After crossing the forest of swords and mountain of blades, the view ahead suddenly opened up.
As far as the eye could see, rolling mountain ridges rose and fell beneath a pale yellow mist. In the sky above, unfamiliar spirit beasts occasionally glided past, and fluctuations of spiritual power rippled out from every direction at regular intervals.
"Demon fiends!"
"Kill them…"
Before Chen Sanshi had even walked 5 miles forward, he encountered a group of wandering souls.
There were 7 or 8 ghostly blue spirits in total. They appeared as incomplete human figures, each holding a flying sword. The moment they sensed the presence of the living, they charged forward.
"The Three Realms and Six Paths were ruined by demon fiends like you!"
"Return our Dao lineage to us!"
"You demon…"
"Fiends…"
They bared their teeth and wielded sword control techniques, roaring continuously as they attacked. Yet whether because they were fragmented souls or for some other reason, their voices came in broken fragments, making it impossible to hear a complete sentence clearly.
"Clang—"
Deng Wuchang's blade left its sheath. The blade split into two the instant it emerged—one gold, one violet; one long, one short. As he activated his breathing method, his body swelled as though inflated. His specially tailored battle robe clung tightly to his powerful physique. His hands transformed into beastly claws, and his face took on a non-human appearance.
Lion-like mane, deer antlers, camel-like head, tiger ears—his entire body shimmered with golden radiance, neat rows of scales covering his flesh.
Beast Breathing Method!
Similar to the Sima clan.
What Deng Wuchang cultivated was the Golden Hou Breathing Method!
With a single stomp, the ground sank several inches. His body turned into a streak of golden light and in the blink of an eye plunged into the midst of the ghostly souls. His paired mother-and-son blades slashed repeatedly, their continuous True Force forming a sharp whirlwind. Within only a few exchanges, he annihilated all the remnant souls, scattering them into complete soul-destruction.
From beginning to end, Chen Sanshi did not even make a move. He praised, "Brother Deng, excellent blade technique."
"Of course."
Deng Wuchang showed no modesty as he returned to human form. "Fortunately, these remnant souls only had Qi Refining strength. I've heard that in the early days of the forbidden land, there were even remnant souls close to Golden Core strength. The second layer of the forbidden land might have them too. We'd better be careful from here on."
After passing through several stretches of forest, the two of them found a hillside covered entirely in second-tier spirit plants.
"Hiss!"
Deng Wuchang bared his teeth in frustration. "My storage bag is full. Brother Xiao, could you lend me one?"
In a secret realm where treasures lay everywhere, the value of a storage bag far exceeded that of any single heavenly material or earthly treasure.
But Chen Sanshi had long been prepared. Over the years, he had seized an unknown number of storage bags as spoils of war. For this forbidden land expedition alone, he had brought 12 of them.
He did not hesitate and casually handed over 2. "Brother Deng, there's no need to rush. Unless it's something especially precious, there's no need to waste space."
"Many thanks!"
Deng Wuchang paid no attention to that advice and immediately began stuffing the storage bags to the brim.
Chen Sanshi, on the other hand, selected only herbs of higher age. The rest he reported through the Bluebird messenger, instructing the captains from Tianyong City who would follow later to collect them.
Not long after crossing the hillside, Chen Sanshi located what he had researched in advance from ancient records—the Dragonbone Wood used specifically for building warships.
The tree looked as though countless bones had been bound together. Its bark resembled dragon scales, and it was at least 800 years old—more than sufficient to construct a large ferry capable of carrying 2,000 people.
However, something this large could not fit even into a second-tier storage bag. Cutting it into segments would amount to wasting valuable material.
Chen Sanshi did not rush. He planned to summon his subordinates and have a few men specially assigned to carry the wood out intact.
The wait lasted half an hour.
Deng Wuchang grew increasingly anxious. He had personally seen a spirit beast of incalculable value dart across the distance and wanted to chase after it.
"If Brother Deng wishes to go, then go. Just mind your safety."
Chen Sanshi handed him a sensing talisman. By wearing it, one could detect the other party's summons and location, with an effect comparable to a precious sound-transmission talisman.
This talisman had been purchased from the old man Mo Zhu.
"Alright."
Deng Wuchang tucked the talisman into his robes. "Don't worry. I'm a man who keeps his word. I won't break our agreement just because I strike it rich. I'll come back to help you."
Chen Sanshi watched the other party leave.
It was not that he truly trusted the man. Rather, some matters could not be forced—especially when it came to fighting and killing. If pushed too hard, things might backfire. It was better to let events take their natural course.
It also provided a good opportunity to see what kind of character this hired blade truly possessed.
Another half hour passed.
At last, a small team led by Song Guizhi arrived.
"Your Majesty!"
"Take this Dragonbone Wood back."
As Chen Sanshi gave the order, he raised his sword and felled the massive tree with a single stroke.
"Understood!"
The captains from Tianyong City immediately carried out the command.
Though Dragonbone Wood was precious, it was not exceedingly rare, nor could it be used to forge offensive magic artifacts. With Song Guizhi escorting it, that was sufficient.
"Little Zhuzi, this Ten Thousand Souls Banner of yours…"
Chen Sanshi glanced at the magic artifact in the eunuch's hands and suddenly realized that the forbidden land was filled with remnant souls—ancient ones at that. It was practically the perfect place to refine a Ten Thousand Souls Banner.
"This servant has already gathered 100 souls."
Dongfang Jingxing said with delight, "I have reached the limit of my current realm and was just about to request permission from Your Majesty to leave the forbidden land early and focus on refining them."
"Permission granted."
Chen Sanshi agreed.
The young captains of Tianyong City were not highly advanced in realm. This trial was meant to prepare them for improving their cultivation, not to send them to their deaths.
He left a bottle of pills with the eunuch, then headed alone deeper into the forbidden land to seek one of the most important objectives of this journey—the Phoenix Luan Stone Beast.
This spirit plant preferred to grow in shaded areas by large bodies of water. It normally absorbed spiritual energy and also fed on spirit beasts.
There were many murky streams within the second layer of the forbidden land, but viewed from above, only a single river could truly be called large. It would not be difficult to locate.
After fixing his direction, Chen Sanshi flew at low altitude at full speed and, in the shortest possible time, reached the western bank of the Nine Nether River. The moment he arrived, he sensed something was wrong.
The reason was simple.
The resources along both banks of the Nine Nether River were too abundant. And where resources were plentiful, large numbers of cultivators inevitably gathered to fight over them.
"Lingji Cavern? Fallen Leaf Valley?"
Not far from where Chen Sanshi landed, disciples from two sects were confronting one another, apparently over a millennium spirit plant.
He did not interfere. Quickening his pace, he left the area and officially began searching along the riverbank for what he needed.
Roughly every 5 miles, he would see at least one corpse—some independent cultivators, others sect disciples. Most had died fighting over resources.
"I arrived a little late."
Chen Sanshi noticed numerous traces of excavation on the ground and could not help but increase his speed, concentrating as he employed his Tracking and Hiding skills.
The Phoenix Luan Stone Beast itself could not move, but the pollen it emitted attracted a type of spirit beast known as the Greed-Moon Wolf.
By examining the wolves' droppings, footprints, and fur, he could determine the places they frequently gathered. Where Greed-Moon Wolves congregated, there was a high probability that a Phoenix Luan Stone Beast would be nearby.
The skills he had honed hunting in Tiger Head Mountain of Poyang County were still serving him well.
After searching for 100 miles, the surrounding terrain became extremely flat. Vegetation grew lush and dense, and the concentration of spiritual energy had already reached the third tier.
It was Chen Sanshi's first time encountering third-tier spiritual energy. The sensation was like a fish returning to water. He even felt the urge to remain in the forbidden land to cultivate.
But that was mere fantasy.
The Nine Nether Forbidden Land would close in at most 2 months, and spiritual energy storms were commonplace within. Anyone who remained would certainly not survive half a year.
"There it is!"
Chen Sanshi's eyes lit up. He entered a breath-concealing state and crouched lightly behind a patch of grass, directing his gaze forward.
A spirit wolf with entirely silver fur stood with its tail tucked between its legs, sniffing the ground repeatedly as it searched for something.
In front of it bloomed a brilliant spirit flower over 1 person tall. Its crimson petals were irregularly shaped, yet together they resembled a resting phoenix—hence the name Phoenix Luan Stone Beast.
Unknowingly, the Greed-Moon Wolf moved directly beneath the "phoenix," sniffing again and again. When it realized it was merely a poisonous plant, it bared its teeth in disappointment and prepared to leave.
At that very moment, however, the "phoenix" above suddenly came alive. From what should have been its flower core, a blood-filled maw lined with white fangs abruptly opened. In the blink of an eye, it swallowed the Greed-Moon Wolf whole, leaving only half its tail dangling briefly from its mouth.
After feeding, the Phoenix Luan Stone Beast became completely non-aggressive. Now was the best time to harvest it. Unfortunately, it appeared to be only 400 to 500 years old.
The Phoenix Luan Stone Beast was already rare, and not only did it consume spirit beasts—herbivorous spirit beasts also fed on it. Under natural growth conditions, it was difficult for one to survive beyond 300 years. A 500-year specimen was already uncommon.
He could search further. If nothing better appeared, he would take this one back and use the Divine Wood Spiritual Liquid promised by the Bai family to mature it to 1,000 years.
"What's that?"
Chen Sanshi's gaze shifted from the Phoenix Luan Stone Beast to a distant patch of grass, where he noticed an inconspicuous stone horn resembling a rhinoceros horn.
A mature Spirit Rhinoceros Horn!
Like the Undying Grass and Mirror God Fruit, it was one of the heavenly materials and earthly treasures used to open the Jing Divine Sense.
It had practically fallen into his hands without effort.
Just as he was about to move, his ears twitched. He detected the sound of something cutting through the air rapidly approaching. Instinctively, he drew his bow and arrows, lowering his body even further until he was completely concealed within the grass.
After roughly 3 to 5 breaths, three black-robed cultivators arrived. With hand seals, they halted their magic artifacts and descended smoothly to the ground.
"This man…"
Chen Sanshi recognized the leading black-robed cultivator at a glance. He was the very one who had used a black gu insect at Luoxia Mountain that day to kill Wu Wei and silence him.
After returning, Chen Sanshi had consulted ancient records and learned that the gu insect was called the Mana-Devouring Cicada. It could devour mana and store it within its body, then approach an enemy and detonate itself to attack.
People from the Seven Kill Sect were also in the forbidden land.
But that was normal.
The situation in the Nine Nether Forbidden Land this time was a once-in-500-years occurrence. Anyone who received the news in time would want to try their luck.
"Vice Hall Master."
One of the black-robed cultivators spoke. "That old undying man surnamed Bai has already arrived in the secret realm. I hope Vice Hall Master will proceed to Night Spring Pool as soon as possible to assemble."
"So fast?"
Qiu Yan nodded. "Understood. We'll finish harvesting what's nearby and head over immediately."
"Spirit Rhinoceros Horn, Phoenix Luan Stone Beast!"
Another exclaimed in delight. "Master, these are all top-tier treasures."
"Heh, indeed."
Qiu Yan stroked the beard on his chin. "Who would have thought that the Nine Nether Forbidden Land, once believed to have been completely plundered, would contain a second layer? This time, we've struck a windfall. What are you standing around for? Hurry and collect them, then meet up with the Sect Master."
"This disciple obeys."
The two cultivators split up and began working.
Listening to their conversation, Chen Sanshi pondered.
That old undying man surnamed Bai?
Bai Xifeng?
Were these people planning to make a move against the Bai family?
He had no time to dwell on it further. The demonic cultivator before him had already uprooted the Spirit Rhinoceros Horn and was about to harvest the Phoenix Luan Stone Beast.
The Purple Thunder Bow was drawn to full completion in an instant, and 4 flying swords shot forth with a thunderous roar.
Qiu Yan's hand, which had been reaching toward the Phoenix Luan Stone Beast, froze. His heart jolted. Reacting swiftly, he summoned a glass-like shield that enveloped him.
"Boom—"
The 4 flying swords descended, carrying vast and surging mana. The terrifying force stirred up a violent storm. Sand and gravel within dozens of meters were swept into the air, as though even the earth itself were about to be overturned.
Yet Qiu Yan, protected within the mid-grade second-tier magic artifact—Golden Sand Glazed Shield—remained unharmed. Only a faint crack appeared on the surface of the artifact.
"Xiao Feng, it's you?!"
He stared at the figure that had abruptly appeared ahead and recognized the man he had encountered at Luoxia Mountain that day. With a wave of his hand, the glazed shield vanished. In its place emerged a jet-black beast resembling a ferocious tiger—except it had two heads. It lunged straight forward.
Two-Headed Soul-Devouring Tiger!
"Roar!"
As it charged, one head spewed rolling blood mist, while the other threw its head back and unleashed a long howl.
The soundwaves surged like massive rolling tides. Coincidentally, a Fire Spirit Bird happened to be passing overhead. Struck by the shockwave, it plummeted straight to the ground, only to be engulfed by the blood mist and instantly reduced to a skeleton.
This Fire Spirit Bird had been a second-tier Mysterious Body realm spirit beast, yet it had no power to resist!
The roar of the Two-Headed Soul-Devouring Tiger directly attacked one's divine sense. At best, it caused unconsciousness; at worst, death. Then the Soul-Devouring Blood Mist would absorb both the target's flesh and soul.
To raise such a beast required feeding it infants day and night, then refining it with the souls of living cultivators. It was even more cruel than the Ten Thousand Souls Banner!
Thick Earth Art!
Chen Sanshi was no longer a novice in immortal cultivation and naturally understood the terror of such a vicious beast. He had already sealed off his hearing and summoned a shield.
But the Two-Headed Soul-Devouring Tiger's attack targeted the divine sense directly, rendering those measures futile.
The instant the soundwaves touched him, Chen Sanshi felt as though his brain were about to explode from the pain. His body grew heavy and stiff, nearly causing him to faint on the spot.
Fortunately, he cultivated multiple arts—Talisman Drawing, Formation, Alchemy, and even the Heavenly Derivation Ten Thousand Soldiers Art. Each strengthened his divine sense.
Layered and accumulated together, Chen Sanshi's divine sense far surpassed that of cultivators in the same realm.
After roughly a single breath of dizziness, he regained most of his clarity. Crushing a talisman, he escaped into the earth just in time to avoid the overwhelming blood mist.
The soil and vegetation where he had originally stood were corroded into charred blackness under the blood mist's erosion.
"What?"
Qiu Yan was somewhat astonished.
In close combat against cultivators of the same realm, this was the first time his Two-Headed Soul-Devouring Tiger had failed!