Chapter 429

His current cultivation base is the Other Shore Realm, a realm of transformation.

Legend says that ancient masters who cultivated solely the Wheel Sea Secret Realm underwent nine lives and nine deaths of transformation, ultimately breaking free from their cocoons to become butterflies, attaining great perfection.

Some even spent their entire lives cultivating within this realm.

Only after nine transformations of the Other Shore Realm does one reach the fabled Palace Secret Realm, where one cultivates the five viscera; if one can cultivate five divine deities of the Five Elements within the five viscera, perhaps then one could achieve what Brother Fang has done—yet now, seeing Brother Fang's methods, he could only marvel.

Brother Fang's understanding of the Five Elements Dao has reached an unprecedented level.

"Brother Fang has come to the Northern Region—it's like stepping into a treasure vault; what on earth or underground could possibly escape Brother Fang's eyes?"

Pang Bo also felt deeply moved.

Seeing Brother Fang's formidable abilities, he couldn't stop praising him.

His own cultivation base is still the Divine Bridge Realm; he has not entered the Other Shore Realm and lacks such abilities entirely—truly, he envies Brother Fang.

"For me, collecting these sources isn't very useful—I need divine sources."

Fang Yu casually handed over the three jin of source, then continued walking forward.

Zhang Kuang and the others had long regarded Fang Yu as a deity, following him respectfully.

As they advanced, they encountered no bandits at all, leaving Zhang Kuang and the others astonished.

"Today we met an immortal—our luck has greatly increased; we didn't even encounter any bandits. Truly miraculous."

"Of course! We're right behind the immortal—who dares approach?"

"Then I hope the bandits show up now, so the immortal can punish them severely and prevent them from bringing further calamity."

Several teenagers, aged seventeen or eighteen, discussed this curiously.

Fang Yu smiled.

The reason they saw no bandits was not because the bandits stayed hidden, but because the bandits who emerged were reduced to ash by thunderbolts.

The ash along the road were the bandits—they had intended to rob travelers, but encountered Fang Yu and died instantly.

That was the reason for their safe journey.

Fang Yu unleashed a massacre across the Northern Region, clearing out every bandit within five hundred li of him—not a single one escaped.

When he reached the Zhang family's village ahead, not a single bandit remained.

The village ahead was extremely crude, built of stacked stones, housing only dozens of families, totaling no more than two hundred people.

In the village, every villager—men, women, old, young—held sharp knives, ready to fight to the death; only when they saw Zhang Kuang and the others return did they sigh in relief and lower their weapons.

"Quickly pay your respects to the immortal—do not be disrespectful."

Zhang Kuang urgently addressed the villagers.

The dozen or so villagers who had come with Zhang Kuang enthusiastically recounted Fang Yu's deeds—how he lifted mountains with a gesture, how he was protected by divine spirits—leaving the villagers stunned, even skeptical.

But after Zhang Kuang nodded, every villager believed him, and each regarded Fang Yu with deep reverence.

This village was extremely crude, but the villagers were exceedingly warm-hearted; someone immediately slaughtered a sheep and roasted meat to entertain the immortal and Ye Fan and Pang Bo.

A whole sheep, roasted until golden and glistening, was taken off the spit; the villagers ate large chunks of meat and drank from big bowls of wine.

Men of the Northern Region lived hard lives and loved to eat meat in large bites and drink wine in big gulps; they dared not challenge Fang Yu, the immortal, to a drinking contest, but they dared challenge Ye Fan and Pang Bo—and all enjoyed themselves immensely.

As for Fang Yu, he no longer ate ordinary grains; even in the Shrouding Heaven Realm, he still consumed Human Grade Top-Tier elixirs—Nascent Soul Pills—pure and free of impurities, fully absorbable, requiring no excretion.

Cultivators do not need to excrete—at least, those from the Eternal Life Realm do not.

Fang Yu watched Ye Fan and Pang Bo devouring mundane lamb and thought they likely still needed to excrete.

Of course, that was not the focus; Fang Yu's gaze turned to a great mountain not far from the village.

The great mountain was entirely purplish-brown, like dull purple gold polished smooth, heavy and solemn, standing four thousand meters tall, extremely steep—impossible for mortals to climb.

Its surface bore countless sword cuts and spear holes, nearly weathered and erased; only with careful scrutiny could one make them out.

When Fang Yu stepped through the air upward, he saw still more palm prints and finger holes on the Zishan, nearly weathered, blurred, yet faintly discernible.

Nine mountain ridges, on the distant horizon, encircled this purple mountain.

"What mountains are those?"

Fang Yu asked, though he already knew.

"Immortal, are you planning to enter Zishan? I advise you not to—it's a demonic mountain, brimming with ill omen; many have entered and never returned."

Zhang Kuang's expression turned solemn. "A thousand years ago, my ancestor ignored warnings and entered Zishan—and never came out. Our Zhang family's Source Heaven Book was also lost within Zishan."

"So the Source Heaven Book is inside Zishan."

Even Ye Fan felt tempted.

"Indeed. Zishan holds many treasures; my ancestor once desired to take them, but ultimately withdrew. He even considered asking the immortals of Yaochi for help—but abandoned the idea, fearing he would bring ruin upon Yaochi."

"To take divine sources from Zishan would endanger a holy sect? How is that possible?"

"Beneath that purple mountain… there are living beings. So do not go. If you force entry, you will only doom yourself."

"Since I've come, I will certainly take a look."

Fang Yu spoke.

"Immortal, you truly intend to enter Zishan?"

Zhang Kuang sighed. "Please wait a moment."

He turned and entered the stone house, returning shortly with a large wooden chest, its color yellowed, clearly an ancient relic of great age.

Zhang Kuang unlocked the iron clasp and opened the chest, revealing inside a stone robe—plain in appearance, yet exquisitely crafted, clearly made with great care.

He lifted the stone robe, stroking it with his hand. "This stone robe is no ordinary thing—it possesses great spiritual power. It is the stone skin peeled from divine source; though we may destroy it at will, to the living beings within the divine source, it blocks their sight—in short, it wards off evil. Immortal, please wear it."

"…"