Chapter 305: The True Dragon in the Deep Mountains

Ancient deep mountains hide relics; an immortal pointing at the moon reveals a true dragon.

On the mottled, dilapidated, and massive rock wall, a huge portrait was carved: a legendary creature hidden within a sea of clouds, with only its scales and claws visible, appearing and disappearing, its terrifying aura seeming as if it were about to leap off the stone wall.

A divine dragon is seen only by its head, never its tail; it is said that when ancients painted dragons, they could not reveal the full image, otherwise, a calamity would surely occur.

A true dragon!

A creature from ancient legends; even for cultivators, a true dragon is an existence akin to an immortal—one knows only its name, never its form; it is the most empty, the most holy, the most divine, and the most hidden.

Rivers and seas have always been full of evil flood dragons; where can one see a true dragon?

"One of the Nine Vessels..."

In the dim firelight, a thin young man walked from behind, his appearance seven parts similar to Huang Liulang, but his aura was far more powerful; he wore a crisp suit, yet he appeared completely out of place in these desolate deep mountains.

"The Nine Arts have been called kings since ancient times; they are the dead ends of Alchemy. Only the Nine Vessels can keep them in check..."

The thin young man's voice was cold, his dim gaze falling upon the massive rock wall before him.

"To think that one of the Nine Vessels is hidden within the Ten Thousand Mountains?"

"The True Dragon Horn... what kind of vessel is it that restrains such an art?" the thin young man could not help but ask.

In terms of knowledge and foundation, he naturally could not compare to Li Changgeng, this successor of the Bai He Gate.

"Sanlang, your Huangpi Cave is considered a power in the Ten Thousand Mountains; have you really never heard of it?" Li Changgeng whispered in a solemn voice.

His voice was as harmonious as a spring breeze and as full of life as all things, making one unable to help but be convinced.

"Never heard of it," Huang Sanlang said, shaking his head.

"Gathering the strengths of all spirits to form the true dragon of creation..." Li Changgeng said leisurely.

The true dragon is known as the strongest creature, gathering the strengths of all living beings.

Among the Nine Arts, there is also one that exhausts the changes of the physical body and contemplates the ultimate evolution.

In the vast world, it seems only the True Dragon Treasure Horn can break its body, destroy its art, and extinguish its Dao.

The True Dragon Treasure Horn grinds the sharp blade; how can the heroes of the world escape?

Thinking of this, Li Changgeng's gaze turned back to the massive rock wall, where the true dragon soared through the nine heavens, while before it stood a human figure, as if a great enemy had descended to the mortal world, with the Five Elements intertwined behind them, like an immortal claiming kingship.

"One of the Nine Arts, Five Elements Intertwined King!?"

Huang Sanlang could not help but be moved: "To think that the True Dragon Horn, one of the Nine Vessels, is actually hidden in the Ten Thousand Mountains!?"

"This is not strange," Li Changgeng said indifferently.

"Divine objects hide themselves; ordinary people cannot recognize such treasures even when they see them."

"Many years ago, the True Dragon Horn once fell upon Mount Zhongnan, but later it still followed the way of the world, drifting through mountains and seas."

Having said this, Li Changgeng paused slightly.

Such a divine object, in the dark, has its own mysteries; it is not to be obtained by one person, one mountain, or one sect. When fate arrives, its master will surely appear.

It seems to possess a will of its own.

"Zhao Jiexuan, you risked a killing tribulation; it turns out it was to find the True Dragon Horn," Li Changgeng muttered softly.

"What an unexpected gain."

"The Nine Vessels restrain the Nine Arts..."

Huang Sanlang was in a trance, subconsciously looking at Li Changgeng sitting before him, and subconsciously said: "You cultivate 【Heaven and Earth Fortune Seizing】; I wonder what the Nine Vessel that restrains you is?"

Boom—

As soon as he finished speaking, the bonfire before Li Changgeng flared up violently, like a fire dragon rising, like boiling thoughts, its terrifying aura covering the sky and earth, sweeping in all directions.

Huang Sanlang's expression changed suddenly, and he subconsciously took several steps back, his face turning as pale as frost.

He saw the world in chaos, red light scorching, his soul-aspect seeming as if it were about to fall into this boundless purgatory and turn into ashes of tribulation.

He knew he had spoken out of turn and had committed a taboo.

Heaven and Earth Fortune Seizing is ranked among the Nine Arts; in the world today, only the Nine Vessels can restrain it. This is Li Changgeng's fatal weakness; how could he dare to ask about it so recklessly?

"If a person can seize the fortune of heaven and earth, they must suffer the punishment of heaven and earth."

Just then, Li Changgeng whispered in a solemn voice, his tone as calm as autumn water.

The rising firelight slowly subsided, everything returned to as it was, and only the faint sound of mountain winds and birds remained around them.

"The Nine Vessel that can restrain 【Heaven and Earth Fortune Seizing】 is called the Heaven Punishment Ruler!" Li Changgeng said indifferently.

Huang Sanlang's eyes narrowed, filled with shock and suspicion; he never expected that Li Changgeng's breadth of mind would be so great, actually revealing his own fatal weakness so openly.

"There is nothing that cannot be said to others; Sanlang, no need to be nervous," Li Changgeng whispered.

Hearing this, Huang Sanlang remained silent.

The Dao of utmost sincerity, a heart broader than the sky, seemingly all-encompassing and all-tolerant, is actually hiding both grace and power, just like the vast Dao of Heaven, controlling everything; it has both the grace to convince all directions and the tribulation to punish all living beings. Being so supreme, there is naturally no need to hide, but rather to manifest openly to the world.

This is a kind of superiority that transcends ordinary human understanding.

"Sanlang, you are a leader of the Huangpi Cave; have you still not been able to gain recognition?" Li Changgeng changed the subject and suddenly asked.

"It should be soon!" Huang Sanlang paused slightly.

"During the seventh mountain-clearing and temple-destroying, the Ten Thousand Mountains sacrificed too much. Since then, the elders in the mountains have become conservative; they do not want to repeat the same mistakes, and they will not easily take sides," Huang Sanlang said in a deep voice.

After the demons and ghosts of the Ten Thousand Mountains experienced that baptism of blood and fire, they became exceptionally cautious; they did not want to be drawn into the struggle between the Daoist Sect and the Wu Wei Sect.

However, the struggle for orthodoxy that has lasted for thousands of years is bound to sweep across the world; as long as one is a cultivator, whether human or spirit-monster, no one can stay out of it.

"There are also different voices among our peers," Huang Sanlang said in a solemn voice.

He is not yet invincible in the Huangpi Cave, and it is difficult for him to suppress everyone with his own strength.

Now, there are already voices of opposition to his behavior of being close to the Bai He Gate.

The only thing to be thankful for is that those old guys in the cave do not care about the fighting below; after all, the survival laws of demons and ghosts are primitive and cruel—survival of the fittest, and only those who survive are qualified to speak.

"I will help you eliminate those discordant voices," Li Changgeng said indifferently.

Huang Sanlang lifted his eyelids slightly, looking at Li Changgeng's back, but did not say much.

He knew what kind of blood and slaughter were hidden in this understated sentence.

"Sanlang, what we are doing is a world-shaking task; the small Huangpi Cave is just your starting point. In the future, I will make you the Demon Chief of the Ten Thousand Mountains..." Li Changgeng said indifferently.

His calm voice carried an unquestionable majesty, as if what he said was not a distant future.

"Demon Chief..." A burning heat surged in Huang Sanlang's calm eyes.

"In this life, I will make the Wu Wei Sect vanish into smoke," Li Changgeng said indifferently.

Once these words were spoken, Huang Sanlang could not help but show a strange expression; he did not expect Li Changgeng's spirit to be so great and his ambition so far-reaching; it was truly terrifying.

Whoosh...

Suddenly, a gust of wild wind whistled in, and a figure stumbled from afar, falling beside Li Changgeng.

"Hmm!?" Huang Sanlang raised his eyebrows, instantly recognizing the person.

"Yu Xuanji!?"

"You are injured?"

Seeing this, Huang Sanlang hurried forward to support her; this woman was a successor of Mount Sanqing, and counting it up, they were on the same side.

"Changgeng..."

"Liulang is dead, and Xu Changnian is also dead?"

Li Changgeng looked at Yu Xuanji, his eyes narrowing slightly.

"My Wind-Thunder Pagoda is also lost," Yu Xuanji gritted her teeth.

That was a magical treasure of Mount Sanqing, and it had already reached the Green Feather level; this time, the losses could be called heavy, and it would be difficult to explain upon returning.

"What?" Huang Sanlang's expression changed suddenly, and he blurted out: "Little Six is dead?"

Huang Liulang was his younger brother and was a huge help to his lineage in the Huangpi Cave; this time, following Yu Xuanji out to meet the Xu family experts, he actually died outside.

"Who did it?" Huang Sanlang said in a deep voice.

He knew Huang Liulang's strength clearly; even if he encountered a master of the Daoist Great Being realm, he could fight for a while, not to mention that there was Yu Xuanji assisting and Xu family experts on the side.

"He has come?" Li Changgeng said indifferently.

"Yes, he has come," Yu Xuanji nodded.

Hearing this, Huang Liulang's face was filled with even more suspicion, not knowing who the "he" they were talking about was.

"Good, Zhang Fan, you truly did not disappoint me."

Just then, a faint smile appeared on Li Changgeng's face, as if he were happy, as if he were expectant.

A great enemy had arrived in person, yet it was as if an old friend had come from afar, without the slightest hint of anger or killing intent.

As he spoke, Li Changgeng raised his hand and actually took a piece of skin from his bosom.

That skin was crystal clear, its surface actually shimmering with arcs of lightning, and upon it were strange patterns like lightning marks, like electric arcs.

"Electric Mother Skin!?" Yu Xuanji's eyes lit up.

This was a naturally occurring rare treasure.

The world is vast, and within the dead-end realms of mountains and seas, there are always some strange places and wonderful scenes that ordinary people have never seen.

This piece of Electric Mother Skin was obtained by Li Changgeng in a 【Thunder Swamp】.

That 【Thunder Swamp】 was formed by heavenly thunder drawing earthly fire in a special environment, and it had taken at least eight hundred years to nurture this piece of skin.

"I give this Electric Mother Skin to you; it is enough to make up for your losses."

As soon as Li Changgeng made a move, it was a naturally occurring rare treasure.

Following that, he looked at Huang Sanlang.

"Cultivation is about crossing tribulations; unfortunately, Little Six's path has come to an end," a flash of ruthlessness crossed Huang Sanlang's eyes, but he did not continue to grieve.

"Desire is the cause of death; only by letting go of all thoughts can one see the truth," Li Changgeng nodded: "You can accomplish great things."

"I will help you gain the right to speak in the Huangpi Cave."

"That Zhang Fan..." Having obtained the Electric Mother Skin, the gloom in Yu Xuanji's eyes was swept away, but thinking of Zhang Fan, killing intent surged in her heart.

"I will wait right here in the Ten Thousand Mountains for him to come."

Li Changgeng sat cross-legged, motionless, slowly closing his eyes.

The eight winds cannot move him; he sits steadily on the Purple Gold Platform.

The next day, early morning.

Just as the sky was beginning to brighten, Zhang Fan simply packed up, brought some personal items, and headed toward the Ten Thousand Mountains.

"I'm not going to play; you really don't need to follow."

On the way, Zhang Fan looked at Li Miaoyin, who was following, and couldn't help but mutter.

He had deliberately gotten up early, not even bringing Lin Jianyue, originally wanting to sneak off alone, but he was still caught by Li Miaoyin.

"Burning bridges after crossing the river, right?" Li Miaoyin defined Zhang Fan's actions.

"I really have business; why are you following me?" Zhang Fan curled his lips.

"I like to join in the fun; is that okay?"

Li Miaoyin leaned into Zhang Fan's ear and whispered: "If you don't take me, I'll tell Li Yishan, and his mother, about you pulling me into your room late at night!"

"You..." Zhang Fan's eyes widened.

"Little Zhang, you wouldn't want our secret to be known by others, would you?" Li Miaoyin smiled lightly.

"You're ruthless!"

Zhang Fan compromised helplessly, thinking that bringing Li Miaoyin might also be a great help.

The Ten Thousand Mountains do not actually have ten thousand mountains; it is just that the mountains stretch and crisscross, impossible to count.

Moreover, the terrain in the Ten Thousand Mountains is complex, the environment is harsh, miasma is rampant, and poisonous insects are everywhere.

Therefore, this is not a scenic area; usually, mountain folk occasionally enter the mountains to collect herbs, and only a few backpackers enter to explore.

However, these behaviors are prohibited; the local tourism bureau issues notices every year, warning tourists that the terrain in the mountains is complex, and once trapped, the difficulty of rescue is extremely high, so do not enter the mountains at will.

But the more this is the case, the more it arouses the curiosity of many backpackers.

"There are many entrances to the mountains; many people rent an ox cart to enter, which can save a lot of physical strength," Li Miaoyin introduced.

Xiaodu Town is a small town located near the entrance of the Ten Thousand Mountains.

There are about fifty or sixty such small towns leading to the Ten Thousand Mountains in the entire Guixi Province, distributed around the Ten Thousand Mountains; over time, these small towns have become gathering places for backpackers entering the mountains.

The locals make a living from this, supporting many people, and the local government just turns a blind eye.

At this moment, it was still dark, and there were only two or three ox carts in the town that had work.

In such a place, usually, let alone cars, even electric scooters were rarely seen.

"Grandpa, are you going into the mountains?"

Zhang Fan walked to the ox shed and called out; the grandpa sitting on the ox cart turned his head, and Zhang Fan was stunned.

"Aren't you the grandpa who was handing out flyers?"

The bald grandpa who was recruiting for the college entrance exam sprint training class under Elephant God Mountain that day, and was driven away by scenic area staff for handing out flyers.

"Hmm? Young man, you look a bit familiar..." The bald grandpa looked Zhang Fan up and down.

"Are you the one who asked me to unclog the sewer the other day?"

"..."

"The one who ordered takeout? No, I haven't delivered takeout for half a month."

"..."

"The one who scrubs backs? It's been a long time since I scrubbed a young man."

"Grandpa, you're quite versatile," Zhang Fan laughed dryly.

"Are you going into the mountains?"

"Yes," the bald grandpa nodded: "Five hundred for one person."

"So expensive?" Zhang Fan's eyes widened.

This is too damn black-hearted.

"It's always been this price," the bald grandpa said indifferently: "Or, would you like to look around some more?"

"Grandpa, this is one thousand yuan; there are two of us."

Just then, Li Miaoyin took out a stack of banknotes directly; people in the town were more willing to accept cash.

"The young lady is straightforward; let's go."

The bald grandpa counted the banknotes, grinned, hitched up the ox cart, and took Zhang Fan and Li Miaoyin, swaying toward the Ten Thousand Mountains.

"Young man, don't think it's expensive."

On the way, the bald grandpa swung his whip and turned to look at Zhang Fan.

"I am an old hand here; sometimes when I meet generous guests, I even feel that they gave too little and am willing to give more."

The bald grandpa seemed to be hinting at Zhang Fan.

"Think it's too little?" Zhang Fan curled his lips: "Are there still such suckers?"

"Yes..." The bald grandpa raised his head, as if reminiscing: "That was many years ago..."

"It must have been about forty years ago; there weren't many people entering the mountains then, and two people came, one of whom was very generous, hired me for three days, and gave me two thousand yuan."

"That's too much of a sucker," Zhang Fan couldn't help but say.

Two thousand yuan forty years ago could have bought two or three courtyards in the city.

"More than that, that person also invited me to take a bath, and go to the second floor..." The bald grandpa was a bit nostalgic.

Li Miaoyin showed a strange expression and couldn't help but look at Zhang Fan beside her.

"Why are you looking at me?"

"So many years have passed, and I have never met such a sucker again..." the bald grandpa sighed.

"I still remember his name to this day."

"The person who came with him called him Second Master... Second Master of the Zhang family..."

"Right, his name is Zhang Tiansheng!" the bald grandpa said to himself.

(End of chapter)