Ruin-Part 2

Wang Quan's precise strike with his Metal Spirit Sword Qi hit the Three-Eyed Tiger Demon right in its neck, causing blood to gush out. The beast let out a deafening, agonized roar, its body trembling violently as it attempted a final counterattack, but its strength was fading fast.

At that moment, the Foundation Establishment elder swung his giant axe once more. This strike, imbued with powerful Metal Spirit energy, cleaved through the tiger demon's spine, instantly ending its life.

"Boom—!"

The massive body of the tiger demon collapsed heavily onto the ground, shaking the earth beneath them. The pungent smell of blood filled the air, lingering thickly around the group. The immense pressure from the beast's earlier defensive and offensive capabilities left everyone feeling overwhelmed, especially the Qi Refining cultivators. Without the Foundation Establishment elder's aid, they would have been no match for this beast.

"Fortunately, we had the elder's assistance," said one of the Yunlan Sect disciples, bowing in gratitude toward the elder.

The elder nodded slightly, his eyes scanning over the tiger demon's corpse. He said calmly, "The beast's materials will be useful to you. You may divide them among yourselves; I only require its demon core."

The three Yunlan Sect disciples exchanged glances and nodded in agreement. Wang Quan also nodded in approval and approached the tiger demon's body to carefully harvest its valuable materials with his sword.

After distributing the materials, Wang Quan kept his guard up, observing his surroundings. The maze's dangers clearly went beyond just the demonic beasts. The tiger demon was likely just a small part of the threat that lay ahead. As they progressed deeper into the maze, the paths grew increasingly complex. Vines seemed to come alive, snaking around their feet, forcing them to move cautiously. The air grew thick with demonic energy, and the oppressive atmosphere weighed heavily on the group.

"It seems the beasts here are not only numerous but also incredibly resilient," Wang Quan thought, his mind more alert to the challenges that lay ahead.

After some time, they arrived at a junction in the forest maze. Three distinct paths branched out before them, each leading in a different direction. The energy emanating from each path was strange, hinting at different dangers lurking ahead.

"How do we proceed from here?" one of the Yunlan Sect disciples asked, his voice tinged with hesitation.

The Foundation Establishment elder surveyed the area before speaking in a serious tone. "As we agreed earlier, once the seal was broken, we would explore separately. This is only the first level of the ruins, and there are clearly deeper levels. It's best we part ways here and seek our own fortunes."

The Yunlan Sect disciples exchanged glances and, after a brief moment of deliberation, agreed with the elder's proposal. They understood that from this point on, cooperation would only slow them down. Wang Quan also recognized that while splitting up increased the risks, it offered greater opportunities for exploration.

The atmosphere grew silent as the three Yunlan Mountain disciples chose the leftmost path and quickly departed. The Foundation Establishment elder and his group of rogue cultivators moved toward the right-hand path.

Wang Quan stood at the entrance to the middle path, took a deep breath, and ventured down the central passageway alone.

The path remained shrouded in vines and ancient trees, with faint traces of demonic energy lingering in the air. As Wang Quan cautiously advanced, he continued to circulate his Five Elements Technique, using it to detect any subtle movements in his surroundings. The forest maze was unpredictable, and there was always the danger of a demonic beast lying in wait.

Before long, he arrived at a slightly more open area, where the trees grew even taller, their canopies almost completely blocking out the sky. Only small beams of sunlight pierced through the dense foliage, casting dim light across the forest floor.

At that moment, Wang Quan sensed an extremely subtle fluctuation of spiritual energy. He immediately stopped, his sharp gaze scanning the trees ahead.

"Could there be a formation here?"

His mind raced as he carefully channeled the Earth Spirit power from the Five Elements Technique into the ground beneath his feet, probing for any hidden anomalies. Soon, he discovered that there was indeed an ancient formation hidden beneath the earth, its energy patterns remarkably similar to the sealing runes he had encountered earlier.

"It seems this formation is protecting some kind of treasure..."

A glimmer of excitement flashed in Wang Quan's eyes. He knew that an ancient formation like this, concealed in the depths of the forest maze, was likely set by a Nascent Soul cultivator. The formation could very well be guarding the kind of Five Elements material he desperately needed.

Taking a deep breath, Wang Quan cautiously approached the formation's center. Although the surface appeared calm, he knew that one misstep could trigger deadly mechanisms hidden within.

"I need to break it carefully…"

Running his fingers lightly over the runes inscribed on the ground, Wang Quan channeled the Wood and Earth Spirit energy from the Five Elements Technique, slowly synchronizing it with the natural energy that powered the formation. Gradually, the energy flow in the formation became more harmonious, and the runes began to glow faintly as the formation's defenses weakened.

As the formation dissolved, the ground beneath him began to split open, revealing a dark green orb radiating intense spiritual energy. Inside the orb was a rare, ancient plant—a Wood Spirit Herb.

"A Wood Spirit Herb! A top-tier Wood element material!" Wang Quan's eyes lit up with joy. This herb was precisely the type of resource he needed to significantly accelerate his cultivation in the Wood element branch of the Five Elements Technique.

Carefully harvesting the herb, Wang Quan placed it into his storage pouch. As he secured the treasure, a surge of satisfaction washed over him. This expedition was already proving to be worthwhile—just this single Wood Spirit Herb was worth the trip.

However, he knew that there were likely even greater dangers and rewards ahead.

With renewed focus, Wang Quan continued his exploration of the forest maze, his mind alert to the next potential challenge—and the next possible treasure.