Spirit Realm Walker

Chapter 18: Clearing the S-Level Trial Quest

The slender root, as thin as a thumb, swiftly erupted in golden flames, only to transform into charred remnants.

The roots that covered the corridor walls suddenly reacted, coming to life like a writhing mass of serpents slithering along the stone.

The Banyan tree spirit, caught off guard by the unexpected cleverness of this foreign mortal, dropped its facade upon realizing its lies had been exposed. It declared in a harsh tone:

"Since you refuse to come closer, then perish!"

With that, the ground of the cave cracked open, debris rising as thick roots broke through the earth like contorted tendrils, reaching out toward Zhang Yuanqing.

At this distance, even without the Red Dancing Shoes, Zhang Yuanqing could escape.

Indeed, wanting to deceive him into getting closer only spurred him to advance. He executed a sliding maneuver to evade the roots' grasp, closing the gap between himself and the Banyan tree. With a powerful leap, he soared several meters high, narrowly dodging another sweeping attack.

More and more roots burst through the surface, wildly thrashing about in the cave.

Zhang Yuanqing danced among the tentacles, his movements graceful and fluid; no matter how hard the roots tried, they could not ensnare him.

Without the Red Dancing Shoes, a novice facing this challenge would have faced a high mortality rate.

Thud, thud, thud. The Red Dancing Shoes sprinted along the wall, avoiding the roots' entanglements and strikes. With a spring of his knees, Zhang Yuanqing shot through the relentless pursuit of the roots, crashing into the tree trunk.

Upon witnessing the rushing human, fear was clearly etched upon the tree trunk's face.

Boom!

The stones at the base of the roots shattered, and more roots erupted like a geyser, forming a wooden wall.

Zhang Yuanqing thrust the Demon-Subduing Pestle forcefully.

Golden flames spread across the surface of the wooden wall, causing the Banyan tree spirit to scream in fury.

Taking advantage of the chaos, Zhang Yuanqing smashed through the charred wooden wall and drove the sharp, three-pronged tip of the pestle deep into the trunk.

Crack!

The prongs plunged deeply into the trunk, and a brilliant sun exploded from the dark cave.

Golden light twisted the trunk, contorting the visage of the human face, which emitted a horrific wail as smoke and steam billowed forth.

In that instant, the souls hidden within the trunk also transformed into wisps of green smoke amidst their cries of anguish.

All the malevolent spirits were obliterated, vanishing in the golden radiance.

As the light faded, the cave was plunged back into darkness, yet it felt remarkably pure and clear.

Zhang Yuanqing's first instinct was not to check if the Banyan tree spirit was dead but to swiftly remove the Red Dancing Shoes, stowing them away in his inventory.

Nearly five minutes had elapsed since he entered the cave.

Having secured the Red Dancing Shoes, Zhang Yuanqing finally turned his attention to the great Banyan tree. It had withered, its bark cracked and dehydrated, with roots scattered throughout the cave.

A cold voice echoed in his mind:

[ Ding, congratulations on completing the S-Level Trial Quest. The character card is now unlocked, and rewards are being calculated. ]