Shi Hao dashed forward without hesitation, knowing he couldn’t linger here. Only after putting a great distance between himself and the iron-blooded ancient trees did he finally stop.
The mountain range was lush with vegetation, towering ancient trees reaching for the skies. Ferocious beasts roared intermittently, and savage birds circled overhead, casting vast shadows upon the land.
“Who is he?!” Shi Hao’s eyes gleamed with intensity as he stared into the distant sky. The figure was indistinct, deliberately obscured by powerful magic to conceal their true appearance.
One thing was certain—this was no youth. No ordinary young cultivator could possess such profound cultivation, standing at the pinnacle of the Dunyi Realm. This was a supreme powerhouse.
Shi Hao’s eyes were as deep as the starry void, a surge of anger rising within him. This assailant must have come from within the Imperial Pass, yet they had ambushed him. Had it not been for his incredible speed and the intervention of the iron-blooded ancient trees, he would have surely been struck.
A Dunyi Realm cultivator, one who had touched the mysteries of creation—how terrifying! If that attack had landed, without any miraculous intervention, his body would have shattered, leaving little chance of survival.
“Which clan does this creature belong to?” Shi Hao muttered to himself.
This enemy hailed from the Imperial Pass, aligned with the forces of the Nine Heavens and Ten Earths. Yet here they were, turning on their own kin. Shi Hao clenched his fists, his expression icy. This betrayal was intolerable.
“Who are you? Why do you seek my death?” Shi Hao’s voice echoed through the mountains.
“Young man, you misunderstand. I feared for your safety, worried you might stray into the Divine Medicine Mountain Range and lose your life. This is a forbidden land—I only wished to save you,” came a hoarse, distorted voice in reply.
The figure stood at the horizon’s edge, growing ever more indistinct, unwilling to approach lest the iron-blooded ancient trees suddenly turn hostile.
Shi Hao’s gaze turned colder, his fury mounting. This person had clearly tried to kill him, yet now they spun such flimsy excuses.
“If someone of your cultivation truly wished to kill me, you could just say so outright. What’s the point of hiding behind lies? It only proves your hypocrisy—a trait born of your very nature,” Shi Hao said coldly.
He knew he was no match for this opponent. For now, he was likely trapped within the Divine Medicine Mountain Range, and all he could do was mock his enemy. A sigh escaped him—his cultivation was still insufficient. Were it higher, he would have charged out and captured this foe himself.
“Very well, young man. If you insist on misunderstanding me, then so be it. Think of me as your would-be killer—it matters not,” the distant figure replied indifferently.
Then, his tone turned chillingly calm. “Ah, but let me remind you—the Divine Medicine Mountain Range is no gentle place. Countless have ventured in seeking herbs, and eight out of ten never return.”
“Spare me your concern. If you truly wish to kill me, come inside—provided you can defeat those iron-blooded ancient trees. Otherwise, vanish at once!” Shi Hao retorted.
“Heh, very well. Since my presence displeases you, I shall take my leave. Perhaps I’ll send others to rescue you later.” With that, the mysterious figure acted decisively. A golden path unfurled beneath his feet, stretching tens of thousands of miles into the depths of the desert, where he vanished without a trace.
This display of profound Dao mastery and overwhelming power made it clear—Shi Hao was no match for such a being. The gap between them was insurmountable.
Silent, Shi Hao watched as the last traces of golden light dissipated before turning and striding deeper into the mountain range.
The mysterious figure had spoken truthfully—the Divine Medicine Mountain Range was indeed a death trap. Most who entered would perish, facing unimaginable dangers at every turn.
Otherwise, the divine herbs within would have long been plundered, leaving nothing for future generations.
As the name suggested, the Divine Medicine Mountain Range housed divine herbs—and not just one or two. Anything less would not justify such a title.
“This place is truly vast,” Shi Hao muttered, nearly speechless. After traveling thousands of miles on foot, he still seemed to be circling the outskirts.
He had assumed the Divine Medicine Mountain Range was merely a mysterious land rich in ancient herbs, not this boundless.
“Could it be as vast as the desert outside?” The thought made his head spin. If true, finding a single divine herb would be near impossible in such an endless expanse.
His true goal, however, was to pass through—to reach the enigmatic location encircled by the Divine Medicine Mountain Range, the Beast Forest, and the Ancient Burial Grounds.
That was the place marked on the beast hide, a site of unfathomable secrets, holding treasures even the rulers of the forbidden regions in the Nine Heavens coveted.
Originally, he had planned to skirt the edges of the Divine Medicine Mountain Range to find a safe path toward that hidden land. But now, pursued and nearly assassinated by that mysterious figure, he had no choice but to take refuge within the mountain range to avoid further ambushes.
Fortunately, after some distance, he ascended an enormous peak and, with his Heavenly Eye, surveyed the land. He estimated the range was not as vast as the desert.
“Whoosh!”
A small bird, no larger than a palm, swooped down to attack him!
At first, Shi Hao paid it little mind, casually swatting it away. But in an instant, his expression changed—this was a vicious fowl at the Severing Realm, its assault fierce and deadly.
The creature was bizarre—a lion’s head on a bird’s body, its golden-striped feathers shimmering ominously as it dove, shaking the void with its momentum.
“Boom!”
Shi Hao struck with full force, sending the vicious bird tumbling through the air until it crashed into a distant peak.
Rocks exploded, the mountain shattered, and the bird emerged from the dust, shrieking furiously.
Then, in an instant, tens of thousands of these lion-headed, bird-bodied monstrosities appeared, swarming like a storm of arrows descending upon him.
Shi Hao’s scalp prickled. How could there be so many of these creatures?
His only solace was that not all were at the Severing Realm. Otherwise, survival would have been impossible.
Still, the danger was immense. Among the swarm lurked Void Dao and Severing Realm beasts, waiting to ambush him.
Without hesitation, Shi Hao unleashed the Thunder Emperor’s Treasure Art, slaughtering the creatures mercilessly. To hold back would mean being devoured.
Feathers scattered, blood rained, and countless corpses littered the mountainside.
But soon, Shi Hao’s expression darkened. A deafening buzz filled the air, and the sky darkened—what kind of race was this?
A million of these creatures, each the size of a palm, surged toward him like a tidal wave.
Shi Hao turned and fled. There was no way to fight such numbers. Lingering would only exhaust him to death.
Worse, he sensed a bone-chilling killing intent. In the distance, a piercing shriek echoed—a one-zhang-long demonic bird, identical in form but far larger.
“Dunyi Realm!” Shi Hao’s face paled. He bolted without hesitation. This was indeed a perilous land, full of unpredictable dangers.
“Swish!”
He plunged underground, hoping to evade the pursuing demonic bird.
“Boom!”
But he had underestimated the creature. With a single flap of its wings, it obliterated nearby mountains, causing the earth to collapse, fissures spreading endlessly.
The Divine Medicine Mountain Range and the Beast Forest were known for their indestructible terrain, yet here, mountains crumbled with ease.
Shi Hao’s expression darkened. This demonic bird was far stronger than he had imagined, a stark reminder of the terrifying might of a Dunyi Realm cultivator.
“If even these supposedly unbreakable peaks can be flattened, this creature is beyond my strength!” Shi Hao muttered, burrowing deeper underground, using escape arts to flee.
Yet the bird’s power surpassed all expectations. It pursued him underground, wings slicing through earth and stone, leaving destruction in its wake.
Shi Hao moved swiftly, but unfamiliar with the terrain, he stumbled into a bizarre zone—a strange force field that slowed his movements.
“Boom!”
The demonic bird closed in, its offspring swarming around Shi Hao.
“Pfft!”
Blood sprayed from Shi Hao’s lips as the bird’s wing slash, though not a direct hit, sent him flying with its overwhelming force.
“Truly savage!” Shi Hao turned and ran. Victory was impossible—the gap was too vast.
A sigh escaped him. Had he just entered the Divine Medicine Mountain Range only to face death so soon?
Behind him, the demonic bird closed in.
Shi Hao’s scalp tingled as he burst back above ground, the strange force field vanishing. He sprinted forward, entering a desolate, eerily silent area devoid of vegetation.
Bones littered the ground, some still glowing—testaments to the great power their owners once wielded.
“Hmm? Such a rich fragrance… it feels like one could ascend to immortality just from the scent.” Shi Hao’s heart raced.
Then, in the distance, he saw them—divine herbs, sprinting across the land. Not one, but a whole group!
Gold, purple, crimson—these herbs could burrow and run, their radiant light suffusing the air with vitality, starkly contrasting the desolation around them.
“I’ve found divine herbs—an entire group of them!” Shi Hao was stunned.
At that moment, the demonic bird arrived at the edge of this territory. But instead of attacking, it recoiled in fear, retreating instantly.
Shi Hao tensed. Even that monstrous bird dared not enter—what kind of place was this?
Hesitant, he surveyed the bones—many belonged to Heavenly Deities, but most were Void Dao or Severing Realm experts. Some even bore the aura of Dunyi Realm masters.
“The heart of the forbidden land?” Shi Hao hesitated.
He considered retreating, but the demonic bird blocked his path, watching him intently. His only option was to press forward.
Meanwhile, far away, a figure traversed the borderlands, crossing the desert into lush greenery before stepping into the foreign realm—a creature from the Imperial Pass, now venturing into enemy territory.
“Ah, this land is truly captivating. The essence of heaven and earth is so rich, and the Great Dao resonates with me perfectly. Heh, it’s a place meant for my ascension. I look forward to meeting them.”
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