Siheyuan: tomb robbing? I am serious about hunting.

Chapter 1089 These

The mist in Qinglan Valley had not yet completely dissipated, and seven small figures had already gathered on the altar in the center of the valley. Grandma Gu stood beside the white jade stone, holding a yellowed map of Qinglan Valley in her hand, and was carefully explaining the exploration route to the seven guards. "The Black Pine Forest is in the north of the valley. It is the place where the Black Wind Monster was sealed a hundred years ago. The demonic energy there is the thickest, so you must be careful." Grandma Gu's finger fell on the location marked "Black Pine Forest" on the map, her eyes solemn, "Ayan, you are a fire guard, you can restrain the demonic energy, you must protect Acheng and Ahuang when you encounter danger; Acheng is extremely powerful and is responsible for resisting the enemy's attacks; Ahuang can stimulate the growth of plants, and can use plants to trap the enemy at critical moments." Ayan, Acheng, and Ahuang nodded vigorously. Ayan clenched his fists, and the flame mark on his arm flashed: "Don't worry, Grandma Gu, we will definitely explore carefully and will not let the Black Wind Monster harm the people of Qinglan Valley." Grandma Gu looked at Alu, Aqing, Alan, and Azi again The four of them said, "The Misty Swamp is in the southern part of the valley. The terrain there is complex and prone to demonic infestations. You must investigate whether the demonic energy has spread there. Ah-Lu is agile, so you'll be in charge of scouting. Ah-Qing is vigilant and alert to any movements around you. Ah-Lan is skilled in water control, and the water in the swamp could be contaminated by demonic energy. You must protect everyone from the polluted water. Ah-Zi is skilled in healing, so bring plenty of herbs. If anyone is injured, they must receive prompt treatment." "We got it!" the four replied in unison. Ah-Zi pulled a small herbal bag from her pocket and shook it. "Don't worry, Grandma Gu, I've brought plenty of detoxifying and hemostatic herbs. I'll definitely protect everyone." With all the instructions in place, the seven guards split into two groups and set off in different directions. Ah-Yan, along with Ah-Cheng and Ah-Huang, followed the Lingquan stream toward the black pine forest, while Ah-Lu, Ah-Qing, Ah-Lan, and Ah-Zi headed towards the Misty Swamp in the southern part of the valley. Ah-Yan and the other two walked along the Lingquan stream. The morning sun filtered through the leaves, casting dappled shadows on the ground. The water in Lingquan Creek was originally crystal clear, but the closer it got to the black pine forest, the more turbid the water became. Later, black foam appeared and it emitted a faint fishy smell. "The demonic energy here is so strong." Ah Huang squatted down and gently touched the withered grass on the roadside with his fingers. The leaves of the grass had completely turned black and crumbled into powder at the touch. Ah Huang frowned tightly. He could clearly feel that the spiritual energy in the grass had been completely devoured by the demonic energy, leaving no trace of life. "These grasses have been contaminated by the demonic energy and cannot be saved." Ah Huang's voice was filled with sadness. He had been dealing with plants since he was a child, and seeing these once vibrant grasses become like this, he felt very uncomfortable. Ah Cheng clenched his fists, his knuckles turning white from the force. He angrily shouted, "Damn Black Wind Monster! How dare you ruin Qinglan Valley like this! When I find it, I'll beat it to a pulp and make it spit out all the spiritual energy it's sucked away!" His voice was so loud that it echoed through the silent forest, scaring the birds in the trees away. Ah Yan patted Ah Cheng's shoulder and soothed him, "Don't be angry. We will find the Black Wind Monster and stop it from destroying Qinglan Valley any further." He looked up at the black pine forest in the distance. A thick black mist enveloped the sky above it, like a huge black cloth, completely obscuring the entire pine forest. As the three of them continued walking, the surrounding vegetation thinned. The once emerald green leaves turned yellow, and the bare branches looked like pairs of dry hands pointing to the sky. The fallen leaves on the ground also turned black, and when they were stepped on, they made a "crunching" sound, as if they were crying. At that moment, a fierce wind blew from the black pine forest, carrying a black mist with it, like a giant black dragon, plunging towards the three of them. Ah Yan shouted, "Look out! Get out of the way!" He pulled Ah Cheng and Ah Huang behind a nearby ancient tree. After the gust of wind passed, the black mist settled on the ground and slowly condensed into two-meter-tall black-armored soldiers. Their bodies were black, as if crafted from obsidian, and they wore thick black armor engraved with intricate patterns, giving them a particularly ferocious appearance. They held sharp iron axes, their blades gleaming coldly. Their eyes, red like two burning embers, stared intently at Ah Yan and the other two, looking exceedingly ferocious. "Oh no! It's the Black Wind Monster's minions!" Ah Yan shouted, and the flame mark on his arm instantly lit up, illuminating the surrounding forest with a red glow. He took a deep breath, extended his right hand, and pointed his palm at the foremost black-armored soldier. A ball of fire shot out from his palm, like a red meteor, and landed on the black-armored soldier. The flames instantly engulfed the black-armored soldier, who let out a piercing scream, a sound like metal rubbing against metal, numbing the ears. Soon, the black-armored soldier's body began to melt, transforming into a pool of black mud that exuded a foul, fishy stench. Seeing this, the remaining black-armored soldiers raised their iron axes, howling and charging at the three men. Ah Cheng quickly stepped in front of Ah Yan and Ah Huang, taking a deep breath and tensing his arm muscles, ready for battle. The first black-armored soldier rushed in front of Ah Cheng, raising his iron axe and striking him over the head. Ah Cheng calmly reached out, firmly grasped the axe handle, and gave a powerful twist. With a crack, the solid iron axe was broken in two. The black-armored soldier was stunned, clearly unprepared for such immense strength from this seemingly chubby boy. Ah Cheng seized the opportunity and kicked the black-armored soldier in the stomach, sending him reeling and falling heavily to the ground. Ah Cheng rushed forward, raising his fist and smashing it into the soldier's chest. With a thud, the soldier's body instantly shattered into dust. Meanwhile, several other black-armored soldiers charged towards Ah Yan and Ah Huang. Ah Huang quickly pulled a handful of seeds from his pocket. He had specially prepared these seeds the day before—the most drought-resistant and fastest-growing thorn seeds in the valley. He scattered them on the ground, then clasped his hands together, closed his eyes, and silently chanted an ancient incantation: "Spirit of grass and trees, obey my command, grow rapidly, and trap the enemy..." As soon as the incantation was finished, the seeds on the ground began to sprout and grow. Tender green shoots emerged from the soil and quickly grew into thick vines covered in sharp spikes. Like giant green pythons, they coiled around the black-armored soldiers' legs. "Ah Yan, use fire attack!" Ah Huang shouted. He could feel that although the vines could trap the black armored soldiers, they were very strong and would soon break free. Ah Yan nodded.