Chapter 14: The Immortal Herb Hall

"How strong are the native demon armies in this immortal mansion world?" Shaoyan Nong frowned, pressing for an answer.

He also understood that the greatest difficulty in refining this immortal mansion was these native demons. Trapped in this small world for too long, generation after generation, their intense desire to leave would drive them to pay any price. The most致命 thing was that these demon armies were extremely powerful.

"The two strongest forces are the Giant Wave Demon Soldiers and the Yaksha Demon Soldiers," Xiangliu Fang said. "Both have tens of thousands of soldiers, and their leaders are at the Earth Immortal or Sanxian level."

"Both at Earth Immortal or Sanxian?" Shaoyan Nong was astonished.

"Yes, one each, I think," Xiangliu Fang said. "The leader of the Giant Wave Demon Soldiers is probably stronger among the Sanxian, while the Yaksha Demon Soldiers belong to the Wujiang clan. Though their leader is slightly weaker, their overall strength is greater... So against these two forces, even top-tier Sanxian can only flee!"

Xiangliu Fang was a true ancient divine demon of the Xiangliu clan. Though at the peak of the Yuan Shen level, he had combat power comparable to top-tier Sanxian.

Yet the slightly weaker Giant Wave Demon Soldiers had forced Xiangliu Fang to flee.

The Yaksha Demon Soldiers could also trample Xiangliu Fang.

"Defeating them is impossible," Xiangliu Fang shook his head. "Even a few more Sanxian wouldn't be enough."

"The immortal mansion has five main halls," Shaoyan Nong said in a low voice. "I've already refined one. I'm confident I can reach two more, but the last two will be troublesome."

"Young Master Shaoyan, you're sure you can reach the other two halls?" Mu Zishuo asked in surprise. "Since you can go to two more, why not the last two?"

Ji Ning and the others also looked at Shaoyan Nong in confusion.

The two demon forces were waiting outside—how could they break through?

"You don't understand," Shaoyan Nong laughed. "I've already refined this Treasure Hall. It's enormous, one of the five pillars of this immortal mansion world, affecting nearly ten thousand li around. Using the mansion key, I can open a passage and appear anywhere within that range."

"The two demon forces are only guarding the nearest spots. I can appear thousands of li away, and with Uncle Fang's escape arts, we can reach the next hall."

Ji Ning and the others understood.

"If I refine all five halls, I can appear anywhere in this world," Shaoyan Nong sighed. "But I've only refined one."

"Young Master Shaoyan, with this method," Xue Hongyi said excitedly, "can't we enter the other four halls one by one? The demon forces can't stop us."

"You're wrong."

Shaoyan Nong shook his head. "The demons have been sealed for so long that they've forgotten the halls' powers. But once I use a hall to appear thousands of li away, they'll realize its ability. Then they'll simply guard the unrefined halls directly."

Ji Ning and the others all looked solemn.

Right!

The demon forces didn't need to wait outside. They could surround the unrefined halls. No matter what, to refine the mansion, Shaoyan Nong would have to go to those halls, even if they were heavily guarded.

"Waiting by the tree for the rabbit," Ji Ning murmured. "The unrefined halls are a must. If they surround them, we can't avoid the demons."

Waiting by the tree seemed foolish.

But it hit the vital point, and Ji Ning and the others had no way out.

"No time to worry. Let's refine two halls first," Shaoyan Nong said. "Let's go!"

...

Around the golden light pillar of the Treasure Hall, the two strongest demon forces of the mansion world, the Giant Wave Demon Soldiers and the Yaksha Demon Soldiers, had gathered.

"Duohe, this time we should set aside our differences and work together against the humans to seize the mansion key."

"Wu Sui, I'm very willing to join forces with your Wujiang clan."

The two strongest beings in this mansion world—

One was Duohe, an old Sanxian who had lived over a hundred thousand years; the other was Wu Sui, a Sanxian who had just passed ten thousand years. They immediately made a Heavenly Oath to join forces.

To get out, they could put aside anything.

Both sides waited silently.

After a long time...

"Hm?" The two Sanxian and several Yuan Shen great demons almost simultaneously turned to look thousands of li away. A warship appeared out of nowhere, and Xiangliu Fang on the ship shook his body, transforming into a thousand-zhang-tall divine demon with nine heads, a human body, and a serpent tail. The divine demon Xiangliu grabbed the ship with one hand and immediately used an escape art, fleeing at incredible speed.

Swoosh!

Only a trail of light remained in the distance, leaving Duohe's side and the Wujiang clan stunned. They knew they couldn't catch up to that divine demon in speed; with a gap of thousands of li, there was no hope.

"How? How did they appear thousands of li away?"

"When they entered this hall, they were very close to it."

"Why can they appear thousands of li away when leaving?"

Even when the Wujiang Immortal was alive eons ago, his clan didn't fully understand the halls' peculiarities, let alone the current demons after endless years.

"He refined the hall, so he controls it. That's why it's special," Duohe said.

"That must be it," Wu Sui agreed.

"The mansion has five halls. He's only refined one. Four remain unrefined. We'll each guard one. Unless he gives up, he'll have to fight us," Duohe said.

Soon both sides agreed and flew toward two distant golden light pillars.

...

"The worst has happened." The nine-headed, human-bodied, serpent-tailed divine demon Xiangliu held the warship in his palm. Inside, Shaoyan Nong, Ji Ning, and the others watched the two demon forces in the distance.

The two demon forces didn't chase them but flew in two directions, toward two of the golden light pillars.

"I must refine the mansion," Shaoyan Nong gritted his teeth. "These demons deserve to die."

Soon.

The thousand-zhang-tall divine demon Xiangliu, holding the warship with one hand, arrived at another golden light pillar.

"Enter." Shaoyan Nong used the mansion key to open a passage.

Ji Ning and the others felt heavy-hearted. This time they entered easily because no demons blocked them, but two of the five halls were heavily surrounded, making entry difficult.

Whoosh.

The divine demon Xiangliu shrank and entered the warship, which flew into the passage.

...

An enormous hall, a thousand times larger than the first hall of the Treasure Hall.

"So big." Ji Ning and the others were astonished.

Looking out, it was a vast expanse like a land.

This super-hall was actually a sealed small world. Above, a sun hung high, radiating endless light and heat. Below, the soil was covered with countless spirit fruits and herbs. Over endless years, these immortal herbs had been tended only by some puppets, without the best cultivation.

These herbs usually needed many special treasures to nurture. Yet even so, over endless years, some true 'treasures' had grown among them.

"Immortal herbs, immortal fruits!" Ji Ning and the others were overjoyed.

"Whoosh!"

Suddenly, the divine demon Xiangliu beside Shaoyan Nong reached out his hand. His palm rapidly enlarged, his fingers turning into ten great snakes that covered the sky, directly enveloping the entire herb field. In an instant, the eighteen herbs and fruits with the strongest immortal aura were plucked.

"Roar—Damn it!"

"This is the master's Immortal Herb Hall. Stealing herbs—damn it!"

Three puppet figures flew out.

One of the divine demon Xiangliu's large hands flipped and slapped down, sending the three puppets flying far away to crash into the distant wall. Then Xiangliu Fang reached out, grabbed the three Yuan Shen-level puppets, and threw them into his big bag.

Then Xiangliu Fang withdrew his hands and stood calmly beside Shaoyan Nong, as if nothing had happened.

"This..." Ji Ning and the others stared in shock at the divine demon Xiangliu Fang.

Xiangliu Fang had acted, and they couldn't compete.

"Whoever gets it keeps it, as I said before. Since Uncle Fang got them, they're his," Shaoyan Nong said with a smile. "There are still many spirit herbs and fruits. Though their potency is weaker, they're still good."

Ji Ning and the others cursed inwardly.

This herb garden left by the Wujiang Immortal, without the best cultivation over endless years, had seen the strong devour the weak, producing eighteen true 'immortal-grade' fruits and herbs. The rest were weaker herbs whose spiritual energy had been taken. Though grumbling, Ji Ning and the others, including Xue Hongyi, quickly gathered all the remaining herbs and fruits.

"The Immortal Herb Hall is open, with few secret rooms." Shaoyan Nong soon found the hall's core—a quiet secret room beside the herb garden, which was the hall's center.

"You can look around; you might find some treasures." Shaoyan Nong sat calmly in the room and began to refine it.

Ji Ning and the others were helpless.

The Immortal Herb Hall, as its name suggested, held herbs as its main treasure. The most precious had been taken by the divine demon Xiangliu Fang. What else could they find?

Still, Ji Ning and the others scattered to search. Unfortunately, there wasn't even a single corpse in the hall. Indeed, this was the Wujiang Immortal's herb garden; he trusted only his puppets and forbade any clan members from entering.

An hour later.

"I've refined the Immortal Herb Hall," Shaoyan Nong said with a smile. "Let's go to the next hall."

...