contracted, a rare spiritual object flashed through his mind and matched up instantly!

“Nether Bone Vine!”

“One of the auxiliary ingredients for refining Breaking Forbidden Elixir!”

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep