"Of course, this person is not a disciple of my Zi Yun Sect, but you said that anyone below the Foundation Establishment realm can enter.
I am very happy to see him rampage across the mountain, intimidating your demonic beasts. That is enough."
Wu Dingqiu laughed heartily, his laughter clearly revealing his smugness.
He had endured Old Monster Song from the beginning until now, and seeing the old man's displeased expression made him feel extremely refreshed.
His gaze towards Meng Hao also held much goodwill.
"The magical treasure in this person's hand is something that counters demonic beasts, but his own cultivation is too low. It will be difficult for him to find a way out of my demonic mountain.
Every tree here was taken from Nantian, nourished with Tianhe spiritual water. They are inherently powerful and can release spiritual energy for demonic beasts to absorb. My demonic forest also has..."
Old Monster Song was speaking when he looked up and saw Meng Hao, at an extremely fast speed, flash past the demonic beasts and soon reach the foot of the mountain.
He was only a few hundred zhang away.
Since the trial began, no Zi Yun Sect disciple had been able to enter this area.
As he ran, Meng Hao couldn't explain why there were so many white-robed disciples here, but Shangguan Xiu was chasing closely behind him, leaving him no energy to ponder.
As he was running, a loud roar that shook the entire mountain forest came from ahead.
A demonic beast over four zhang tall powerfully charged out.
This was a long-haired elephant, its two eyes glowing red, with a pair of sharp tusks on its head.
Its entire body looked like a small mountain. It approached Meng Hao, each step causing the ground to tremble, its aura astonishing.
"This time, that brat is definitely dead! This is my mutated demonic beast, which I captured from a dangerous place within the Wang Sheng Cave in Nanyu. I nourished it with a large amount of elixirs. It is one of the three strongest guardian demonic beasts on this mountain.
The power of this demonic beast is immense, its skin is thick and its flesh is plump. Ordinary flying swords cannot harm it, and it is skilled in many types of magical techniques. Even a ninth-level Qi Condensation cultivator would have to avoid it.
No one below the Foundation Establishment realm can overcome it."
Old Monster Song looked at Meng Hao and spoke proudly.
Wu Dingqiu's smiling expression also stopped.
He glanced and recognized that this mutated demonic beast was not ordinary. He couldn't help but frown, secretly blaming Old Monster Song's eccentric personality, who only liked to raise strange flowers and exotic beasts.
At this moment, Wu Dingqiu's eyes shone brightly, while Old Monster Song's face darkened. He abruptly stood up.
In that demonic forest, the demonic elephant had just charged out. Meng Hao glanced at it, and his body had to retreat a few steps, feeling bitter in his heart.
He hadn't expected there to be so many demonic beasts on this mountain.
He swung the long spear in his hand, and the demonic elephant's trunk immediately exploded, half of it flying off and landing on a nearby bush.
The demonic elephant felt excruciating pain.
It was enraged, but before it could charge forward, Meng Hao pointed his long spear at it.
Loud explosions rang out, the demonic beast's back exploded, blood gushed out, and its front leg was also shattered, collapsing onto the ground.
The screams it let out shook the entire forest.
Meng Hao's face also turned pale.
He jumped over the demonic beast and headed straight for the mountain peak.
Behind him, Shangguan Xiu, looking extremely disheveled amidst the siege of demonic beasts, his eyes bloodshot, stared blankly as Meng Hao left, his heart filled with raging anger.
Leaving the forest, Meng Hao continued onward. Behind him, fresh blood splattered everywhere, and groups of demonic beasts shrieked mournfully as if the end of the world had come.
The white-robed disciples gasped, their breathing labored.
Meng Hao traversed the forest, heading towards the mountain to avoid Shangguan Xiu, and soon reached the foot of the mountain.
Just as he was about to step in, his eyes widened, focusing on a medicine bottle placed on a large rock.
A faint light emanated from the bottle; one look was enough to know it was no ordinary item.
Meng Hao picked up the bottle. After opening the lid, the scent of the medicine wafted up and filled his nostrils. Inside was a pill.
Meng Hao's spirit was stirred. He put the bottle straight into his storage pouch, secretly guessing that the disciples present must have also come for this mountain.
He no longer hesitated and stepped straight up the mountain.
"That Spirit-Gathering Pill just now is very beneficial for disciples still in the Qi Condensation realm. That young friend has truly good luck to be able to obtain it."
Wu Dingqiu looked down at where Meng Hao had just left, smiling as he spoke.
Old Monster Song, standing beside him, had a very grim expression. He merely snorted coldly.
"This old man's treasure mountain has many more pills and spirit stones. This brat has a pill on him, yet he dreams of reaching the peak of the mountain?"
"On this old man's treasure mountain, there are many spirit beasts, all of them top-grade, newly raised by this old man."
Old Monster Song spoke indifferently, a difficult-to-describe heartache welling up in his heart.
"What do you think? This is the demonic squid this old man personally nurtured back then. It has extreme speed, and when injured, it becomes even more ferocious, fighting to the death.
"Seeing blood will enrage it. A Qi Condensation cultivator who encounters it will undoubtedly die."
Old Monster Song pointed towards the mountain, gesturing at a demonic beast that had just arrogantly emerged in front of Meng Hao.
After the time it takes for half an incense stick to burn, a mournful shriek came from within the mountain. The demonic beast Old Monster Song had boasted about was utterly terrified, fleeing at its fastest speed.
Its tail was shattered, one eye had exploded, and its flesh and blood were a mangled mess.
Its original four legs were now only two.
Its speed was indeed as fast as Old Monster Song had boasted.
Meng Hao took a step, passing through the area occupied by that demonic beast.
He discovered a spot piled high with spirit stones, numbering several hundred.
His expression changed. He excitedly picked them all up and put them into his storage pouch, then continued upward.
Wu Dingqiu once again had an opportunity for a hearty laugh.
Following Meng Hao's footsteps, Old Monster Song's scowling expression gradually disappeared, and the wrinkles on his face smoothed out considerably.
"Its speed is indeed very fast, fighting to the death, huh!"
"It's nothing, it's nothing. This old man still has many treasures on this mountain. How many can this brat take? Today, it will be difficult for him to escape this mountain. He just has a bit of luck, that's all."
Outwardly, Old Monster Song still spoke stubbornly, feigning indifference, but an ominous premonition arose in his heart.
Half an hour later.
Meng Hao had already reached the middle of the mountainside.
Wherever he went, any demonic beast he encountered shrieked miserably and fled.
Several times he found himself in quite dangerous situations, but the iron spear in his hand turned danger into safety. His spirit was greatly invigorated, and along the way, he had collected quite a few spirit stones and treasures.
To Meng Hao, this mountain truly resembled a treasure mountain.
In front of him, on a large rock, lay a scroll painting emitting a gentle glow, with spiritual energy radiating in all directions.
His mind was shaken. He picked it up, examined it for a moment, then put it into his storage pouch.
At the foot of the mountain, many disciples of the Zi Yun Sect looked up and saw Meng Hao, their faces filled with astonishment.
On the mountaintop, Old Monster Song's expression grew even more grim. His body trembled slightly, his gaze fixed on Meng Hao's figure and his storage bag.
The countless spirit stones, magical treasures, elixirs, and especially that scroll painting that Meng Hao had obtained, caused him immense heartache.
Those magical treasures were all things he had cherished before, and many beast souls were sealed within them.
Now, seeing them taken by Meng Hao with his own eyes, a surge of anger made his body tremble. He had to take out and swallow two Spirit Condensing Pills to calm himself.
Again and again, he tried to feign indifference, but Wu Dingqiu, who was beside him, kept laughing mockingly, making it difficult for him to restrain himself.
"This old man's treasure mountain still has many treasures. What is this small loss?"
"If that brat can't find the exit, he'll just die in there. How can this old man's treasure mountain be a place where you can enter and leave as you please!" Old Monster Song put his hands on his hips.
A long while later, Meng Hao was already approaching the vast, snow-covered mountainside. His face was excited, and his speed increased.
At the foot of the mountain, more than half of the Zi Yun Sect disciples participating in the trial saw him, their eyes stunned and envious.
Every now and then, they would see Meng Hao turn around to pick up items, making them wish they could be up there in his place.
Standing at the foot of the mountain, Shangguan Xiu clenched his fists, gritting his teeth, but he could do nothing.
He did not dare to go up the mountain.
Partly because he feared the demonic beasts that had made him break out in a cold sweat many times, and partly because after asking the white-robed disciples, he learned that this was the trial area for Zi Yun Sect disciples, so he dared not act rashly.
He hated Meng Hao deeply in his heart, his unwilling eyes slightly narrowed.
After seeing the demonic beasts injured by Meng Hao, Old Monster Song took out and swallowed three Spirit Condensing Pills, then continued to feign indifference.
"The white snow screen on that mountain was created by this old man using clouds. It's a very suitable environment for some precious spirit beasts to live in."
"These spirit beasts, some can shatter rocks with a single claw, and a single flap of a wing can cause a raging storm. They are extremely powerful."
"It can be said that this is one of the most dangerous places on this treasure mountain."
"That brat has stepped into it; he is sure to die." Old Monster Song gritted his teeth, slowly uttering each word.
Another hour and a half later, the claw he spoke of was shattered, and the wing that flapped to create a raging storm had exploded, leaving half of the beast spitting blood, constantly wailing on the snow, its mournful cries echoing throughout the mountainside.
At this moment, Meng Hao had reached the very top of the mountain.
All the Zi Yun Sect disciples turned their gazes to follow Meng Hao's figure.
They had fought fiercely with the demonic beasts but gained nothing. Now, they could only stare blankly, wide-eyed.
Their eyes burned as if with fire.
"Who is this person?"
"He dares to invade our trial grounds and take our reward treasures? This is too unfair!"
"That iron spear is truly a heaven-defying treasure!"
On the mountaintop, after seeing Meng Hao take a black net and approach the summit, Old Monster Song's body trembled. He no longer pretended to be indifferent but stepped forward, wanting to find Meng Hao.