Chapter 1247: Advance and Retreat Impossible

Everyone was somewhat panicked, seeing people die so inexplicably. Crucially, no wounds could be found on their bodies.

Someone knelt beside the corpses and reached out to examine their bodies, asking, "They haven't been poisoned... but why does it feel like all their vital essence has been drained?"

At his words, everyone looked at Ma Huang. Startled, Ma Huang quickly waved his hands, declaring, "This has nothing to do with me. Many can testify that I've been right here the whole time and had no chance to act."

Prince Silver Shark also confirmed, "I can testify to this. I've been watching him closely, and he certainly didn't make a move." Having just witnessed Ma Huang drain the giant crocodile into a desiccated corpse, and with his own wounds, Prince Silver Shark had been wary of him potentially harboring ill intent. He had been carefully observing Ma Huang, only to inadvertently provide an alibi. No sooner had he spoken than he felt a pang of regret. He should have seized the opportunity to eliminate this dangerous individual; not only would his own worries vanish, but there would also be one less person to share the treasure with later. Alas, once the words were out, regret was useless.

Fortunately, another person raised a new point: "Even if it wasn't him, perhaps his kin are hiding in the shadows. Otherwise, who else could possibly drain their vital essence?" At this suggestion, everyone brandished their weapons at Ma Huang, while also warily eyeing the unfamiliar individuals around them. Fearing they might be the next victims, they preferred to kill by mistake rather than let anyone dangerous go.

Ma Huang's face darkened, "As if I'm afraid of you!" Having roamed unchallenged throughout the world, he had never endured such humiliation. He, too, drew his weapon, poised to retaliate, and the tension between the two sides became explosive.

"In times of crisis, it is often human hearts that descend into chaos first. I never expected the demon race to be any different," Yun Jianyue remarked with a hint of sarcasm, observing with a detached air. The immediate danger was certainly eerie, but it failed to faze her. Yan Xuehen also observed with a cool detachment. As Grandmasters, their insight was exceptional, and they had long since understood the situation. However, these individuals were demons, so there was no need to concern themselves with their fate.

Just then, Princess Suo Lun stepped forward. "Everyone, don't be rash. If a Blood Clan member had drained their vital essence, their entire body would have turned into a desiccated corpse. But look at these bodies: their skin is intact, and outwardly, they appear no different from when they were alive. Only the vital essence within them has withered away completely."

Everyone nodded; this indeed did not resemble the methods of the Blood Clan.

"What is this?" Princess Suo Lun's gaze suddenly sharpened.

Following her gaze, everyone looked in the direction she pointed and saw faint green sprouts emerging from the corpses' ears, resembling tiny bean sprouts.

"Here too!" Others exclaimed, realizing that in addition to the ears, these tiny saplings were sprouting from nostrils, mouths, eyes, and even the crowns of the corpses' heads. The leaves glowed a vibrant green; though small and delicate, no one dared to underestimate them.

"They weren't there moments ago!" Someone then tore open the corpses' clothes, revealing that the skin on many parts of their bodies had ruptured, with dense clusters of these green sprouts bursting through their flesh. It turned out these small saplings had drained all their vital essence!

"Why would these saplings be inside their bodies?" Everyone harbored this question.

"Could they have been poisoned earlier?" someone suggested.

"Many of them don't know each other, so why would they all succumb to the same poison?"

Then, someone timidly ventured, "Don't these saplings look... very similar to the leaves of the large trees nearby?"

Everyone looked closely, and indeed, though many times smaller, their shape and venation were identical. Everyone's blood ran cold. It was the trees that had poisoned them!

As they looked at the dense forest surrounding them, a chilling thought suddenly crossed their minds: With so many trees, could every single one of them conceal a victim? Could they be next? A group of them discussed the situation, utterly unable to comprehend how these trees had administered the poison.

"It's not poison; it's seeds," Yun Jianyue explained to Zu An and the others. "These trees disperse their exceptionally tiny seeds everywhere in the air, and the thick fog makes them even harder to notice. As long as one's cultivation is high enough to protect their body with primal energy, or they possess a protective magical artifact to ward off all dust, they will remain unharmed."

The few of them were all deeply accomplished, possessing numerous magical artifacts and formidable strength. The seeds seemed to know not to bother them, leaving them undisturbed. Those nearby overheard their conversation, and the information spread like wildfire until everyone finally understood what was happening. Many glanced at her in surprise. They had initially assumed her to be a concubine accompanying a wealthy young master, but she unexpectedly possessed such profound insight.

Those with magical artifacts activated them, while those without burned their primal energy to create a barrier, preventing the surrounding seeds from approaching. Some, worried they had already inhaled seeds, quickly circulated their internal energy to expel impurities. To their surprise, they indeed found some. Those with higher cultivation quickly employed various secret arts to eliminate the rooted and sprouting seeds within them. Those with weaker cultivation, however, were helpless. They struggled fiercely but ultimately succumbed to the seeds' tenacious vitality, being drained alive, with saplings bursting through their skin, dying a gruesome death on the spot.

The other demons had no intention of offering aid. The law of the jungle was deeply ingrained in their very bones; they had no regard for camaraderie or mutual assistance. Embarking on a treasure hunt inherently meant risking one's life. Losing one's life was all too common, and moreover, it helped thin out the competition. Why wouldn't they welcome it?

Having identified the culprit, some individuals, incensed, decided to take their anger out on the large trees. They swung their weapons, intending to hack them down, reasoning that for cultivators of immense strength, felling a tree should be a simple task. However, the trees were seemingly made of an unknown material. They chopped for a long time, only managing to inflict wounds of varying depths, and the trees appeared to regenerate, their injuries continuously healing. After expending a great deal of effort, they failed to fell even a single tree. Others attempted to use elemental power to set the forest ablaze. Yet, the fire elemental energy dissipated upon contact with the trees, and the flames quickly died out. There was no way to burn it down.

Watching their dumbfounded expressions, the portly Taoist Wu Liang, hidden in the shadows, muttered under his breath, "A bunch of fools! This forest is a special formation, laid down by that individual using the power of the earth's meridians. As long as the meridian power flows, the formation remains indestructible. Not only you, but even a Grandmaster might not be able to destroy it."

Zu An and his group, having also recognized the anomaly of the place, chose not to linger with the demons. They turned and walked deeper into the forest. Some rogue cultivators, having sensed their extraordinary capabilities along the way, hastily followed, as if their presence offered a greater sense of security. Seeing their efforts were futile, the other demons likewise ceased their attempts. No one wished to expend their precious strength here, especially with treasure yet to be contended for against these very people. With precautions in place, the seeds of the large trees could no longer parasitize them. Naturally, some with weaker cultivation or lacking protective artifacts could only helplessly retreat. Though treasure was important, one needed to be alive to enjoy it.

Zu An and his companions walked ahead. Due to the dense fog, they could no longer discern the sun or moon, and didn't even know if it was day or night. The group frowned. When they had looked at the forest from the other side of the swamp earlier, it hadn't appeared this vast. Logically, given their pace, they should have already passed through it.

"This must be a labyrinth, with an extremely sophisticated formation laid out," Yan Xuehen halted, feeling increasingly disoriented the deeper they went. Such a phenomenon was impossible for high-level cultivators. All around was silent, save for the rustling sounds of their cautious footsteps on the dry branches and fallen leaves. In the tranquil and vast night, these sounds carried far, creating an eerie atmosphere.

"I don't think we can keep going. The sense of direction here seems problematic," Princess Suo Lun also voiced.

Jin Shi also nodded, saying, "Precisely. Continuing this path will only lead to greater disorientation and a futile expenditure of primal energy, ultimately leaving us vulnerable to these demonic trees. We should retreat first. I just noticed that this forest shouldn't be very large; we can simply bypass it by detouring along the shore." His suggestion was met with broad agreement. The endless mist exerted too great a psychological burden. Once clear of this eerie forest, given their travel speed, bypassing dozens or even hundreds of miles would be effortless.

Soon, the group put their plan into action.

Yu Yanluo looked at her companions. "Do we press deeper, or do we turn back?" A hint of worry also crossed her brow; she was reluctant to let everyone risk their lives for some elusive benefit that might enhance herself.

Yun Jianyue replied dismissively, "Having come this far, there's no reason to retreat." Even injured, she was still a Grandmaster, and her courage far surpassed that of ordinary individuals.

Yan Xuehen also nodded. "I agree to press deeper, but we cannot stumble in blindly. We must first discern the patterns of this formation."

Zu An mused, "The one who designed this labyrinth likely won't make it easy for those who entered to leave."

Just then, exclamations erupted from the other side:

"Huh, why does this feel different from the path we just took?"

"Wait, why are the markers I left along the way gone!"