"The Zi Yun Sect is a major sect in the Southern Region. Even these outer disciples had to undergo difficult and rigorous trials to join the sect.
Once they joined, each person was immersed in a spirit spring once a month, and there was no shortage of rare treasures for cultivation.
The innate talent of each of them would be considered rare in any sect.
Your small mountain, my disciples could flatten with a flick of their hand. Your demonic beasts are not enough for them to collect.
Your demonic beasts are nothing but a bunch of mongrels."
Wu Dingqiu's eyes widened as he spoke to Old Monster Song, ignoring the embarrassed expressions of the disciples behind him.
Old Monster Song was slightly startled by this. He flicked his sleeve, about to say something, when Wu Dingqiu suddenly stood up and shouted at the disciples.
"Disciples of the Zi Yun Sect, listen!
Today is your first time leaving the sect. Life and death on this mountain are determined by fate.
This is also a trial to select disciples to join the inner sect.
Whoever can reach the peak of the mountain and take down that flag, this old man will take as a disciple, and you will directly become an inner sect disciple. What are you still standing there for? Go quickly!"
As soon as he finished speaking, all the disciples' expressions brightened considerably.
This was their first time going out, so each of them showed eyes full of anticipation, dreaming of becoming an inner sect disciple and obtaining treasures.
They had heard rumors in the sect that countless treasures, spirit stones, and elixirs were hidden on this mountain.
Nearly a hundred figures charged straight towards the mountain, their momentum astonishing.
This mountain was very high, surrounded on all sides by tropical forests.
To reach the peak, one first had to pass through these forests.
In a short time, many thunderous roars echoed from the forest, and the figures of wild beasts darted back and forth, breaking the silence of the night.
A long time later, many miserable screams echoed from within the forest.
Near the edge of the forest, a group of about seven or eight Zi Yun Sect disciples were frantically running out, with terrifying roars echoing behind them.
Chasing them were three fierce beasts with dragon heads and tiger bodies.
Wherever they moved, the ground rippled with large waves. These three demonic beasts were extraordinarily majestic, covered in thick, smooth fur, unlike other ordinary demonic beasts.
Around their bodies, waves of energy transformed into mist.
Many of the Zi Yun Sect disciples who had just left the sect were panicked at the sight, their faces pale as they fled.
Fortunately, if they managed to run out of the forest, the demonic beasts would not pursue them further. They merely stared at them for a moment before turning and leaving.
On the flat ground at the peak of the mountain, Old Monster Song laughed triumphantly.
"Wu Dingqiu, what do you think? In front of this old man's spirit beasts, your disciples, even if they grew up drinking spirit spring water, are useless.
There's no need for the powerful spirit beasts on the peak to act; the outer spirit beasts alone have already prevented any of your disciples from ascending the mountain.
Haha."
Beside him, the old man Wu Dingqiu frowned, his expression unsightly.
He glared fiercely at the seven or eight cultivator disciples, maintaining his previous arrogant tone, and calmly replied,
"The disciples who ran out only have cultivation at the fifth or sixth level.
My talented disciples have already gone deep into the forest. Before long, they will ascend the mountain, and they will clear out all your treasures."
Time slowly passed, another hour.
Even now, no disciples had reached the mountain peak. The roars of the demonic beasts and the tragic cries of the cultivators from the Zi Yun Sect continued to echo.
A moment later, more than ten disciples, their faces filled with panic and all injured, ran out from the edge of the forest.
Following them were five demonic beasts in pursuit.
Among these demonic beasts was a black fierce tiger, and also an enormous peacock, two zhang tall. The remaining three demonic beasts each had a different form, exuding an extraordinary aura.
On the mountain peak, Old Monster Song laughed even more triumphantly, his expression exhilarated.
He glanced at Wu Dingqiu beside him, whose face was grim.
"Wu Dingqiu, are these the genius disciples you spoke of? They grew up in spiritual springs, eating heavenly treasures and earthly rarities daily, yet they've all become useless. On my treasure mountain, there are many rare treasures that this old man spent a lot of time and effort to find and bring here. In a few more years, when they grow up, this place will have another mountain demon. Haha."
Wu Dingqiu's face had turned purple, his spirit as somber as a volcano on the verge of eruption.
"It's just breaking a mountain, what's there to brag about? This old man can level it with a wave of his hand. Those who just ran out are just a few weaklings; my elite disciples are still..." Wu Dingqiu was speaking when his eyes suddenly widened.
He saw a group of disciples near the edge of the forest preparing to escape.
He immediately stood up and shouted towards them, "Listen carefully, all of you! Anyone who dares to turn back without permission will be expelled from the sect!"
His voice boomed like thunder, reverberating for a hundred li around, causing the fleeing cultivators to turn pale and tremble, not daring to continue running.
Several people gritted their teeth and turned back. Fortunately, the demonic beasts were startled by his voice and dared not continue the chase.
Outside the forest, the faces of the more than twenty people who had already exited turned ashen, hesitating whether to enter or remain outside.
"Not only disciples of your Zi Yun Sect, but within these seven days, any qualified disciple below the Foundation Establishment stage can enter. This place conceals more than half of this old man's life's wealth. Whoever can obtain it, this old man will certainly not stop them. Especially beneath the banner planted on the mountain peak, this old man has placed a Qiankun storage bag that can hold mountains and rivers within it." Old Monster Song laughed heartily with satisfaction.
The laughter fell into Wu Dingqiu's ears, making his expression even more unpleasant. He secretly cursed this old monster for being so eccentric, bringing such a treasure up the mountain.
He flicked his sleeve, intending to leave the place that had caused him no small amount of embarrassment since the beginning, but Old Monster Song immediately stopped him.
"Daoist Wu, didn't we already agree? Until this chessboard is put down, no one can leave. You are an elder of a great sect in the Southern Domain; surely you wouldn't go back on your word?" Old Monster Song smiled, his face raised high with a triumphant look, indicating that he would absolutely not let the other party have his way.
At the same time, several thousand li outside the mountain range, Meng Hao was moving through the forest at an extremely fast speed.
Behind him, Shangguan Xiu pursued relentlessly, his eyes filled with killing intent.
"This protective mountain range is endless; the deeper one goes, the more miasma there is. You chose this place, and you've chosen your own path to death." Shangguan Xiu's voice echoed all around.
"So noisy!" Meng Hao frowned.
He muttered a few words as he continued to flee. This was the first time he had spoken since the two of them began their chase.
Shangguan Xiu's eyes gleamed.
As Meng Hao muttered, he raised both hands and clapped them together forcefully, causing Meng Hao to feel a sharp pain.
The sound that reached him was like a sharp sword tearing through his chest, piercing into his heart, making his face change color. His body swayed, and he spat out a large mouthful of blood.
“You little brat, you finally opened your mouth.”
“This is my family’s inherited Heart-Wounding Art. You still fell for it!”
Shangguan Tu bared his teeth and grinned, his speed increasing in an instant.
He raised his right hand again, and a five-colored bead appeared in mid-air before falling into his hand.
He swung it forward, and the bead shot straight towards Meng Hao. Before it even got close, it exploded into a screen of five-colored mist. Within the mist, the roars of forming vengeful spirits echoed.
Meng Hao turned his head, his eyes growing even darker.
He didn’t have time to wipe the fresh blood from the corner of his mouth. He formed hand seals with both hands, and his body rapidly retreated.
As the mist approached, Meng Hao’s left hand condensed a water sphere the size of a human head, and his right hand formed a roaring fire snake.
The water sphere shot out, then exploded into countless arrows.
Immediately after, the fire python also flew out, exploding in mid-air and radiating heat in all directions, turning the water droplets from the water sphere into vapor.
In the darkness, Meng Hao relied on this mist to conceal his aura, while also disrupting Shangguan Tu’s five-colored mist.
For a moment, Shangguan Tu’s vision was also obscured by the mist.
His heart was startled.
Meng Hao’s move was beyond his expectations.
Just then, two cold streaks of light shot silently towards Shangguan Tu.
Amidst the lingering thunder, Meng Hao sighed softly, then turned and moved forward at his fastest speed.
He continuously swallowed demon cores to heal his injuries and restore his spiritual energy.
The mist he had created behind him had already diffused in all directions.
Shangguan Tu appeared with a cruel expression, fresh blood flowing from his sleeves.
Recalling the scene just now, Shangguan Tu couldn’t help but be startled, his pupils contracting.
If he hadn’t reacted quickly enough to block the two wooden flying swords, he would have lost his right arm.
Now, his arm had a very deep wound that even he found horrifying to look at. The spiritual energy in his body flowed to the wound to heal it, but the recovery speed was very slow.
He could temporarily stop the bleeding, but he still couldn’t prevent the spiritual energy from gushing out of the wound.
“This little beast is too cunning! He only uses a few low-level spells and treasures, but he constantly depletes and replenishes them. He’s truly difficult to deal with.”
Shangguan Tu frowned, thinking to himself, but he continued his pursuit.
The two of them, one fleeing and one chasing, pressed forward.
Time slowly passed, and the night was replaced by the light of dawn.
Chasing and fleeing all night left both Shangguan Tu and Meng Hao exhausted.
Meng Hao himself, having hunted demon beasts in the wild mountains and fled on Black Mountain Peak, was somewhat more accustomed to it.
Unfortunately, no demon beasts could be found in these wild mountains.
Otherwise, dealing with Shangguan Tu wouldn’t have been so difficult.
“He’s only at the seventh level of Qi Condensation, and he’s already this hard to deal with. How much harder will he be when his cultivation is higher?”
Shangguan Tu gritted his teeth, took out a medicinal pill, swallowed it, and then continued his pursuit.
His cultivation was two minor realms higher than Meng Hao's. In terms of speed and spiritual energy intensity, he held the advantage, yet he still couldn't catch up to Meng Hao.
He didn't know that although Meng Hao had only reached the seventh level of Qi Condensation, he cultivated the "Tai Ling Jing" cultivation method from the Qi Condensation Scroll, which allowed him to achieve Flawless Foundation Establishment.
Fundamentally, he couldn't be compared to ordinary cultivators of the same cultivation level.
Furthermore, the demon core in his dantian sea had an extraordinary effect. In the short term, Shangguan Xiu had no way of keeping up.
By morning, the two had traveled tens of thousands of li.
Ahead of Meng Hao, a towering mountain appeared, its peak piercing through the blue clouds.
The mountainside was covered in vast white snow; a single glance revealed its extraordinary nature.