Murderous intent filled Yan Shenjun’s expression. He released his psyche to survey the area but found nothing. Inferno Monk was gone, and Lin Jin disappeared along with him.
Like wild horses being set free, the situation here was utterly chaotic.
As a profound immortal, although Inferno Monk was much weaker than Yan Shenjun, if he gave his all, no one could stop him.
Many of the cave’s formations were broken by Inferno Monk, allowing immortal aura to flow outside so pursuing Inferno Monk was out of the question for now.
Yan Shenjun had to move his base because this location was now exposed.
It wouldn’t take long before his enemies tracked him down.
By the time Yan Shenjun exhausted most of his mana to relocate the cave and mend all damaged formations, he realized how great a loss he suffered this time.
Aside from the fact that many parts of his cave were destroyed, losing countless treasures in the process, less than twenty of his immortal servants from the initial number of thirty-two remained.
The others either died or went missing.
Forget the dead ones, the missing ones most probably escaped.
These immortal servants either came from the smaller sects Yan Shenjun previously eliminated or were loose immortals he captured. They were enslaved through the use of spells. While they revered and feared him on the surface, most of them hated his guts and wanted to skin him alive.
Compared to Inferno Monk and Lin Jin, those missing immortal servants weren’t worth mentioning.
In some other area, Inferno Monk could no longer maintain his sprinting spell. His size reverted to normal and the two people he brought along with him fell to the ground.
Of the two people, one was Lin Jin, the other was the female immortal they picked up on the way out of the cave, Xiang Yun.
The pelletization expert.
Bringing her along was Lin Jin’s idea. If he had the opportunity to take this pelletization prodigy away, Lin Jin wouldn’t let her stay with Yan Shenjun. More importantly, she was incredibly useful to Lin Jin.
Hope appeared in Xiang Yun’s eyes after learning that she was brought away from Yan Shenjun’s cave.
Still, she looked at Lin Jin and Inferno Monk with apprehension.
Inferno Monk was in a dreadful condition.
The strange worms were still eating away his body. It wasn’t that serious the last time Lin Jin saw it, but now, one of Inferno Monk’s arms was gone.
Inferno Monk still couldn’t remove these worms. No matter what he tried, it was useless.
“Forget it. Perhaps this is what I get for forsaking Buddhahood and committing atrocities. As the saying goes, ‘you reap what you sow’. I’ll accept my fate.” Inferno Monk sat down on the ground, visibly weakened as he leaned against a large rock. The flames on his body gradually diminished and the others could tell he was giving out soon.
Lin Jin may not be able to tell, but Xiang Yun could.
After all, as a half immortal, she had keener eyesight and her immortal senses far exceeded Lin Jin’s mortal senses. From her perspective, she was able to see Inferno Monk’s damaged foundation as well as the death aura surrounding him. These were signs of a perishing immortal.
“Go on, you two. And be careful not to get caught by that Yan Shenjun again. He’s shameless and cold-blooded. If you get caught again, only death awaits you.” Inferno Monk coughed up a mouthful of blood that turned into burning flames.
Lin Jin had a feeling that Inferno Monk was either coughing up magma or flammable fuel.
This was too much.
Right.
This guy is a fire attribute profound immortal.
Lin Jin suddenly remembered seeing descriptions of a fire attribute profound immortal from the books he read back at Mystery Dao Sect Comparing the descriptions he read with Inferno Monk, the semblance was uncanny.
Lin Jin seemed to remember Yan Shenjun mentioning it too. Coupled with his deductions, the likelihood increased dramatically.
No guesswork could compare to a direct question though.
“Venerable One, may I ask if you are a fire profound immortal?” asked Lin Jin.
Upon hearing this, Inferno Monk chuckled as he coughed. “I am indeed a fire profound immortal, but a dying one. I’d advise both of you to get away quickly. Once I die, this whole place will be drowned in flames. Magma will flood the land and flames will lick the sky. It’ll be difficult to run then.”
Inferno Monk had acknowledged Lin Jin’s question.
Lin Jin was thrilled.
He had been searching for the nine sun quartz without much success, and this material could only be crafted by profound immortals who cultivated the fire attribute.
Although he hadn’t found the nine sun quartz yet, he had a living breathing fire profound immortal right in front of him. Wouldn’t it just be a matter of time until he obtained one?
For this reason, Lin Jin wouldn’t let Inferno Monk die.
Regardless of Inferno Monk being a good or bad person, he was a fire profound immortal capable of crafting a nine sun quartz. Since he rescued Lin Jin from the mysterious realm earlier, he was still Lin Jin’s savior. It wasn’t outrageous for Lin Jin to extend a helping hand now.
Lin Jin reached out to touch the strange worms crawling on Inferno Monk’s body.
These strange worms reproduced endlessly by splitting themselves. By now, they covered half of Inferno Monk’s body and the latter was suffering helplessly from their invasion.
“Don’t touch them!” snapped Xiang Yun immediately.
She couldn’t resist speaking up when she saw Lin Jin trying to touch the worms. She knew something about them.
Lin Jin froze up before casting Xiang Yun a confused glance.
She chewed her bottom lip nervously.
“Mr. Lin, th-that is a spirit devouring ghost worm, creatures Yan Shenjun had nurtured with unique sorcery. Aside from Yan Shenjun who can control them, anyone else who touches them will get infected with no hopes of shaking them off.”
Perhaps she saw Lin Jin’s doubt, Xiang Yun added, “An immortal acquaintance of mine died from these spirit devouring ghost worms, so I know well that we must avoid them at all costs.”
Inferno Monk said weakly, “Young Friend, if you’re thinking about saving me, forget it. Even I can’t do anything about them so you’d just be wasting your life by trying to help me. Run along now, quickly.”
Lin Jin understood it now.
Instead of using his hand, Lin Jin pulled out a needle and shot it at a worm.
His needle swiftly pierced into the worm’s body. As if the creature’s body was made of tempered steel, it forced out the needle, and an ember lit up in its wake.
Xiang Yun and Inferno Monk both wore disappointed expressions. They probably assumed that the needle was Lin Jin’s attack. Since it couldn’t pierce through the creature, the attack must have failed.
However, it didn’t make a difference to Lin Jin whether the needle pierced the worm or not. Since these were worms, that made them beasts. So long as they were beasts, the Museum of Deadly Beasts could appraise them.
