The Heaven-and-Earth Banner gave everyone one day to rest.
The melon-eating onlookers outside also took the opportunity to recover.
Watching drama was exhausting too!
One day later, the seventh trial began.
The light screen split into four sections, one for each group.
In everyone's mind, Shen Zhilan's group was guaranteed to advance. The only question was which of the other three groups would seize the remaining spot.
At the moment, the elite disciples stood within a valley.
The task was announced:
[In the Valley of Heavenly Abyss grows a demonic plant called the Heavenly Abyss Divine Tree, whose cultivation is comparable to early Nascent Soul.
On its trunk grows a heavenly treasure known as Purple Spirit Mushrooms.
The first two groups to collect ten Purple Spirit Mushrooms will advance.]
After hearing the mission, Xing Wu urged Feng Xi to quickly release formation beasts to escort them.
Feng Xi curled her lips, "I'm afraid that won't work anymore."
Sure enough, when she inserted spiritual stones into the formation plate, there's no response.
This was within Feng Xi's expectations.
The Heaven-and-Earth Banner was quite efficient at patching its loopholes.
Ying Feilong looked stunned!
"Feng Xi, without formation beasts and with our weak cultivation, forget ten Purple Spirit Mushrooms, we might not even get one!"
Xing Wu rolled his eyes, "What do you know? Even without formation beasts, Little Junior Sister will still carry us to victory!"
Ying Feilong might be polite to Feng Xi, but that didn't mean he would be the same to Xing Wu.
He immediately flew into a rage and was about to fight him.
Feng Xi cleared her throat, "Enough! Stop arguing!"
Both Xing Wu and Ying Feilong instantly became as quiet as chickens.
Jiang Ji: "..."
Xing Wu was understandable, but why was Ying Feilong this obedient too?
After pondering for a moment, Feng Xi said, "Let's familiarize ourselves with the terrain first. At least if we need to run away, we won't get lost.
After that, we'll find one Heavenly Abyss Divine Tree and assess the situation."
The group cautiously began exploring and familiarising themselves with the terrain; they hadn't gone even a mile when Ying Feilong screamed.
Turning back, Jiang Ji and the others saw him almost completely swallowed by a massive red flower with only his feet sticking out.
Jiang Ji slashed at the flower's stem with a sword beam.
Black sap oozed out and the flower drooped.
With a lot of pulling and tugging, they finally managed to drag Ying Feilong free.
His body was completely covered in sticky fluid. His eyes were swollen, sweat dripping from the pain.
The flower's sap was clearly poisonous!
Feng Xi quickly used the Water Mist Technique to wash his eyes and body, then took out a washbasin filled with pills.
She selected three and handed them to him.
Ying Feilong didn't bother questioning it and swallowed them without hesitation.
Si Xian stared blankly.
Were human pills now stored in basins?
No wonder the demon race never gained any advantage in battle, the humans had become this terrifying!
Jiang Ji asked, "Little Junior Sister, do you recognize this demonic plant?"
Feng Xi actually did.
It was recorded in the jade slip, this demonic plant was called Bloodthirsty Earth Lotus.
It normally hid underground, when it encountered prey, it would burst forth from the soil underneath, swallowing the person or beast into its blossom, using poison to dissolve them into nutrients.
The toxicity of this poison wasn't too severe, a combination of antidote pills would suffice.
Sure enough, the swelling around Ying Feilong's eyes quickly subsided, his complexion and breathing also improved a lot.
Ying Feilong immediately expressed his heartfelt gratitude, the admiration in his heart for Feng Xi rose to another level!
Who wouldn't admire the person who saved them?
Outside the Heaven-and-Earth Banner, the crowd erupted for who knows how many times already!
"Only rare ancient texts mention Bloodthirsty Earth Lotus, how does Feng Xi know?"
"Pills are precious things, they're stored in porcelain bottles to better preserve their medicinal potency, and she actually uses a basin?
Isn't that too outrageous?!"
"Forget about being outrageous or not, where did that basin of pills come from?
Xuantian Sect wouldn't be pretending to be poor, right?"
All eyes turned toward Xiao Baidao.
He really didn't know that his little disciple was a pill-refining genius. In his mind, her alchemy still involved thick smoke and explosions.
So the old fellow began speculating.
Where did they come from?
Surely, she didn't beg for them from someone again, right?
He coughed lightly, "Our Xuantian Sect is one of the Four Great Sects. Our library contains many ancient texts.
Xiao Xi often visits the library, so knowing about Bloodthirsty Earth Lotus isn't that strange.
As for the basin of pills, Xiao Xi received many rewards in earlier trials, and they were all stored in brocade boxes and porcelain bottles.
Perhaps she found them cumbersome and poured them into a basin for convenience…"
His expression and tone were natural enough that many believed him.
After all, Feng Xi's reputation as a disastrous alchemist was widely known for a long time. It was said even low-grade spirit beasts in Xuantian Sect's back mountain had become smoked jerky!
So clearly she hadn't refined those pills!
Meanwhile, Shen Zhilan's group also encountered Bloodthirsty Earth Lotus.
But she discovered it early and warned the others.
So no one was injured in that group.
Because of this, the two Demon Core disciples in her group praised her highly.
Her expression remained very calm, though her steps grew a lot lighter.
The other two groups were less fortunate, suffering minor injuries.
Thankfully, each group had alchemists, so it didn't cause any major issues.
The crowd outside the Heaven-and-Earth Banner only then noticed that other groups all had alchemists, talisman masters, or formation masters. Only Feng Xi's group, aside from Xing Wu, this useless beast tamer, had nothing!
No cultivation to rely on, no skills to speak of, they're quite pitiful!
Also, this trial was all demonic plants, one could see that this was completely intentional on the part of the Heaven-and-Earth Banner.
No matter how persuasive Feng Xi was, she couldn't persuade plants.
Regardless of what the people outside were thinking, Jun Wen and the others were full of confidence!
Little Junior Sister even recognized the Bloodthirsty Earth Lotus, she really was omnipotent!
Not far ahead, Jiang Ji suddenly shouted, "Retreat!"
They fell back immediately.
Right after that, vines covered in barbs burst from the ground up ahead, charging towards them!
If wrapped around someone, the consequences were obvious.
After considerable effort, they finally forced the vines back underground.
Jiang Ji said solemnly, "I know you four have a lot of trust in Little Junior Sister, but demonic plants are everywhere here, a moment's carelessness could cost your life.
All of you stay alert, or bear the consequences yourself!"
Jiang Ji was usually a very gentle person, when he became stern at times like this, it's truly intimidating.
Even Ying Feilong and Si Xian hurriedly nodded obediently.
Feng Xi nodded vigorously like a little chick pecking rice, "Eldest Senior Brother, you're right. I don't have much ability. They're just trying to kill me with all that praise!"
Jun Wen and the others: "..."
Regardless, everyone heightened their vigilance.
Feng Xi suddenly thought of the puppets from earlier trials, wouldn't it be wonderful if they had a few of them, they could be the cannon fodder that scout ahead for them.
She wondered whether the jade slip in her divine sense contained related information. If so, she could make a few.
As for appearance, she'd model them after her four senior brothers.
Jun Wen and the others inexplicably felt a chill and became even more alert, afraid of sneak attacks from demonic plants.
Just then, thorn spikes shot out from ahead.
They swiftly countered, avoiding danger.
Within less than five miles, they encountered nearly ten attacks.
Feng Xi frowned, "Eldest Senior Brother, we can't keep advancing like this.
We've barely moved and already consumed so much energy and spiritual qi. If we don't find another method, we won't be able to handle high-level demonic plants."
Jiang Ji thought what she said made sense, but what should they do instead?
Flying was prohibited here so they could only walk.
Feng Xi's formation beasts couldn't be summoned as well.
More accurately speaking, it wasn't just formation beasts, spirit pets also couldn't be summoned.
Otherwise Xing Wu would've already released his.
The six of them found a relatively safe area to rest, taking turns in pairs to keep watch.
Feng Xi munched on spirit fruits while thinking.
Suddenly her eyes lit up, that's it!