This Sword Cultivator is Somewhat Dependable

Lu Qingshan pointed to the black flowers planted in the wooden building. "Is it because of those things?"

Sang Ku nodded, "Yes, this flower is called the Poisonous Spirit Flower and emits a scent most detested by demon beasts.

One only needs to pluck them and drop them into the well water that everyone drinks daily, and the scent will exude from our bodies, making the demon beasts lose interest in us."

"However, there are two drawbacks with this flower, one being that it's poisonous.

The Poisonous Spirit Flower, true to its name, contains poison.

Although the toxin isn't strong, to avoid attacks from demon beasts, we've been drinking well water infused with the Poisonous Spirit Flower for a long time, and the toxins have been accumulating in our bodies, making them difficult to expel.

Therefore, our lifespan is much shorter than that of most people."

Lu Qingshan suddenly realized why the skeleton he had discovered was covered in green spots.

It was no wonder that all these villagers looked to have deep purple lips and odd complexions, they really had been poisoned.

"Second, this flower requires a type of mineral known as Gloomy Poison Crystal for growth and cultivation. Without this mineral, it would quickly wither," the village chief Sang Ku continued.

So it seemed that the trouble Sang Ku encountered must be related to the Gloomy Poison Crystal.

Lu Qingshan had already made a judgment in his heart.

As expected, Sang Ku spoke again, "We originally had control of a Gloomy Poison Crystal mine vein.

But just one month ago, an extremely vicious demon beast suddenly appeared above the mine, standing there with an imposing aura, and we didn't dare to approach."

"We also tried to drive it away with the Poisonous Spirit Flower, but this demon beast is strangely immune to the scent of the Poisonous Spirit Flower, remaining completely unaffected."

"Without the Gloomy Poison Crystal, we can't cultivate the Poisonous Spirit Flower, and without the Poisonous Spirit Flower, we can't survive in the Three Thousand Great Mountains infested with demon beasts," Sang Ku's voice grew heavier.

"Since you, Fellow Daoist Lu, come from outside the mountains and with the danger present here, you must be a cultivator with profound cultivation to have safely reached this place. Therefore, I humbly request that you help us, Black Scorpion Village." With his words finished, the village chief Sang Ku deeply bowed to Lu Qingshan and did not rise.

Lu Qingshan pondered for a moment and then said, "Stand up first. I can go and check the situation, but I can't guarantee that I will definitely be able to assist."

Sang Ku was very smart in dealing with things. Since meeting Lu Qingshan, he hadn't made any requests but had been utterly accommodating and cooperative with Lu Qingshan.

Under such circumstances, it made it difficult for Lu Qingshan to directly refuse Sang Ku's request.

However, Lu Qingshan was very rational; he preferred to observe the situation first.

If the ferocious beast was within his power to deal with, he wouldn't mind offering help, but if it was beyond his means, he wouldn't act recklessly.

Upon hearing this, Sang Ku's face lit up with joy, quickly replying, "Of course, if the demon beast is too powerful, then it can only be said that the heavens wish to end our Black Scorpion Village."

"Lead the way," said Lu Qingshan, not wanting to linger here too long since his most important task at the moment was to find Mimi.

.......

Two distinct lights flew from the distance. Experience new stories with My Virtual Library Empire

The one on the left was black as ink, while the one on the right was a streak of red light. They stopped in front of the mountain peak and slowly descended.

"Fellow Daoist Lu, we have arrived."

The somewhat aged voice of Sang Ku entered Lu Qingshan's ears. Lu Qingshan nodded and looked ahead at the small mountain in front of him.

On the cliff at the foot of the mountain, there was a clearly visible mine entrance. From a distance, the mouth of the cave was pitch black, and the specific scene inside was not clear.

"That mining cave is where the Gloomy Poison Crystal is mined; we usually extract Gloomy Poison Crystal from inside," Sang Ku said to Lu Qingshan in a low voice, and pointed to the cliff jutting out above.

A Demon Beast was squatting there.

"Hiss!" The Western Rat King on Lu Qingshan's shoulder couldn't help but take in a breath of cold air upon seeing the Demon Beast and whispered, "Lu Qingshan, that big guy looks troublesome; maybe we should just forget it..."

The Demon Beast before their eyes truly had an immense build, extraordinarily fierce.

Its body resembled that of a ferocious tiger, standing a zhang tall and measuring four or five zhang in length.

That ferocious head seemed lion-like, hidden under its forelimbs and unclear, appearing as though it were deep in sleep.

This fierce creature was covered in white fur, with regular black patterns distributed across its body, and a tail longer than its torso, coiling from behind to the head.

It was clearly not an easy target.

"Until half a month ago, this Demon Beast suddenly appeared there, and since then, we haven't dared to approach the mining cave to extract the Gloomy Poison Crystal," Sang Ku bit his teeth and said resentfully, "It's trying to cut off our lifeline.

We were ready, planning to risk our lives and venture once more into the mining cave to extract the Gloomy Poison Crystal when our stores began running low I a short while."

However, after Sang Ku had finished speaking with indignation, he found that the gaze with which Lu Qingshan looked at him became very strange, mixed with a meaning he couldn't understand.

Then, to his disbelief, Lu Qingshan calmly approached the ferocious beast, displaying an utterly fearless and unguarded demeanor.

....

Lu Qingshan walked straight to the foot of the mountain, looked up at the behemoth on the cliff, and suddenly called out loudly, "Do you need something up there?"

Sang Ku was dumbstruck, and the Western Rat King, even more anxious, tugged vigorously at Lu Qingshan's collar, "Lu Qingshan, why are you provocatively drawing its attention like this? What are you doing?"

Lu Qingshan patted the Western Rat King, reassuringly saying, "It's not a big problem."

In the Western Rat King's incredulous gaze, the giant beast squatting on the mountain top actually responded to Lu Qingshan in human speech, with a deep and resonant voice, "I'm scared, I dare not... move."

"Are you too scared to come down?" Lu Qingshan frowned and pressed for an answer.

"Mmm..." the fierce creature replied timidly again.

"What does it mean?" The Western Rat King still couldn't comprehend the situation of the fierce creature.

"I understand now," Lu Qingshan said as he nodded at the fierce creature, then asked, "Do you need my help to come down?"

In the next moment, the Western Rat King's little eyes bulged out in shock.

Upon hearing Lu Qingshan's words, the fierce creature actually lifted its vast and ferocious head from its forelimbs.

The beast clasped its shining-cold tiger paws over its eyes, revealing only a slit, and carefully peered through the gap at Lu Qingshan below, pleading pitifully, "Please."

......

In ancient times, there were Spirit Beasts with tiger bodies and lion heads, white fur with black patterns.

"Shaped like a tiger, full of multicolored features, a tail longer than its body, named Zouyu, capable of traveling a thousand li in a day."

The Zouyu, also known as the Benevolent Beast, had a gentle nature, not even willing to tread on grass, and would not eat any beings unless they died naturally.

If the Zouyu, which wouldn't even harm the grass, what ill intent could it possibly have?