Hu… Hu…, so these are the Dark Corpse Mountains.”
The next day, at noon, the sun scorched the earth. The continuous chirps of the cicadas in the forest made the blistering hot air feel even hotter.
The surging Yan River flowed out from a huge mountain range. This mountain range was pitch-black, serene and hidden in the distance. One could barely disconcern the dangerous mountain peaks. Tall trees blocked the sun, covering the ground with shadows. Ferocious beasts howled throughout the forests, intimidating all who approached.
wuu wuu wuu a terrible wind exited the mountain range. This wind could make a person feel cold from the inside out, raising goosebumps all over their skin.
One could occasionally see huge marine monsters with scaled claws bobbing up and down within the fast moving water of the Yan River’s source. These fiends could release their Qi from within the water. Each deep pool could drown numerous QiGong cultivators.
Yang Qi stood at the entrance to the “Dark Corpse Mountains.” He couldn’t help but admire the exquisite and mystical beauty of nature’s creations.
The “Dark Corpse Mountains” was situated about 1000 Km from Yan Capital City. To reach the range, one had to go through many desolate regions. For an ordinary person it would take at least 10-15 days of hard trekking. But with Yang Qi’s QiGong cultivation, he only needed to madly rush for one day and night.
He sat down, cross-legged, to rest for a moment. He reached within his clothes, and fished out a cloth-wrapped bundle. It contained lots of [Qi Gathering Pills]. These pills were beautifully wrought, and had a bright green color. It was a medicine full of Qi, and even its smell could energize a person.
A long time ago, a saint in Feng Rao continent first manufactured this [Qi Gathering Pill]. If a person consumes this medicinal pill, it can help with their physical fitness and provides immunity. It increases the flow of Qi in one’s meridians and solidifies the foundation of their Qi. Consuming one pill would allow a person to forgo eating for one day.
The pill was made from a wide variety of drugs which had been mixed with the essence of sun and the moon. It also contained the spiritual essence of heaven and earth. As time passed, it became the currency of the Feng Rao continent, completely replacing the gold and silver used before.
People purchased all sorts of things with [Qi Gathering Pills]- weapons, armor, silk clothes, even slaves, treasured objects, …etc.
This medicinal pill was very convenient for many people. For example, Yang Qi was entering the Dark Corpse Mountains to kill Demonic Beasts. Since he brought these [Qi Gathering Pills], he didn’t need to bring along any cumbersome rations.
After swallowing a few [Qi Gathering Pills], Yang Qi started to circulate the QiGong in his body. His muscles and bones started to crackle like firecrackers, and the surrounding air was forced into a vortex, clearing the surrounding trees and plants of their leaves and flowers.
“I have ten days before the family gathering. I wonder how the mayor will deal with me… If I want to revive my family, I must challenge Lan and her brother and wash off the humiliation that I have suffered. Thus I must obtain absolute power! It would be great if I could break through to the seventh realm of QiGong in these mere 10 days. “
Woosh!
Yang Qi rushed into the dangerous Dark Corpse Mountains and activated his “Protective QiGong”, as he jumped from tree to tree. Within moments, he had entered the depths of the vast jungle.
He wished to breakthrough to the seventh tier, “Qi Imagination” realm as soon as possible. If he breaks through, his fighting strength will increase tenfold and he will be able to materialize his Qi as shapes. He should be able to fully use higher tier skills like [Devil’s Wings] and [Protection of the Dark God]. At this strength, even experts of the eighth realm wouldn’t be able to deal with Yang Qi.
[Devils Wings] was a skill that allowed him to materialize his Qi as wings. He would be able to freely glide in the air, almost guaranteeing him the ability to escape anyone who chased him. He couldn’t help but yearn for the sky when he thought of Yan Fie Xia’s [White Crane Wings] which allowed her to be unparalleled in the sky, agilely dodging arrows and attacks alike.
[Devil’s Wings]’ power and agility was definitely a level above that of the [White Crane’s Wings]. Even though [The Power of the Divine Elephant Suppressing Hell] was an extremely high level QiGong cultivation technique, he still couldn’t confirm the skill grade of [Devil’s Wings].
[Protection of the Dark God] allows the user to become almost invincible and his strength would increase by leaps and bounds. This skill definitely wasn’t just for show.
Not only that, upon attaining seventh tier “Qi Imagination” realm, Yang Qi would possess many abilities such as flying and assimilating objects. If he could master it, his whole body would be filled with offensive attributes, giving many variations to his fighting method that would make his attacks more flexible.
Deep in the dense jungle, a cluster of very tall trees protruded into the sky, surrounding a clearing. The clearing was covered with sticks and dried leaves. This place gave off a dangerous aura and one could see the vague outline of a tyrannical Magical Beast.
Even for Yang Qi, who was travelling through the trees, it was very dangerous.
In a flash, Yang Qi passed through thousands of big trees, eventually entering the mountainous region. He stopped to rest after using one breath. But the moment he stopped, he was assaulted from his back by an unpleasant stench.
Immediately turning around, Yang Qi found a python with a body thicker than his waist opening its bloody mouth wide and biting in his direction. The overwhelming stench came from the mouth of the python. Its teeth flashed with a blue light, showing the venom that coated its teeth.
“Good chap.”
In the blink of an eye, Yang Qi leapt to another tree, avoiding the attack.
What a ferocious python, its whole body was covered with exquisite ash grey scales. These scales appeared to be impervious to sword and spear, and its triangular eyes showed an uncanny intelligence. Seeing that Yang Qi had evaded its attack, the python opened its mouth once more but this time it was filled with Qi.
Pu!
The Qi was circulated and then condensed to form a poisonous bomb that was the size of an adult’s head. Then, just like an arrow released from a faraway bow, it shot towards yang Qi with lighting speed, the surroundings quaked as it emitted a buzzing drone.
Surprisingly, this QiGong contained powerful toxins. This python was able to communicate with spirits and had become a Magical Beast. Its QiGong vigor had far surpassed that of an ordinary person who had reached the fifth tier.
Due to their huge build after transforming, Magical Beasts could produce different types of QiGong cultivation. Some Magical Beasts’ Qigong was much more profound than those of humans, almost like an ancient inheritance that has been awakened.
It was said that a very long time ago, demons rampaged across the whole continent, while mankind was just a mere slave of the demon race. These demons were tyrannous beyond belief, and their power was so vast that they could move mountains or fill oceans. It was these demons who created what is known as QiGong cultivation today.
Later, mankind produced innumerable sages, allowing them to break the balance. The demons were gradually driven away and suppressed, allowing for the present day to come about.
However, it is said that in these mountains, magical beasts carry the remnants of ancient memories within their blood vessels. When these memories awaken, they naturally comprehend these varied kinds of QiGong cultivation.
Now, it was evident that this huge python was a Magical Beast that had awakened a trace of ancient memories in its blood.
“Bastard!”
When facing the bombardment of poison-grenades, Yang Qi bellowed. With a swipe of his hand, a massive wave of Qi surged out, repelling and shattering the poison-bombs.
The python immediately took fright, and there was astonishment within its eyes. Seeing that its opponent far surpassed itself, it promptly huddled its body, it fled to the tree; it still knew when to escape! It was as if its wisdom was not low, equivalent to that of a child of 10 years.
The python was startled, and there was even a little bit of fear within its eyes. Seeing that its opponent far surpassed its level, it promptly retreated, fleeing down the tree; it knew when to escape! Its intelligence wasn’t low at all; it could rival that of a 10-year-old child.
But the moment it fled, a spear made of Zhen Qi penetrated its body, impaling it upon the tree trunk. It died almost immediately.
Normally, a python like this would have tenacious vitality and it wouldn’t die from being nailed to a tree. It would struggle to free itself before gradually losing strength. However, the ridiculously overbearing [Dark God’s Spear] could kill the creature by just bruising it. Unlike the python that relied on poisonous gas, this weapon carried the power of hell allowing to directly destroy the soul of any living creature.
The moment the python was hit with the [Dark God’s Spear], its soul was destroyed.
After the python died, the Zhen Qi that made up the [Dark God’s Spear] scattered; dissipating into the air. The python’s body fell to the ground with a loud rumble, and several dried twigs and withered leaves flew in the air.
Yang Qi jumped down and looked at the python’s body. He began to condense Zhen Qi in his hand; his Qi condensed to become a sharp knife and he cut open the python’s body.
Soon, the python’s body skin was completely peeled. After a few moves, Yang Qi had been made it into a bag.
Yang Qi then extracted a dull blue colored crystal from within the python’s gall bladder. This crystal was known as a Demonic Core.
After a Demonic Beast cultivates to the Qi Exploding realm, a [Demonic Core] would be formed within their body. This contained the condensed essence of their QiGong cultivation.
A [Demonic Core], depending upon its grade, could be sold in the black market for a large amount of Qi-Gathering Pills.
Therefore, a lot of people go to the mountains to kill Demonic Beasts, as they could profit very nicely. For example, the Yang family conducted an Autumn hunt where the young disciples hunted for [Demonic Cores]. The disciple with the most cores would get a reward from the family.
During every Yang family Autumn Hunt, all could get millions of [Demonic Cores], and amass a great fortune. It was also a way to test the family’s disciples’ strength. It was like killing many birds with one stone.
Killing Demonic Beasts was like a walk in the park for Yang Qi, but he still collected their cores to earn money for his family, which was in trouble. But for others, killing this type of python would require many people joining hands to attack together, some may even get wounded during this effort. Yet Yang Qi didn’t need to spend any effort, he needed to use one attack to kill it.
Furthermore, Yang Qi discovered that this remarkable technique had a kind of natural restraint with regards to Demonic Beasts.
Under such circumstances, the speed at which Yang Qi killed Demonic Beasts was much faster than that of Qi Lords and 8th tier experts of the family.
After he killed the python and got its [Demonic Core], he immediately got up, and used his QiGong to protect his body. He scuttled up a tall tree and leapt up to its most distant part with his sense of sight and hearing at its full strength now.
All kinds of sounds were transmitted to his brain. It was as if a 3D view of the surroundings were launched in his mind.
“En! Not too far from here, there are approximately 10 [Silver-back Devil Wolves]. Is that the smell of fresh blood?”
His nose twitched.
He jumped down from the large tree, and dashed ahead and reached a spacious and empty zone within the forest. There he saw approximately 10 silver colored bodies of large wolves, their fur was like a mix of oil and water. They were gnawing on a couple of corpses.
Unexpectedly, those corpses were actually humans’ corpses. One could faintly make out the armor and weapons scattered on one side.
It was evident that these were adventurers like Yang Qi and had entered these mountains, only they had met with evil schemes of the [Silver-back Devil Wolves].
[Silver-back Devil Wolf] was even more difficult to deal with, when compared to the python he had just fought. It was an impressive and well-known Demonic Beast. They traveled in a pack and were highly disciplined. They moved through the forest like the wind. Furthermore, after each wolf had matured, it could awaken their QiGong cultivation. They were extremely terrifying as their fur was even impervious to weapons. This fur was highly sought after and was worth a considerable amount.
If one ran into a pack of [Silver-back Devil Wolves] within the forest, then that was the beginning of tragedy. It was the same as offending a wealthy or aristocratic family in reality.
The intelligence of those wolves was not a bit inferior to that of humans.
According to rumors, these wolves’ ancestors were the brilliant and famous demonic sages of historical times. The memory contained within their blood vessels was of extreme importance.
When Yang Qi reached this ground, the dozen or so heads that were gnawing upon the corpses perked up their ears and immediately turned their heads towards his direction.