Chapter 767: Chapter 767
Up ahead lay a deep pit, shaped like a small lake.
But instead of water, it was filled with dense Purple Mist, which had accumulated into a purple "lake" that even rose above ground level.
What made it even stranger was the massive vortex at the center of the lake. The Purple Mist was continuously being pulled into it, and the thing that had attracted the fat silkworm lay at the lake’s bottom.
Qin Sang stood at the lake's edge, eyes fixed on the center, brows tightly furrowed.
The poisonous mist inside the lake was thick to the extreme, nearly resembling real water. The silkworm had already struggled to bring him here and dared not take even a single step into the lake.
Even if there was treasure within, they didn’t dare approach it.
A single wave from within might be enough to bury both him and the silkworm.
The silkworm drooped its head, clearly aware of this as well. The treasure was so close it could almost be touched, yet they had no means to retrieve it.
Qin Sang seemed to sense something. He suddenly looked up, staring at the air above the opposite shore of the lake. He then slowly stepped back, circled around the lake silently, and crept closer.
It was only upon arriving there that he realized the opposite shore rested at the base of the cliff.
Qin Sang hid in the shadows, holding his breath, for there were sleek silhouettes crawling along the cliff face. Even through the Purple Mist, he could see rows of cold, glinting eyes.
These were ferocious beasts!
Each one was about the size of a mastiff, and their forms resembled mastiffs too, except for the wings sprouting between their ribs.
They clung upside down to the cliff, limbs tightly gripping the rock. Their shoulders were raised, tails curled inward. Their wings, thin as cicada membranes, fanned out like paper fans and adhered to the surface. Their eyes were locked firmly on the center of the lake, as if waiting for something.
Even these creatures, who lived within the Purple Mist End, dared not enter the lake. That alone showed how dangerous it was.
Yet here was such a large pack of ferocious beasts.
Qin Sang tensed up, hiding within a crack in the stone, not daring to release the slightest trace of aura. He kept his gaze fixed on the beasts above, deep in thought. For more chapters visıt novel·fire·net
Judging by their posture, it seemed they were waiting for a treasure to emerge from the lake’s center. It was very likely the same thing that had attracted the silkworm.
If that were the case, then perhaps there was no need to dive into the lake. He could wait outside and seize the treasure once it appeared.
However, what kind of treasure would it be? How much commotion would its emergence cause? And how would he retrieve it? These were all unknowns.
What concerned Qin Sang most was the strength of these beasts.
Not one of them had made a sound. Clearly, the treasure within the lake was of great importance to them, and they would not let others take it easily.
They were numerous, covering every section of the cliff wall within his line of sight.
If these were the only ones present, then stealing the treasure from under their noses might be possible.
He could vaguely sense that these beasts were stronger than the Purple Star Eagles. With his superior evasion speed, there was a good chance he could get away after snatching the treasure.
But Qin Sang didn’t dare approach any closer. He hadn’t seen their leader, and couldn’t tell how many more were hidden above.
"I’ll just wait and watch for now."
Qin Sang made up his mind to observe for a while and see what changes might occur in the lake.
Of course, his time was limited. If nothing happened for too long, he would have to leave and attend to more pressing matters. He could always return later if the opportunity arose.
He released the Two-Headed Hou, and they hid in silence, biding their time.
Qin Sang kept a silent count in his heart, careful to reserve enough time for his search for the spiritual fire and journey to the Sky Tower.
Suddenly, the fat silkworm lifted its upper body, its eyes burning with excitement.
Qin Sang’s heart stirred. He immediately shifted his gaze to the lake.
In a few short moments, the vortex at the lake’s center began to ripple. Deep within the whirlpool, a streak of purple light began spiraling upward, bursting out from within.
At the same time, the beasts on the cliff grew restless. All of them simultaneously raised their heads, staring at the purple light with the same excitement as the silkworm.
At last, the true form of the light became clear. It was a crystalline object, and was about the length of an arm. It took the form of a pillar, with one end perfectly smooth while the other appeared freshly broken.
It was flawless and radiant, glowing with brilliant purple light.
This was the very thing that had drawn the fat silkworm.
And it was exactly what the ferocious beasts were after.
"Could it be that this Purple Crystal formed from condensed poisonous mist, the purest kind of crystallization?"
Qin Sang silently speculated. It had caught him completely off guard. He had assumed the lakebed held some sort of poisonous fruit. Never had he imagined a Purple Crystal , something he had never seen before.
The center of the vortex was the calmest area. Qin Sang and the pack of ferocious beasts watched as the Purple Crystal was drawn into the vortex, yet instead of sinking, it strangely shot upward at high speed.
Qin Sang noticed that although the beasts were clearly agitated, not a single one dared to leap down impulsively.
Just as the crystal was about to break through the lake’s surface—
Suddenly, with a sharp crack, it was struck by a surge of Purple Mist. A crack split open across its surface. Fragmented shards fell from the broken edge, drifting in the mist before vanishing within a single swirl.
The crystal was unexpectedly fragile.
The beasts clinging to the cliff face suddenly moved.
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
With powerful kicks against the stone wall, the beasts unfurled their fleshy wings and glided downward. The most prominent among them was a head larger than the rest, with sturdier wings and a bulkier frame.
That one was clearly the leader. It took the lead, diving straight toward the center of the lake.
The other beasts followed behind, but just as they reached the lake’s edge, they suddenly flapped their wings and pulled up sharply, seemingly too afraid to approach the vortex directly.
Only the leader charged headlong toward the center.
By now, the Purple Crystal had suffered another blow. The crack completely split open, and a small chunk broke off. That smaller piece was lighter and soared upward more rapidly, already covered in dense fractures, on the verge of shattering.
The leader let out a low growl and opened its mouth from afar, spitting out a stream of purple flame.
The flame struck the Purple Crystal.
With the impact, the crystal burst apart, breaking into shards that shot out in all directions.
Some of the fragments dissolved in the Purple Mist, but the slightly larger crystal shards successfully escaped the vortex. The gliding beasts reached them just in time and began scrambling to snatch the pieces.
Their scrambling followed a certain order.
Stronger beasts went after the larger shards. The weaker ones didn’t dare contest them. Instead, they kept their distance and only picked off the smallest fragments. The leader swallowed the largest piece whole.
Qin Sang finally grasped the pattern.
The crystal clearly contained potent poison, making the beasts both covet it and fear it.
By now, he had also gauged their strength. It seemed there was a real chance of snatching the treasure from their midst.
The leader was powerful, yes, but it was nowhere near the level of a Transformation Realm great demon. Its speed wasn’t particularly fast either. What gave it an edge was the agility provided by its wings.
Some of the beasts, having secured their share of Purple Crystal, flew off and returned to the cliff to refine their prize.
The leader remained behind, continuing to help its kin claim more of the crystal. Otherwise, the crystal would dissipate into the Purple Mist before they could reach it, leaving none to consume.
A large portion of the crystal still remained, and who knew how long it would be before another appeared. Qin Sang decided to act immediately and seize the rest.
The fat silkworm exerted all its strength to reinforce the Poison-Warding Armor on the Two-Headed Hou. The beast was the first to make a move, emerging from the crack in the rock and splitting into several illusions as it lunged at the group of ferocious beasts, instantly drawing all of their attention.