Chapter 146: Such a Huge Gift

Qin Hongyi's voice cut off abruptly!

Su Yizhao immediately stopped in his tracks, his eyes fixed dead ahead!

He only felt a soft sensation on his arm, as Qin Hongyi's alluring body pressed tightly against him.

Her full breasts were squeezed against his arm, distorting slightly.

However, Su Yizhao was in no mood to enjoy it!

Suppressing his heart, which felt as though it was about to burst out of his chest, he held his breath!

A hundred paces ahead, a colossal behemoth lay dormant!

It seemed to be in a deep sleep, its massive body rising and falling with each breath!

With every rise and fall, the entire void trembled!

As if it might shatter at any moment!

Its crab-like body spanned forty to fifty paces, accompanied by a pair of massive claws over ten paces long.

Even at a distance of a hundred paces, its aura felt overwhelming.

Oppressive!

Breathing became difficult!

His heart raced wildly!

What is this?

"Is the treasure map pointing to this thing?" Qin Hongyi's voice trembled slightly.

Where was the promised treasure?

Su Yizhao remained silent!

Damn it!

He had been tricked by that foolish deer again!

Judging solely by this aura, he felt he could not take another half-step forward!

In the depths of his mind, the divine deer's voice sounded exceptionally grave, "Be careful! Do not wake it unless you have to!"

Su Yizhao cursed inwardly.

Did that foolish deer even need to state the obvious?

He wished he could turn around and run away right now!

"The passage you are currently in is actually formed from the bone of a Spirit-Devouring Clan member. Your current location is right at its brain—which is where the mineral core is situated!"

Just as the divine deer's voice faded, a surge of excitement welled up inside Su Yizhao.

A mineral core!

He had only ever obtained one mineral core in his life!

And that mineral core had been no larger than a fist!

Even so, that single mineral core had advanced his Soul-Refining Art by an entire rank.

The mineral core here... !

Immediately afterward, his enthusiasm deflated!

Looking at that dormant, phantom-like monster that seemed on the verge of waking up, how could anyone possibly take it?

"This is the first grand gift I am besting upon you!" The divine deer sounded somewhat smug. "Hehe! Go get it!"

Su Yizhao was stunned!

Making it sound as if it were an effortless task!

Go get it!

That was suicide!

He grabbed Qin Hongyi and was about to turn around when the divine deer's voice echoed again: "Further ahead lies the root of the Myriad-Year Divine Wood!"

Su Yizhao froze in his tracks.

The root of the Pure Wind Myriad-Year Divine Wood!

The Eight-Trigrams God-Slaying Sword!

"Is this true?" Su Yizhao could not calm his agitation.

The divine deer replied, "Why would I lie? How else would I know about this place?"

Su Yizhao raised his head once more to look ahead.

The dormant phantom lay prostrate upon the platform, blocking their path.

There was no way around it; the only option was to try and climb over it.

"Will it suddenly wake up?"

The divine deer explained, "It is using the essence of its own flesh and blood to heal its wounds—what you mortals call profound qi! It generally will not wake up easily!"

Su Yizhao felt slightly relieved.

At that moment, Qin Hongyi said, "Fellow Daoist Su, look! Underneath it are piles of top-grade profound stones!"

Su Yizhao peered closely and saw eight small legs tightly coiled around its torso. Beneath its massive body were indeed profound stones!

This was an entire mine of top-grade profound stones!

Su Yizhao's heart stirred!

It stirred intensely!

The divine deer egged him on, "Hehe! Sneak past it to reach the divine wood root, kill it, and the mineral core and profound stones will all be yours!"

Su Yizhao shook his head!

His eyes remained fixed on the behemoth!

Gently pulling Qin Hongyi along, he tentatively took a single step forward!

There was no reaction from the beast, though he felt the pressure increase by another notch!

Qin Hongyi's delicate body trembled slightly, her breasts pressing even tighter against him!

The divine deer chuckled:

"Don't be afraid, I'm here!"

Su Yizhao gritted his teeth and inched forward step by step!

It felt as though he were pushing against an invisible wall, and his advance became arduous!

The Daoist robe on his body groaned under the crushing pressure of the opposing aura.

Qin Hongyi's alluring curves were sharply defined under the strain!

Eighty paces!

Sixty paces!

Thirty paces!

The rising and falling body of the behemoth grew increasingly clear.

Yet neither of them looked at it, nor did they care whether there were any signs of it waking up.

The two of them were currently locked in a battle with themselves!

Circulating their profound qi, they struggled to take a single step!

Only after resting and adjusting their breathing for a long moment could they manage another step!

The invisible pressure and the suffocating aura bearing down on their hearts nearly crushed them both.

Qin Hongyi's exquisite face turned deathly pale once more!

Twenty paces!

Ten paces!

Five paces!

The forty-to-fifty-pace-tall colossus loomed right before their eyes, and as they looked up, a wave of awe washed over them once again!

And this was merely its injured soul!

Had it been its true physical body, how overwhelmingly majestic would it have been?

A pair of pincers, over ten paces in size and as thick as a grown man, rested before its torso.

Even while resting quietly, these pincers deterred them from making any rash moves!

Mysterious, intricate patterns covered its massive body, radiating an aura of profound mystery!

The entire form possessed seemingly not a single flaw.

Su Yizhao could not fathom how any cultivator could ever dare to fight such a monster!

Qin Hongyi asked in a low voice, "Sh-should we keep going forward?"

Su Yizhao sighed, "We have no other choice!"

Though he said this, his gaze betrayed a hint of retreat.

It wasn't just fear!

It was sheer terror!

He watched as the massive body rose and fell, causing the void to tremble as though it were about to fracture!

The oscillating void acted like a curtain, severing the heavens from the earth.

To cross over it, one had to step directly into that curtain.

Are you sure it won't wake up?

The divine deer's voice sounded: "Kid, this is a trial of cultivation! If you get past it, you win; if you don't, you lose!"

Su Yizhao cursed inwardly, "You foolish deer, what isn't a trial of cultivation? Turning back and leaving is also a trial of cultivation!"

The divine deer was left speechless!

Because he was entirely right!

Knowing when to advance and when to retreat was, in itself, a form of cultivation!

The fact that he had made it this far was already quite impressive!

If it were that deer's own master, he probably would have turned around and left long ago!

"Then... should we move forward?" Qin Hongyi pulled gently on his hand.

Su Yizhao nodded!

In an instant, countless thoughts flashed through his mind!

Yet, pressing forward was the only correct path to take!

It wasn't because he was bold!

Rather, he was willing to gamble!

Since the monster was healing and deep in sleep, sneaking past it quietly shouldn't wake it.

Besides, why would it wake up precisely now of all times?

He summoned his flying sword and gently probed it into the trembling void!

*Clang!*

With a soft chime, the flying sword was knocked flying backward!

Su Yizhao's expression changed drastically!

The repulsive force was immense!

It utterly rejected external objects!

"Come, shall we sit down and recover our strength first?" Su Yizhao sat cross-legged on the spot.

Seeing this, Qin Hongyi followed suit and sat down as well.

Right beneath their feet lay top-grade profound stones!

wisps of profound qi surged into their dantian, gradually filling their profound qi reservoirs.

The two of them sat there meditating and adjusting their breath, resting in close proximity to the monster!

The divine deer shook its head inwardly.

Their audacity was simply too great!

However, sneaking past quietly without disturbing it was an absolute impossibility!

An hour later, Su Yizhao opened his eyes!

A sharp gleam flashed through his gaze; his cultivation had improved once again!

However, he was still some distance away from breaking through to the Nine-Void Realm!

Suddenly.

A terrifying aura erupted from Qin Hongyi's body!

Su Yizhao was instantly stunned!

This?

Was she about to break through?

The aura around her grew increasingly violent, whipping up her red Daoist robe and revealing her curvaceous figure.

All the profound qi in the surrounding space rushed toward her in a frenzy!

"Fellow Daoist Su, I can't control it anymore!" Caught in the eye of the profound qi vortex, Qin Hongyi could barely keep her eyes open.

Su Yizhao understood completely!

A breakthrough in realm!

Truly lay beyond human control!

Much like reaching a climax, it was impossible to interrupt halfway through.

However!

Now was truly the worst possible time!

Could her innate talent possibly be any more monstrous?

*Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh...!*

The rushing tide of profound qi kicked up fierce gales.

The rising and falling body of the monster abruptly froze, and its massive pincers twitched slightly!

Instantly, the situation spun completely out of control...!