Slender willows sway in the breeze

Chapter 177 His Majesty is Critically Ill
Liu Sijun nodded in agreement, and the two quickly put the ancient book back in its original place and hurried downstairs.

After sincerely bidding farewell to the old man, he immediately left the library and hurried towards Black Wind Mountain, northwest of Lingxi Town.

After leaving Lingxi Town, Gu Changzhou, Liu Sijun, and six other Nascent Soul stage experts, including Yuan Jingshan, quickened their pace and headed towards Black Wind Mountain.

Along the way, the originally clear sky was gradually covered by dark clouds, and the sky became increasingly gloomy.

As you approach Black Wind Mountain, a suffocating atmosphere washes over you, sending chills down your spine.

The mountain was covered with lush trees, yet it exuded an eerie atmosphere. The occasional bird calls sounded particularly mournful, as if warning the intruders that the journey ahead would be fraught with danger.

The group cautiously entered the forest, remaining vigilant about their surroundings, their spiritual energy circulating quietly within them, ready to respond to any unexpected situations.

Not long after they ventured deeper into the forest, Liu Sijun suddenly stopped: "Have you sensed anything following us?"

Yuan Jingshan: "Yes, I noticed it too. It must be something that is good at concealing its form."

Another man named Meng Zhefeng, whose cultivation was at the late stage of the Nascent Soul realm, said, "If I'm not mistaken, this aura should be the Ghost Shadow Silver Lion."

Gu Changzhou said, "That's right, it's the Ghost Shadow Silver Lion. Don't make any rash moves yet, let's see what it's up to."

The group continued on their way, pretending nothing had happened.

Before long, the atmosphere around them became increasingly eerie, and a thin layer of frost formed on the branches, which, despite being afternoon, sent chills down one's spine.

Suddenly, a gigantic, ghostly silver lion leaped out of the nearby woods like a phantom. Its eyes gleamed with an eerie green light, and its body emanated powerful spiritual energy fluctuations, like a volcano about to erupt.

After landing, the Ghostly Silver Lion stared intently at the crowd, letting out a low roar that was full of warning.

"This ghostly silver lion is quite powerful; it should be the guardian beast of this mountain forest."

As Gu Changzhou spoke, he slowly drew his sword, and the blade immediately shimmered with starlight, as if it contained the power of the vast stars.

Liu Sijun also quickly took out the Taixu Mirror, its light swirling, ready to launch an attack at any moment.

At the same time, Yuan Jingshan, Meng Zhefeng, and others also activated their spiritual power, ready for battle.

The ghostly silver lion narrowed its eyes, then kicked off with its hind legs, lunging towards Gu Changzhou like a black lightning bolt.

Gu Changzhou flashed forward, using the "Starry Sky Rift Step" to instantly evade the attack of the Ghostly Silver Lion. At the same time, he swung his sword, sending a streak of starlight sword energy slashing towards the silver lion like a meteor.

Silver Lion nimbly twisted its body in mid-air, easily dodging the sword energy.

After landing, it opened its mouth wide and spewed out a plume of black smoke, which spread towards everyone like a surging tide.

The smoke emitted a pungent, nauseating odor.

"poisonous!"

Liu Sijun shouted loudly, hurriedly circulating his spiritual power and shooting out beams of runic light from the Taixu Mirror in an attempt to dispel the smoke.

When the runic beams came into contact with the smoke, they emitted a series of hissing sounds, and the smoke dissipated slightly.

Gu Changzhou seized the opportunity and unleashed "Star Shattering Shadow Annihilation," sending countless tiny star-shaped sword energies raining down on the ghostly silver lion.

The silver lion sensed danger, and its fur stood on end instantly.

A layer of black spiritual energy shield surged around it, blocking the starlight sword energy.

Gu Changzhou said with a serious expression: "The Ghostly Silver Lion's defense and speed are extraordinary. We cannot apply for a job with it. We need to think of another solution."

While activating the Void Mirror, Liu Sijun pondered a countermeasure: "I noticed it briefly gathers its strength before each attack; we can seize this opportunity to launch an attack. I'll use the Void Mirror to distract it, and you all attack while it's at it." Yuan Jingshan and the others immediately nodded: "Understood!"

Liu Sijun activated the Taixu Mirror with all his might, and a dazzling light shone from the mirror, shining directly into the silver lion's eyes.

The silver lion's eyes squinted from the blinding light, and it briefly lost its bearings.

Gu Changzhou immediately unleashed his spiritual power "Stardust Returns to One," and a sword aura containing the power of the origin of stars, like a fallen star, pierced towards the silver lion's abdomen.

Yuan Jingshan, Meng Zhefeng, and others immediately launched attacks on different parts of the silver lion's body.

In an instant, various lights flashed and spiritual energies collided.

The ghostly silver lion sensed the danger and tried to dodge, but it was too late.

The sword energy pierced directly through its abdomen, and the silver lion let out a painful roar before its massive body crashed to the ground.

Liu Sijun put away the Taixu Mirror and exhaled a breath of turbid air.

They quickly swallowed a pill to restore their spiritual energy before discussing the next steps of their journey.

They've only just entered Black Wind Mountain and already encountered so many dangers; it's no easier than destroying the Blood Spirit Cult's altar.

After discussing it, the group was preparing to continue along the left-hand path when Gu Changzhou suddenly felt a jolt in his mind. It was a message from Ye Ying, who was far away in Zhongzhou City: His Majesty was seriously ill and had reached a state of delirium.

Gu Changzhou's expression instantly turned grave: "His Majesty is critically ill!"

Everyone was shocked, realizing the seriousness of the situation, and the search for the ancient ruins had to be temporarily put on hold.

Liu Sijun said worriedly, "His Majesty's illness is of great importance to the world, and we must return as soon as possible. However, Black Wind Mountain is fraught with danger, and we may also encounter peril if we turn back rashly."

Yuan Jingshan nodded solemnly and said, "Miss Liu is absolutely right, but His Majesty's safety is of utmost importance at this moment, so we must proceed with caution."

If we only consider Wuji Tower, it won't have any impact on them.

But their leader is still Marquis Molin. With each new emperor comes a new court, and no one can predict what will happen in the future.

Therefore, we must rush back while His Majesty is still conscious.

Gu Changzhou took a deep breath and said, "Everyone stay alert and keep moving at full speed. Yuan Jingshan, you and Meng Zhefeng follow me and lead the way, keeping an eye on our surroundings. Si Jun, you stay in the middle and use the Taixu Mirror to watch for any unusual activity. The rest of you will cover the rear to prevent any sudden attacks."

The group quickly set to work according to Gu Changzhou's instructions, carefully retracing their steps.

Throughout the journey, no one dared to slack off in the slightest, and their spiritual energy was always kept in a state where it could be unleashed at any moment.

Whether they knew they were preparing to leave or not, the atmosphere of danger in the mountains and forests grew increasingly intense.

They hadn't gone far when the ground suddenly began to shake violently, and huge cracks spread out like a spider web.

Meng Zhefeng reacted quickly, using his spiritual power to stabilize the ground in the blink of an eye, and shouted loudly, "Everyone be careful, something doesn't want us to leave easily!"

As soon as the words were spoken, a pack of wolves-like monsters surged out of the crack. Their bodies were covered in eerie blue flames, and their eyes gleamed with a bloodthirsty light as they pounced on the group.

Gu Changzhou shouted, "Prepare to meet the enemy!"

Countless star-shaped sword energies swept towards the demon wolves like a whirlwind, and several demon wolves were instantly cut in half by the sword energy.

(End of this chapter)