The Spirit Plant Garden was called a garden, but in reality, it was also a valley.
It was just much smaller than Wave Valley and Pinglang Valley.
The Spirit Plant Garden housed a dedicated Spirit Gathering Array. Coupled with its prime location, it was exceptionally suited for growing Spirit Plants.
Additionally, numerous caves had been carved out for the demons to live in.
Looking at the dense plots of Spirit Plants spread out before him, Xu Chang'an felt a stir of temptation.
'If I were to devour all these Spirit Plants one by one, I wonder how much Energy I could accumulate!'
Over the past year, though he occasionally snuck a few Alchemy Materials to eat, the Energy he had accumulated was limited.
To this day, there hadn't been much change.
"Grey Rat."
Xu Chang'an suddenly heard someone call his name.
He turned to see a Wolf Demon.
The Wolf Demon's fanged maw took up half its head, looking absolutely terrifying.
"Vanguard Steel Fang."
Xu Chang'an replied with a smile.
When he first joined Langlang Mountain, Steel Fang was the one who had familiarized them with the place.
After he joined the Alchemy Hall, he still had occasional contact with Steel Fang.
So the other Defending Vanguard of the Spirit Plant Garden was none other than Steel Fang.
After exchanging a few words with Steel Fang, Xu Chang'an found a cave and settled in.
...
The Spiritual Qi within the Spirit Plant Garden was much richer than on Langlang Mountain. Although Xu Chang'an's Bloodline was of low quality, he could clearly feel his cultivation speed accelerating.
Unfortunately, such a boost seemed insignificant when faced with the terrifying gap between the Qi Refining Seventh Layer and the Qi Refining Eighth Layer.
Time slowly passed. In the blink of an eye, another half a month went by.
The Mountain Goat Spirit didn't assign Xu Chang'an much work, instead letting him cultivate in peace.
Xu Chang'an was more than happy with this arrangement.
Life in the Spirit Plant Garden was tranquil and peaceful.
It was as if they were completely cut off from the tense situation on Langlang Mountain.
Faced with the numerous Spirit Plants in the garden, Xu Chang'an's mindset grew calm.
'With my current strength, the demons guarding this Spirit Plant Garden are no match for me.'
'If I wanted to take them by force, I'd have a very good chance.'
'But if I make a move, I'm afraid I'll never be able to stay on Langlang Mountain again.'
'Even though Langlang Mountain is in the middle of a tense war, it's still a foothold for me.'
'Besides, devouring the Spirit Plant and Medicine takes time, and I might not have enough of it to digest everything completely.'
And so, he remained calm about the situation.
The war on the front lines seemed to have reached a critical stage.
Another batch of demons was transferred out of the Spirit Plant Garden.
Vanguard Steel Fang was among them.
"Vanguard Steel Fang, take care."
Xu Chang'an said solemnly.
A trip to the front lines was fraught with unknown dangers.
Even with his Qi Refining Sixth Layer Cultivation, Steel Fang's safety couldn't be guaranteed.
"Grey Rat, until we meet again."
Steel Fang let out a hearty laugh and departed without a second thought.
And so, the Spirit Plant Garden, already short on Demon Power, felt even more deserted.
Excluding the Little Demons who tended to the Spirit Plants, there were fewer than five truly capable demons left, and that was including the Qi Refining Fifth Layer Mountain Goat Spirit.
For some reason, Xu Chang'an grew a little worried.
Sure enough!
One day, Xu Chang'an was practicing his Magic inside his cave when he was startled by a huge bang from outside.
"What's going on!"
Xu Chang'an rushed out of his cave to investigate.
He saw that a breach had been torn in the Spirit Plant Garden's outermost Defense Array.
Seven or eight demons of all shapes and sizes were pouring into the Spirit Plant Garden.
Leading them was a massive Black Crow.
"Black Crow Mountain!"
Xu Chang'an's expression froze.
'The demons from Black Crow Mountain actually bypassed Langlang Mountain's multiple perimeters to get here!'
"Prepare for battle!"
"Man the Array! Quick, man the Array!"
"Hurry! Hurry!"
"..."
The sudden turn of events threw the Spirit Plant Garden into chaos.
The Mountain Goat Spirit's expression changed drastically as he looked at the Black Crow Mountain demons who had already entered the garden.
"How did they get here!?"
The Mountain Goat Spirit specialized in Alchemy Skill; his combat prowess was not strong.
As a vital part of Langlang Mountain, the Spirit Plant Garden was naturally protected by more than just a single Array.
A full three layers of Arrays had been set up!
If operated properly, they were enough to defend against the attacks of several Late-stage Qi Refining demons.
But unfortunately...
The number of demons guarding the Spirit Plant Garden was small, and the attack had been so sudden that their response was rushed.
By the time they reacted and got to their positions, the second Array had already been breached by the demons from Black Crow Mountain.
"Haha, you Little Demons of Langlang Mountain! Surrender to your deaths!"
A massive Black Crow Spirit outside the final Array was screaming maniacally.
He didn't let up for a moment, driving his Magical Artifact to bombard the Defense Array.
It was a Late-stage Qi Refining Old Demon!
"An Elder Level Old Demon! How can this be!"
The Mountain Goat Spirit stood there stunned, unable to accept the situation for a moment.
'I thought I was safe in the rear... I never expected this.'
The other demons were trembling with fear, their hearts heavy.
Two of the Defense Array's layers were gone, and Black Crow Mountain had a Late-stage Qi Refining Old Demon on the scene. How were they supposed to fight back?!
Xu Chang'an looked at the Black Crow Spirit outside the Array and realized it was a familiar demon.
He had met this Black Crow Spirit once before.
It was one of the demons who had attacked Jin Dashan—the Black Crow Spirit, Black Hair!
The Black Crow Mountain Demon Army unleashed a barrage of Magic and Magical Artifacts.
The demons inside the Spirit Plant Garden desperately controlled the Array, doing their best to resist.
The Array's light flickered, on the verge of collapse.
"Hold on! Once the reinforcements from Langlang Mountain arrive, we'll be saved!"
The Mountain Goat Spirit shouted, encouraging the other demons.
"Haha! Still hoping for reinforcements?
Don't even think about it!
I'll tell you the truth. My Great King of Black Crow Mountain has personally gone to Langlang Mountain.
Right now, he's leading our Black Crow Mountain Demon Army in an all-out assault on Langlang Mountain!"
"The demons on the mountain can't even save themselves! How could they possibly have the spare power to reinforce you here?!"
The Black Crow Spirit laughed with wild abandon.
Hearing this, the hearts of the demons inside the Spirit Plant Garden trembled.
'Langlang Mountain is under siege?!'
"Don't believe him! He's just spreading vicious rumors to confuse us!"
Seeing the reactions of the surrounding demons, the Mountain Goat Spirit immediately retorted.
But even he could tell his rebuttal lacked conviction.
He was already starting to believe the Black Crow Spirit's words.
Otherwise, how else could these demons from Black Crow Mountain have bypassed multiple perimeters and arrived here undetected?
HUMMM~ HUMMM~ HUMMM~
The Array trembled, on the verge of giving way.
'This is the perfect opportunity!'
Amid the chaos, Xu Chang'an concealed his aura and quietly slipped away.
The attention of the surrounding demons was entirely focused on the Black Crow Mountain invaders outside; no one noticed Xu Chang'an's unusual actions.
"Break!"
The Black Crow Spirit sneered.
He drove his Magical Artifact to slam viciously into the Array.
The Array's barrier of light began to shake violently. Finally, it reached its limit and cracks began to appear.
"It's not going to hold!"
A demon inside the Spirit Plant Garden yelled.
"No one is getting away! You're all going to die!"
He deployed a Trapping Magical Artifact, enveloping the area.
The Black Crow Spirit then flapped its wings, its massive Demon Body soaring toward the core of the Spirit Plant Garden.
"You'll be my first kill!"
The Black Crow Spirit was flying straight toward the Mountain Goat Spirit.
The Mountain Goat Spirit desperately channeled his Demon Power, driving his Magical Artifact in an attempt to block the attack.
'My life is over!'
'How could a mere Qi Refining Fifth Layer demon like me, unskilled in Magical Combat, possibly withstand an attack from an Elder Level demon?'
...