Chapter 1044: What? You Call This a Giant Over Three Zhang?

Shen Nong Yao Yuan, I'm here!

The moment Xu Xiao Shou rushed into the barrier passage, he felt every pore on his body trembling.

The fragrance of ling yao, the heaven and earth spiritual energy...

It was overwhelming!

Overflowing everywhere!

"Ge ge ge ge ge..."

Zhen Xu Bei was too conspicuous, so Xu Xiao Shou had long since hidden it in an inconspicuous corner of Miracle Forest.

Now, he had transformed into Zhen Xu Bei, basking in the delight as if he were experiencing the breathing method for the first time while absorbing drugs, floating upright in midair, controlled by the spiritual energy.

"Can't absorb, can't look, can't break through..."

"Just hold on a little longer, just a bit more, I can do it!"

Xu Xiao Shou squeezed his eyes shut tightly, not even daring to glance at the scenes transmitted by his "perception."

He was afraid that if he saw the vast medicine garden from Shuang Dazed's memories, filled with tens of thousands of sheng yao, he would lose his mind completely, just like that guy, spiraling out of control.

The plan was still proceeding smoothly.

Hong Dang had already entered Shen Nong Yao Yuan; he just needed to pluck one yao to lure away the Xu Kong Shi.

Then, what ling yao couldn't he stuff into his pocket? What sheng yao couldn't he suck up with the breathing method?

"Disappear technique!"

Without any hesitation, relying on his strong willpower to resist the temptation, Xu Xiao Shou cast the disappear technique with one hand, vanishing into Shen Nong Yao Yuan.

On the other side,

Hong Dang was the first to charge into Shen Nong Yao Yuan, but after one breath, two breaths, three breaths, he still stood dumbstruck at the entrance of the barrier passage.

"I..."

"My goodness..."

"What the hell did I just see?!"

As a self-proclaimed Tai Xu expert with a bulging little treasury, Hong Dang stared at the medicine garden before him like a country bumpkin entering the city, utterly stunned by this extravagant, fully equipped treasure land.

As far as the eye could see, Shen Nong Yao Yuan stretched endlessly.

Every three steps, a pin-grade ling cao; every five steps, a major sheng yao.

Flowers bloomed in vibrant clusters, a riot of colors, dazzling and diverse.

The variety and quantity were simply more exaggerated than any auction held by all the ling yao merchants on Sheng Shen Continent combined!

"Zhu Xue Hua, Tao Xian Ling Mu, Sheng Ji Guo Tree..."

"How is this possible? How can such sheng yao just be placed at the entrance like this?"

"Isn't this supposed to be the centerpiece of any yao yuan? How can it be so improperly displayed at the door for people to admire? What if someone accidentally steps on it?"

"This is so improper, utterly improper..."

Hong Dang muttered to himself, his words incoherent.

He spread his hands and shook his head, unable to express the shock in his heart through any gesture or language.

Right at the entrance, there were these three types of sheng yao.

Besides them, there were many others radiating the same level of sheng li fluctuations, though Hong Dang couldn't name them.

As for the first- and second-grade ling yao...

Shuang Dazed was right!

In Shen Nong Yao Yuan, first- and second-grade ling yao were truly just like weeds, not even worth a second glance.

Under the bright moon, how could fireflies compete with its light?

"So many... how can there be so many? How am I supposed to choose?"

The last shred of Hong Dang's sanity urged his feet quickly toward the Sheng Ji Guo Tree.

Yes, there were too many sheng yao in Shen Nong Yao Yuan, but upon calming down, Hong Dang realized that no matter how high-quality or combat-enhancing other sheng yao were, none could compare to the allure of the "Sheng Ji Guo" for a Tai Xu practitioner.

Hong Dang was grateful that he recognized the Sheng Ji Guo, allowing him to make it his first choice.

But he also regretted his own ignorance, because Shen Nong Yao Yuan surely contained sheng yao even more powerful than Sheng Ji Guo, just waiting to be harvested.

Unfortunately...

He didn't recognize them!

And there was no time to learn about them!

In a flash, he rushed to the side of the Sheng Ji Guo Tree. This tree had only two fruits left, but that didn't matter, because with one glance, Hong Dang spotted several more Sheng Ji Guo Trees in the distance.

That meant he could take one Sheng Ji Guo now, and afterward, Shuang Dazed wouldn't turn against him.

"At Tai Xu realm, I can possess sheng li, which is like drinking sheng blood all the time."

"You have to know, I've lived this long without even getting my hands on a single drop of sheng blood."

"And as long as I eat the Sheng Ji Guo, I can gain that ability!"

"Hahaha..."

Hong Dang laughed wildly as he reached out and cupped the head-sized Sheng Ji Guo, plucking it without a second thought.

Time seemed to freeze in that instant...

In his disappeared state, Xu Xiao Shou finally opened his eyes, his face full of shock as he gazed at the vast medicine garden below.

After forcibly averting his gaze, he easily spotted a sinkhole in the distance of the yao yuan, where the Xu Kong Shi he had seen before lay slumbering, a massive three-hundred-zhang creature.

Without a doubt, Hong Dang must have seen it with his spiritual senses too.

At first glance, this slumbering Xu Kong Shi was so enormous and devoid of any vital signs that anyone would mistake it for a mountain guarding the yao yuan.

Xu Xiao Shou was no exception, but because of his preconceptions, he could tell that this black mountain was actually the body of the Xu Kong Shi lying there!

Turning his head, naturally, Xu Xiao Shou saw Hong Dang's action of plucking the Sheng Ji Guo...

In that moment, he laughed.

He laughed uncontrollably with joy.

"Hong Dang brother, take care!"

He had barely thought this in his heart when the Sheng Ji Guo detached from the Sheng Ji Guo Tree...

"Boom!"

Accompanied by a thunderous roar,

The sky turned dark!

"Hmm?"

Holding the head-sized Sheng Ji Guo, Hong Dang was slightly stunned.

What happened?

He turned his head and was shocked to see that the black mountain in the distance had actually moved.

The mountain rose like a person, blocking out the sky and sun, casting endless darkness over Shen Nong Yao Yuan by carrying all the light on its back!

"Intruder..."

The black mountain giant spoke, its voice buzzing and trembling like thunder, shaking the heart.

"Another foolish intruder."

"This..."

Hong Dang's hand tightened at the sound, his heart seizing up, nearly crushing the Sheng Ji Guo on the spot.

"This...?"

"This...!"

"What the hell is this?!"

Straining to look and carefully discerning, Hong Dang finally realized that the upright black mountain was a massive ancient giant, three hundred zhang tall. His pupils shrank suddenly, and his mentality shattered completely.

"Damn, damn, damn!"

"Shuang Dazed, get your ass out here and explain!"

"Guardian? Giant? You call this a three-zhang giant?"

"Wang Zuo Zhi Qu? Is this what you said could rival Wang Zuo Zhi Qu? What the hell kind of creature is this?!"

With a bang, the ground under his feet exploded, dirt flying everywhere.

Hong Dang didn't dare linger for even a second longer. Clutching the head-sized Sheng Ji Guo, like Shuang Dazed before him, he bolted.

As he fled toward the barrier passage, he shouted hysterically:

"You son of a bitch, Shuang Dazed, I'll curse your whole family for eighteen generations—may they all meet a terrible end!"

"Giant... what the hell giant! You're just screwing me over, you beast!"

Tears streaming down his face.

In that moment, all the overlooked details from earlier flooded back in his frenzy.

Why did Shuang Dazed keep charging forward after breaking the array? What was the point of him seeking allies outside the barrier?

Shuang Dazed was clearly at Tai Xu, so why was he slower, letting Hong Dang enter Shen Nong Yao Yuan first? What was he waiting for?

Once Shuang Dazed entered Shen Nong Yao Yuan, he vanished completely—what was he afraid of?

—It was the giant!

—The answer was the towering, three-hundred-zhang dark giant overhead!

Hong Dang went mad.

His mouth spewed frenzied curses, accompanying his fleeing figure like a stray dog, echoing through every corner outside Shen Nong Yao Yuan.

People die for wealth.

Hong Dang had suspected Shuang Dazed might trick him, so he had prepared for the possibility that not everything said was true.

But he never imagined Shuang Dazed would deceive him so thoroughly!

With such a colossal giant as the guardian, how had Shuang Dazed dared to act? Was his guts made of steel?

How could he have done it?

"Run!"

"I have to run!"

"Preparation? What preparation? It's like an ant trying to shake a tree; all preparations are worthless toys before this giant!"

Hong Dang cursed with all his might as he sprinted at full speed.

The priority was to keep the Sheng Ji Guo and save his own skin.

As for Shuang Dazed...

He'd settle the score later!

Outside, on the ancient tree,

Listening to the ear-piercing curses and seeing a mad dog burst out of the barrier passage, Lei Xi Er took a deep breath, falling into utter silence.

"Xu Xiao Shou, you're truly ruthless..."

Self-sacrifice in exchange.

Just by thinking about it, Lei Xi Er could imagine how desperate Hong Dang must feel after plucking the sheng yao and seeing the dark giant rise.

She half-squatted in the crown of the ancient tree, holding Greedy God's two little paws with pink pads, pinching them gently as she whispered, "Little Greedy God..."

"Meow."

Greedy God looked up, puzzled.

Lei Xi Er parted her red lips and sighed after a long pause: "From now on, don't use your San Yan Tong eyes on Xu Xiao Shou anymore, got it?"

"Meow?"

Greedy God tilted its head, wondering why.

Lei Xi Er said nothing.

Look at your innocent face...

Oh, Greedy God, do you know that if one day Xu Xiao Shou devours you until not even a single cat hair is left, you'd probably still be happy about it right before you die?

"Never mind."

After a brief hesitation, Lei Xi Er stopped talking: "Hide yourself; make sure the Xu Kong Shi doesn't spot you."

As an outsider, even without seeing what was happening in Shen Nong Yao Yuan, Lei Xi Er's sharp mind could easily deduce the situation inside.

The Xu Kong Shi showed no reaction when the barrier of Shen Nong Yao Yuan was broken.

But as soon as Hong Dang plucked a yao and started cursing, the Xu Kong Shi reacted.

This clearly meant Xu Xiao Shou had disappeared, leaving Hong Dang alone to bear all the pressure from the Xu Kong Shi.

Based on this...

The barrier of Shen Nong Yao Yuan was irrelevant!

The only thing the Xu Kong Shi guarded was the ling yao and sheng yao.

So, for Hong Dang, the best way to survive wasn't to run but to drop the Sheng Ji Guo, even if he just tossed it on the ground.

Maybe then the Xu Kong Shi would stop chasing.

But...

"Is that possible?"

In her mind, Lei Xi Er recalled Shuang Dazed's tragic end.

Even without witnessing Shuang Dazed consuming the yao, just from his final appearance—the sheng yao fragrance emanating from him and the fact that he, as a Tai Xu, had mastered sheng li...

No one could let go of the Sheng Ji Guo!

Once the treasure was in hand, reason might tell any yao gatherer to drop it and attain enlightenment on the spot.

But humans are slaves to greed.

What if? What if I can escape the Xu Kong Shi's pursuit?

Then, wouldn't giving up the Sheng Ji Guo I risked my life for be the ultimate loss, the height of stupidity?

"Greed..."

Lei Xi Er murmured.

Greed, the original sin!

But who is greedier than Xu Xiao Shou?

Others pluck one sheng yao and run, but Xu Xiao Shou, after directly experiencing the Xu Kong Shi's power, still boldly plotted to take the entire Shen Nong Yao Yuan—all of it!

He even planned ahead for it...

Now that's what you call a "greedy god"!

That little white cat is just a joke!

"Boom!"

While she pondered, the space outside Shen Nong Yao Yuan shattered, and a massive foot stepped out.

Then, the Xu Kong Shi appeared with red eyes, locking onto the direction of Hong Dang's desperate flight with the Sheng Ji Guo.

"Boom, boom, boom!"

With each massive step,

The chase between the giant and the ant began anew!

"As expected..."

Lei Xi Er watched the Xu Kong Shi depart, thinking that its target was indeed only the sheng yao and the thief; it ignored everyone else.

She glanced toward Shen Nong Yao Yuan.

Up until now, there was still no sign of the third person inside.

But she could guess—as soon as Xu Xiao Shou touched a sheng yao, the Xu Kong Shi would sense it. Would it continue chasing Hong Dang or turn back immediately?

Lei Xi Er hugged the little white cat, Greedy God, tightly, her eyes filled with deep worry.

"Xu Xiao Shou, how much will you take?"

"One stalk, two stalks? Or one tree, two trees?"

"Please, please remember to know when to stop!"

"Mine! All mine!"

"In here, I want every single bit!"

In Shen Nong Yao Yuan, Xu Xiao Shou's eyes were bloodshot; after holding back for so long, he finally snapped.

Hong Dang had indeed lured the Xu Kong Shi away, just like in the soul-read memories of Shuang Dazed's yao-plucking process!

And it matched their prior plan perfectly!

"Flawless!"

"Hong Dang brother is gone, and the guardian is chasing him."

"Now, Shen Nong Yao Yuan is empty; all the sheng yao and weeds are mine!"

Last time in Bai Ku, he had moved an entire field of third- and fourth-grade ling yao and treated it like a treasure, not even letting Greedy God use it for alchemy practice.

This time, with the level jumping straight to sheng yao, how could Xu Xiao Shou hold back?

Counting the time and suppressing his excitement, he waited a full ten breaths...

Figuring that the Xu Kong Shi and Hong Dang must be far away, Xu Xiao Shou decisively canceled the disappear technique and landed by the Sheng Ji Guo Tree.

This wasn't the one Hong Dang or Shuang Dazed had picked; it was deeper inside, with seven intact Sheng Ji Guo still on it!

"Pluck it and eat it, and I'll have sheng li as a Zong Shi."

"In the future, even fighting a Tai Xu, as long as they haven't consumed sheng blood, it'll be like the Xu Kong Shi beating Shuang Dazed or Hong Dang—effortless!"

Xu Xiao Shou's Adam's apple bobbed as he swallowed hard, extending his devilish hands toward the Sheng Ji Guo... but not the fruit itself; he reached for the tree roots.

Like a flower monk possessed! He was going to uproot it entirely and plant it in his Yuan Fu World to nurture his own semi-saint subordinates!

"Wahaha..."

"No, can't laugh, can't laugh!"

"Being too arrogant might jinx it; I look just like a villainous demon right now..."

Xu Xiao Shou held his breath, suppressed his smile, gripped the tree trunk with both hands, and prepared to pull.

But just then, the Sheng Di Long Lin suddenly escalated from a light heartbeat to a frantic pounding, like that day deep in the sea facing Ban Sheng Jiang Bu Yi.

"Thump thump! Thump thump! Thump thump!"

"Shocked, passive value, +1."

The information panel popped up, jolting the red-eyed Xu Xiao Shou back to some semblance of calm.

"Danger?"

He immediately abandoned the idea of uprooting the tree.

Sure enough, the heartbeat of Sheng Di Long Lin returned to normal.

"Touching the sheng yao triggers the Xu Kong Shi's senses?"

Xu Xiao Shou frowned, reaching for the Sheng Ji Guo without plucking it, just thinking about it...

"Thump thump! Thump thump! Thump thump!"

Sheng Di Long Lin pounded wildly, indicating that plucking it would be a death sentence.

"Damn it..."

Xu Xiao Shou was furious.

The cooked duck was right in front of him, not even flying away, but he couldn't eat it?

He scanned the entire Shen Nong Yao Yuan.

"Too small-scale, my ambitions are too small."

"Giving up is not an option. Since I only get one chance..."

Xu Xiao Shou thought for a moment, opened the spatial channel to his Yuan Fu World, and began expanding it, larger and larger, then even larger...

"I'll say one thing: in one go, I'll empty out Shen Nong Yao Yuan!"