Chapter 119: In Hand

Yin Tianfang’s expression grew increasingly solemn as he observed the three flower slaves.

"Roar!" A tiger’s cry echoed through the mountain forest. The Sky-Winged Demon Tiger, shrouded in thick demonic aura, tensed its body, ready to pounce, but was stopped by a wave of Yin Tianfang’s hand.

"Stay back!" Yin Tianfang narrowed his eyes. If the Sky-Winged Demon Tiger approached, it would inevitably fall into an illusion. Not only would it be unable to assist him, but it would also be controlled by the Yin Spirit Flower and turned against him.

For now, the Yin Spirit Flower could not affect him, so he had to rely on his own strength. Faced with the three flower slaves, despite the powerful aura they exuded, Yin Tianfang was completely unafraid. After all, they were already dead; they were merely puppets controlled by the Yin Spirit Flower. While they appeared formidable, they could not truly manifest their full power.

With a flicker of movement, Yin Tianfang vanished as if teleporting. He reappeared behind one of the flower slaves, his fist glowing with a dark radiance, and struck the slave's back with overwhelming force.

*Boom!*

The flower slave was sent flying, slamming violently into a small mountain ahead. A humanoid crater appeared in the rock wall as the slave was embedded deep within the mountain.

*Crack!*

The immense force caused the mountain to crumble, sending rocks tumbling amidst a cloud of dust and debris.

"Roar!" Two bellows erupted. The remaining two flower slaves spun around, their grey, oversized hands reaching out to seize Yin Tianfang. He tapped his toes in mid-air, retreating rapidly. With a flick of his robe, he manifested a giant hand through gravity manipulation and slammed it down upon them.

*Boom!* The invisible hand struck the two slaves, pinning them from the air into the earth. The ground trembled, and dust filled the sky. Yin Tianfang hovered in the air, his gaze fixed below.

*Whoosh! Whoosh!* Two streaks of grey light tore through the dust, moving with lightning speed toward him. Simultaneously, the mountain shook as the first slave, having been struck by Yin Tianfang earlier, burst forth from the rock.

The three flower slaves positioned themselves on three sides, encircling him. Seeing this, Yin Tianfang’s expression darkened further.

The three slaves looked somewhat disheveled, but their aura remained intense; they had not suffered significant damage. The first one he had struck appeared slightly more battered than the others, yet it remained intact.

Yin Tianfang knew full well how powerful that punch had been. It was a blow that even a true expert at the Great Perfection of the Core Formation stage could not withstand. Even a demonic beast at the mid-to-late Core Formation stage would have been severely wounded by such an impact. Yet, these flower slaves, despite appearing to be made of flesh and blood, were so resilient that even such a blow failed to injure them.

"Roar! Roar! Roar!" Three hoarse roars rang out as a dense aura of death spread. The slaves formed hand seals, and the grey mist in the air coalesced into a grey figure brandishing a massive black scythe.

The black scythe looked terrifyingly real. As it swung down, it sliced through the void, leaving behind a shocking black fissure—the result of the air itself failing to withstand such sharp, lethal energy.

The sight caused Yin Tianfang’s pupils to constrict. Looking at the grey specter and the black scythe, a chill rose from his heart. These three flower slaves were capable of using techniques.

With a flick of his finger, a bolt of purple light shot out toward the black scythe, transforming into a massive longsword in mid-air.

*Boom!* The purple giant sword collided with the black scythe, erupting with a deafening roar as a terrifying shockwave swept across the sky and earth. Under the stalemate, cracks appeared on the purple sword until it shattered into pieces.

*Clang!* The black scythe struck the fragments, sending sparks flying. Yin Tianfang was shocked. As the purple shards recoiled, the black scythe continued its descent. Yin Tianfang dodged at the very last second.

A lock of white hair drifted from his forehead, and a thin, bloody scratch appeared between his brows.

Lingering terror gripped Yin Tianfang as he stared at the grey figure in the sky. That blow had nearly cost him his life. Had these flower slaves possessed true consciousness, he would certainly be dead.

Flickering into motion, Yin Tianfang vanished from his spot. He knew that if he continued to fight like this, he would gain no advantage. He needed to capture the leader; this was all being directed by the Yin Spirit Flower. Once the flower was destroyed, the rest would collapse.

In a few blinks, Yin Tianfang closed in on the Yin Spirit Flower. The plant seemed to sense his intent; its leaves trembled, and the three flower slaves let out angry roars. The grey specter in the sky suddenly dispersed, reforming into a hideous head that charged toward Yin Tianfang with its maw wide open.

Yin Tianfang was fast, but the grey, hideous head was faster. Just as he neared the flower, the head arrived behind him, opening a mouth vast enough to swallow a mountain, completely enveloping him.

Yin Tianfang felt the sky suddenly grow dark. The massive, grotesque mouth hung over him, blotting out the sun and leaving him nowhere to retreat.

"Hmph!" With a cold snort, Yin Tianfang flicked his wrist, and a longsword appeared in his hand. He thrust it toward the Yin Spirit Flower. When the blade, cold and gleaming, was an inch away from the flower, the hideous mouth in the sky suddenly froze. Strands of white radiance began to emanate from the Yin Spirit Flower.

With a slight shift in his heart, Yin Tianfang held his sword an inch above the flower and stared ahead. He saw the white radiance drift into the air, coalescing into a phantom image above the plant.

The phantom took the form of a young girl, delicate and lovely. She wore a long white robe, her feet were bare, and her long black hair cascaded like a waterfall. On her forehead was the mark of a Yin Spirit Flower.

The girl hovered above the flower, her clean, tiny feet resting upon it. She looked at Yin Tianfang with large, watery eyes, displaying a look of supplication. Her pitiful appearance was enough to stir anyone’s heart.

Not far away, the three flower slaves stood silently, the grey mist of the spectral head fading and returning into their bodies. Yin Tianfang slowly withdrew his sword and looked at the girl in white.

"I have no intention of harming you, but I am in urgent need of the Yin Spirit Flower for medicine," he said after a moment of silence. "I only need one leaf."

Upon hearing this, the girl’s eyes brightened. A leaf drifted from the Yin Spirit Flower toward Yin Tianfang. Losing one leaf out of eight was undoubtedly a significant injury for the plant.

However, it was the best possible outcome. As she gave the leaf to Yin Tianfang, the girl’s form appeared to grow translucent, as if she might vanish at any moment.