Fairy, don't go! I have a mod.

A chilling intuition sounded an alarm in his heart.

Mu Tianmiao's heart tightened suddenly, and the hairs on the back of his head stood on end.

Without even turning his head, a flash of sword light appeared beneath his feet, and he spun around in mid-air, the sword already in his hand.

Eight sword energies, like lotus blossoms, slashed out simultaneously in all directions, each precisely striking the ghost vines that silently attacked from the darkness behind them. Sword Technique, Eight Directions Come to Celebrate.

The ghost vines were densely packed, numbering in the hundreds, each only as thick as a finger, yet covered in fine downy hairs.

The tips of the vines were sharp as spears, and under the fluorescent light of the dark blue lake water, they gleamed with an eerie dark red.

As the sword energy swept across, dozens of ghost vines snapped in unison, spurting out dark green sap from the broken ends.

The splashed water landed on the rocks on the shore, instantly corroding a charred, blackened pit.

However, others were not so lucky.

Mu Tianmiao's sword technique only managed to protect three feet around himself. The other dozen or so cultivators on the lakeside hadn't even realized what was happening before their bodies were pierced by the ghost vines that surged from the ground, cave walls, and water at the same time.

Some people's protective spiritual shields shattered instantly, while others didn't even have time to summon their magical artifacts before the vines pierced their dantian. Blood was rapidly drawn away through the transparent veins inside the vines, and the cultivators' bodies withered away at a visible speed.

Screams rose and fell, echoing in the empty cave for a few breaths before abruptly ceasing.

Mu Tianmiao landed, her gaze sweeping over the lakeside, and her heart sank.

More ghost vines are slowly emerging from the cracks in the cave walls, the shallows of the lake, and even from the vine thickets on the dome above.

The number has increased several times compared to before, forming a huge encirclement that is slowly shrinking.

"Don't stay here for long!"

Chapter 47: The New MOD, Lord of the Eight Desolations

It wasn't just Mu Tianmiao's side; every cultivator who entered the entire secret realm encountered trouble.

The endless plants surged out from every corner of the cave walls, underground, and dome, as if awakened from slumber by something, and frantically attacked every intruder.

However, apart from these inexhaustible plants, there was nothing else in the secret realm.

There were no spiritual plants, no spiritual seeds, no thousand-year-old cicadas, and no rare and precious materials.

All that remains are desolate caves covered in vegetation and endless attacks.

Deep inside the cave, Yun Qingyao held the Qing Shuang sword, its tip pointing forward, but her fingers trembled slightly.

Not far in front of her, Shen Xiaotang's limbs and waist were entangled by several vines hanging from the cave ceiling, and she was suspended in mid-air.

Its mouth was stuffed with fine vine tendrils, so it couldn't speak and could only make muffled sounds. Its almond-shaped eyes were filled with tears as it looked at Yun Qingyao, its eyes filled with fear.

The communication stone had been damaged. Yun Qingyao wanted to call for reinforcements, but found that the communication stone had completely stopped working after entering the cave.

After being crushed, it didn't emit even a trace of spiritual energy.

Of the five members of the pathfinder team, only two remain today.

The square-faced male cultivator had become a withered corpse, with a hole the size of a bowl through his chest. He lay face up on the edge of the cave wall, his eyes wide open in death.

The remaining two early-stage Golden Core disciples, a man and a woman, were standing opposite Yun Qingyao, or more precisely, between her and Shen Xiaotang.

Their eyes turned an eerie dark green, their pupils were unfocused, their expressions were blank, and the blood vessels under their skin bulged out, turning into dark green lines, as if something was controlling their bodies from the inside.

The two magic weapons were already aimed at Yun Qingyao. Although the fluctuations of spiritual energy were still at the Golden Core stage, the aura was no longer human.

Just then!

Several golden sword lights pierced through the air from the depths of the cave!

So fast that it left no afterimage, it precisely struck the writhing, malevolent vegetation on the cave wall.

Dark green sap splattered everywhere, and the severed vines writhed wildly like wounded snakes, emitting a piercing hissing sound.

Yun Qingyao felt a weight on her shoulder as a hand firmly pressed down on it, pulling her backward with undeniable force.

"Back off! They're beyond saving!"

She recognized the voice...

Before she could even turn around and see the person's face clearly...

Then I saw the three fellow disciples opposite me who were being manipulated: two early-stage Golden Core disciples and Shen Xiaotang, who was entangled in vines...

The last trace of humanity in their eyes vanished instantly, and their dark green pupils completely lost focus.

The next second, all three mouths opened at the same time, to an angle that no living person could ever open their mouths to.

A dense mass of red vines surged from deep within his throat, carrying with it warm flesh and bone fragments.

The scene was like scarlet flowers blooming on the faces of the three people, so eerie that it sent chills down one's spine.

Yun Qingyao was pulled backward by Mu Tianmiao, her boots scraping two deep grooves in the ground.

Her eyes widened, and her stomach churned.

She had killed many people and seen many dead bodies, but she had never seen such a disgusting scene.

Mu Tianmiao released her shoulder, and the long sword in his hand was drawn in response.

The golden light on the sword exploded like the blazing sun, illuminating him as if he were a golden-armored god.

A wave of light, imbued with sword intent, suddenly spread out from him, forming a visible golden domain that blocked all the red vines that were rushing in from all directions.

The vines turned to ashes upon contact with the golden light, leaving not a trace behind.

Immediately afterwards, the aperture suddenly contracted, compressed to its limit, and then exploded, transforming into a powerful sword aura condensed to almost solid state.

The sword energy swept across the three people in front of him, whose faces were already unrecognizable.

Where the sword energy passed, flesh and blood were shattered.

The three fellow disciples controlled by the vines, along with all the evil plants surging from their bodies, were shredded into dust by this sword strike.

The roar of sword energy colliding with the rock walls echoed in the cave for a long time.

Yun Qingyao collapsed to the ground.

She stared blankly at the pile of minced meat and broken vines in front of her.

Xiao Shen's round face, those almond-shaped eyes that always stood up for her, and the way he tugged at her sleeve before leaving, seemingly wanting to say something but holding back.

Scenes flashed before my eyes, only to shatter in the golden light of that sword.

Tears streamed silently down her cheeks, and her shoulders began to tremble uncontrollably.

Mu Tianmiao grabbed her sleeve and lifted her up from the ground.

The sword flashed, carrying the two of them as they sped deeper into the cave.

He spoke twice as fast as usual, and his tone contained no comfort whatsoever, only a cold and almost inhuman urgency.

"Don't rush to cry, Yun Qingyao, we're not out of danger yet."

He took out a pill from his storage ring and swallowed it directly into his mouth.

The medicinal power of the Rejuvenating Pill dissolved in his dantian. The Dustless Sword Wave, which he had just unleashed with all his might, had consumed most of his spiritual energy, and it was now rapidly recovering.

As he sped along on his sword, he scanned every fork in the road and every cave wall ahead with his divine sense, his expression behind the mask taut and tense!

The red vines were still chasing him, and he could feel the evil aura spreading rapidly behind him in the distance!

It's as if the entire cave has been activated from within, and is awakening!

While riding his sword at breakneck speed, Mu Tianmiao glanced at the system interface that suddenly popped up in his mind.

A semi-transparent light screen unfolded before my eyes, and the mission title was a striking blood red!

Red missions are the highest level of danger among system missions!

[Red Mission: Slay the corrupted Golden Core Perfection level demon in this area—the Soul-Stealing Fragrance Flower!]

[Reward: The Lord of All Desolations - Fortune.]

[Effect Description: Gain the potential of an emperor; all attributes and charm are doubled.]

[A woman who has cultivated with a host will automatically have the Emperor's mark left in her body, increasing her cultivation speed by 20%, all her attributes by 10%, and a divine pattern will appear between her brows.]

[Bonus Reward: One piece of Primordial Divine Iron, automatically added to the deepest part of the secret realm.]

Mu Tianmiao's gaze lingered on the system screen for less than two breaths, but his mind had already gone through several twists and turns.

Soul-Stealing Fragrance Flower, Golden Core Perfection, Corruption...

These words, when put together, were even marked as high-risk in red by the system—they were definitely not to be trifled with. But the reward was just too amazing!

The ruler of all realms, possessing the potential of an emperor, with all attributes doubled and charm doubled, and all women he has cultivated with receive permanent bonuses!

This was practically tailor-made for him. Give up? Are you kidding me!

He can revive on the spot after death, so at worst he can just waste a few lives with that great demon. Who's afraid of who!

But first, we have to send Yun Qingyao away.

He glanced back at the girl behind him.

He pulled Yun Qingyao by her sleeve, and she stumbled after the sword light. The tear stains on her face were still wet, but her eyes had already refocused and her fingers holding the sword were steady.

He was indeed a sword cultivator at the ninth level of the Golden Core stage.

He broke down in just a few breaths before forcefully suppressing his emotions.

"Yun Qingyao, the exit of the secret realm might still be there. I'll take you to the entrance now; it'll be much safer there!"

Yun Qingyao suddenly looked up at him: "And what about you?"

Chapter Forty-Eight: What the female benefactor said is right

As Mu Tianmiao sped along, she spoke quickly without turning her head.

"Something's not right here! We've all been fooled! There's nothing in this secret realm except for those damned plant monsters!"

"There are no spiritual plants, no spiritual seeds, and no thousand-year-old cicadas! Those rumors were deliberately spread, and the resources were all bait laid in advance!"

"I suspect this entire secret realm is actually the lair of some sealed great demon, and someone wants us to come in as nourishment!"

His voice was urgent and rapid, filled with barely suppressed anger.

He pulled her by the sleeve, and she stumbled along behind him, her lips biting white.

The light from the cave exit could be faintly seen ahead; the exit was still there and had not been sealed off.

"Don't get involved in this mess again! Once you get out, go straight to the Immortal Shadow Sect's flying boat and tell the people outside what happened inside!"

Mu Tianmiao released her sleeve and turned to charge back into the depths of the cave.

"I do not!"

Yun Qingyao's voice suddenly rose, and she grabbed his wrist.

Mu Tianmiao turned to look at her.

Yun Qingyao's eyes were still red, but there were no tears in those peach blossom eyes at this moment, only a stubborn light that was almost obstinate.

Her lips moved a few times, as if she wanted to say something but couldn't. She just gripped his wrist tightly until her knuckles turned white.

Mu Tianmiao sighed, reached out and gently brushed the messy strands of hair from her forehead behind her ear. The movement was light, but his tone left no room for refusal.

"I don't want to see you die. You're my woman."

Yun Qingyao didn't move. She rubbed her eyes, stood still, and looked at Mu Tianmiao in a calm tone.

"I think it's impossible. Getting out won't be that easy."

She pointed to the cave wall above her head; the glowing vines had changed from a dark blue to a dark red.

It was as if something had ignited it from the inside.

“These plants are spreading towards the entrance; they are not attacking randomly, but are doing so in a directional manner.”

Mu Tianmiao frowned.

Yun Qingyao's emotions had completely calmed down, and her peach blossom eyes had become clear and sharp again.

She was, after all, a saint, and once she broke free from her grief, reason and judgment quickly returned to her mind.

Just then, a panting voice came from the side road.