Chapter 8: Surviving Desperation and Plucking the Flower
Lin Yu continued his arduous journey through the Myriad Poison Abyss. After resting by the spirit spring, his condition had improved considerably. However, the dangers of the Myriad Poison Abyss far exceeded his imagination. The deeper he went, the stronger the venomous creatures became, and the more bizarre their types.
Before long, Lin Yu encountered a demonic beast shaped like a wolf, its entire body wreathed in black poisonous mist. This beast radiated the aura of the Foundation Establishment Late Stage. Its speed was astonishing; in the blink of an eye, it arrived before Lin Yu and viciously slashed down with a claw. Lin Yu hurriedly executed his movement technique to dodge, simultaneously thrusting his sword in a counterattack, with the Chaos Spirit Flame clinging to the blade in an attempt to inflict damage.
The demonic beast seemed wary of the Chaos Spirit Flame, deliberately avoiding it with every attack. Seeing this, Lin Yu felt a stir in his heart and deliberately exposed an opening. Falling right into the trap, the beast lunged fiercely forward. Seizing the opportunity, Lin Yu concentrated the Chaos Spirit Flame at the tip of his sword and drove it viciously into the beast's abdomen. The beast let out an angry roar of pain, and a black poisonous mist instantly billowed outward.
Enveloped in the poisonous mist, Lin Yu felt dizzy despite having taken a Poison-Clearing Pill, and the circulation of his Spiritual Power also grew sluggish. Seizing the moment, the demonic beast attacked again. Lin Yu resisted with all his might, yet several gashes were still sliced into his body, blood flowing freely. Just as he was about to collapse, he suddenly remembered the medicinal herb he had foraged near the spirit spring earlier and hurriedly took it out to consume. The medicinal power of the herb rapidly dispelled the effects of the poisonous mist, and Lin Yu's condition recovered slightly.
Enduring his injuries and pain, he once again unleashed a full-powered sword strike. The Chaos Spirit Flame erupted with formidable might, finally slaying the demonic beast. Letting out a sigh of relief, Lin Yu slumped to the ground. After resting briefly, he continued his search for the Millennium Poison Spirit Flower.
As time passed, the one-month deadline grew closer and closer. Anxious as if sitting on pins and needles, Lin Yu searched everywhere in the Myriad Poison Abyss. Just as he was on the verge of despair, he suddenly caught a whiff of a strange floral fragrance. Following the direction of the fragrance, he finally discovered the Millennium Poison Spirit Flower in a secluded valley.
The Millennium Poison Spirit Flower grew in the center of a poisonous marsh, guarded by numerous smaller venomous creatures. Not daring to approach rashly, Lin Yu carefully observed the surrounding environment and discovered that there seemed to be certain patterns to follow within the poisonous marsh. After some thought, he decided to exploit the behavioral differences among the venomous creatures to create chaos.
Lin Yu took out some Spirit Crystals and used a spell to toss them to the edge of the poisonous marsh, drawing the attention of a portion of the venomous creatures. Taking advantage of the chaos while they scrambled for the Spirit Crystals, Lin Yu executed his movement technique and cautiously crept closer to the Millennium Poison Spirit Flower. Just as he was about to reach the flower, a massive poisonous spider burst forth from beneath the ground, blocking his path.
This poisonous spider possessed a colossal physique, its eight eyes flashing with a cold, sinister gleam while green venom dripped from its fangs. Knowing he could not retreat now, Lin Yu channeled all his Spiritual Power and executed a fused sword technique combining the Shattered Star Sword Art and the Chaos Spirit Flame Formula. Flurries of sword images carrying the Chaos Spirit Flame shot toward the poisonous spider. The poisonous spider brandished its long legs to parry them, and for a time, both sides locked in a stalemate.
Deeply aware that time was tight and victory had to be secured swiftly, Lin Yu gritted his teeth and drove his Spiritual Power to its absolute limit. The Chaos Spirit Flame enveloped his long sword, transforming into a streak of light that pierced straight for the poisonous spider's fatal spot. Failing to dodge in time, the poisonous spider was impaled by the sword, letting out a shrill, miserable screech. Seizing the momentum, Lin Yu stepped forward and plucked the Millennium Poison Spirit Flower.
Having successfully picked the flower, Lin Yu did not dare linger and immediately rushed back toward the outer perimeter of the Myriad Poison Abyss. With only two days remaining until the one-month deadline, he traveled day and night without stopping to hurry back to the Qingxuan Sect.
When Lin Yu appeared before the mountain gates of the Qingxuan Sect, everyone was dumbfounded. Great Elder Zhou Yuan wore an expression of sheer disbelief; he had assumed Lin Yu was destined to die without a doubt, never expecting that not only would he return alive, but he would actually have harvested the Millennium Poison Spirit Flower.
"Great Elder, Lin Yu has lived up to his mission and brought back the Millennium Poison Spirit Flower." Lin Yu presented the jade box containing the Millennium Poison Spirit Flower, speaking without a trace of fear. Gazing at the jade box, Zhou Yuan's face shifted between green and pale, his heart filled with both rage and helplessness. Never in his wildest dreams had he imagined that Lin Yu could complete the mission under such a desperate situation, and once again, his attempt to suppress Lin Yu had failed, instead elevating Lin Yu's reputation within the sect to even greater heights.