In the distance, the mountain range stretched endlessly with towering, precipitous peaks, one after another, densely packed beyond count.
Though he had yet to enter, a faint aura of menace emanated from the rugged terrain, surprising Han Li slightly.
Yet, at the same time, the spiritual energy within the mountains was far denser than outside. This alone made Han Li hesitate no further. With another flicker of his escape light, he darted inside.
To avoid drawing attention, he kept his flight low and slow, skimming past the midsections of one peak after another.
As he traveled within the escape light, he extended his spiritual sense, covering everything within several miles while his eyes scanned the surroundings intently.
After flying just over a thousand miles into the mountains, Han Li could no longer suppress his delight.
The range was teeming with spiritual herbs and trees. Though most grew in perilous locations and were of low grade, their sheer abundance thrilled him.
After all, he was merely passing through. A thorough search would surely yield even greater rewards.
He suspected higher-grade spiritual medicines were also plentiful here.
Beyond the herbs, the number of beast packs in the mountains far exceeded Han Li’s expectations.
At one point, he even witnessed a brutal battle between two such packs.
While flying over a relatively flat valley between two massive peaks, he suddenly heard the cries of apes and roars of beasts from both mountains.
From one peak emerged numerous white-furred apes, each two zhang tall, wielding wooden clubs and stone rods. Led by a golden-furred giant ape, they charged toward the opposite mountain.
From the other peak, bull-headed, lion-bodied beasts surged forth, their leader a massive specimen twice the size of its kin.
The two forces collided in the valley, engaging in a fierce battle without hesitation.
The apes leaped with astonishing agility, wielding immense strength, while the bull-headed beasts relied on sharp claws, fangs, and thick hides. The fight was evenly matched.
What caught Han Li’s attention was that the leaders of both sides seemed to possess intelligence, having reached a certain level of cultivation. The golden ape hurled boulders, while the bull-headed beast spat yellow beams—both likely equivalent to third- or fourth-tier demonic beasts.
The golden ape’s agility gave it a slight edge, but the bull-headed leader was not far behind.
After half an hour of combat, both sides, exhausted, retreated at their leaders’ signals, leaving behind numerous corpses in the valley.
Soon, grotesque double-headed birds descended, devouring the remains.
From high above, Han Li watched the spectacle with fascination. The apes’ coordinated movements, resembling military tactics, sparked an idea in his mind.
As he ventured deeper into the mountains, he encountered other strange creatures lurking among the peaks. Some of the most spiritually dense mountains even harbored beasts at the sixth or seventh tier.
Since none posed a threat, Han Li ignored them, continuing his flight toward the heart of the range.
The sheer size of the mountains astonished him.
After two months of travel, he still hadn’t reached the other side.
Just as he considered turning back, an endless expanse of black mist appeared ahead, shrouding countless peaks.
Halting several miles away, Han Li activated his spiritual vision, his expression shifting as he studied the mist.
At its edges, he saw no vegetation—only blackened, cracked earth.
Unwilling to charge in recklessly, he plucked a small tree from the ground with a wave of his hand.
Channeling golden light, his arm sprouted scales as he hurled the tree toward the mist.
The moment it entered, the tree withered instantly, crumbling to dust.
Han Li’s face darkened.
After a moment’s thought, he flew along the mist’s edge, searching for a way around.
Hours later, he arrived near a small mountain bordering the mist, his gaze fixed on a sheer cliff face.
The mountain, only a few hundred zhang tall, had one side unnaturally smooth, as if flattened by immense power.
Etched into the cliff were three massive blood-red characters.
Though Han Li had studied ancient human and demon scripts, these were unfamiliar—likely from an unknown foreign race.
Though illegible, their strokes radiated a terrifying, sword-like aura. A weaker cultivator might have been forced to retreat just from looking.
Unfazed, Han Li examined them closely, noting their extreme age. The surrounding rock had eroded, blurring parts of the script.
After pondering, he resumed his flight along the mist. Days later, he finally left the mountains—only to freeze in shock.
Before him stretched another coastal beach, where crimson waves lapped against jagged rocks.
Han Li stroked his chin, hovering silently above the shore.
After a long pause, he turned and raced back toward the mist, this time following its opposite edge.
At full speed, he reached another coastal cliff after ten days.
Now certain, Han Li realized he stood on an enormous island—perhaps the largest he’d ever seen.
Shaped like a long strip, half was covered by the black mist.
Attempting to circumvent it, he spent a month flying along the coast, yet the mist persisted endlessly.
Dismayed, he turned back.
Perhaps this was a massive peninsula rather than an island—otherwise, its size rivaled a small continent.
Regardless, the distinction mattered little to him.
Apart from the eerie mist, the island seemed devoid of major threats, and its spiritual energy made it ideal for cultivation.
Yet the absence of powerful beings here puzzled him. The octopus demon he’d encountered earlier, an eighth-tier shapeshifter, had fled at the sight of him—another oddity.
After much deliberation, Han Li decided to scout the surrounding seas for potential dangers.
Over the next month, he combed a hundred-thousand-mile radius, finding only barren islets and a few sea beasts—none a threat.
Satisfied, he returned to the island’s mountains, selecting a peak with the richest spiritual energy.
Hollowing out its core, he established a grand cave abode, warded with restrictions.
Positioned near the range’s edge, it lay far enough from the mist to allow ample reaction time should danger arise.
After planting his spiritual herbs in the cave’s garden, Han Li retreated to a sealed chamber.
With a flick of his wrist, his storage bracelet spun midair, releasing nine corpses—two large, seven small—of Emerald-Eyed True Toads.
Each was preserved with talismans to maintain the potency of their spiritual blood.
Taking a deep breath, Han Li summoned a white jade vial.
With a wave, one of the smaller toads floated up.
A flick of his finger sent a blade of light piercing its body, releasing a thick, silvery fluid.
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