Bright Sword: This unit is really ruthless

Chapter 562 Everyone escapes!

"Damn, what kind of monster is this!" Xu Erniu got up from the ground and shouted in horror.

"Run!" Zhang Ling realized that something was wrong and immediately ordered a retreat.

However, the giant toad was extremely fast and caught up with them in the blink of an eye. It opened its bloody mouth and bit Zhang Ling.

At the critical moment, Zhang Ling rolled to the side and avoided the attack of the giant toad.

"Boom!" The giant toad's huge mouth bit the ground, and a huge hole appeared on the ground instantly.

Zhang Ling broke out in a cold sweat, he knew that he was no match for this monster.

"Split up and run away! Run for your life!" Zhang Ling yelled, then turned and ran deep into the dense forest.

Everyone also fled in all directions.

The giant toad seemed to be particularly interested in Zhang Ling. It ignored everyone else and kept chasing after Zhang Ling.

Zhang Ling ran wildly in the dense forest, looking back from time to time to observe the movements of the giant toad. He found that although the toad was very fast, it seemed not very flexible and always looked a little clumsy when turning.

So Zhang Ling began to use trees and bushes to avoid the giant toad's pursuit. He jumped and moved among the trees like a nimble monkey, making it impossible for the giant toad to touch him.

However, the giant toad seemed to have infinite endurance and kept chasing him. Zhang Ling's physical strength was gradually exhausted and his breathing became more and more rapid.

He knew that he couldn't keep running like this.

Suddenly, Zhang Ling's eyes lit up and he found a rushing river in front of him.

"Let's fight!" Zhang Ling gritted his teeth and jumped into the river.

The cold river water instantly surrounded him, refreshing his spirits. He drifted downstream along the current, hoping to escape the pursuit of the giant toad.

The giant toad seemed to be afraid of water and did not jump into the river. Instead, it kept croaking on the shore.

Zhang Ling was delighted, it seemed that his plan was successful!

However, he was happy too soon.

At this moment, countless...little toads suddenly jumped out from the woods on both sides of the river bank!

Although these little toads were not large in size, there were many of them. They densely covered the surface of the river and surrounded Zhang Ling.

Zhang Ling's scalp suddenly went numb, and he knew he was in a desperate situation.

These little toads jumped onto Zhang Ling and wrapped him tightly with their sticky bodies.

Zhang Ling struggled desperately, but to no avail. He felt his body getting heavier and heavier, and it was becoming more and more difficult to breathe.

Just when he was about to suffocate, he suddenly felt a black screen in front of his eyes and lost consciousness.

When Zhang Ling woke up again, he found himself lying in an unfamiliar cave.

There was a bonfire burning in the cave, and an old man dressed in animal skins was sitting beside the fire, looking at him quietly.

"Are you awake?" the old man asked slowly.

"Who are you?" Zhang Ling asked vigilantly.

"I am the mountain god." The old man replied calmly.

Zhang Ling was stunned. Mountain God? How...how is this possible?

"I know you have a lot of questions." The old man seemed to see through Zhang Ling's thoughts, "I will tell you everything slowly."

The old man paused and continued, "The giant toad you saw is actually an ancient ferocious beast called the Sky-Swallowing Toad. It has been sealed here for a thousand years, and now the seal is loose, it is about to break out."

"Heaven-Swallowing Toad?" Zhang Ling was shocked. "What's going on with Sakata Nobutsu?"

"Sakata Nobutsu was possessed by the soul fragments of the Sky-Swallowing Toad, so he turned into a toad." The old man explained, "The soul fragments of the Sky-Swallowing Toad are scattered all over the place and possess different people. The purpose is to collect energy and eventually revive the original body."

"Then...what should I do?" Zhang Ling asked.

"You are the man of destiny. Only you can stop the resurrection of the Sky-Swallowing Toad." The old man said, "I will teach you a set of ancient magic skills to help you defeat the Sky-Swallowing Toad."

Zhang Ling's heart was filled with doubts and anxieties, but he knew that he had no choice.

"I...I am willing to accept your inheritance." Zhang Ling took a deep breath and said firmly.

The old man nodded with satisfaction, and then began to teach Zhang Ling the ancient magic skills...

The fire in the cave flickered, illuminating the old man's face with ravines and grooves. Zhang Ling felt his brain buzzing. Mountain God? Sky-swallowing Toad? Sakata Nobutsu's toad form? All of this was too unbelievable, like an absurd dream. He pinched himself subconsciously, and with a "hiss", the real pain made him realize that this was not a dream.

"Ancient magic?" Zhang Ling muttered to himself, with a hint of disbelief and anticipation in his tone. He had loved reading martial arts novels since he was a child, and fantasized that one day he would be able to fly over rooftops and walls, and do justice. Now, this opportunity was actually in front of him.

The old man smiled slightly, as if he saw through Zhang Ling's thoughts. "This set of magical skills is called 'Nine Revolutions of Mysterious Skills'. It is condensed from the spiritual energy of heaven and earth. If you practice it to perfection, you can move mountains and fill the sea. You can do anything."

"Moving mountains and filling the sea?" Zhang Ling widened his eyes, his heart filled with shock.

"That's right." The old man nodded, "However, practicing the Nine Revolutions Mysterious Art is not easy. It requires going through life and death."

"A narrow escape from death?" Zhang Ling's heart tightened, but then his fighting spirit was ignited again. For revenge, for survival, what else did he have to fear?

"I'm willing to give it a try!" Zhang Ling said firmly.

The old man nodded with satisfaction, then stretched out his dry palm and pressed it on Zhang Ling's crown.

A powerful energy instantly surged into Zhang Ling's body, making him feel like his meridians were about to burst. He clenched his teeth, endured the severe pain, and dared not make a sound.

After an unknown amount of time, the flow of energy finally subsided. Zhang Ling felt his body filled with strength, as if he had been reborn.

"Alright." The old man retracted his hand and said slowly, "The first turn of the Nine Turns Mysterious Art has been passed on to you. Next, you need to practice on your own."

"Thank you, senior!" Zhang Ling said gratefully.

"No need to be polite." The old man waved his hand, "You are shouldering the responsibility of saving the common people, so you must not slack off."

"Junior understands!" Zhang Ling nodded solemnly.

The old man then explained some precautions for cultivation, then turned into a wisp of green smoke and disappeared into the cave.

Zhang Ling was left alone in the cave, with a lot of thoughts in his mind. He didn't know if he could successfully practice the Nine Revolutions Mysterious Art, nor did he know if he could defeat the Heaven-Swallowing Toad, but he knew that he had to work hard and do his best!

In the next few days, Zhang Ling followed the old man's instructions and began to practice the Nine Revolutions Profound Art. He found that this set of skills was indeed profound and extremely difficult to practice.

He would often suffer damage to his meridians due to excessive practice, and even vomit blood and faint. But he did not give up, and every time he woke up, he would continue to practice, like a tireless machine.

As time went by, Zhang Ling's cultivation gradually improved, and his body became stronger and stronger. He could even feel that there was a powerful force hidden in his body, ready to burst out at any time.

However, practicing the Nine Revolutions Profound Art is not always smooth sailing.

One day, when Zhang Ling was practicing, he suddenly felt a cold breath invading his body. He quickly stopped practicing and looked around vigilantly.

"Who is it?" Zhang Ling shouted sternly.

"Hehehe..." A sinister laughter came from the depths of the cave.

Then, a dark shadow slowly walked out of the darkness.

He was a man wearing a black robe and a hideous mask on his face, so his true appearance could not be seen clearly.

"Who are you?" Zhang Ling asked again, his heart full of vigilance.

"It doesn't matter who I am." The man in black laughed strangely, "What matters is that you will die soon!"

"Really?" Zhang Ling sneered, "Then let me see what you are capable of!"

Before he finished speaking, Zhang Ling took the initiative to attack. He flashed in front of the man in black and punched him.

The man in black obviously did not expect Zhang Ling's speed to be so fast. He was caught off guard and was hit in the chest by a punch, sending him flying backwards.

"Cough cough..." The man in black covered his chest and coughed violently.

"Is that all you are capable of?" Zhang Ling said disdainfully, "I thought you were so great!"

"Boy, don't be so complacent!" The man in black wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth and said viciously, "I must kill you today!"

After saying that, the man in black rushed forward again. This time, he used all his strength, and every move was fatal.

Zhang Ling did not dare to be careless, and immediately used the Nine Revolutions Profound Art to engage in a fierce battle with the man in black.

Suddenly, there were bursts of fierce fighting sounds in the cave...

During the fierce battle, Zhang Ling discovered that although the man in black had ruthless moves, his skills were not profound, and he seemed to be only slightly stronger than Sakata Nobutsu. This made him wonder, what was the origin of the man in black? Why did he want to kill him?

At this moment, the man in black suddenly laughed strangely: "Boy, prepare to die!"

He took out a black bead from his arms and crushed it.

A black mist instantly spread out, covering the entire cave.

Zhang Ling suddenly felt dizzy and weak all over. He knew he was poisoned.

"Hehehe..." The man in black laughed triumphantly, "This is my special 'Bone Erosion Powder'. Even gods can't save you!"

Zhang Ling gritted his teeth, endured the severe pain, and tried to stay awake. He knew that he couldn't fall down, otherwise he would really die!

He desperately practiced the Nine Revolutions Profound Art, trying to force the toxins out of his body.

However, the toxicity of this bone-eroding powder was extremely strong, and Zhang Ling's efforts were of no avail.

His consciousness gradually blurred, and everything in front of him became distorted...

Just when he was about to pass out, he suddenly heard a familiar voice: "Zhang Ling, wake up!"

Is...who is it?

Zhang Ling tried to open his eyes, but saw a blurry figure appear in front of him... Who is it? Could it be...

The fire in the cave was jumping, illuminating the old man's face with ravines. Zhang Ling felt his head buzzing. Swallowing Heaven Toad, Sakata Nobutsu, ancient magic... these words exploded in his mind like bombs. He struggled to digest this information, feeling more tired than running ten kilometers in a row.

"Wait, mountain god? Are you saying... you are the real mountain god?" Zhang Ling pointed at the old man, his face full of disbelief. He had lived for more than 20 years, a staunch materialist fighter, and now he actually believed in myths?

The old man stroked his beard and smiled in an unfathomable way: "Why? Not like him?"

Zhang Ling looked at the old man carefully, with his worn animal skin, messy hair, and a pair of... uh, slightly dirty feet. This image was really a far cry from the immortal he had imagined.

"Well...a little bit." Zhang Ling expressed his opinion tactfully.

The old man was not annoyed, but laughed: "Boy, the mountain god is also a human! He doesn't eat worldly food, so he would have starved to death long ago!"

Zhang Ling was speechless.

"As for the ancient magic skill you mentioned..." The old man restrained his smile and his expression became serious, "It is called 'Chaos Art', it is a supreme skill that was born when the world was first created. It is extremely powerful and can destroy the world!"