Fu Shifeng

Chapter 282 Burning the Forest with One Sword

At dawn the next day, Cheng Sanwu and his party set off to the northwest and continued deep into Wulingyuan. There were no roads for horses to travel in the mountains, they were just trails trampled by woodcutters and hunters.

Leaving some of his subordinates at the foot of the mountain and leaving their mounts under their care, Cheng Sanwu took Qin Wangshu and Zhang Fan and followed Mu Xiangling deep into the mountain.

Fortunately, the four of them are skilled in martial arts. They can easily climb over rugged terrain that is difficult for ordinary people to climb. Even if there are thorns blocking the road, they cannot stop the power of Cheng Sanwu's sword.

When they came to a hidden mountain col behind dense forests, they were immediately shocked by the sight before them.

The mountains on both sides seemed to have experienced a catastrophe. Large rocks wrapped around the trees peeled off and collapsed, and piled up into hills in low-lying areas.

"Is this...could it be caused by the earthquake last night?" Seeing that everyone was silent, Zhang Fan asked bravely.

"Yes, it's a coincidence. Just as I was about to come, there was an earthquake here." Cheng Sanwu crossed his arms across his chest and sneered: "Just like the warehouse will catch fire when the boss wants to audit the accounts, there is something wrong!"

Qin Wangshu generally knew about Fu Shifeng, so he couldn't help but take another look at Cheng Sanwu. She guessed that the current situation was related to Fu Shifeng, but the specific intention was difficult to determine.

On the side, Mu Xiangling remained silent, clasping his hands in vain. There was a slight change in the wind direction around him. He should be casting a spell to find the location of the peach blossom essence.

Cheng Sanwu could see that Mu Xiangling was not an ordinary person. Upon closer inspection, she has some similarities with the Wuluohu. They should both be great spirits born from the same mountains and rivers.

But compared to Wuluohu's tyranny, which was full of wildness, Mu Xiangling was much softer, like a river nourishing a living being, flowing slowly, quietly and peacefully.

"found it!"

Mu Xiangling suddenly spoke and pointed to the mountains to the north: "On the other side of the mountain, there should be a peach blossom forest there."

"We are all here, why is there no reaction from the Peach Blossom Essence?" Cheng Sanwu asked: "Even if it is inconvenient for Hua Mu to move, he should be aware of outsiders."

"I can't say for sure." Mu Xiangling shook her head: "Maybe it was the earthquake last night that injured the peach blossom essence?"

"Just take a look and you'll know." Cheng Sanwu started his Qinggong, fired up his feet, and galloped towards the mountains to the north. The three of them followed behind. Although they tried their best, the distance between them was quickly widened.

Over the mountains, as far as the eye can see, the plain land is filled with pink. You know, it's midsummer right now, and even though it's cool in the mountains, the flowering period has already passed. The sight of peach blossoms in full bloom here is abnormal enough in itself.

But Cheng Sanwu was too lazy to pay attention to this. He walked straight down the hillside, letting go of his spiritual consciousness to sense the surroundings, taking in every peach tree and searching for the specific location of the peach blossom essence.

At this time, Mu Xiangling and others hurried to the top of the mountain. Suddenly, they saw a large pink smoke rising from the peach forest below, completely engulfing Cheng Sanwu's figure.

"Let him go in alone?" Mu Xiangling looked at the other two people.

"Jun Zhaoyang has great martial arts skills, don't worry." Zhang Fan waved his hand with a wry smile. He already knew Cheng Sanwu's style, so it would be easier for him to take risks alone.

Qin Wangshu said: "He is used to challenging powerful enemies alone. There is no need for us to intervene. We can just wait outside."

"But as far as I know, the Peach Blossom Essence has not yet transformed, so I'm afraid it won't be able to fight with Zhaoyang Jun's real sword and spear." Mu Xiangling explained: "But the Peach Blossom Essence cannot be ignored. It can arouse the seven emotions and six desires in the hearts of the world. , if you are slightly misled by it, you will be taken advantage of unknowingly."

Zhang Fan looked at Qin Wangshu and indicated that she would make the decision.

"That's his choice, let's continue to wait." Qin Wangshu still insisted.

……

Cheng Sanwu originally thought that Peach Blossom Barrier must be refreshing and very pleasant to smell, but it has no taste.

The smoke was so dense that Cheng Sanwu couldn't see clearly anything more than a foot away in front of him. He pulled out the Hundred Refined Divine Sword and slapped his shoulders with the back of the sword, waiting for the enemy to attack.

But after waiting for a long time, there was no offensive in the smoke. Cheng Sanwu muttered: "What are you doing? Are you trying to trap me until I starve to death?"

Too lazy to care too much, Cheng Sanwu simply stepped forward. Everything he could see was chaos, and even the originally dense peach forest disappeared.

After walking for a while, the smog around them gradually dispersed, and there were heavy curtains and incense in front of them. Facing the illusion that appeared, Cheng Sanwu complied, raised his hand to push aside the curtain, and went deep inside. He saw Afu on a wide bed, wearing a gauze, leaning on an embroidered pillow, facing He waved gently, with spring in his eyes.

When Cheng Sanwu saw this situation, he was slightly startled at first, then raised his hand and pressed his temple: "So this is what happened? No more fighting?"

"Cheng Sanwu, what are you waiting for?"

Looking up again, he saw jade bodies lying on the couch. In addition to A Fu, there were also Qin Wangshu, Jiang Zhen, Hu Meiniang and others.

However, Cheng Sanwu just stood there, looking at the various women on the couch without any interest.

"I understand." Cheng Sanwu looked at the women on the couch and said, "Although you can arouse the seven emotions and six desires, you can only sense my superficial emotions and cannot delve into the root cause... In other words, you can't see through."

"I miss you." Afu stood up on the couch, grabbed the lapel of Cheng Sanwu's clothes, and slowly leaned against him.

Cheng Sanwu looked at Afu, knowing that what he saw was just an illusion, but he still said: "Actually, you don't understand me either."

At the same time as he said this, Cheng Sanwu lowered his guard, a great terror spread unchecked, and everything around him suddenly dissipated. Instead, there was a gray wilderness.

But this time, Taotie did not appear.

"Don't you want to peek into my heart?" Cheng Sanwu slowly turned around, and an ancient peach tree that had grown for countless years was rooted here for no reason: "You can see it now."

The ancient peach tree was rustling and trembling, its flowers and leaves kept withering. The petals that were bright and delicate a moment ago quickly turned to dust and dust as soon as they fell to the ground, and their vitality was extinguished in an instant.

"This has never been the inner scene of Taotie." Cheng Sanwu said in a cold and detached tone: "It is the lingering sound of the beginning of the world and the undecided prehistoric times. Since he became a human, his original intention has not been settled, so how can there be any inner scene? Even Wen Bangzheng said I misread it, this is my inner scene, I lent my power to Taotie."

The ancient peach tree could not stop the withering and decay that continued from the root system upwards. Cheng Sanwu continued: "But I am different. During the years in Taiyi Longchi, I have seen through all kinds of things in the world. When I am in it, all living things are in front of me. , that’s really… boring.”

The ancient peach tree was trapped in the wilderness, unable to protect itself. After several struggles, it was found that it was impossible to reverse the decline, and it wailed for mercy that ordinary people could not hear.

"This is the future I hope for." Cheng Sanwu said: "It's a pity that you can't understand it, and you are destined to be reduced to dust." After saying that, the peach blossoms fell, and the bare ancient peach trees seemed to have been drained of water. All the dead wood piles will crumble with a gentle push.

Also shattered were the surrounding illusions. Cheng Sanwu opened his eyes again, and the scorching wind blew away the pink smoke that enveloped the surrounding area.

"Don't tell me, you only have this trick." Cheng Sanwu looked around. The peach trees were luxuriant, the ground was covered with petals, and the withered prosperity of the four seasons seemed to have stopped here.

Cheng Sanwu glanced around, but he didn't find the ancient peach tree he just saw in the interior scene. In other words, in this dense peach forest, ancient peach trees can be seen everywhere. For a while, it was impossible to distinguish which one was the peach blossom essence. original body.

Unable to find it for a moment, Cheng Sanwu used his knife to lean on the ground to draw out his true energy and breathed in and out. Suddenly, the blazing wind roared from all directions. Mu Xiangling and others stood in the distance and saw a whirlwind gradually taking shape with Cheng Sanwu as the center, with faint fire dancing in it.

As the scorching wind roared, first the petals and twigs gradually became blackened, and then the entire peach tree burst into flames.

Since you can't find it everywhere, then turn this peach forest into scorched earth!

Cheng Sanwu's move worked quickly. Something strange suddenly appeared in the peach forest. The ground cracked and springs gushed out, and the fire was immediately extinguished.

At the same time, dozens of roots emerged from the ground and immediately bound Cheng Sanwu tightly. The tough old roots were layered and wrapped tightly, turning into a wooden cocoon in an instant, completely sealing Cheng Sanwu inside.

The roots gradually tightened, like a python hunting, trying to strangle its prey alive.

"Tips for carving insects!"

Cheng Sanwu's voice came from inside the wooden cocoon, followed by a fierce burst of flame sword light, and the roots were broken inch by inch, and they were wiped out!

"It really disappoints me."

Cheng Sanwu raised his hand to lightly dust the ash on his shoulder, then looked at a stump that was trying to retract into the ground, then stretched out his hand to grab it, exerting all his strength, and gave it a sudden tug.

A large area of ​​roots was pulled directly out of the ground by Cheng Sanwu, intertwined into a network and indistinguishable. Subtle vitality circulated among each other in this root network, just like the meridians of the human body.

"I see."

Cheng Sanwu took one look and understood that the legendary peach blossom essence was not transformed into an essence by a single peach tree at all, but was transformed by the collective reaction of the entire peach forest in front of him. Their root systems are connected to each other, constantly absorbing the essence of heaven and earth, and gradually become the climate.

Among the large swath of twisted roots pulled up by Cheng Sanwu, dozens of skeletons could be seen with the naked eye. They must be mortals who were fascinated by the peach blossom essence and smoke miasma. They were reduced to flower fertilizer, and their flesh and blood were eaten away.

"It's a pity that no matter how much you eat, you can't become a human being."

Cheng Sanwu casually threw the stump away. Facing the wildly swaying ancient peach trees with overgrown branches and leaves, the surface of the Bailian Divine Sword was covered with a layer of light fire, without the usual opening and closing of the Yanfeng Sword Technique.

As if to refute Cheng Sanwu's words, the ancient peach trees with twiggy branches and gnarled trunks began to move one after another, growing into rough human shapes and waving their branches towards the flanking attack.

Cheng Sanwu didn't look at it, and slashed horizontally with his sword. The Yanliu sword spread out in a fan shape, and the speed was actually slow and slow, as if he could dodge it with a slight dodge.

But this fan-shaped sword light continues to expand and extend, with unstoppable momentum, cutting through all obstacles in front of it.

Those ancient peach trees were unable to resist, and were slashed in half by the sword one after another. The flames condensed to the extreme burned out the life of the peach trees the moment the sword slashed through the trunks.

The flame flow is like a living thing, not only burning the trunks and branches on the ground, but also extending along the underground roots.

In the blink of an eye, the ground was like a boiling hot soup, with flaming hot air spurting out from holes everywhere. The fertile soil where countless dead people were buried was subjected to the flaming flow, quickly dried and hardened, and was burned like clay, and then cracked and shattered in the blink of an eye.

Mu Xiangling in the distance saw such a piece of burned forest and scorched earth, and couldn't help but take half a step back. She felt a force of extinction emanating from Cheng Sanwu. A completely different change.

A sword burned the forest, and Cheng Sanwu's consciousness spread out with the light of the sword. The peach blossom essence's wail echoed in the sea of ​​consciousness, but ordinary people could not hear it.

There was no joy or excitement in defeating the enemy on Cheng Sanwu's face. Looking around, there were either large pieces of charcoal lying on the ground or half tree stumps whose embers were not extinguished.

Sensing a ray of tenacious vitality with his spiritual consciousness, Cheng Sanwu went straight to a tree stump with green smoke rising from it. He easily split it open with a knife, revealing a hard wooden body inside.

The wooden body has an irregular shape, feels like amber, has a waxy yellow color, and has a few ocher lines on the surface, like blood vessels. At first glance, I thought it was a tumor removed from the patient's abdominal cavity.

Sensing the arrival of Mu Xiangling and the others, Cheng Sanwu sheathed his sword and gestured to the wooden body in his hand: "Peach Blossom Essence still has a ray of consciousness and vitality hidden here."

"This is...spiritual marrow." Mu Xiangling came closer to take a closer look. Seeing Cheng Sanwu's puzzled face, he explained: "If monsters and spirits want to turn into human form, they need to condense their vitality into a bit of spiritual marrow, like a clam containing Pearl, a woman is pregnant, and if her spiritual marrow is perfect, she can be born."

"So, this Peach Blossom Essence hasn't transformed yet?" Cheng Sanwu asked.

Mu Xiangling shook his head, and Cheng Sanwu snorted coldly: "You treat this kind of thing as a scourge? It's over before I even do anything."

"It's Mr. Zhaoyang who is so powerful." Mu Xiangling said bluntly: "Don't say ordinary people, even if they are accomplished Buddhist and Taoist masters, if they suddenly fall into the peach blossom barrier, they will probably be confused and their minds will be confused. All kinds of illusions were born in it, and I was trapped for a long time and it was difficult to escape."

In fact, Mu Xiangling was also surprised. Mu Xiaojun originally set up a cloud barrier formation nearby to restrain the peach blossom essence here and prevent it from continuing to harm others.

Although the Peach Blossom Spirit has no human form, it has the ability to peer into the hearts of others and can create various illusions, making people unknowingly become blood eaters.

But Cheng Sanwu entered the Peach Blossom Barrier without any precautions, but as if nothing happened, he easily wiped out the spirits bred in the peach forest, turning the place where they were rooted into scorched earth, which could be described as eradicating the roots.

Cheng Sanwu didn't answer. His strength was no longer what it used to be. Although he had not yet broken through the innate realm, his skills were so deep that there were not many people in the world who could match him.

And there is one thing that Cheng Sanwu has never mentioned to others, that is, he actually made great progress during the battle on Wengzhou Island. He gradually turned his half of the Taotie power to his own use, but he still had to take the last step.

"Jun Zhaoyang, if you don't need this spiritual marrow, why not leave it to me?" Mu Xiangling asked.

Cheng Sanwu glanced at the wooden tire in his hand, put it away, and responded coldly: "Peach Blossom Essence was killed by me, so the spoils should naturally belong to me. It is not the turn of others to say anything."

(End of this chapter)