Zhang Kui immediately activated the Cave Abyss Skill to scan.

That tentacle, unknown to be a remnant of some Demon Beast, retained vitality even after leaving its main body, burrowing an inch into flesh, all heading towards the heart.

Fortunately, there was a Talisman affixed to the scholar's chest, its dim white glow vigorously protecting the heart meridians.

"Qi Ban!"

Zhang Kui did not hesitate, first immobilizing the Qi Mechanism of these tentacles, then made a grasping motion. Instantly, the tentacles shot out and were swept into blue smoke by the Geng Metal Evil Light.

Regrettably, these tentacles were not the main cause; the scholar had clearly been heavily struck, damaging his Divine Soul. He only groaned once and remained unconscious.

"What is going on!"

Yin Bai demanded sharply.

A black-clothed Profound Guard promptly cupped his hands and replied:

"Reporting to the lord, Guest Zhou had just slain an Exotic Insect Beast when a shadow suddenly stretched from the cave, injuring him like this. Everyone has withdrawn."

Yin Bai's eyes showed shock, and he immediately turned into a black shadow and shot out, with Zhang Kui closely following.

The cave wasn't far, and the two arrived in a flash.

In a dense forest of towering ancient trees, a large clearing appeared, with surrounding snow already cleared away.

In the center of the clearing, a vast area of rugged boulders formed a twenty-meter high tomb mound shape, with an inclined deep cave.

Over a hundred black-clothed Profound Guards formed a formation facing the cave entrance. Giant shields were in front, and dozens of rune crossbows aimed at the dark cave entrance; everyone looked tense.

The sound of flapping clothes filled the air as the two descended.

Just as Eunuch Yin was about to inquire, he saw Zhang Kui's eyes widen like a leopards, and his hand reach out, a gust of wind howled as a black shadow was dragged squeaking out from the dark cave.

This creature looked like a giant maggot, its skin a dark scale armor texture with centipede-like thousand legs, eyeless, and intermittently spewing out a face-basin thick flesh column from its mouth. Its front end, a lotus-shaped maw, grotesquely writhing.

"Is this the disgusting thing?"

Zhang Kui frowned and asked.

While terrifying in appearance, it was quite ordinary. A few well-coordinated black-clothed Profound Guards could likely dispatch it.

Moreover, after being pulled out of the cave, this Insect Beast appeared somewhat sluggish, struggling to return to the cave.

With a casual palm strike, Zhang Kui issued a sweep of the Geng Metal Evil Light, shattering the Insect Beast into pieces, its green blood sizzling as it corroded the ground.

Eunuch Yin's face was solemn,

"This is merely a common Insect Beast, normally handled with regular cleaning. Lately, several varieties have appeared, yet they are much fiercer, challenging even the Enlightenment Realm elites."

Speaking thus, he looked worriedly towards the distance,

"Taoist Zhang, there are two more sections in the cave. I'll go check the situation; I'll leave this to you."

"Consider it done."

Zhang Kui nodded in response.

After Eunuch Yin left, he immediately performed the Cave Abyss Skill for a careful inspection. At a dark corner of the cave, three more Insect Beasts appeared, poking their heads in and out, crawling to and fro with no intent to leave the cave.

Just then, a larger Insect Beast emerged, resembling a wingless wasp, with forelimbs like massive sickle hooks.

With two swipes of its blade-like forelimbs, the maggot-like Insect Beast was instantly dismembered. The wasp Insect Beast devoured the flesh and blood with no fear of the corrosive blood.

Mutual feeding?

Zhang Kui raised his eyebrows, turned, and described the Insect Beast's appearance.

"The Taoist is correct."

The leading Profound Guard Captain nodded, "This type of Insect Beast moves swiftly, unaffected by Rune Crossbow Arrows. Besides, two other types have appeared: one centipede-like, the other resembling a cicada, all mutually slaying and devouring."

Zhang Kui nodded, turned to look at the cave.

What on earth is down below? If it's something arranged by Emperor Qianyuan, it doesn't seem like a legitimate thing.

With that thought, he strode towards the cave.

"Taoist, be careful!"

Behind him, the black-clothed Profound Guard Captain quickly reminded.

Zhang Kui nodded without a word, reaching to the sword, Lu Li, strapped to his back.

The Lu Li Sword, reforged by Zhu Sheng using special techniques and brewed night and day with Geng Metal Evil Light, had become staggeringly powerful.

With a "clang," as the sharp sword unsheathed, an intimidating Evil Qi spread out, a murderous aura permeated all around.

The black-clothed Profound Guards immediately had their hair stand on end, suddenly perceiving what seemed like dead silence, as if even the wind had ceased.

Zhang Kui, having progressed to the Grain Avoidance Realm, didn't feel much of a change himself, but in others' eyes, he now seemed like an Old Demon, intimidatingly fierce.

Squeak!

The Insect Beasts within the cave seemed startled too, vanishing without a trace.

Zhang Kui was momentarily stunned, then widened his eyes and said, "Why run?"

With that, his body instantly disappeared into the dark cave.

Outside the cave, the black-clothed Profound Guards looked at each other.

"Captain, the cave is so dangerous inside, should we go in and help?"

"Isn't Taoist Zhang a bit reckless..."

Zhang Kui had long been famous at the Astronomical Bureau, so all the black-clothed Profound Guards knew him.

"What do you know!"

The bearded captain took a deep breath, his eyes flashing with a hint of fanaticism, "Taoist Zhang, at the level of Enlightenment, can already slash through Grain Avoidance. It seems he's clearly reached the Grain Avoidance Realm, what is there to fear?"

One of the black-clothed Profound Guards gulped.

"Enlightenment Slash of Avoiding Grain, do you guys mean..."

"Impossible, that's worlds apart..."

"Shut up, don't talk nonsense!"

As the people outside the cave were lost in thought, Zhang Kui, after entering the cave, was truly like a terrifying deity descending.

The dense insect beasts originally within the dozens of meters inside the cave suddenly retreated frantically towards the depths as if doomsday had arrived.

The fierce centipede-shaped insect beast mentioned by the black-clothed Profound Guards was among them, slicing through other insect beasts like a sharp sword.

After casually chasing down and killing dozens, the cave soon became empty.

Zhang Kui was somewhat frustrated holding the Lu Li sword.

No wonder Xiao Qianchou was annoyed, these insects run so fast, and he couldn't go too deep, truly annoying.

If I leave, they might all rush out again.

After frowning in thought, Zhang Kui chuckled, re-sheathing the fierce Lu Li sword, then used the Qi Prohibition Skill to conceal his Qi mechanism.

Sure enough, before long, the rustling sound began, and the dense insect beast reappeared, black scale armor rolling in waves.

Three two-meter-tall wasp insect beasts saw him, their eyes shining with a bloodthirsty light. They pounced lightning-fast, seemingly not recognizing the fearsome deity that had just scared them away.

Zhang Kui shook his head,

"No intelligence at all, indeed!"

As he spoke, the eerie Parasol and Vine Demon appeared suddenly behind him, engulfing a several-hundred-meter section of the cave in black fog instantly.

Within the thick fog, countless barbed vines twisted madly, rapidly dismembering and devouring one insect beast after another, even absorbing the corrosive green blood.

Dozens of wasp and centipede insect beasts struggled madly, even severing many vines, but were soon drowned by more vines.

A five-meter-long giant cicada-like insect beast screeched, its visible sound waves spreading outward.

If this thing encountered an Enlightenment Realm adept, there would definitely be casualties, but in the Black Fog Space, it was just futile struggling.

The scene was as tragic as hell, and even the face of the demonically charming Vine Demon showed a hint of vicious cruelty.

Zhang Kui was somewhat dazed.

In his mind, skill points were rapidly increasing, one point, two points, three points...

Although these insect beasts weren't of the Grain Avoidance Realm, their sheer numbers were overwhelming, and it was the first time Zhang Kui had so easily acquired so many skill points, leaving him momentarily bewildered.

Suddenly, a shadow shot out from the depths of the cave, striking the Black Fog Space forcefully, causing the entire space to tremble slightly.

It's the one that injured the scholar earlier!

A fierce light flashed in Zhang Kui's eyes, and he instantly pulled the shadow into the space, followed by the dragon-like sing of Lu Li sword, flashing with golden evil light.

"Roar!"

A vague howl echoed from the cave depths.

Inside the Black Fog Space, a massive five-meter-thick severed tentacle was bouncing around, covered with countless flesh whiskers and various-sized human head bumps, crying out with twisted faces.

"What the hell is this thing!"

Zhang Kui felt a tingling sensation on his scalp, his chest filled with discomfort.

Fortunately, the Vine Demon didn't mind at all, even seemed more excited, entwining it like a coil of twisting snakes.

The severed tentacle was incredibly resilient, with flesh whiskers even burrowing into the vines to absorb them, engaging in a fierce struggle.

After a long while, the tentacle ceased moving, gradually being engulfed by the vines.

Inside the cave, all the insect beasts within hundreds of meters had been devoured, and the giant tentacle didn't reappear.

Importantly, in this short time, he had accumulated six skill points, equivalent to defeating an old demon at the Grain Avoidance Realm.

Zhang Kui licked his lips, eagerly looking towards the depths of the cave...

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