Chapter 163

"Just a little bit... did an accident happen midway?"

Jiang Ye raised his eyebrows slightly.

Zheng Feng nodded with a solemn expression, "That Heavenly Spirit Fruit had an owner... it was a bear-type demon beast..."

Zheng Hui, who was on the side, said with lingering fear:

"Elder Jiang, that monster bear was so scary; when it stood up, it was taller than two people!"

"When it ran, even the ground was shaking!"

Zheng Feng also showed a trace of lingering fear:

"That bear demon's whole body was covered in black fur like iron, and it had immense strength; both its defense and power were shockingly strong..."

"I exchanged a few rounds with it and didn't even really break its defense."

"If I hadn't seen that the situation was not right and slipped away fast enough, I'm afraid both Xiao Hui and I would have had to stay in the Duanling Mountain Range."

Hearing this, a deep look flashed in Jiang Ye's eyes, and he said thoughtfully:

"With True Disciple Zheng's strength close to the late stage of the Embracing the Pill Realm, you couldn't break the defense of this bear demon; wouldn't it take an expert of the Divine Qi Realm to deal with it?"

Zheng Feng nodded, "Indeed, only an expert above the Divine Qi Realm can deal with this bear demon."

He changed the subject, a flash of brilliance in his eyes: "However... I also discovered a weakness of it..."

"Oh? A weakness?"

Jiang Ye picked up his teacup with interest and took a sip.

"Although this bear demon's defense and strength are shocking, its speed is not agile enough, which is the main reason I was able to escape."

Zheng Feng took a deep breath and said in a low voice:

"Elder Jiang, I thought about it many times on the way back; if you and I join forces."

"One person will be responsible for attracting the bear demon's attention, and the other can take the opportunity to pick the Heavenly Spirit Fruit."

"This matter is very promising."

As he spoke, a flash of heat appeared in Zheng Feng's eyes again.

"Join forces?!"

Jiang Ye's gaze fell on Zheng Feng's face, and a look of contemplation flashed in those aged eyes.

No wonder Zheng Feng ran here as soon as he returned.

So he had made up his mind on this idea.

Speaking of which, if he really went to the Duanling Mountain Range, he could not only slay demons to obtain killing intent but also have a chance to obtain the Heavenly Spirit Fruit.

It could be considered killing two birds with one stone.

Seeing Jiang Ye contemplating, Zheng Feng immediately struck while the iron was hot:

"Elder Jiang, if you are willing to set off, then I will be the one to attract the bear demon's attention, and you can go and pick the Heavenly Spirit Fruit."

Hearing this, Jiang Ye was slightly startled.

Zheng Feng said this very sincerely.

Needless to say, attracting the bear demon's attention must be more dangerous.

Moreover, he let Jiang Ye go to pick the Heavenly Spirit Fruit.

It could be said that his trust in Jiang Ye's character was to the extreme.

Jiang Ye put down the teacup and smiled faintly:

"Since True Disciple Zheng trusts this old man so much, then this old man will accompany you on this trip, and it just so happens I can see this number one dangerous place in Linzhou."

Hearing this, Zheng Feng's face immediately lit up with joy, and he couldn't wait to say: "Elder Jiang, there is no time to lose, let's set off as soon as possible!"

That Heavenly Spirit Fruit was too precious; even with the bear demon guarding it, he was still worried that someone else would get there first.

Although the Duanling Mountain Range is dangerous, there is never a shortage of desperate people.

This was also the reason why he rushed back without rest, covered in dust.

However, Zheng Hui, who was on the side, pouted her little mouth in dissatisfaction, her cute little face full of reluctance.

She wrinkled her small nose, glared at Zheng Feng with her dark, round eyes, and her tone carried a bit of spoiled complaint:

"Brother, at least take a bath when you get back! You stink to death!"

Hearing this, Zheng Feng showed an embarrassed look, his handsome and delicate face blushing slightly, and he coughed lightly: "Xiao Hui, this is actually a masculine scent..."

Zheng Hui rolled her eyes and retorted unceremoniously: "What masculine scent, it's clearly sweat stink! Smell yourself, you're almost rotten!"

As she spoke, she moved closer to Jiang Ye.

Jiang Ye smiled faintly, waved his hand, and said:

"Sharpening the knife does not delay the work of cutting wood; True Disciple Zheng, you must be tired after rushing back all the way, so rest for one night, and we will set off tomorrow morning."

Zheng Hui nodded repeatedly, her cute little face full of agreement, and she didn't forget to glare at Zheng Feng:

"Elder Jiang is the one who knows how to care for people; my brother wants to tire me to death!"

Zheng Feng smiled sheepishly, scratched his head, his handsome and delicate face full of apology.

He looked at his sister with some heartache and finally nodded: "Then we will listen to Elder Jiang; let's go back and rest for one night, recharge our energy, and set off tomorrow morning."

"Hmm."

Jiang Ye nodded slightly and watched the two leave.

The sound of footsteps gradually faded away and soon disappeared at the end of the herb garden path.

Jiang Ye returned to the open space of the herb garden and sat down cross-legged.

"Duanling Mountain Range..."

Jiang Ye murmured softly, then closed his eyes slightly and began to cultivate true qi.

The next day, the morning light was bright.

Jiang Ye had already risen, finished washing, changed into a clean gray robe, and pushed the door open to go out.

He gave instructions to Lu Ming and Chen Chen Lili that he was going out for a trip, and the affairs in the herb garden would be temporarily left to the two of them.

"Yes, Elder Jiang! Don't worry, with me, Little Lu, there won't be any problems in the herb garden."

Lu Ming puffed out his chest, his chubby face full of solemnity, and patted his chest hard, looking like "leave it to me."

Chen Chen Lili, who was on the side, looked at Jiang Ye with a face full of longing.

She had already learned from that little girl Zheng Hui yesterday that Elder Jiang was going to the Duanling Mountain Range with them.

To be honest, she also really wanted to go.

It was just that she was too embarrassed to bring it up voluntarily.

She could only look at Jiang Ye with burning eyes, hoping that Elder Jiang would understand her meaning.

However, Jiang Ye seemed not to have noticed the girl's gaze.

That Duanling Mountain Range is known as the number one dangerous place in Linzhou and must be full of crises.

Even with Zheng Feng's strength close to the late stage of the Embracing the Pill Realm, he almost fell there.

How could he dare to bring Chen Chen Lili along?

Afterwards, after giving the two a few more instructions, he turned around unhurriedly and walked down the mountain.

Watching Jiang Ye's figure go away, a flash of obvious disappointment passed through Chen Chen Lili's eyes.

However, she also knew that all this was because her own strength was too weak.

"I must break through to the peak of the Transformation of Force Realm before Elder Jiang returns!"

Chen Chen Lili took a deep breath, clenched her fists, her bright face full of determination.

Jiang Ye arrived at the foot of Tianyang Peak.

From afar, he saw two figures standing by the stone steps.

Zheng Feng was in a blue martial outfit, full of spirit and energy, looking like he was ready to go out and do something big.

Zheng Hui, who was beside him, was completely different, yawning with sleepy eyes, her little head bobbing, looking like she hadn't woken up yet.

"True Disciple Zheng, I have kept you waiting for a long time."

Jiang Ye walked up, smiled faintly, the morning breeze blowing his graying sideburns, his sleeves fluttering gently.

Zheng Feng walked up quickly, his handsome and delicate face full of uncontrollable excitement, light flickering in his eyes:

"Elder Jiang, I really didn't expect that in the short time I was away from the sect, you, Elder, would have accomplished such a feat."

Yesterday afternoon, not long after he and Zheng Hui went back, he learned from other disciples about the major events that had happened in the sect recently.

Those news items were like thunder, exploding one after another, shaking him so much that he couldn't recover for a long time.

The most shocking was naturally the incident where the true disciple of Jin Chen Peak, Jin Hai, was ambushed and killed by the "Head-Cutting Demon" on the eve of his wedding.

It is said that this matter has already shocked the Sect Master, who issued a sect-wide kill order for the "Head-Cutting Demon," and the entire Tianqing Sect is tracking down that bold and reckless criminal.

That was Jin Hai, the third on the True Disciple Ranking, the number one person under the Jin Chen Peak Master, and he just died like that...

Besides this, the incident where Jiang Ye killed the "Mountain-Suppressing Hand" Zhang Kui of Houtu Peak shook Zheng Feng's mind even more.

If it hadn't been dark last night, Zheng Feng would have wanted to come to the herb garden to chat with Jiang Ye and ask how these things happened.

Jiang Ye smiled faintly with a calm expression: "Just some small matters."

Seeing Jiang Ye's indifferent appearance, Zheng Feng was even more admiring and couldn't help but exclaim, his voice full of heartfelt reverence: "Elder Jiang, you are truly a god-like person."

As he spoke, he couldn't wait to chat with Jiang Ye in detail, wanting to know the ins and outs of those events.

Jiang Ye smiled faintly: "True Disciple Zheng, then let's chat as we walk on the road."

"Good!"

Zheng Feng responded excitedly.

Afterwards, the three of them rode fast horses out of the prefecture city and galloped along the official road towards the direction of the Duanling Mountain Range.

The sound of horse hooves was hasty and crisp, echoing in the morning breeze, raising a trail of dust.

Seven days later.

The three of Jiang Ye had already left the territory of Yunling Prefecture and arrived at the territory of Lingchuan Prefecture.

"Elder Jiang, do you see it? That is the Duanling Mountain Range."

Zheng Feng, leading the way on a fast horse, suddenly pulled on the reins, pointed to the distance, his voice full of excitement.

Jiang Ye looked in the direction Zheng Feng pointed, and saw a continuous mountain range in the distance, like a natural chasm lying across the horizon, splitting heaven and earth in two.

The mountain range wound and rose, with overlapping peaks, endless at a glance, like a giant beast growing from the depths of the earth, crouching between heaven and earth, silent and majestic.

The twilight dyed the mountain range a dark, deep cyan, and the area above the mountainside was hidden in the vast clouds and mist, making it impossible to see its true appearance.

The sunset's afterglow spilled onto the mountain ridge, plating those craggy rocks with a layer of dark red, like solidified blood, revealing a sense of indescribable desolation and killing intent.

"What a Duanling Mountain Range."

Jiang Ye sighed softly, a flash of shock in those aged eyes.

Whether it was the city walls of Yunling Prefecture or the six peaks of Tianqing Mountain, they all seemed small in front of this mountain range.

As the saying goes, looking at a mountain can run a horse to death.

Jiang Ye estimated that it would take at least another day to get close to the mountain range.

At this time.

"Brother, I'm so hungry..."

Zheng Hui lay on the horse's back, muttering weakly, her cute little face full of exhaustion, her eyes half-open and half-closed, as if she would slide off the horse's back at any time.

Jiang Ye withdrew his gaze and said in a low voice: "True Disciple Zheng, let's rest for one night and enter the Duanling Mountain Range tomorrow."

They had rushed here all the way, covered in dust, and basically hadn't had a good rest along the way.

He and Zheng Feng could hold up; after all, they were both martial artists of the Embracing the Pill Realm, with abundant blood and energy.

But it was hard to say for Zheng Hui; she only had the strength of the Hidden Force Realm.

When the time came to look for the Heavenly Spirit Fruit, this little girl's help would be needed.

Zheng Feng looked back at the exhausted Zheng Hui, a look of softness appearing on his face: "Hmm, then let's rest here tonight."

Afterwards, the three of them dismounted, found a quiet place, and began to prepare dinner.

In fact, all three of them brought dry rations when they went out, but there was a small stream nearby, and Zheng Hui was clamoring to eat fish, saying the dry rations were as hard as stones and made her teeth ache from chewing.

Zheng Feng, this sister-spoiling maniac, rolled up his trouser legs and went into the stream without a word, skillfully catching several palm-sized stream fish, preparing to make a meal of grilled fish.

It must be said that although Zheng Feng was from a wealthy family and had lived in luxury since childhood, his skill in grilling fish was truly not bad.

Several stream fish were cleaned by him, skewered with tree branches, and placed on the campfire to grill slowly.

His timing for flipping was just right, the heat was precisely controlled, and before long, the fish skin was grilled to a golden, crispy state, the oil dripping onto the charcoal fire, making a "sizzling" sound.

Zheng Hui took out the seasonings she carried with her and sprinkled them on top, and immediately the fragrance overflowed.

The fragrance drifted in the twilight, mixed with the fresh scent of pine wood and the coolness of the stream water, making one's appetite grow.

Even Jiang Ye couldn't stop praising it after eating, eating two of them, and a rare sense of satisfaction appeared on his aged face.

The three of them couldn't help but chat while eating fish.

Zheng Feng looked at the Duanling Mountain Range in the distance, a mysterious look appearing on his handsome and delicate face, and lowered his voice: "Elder Jiang, have you ever heard of the legend of this Duanling Mountain Range?"

Jiang Ye was slightly startled, put down the fish bone in his hand, and wiped his mouth, "What legend?"

Zheng Feng said mysteriously:

"It is said that in this Duanling Mountain Range, there was once a thousand-year-old snake demon that became a spirit, wanting to walk through the water to become a dragon, and it ate countless people!"

"That snake demon occupied the depths of the mountain range and would come out to cause trouble every once in a while, swallowing livestock and harming the people. Many places in the prefectures near this Duanling Mountain Range were eaten empty by it, which can be said to be a monstrous ferocity!"

He paused, his voice growing lower:

"Finally, the evil deeds of this thousand-year-old snake demon finally angered the Martial Saint."

"The Martial Saint descended from the sky, cut off this mountain range with one palm, and suppressed the thousand-year-old snake demon here! From then on, this mountain range was called the Duanling Mountain Range."

Hearing this, a flash of surprise passed across Jiang Ye's face, "Thousand-year-old snake demon... Martial Saint..."

It sounded a bit mysterious.

Zheng Hui, who was eating fish in big mouthfuls, snorted lightly, her cute little face full of disdain:

"Elder Jiang, don't listen to my brother's nonsense!"

"The legend of this Duanling Mountain Range is clearly not this one!"

Jiang Ye said with some amusement: "This legend has other versions?"

After Zheng Hui swallowed a mouthful of fish meat, she wiped her oily little mouth, her little face full of seriousness:

"Yes! The one I'm telling is the real original version!"

"There is indeed a thousand-year-old snake demon that became a spirit in this Duanling Mountain Range."

"However, it is not a bad snake with monstrous ferocity, but a good snake."

"It only ate those demon beasts that wanted to eat people, guarded the nearby people, and finally achieved full merit, shed its demon body, and turned into a stunningly beautiful woman."

Her voice was soft, her eyes full of longing, "She also fell in love with a human man..."

Jiang Ye nodded slightly, "And then?"

Zheng Hui sighed lightly, the longing turning into a faint melancholy, her little face full of regret: "Then... the love between human and demon was not allowed, she was punished by thunder, and was suppressed in the Duanling Mountain Range..."

Zheng Feng, who was on the side, lowered his voice, leaned into Jiang Ye's ear, his tone carrying a bit of teasing:

"Elder Jiang, this kind of legend about human-demon love can only fool little girls like Xiao Hui. She has liked this kind of thing since she was a child, and she can't move when she hears such stories."

Jiang Ye nodded thoughtfully: "No matter which legend it is, the ending is that the thousand-year-old snake demon is suppressed in the Duanling Mountain Range... could it be that there really is a thousand-year-old snake demon in this Duanling Mountain Range..."

Zheng Feng shook his head slightly: "Legends, generally... are hearsay..."

"Hmm, that's true."

Jiang Ye smiled faintly, withdrew his gaze, and didn't think about it anymore.

Suddenly—

"It smells so good."

A voice with a noble tone suddenly sounded.

The three of them were shocked and looked in the direction of the sound.

They saw a woman wearing a dark purple long dress, with delicate features and a tear mole at the corner of her left eye, who had appeared beside the pile of grilled fish without them knowing when.