The other five beasts controlled by the Mu Tian Grass were quite formidable. Though they didn’t reach the level of the Nine Infant, they were among the best of the late Golden Core Stage beasts.

Even cultivators of the same level found these five beasts difficult to handle.

Unfortunately for the beasts, their opponents were disciples of Dao Seeking Sect, the most outstanding in the Foundation Building Stage.

Previously, Peach Blossom Leaf and Barbarian Bone would have struggled against late Golden Core Stage beasts, but their strength had significantly improved after continuous training.

In Lu Yang’s words, they had reached the pinnacle of the late Foundation Building Stage.

Given this, it was needless to say that Lu Yang and Meng Jingzhou, who had advanced further, were beyond the normal measurement of the Foundation Building Stage.

These five late Golden Core Stage beasts posed no threat!

Lu Yang faced a four-armed black gorilla, even its pupils were black.

With a sword hum, the black gorilla lost an arm, which enraged it, causing it to roar loudly.

Roar—

“Why are you yelling? Arhat Fist!” Lu Yang struck with a single-handed Arhat Fist. Although its power was reduced, the hair-loss effect was undiminished.

The gorilla felt a chill on its head. When it touched its scalp, it found it completely bald.

What did this human do?!

“What a bald black gorilla, a beast never seen before!” Lu Yang acted as if facing a great enemy. Unknown beasts were the most feared by cultivators; this black gorilla, not recorded by anyone, must have terrifying combat power!

“What?! Is that the legendary bald black gorilla?!” Meng Jingzhou, also in battle, noticed Lu Yang’s opponent and his expression changed drastically.

“Legend has it that the black gorilla’s realm can be gauged by the number of hairs on its head. One hair signifies the Qi Training Stage, also called the one-hair realm. Two hairs indicate the Foundation Building Stage, the two-hair realm. Three hairs signify the Golden Core Stage, the three-hair realm!”

“What realm is this gorilla at now?!”

Lu Yang’s face darkened. “It’s at the no-hair realm!”

Song Hua: “Guys, can you not act while we’re fighting? I get distracted easily.”

“Oh, sorry, it’s a habit.”

Song Hua: “…”

Luckily, the cultivators from the Meng family and Dao Seeking Sect were all extremely capable. They could even joke around while fighting beasts beyond their level. Anyone else would have been in serious trouble.

“Daoist Lu, save me!” Song Wuguo, who was providing support, was targeted by a beast and took a tail swipe, breaking half his ribs.

Knowing it wasn’t Lu Yang’s match, the beast roared and continued attacking Song Wuguo.

“Hold on!” Lu Yang kicked off, dashing toward the beast and blocking its path to Song Wuguo.

Qingfeng Sword stood firm in front of him, preventing the beast from moving an inch forward despite its efforts.

Just as Lu Yang was about to end the beast with a decisive strike, he felt a sharp pain.

A dagger pierced his chest.

Lu Yang turned slowly, looking at Song Wuguo in disbelief. “Why…”

Meng Jingzhou witnessed this, his eyes widened in shock, instantly filling with blood. “Lu Yang!”

He wanted to rush to help Lu Yang, but the beast, as if maddened, attacked fiercely, preventing Meng Jingzhou from breaking free.

“Song Wuguo, you deserve to die!”

The others were similarly occupied by the beasts.

Song Wuguo’s timid and fearful demeanor vanished, replaced with a smug look as he shook his head. “The dagger is poisoned. Even a Nascent Soul Stage cultivator would die from it. I can tell you since you’re about to die.”

“You’re nourishment.”

“You’re the strongest among these people. Controlling you means the others are no threat.”

Song Wuguo flipped his palm, revealing a seed. He slapped it onto Lu Yang’s dantian.

“This is the seed of the Mu Tian Grass. Relax, you’ll soon become a servant of the master.”

“No, why can’t the Mu Tian Grass seed enter your body!”

Song Wuguo’s expression changed drastically as he realized something was wrong. He tried to escape, but then saw Lu Yang’s mouth curl into a terrifying, eerie smile.

A tiny Lu Yang crawled out from Lu Yang’s chest.

The small Lu Yang grew rapidly in the wind, soon becoming as large as the original. He took up the Qingfeng Sword and, with one strike, killed the beast that was still preparing to attack.

At the same time, the poisoned Lu Yang fell backward, merging with the ground.

“A clone?!” Song Wuguo’s eyes widened in disbelief.

For the past half month, Lu Yang had been shrinking and hiding in his chest, controlling the clone in battle to train his divine sense and improve his proficiency with the clone.

“I waited for you to make a move for quite a while,” Lu Yang said with a smile.

“How did you find out about me!” Song Wuguo was shocked. They had only been in contact for a short while, and he thought he had done everything perfectly without revealing any flaws. How could he have been discovered?

“Song Wuguo, what’s going on with you!” Song Hua was even more shocked than Song Wuguo. “When were you parasitized?”

Seeing that Lu Yang was unharmed, everyone breathed a sigh of relief and quickly dealt with the remaining four beasts.

They surrounded Song Wuguo, their faces full of anger.

Lu Yang sneered, not minding letting Song Wuguo know how childish his actions were.

“When you introduced the Mu Tian Grass, you said it controls beasts and uses them as nutrients. The beasts we encountered were all controlled by the Mu Tian Grass.”

“Then the question arises, if Mu Tian Grass uses beasts as nutrients, why would it make the beasts kill humans?”

“The answer is simple: because humans are also nutrients for the Mu Tian Grass.”

“If humans are nutrients, is it possible for the Mu Tian Grass to control humans? The answer is yes.”

“Given this, why didn’t you clearly explain this? Was the alchemy master of the Unity stage you mentioned not thinking straight when writing his book, or were you deliberately avoiding this detail?”

Lu Yang kicked Song Wuguo to the ground. “Nine truths and one lie—these tricks are something I’ve long mastered. Playing them in front of me is underestimating me.”

“I didn’t expose you earlier because I wanted you to lead us to the Mu Tian Grass.”

The dense forest was vast, and it would be difficult to find the Mu Tian Grass without a guide.

Song Wuguo had intended to deceive Lu Yang and the others into going there. After discussing with Meng Jingzhou, they decided to turn the tables.

Hearing Lu Yang’s explanation, Peach Blossom Leaf finally understood where her sense of unease had come from.

Meng Jingzhou wasn’t surprised; his earlier shouts were just an act.

“Song Wuguo has been parasitized and controlled by the Mu Tian Grass. You others are also under suspicion, so please cooperate and return to the Demon Subjugation Pass for examination to prove your innocence,” Lu Yang said coldly.

Knowing that their family had a traitor, Song Hua and the others, feeling guilty, could only comply and return for inspection.

“Heh, heh, heh.” Song Wuguo chuckled dryly, his voice no longer sounding human. “So what if you’ve discovered it? Do you think you can still leave?”

As he spoke, bubbles rose continuously from the swamp, making it look like a pot of boiling water. Muddy figures emerged from the swamp, including both beasts and humans. Judging by their auras, they were all at the Golden Core Stage, numbering at least fifty or sixty!

Lu Yang suddenly recalled the words of the merchant servant who had first met them: “People go missing in the forest every day, especially recently, with more frequent disappearances.”

“Could this be the reason for the recent disappearances of cultivators?”

“No, isn’t the Mu Tian Grass supposed to control a maximum of ten beings?”

Even without considering the beings emerging from the swamp, there had already been ten beasts and one Song Wuguo earlier.

That made eleven already!

“Fairy, what’s going on?”

Everlasting Fairy frowned. “Song Wuguo didn’t lie to you. A regular Mu Tian Grass can control a maximum of ten beings.”

“But the one in front of you isn’t an ordinary Mu Tian Grass, or rather, it isn’t an ordinary spiritual plant.”

“It has developed intelligence, similar to the Immemorial Immortal, and has become a spirit.”