Chapter 184

Beneath the Inverted Mountain, a group gazed at its face; Shi Hong squatted on the ground, plucking blades of grass one by one, watching them turn to smoke, then watching new grass sprout again from the earth.

To manifest Qi to this degree had surpassed the expectations of everyone present.

Even Bai Li Lei Jingchuan could not help but feel a chill in his heart—he had once witnessed one of the sect's Four Guardian Dharma Kings, the Crimson Flame Dragon King, in action.

Qi takes form to know a person, and kills from a hundred li away.

Yet even such towering masters possessed nothing near this vast, terrifying Qi, nor this level of control. It was nothing less than creation from emptiness—a realm akin to myth.

Opposite the Inverted Mountain, all the experts held deep wariness; beneath the oceanic pressure of this Qi, even several Golden Core experts moved with extreme caution.

"Li Li Yuanba…"

After Jing Jing Shuhu lightly touched the stone tablet, only this name flickered continuously upon its surface.

At this moment, he did not even marvel at the miraculous nature of the Qi tablet—only a strange sorrow and desolation welled within him. The only name he recognized on it, Liu Liu Qingtian, had been dead for over a thousand years: "Through all generations of crude masters, not one has ever seen the Shan Xuan Whale Hammer?"

For over a thousand years, the Divine Weapon Valley's crude masters had desperately sought it—and in the end, they could enter this Shan Xuan Bing Mi Jing only through the methods of the Xieshen Sect.

Jing Jing Shuhu and Lei Lei Jingchuan stood beside the tablet; the three exchanged glances, emotions surging within them—joy, bitterness, sighs.

He once again truly felt what "No Green, No Sight of the Shan Xuan Bing" meant. "It has always been beneath the cold pool, and it knows we seek it—but…"

Watching the flickering characters "Li Li Yuanba" on the stone tablet, Jing Jing Shuhu sighed inwardly—when suddenly, he heard a scream.

The group reacted instantly, seeing a black-clad blade master step onto the stairs—only to collapse like struck by lightning, trembling violently.

"What's going on?!"

Bai Li Lei Jingchuan, alone at a distance, had failed to stir his Qi; hearing the scream, he hurried over. "This mountain—this mountain…"

The blade master trembled as if about to soil himself, face ashen: "I—I had only stepped onto the first stair when I felt as if the mountain had crushed me—my whole body burned with pain."

"You can't even climb one step?!"

Bai Li Lei Jingchuan raised an eyebrow; all nearby experts turned pale.

This blade master was a seasoned expert who had refined his form for years—yet he couldn't even ascend one step? That was utterly horrifying. Remember, the Inverted Mountain rose ten thousand ren high, with over twenty thousand steps.

"Lord, let me try!"

Yuan Brother Qiao had waited below the mountain for a long time; now seeing Bai Li Lei Jingchuan look his way, he drew a deep breath and shot forward like an arrow loosed from a bow.

His movement was swift, his force immense.

"Ah!"

But the next instant, a scream more horrific than the blade master's rang out—Yuan Brother Qiao fell backward faster than he had charged, screaming.

Mid-air, he spat blood profusely, bones and tendons grinding with a "weiwēi" sound, like the groans of snapping sinew. "Even Yuan Brother Qiao can't climb it?!"

The crowd erupted in shock; Shi Hong's face turned even darker—he had known Yuan Brother Qiao for years, knew that though his insight was mediocre, he had made countless offerings to the gods, and his Wu Gong was barely inferior to his own.

He turned back to the flickering names on the tablet, heart pounding violently.

Yuan Brother Qiao couldn't even climb one step, yet Li Li Yuanba had already ascended nine thousand ren—and was still heading toward the ten-thousand-ren mountain pass.

If this mountain truly tested bone and talent, could that man be ten thousand times stronger than Yuan Brother Qiao?!

"I don't believe it!"

Some were astonished, others frowned; seeing Yuan Brother Qiao cough blood but suffer no serious injury, several more chose to charge the mountain. One after another—including Wan Chuan—everyone stepped forward to try.

Some moved cautiously, some bare-handed, some wielding blades or swords, some stirring blood-Qi, some suppressing their breath—but no matter how they tried, whether refined form or meridian-circulating, not a single one could ascend even one step!

"Could it be this mountain forbids simultaneous ascent? Only one person may climb at a time?"

Before the first step, Wan Chuan carefully extended his hand—but recoiled instantly; his fingertip throbbed as if struck by a giant hammer.

He couldn't ascend the first step either—but he refused to believe anyone's bone and talent could surpass his by even a thousandfold.

"Why?!"

A blade master, furious and unwilling to yield, hurled his blade into the mountain—he froze, then turned pale: "My blade!" "Pū!" He coughed blood and fell back.

The experts at the mountain's base wore grim expressions; after exchanging glances, they turned to Gong Gong Yangyu and Bai Li Lei Jingchuan. "Daoist Tianyun Daoist Tianyun Xuanbing—without destiny, it cannot be seen."

Seeing all present failed to climb, Gong Gong Yangyu's expression improved considerably:

"Perhaps we have not earned the Shan Xuan Bing's recognition. Even with the treasure mountain before us, we may not enter." He paced before the mountain, gazing at the towering peak—his mood grew unexpectedly calm.

"It must be so."

Bai Li Lei Jingchuan's expression darkened.

For five or six years, his Huizhoufentang had labored tirelessly for this day—how many experts had died to enter? And now, at the mountain's foot, they couldn't even climb?

"So we must wait until that boy reaches the summit?"

Watching the flickering name on the tablet, Lei Lei Jingchuan scratched his head in frustration—after coming this far, if he couldn't even try, he'd rather spit blood.

The others grew increasingly agitated.

"What kind of divine weapon, what kind of Shan Xuan Bing—it's just dead matter! Can't all of us together force it to yield?" A gray-robed elder, frustrated, charged the mountain again—and as expected, was flung back violently.

"Dead matter? Divine weapons embody the power of heaven and earth—they merely use our forging masters as tools to be born. What are you, to call a divine weapon dead matter?"

Wan Chuan, silent for a long while, now sneered:

"Merely a Meridian-Circulating? How impressive? Even a refined-form cultivator wielding a divine weapon could kill you like a dog!" "You—!"

The elder coughed blood repeatedly, furious and terrified but dared not retort.

Naturally, no one paid him any attention; all eyes turned to Wan Chuan. "Master Wan, is there truly no way to forcibly break this restriction?"

"Divine weapons possess spirit. Even flawed divine weapons cannot be forcibly dominated by even the most accomplished cultivators—let alone Daoist Tianyun Daoist Tianyun Xuanbing?"

Wan Chuan clutched the forging hammer hidden in his sleeve, sneering bitterly:

"You vastly underestimate Daoist Tianyun Divine Weapons. Not you—even the Imperial Court's Martial King, or the leaders of the Wudadao Sect—all the 'Divine List' titans together could never force Daoist Tianyun Daoist Tianyun Xuanbing to recognize a master!"

"Dú"

Seeing him invoke the Divine List, everyone exchanged glances, their hearts trembling with awe.

Most present knew Daoist Tianyun Daoist Tianyun Xuanbing only from legend—but the Divine List titans? Their names rang like thunder.

Each one was an ultimate powerhouse capable of intimidating ten thousand martial cultivators. "Has the Divine Weapon Valley's crude masters truly found no method to obtain the Shan Xuan Whale Hammer?" Someone glanced at the Divine Weapon Valley group; Gong Gong Yangyu and the others remained expressionless, shaking their heads. "No method? Probably not."

Master Master Baili finally spoke, his gaze sweeping over the three Master Casters present: "I've heard that in the Divine Weapon Valley's Zhen casting art, there is a Blood-Infused Spirit Technique…"

"That's merely a method to enhance a weapon's spiritual nature," Jing Jing Shuhu shook his head; he had thought of it too, but of course he couldn't show it now.

"Is that so?"

Master Master Baili gazed deeply at Jing Jing Shuhu and Wan Chuan, then pulled from his bosom a bone stele:

"This stele was forged by the sect lord from the spinal bones of multiple jiao dragons… perhaps it may work…" — Jiao Dragon Spine, Baishen Sect Lord.

At these words, everyone instinctively stepped back, avoiding it as if it were a venomous snake or scorpion, deeply wary. "Master Master Baili, you're not planning a blood sacrifice, are you?"

Wan Chuan had already drawn his hammer; the others all had weapons in hand.

This place seemed full of plants and birds, but the only living flesh here is us. "Master Master Baili, don't bring ruin upon yourself!"

Someone shouted low:

"Daoist Tianyun Daoist Tianyun Xuanbing qi fills this place—no one can use true qi or internal qi. You can at most change your form; you won't surpass all of us together!"

"Exactly!"

Glancing at the names on the stele flickering faster and faster, Master Master Baili suddenly lunged—swift as lightning—straight at everyone present.

Boom!

Soil and stone flew, plants and trees scattered, then all dissolved into smoke. Master Master Baili struck with brutal ferocity—in an instant, he pierced the chests and bellies of six Form-Changing experts, utterly ferocious!

"Form-Changing? Old man I've mastered Twenty-Six Form Changes, Thirteen Spirit Forms, Four Divine Forms. What are you, to call yourself Form-Changing?!"

Boom!

Blood and qi surged, blazing like fire.

As Master Master Baili struck, everyone recoiled violently, daring not face his edge.

The foremost hard-body expert of Huizhou—even with all true qi and internal qi suppressed—his strength remained terrifying. Bang!

A gray-robed elder screamed as he flew sideways, already spewing blood before he hit the ground, as if a water bag had been pierced a thousand times. Bang!

Master Master Baili moved with swift, erratic shifts—his body changed form dozens of times in an instant, his peerless physique exploding with unmatched force.

For a time, only the thunderous booms and rolling waves of qi and smoke could be heard.

In mere moments, all the experts except Wan Chuan, Jing Jing Shuhu, Gong Gong Yangyu, Lei Lei Jingchuan, Shi Hong, and Yuan Brother Qiao were slain.

"Do you know why I allowed you to enter?"

He casually slapped to death several subordinates whose names he couldn't recall, weighed the half-red bone stele in his hand, licked his lips, and turned to the rest:

"As repayment, I'll borrow your flesh and blood—no objections, I hope?"

"I object."

Suddenly, a voice drifted from behind. Master Master Baili whirled around—through the mist, someone walked forward slowly.

He seemed to have just arrived, curiously scanning the surroundings—or perhaps he'd been here long, having heard every word Master Master Baili spoke.

The newcomer wore black training attire and a ghostly mask, strolling leisurely, counting his fingers as he murmured to himself.

"Twenty-Six Form Changes, Thirteen Spirit Forms, Four Divine Forms…" "Han Han Chuijun?!"

Master Master Baili raised an eyebrow—he recognized this fearsome man from the Eight Prefectures of Huizhou, the only one to fight two ranks above himself—and heard his voice:

"What do you mean to say?"

"Old man merely thinks this place is truly, truly excellent…"

Han Han Chuijun surveyed the surroundings; though devoid of true qi, he felt no oppression—indeed, he felt profound delight. Then in the next instant, he exploded upward—his jade hammer, hidden in his sleeve, rang out like thunder: "You were right about one thing—before me, what are you, Form-Changing?!"

Over a thousand meters below, the bloody battle raged on—Li Yuan remained unaware.

But the moment the bloodlight entered the Mi Jing, he sensed disturbance from the violent trembling of the dark aura.

On the stone steps, Li Yuan sweated profusely; sensing something wrong, he swallowed two Cunshen Xiaohuan Pills at once, gritting his teeth and accelerating.

Qing!

At one moment, Li Yuan heard the sharp clang of weapon collision—he spun around, gazing down the mountain, but saw only hazy mist.

Two kilometers away—no matter if it were a true mountain or qi-formed, he couldn't see it. "Such violent clashes… experts!"

Li Yuan wiped his sweat, didn't look closely, guessed someone else had entered the Mi Jing—his urgency deepened; ignoring the aching pain throughout his body, he quickened his pace.

The benefit of repeatedly altering his bones showed now.

Above a thousand paces, the pounding vibrations shook his tendons, bones, and organs—increasingly sharp and stinging; for an ordinary person, no matter how resolute, adaptation would take long.

But Li Yuan needed none—he took pills, pushed forward, and soon reached nine thousand qie; the mountain's summit was now clearly visible. Wu-ming—

The pill's potency exhausted, Li Yuan panted heavily again. He was utterly drained—climbed five days and four nights without sleep or rest; all he wanted now was to lie down.

"Just a little more…"

Gazing at the summit, half-hidden in clouds, a scene as magnificent as a celestial palace from legend, Li Yuan forced himself to rise, teeth clenched.

Fighting against the intensifying vibrations, he struggled forward for the final few hundred meters. Zong—

The hammering grew louder with each step; the vibrations in his tendons, bones, and organs intensified—Li Yuan had long passed pain into numbness.

The sound of forging grew louder and louder the further it went, and the trembling through his muscles, bones, and internal organs grew ever more intense; Li Ce went from sharp pain to numbness.

The summit loomed ahead, but Li Yuan's vision swam with golden stars, pain so fierce he nearly bit his teeth to shards. He even felt as if his tendons and bones were being altered—and not just one kind of root bone. "No—this *is* root-bone alteration!"

Li Yuan realized—the five days and four nights of hammering vibrations hadn't just helped his internal qi achieve true great circulation, readying him to break through to Form-Changing.

Even the Red Dragon Fish meat he'd consumed over the past half-year, still undigested, had now been fully activated.

Even the Red Dragon Fish meat he had eaten over the past half year, which had not been fully digested, was all expelled.

Li Yuan was stunned, then elated—his final condition for mastering the supreme-level hard-body art, Ten Thousand Blades Spirit Dragon, was fulfilled. But he had no time to rejoice—he gritted his teeth, shoved two more pills into his mouth, swallowed them blindly. Feeling pain and pill-energy tug against each other, he didn't stop—pushing forward toward the mountain's peak.

Li Yuan was both shocked and delighted; the final condition for cultivating the Absolute-rank Body Tempering art, Ten Thousand Blades Spirit Dragon, had been met. But he had no time for delight right now. Enduring the intense pain, he stuffed two handfuls of pills into his mouth and swallowed them haphazardly. Feeling the pain and the medicinal power pulling against each other, he did not stop, gritted his teeth, and charged toward the Mountain Demon.

Long after, a palm, slick with sweat and grime, gripped the final step of the ten-thousand-zhang inverted mountain. "The Daoist has climbed up!"

Crawling and tumbling onto the summit, Li Yuan collapsed instantly, too exhausted to even open his eyes, utterly spent, near death from fatigue.

Rolling and crawling to the summit, Li Yuan immediately collapsed onto the ground, too exhausted to keep his eyes open, utterly drained to the point of death.

After quite a while, he struggled to his feet. Before him was a stone platform, and not far behind the stone stele was a small hammer, crimson in color, crystalline as jade.

That hammer was no larger than a palm—exquisite and delicate, of one uniform color, without the slightest trace of later artificial polishing, as if formed by heaven itself.

Hum!

Suddenly, Li Yuan awoke with a start, only to see the characters on the stone stele leaping about, jumping down as if they were real objects. At a speed visible to the naked eye, they grew limbs, torsos, and even facial features!

"This—?!"

Li Yuan recoiled in horror, and only then did he clearly see the words at the base of the stone stele.

"'Dengshan is the first step, the second step is to defeat all the climbers?! And there's a third step, a fourth step…' Li Yuan was first shocked, then instantly flew into a rage; his body, already exhausted to the extreme, suddenly found new strength. Without a second thought, he channeled the 'Six Harmonies Boots' and 'Nine Harmonies Boots' onto his palms.

Summoning his remaining strength, and while the human figure formed from true qi had not yet taken shape, he leapt up in a single bound, his knee fanning out like a fully spread palm, and slammed it directly onto that hammer!

"So much fuss—go to hell!"