Chapter 200: Yanwu Mountain Range
“If we make a move, a pseudo spirit tool would also be pretty good compensation.”
Nangong Hong Yue’s gaze turned to Su Yan. She didn’t ask why Su Yan could communicate with her from such a distance.
“There’s no such thing as a free lunch in this world.”
Su Yan said, “Now that the Ye Family has a Dan Qiao Realm Martial Artist, you no longer have control over the operation. No matter what the situation is then, the control won’t be in your hands.”
“In Southern Sky City, aside from the Ye Family, these two materials can’t be found in a short time.”
Nangong Hong Yue slightly turned her head, looking at the man beside her. If there was still a place to search, it would definitely be in the Beast King Sect.
“Let’s first go find the rock steel ants.”
The two left Southern Sky City and found a deserted place. Su Yan released the Six-Winged Blood Centipede and headed toward the Hundred Thousand Great Mountains.
Nangong Hong Yue pointed the way. The two did not pass through the Hundred Peaks Barrier controlled by the Beast King Sect, but instead crossed over the Hundred Peaks controlled by the Sword One Sect.
After traveling like this for a day, they barely entered the outskirts of the Hundred Thousand Great Mountains.
Miasma like rainbows permeated between the mountain peaks. Tall trees formed forests, with layered leaves everywhere, like a green sea hidden in the mist.
The two rested for a night in a desolate mountain. On the second day, they continued on their way, flying about three hundred miles before seeing a huge mountain range with jagged mountain rocks and black trees everywhere.
“Ahead is the Yanwu Mountain Range.”
A trace of nostalgia flashed in Nangong Hong Yue’s eyes. Back when she was still in the Scorpion Cave, these places were where she grew and gained experience, but not now.
She stood on the back of the Six-Winged Blood Centipede, withdrew her gaze, and said, “The Yanwu Mountain Range is already close to the inner circle of the Hundred Thousand Great Mountains. It’s the territory of the Fire Crow Tribe. They have always been xenophobic. Central Plains Martial Artists who enter are usually hunted by them.”
The Hundred Thousand Great Mountains naturally have inner and outer divisions. The deepest areas are the territories of feral beasts, with third-order calamity beasts everywhere, and even deeper, there are fourth-order calamity beasts, or even fifth-order king beasts…
That is the truly ancient land, which even the old fellows of the Beast King Sect dare not easily enter.
The outer circle is the barren mountains and treacherous waters, the mixed central region of humans and beasts.
It is the dwelling place of the various tribes of southern border, and also the territory of some calamity beasts.
Because of the great war between the Three Flames Divine Palace, Sacred Weapon Path, and other demonic paths and the righteous path of Lingnan Prefecture, the righteous path forces, along with the Monster Suppressing Guard and Demon Suppressing Army of the Dali Dynasty, drove them here, where they relied on the harsh terrain to preserve a glimmer of life.
After hundreds of years of recuperation, they formed several large cities, black towns, and tribes, treating them as their own subjects or slaves.
The two arriving at the Yanwu Mountain Range meant they were already close to these areas.
“Just be careful, that’s all.”
Su Yan was not afraid. Although he was not a Dan Qiao Realm Martial Artist, with his methods, he wouldn’t be trapped here.
The Yanwu Mountain Range had earth veins of molten lava passing through. Just approaching it, he already felt a scorching aura.
Su Yan controlled the Six-Winged Blood Centipede to descend. The two stood on a mountain peak. Rolling black smoke occasionally rose from several distant mountain peaks, forming a dark and heavy fog.
This fog contained much black dust. Not only did it block vision, but staying in it too long would likely risk poisoning or suffocation.
In such conditions, searching in the black smoke would probably be even worse than on the ground.
“Do you still remember which mountain peak it is?”
The Yanwu Mountain Range was several times wider than the Yunling Mountain Range, with many branching veins. Searching one by one wasn’t that simple.
“In the cave under Goat Horn Mountain. That location is rarely visited. I entered by coincidence back then while being chased by a feral beast.”
Nangong Hong Yue paused slightly, then said, “Even if that nest of rock steel ants suffered a disaster over these years, or was hunted by someone, it shouldn’t be that not a single one remains.”
If it were ordinary feral beasts, separated by several years, she wouldn’t mention it.
But swarms like bee swarms or ant swarms were different. Individual strength wasn’t the strongest, but with their numbers, there was always a chance some survived.
“Then let’s go to Goat Horn Mountain first.”
——
Outside the Yanwu Mountain Range, a Black-Winged Ox-Headed Eagle spread its wings and slashed across the sky.
This Black-Winged Ox-Headed Eagle was seventy or eighty meters in size, with its wings fully spread. On its back stood nine people.
The leader carried a heavy sword on his back, had graying hair, and a thin frame like dry firewood.
He sat cross-legged on the head of the Black-Winged Ox-Headed Eagle, his body slightly hunched, rising and falling as if dozing off.
On the eagle’s back, eight people stood behind him. When their gazes swept over him, there was a hint of wariness in their eyes.
Among them was Ye Qin.
To his left and right were the Ye Family’s Second Elder Ye Liufeng, Third Elder Ye Liuyun, as well as Ye Manganese from the second branch and Ye Shang from the third branch.
These five were all experts of the Ye Family, while the four beside them were clearly different from the Ye Family.
A middle-aged man carrying a sword, a burly man in coarse cloth, a stout middle-aged woman, and a bald monk, all with fierce looks.
“Ye Family Head, we’ve already gone deep into the Hundred Thousand Great Mountains. If we go further, it’ll be the barbarians’ territory, and there might even be people from the Demonic Sect.”
The speaker was the fierce-looking monk named Wang De, a martial world wanderer in Southern Sky City with Spirit Merging Stage cultivation and Hardening Golden Body, quite formidable.
Ye Qin nodded slightly and said, “We’re almost there. When the time comes, I’ll trouble the four of you to make a move, along with us, to block the Rhinoceros Tiger.”
The stout woman Li Jin Die smiled, stroking the sharp short knife at her waist: “As you said, as long as the Ye Family keeps its word and the pseudo spirit tools are delivered, we’ll naturally be willing to help.”
The swordsman Yan San nodded without speaking, but the burly man in coarse cloth Song Qian slightly raised his eyes: “One pseudo spirit tool per person—this price seems a bit high.”
Ye Liuyun looked up: “This concerns a heavy weapon. We’re willing to pay the price, so you all just need to do your part.”
Song Qian glanced at this Third Elder and just smiled, saying no more.
The group fell silent, looking toward the Yanwu Mountain Range as they drew closer.
——
Meanwhile, on Su Yan’s side, after Nangong Hong Yue identified the direction, they hurried seventy or eighty miles deeper into the Yanwu Mountain Range.
In this mountain range, although there seemed to be fewer trees than outside.
There were still quite a few hidden feral beasts.
In the short distance, the two were attacked several times by feral beasts that didn’t know any better.
Su Yan didn’t personally make a move. He just released the Gold-Eating Demon Insect. Like a knife, the white shadow flashed, easily severing the heads of these feral beasts.
After traveling for a long time, they finally saw that mountain piercing into the thick fog, curved like a goat’s horn.
The jagged peak was like a sheep’s horn, with sharp rocks protruding everywhere on its body, as sharp as swords.
Rustle rustle rustle
As soon as the two approached, urgent friction sounds came from the dry wood and weeds.
Looking closely, there were several martial artists in colorful attire with dark skin, chasing and killing a few people.
“People from the Fire Crow Tribe.”
Nangong Hong Yue recognized them. Her figure flashed, and she hid behind the rock wall with Su Yan.
The two concealed their auras. At this time, the Fire Crow Tribe martial artists drew their bows. A beast horn bow suddenly shot out a fierce arrow, piercing the farthest martial artist.
‘Impressive skills. True Intent infused, arrow forms a fire crow—True Intent Realm Martial Artist.’
Su Yan didn’t make a move and watched this encirclement with Nangong Hong Yue.
Three Fire Crow martial artists, four Central Plains Martial Artists.
One chasing, one fleeing. Although there were True Intent Realm Martial Artists among the Central Plains Martial Artists, they seemed already injured.
In just over ten minutes, all died under the arrows of this Fire Crow martial artist.
“Shameless thieves.”
Among the Fire Crow martial artists, the leader A Mu looked up at his two companions.
“Take their weapons, strip their clothes. Take the stuff and go back. Don’t let Central Plains Martial Artists ruin our tribe’s important matter.”
“Yes.”
The three moved quickly, soon taking their spoils and striding back down Goat Horn Mountain.
At this time, Su Yan and Nangong Hong Yue hid behind a giant rock, watching them leave.
“Does Goat Horn Mountain have treasure?”
Su Yan lowered his head to look at Nangong Hong Yue. The two were quite close, almost body to body.
Nangong Hong Yue’s face slightly reddened. She stood up to create distance, then said, “I haven’t heard of any. If there is, it’s probably just minerals or heavenly materials and earthly treasures they’ve discovered.”
She was originally a woman from these mountains. If there were treasure caves, hidden stashes, or blessed lands in the mountains, she would have heard of them, but Goat Horn Mountain definitely wasn’t one.
When heavenly materials and earthly treasures mature, tribe martial artists hunt around, drive away beasts, and guard against martial artists or other tribes—this was common.
Her eyes flickered as she said, “This situation suggests it’s heavenly materials and earthly treasures sufficient for breaking through to Dan Qiao. Otherwise, they couldn’t mobilize the tribe’s power.”
Su Yan heard her interest stirred. With her deep blood sea grudge, Nangong Hong Yue’s desire for breakthrough was unusually strong.
But he himself was also intrigued. As the saying goes, arriving early is not as good as arriving at the right time. If there really was benefit, it might be worth a try.
“What is the strength of the Fire Crow Tribe?”
“A medium-sized tribe, with a Dan Qiao Realm tribe leader in charge.”
Su Yan’s eyes lit up slightly. With a wave of his hand, countless blood bees surged out, spreading in all directions. In an instant, over ten thousand blood bees had flown out.
“I’ll scout the way first.”
Nangong Hong Yue saw Su Yan’s methods, her eyes filled with admiration and envy.
‘Even witchcraft can’t scout with insects like this. How much spiritual power is needed to achieve this level?’
Simply using gu worms’ life or death to probe for danger—anyone practicing witchcraft could do that.
But to cultivate gu worms to be as controllable as one’s own limbs, and still perceive and explore over such a wide range and large scale, required an immense amount of true essence and spiritual power.
So, in her eyes, Su Yan was truly a monster.
The two hid behind the rocks, with Su Yan seemingly still beside Nangong Hong Yue.
But in reality, he had already attached the Insect Consciousness Seed to the blood bees and begun penetrating Goat Horn Mountain.
‘Quite a few people.’
Su Yan’s blood bees had only flown three or four miles when they noticed something wrong.
On the mountain paths, every few crossroads had Fire Crow Tribe martial artists guarding.
They held spears, wore black or brown leather clothes, exposing cyan tattoos on their bodies, all looking very serious.
One mountain path, two mountain paths, three…
Almost all roads up Goat Horn Mountain were guarded.
At least Bone Forging Realm martial artists. Just from the blood bees he continuously possessed, he sensed no fewer than a hundred.
‘Even the foot of the mountain is like this. This commotion is not small.’
The divine sense on the blood bees probed toward Goat Horn Mountain, faintly sensing spiritual energy slowly flowing toward it.
The blood bees continued to spread, covering the outskirts of Goat Horn Mountain, and silently approached it.
One circle inward, several teams of Fire Crow Tribe True Intent Realm Martial Artists were patrolling.
Fights broke out from time to time. Many martial artists adventuring in the Yanwu Mountain Range seemed to notice something wrong here and tried to sneak into Goat Horn Mountain.
However, the operations weren’t smooth. The Fire Crow Tribe raised fire crows that found these people’s tracks like hunting dogs.
Along the way, fights broke out from time to time.
Su Yan ignored them, quietly approaching. Soon he reached Goat Horn Mountain and found where the Fire Crow Tribe had gathered the most.
Goat Horn Mountain’s Rift Valley
The rift valley was like a knife slash, splitting the entire Goat Horn from the root into two, tearing open a gap over a hundred meters wide.
The blood bee carefully approached. Under Su Yan’s perception, he immediately saw the rift valley filled with the Fire Crow Tribe’s elites.
“Roar”
A terrifying beast roar came. A blood-colored violent bear was trapped by chains, firmly locked in place.
It roared continuously. Its bear paws, like millstones, pawed about, making the chains clatter, but it still couldn’t break free.
“This small secret realm will open on its own in at most seven days. At that time, with spiritual energy gathering, it won’t just be these flies coming down from the mountain.”
The leader was a red-faced burly man, stout in build, with half his body tattooed with a fire crow.
“Wuli Ke, what movements from the Black Bear Tribe and Red Fox Tribe?”
“Fire Crow hunters are scouting. No unusual movements yet, but the spiritual energy is already gathering. Soon there will be the anomaly of black dragon swallowing smoke, spiritual energy churning—whoever sees it will know there’s something here.”
The old man glanced at Wuli Ke, then said, “No matter. We’ve prepared for several days. Wait for Wu Yun to hunt a few more third-order perfection… what is that!”
The old man Wu Nan’s eyes burst with a sharp light as he suddenly looked toward where the blood bee was.
He raised his old wooden staff and directly struck toward it.
Pfft
The blood bee couldn’t withstand this firelight attack and turned to flying ash in an instant.
Hm?!
Wu Nan frowned. Wuli Ke beside him also darkened his expression and said, “This kind of bee has never been seen before.”
“Servant insect. Don’t know if it’s a calamity beast’s servant insect or a human-raised gu worm.”
Wu Nan was seasoned and cunning after all. With so many martial artists here, how could ordinary beasts dare approach, let alone with him, a Dan Qiao Realm Martial Artist, present.
The blood bee was strange.
“Pass the order down. See how many blood bees are on this mountain!”
“Yes, Tribe Leader.”
Wuli Ke immediately strode out to relay the order.
At the same time, Su Yan’s eyes snapped open. He had already given the order in his mind, and the blood bees flew into the thick fog to hide.
His reaction was extremely fast. The blood bees endured the discomfort in the thick fog and immediately hid.
“Let’s go. We’ll switch to another place.”
Su Yan pulled Nangong Hong Yue and hurried toward a few weak points he had just scouted, soon hiding again.
Nangong Hong Yue saw him stop and finally had a chance to ask.
“What happened?”
“The Fire Crow Tribe elder you mentioned is inside, and they’ve captured quite a few feral beasts, sealed in one place.”
Su Yan looked at Nangong Hong Yue and asked, “In the Hundred Thousand Great Mountains, what situation would cause spiritual energy to continuously gather in one place without any sign of heavenly materials and earthly treasures?”
Nangong Hong Yue didn’t react for a moment, her face showing deep thought. Suddenly, inspiration struck: “It’s a small secret realm! The Fire Crow Tribe wants to assault the secret realm entrance ahead of time!”
