The genius who counterattacked the mainland

Armed with clues from ancient texts and protected by a mysterious old man, they left the perilous forest and journeyed towards the Colorful Forest, home of the Spiritual Resonance Grass. The journey was long, winding through mountains and rivers, traversed by deep canyons and turbulent rivers, as if nature had deliberately set up numerous obstacles to thwart these warriors on their mission.

They reached a desolate valley, its cliffs sheared like knives and axes towering into the clouds. Sunlight was fragmented into tiny shards, scattering across the valley floor. A thin mist permeated the valley, seemingly tranquil yet shrouded in a menacing atmosphere. As Xu Tiancai and his companions entered, they heard a strange whistling sound, like the hum of wind, or the roar of an animal. Then, a flock of "Flame Soul Vultures," resembling hawks but ablaze with ghostly green will-o'-the-wisp flames, swarmed from their cliff nests, blocking out the sun. Their eyes were like two cold stars, radiating a cold and ferocious look, their beaks sharp as blades, gleaming in the will-o'-the-wisp fire.

A Gang was the first to bear the brunt of the attack, swinging his battle axe, the eternal fighting spirit in his body surged and rolled like a golden wave. He suddenly leaped up, and the battle axe with the power to split mountains and split rocks chopped down at the swooping group of Flame Soul Eagles, "Hmph, you little evil beasts, you dare to block the way!" Wherever the battle axe passed, the air was torn apart, making a sharp explosion. Several Flame Soul Eagles could not dodge in time and were instantly cut by the fighting spirit. The ghost fire splashed and turned into wisps of green smoke and dissipated, but the rest of the Flame Soul Eagles were not afraid. They screamed and changed formation, surrounding and attacking from all directions.

Lin spat softly, her staff waving rapidly. Wind elements roared and converged in the valley, forming visible tornadoes of wind blades. The blades whistled and sliced ​​through the Flame Soul Eagle's wings and body, sending feathers flying like black snowflakes. But the Flame Soul Eagle was incredibly agile, relying on its keen sense of air currents to weave freely through the tornadoes, occasionally pouncing and forcing Lin back.

The Ice Princess waved her jade hand, and several ice cones condensed on the top of the ice wand. Runes on the ice cones flashed, and they shot out with a biting chill. Wherever they passed, the mist instantly froze into ice crystals. "Taste this icy power!" The ice cones hit the Flame Soul Eagles accurately, freezing them into ice lumps. They fell to the bottom of the valley and shattered into pieces, but there were too many Flame Soul Eagles, and their attacks were one after another. The Ice Princess's magic power consumption increased dramatically, fine beads of sweat oozed from her forehead, and her face looked slightly pale.

Su Yao sat beside them, plucking the strings of the guqin rapidly with her ten fingers. The sound of the guqin turned into an invisible shield, resisting the occasional attacks of the Flame Soul Eagle that broke through the defense line. As the sound waves rippled, it also soothed everyone's tense hearts, injected a trace of healing power, and relieved the fatigue and pain brought by the battle. However, under the continuous attack, the guqin shield flickered and was about to break.

While his companions were restraining the Flame Soul Eagle, Xu Tiancai fixed his gaze on a nest at the top of the valley. Using the faint light from the Star Sword, he speculated that the Spiritual Resonance Grass might be nearby. He tapped his toes, leveraging the protruding rocks of the cliff as he climbed up like a ghost. But before he reached halfway, thick smoke billowed from the nest, and a fiery red "flame python," covered in scales and bearing a single horn, slithered out, its tongue spitting out its tongue, its eyes filled with rage at the invasion of its territory and cruelty.

The Flame Python swept its long tail, shattering the rocks and transforming them into hidden weapons that struck Xu Tiancai. He dodged sideways and swung the Star Sword, sending out a few wisps of sword energy that slashed against the Flame Python's armor. Only a few sparks flew, like an ant trying to shake a tree. "Good fellow, tough skin!" Xu Tiancai gritted his teeth, channeling the star power and mysterious energy within him into the sword. The Star Sword shone brightly, and he swung again, finally carving a shallow bloody mark on the Flame Python. The pain inflicted a frenzy, the Flame Python coiled itself into a circle, and from its mouth, it spewed a raging column of fire. The heat surged, forcing Xu Tiancai to cling to the cliff face, the burning sensation causing his skin to ache.

Seeing this, the people below were extremely anxious. A Gang increased his fighting spirit and danced with his battle axe vigorously, forcing his way out. Lin controlled the wind element to lift herself up and quickly approached Xu Tiancai. The wind blade interfered with the attack of the fire python. The Ice Princess condensed an ice shield and stood in front of Xu Tiancai to resist the invasion of the fire pillar. Su Yao's piano sound changed and turned into a passionate melody, which stimulated everyone's potential and instantly increased their strength.

With everyone's combined efforts, Xu Tiancai seized the opportunity and dashed into the nest. In a corner, he saw a shimmering angelica grass. Its leaves resembled carved jade, its veins radiating a strange fluorescence. Its stems resembled jade hairpins, emitting a delicate fragrance that was refreshing. He carefully placed the angelica grass in a prepared jade box, quickly reunited with the others, broke out of the valley, and continued his journey.

Arriving at the Illusionary Forest, the view is like a dreamland. The trees are tall and bizarre, their trunks ablaze with colors, as if stained by a rainbow. Their swaying branches cast specks of vibrant light, creating a dreamlike experience. But once you step inside, you'll find yourself in a state of trepidation. The soil is soft and swampy, and you'll sink into it if you're not careful. Hidden within are numerous "Soul-Devouring Vines," venomous vines disguised as ordinary plants. Once they sense a living being approaching, they attack with their poisonous spikes, piercing your skin and instantly draining your spiritual energy.

The Ice Princess was in front, using ice magic to freeze the road ahead to reduce the danger of being trapped. Agang swung his battle axe to cut off the Soul-Devouring Vine that was trying to launch a sneak attack. Lin used the wind element to disperse the surrounding fog and find the exact location of the Lingxi Grass. Xu Tiancai was concentrating, relying on the faint induction of the Star Sword and the Lingxi Grass to guide the direction.

Deep in the woods, a tranquil lake comes into view. The water is crystal clear, yet tinged with a chill. In its center lies a small island, where lush lingxi grass grows, resembling a lush, fluorescent green meadow. However, the lake's apparent tranquility is fraught with danger. The "Ice Soul Fish" swirls through it. These swift, ice-transparent fish can instantly freeze water, creating ice spike traps that deter approaching enemies.

Xu Tiancai and the others attempted to fly past on their swords, but the Ice Soul Fish leaped out of the water en masse, spewing icy spikes from their mouths. These icy spikes formed a web and struck everyone down. Desperate, they waded forward. The Ice Princess used her icy magic to shield herself from the biting water and the icy spikes. A Gang broke through the ice ahead, each step difficult. Lin controlled the wind element to steady everyone, and Su Yao played the zither to dispel the pain of the icy cold.

After much difficulty reaching the island, just as they were about to pick the Lingxi grass, the lake suddenly surged, and a giant "Ice Soul Beast" emerged from the water. Resembling a Qilin, its icy armor gleamed coldly, and its single horn condensed with powerful ice magic. With a roar, the entire lake froze over, and icy spikes like a forest pierced the crowd. Xu Tiancai met the attack with the Star Sword. The sword and the ice spikes collided with a crisp sound, and ice shards flew everywhere. Ah Gang assisted, smashing his battle axe at the Ice Soul Beast's limbs, trying to restrict its movement. Lin and the Ice Princess joined forces, attacking its vital points with wind blades and ice cones. Su Yao used the sound of her piano to disrupt the gathering of its ice magic.

After a long and fierce battle, the Ice Soul Beast gradually lost its battle, its ice armor shattered in many places, and its movements slowed. The group seized the opportunity, gathered a sufficient amount of Lingxi Grass, and hurriedly left the Fantasy Forest, heading for the Ice Heart Jade's location - the Extremely Cold Snow Peak. The Extremely Cold Snow Peak towered into the clouds, perpetually covered in ice and snow, with howling winds, like an icy purgatory. Every step of the climb faced deadly tests such as the freezing cold, avalanches, and ice cave traps. In the darkness, a mysterious shadow seemed to stalk and spy, waiting for an opportunity to strike. Danger was always around the corner, but the group's footsteps did not stop, and they moved forward resolutely in the wind and snow, heading towards the unknown and arduous challenges.