After I stopped trying, a rich woman trained me into a demon emperor.

Behind the ancient stele, a completely different scene unfolded, a world apart from the dead end in front of them.

Zhou Ran's gaze passed over the ancient stele and landed on the tattered book nestled in the embrace of the large white umbrella-shaped mushroom.

The fungus seemed to sense something, and its two pale, noodle-like mycelium suddenly tightened, binding the book "Jin Ping Mei" tightly.

The atmosphere was even more tense than that of a giant dragon guarding a nest of gold ingots.

"What are you looking at? Haven't you ever seen a scholar before?"

Hurry and help! This old bald monk can't hold on much longer!

A clear, youthful voice rang out, but the tone was as seasoned as a seasoned veteran.

Zhou Ran raised an eyebrow.

"A scholar?"

Reading these sacred texts?

"You don't know anything!"

The fungus was stimulated, and its hyphae trembled violently, making the pages of the book rustle.

This is called the Great Way!

The harmony of Yin and Yang is the ultimate principle of heaven and earth!

You're just a common mortal; what do you know about art?

As it cursed, it desperately shrank behind Master Lingxu.

Only a pair of anthropomorphic black eyes remained, darting back and forth between Zhou Ran and the Su sisters.

"Especially those two little vixens, what are you looking at?"

Never seen such a handsome mushroom before?

"If you keep looking, I'll gouge your eyes out and soak them in alcohol!"

Wow, the Tidal Body is so moisturizing!

If they offered me that service, I'd be ecstatic!

The little mushroom's eyes were shining, and it was spitting everywhere.

Zhou Ran was surprised when he heard this, not because of its flirtatious talk.

The group of evil cultivators outside the Valley of Ten Thousand Medicines only sensed that the sisters had special physiques, but only Old Demon Ye could pinpoint the sisters' physiques in a single sentence.

This mushroom is something else!

"You...you perverted bacterium!"

These foul words stunned Su Qingwu, and her cheeks flushed red to her ears.

The amount of swearing she's ever heard in her entire life combined probably doesn't equal the amount this mushroom spews in a single minute.

"master."

Zhou Ran ignored the mushroom that was spewing filth and turned to look at Ling Xu, his tone unusually respectful.

"This thing..."

Are you sure it's worth saving?

Master Lingxu's face showed bitterness, his deeply lined face looked even more weathered, and his golden body, which was about to break, became even dimmer.

"All things have a spirit."

It has lived here for thousands of years, witnessing countless cultivators perish here. Its greatest love is collecting and reading the cultivation manuals left behind by the dead, which ironically led to its development of sentience.

Although he was unruly and read a wide variety of books, he was still just a life.

"Stop pretending to be compassionate, you old bald monk!"

The white umbrella screamed, its canopy bulging in anger.

"I am the number one doctoral supervisor in the Valley of Ten Thousand Demons!"

Who the hell asked you to save them?

what?

I'm buried perfectly well in the ground, occasionally popping out to bask in the moonlight and read a book—life couldn't be more carefree!

"It's all your fault for insisting on creating this Sanskrit symbol to enclose me, making this transparent monster stare at me and drool!"

"That was to protect you..."

Lingxu sighed deeply, unable to catch his breath, and a trickle of dark golden Buddhist blood seeped from the corner of his mouth.

"Protect my ass!"

"I think you just want my body and want to make me into soup!"

Zhou Ran couldn't listen anymore.

This mushroom's mouth is too talkative; it really needs to be cleaned up.

The current situation has become tricky.

The "Yi" in front of them, distorting space, had lost patience with this pointless argument.

It has no physical form, yet it exudes a vast, hungry malice that is rapidly expanding.

It gives the impression of a butcher who has been starving for three days, raising his knife and staring intently at the last piece of pork belly on the cutting board.

Before he could finish speaking, the fog behind them churned violently.

The chaotic, hurried footsteps, mixed with greedy panting, abruptly shattered the standoff.

"It's right ahead!"

I sensed it!

"Such a rich medicinal aroma!"

"My God, this must be a miracle cure from the East!"

A group of people broke through the gray fog in a disheveled state and entered this forbidden area with ancient steles.

Leading the group was none other than the Grand Elder of the Wuji Sect, who was holding a compass.

His clothes were tattered and his hair was disheveled; he must have suffered a great loss outside, losing several disciples before he forced his way in.

But the burning greed in his eyes had already overwhelmed all the pain and embarrassment.

Behind him followed several Westerners with high noses and deep-set eyes, their metal instruments emitting rapid beeps.

Several Scorpion Sect Gu Masters, their entire bodies shrouded in black robes, had colorful poisonous insects on their shoulders hissing restlessly.

As soon as the group burst in, their gazes bypassed the seated, withered monk and the spectator Zhou Ran, and went straight to the white parasol that shimmered with iridescent light.

Even the most clueless fool, upon seeing the flowing rosy light and the dewy, glistening canopy, would understand what an extraordinary treasure this was.

"Seven-Colored Divine Light!"

This is the legendary elixir that awakens sentience!

The Grand Elder of Wuji Sect trembled all over, his white beard standing on end.

"Eat it...no!"

"As long as I can have a sip of soup, this bottleneck that has stagnated for thirty years will surely be broken!"

Those foreigners' eyes lit up, and they yelled "Super Energy" in broken Chinese, as if they wanted to pounce on it and take a bite.

In their eyes, it was a delicacy on the table, while the dying old monk blocking the way was nothing but leftover garbage.

They couldn't see the "Yi" that was distorting space and trying to devour everything.

"Feed".

Zhou Ran turned to the side, leisurely making way for him, looking so lazy it was almost punchable.

"Since you all want it so much, please go ahead."

Su Qingling was startled and clung tightly to Zhou Ran with both arms, wishing she could hang on him.

Under tension, the Tidal Holy Body's body temperature was alarmingly high. Through the thin fabric, the soft and tender touch made Zhou Ran spare a moment of attention to use his demonic energy to forcibly suppress it.

"You...you're abandoning that master?"

Su Qingling's voice was barely audible.

"Shhh."

Zhou Ran gently touched his lips with his finger.

"Some people are in a hurry to be reborn, why should I stop them?"

When the group saw Zhou Ran back down, they assumed he was afraid of their superior numbers.

"You're smart to know what's good for you!"

The young master of the Scorpion Clan let out a sinister laugh, transforming all the humiliation he had suffered outside into overwhelming arrogance.

"Once I get the divine medicine, I'll come back and slowly torture you!"

Before he finished speaking, he took the lead, driving the poisonous insects all over his body, and rushed towards the ancient stele without regard for anything else.

The Grand Elder of the Wuji Sect was not to be outdone, and let out a roar:

"The divine medicine belongs to my Wuji Sect!"

Who dares to take it from me!

A group of people, like mad dogs fighting over food, rushed toward the trembling mushroom with bloodshot eyes.

Master Lingxu opened his eyes, his eyes filled with compassion and resolve:

"Back off!

There is great terror here, you must not…

"Shut up, you old bald monk!"

The Grand Elder of Wuji Sect retaliated with a palm strike of lightning, viciously aiming for the old monk's face.

"Even when death is imminent, they still want to occupy the toilet without doing their business!"

The lightning struck Lingxu, causing his already fragile golden body to sway violently, nearly shattering on the spot.

A cold glint flashed in Zhou Ran's eyes, and a tiny wisp of purple flame flickered at his fingertips, which he forcibly suppressed.

With the old monk's abilities, he absolutely could not completely seal this thing.

Let those idiots go and perform the ritual first.

The white umbrella tree, seeing a group of bloodthirsty thugs rushing towards it, screamed in fright.

"Holy shit!"

Another bunch of idiots!

Its two mycelial arms waved wildly, desperately trying to burrow into the soil, but unfortunately the mycelium was too soft to dig through the hard rock.

"Don't come any closer!"

Don't come any closer!

"Didn't you see that Lao Tzu was comprehending the Tao?"

"Shut up and make a scene!"

"Damn it! You disgusting guy playing with bugs, don't touch my book with your filthy hands!"

Seeing that there was nowhere to hide, the mushroom spirit simply stopped trying to hide.

It shot out from behind Lingxu, and its huge canopy immediately expanded, changing from snow-white to an angry crimson.

"You bunch of uncivilized bumpkins!"

This is a rare, out-of-print copy!

Limited edition illustrated version!

"If you break it, your whole family couldn't afford to pay for it!"

It hysterically cursed and violently shook its canopy.

Puff puff!

A thick cloud of yellow dust billowed out from under its canopy, engulfing the people at the front.