Chapter 68: The Demon-Expelling Castle

  There was one thing that Xiao Wu didn't tell Hu Gao, which is that the divine beast's absorption of demonic energy also required a strong physical body to support it. If the physical body wasn't strong enough, the final result of absorbing large amounts of demonic energy would be the same as humans - they would be directly blown up and die an unnatural death.

  Xiao Wu absorbed the fire energy to refine his internal organs, and it was also because of this reason that he did not want to obtain a treasure containing a large amount of demonic energy in the future, only to find that his physical body could not withstand letting him absorb the demonic energy.

  At this time, Hu Gao didn't stay any longer and directly headed towards the direction of Flame Valley.

  Although he wasn't entirely treating Flame Valley as the destination of this trip, they had been heading in its direction all along. Now, they were only less than fifty miles away from Flame Valley.

  If we speed up now, we can make it before dark...

  When Hu Gao was satisfied with the little fifth's absorption of the demon pill and his own body being tempered by the dragon energy, he had overlooked a problem, or rather, hadn't thought of a higher level issue.

  Contract Totem absorbs the demon pill and then releases dragon energy to help the master purify his body. Perhaps Hu Gao is not the only one.

  Maybe others don't have a divine beast totem, but what about variant totems with similar abilities? If there are people like that, then what are they doing, or what have they done?

  Warriors pursue power to satisfy their desires, and warriors with great power will pursue even higher desires.

  If the person who ranks first among the variant totems exists, thinking of collecting all the variant totems to satisfy his own desires, what impact will it have on other variant totem warriors and Hu Gao himself?

  Hú Gāo hadn't thought of this question and didn't know when he would think of it. Perhaps, Hú Gāo would become the first collector...

  In the dense forest, a sword aura flashed out from the Unseen Sword, cutting a late-stage first-tier demonic beast in two. A black and shiny demon core fell to the ground.

  "The fifty-eighth one..."

  Hu Gao picked up the demon pill and put it in his backpack.

  In these few hours, they had traversed over forty miles of land and were now less than ten miles away from Flame Valley. They would be able to arrive soon, but they weren't just rushing along the way. Along the way, they also hunted down many demon beasts with demon dan in their bodies, and this was already their fifty-eighth demon dan obtained.

  "The temperature in the air has started to rise, and I can already feel it. Ten miles away, there are clusters of flames, so that must be the Flame Valley. However, boss, there are too many fire-attribute things here, and I really can't determine which one is the Black Fire Lotus or the Black Fire Lotus Bud..."

  Xiao Wu said helplessly, although his perception was very strong now, but almost all the objects and lives around Huoyan Valley were fire-attribute, with his current strength, he could not perceive what these things specifically were.

  "Can't you feel it?"

  Hú Gāo also felt a bit helpless, but there was nothing he could do. After all, Xiǎo Wǔ's current strength wasn't very great, but being able to sense things with fire attributes was already quite good. At least it gave him a direction. He sank into thought for a moment before asking: "Within the range you sensed, how many people with strong abilities are there?"

  This is also a matter of great concern to him, as he will be entering the Flame Valley, and he must first understand what level the warriors in the Flame Valley are at, and how he should face them with what mentality.

  "Wow, boss, there are indeed many experts here. Just based on my current perception, I've detected over 20 ninth-stage Condensed Shadow Realm warriors, including two who have reached the peak of the ninth stage. Fortunately, so far, I haven't discovered any Transcendent Realm experts."

  Although no one has yet reached the state of Tongti, Xiao Wu's tone is also somewhat excited. A ninth-stage peak condensed shadow realm martial artist, this is also a bit challenging.

  "Nine-tiered peak..."

  Hu Gao nodded slightly, this was also within his expectations. Perhaps his current combat strength could not yet contend with a 9th tier peak Condensed Shadow Realm martial artist, but it would not be much different either.

  "Never mind how many there are, let's just enter Flame Valley first."

  Hu Gao didn't linger and walked forward.

  "Hmm? It seems like there's a fight up ahead."

  He walked forward for about four or five miles, when Hu Gao suddenly stopped in his tracks. He sensed a strong and violent surge of elemental energy about two to three hundred meters ahead, which seemed to indicate that someone was engaged in combat.

  "This surge of elemental force isn't particularly intense, the opponent's cultivation shouldn't be high, it should be within manageable range."

  Hú Gāo hesitated for a moment, then stepped forward and walked ahead, asking Xiao Wu: "Xiao Wu, there's a fight up front, why didn't you tell me? Quickly tell me what's going on..."

  "Boss, this situation is what you'd like to hear, so I don't bother saying it."

  Xiao Wu had by then drilled into Hu Gao's sleeve and transformed into a pattern attached to his wrist.

  "What is 'xiwenlejian'?"

  "Report to the boss, there are several people with treasures on them being robbed ahead!"

  "Is someone with treasure on them being robbed?"

  Upon hearing these words, Hu Gao's eyes lit up instantly, and it was indeed a delightful surprise.

  "Yes, these few people's strength is not strong, the strongest one is only a 9th rank condensed shadow boundary warrior, far from being as powerful as that old man with the pipe. If I'm not mistaken, the treasures on their bodies should be the same, all are Black Fire Lotus..."

  "That's even better."

  Mentioning that pipe-smoking old man, Hu Gao felt annoyed, it was time to find someone to vent his anger on, and it would be best if he could have a heroic rescue scene. Hu Gao chuckled and quickly walked forward, looking even more energetic.

  Soon he saw six people surrounding and killing two old men, but what disappointed Hu Gao was that the person standing behind the old man, the protected object, the object waiting to be rescued, was a young boy.

  This young man looked even younger, only thirteen or fourteen years old, dressed in fine clothes, giving off an air of nobility. At this moment, he was furiously pointing at the people surrounding them and scolding them loudly, which completely ruined his entire image.

  A few people besieging them heard the young man in Chinese clothes scolding, and they attacked more fiercely, which made the two old men repeatedly endangered, because they also had to take care of each other's six injuries to their own young master.

  "Master, you'd better listen to me and follow Li Ge to escape first. I'll stay behind to hold them off..."

  An old man in grey robes shouted loudly, interrupting the youth's voice.

  "Why should I leave? I haven't even entered the Flame Valley to find the Black Lotus yet, and aren't you two supposed to be very powerful? Can't you even defeat these few bandits? If the two of you can't beat them, then it's better to just go home and farm..."

  The young man in Chinese clothes obviously had no intention of leaving, and apparently hadn't yet gotten a clear view of the situation on both sides. If it weren't for one hand being held by another old man in green clothes, he would have looked for a place to sit down and watch them fight slowly.

  Two elderly men were clearly frustrated by his attitude, their hearts filled with anxiety. Although they had a cultivation base of nine-stage Condensed Shadow Realm, the opponent's lineup was not weak either. A nine-stage Condensed Shadow Realm warrior, two eighth-stage peak and two eighth-stage late Condensed Shadow Realm warriors surrounded them tightly.

  Moreover, it seems they are in no hurry to end the battle, presumably planning to exhaust them to death.

  "How many of you are there? What exactly do you want to do? Do you really want us two old men to fight to the death with you?"

  The old man in grey clothes was furious, his hair disheveled and his eyes reddening. This group of people was really too detestable. They knew their identities yet still refused to give up attacking. Either they had someone backing them or they were extremely vicious, intending to kill them off to prevent them from seeking revenge with a powerful expert in the future.

  "What do you want? We've already made it clear before, my master wants Mr. Zhou Longqi to come with us"

  "This Lin Fei and the old man in grey are evenly matched, their battle is intense and fierce. 'Even if you don't bring up his identity as Young Master Zhou, even if you bring up the head of the Zhou family, my master won't be afraid. As for your threat to destroy our Driven Devil Castle after this matter, we'll talk about that later!'"

  Lin Fei wore a vest, his muscles bulging all over his body, his head shaved bald, and in the sunlight, he was a bit dazzling to look at. His pupils emitted a cold and menacing glint, revealing a fierce color.

  "You bald-headed fool, your head doesn't even have hair! Can you grow some? Your hair isn't even grown in yet and you're thinking of robbing me of my spatial ring, and on top of that, you want to kidnap me? I think you really are tired of living. I advise you to scram quickly, otherwise, once I get angry, I'll immediately have you lying dead on the spot."

  Zhou Longqi was furious at Lin Fei's response, loudly scolding him and emitting a strange aura from his body, which faintly flickered with green light.

  "Master, don't be rash, I and Li Ge will definitely drive off the bandits."

  The old man in grey saw this and hurriedly let out a loud shout, after which his body burst forth with an even more powerful aura fluctuation, clearly having gone all out.

  Yao Castle? Hu Gao heard this familiar name and suddenly felt the need to take action. Last time he met Qi Hong, he was very generous and gave him many good things. What's more, the person in front of him now had a Black Fire Lotus on his body.

  "This little guy's identity should be pretty good, but... he has a spatial ring on him? No wonder this group of thieves went crazy and robbed him, the value of a spatial ring is not low."

  Hu Gao finally understood why Lin Fei and the others wanted to fight against the young man, it was for a spatial ring. A low-grade spatial ring, which would not be less than one million gold coins in market value, even an ordinary cultivator of the Unity Realm wouldn't dare to own one.

  However, these people not only robbed but also wanted to kidnap, without any regard, isn't the reputation of this Demon-Expelling Castle not great?

  Thinking of Qihong's ability to take out Fenglei Pearl at the 8th level of Ningying, Hu Gao had some reservations about Quyao City.

  "Will I have to take action? If I can get the Space Ring, that would be great. Carrying these things around all day is too ugly, but these people from the Demon-Slaying Castle seem to be not easy to deal with."

  Hu Gao grumbled discontentedly, complaining that not only did he not become a rich second-generation after crossing over, but also had to work hard for everything himself, and was worried that the people in the Wind and Thunder Castle would take out the Wind and Thunder Pearl.

  He didn't have the idea of snatching the space ring from the young man, because this young man's straightforward temperament was quite to his taste.

  But...

  The black fire lotus on Lin Fei's body, as well as the possible existence of the wind and thunder beads, made Hu Gao drool with desire, yet also feel apprehensive.

  This is just like cheese on a mouse trap!