Chapter 21

In the midst of the flowing water and the purple mist, there lay a vast and open area.

On the steep cliffs of the mountain stream, a patch of purple vines grew, enveloped in mist, emitting a dazzling purple light, resembling celestial flowers hanging from the mountainside. Such a spiritual essence should not exist in this mundane world but should stand tall in the heavens.

This was clearly the purple vine.

However, the most dazzling was a single purple vine in the center.

This purple vine emitted a brilliant purple light, like a luminous moon among the stars.

If one looked closely, they could see that this purple vine was constantly moving its branches, as if a person was waving their arms, stirring up waves of purple light, like lightning streaking through the void, piercing forward like arrows, resisting the attacks of a group of cultivators.

These were a group of fierce and evil cultivators, numbering about twenty, wielding various weapons to slash at the purple vine.

Clang!

As the blades flashed, about to strike the purple vine, they met with a force like steel, emitting a clanging sound. A man's wrist trembled, and he was thrown back by a powerful force, landing in a stinking swamp behind him.

Ah!

The moment this man fell into the swamp, his body turned black, emitting a miserable scream as his body began to be corroded.

With the purple light flashing, several more people fell into the swamp, submerged in the toxic water, gradually being corroded.

In just a moment, several people were swallowed by the swamp, and once they were trapped, they lost all signs of life.

The swamp was located in front of the cliff, vast and seemingly endless, with bubbles constantly emerging and bursting, spreading a toxic gas. Any cultivator at the Body Tempering stage who inhaled it would surely die.

Seeing their fallen comrades, the cultivators attacking the purple vine all drew a sharp breath.

"Damn it, this swamp has such lethal toxic gas!" a few men gritted their teeth and cursed.

At the same time, some cultivators at the Ninth Level of Body Tempering retreated, not daring to attack the purple vine.

The purple vine seemed incredibly weak, but its branches, when they flashed, possessed the strength of a cultivator at the Innate stage. The branches were also incredibly hard, making it difficult for even blades to injure them. Only cultivators at the Innate stage could cause any damage.

"Here, a large number of venomous insects and beasts have gathered over the years, their toxic fluids accumulating in this swamp, forming a toxic area. Fortunately, a powerful being in the depths of the Purple Cloud Mountains has emerged, driving away the venomous insects and beasts, or we wouldn't even have a chance to approach. Let's work together to cut off the life force of this purple vine and then extract its soul," the leader, with a serious expression, said to everyone.

At this moment, some cultivators at the Body Tempering stage had retreated, leaving only five cultivators at the Innate stage to follow this person.

"Leader, this purple vine is too strong; it's hard to cut it down!" a man beside him said.

Clang!

As he spoke, the purple vine continuously attacked, its branches moving like willow branches, striking towards everyone.

The vine's strikes were like whips, fierce and powerful, and when they flashed, they had the explosive force of arrows. Even cultivators at the Innate stage found it difficult, only the leader who had reached the later stage of the Innate realm could match it.

"Go, scoop some of the toxic water from the swamp and splash it on the purple vine. I don't believe it can resist the corrosion of the toxic liquid," the leader, frowning, said.

"Toxic liquid?" The eyes of the few Innate stage cultivators beside him lit up.

"Yes, this toxic liquid is extremely poisonous and corrosive. How can the purple vine resist it?"

Buzz!

Seemingly understanding their conversation, the purple vine emitted a buzzing sound, appearing somewhat agitated.

From this, it was clear that the toxic liquid was something the purple vine could not withstand.

Seeing this, the men's faces all showed signs of joy, and someone went to fetch the toxic liquid.

An Innate stage man took out a round basin made of fine iron and approached the swamp, holding his breath as he began to scoop the toxic liquid.

Sizzle!

The toxic liquid was black, and as soon as it was scooped into the basin, white bubbles emerged, and the fine iron began to corrode, showing how terrifying the toxic liquid was. Ordinary plants could not resist it, and even the purple vine, no matter how powerful, would be injured by the toxic liquid.

After fetching the toxic liquid, the man quickly ran towards the purple vine, intending to splash it on the vine's roots.

As long as the roots were severed, the purple vine would lose its vital energy and no longer have any fighting power.

"Stop, you will injure the soul of the purple vine!" At this moment, a slightly anxious voice suddenly rang out.

"Who?" The cultivators of the Silver Snake Adventurer Team looked around with alert expressions.

They saw a young man sliding down the cliff along some vines, rushing towards them.

This young man was Xiao Yun.

The middle of the Purple Cloud Stream was a swamp, filled with toxic gas, so he could only slide down the cliff.

Fortunately, the beasts and venomous insects had been driven away, or he would have been injured by them if he had fallen down carelessly.

"Is a mere Body Tempering stage youth trying to interfere with the affairs of our Silver Snake Adventurer Team?"

"Hey, he has a precious sword at his waist, likely made of high-quality black iron."

"Kill him, with this sword, we can easily cut the roots of the purple vine!"

Instantly, the Body Tempering stage cultivators, who had been afraid of being injured by the purple vine, all looked at Xiao Yun like prey, their eyes brightening.

Kill!

As the cry of "kill" rang out, the men all rushed towards Xiao Yun, numbering about seventeen.

"These Silver Snake Adventurer Team members are indeed a bunch of ruthless killers." Seeing them attack him on sight, even if Xiao Yun had a good temper, he couldn't help but feel a surge of anger. He released his soul power and charged forward with his sword.

"It's just a mere youth!" Xiao Yun's appearance did not attract the attention of the Innate stage cultivators.

The man who had fetched the toxic liquid did not stop, splashing it towards the purple vine. The fine iron basin was almost corroded through, and if he delayed any longer, the toxic liquid would leak, missing a rare opportunity.

Whoosh!

A large bowl of toxic liquid was splashed towards the purple vine, aiming at its roots.

Only by corroding the roots could they cut off its life force and extract the soul.

Buzz!

The purple vine emitted a buzzing sound, seemingly very afraid of the toxic liquid. It controlled its branches to move, trying to resist the toxic liquid. Seeing this, the few Innate stage men laughed coldly, staring at the purple vine with cold eyes.

Whoosh!

However, just as these men smiled evilly, drops of toxic liquid shot back at them like arrows.

"What?"

"Bad, the toxic liquid is being reflected back by the purple vine's branches."

"Quick, dodge!" Sensing the toxic gas in the air, the eyes of the few Innate stage men suddenly narrowed.

Unfortunately, the toxic liquid was too fast. Even though they dodged in time, it still hit their bodies.

One man's shoulder was pierced, the toxic liquid acting like a bullet, leaving a bloody hole in his body.

At the same time, the toxins from the toxic liquid began to spread through their flesh and blood.

The other few men were also injured by the toxic liquid, only the leader at the later stage of the Innate realm managed to avoid it.

Ah!

Cries of pain echoed as the cultivators hit by the toxic liquid trembled, their bodies quickly turning black.

In just two breaths, four Innate stage cultivators collapsed, barely alive.

As for the man who had splashed the toxic liquid, he was directly corroded by the toxic liquid, his body turning into a pool of black water.

"Miscalculation!" Seeing his brothers poisoned and on the brink of death, the leader of the Silver Snake Team's heart sank.

However, when he looked forward, he relaxed.

Although the purple vine had resisted much of the toxic liquid, its branches had been corroded and broken.

Moreover, at the roots of the purple vine, the toxic liquid was bubbling, and it was indeed being corroded.

"As long as I obtain the soul of the purple vine, the death of a few brothers is nothing." The leader of the Silver Snake Team's eyes gleamed as he held a tiger-head saber and slashed at the purple vine. The purple vine, now weakened by the toxic liquid, was no longer his match.

Ah!

While this man was dealing with the purple vine, cries of pain also rang out from the other side.

Xiao Yun, using his powerful soul power to influence the minds of his opponents and his incredibly fast sword technique, caught everyone off guard.

Pfft!

The sword flashed, emitting a red glow, and Xiao Yun quickly killed several Ninth Level Body Tempering stage cultivators.

"Such a fast sword technique!"

"Why do I feel a terrifying pressure on my mind?" The remaining Eighth Level Body Tempering stage cultivators were shocked, emitting cries of alarm, feeling a sense of fear and dread as if they were facing an Innate stage cultivator.

"Bad, those people have injured the purple vine with poison. I wonder if the poison will affect its soul?" Xiao Yun, while fighting, released his soul power and saw the weakened state of the purple vine, his brows furrowing.

At this moment, the leader of the Silver Snake Adventurer Team's saber fell, cutting off some of the purple vine's branches and then severing its corroded roots. The purple vine's life force immediately weakened, and at a node on one of its branches, a faint purple light could be seen, clearly the location of the purple vine's soul.

"Absolutely cannot let him obtain the soul of the purple vine." Xiao Yun's eyes flashed, and his soul power swept out, stunning those blocking him. He then charged forward with his sword, heading straight for the purple vine.

"Hehe, with this soul, I can obtain an auxiliary-type martial soul, and my combat power will skyrocket." The man from the Silver Snake Team grinned, reaching out to grab the weakened purple vine, intending to take it.

Suddenly, the purple vine trembled, and a purple mist surged from its broken roots.

"Bad, it's toxic!" The Innate stage man's face changed, and before he could retreat, the purple mist enveloped him, and he fell to the ground, the purple vine's life force weakening even further.

This purple mist was its life essence, and now that it had used so much, it had become completely weakened.

The purple mist was its life essence, and now that it had used so much, it had become completely weakened.