Chapter 261

【Consuming Mist Beast Origin, successfully fed Red Tempered Snake, gained Essence Points 40000!】

【Consuming Mist Beast Origin, successfully fed Golden-Winged Great Eagle, gained Essence Points 40000!】

……

As the system's prompt sounded, Yu Zhangsheng was slightly surprised, then his smile deepened.

"It seems the Blood Moon Wolf Mist Beast Origins devoured by the Blood Moon Wolf King weren't wasted either; they were counted too. That's eighty thousand Essence Points in one go — excellent, excellent, excellent."

Yu Zhangsheng smiled delightedly, to the point his gaze shifted subtly. He stared at the Red Tempered Snake and Golden-Winged Great Eagle, observing.

After swallowing the Mist Beast Origins, the Red Tempered Snake and Golden-Winged Great Eagle's bodies swiftly surged with intense red light; as their bodies heated up, their cultivation bottlenecks trembled, and their cultivation bases rose rapidly. A moment later, the auras on the two beasts reached their peak. With a muffled crack, an invisible ripple spread outward from them as center, and two white lights flashed.

【Red Tempered Snake successfully advanced to Second Rank Fifth Layer, gained Essence Points 10000!】

【Golden-Winged Great Eagle successfully advanced to Fifth Layer, gained Essence Points 10000!】

Sensing the cultivation feedback transmitted synchronously from within his body, Yu Zhangsheng was instantly overjoyed, his mood excellent.

"This wave nets a hundred thousand Essence Points directly — excellent, excellent. Send more Blood Moon Wolf Kings like this my way; it finally makes up for all the trouble I went through for so long. Not bad, worth it."

Yu Zhangsheng nodded inwardly, sensing his cultivation base pushing forward repeatedly in succession, and pondered slightly.

"The further along, the slower the Spirit Platform condenses. Now all three of my Spirit Beasts have reached Second Rank Fifth Layer, yet my Spirit Platform has barely reached less than seventy percent..."

Yu Zhangsheng clicked his tongue inwardly, glanced at the sky, shook his head with some helplessness: "But my cultivation speed isn't slow either. Let's take it slow. Inside this Secret Realm, I hope there's still more to gain."

At this moment, the night curtain receded; the dark red sky gradually brightened somewhat. Though still a gloomy red, it lost some of its gloom. That iconic blood moon also quietly dissipated.

The surrounding mist once again enveloped them, shifting completely from dark red to white. Perhaps the battle between Yu Zhangsheng and the Blood Moon Wolf King had a certain deterrent effect, for no other existence launched an attack at Yu Zhangsheng again.

Yu Zhangsheng glanced around, took out two Pills to recover, kept his state at its absolute peak, and with a vigilant heart continued walking toward the depths.

"Three days' time, one day has already passed. I need to speed up."

Slowly exhaling a breath, Yu Zhangsheng pondered slightly. The three Spirit Beasts surrounded the area, each exploring forward.

This expanse of white mist was vast and mighty, unlike the previous two patches of white mist Yu Zhangsheng had seen, which gradually dissipated after he killed nearly all the Mist Beasts within them. The Blood Moon Wolf Pack's annihilation had basically no effect on this white mist.

"If only I'd run into Mist Beasts like the Blood Moon Wolf Pack again."

Inside the white mist, Yu Zhangsheng advanced with the three Spirit Beasts, muttering a line. But he also knew that Mist Beasts like the Blood Moon Wolf Pack were ultimately a minority; encountering them once was already pretty good. At the same time, one's own strength had to be hard enough; otherwise, an encounter might not be an Opportunity but a Disaster.

Along this journey, he had run into some Mist Beasts here and there, and the harvest was still optimistic.

And the white mist's density wasn't constant; it varied by Zone — different Zones, different densities. Some Zones you couldn't see your hand before your face, every step arduous; others were thin and clear, only a thin layer.

For instance, right now, the white mist near Yu Zhangsheng was very thin. A light breeze blew, revealing a few degrees of Mount Lu's true face.

"Hum..."

Yu Zhangsheng raised an eyebrow in surprise, condensed his Divine Sense into a thread, and probed forward. The white mist was sparse; a breeze of unknown origin blew gently, carrying a hint of cloud-and-mist-like haziness. What appeared before him was a massive Stone Forest, roughly estimated at ten thousand mu in breadth.

Tall stones thrust straight into the clouds, like mountain ranges, standing one by one, bizarrely shaped, grotesque rocks jagged, like swords, like blades. Their surfaces bore ancient patterns, revealing traces of time.

And most eye-catching was the stone peak at the center. Its upper half had been cleanly severed at the waist, revealing a smooth surface — not natural, more like man-made.

"Such intense Sword Intent..."

Yu Zhangsheng exhaled, eyes narrowing slightly, sensing the stinging sensation transmitted from within his mind. His Divine Sense contracted slightly.

"All of these... were severed by a single sword?"

Yu Zhangsheng pondered. After confirming no danger around, he walked forward and gently stroked the smooth surface of one stone peak, his expression somewhat astonished.

Who knew how long this stone peak had existed here, but under Yu Zhangsheng's Divine Sense, he could still sense the residual sword marks on it, and the faint, barely-there Sword Chant Sound, as if returning from antiquity, echoing through the clouds. After the scouring of years, it could still make one feel that fierce Sword Intent.

"What cultivation base could unleash such a sword... leaving traces that remain to this day."

Yu Zhangsheng frowned. The Golden-Winged Great Eagle flew high, transmitting the scenery in its eyes to Yu Zhangsheng, allowing a clearer view of the terrain here. It occupied ten thousand mu; stone peaks scattered, many already collapsed, the rest looking tottering.

On the ground, countless Debris. Yu Zhangsheng thought briefly, then walked toward the depths of the Stone Forest. Here, the white mist was already very sparse; more prevalent was cloud mist, winding around, adding an indescribable Xianjing charm.

"Hum hum..."

The deeper he went, the more intense the Sword Chant Sound at his ears became. That Sword Intent in the Void, faintly poised, transformed into a spiritual thorn, seemingly substantial, pressing on the Divine Soul.

Fortunately, Yu Zhangsheng's Divine Soul was powerful. This mere residual charm basically couldn't affect Yu Zhangsheng at all.

"This is... Sijian Cliff?"

An Incense Stick Time later, Yu Zhangsheng halted. The Sword Intent here felt most dense to his perception.

And here stood a massive stone cliff, comparable to a mountain cliff, its surface incomparably smooth — clearly cleaved open by a single sword stroke — standing unfallen. At its summit, the three characters "Sijian Cliff" were carved with a sword in Dragon Flying Phoenix Dancing script.

Even more, boundless Sword Intent radiated through the characters, seemingly substantial, suppressing the Void, humming resonantly. Through the years, its sharp edge remained undiminished.

Yu Zhangsheng pondered slightly, slowly closed his eyes, condensed his Divine Sense to a point, and attached it to this Sijian Cliff. In just an instant, a Heaven Soaring Sword suddenly surged forth in his mind, peerless in momentum, slashing toward him!

"Hiss..."

Yu Zhangsheng gasped in pain, hurriedly severed that strand of Divine Thought, panted slightly, his face already deathly pale.

"What shocking Sword Intent."

After a long moment, Yu Zhangsheng took a deep breath, only then suppressing that heart-palpitating sensation.

If wind had a shape, what would it be? Yu Zhangsheng didn't know. Wind, formless and substanceless, blows past and flows away, leaving no trace. But the wind at Sijian Cliff right now carried other meanings.

"Whoosh... whoosh... whoosh..."

The wind howled, carrying history's vicissitudes, mixed with chaotic Sword Chants, like a weather-beaten old man telling this place's story, unwilling to let it vanish into the years, bit by bit, weeping and narrating, slowly recounting.

Yu Zhangsheng's expression was calm. He reached out and gently touched the smooth stone wall. The residual sword marks on it had already mostly dissipated by now; there was no danger.

This Sijian Cliff was huge, boundless at a glance. Due to the residual Sword Inheritance, Yu Zhangsheng didn't dare release his Divine Sense recklessly. He could only move his steps lightly, one step one look, following along this Sijian Cliff downward. "This is... who?"

Just like that, he walked for an Incense Stick Time. Yu Zhangsheng slowly stopped. Ahead, leaning against a boulder, a skeleton stood abruptly there. Its whole body had no flesh or blood, only bones, covered in traces of history's wind and frost. The skull's empty eye sockets gazed into the distance at Sijian Cliff.

Yu Zhangsheng pondered, thought for a bit, then after confirming no danger around, walked forward to observe carefully.

Due to the Sword Intent existing at every moment on Sijian Cliff, the master of this corpse perhaps had no low cultivation base, but under such circumstances, even the physical body was difficult to preserve intact.

Now, all that remained was a skeleton frame. At a glance, it looked rather eerie and terrifying.

Besides this corpse, placed at its side was a Storage Bag, sitting quietly at its feet.

Yu Zhangsheng took a deep breath, cupped his fists toward this skeleton frame and bowed, then carefully picked up the Storage Bag.

"Although I don't know who Senior is, to be able to appear in this Huanwu Beast Valley, you are likely also a senior of my Myriad Phenomena Sect. This junior is an Inner Sect Disciple of the Myriad Phenomena Sect Yushou Peak. I rashly inspected you; I hope Senior, if your spirit remains in heaven, will not take offense."

Yu Zhangsheng muttered, carrying a trace of anticipation, his fingers surging with a thread of mana, slowly opening the Storage Bag.

This Storage Bag had experienced who knows how many years; its internal space was already teetering on the verge of collapse, extremely unstable. To the extent that when Yu Zhangsheng opened it, he also moved with light hands and feet, careful and cautious.

Under Divine Sense probing, the scene inside the Storage Bag was clear at a glance.

Inside, first was a pile of Spirit Stones like a small mountain, Spirit Light abundant, extremely dazzling; a rough glance suggested there were probably several hundred thousand.

Moving his gaze away from the Spirit Stone mountain, Yu Zhangsheng exhaled a breath, continuing to look at the other things.

The remaining things were just some bottles and jars, merely quite Chen Family's Agreement; the Pills inside, under the traces of years, had either completely lost their Medicine Effect, or had dissipated into ash, utterly gone.

"What a pity, such good Pills." Yu Zhangsheng shook his head, lightly sighed, his expression somewhat regretful.

As an Alchemist, relying merely on the residual scent of these Pills, he could roughly know what the other portion of Pills were; they were all Pills of considerable value.

However, they still could not withstand the erosion of time.

After exhaling a breath, Yu Zhangsheng also didn't take it too to heart, continuing to look; besides that, there was only one Cultivation Manual existing.

"Refining Spirit Art..."

Yu Zhangsheng pondered, took out the Cultivation Manual to examine, slowly turned the pages, brows furrowing slightly, then revealing a trace of a smile.

"Since it is the follow-up Cultivation Manual of the Refining Spirit Art, not bad; it counts as this trip not being in vain."

Inside the Cultivation Manual was precisely the middle-layer Cultivation Manual of the Refining Spirit Art. Currently, the Refining Spirit Art Yu Zhangsheng grasped was merely the upper volume, at most able to support his Cultivation to Golden Core Peak.

That is to say, even if Yu Zhangsheng continued to add points, at most it could only support him breaking through to Golden Core Peak and then could not advance further, because the upper limit of the upper volume Refining Spirit Art was here.

And now obtaining the follow-up Refining Spirit Art in advance, for Yu Zhangsheng, indeed counted as an unexpected delight.

"This way, it is enough for me to Cultivate to Violet Mansion; to be able to possess the Refining Spirit Art this kind of Cultivation Manual, it seems indeed to be a senior of my Myriad Phenomena Sect Yushou Peak."

Yu Zhangsheng smiled faintly, put away the Refining Spirit Art, thought for a moment, once again cupped his fists toward this skeleton and bowed.

"Dust returns to dust, earth returns to earth. I don't know who Senior you are, but since I encountered you, then let your Soul return to its hometown. Always lying exposed outside, it's also quite scary."

Yu Zhangsheng with a serious expression, fingers flashing Sharpness, at this moment started digging downward; before long, a fairly spacious pit appeared.

"Done."

Patted the dirt on his body, Yu Zhangsheng nodded Satisfied, looking at this skeleton, his gaze following its tilted head, looking toward Sijian Cliff.

"Huh..."

Yu Zhangsheng surprised, slowly stepped forward, yet saw at the corner of Sijian Cliff, lines of small characters engraved upon it, Unremarkable.

Yu Zhangsheng Curious, concentrated and in a Low Voice read along them.

"That was the first time I encountered That Mountain, naturally could not bear to hear good words of persuasion."

"I firmly believed I could cross Layer upon Layer of Obstacles; along the road there was much beautiful scenery, but I never stopped to Observe; my eyes held only That Mountain, even if I crashed head bloody, I felt I must be crazy."

"But I just wanted too much to climb That Mountain; the world is full of those who return empty-handed, enthusiasm waning..."

"Every Moon I lost was a Moon I should have lost; every bit of Star Light I gained was also Star Light I should have gained."

"After that, years passed; Mountain is Mountain, I am I. Knowing it cannot be done yet doing it is my greatest Sincerity, but who comes to define what can be done and what cannot be done?"

The handwriting was elegant, looking very good, but between the lines, it revealed a streak of stubbornness, carrying a faint sense of regret.

"Knowing it cannot be done yet doing it..."

Yu Zhangsheng fell silent, turned back to glance at those Bones; clearly these lines of characters were written by him during his lifetime.

A Moment Later, Yu Zhangsheng shook his head, lightly sighed, continued looking downward.

Beside and below this line of characters, Similarly Has another line of characters, but the handwriting was relatively new, the character rows also completely different, clearly written by another person.

"This way we both go to the Shi Ba Ceng Di Yu... foolish child..."

Only a short single line, a response to the above text; besides that, no other traces.

"He wasn't even willing to give you his Bones to keep."

Yu Zhangsheng exhaled a breath, glanced at it, muttered a sentence, then turned and carefully hugged up these Bones, placed them into the dug pit, then slowly filled it level.

"This way is somewhat better than being exposed outside."

"Having received this favor, a small help, my heart can be much more at ease."

Having done all this, Yu Zhangsheng only then relaxed a breath; the Cultivation World everything speaks of Karma; since he took someone's things, then this kind of effortless matter, Yu Zhangsheng naturally also just did it Conveniently.

(Chapter End)