Chapter 994: Thousand Blade Mountain Range; The Nine-Sun Golden Eagle

"Come out!" Luo Chen lightly patted the gray pouch at his waist. Two streaks of light shot out and landed before him.

"Master!"

Luo Chen nodded and gestured toward the world beyond the chamber. "Search everything within a thousand-li radius. If you discover anything unusual, report back to me immediately using these talismans."

Two talismans floated into their hands under the guidance of his mana. They were ten-thousand-li sound transmission talismans he had purchased from Sovereign Thatched Mountain many years ago.

The Mountains and Seas Realm was littered with the remnants of the ancient war between humans and demons. In the countless remote corners of the world, innumerable cultivators had perished without their bodies ever being recovered. Many had left behind inheritances before death, transforming their burial grounds into hidden cave residences and secret realms. Even after humanity rose to dominate the Five Territories, not all of those ancient sites had been uncovered. To this day, lost inheritances still surface from time to time.

To nobody's surprise, such places were often fraught with unknown dangers. Over countless years, the lingering influence of their former masters often caused these secret realms to undergo strange transformations. Spirit energy could mutate, native creatures could evolve along bizarre paths, and in extreme cases, even the flow of time might differ from that of the outside world. Because of these uncertainties, even high-tier cultivators were often reluctant to venture in blindly, preferring to send low-tier disciples ahead to investigate.

Luo Chen had long suspected that the Land of Fallen Devils was precisely this kind of place. The Sunken Sea, for instance, restrained a cultivator's divine consciousness—and that was before they even entered the pocket world. If even the area outside the entrance exhibited such a phenomenon, then the pocket world itself could only be even more unusual.

Now that he had entered it, his suspicions were confirmed. Earlier, he had tried extending his divine consciousness. Normally, it could cover nearly eight hundred li, yet here its range had been compressed to less than several dozen li. It was certainly a considerable distance to a mortal, but to a cultivator with clear sight, it was not even as far as what the eye could see. The real problem was that relying solely on sight in a place like this was far from safe. In most cases, danger often lurked beyond one's perception, which was precisely why he had sent Black King and Heavenjade to scout ahead and equipped them with sound transmission talismans.

The two demons exchanged a glance before heading off in opposite directions. Luo Chen remained at the entrance of the stone chamber, watching them disappear into the distance before turning his attention to the landscape ahead. The jagged ridges rose one after another like swords piercing the heavens. The longer he looked, the more his eyes began to sting.

Just then, the wooden token hanging on his chest trembled slightly. "Luo Chen, have you noticed anything strange about the spirit energy here?"

Luo Chen paused. The question immediately drew his attention away from the mountains, and he used the Heavenly Phoenix Nirvana Scripture to draw in spirit energy. Yet he had barely begun before his brow furrowed. "So little?!"

"Exactly. I noticed earlier that the wood-element spirit energy here is exceptionally scarce."

Han Zhan was a wood-element cultivator and was naturally more sensitive to the flow of wood spirit energy. Luo Chen, meanwhile, followed the fire-element path and was naturally attuned to changes in fire spirit energy. Since both of them had noticed the anomaly, the scarcity of wood and fire was beyond doubt. Luo Chen continued probing the spirit energy more carefully. Before long, he discovered the problem extended far beyond these two elements; the water and earth elements were equally scarce. In contrast, the metal-element spirit energy was unusually powerful, dominating over all others.

The discovery caused his expression to darken. This was one of the most common phenomena of a pocket world: spirit energy mutation. No one truly understood how such mutations came about; people could only speculate that they were connected to the Great Dao cultivated by a pocket world's original master. Over time, the dominant attribute of that cultivator would influence the ambient spirit energy, eventually reshaping the entire environment.

For later explorers, however, that was rarely good news. If they were not attuned to the same attribute as the pocket world's master, every bit of mana they expended would be difficult to replenish. As time passed, their reserves would dwindle, while other explorers aligned with the dominant attribute would enjoy an advantage.

Yet compared to the matter of the mutated spirit energy, another question weighed even more heavily on him. He looked across the seemingly boundless world before him and asked quietly, "Are we really still inside the Sunken Sea? I mean... are we even still in the Mountains and Seas Realm?"

Han Zhan did not answer immediately. After a long silence, he finally said, "We're probably still in the Mountains and Seas Realm, but I doubt we're still inside the Sunken Sea."

The answer only deepened Luo Chen's shock. "Just what kind of abilities did that person have to create a world like this before death..."

"Have you forgotten what Ding Yi said? The strongest Monarch in history, according to the devil sect...."

"But can a Monarch really accomplish something on this scale?"

"I have no idea what cultivators at that level are capable of. But one thing I do know is that the fundamental principles governing all things don't really change with cultivation. If you think of the Land of Fallen Devils as an enormous storage pouch, some things become easier to understand."

Luo Chen frowned. The comparison did little to resolve his doubts. Storage pouches and other spatial treasures could indeed accommodate objects far larger than their outward appearance suggested, but what lay before him was an entire world. Not only did it contain living organisms, but it also possessed stable laws and a complete environment capable of sustaining life. He considered every void technique he knew. Whether it was the concept of fitting the large within the small or even naturally formed spatial rifts, none seemed capable of explaining a world of such scale and stability. Those theories might account for a cave residence or a small secret realm, but they fell far short of explaining the Land of Fallen Devils.

As he pondered the issue, a piece of information suddenly surfaced in his mind. Li Canghai had once obtained an opportunity here, and that single encounter had elevated him to the rank of formation grandmaster. If merely a fragment of the late Monarch's inheritance could produce such a figure, one could only imagine how profound their mastery of formations had been.

Come to think of it, formations can do almost anything. They can bring different systems together, regulate spirit energy, and even convert one energy attribute into another. Could it be that the entire world was built upon a foundation of formations?

With that thought in mind, he turned to look back at the stone chamber behind him. He carefully examined the flow of the formation patterns both inside and outside the structure. The more he observed, the more convinced he became. The chamber itself appeared ordinary, yet it seamlessly integrated four major formations: spirit absorption, spirit gathering, spirit dispersal, and spirit transformation. Each formation meshed seamlessly with the others; they operated as a single unified system, and no formation interfered with another in the slightest. Even with Luo Chen's attainments in formations, he knew such craftsmanship was far beyond his reach.

More importantly, this seemed to be only the foundation of a much larger design. If hundreds of similar stone chambers were scattered throughout this pocket world, they could form an enormous network capable of continuously absorbing, refining, and circulating spirit energy. If that were the case, then sustaining a stable world no different from the outside world no longer sounded like such an impossible task.

As he continued examining the formation, the transmission talisman at his waist suddenly vibrated. A message from Heavenjade arrived. After listening to the report, a flicker of surprise crossed Luo Chen's face. But noticing that Ding Yi and Devil's Cloud were already rising to their feet, he immediately concealed the talisman and returned to his usual calm expression.

"Are you two feeling better?"

Devil's Cloud nodded. "More or less. Good thing I saw this coming and prepared plenty of resources in advance."

Luo Chen examined him and found that his mana had indeed returned to its peak state. Clearly, he had not been exaggerating. The other man, however, was a different story.

"Fellow Daoist Ding Yi, you..."

Ding Yi waved him off. "It's nothing. I've only used up a bit of mana. It won't affect what comes next."

Devil's Cloud asked curiously, "So where do we go from here?"

That was exactly what Luo Chen wanted to know as well. He had no idea where the spirit herb garden was located. Ding Yi took a deep breath and pointed toward the far horizon. "That way!"

Luo Chen and Devil's Cloud exchanged a glance before speaking at the same time. "Then we'll have to trouble Fellow Daoist Ding to lead the way."

Ding Yi did not reply to them. He simply opened his mouth and spat out a yellow gourd and jumped onto it. Seeing this, Devil's Cloud followed suit. A gust of wind gathered beneath his feet and lifted him effortlessly into the air. Clearly, neither of them intended to waste any time. Luo Chen rolled his shoulders slightly, and a pair of crimson wings unfurled behind him.

Devil's Cloud looked over. "That's a fine enchanted treasure. You've nurtured it well. I'd say it's not far from reaching the middle grade."

Luo Chen merely smiled and said nothing. The three of them set off together, but he intentionally fell half a step behind. As he watched Ding Yi's back, his eyes gradually darkened. Your mana hasn't even fully recovered, yet you're in such a hurry to move... If you're not hiding something, my name isn't Luo Chen.

***

Three streaks of light cut across the sky as Luo Chen and the others flew toward the first mountain in the range.

Suddenly, activity erupted atop the mountain. A tide of golden light burst into the air, accompanied by an incessant buzz that grated on the ears. What had looked like a patch of golden cloud from afar rapidly expanded in their vision as it hurtled toward them. The hostility radiating from it was so blatant that there was no need for further investigation.

The three immediately slowed to a halt and began circulating their mana. By the time the approaching mass drew near, they were already fully prepared for battle.

As it turned out, the cloud consisted not of water vapor but of large insects, each the size of a watermelon. They bore some resemblance to cicadas, yet their elongated mouthparts made them look more like oversized mosquitoes.

Devil's Cloud frowned. "What are those?"

Luo Chen studied the approaching swarm for a moment before replying, "They're only first-tier beasts, so individually they're nothing to worry about. The problem is their num—"

Before he finished speaking, Ding Yi had already made his move. He slapped the gourd beneath him, sending a massive cloud of golden sand flying out. "They're Golden Gourd Mosquitoes. No problem, leave them to me."

The golden sand billowed across the sky like a rising sandstorm and swallowed the approaching swarm whole. The mosquitoes never even had a chance to display the power of their sharp proboscises before being swallowed by the sand.

Luo Chen and Devil's Cloud simply watched from the side without interfering. A few breaths later, the sandstorm abruptly streamed back toward the gourd. Once the final grain of sand vanished, Ding Yi sealed it and nodded in satisfaction. "Let's keep moving."

The group was just about to set off when Devil's Cloud raised a hand. Pinched between his fingers was a smaller Golden Gourd Mosquito that had somehow escaped. His eyes then shifted to Ding Yi's gourd, whose spirit light appeared slightly brighter than before.

Perhaps sensing his scrutiny, Ding Yi explained, "These Golden Gourd Mosquitoes are metal-attribute. Refining them can enhance the power of metal-element enchanted treasures."

So that's why he was so keen to act. Heh. Devil's Cloud glanced at Ding Yi thoughtfully and let the matter slide.

With the swarm dealt with, the three resumed their journey and continued further into the mountain range. Before long, the second mountain came into view, and as they approached, another tide of beasts was already pouring down its slopes. This time, they were ants.

"I'll take this one," said Devil's Cloud.

Neither Luo Chen nor Ding Yi objected. Under their watchful eyes, Devil's Cloud cast out a massive net and enveloped more than ten thousand ants at once. The gaps in the mesh were large enough for a person to pass through, yet the trapped ants somehow found themselves unable to escape. As Devil's Cloud charged out his mana, they died silently, by the thousands. In the end, all that remained inside the net was a large pile of black ash.

With a wave of his hand, Devil's Cloud gathered the black ash before him and examined it with his divine consciousness. A moment later, a delighted smile spread across his face. "Hehe, Iron Swarf Ash!"

Luo Chen was surprised. Iron Swarf Ash was only a first-tier mineral, but its rarity ensured high value. When added to enchanted artifacts or treasures, it could greatly improve their toughness and durability. Had his Mystic Flame Sword contained enough Iron Swarf Ash in the past, it might not have shattered during battle.

No wonder Devil's Cloud wanted to act earlier. Who would have thought a swarm of first-tier ants could produce so much Iron Swarf Ash?

After collecting the ash, Devil's Cloud did not immediately move on. Instead, he lingered in place, his eyes fixed on the mountain from which the ants had emerged. The temptation on his face was obvious.

Ding Yi noticed it and let out a cold snort. "Fellow Daoist, every mountain in the Thousand Blade Mountain Range contains some kind of rare mineral deposit. If a mere first-tier mineral is enough to make you stop in your tracks, then I'm starting to wonder if you still want the artifact creation inheritance waiting ahead?"

Devil's Cloud's expression shifted slightly. The reason he had agreed to explore this pocket world in the first place was precisely the rumors surrounding its former owner—specifically, that the Monarch had extraordinary artifact creation skills. Compared to such an inheritance, a deposit of Iron Swarf Ash seemed far less significant. Yet after witnessing how much of the ash those ants had produced, he found it difficult to simply walk away. For a moment, he stood there torn between the immediate gain before him and the promised treasure that supposedly awaited further within the mountain range.

Luo Chen, however, had latched onto another detail. "Every mountain here contains its own mineral deposit, you say?"

Ding Yi nodded. Seeing the sparkles in both men's eyes, he decided to explain, "The mineral deposits may be tempting, but every mountain has its own guardian beast. The higher the tier of the mineral, the stronger the guardian. Those ants were only the beginning. Further ahead, there are even fourth-tier demonic beasts waiting for us. Do you feel ready to face a Demon Emperor?"

The question immediately dampened their enthusiasm.

Seeing that his point had landed, Ding Yi let out a cold laugh and continued onward without a word. Luo Chen and Devil's Cloud exchanged a glance. Though reluctant to give up on the Iron Swarf Ash, they ultimately suppressed the temptation and followed behind him.

At least, that was how it began. As they ventured further into the mountain range, guardian beasts appeared one after another. Every battle yielded mineral resources of varying grades and quantities. First-tier minerals gradually gave way to second-tier ones, and before long, even third-tier ones began appearing. The rewards became increasingly difficult to ignore. Even Luo Chen found himself tempted at times, let alone Devil's Cloud. Meanwhile, throughout it all, Ding Yi showed little interest in competing with them. If anything, he seemed quite happy to let the pair handle the fighting while he conserved his mana and focused on leading the way.

Five days passed in the blink of an eye, and what had begun as a profitable journey spiraled into disaster.

Three figures tore through the sky at full speed; their breathing was ragged as they fled for their lives. Below them, hundreds of enormous third-tier black-golden snakes slithered in relentless pursuit.

Ding Yi's face was dark with anger. "Damn it! I told you not to provoke the damn vipers! They're nearly impossible to kill, and they'll chase a grudge to the ends of the world. Now we've lost the shortest route to the spirit herb garden!"

Devil's Cloud looked somewhat embarrassed. The black-golden vipers possessed an exceedingly rare type of mineral within their bodies, and he was simply too tempted to get it. At first, he had only intended to kill just one viper and harvest the material before leaving. Who could have expected that one strike would attract an entire colony?

As the three fled, Devil's Cloud suddenly realized that Luo Chen had fallen behind. His heart immediately tightened. By the time he looked back, the distance between them had grown alarmingly large. Worse still, the sea of vipers below had begun converging toward Luo Chen.

"Azure Yang, be careful!"

The warning had barely left his mouth when Luo Chen instinctively turned his head. At that very moment, a gigantic black viper shot out from the swarm below. Its cavernous jaws opened wide and swallowed Luo Chen in a single bite. The entire sequence happened so quickly that neither Devil's Cloud nor Ding Yi had time to react. By the time they regained their composure, the giant viper had already retreated back to the middle of the swarm.

For a brief moment, neither man knew how to react.

What the hell happened? Was he really that weakened?

The thought surfaced almost simultaneously. Yet before either could dwell on it, a piercing cry suddenly rang out from the heavens above.

SCREEEEE!

The shrill cry tore through the sky, carrying an overwhelming aura of ferocity that immediately drew both men's attention upward. The one in front was a greenish bird that flashed through the clouds like a bolt of lightning as it fled for its life. Close behind it was a golden bird radiating dazzling sunlight. With every beat of its wings, fierce winds swept across the mountains and churned the clouds overhead.

The chase was unfolding at an astonishing speed. In the span of a few breaths, the two birds had already crossed a tremendous distance and were rapidly closing in on their position.

The moment Ding Yi recognized the golden streak, the color drained from his face. "Nine-Sun Golden Eagle!"

Yet despite the shock, he acted immediately and spat out a small sword. The sword transformed into a streak of light and slashed toward the greenbird racing ahead.

The green bird darted erratically through the air. Its speed was astonishing, and the movement technique it employed felt strangely familiar to Ding Yi. With several impossible-looking twists and turns, it narrowly evaded the flying sword. Yet in doing so, its flight path was thrown off, forcing it into a sharp dive. To their surprise, it plunged directly into the sea of black-golden vipers below and disappeared completely.

Huh?

Ding Yi stood rooted to the spot, utterly bewildered. Before he could make sense of what he had just seen, an even stranger scene unfolded. The countless black-golden vipers that had been pursuing them so relentlessly suddenly began retreating. They receded across the mountains like a tide and disappeared from view.

At the same time, the golden eagle lost all trace of the green bird. After circling overhead once, its blazing eyes slowly shifted and locked onto Ding Yi and Devil's Cloud. The two Adepts felt a chill run down their spines.

Gulp!

The sound of swallowing dry came from both of them almost simultaneously.

Devil's Cloud stared at the enormous eagle overhead, his voice dry and hoarse. "A fourth-tier beast?"

Ding Yi faintly sensed that something about the entire situation felt wrong. Luo Chen's sudden disappearance, the appearance of the mysterious bird, and the inexplicable retreat of the viper swarm all seemed too perfectly timed to be mere coincidence. Unfortunately, he had no time to dwell on those suspicions. The golden eagle before them was a far more immediate threat.

Without taking his eyes off the eagle circling above, Ding Yi said grimly, "That's a Nine-Sun Golden Eagle. It feeds on solar fire and Geng Metal deposits. It's a genuine fourth-tier beast, and it's well known for being aggressive. In fact, among demonic beasts of the same rank, few can match its offensive power. Worst of all, it's also incredibly fast. Fellow Daoist, don't hold back. If we want to survive this, we'll have to face it together."

Devil's Cloud nodded hard. The appearance of a fourth-tier Nine-Sun Golden Eagle had left the two men with no room to concern themselves with anything else. Every ounce of their attention was focused on the beast overhead and the life-or-death battle that seemed inevitable.

Because of that, neither noticed that the retreating viper swarm had undergone a subtle change. As the sea of vipers receded, an enormous black viper had quietly separated itself from the swarm. It slithered toward a towering ironwood tree and slowly coiled around its trunk, then raised its head high. From its elevated perch, its emotionless eyes remained fixed on the two cultivators, silently observing the battle that was about to unfold.

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