"Pfft!" "Pfft!" A flash of light appeared thirty zhang away from the stone pavilion, as two streams of sword energy swept past. This time, however, the monster in the mist seemed completely incensed. With two thunderous roars, the mist suddenly parted, revealing a four-winged creature with a lion's head and an eagle's body. The creature, with its four wings spread wide, stood nearly five to six zhang tall, encircled in a radiant purple glow, and appeared fearsome and menacing. "An lion-eagle creature!" The stranger exclaimed, gasping upon seeing the beast clearly. The scholar's face also paled; he shook his sleeve and launched a black-and-red flying dagger straight at the creature. Strange as it may seem, the once bold and aggressive beast instantly showed signs of fear upon seeing the dagger. It opened its massive, blood-filled maw and expelled a series of concentric purple rings, precisely meeting the dagger's path. With a series of booming explosions, the black and purple light surged, and the dagger pierced through no less than十余 (over a dozen) of the rings, advancing with unyielding momentum. But with each strike, the black glow of the flying dagger dimmed slightly, and ultimately, when it came within a few zhang of the yaoqin, it faded to a dull light, being firmly blocked by several purple rings. As the yaoqin saw this, it was overjoyed and was about to summon another divine ability to truly ensnare the dagger. At that moment, the scholar from afar also opened his mouth and spat out a clutch of pure blood. Then, he pressed his palms together in a series of gestures and quickly tapped the blood several times. Instantly, the blood swiftly transformed into distinct crimson symbols, vanishing into the air. The flying dagger then burst forth with a brilliant blood-like glow, shattering all the surrounding purple rings in one go, darted forward, and struck the yaoqin with great force. The yaoqin was startled, flapping its four wings and shooting backward in a swift burst, only managing to raise one massive claw to block the blow. As a result, green blood splashed out in all directions. Though the dagger momentarily halted, the sharp claw was severed in half by the sweeping blade. At this moment, the mythical bird suddenly lifted its massive head, unleashing a thunderous roar that seemed like a bolt of lightning striking clear skies. The roar resonated so powerfully that the scholars and the strange figures felt their ears ring, their bodies subtly swaying. Yet an even more astonishing scene unfolded immediately afterward. As the roar erupted, a semi-transparent golden ripple surged forth from the lion's head, precisely meeting the flying dagger. Upon contact, the black dagger was struck by an immense force and spun violently, retreating in a spiraling arc. The yellow sword beams commanded by the "Seventh Uncle," which had been advancing to support the dagger's attack, fared even worse—almost as soon as they touched the ripple, they fragmented and dissolved, vanishing into nothingness within moments. As the golden ripple emerged, the mythical bird's expression grew weary. It glared fiercely at the scholar before sharply flapping its four wings, and with a thunderous sound echoing from each wing, its form blurred, then vanished suddenly amidst a cascade of electric arcs. At the very next moment, he appeared thirty zhang away, seemingly also proficient in the Lightning Release technique. Yet the demonic bird dared not pause, transforming into a streak of purple light and shooting off toward the distance. In an instant, it vanished without a backward glance at the horizon. Witnessing this, the strange man finally exhaled in relief, but upon turning his gaze to the scholar, who now appeared pale, he was startled and asked, "Third young man, are you all right? Mastering the Black Blood Blade is already a great drain on one's chakra—how have you further expended your vital essence to amplify its power?" His tone clearly conveyed deep concern. "Fine, just a slight depletion of my qi. The lion-like bird has long been renowned as a formidable creature from ancient times. Its abilities surpass even those of our Yuan-Stage后期 (Post-Yuan) cultivators by a third. If we hadn't moved swiftly to drive it away, prolonged engagement would have been problematic. Now that it's suffered some setbacks, it should not trouble us again." The scholar took a deep breath and shook his head. "That does make sense." This ancient, fearsome bird creature typically possesses bodies as strong as refined iron. Unless we employ my family's Black Blood Blade, it's truly no easy task for any ordinary法宝 to wound such a lion-like beast." Upon hearing this, the stranger smiled with relief. The scholar gave a slight smile, glanced toward the green mist below, and observed that the Ye family cultivators, who had been startled upon the arrival of the lion-beast, had now returned to calmness. He then nodded, exchanged a few more words with the stranger, and with a single leap, descended to the stone pavilion, where he settled into meditation. Having just summoned and wielded the inheritance artifact—the Black Blood Blade—his inner energy had been significantly depleted, so it was natural for him to begin restoring it promptly. While the Ye family and Han Li and others remained deep within the massive mountain, at a modest valley near the Valley of a Hundred Poisons, five figures in white stood side by side at the valley entrance, while two cultivators dressed in black robes faced them, respectfully reporting something. "An astonishing celestial phenomenon has occurred?" "A curious voice, soft and resonant, drifted悠悠 from somewhere, its gender indistinct. "Yes, Grand Elder. Near an unnamed lake in Puyun Commandery. There, seven remarkable beams of light stretch upward into the sky." One black-robed cultivator replied. "What time is this? Have you found anything out?" The voice's owner seemed genuinely interested. "It happened four days ago. As soon as our disciples learned of it, they immediately reported via sealed message. It's said that beneath each of the seven beams, a colossal seal has been discovered—so vast that we still haven't fully understood its exact configuration. However, several sects from the southern region have been alerted, and numerous Yuan-Infant cultivators are en route." Another cultivator interjected respectfully. "Seven beams of light! This sounds as though it might be a result of a seal-breaking surge of spiritual energy. Still, such a remarkable phenomenon—indeed, it warrants a personal visit." But earlier, you mentioned that Fu Elder had been seen near Wan Du Valley, yet now there's been no word at all. Has it been a mistake on our part? If we can't even locate Fu Elder, how could we possibly find the Han fellow? The voice suddenly grew icy. "Grand Elder, please forgive us. We have indeed received reports that several cultivators saw Fu Elder coming this way and then disappearing near Wan Du Valley." Both black-robed cultivators looked visibly alarmed, one of them immediately bowing in apology. "There are indeed signs of activity within Wan Du Valley, though I have not personally visited the Yin-Yang Caverns. I've searched every other part of the valley and found no trace of any cultivators. You wouldn't expect me to tell you that Fu Elder has gone down into the Yin-Yang Caverns, would you? If that's the case, I've been stationed here for some time now—there should have been some news by now. Unless Fu Elder truly intends to retire and live out his days beneath the Yin-Yang Caverns. "Upon hearing this, the two black-robed monks murmured a few words, at a loss for what to reply, their faces beaded with cold sweat. 'Well,' they said, 'it's already quite a feat that you've managed to trace this way within such a short time. Give yourselves a bit more time. Have someone stationed here to monitor the valley—I'll head off to Puyun Prefecture first. Also, inform Wu and Xiao, the two senior monks, to join me there as well. With more people, things will go smoother.' 'Yes, Elder Daxing!' The two black-robed monks finally relaxed, bowing in unison. The elder said nothing further, but suddenly, five white-clad figures grew faintly translucent, then rose into the sky simultaneously, their light trails merging instantly, cutting through the air in a swift procession. At the same time, a group of monks was flying toward a small lake above a stretch of wilderness near the border of Puyun Prefecture. These cultivators numbered over twenty, each dressed in blue robes with a red scarf wrapped around their heads. The four leading them were at the Yuan Ying stage of cultivation, and among them, the middle-aged cultivator with a network of jade-like patterns across his face appeared at the peak of the early Yuan Ying stage, his entire aura cold and exceptionally potent, conveying an intense sense of danger. "Master Hua, is it truly necessary to mobilize such a large force? We've brought out nearly half of our Toxin Saint Sect's disciples. Should anything go wrong, it could seriously damage our sect's vitality," said an elder at the Yuan Ying initial stage, expressing his concern as they flew ahead. "For ordinary rare treasures, I would certainly not take such risks. But this time, it's very likely the legendary Kunwu Mountain. To secure the treasures within, this risk is well worth it," the middle-aged cultivator declared with surprising conviction. "Kunwu Mountain? The sacred mountain we've been seeking since the founding of our sect?" another elder with gray hair exclaimed, visibly surprised. "Exactly so." I've mentioned this matter once already after each of my junior disciples achieved the Yuan Ying stage. Back in the ancient times, this mountain was one of the top several spiritual mountains in the Human Realm. Though the exact reason remains unknown—some ancient cultivator used great divine powers to seal it away—the abundance of treasures hidden within the mountain is certain. Our founding patriarch, the ancestor who established the Toxin Saint Sect, was actually a descendant of that ancient cultivator who sealed the mountain. However, he knew little about the precise location of the seal, only that the mountain had been sealed somewhere in the southern region of the realm. That's why our sect was founded in the southern region and has since been actively searching for the mountain's whereabouts—though, sadly, no further news reached him during his lifetime. This story has thus remained a secret known only to successive senior elders, passed down from generation to generation. The middle-aged cultivator's green patterns flashed briefly before he said coldly, "But how does Huasheng Brother know that this current celestial phenomenon is a sign of the resurgence of Kunwu Mountain? Could it perhaps be another treasure hidden within the mountain?" The elder with broad brows, who had initially asked the question, expressed some surprise. "Heh The master had not only mentioned that Kunwu Mountain was located somewhere in southern lands, but also possessed a Sensing Pearl personally crafted by his ancestor. This pearl was specifically forged for Kunwu Mountain and could detect the famed Flying Immortal Stone on the mountain—once the mountain emerged, the pearl would instantly respond. Just a few days ago, the pearl, which had been enshrined in the Master’s hall, suddenly began emitting clear, resonant tones, and I knew immediately that Kunwu Mountain had now come into being. Even without any report from my disciples regarding celestial phenomena, I would have dispatched search parties to every corner of southern lands. Upon seeing Yuan's younger brother, have our disciples immediately bring him to us and make him meet us. What we need to do now is, while other sects are still unaware of Kunwu Mountain's developments, enter the mountain first and swiftly take away as many of its precious treasures as possible. We still don't know whether this mountain's emergence is due to the failure of its own seal, or if it's the result of actions taken by other cultivators. If it's the latter, then I shall have to be especially cautious on this journey." The middle-aged cultivator said, his expression growing increasingly serious. ------------ Power outage in the community—only two chapters can be posted in the evening!