Chapter 131: The Greatest Under Heaven
Chapter 131: The Greatest Under Heaven
The Langgan Forest at the bottom of Southern Abyss was vast beyond measure. Towering ancient trees formed an unbroken canopy, allowing only scattered spots of sunlight to pierce through. Fearsome beasts prowled its depths, and poisonous insects ran rampant! Rotten leaves decayed and rose as toxic miasma and colored mists, splashing the air with unnatural hues – it was a notorious and perilous place!
While cultivating together, Mu Yuan and Lin Fangjing exchanged their insights and realizations, finding the process greatly beneficial. Occasionally, they ventured deeper into the dense woods, treating it as a way to relax and explore, which also broadened their knowledge significantly!
On this particular day, after meditating and circulating their Qi, they plunged once more into the Langgan Forest!
At the forest’s edge, plants, trees, beasts, birds, and poisonous insects all quivered under the unseen aura of the Immortal Divine Tree, choosing not to bother the pair. But the deeper they went, the more savage, violent, and bloodthirsty the creatures became!
After venturing a hundred li into Langgan Forest, they encountered a six-headed wyvern resting on a colossal tree trunk that would require ten men to encircle. Sensing their human presence, one set of dragon eyes snapped open on a head, unleashing an immense, oppressive pressure. Where its Dragon Breath swept, all other beasts hastily retreated.
“Wow, such a formidable beast!” They exchanged a glance and instinctively chose to avoid a confrontation.
Dragons were inherently amongst the most powerful races in the world. Although this six-headed wyvern before them wasn’t a pureblood member of the Dragon Clan, its strength was undeniable. Just from its aura, they could tell it had definitely cultivated an Inner Pill!
If it hadn’t, they might have stood a chance to kill it. But with one having formed a Golden Core, and the other at the peak of Refining Righteous Energy, plus their various secret techniques, they still dared not engage it here. Possessing a Dragon Clan’s naturally robust physique, once it formed its Inner Pill, the challenge became insurmountable in this setting.
Perhaps, relying on their numerous secret methods, they might manage to overcome it in a fight. But this was Kunlun territory – a nest of trouble. If the disturbance attracted unwanted attention, many things could become unclear, and their situation dangerous!
Seeing the duo retreat, the six-headed wyvern did not give chase. It merely shut its eyes again, with not even a twitch from its other five heads.
“The Langgan Forest, Kunlun’s important territory, truly is fraught with dangers. Who knows how many powerful creatures like this lurk within! Even within our Shenxiao Dao’s Grotto-Heaven, we only have a few lightning Spirit Beasts. While their cultivation base isn’t low, none have broken through to the Primordial Spirit stage or attained immortality!”
Only when they’d reached a safer spot did Lin Fangjing sigh and voice her thoughts.
Mu Yuan nodded in agreement. This was just the tip of the Kunlun iceberg. As for the guardian Spirit Beasts or the sacred guardians protecting major lineages within Kunlun, who knew what those were like? Within Longevity Palace, he’d only seen Shui Jingzi, of the Transforming Serpent lineage, who’d achieved an immortal body. Though Longevity Palace was just a second-rate sect, thinking of Kunlun’s such immense strength still sent shockwaves through his heart!
Even if these primordial beasts within Langgan Forest weren’t directly controlled by Kunlun’s factions, if a powerful enemy invaded, these ferocious creatures naturally wouldn’t stand idly by while outsiders violated their territory. They would surely act! Beasts weren’t mindless; once they achieved Qi Refinement, they gained intelligence. Upon Condensing Evil Energy, their intellect became remarkably sharp. While perhaps lacking human cunning, they could discern friend from foe!
While the two were contemplating this, they suddenly heard footsteps approaching. Reacting swiftly, they hid their forms. As the footsteps drew nearer, three men in moon-white Daoist robes came into view. Neither Mu Yuan nor Lin Fangjing dared to scrutinize them openly, choosing instead to listen intently. Kunlun disciples possessed countless secret methods; not knowing these three’s cultivation level, the pair dared not stare directly.
Successful cultivators possessed heightened sensory awareness. Being watched could trigger a sense of being observed, a fact both Mu Yuan and Lin Fangjing understood well.
“Senior Brother Wei, this Langgan Forest is filled with danger. Isn’t this venture too risky?” came a slightly worried voice, clear and melodious like the sun and moon.
“The Grand Ascension Discourse and the Sect Lineage Competition are just days away. Trying our luck here isn’t a bad idea. If we come across some opportunity, achieve something impressive, and catch the eye of a senior elder, it would greatly benefit our cultivation. Even in the mortal world they say, ‘Fortune favors the brave.’ How much more true is that for cultivators like us, seeking the path to Eternal Life? The perils there are even greater.”
The speaker was likely that Senior Brother Wei. His tone carried a depth of understanding and clarity compared to the previous speaker.
‘Grand Ascension Discourse? What is that?’ Mu Yuan wondered, focusing his hearing keenly.
The three fell silent again. They heard only the rustling of robes brushing against vines as the trio headed directly towards where the six-headed wyvern had been perched earlier.
“Things are getting interesting!” Lin Fangjing suddenly sent a mental message. Mu Yuan smiled faintly. As the three passed by earlier, their auras had been tightly constrained, making it impossible to gauge their strength clearly.
Phrases vaguely remembered from the cultivation world drifted into Mu Yuan’s mind: “Essence gathers light, the chamber of Qiong flowers, halls of jasper green, purple jade alchemical chambers, brocade clouds outshining the sun, crimson rays with ninefold radiance…” These words described Kunlun’s cultivation grounds – the Langfeng Summit, Xuanpu Hall, and Tianyong City! Beyond these, Kunlun’s most orthodox cultivation place was the Kunlun Palace! Yet, strangely, no rumors or tales circulated about the Kunlun Palace itself. Perhaps it had surpassed mere mortal description, embodying a grandeur impossible to put into words.
Sure enough, within moments, a low, deep dragon roar echoed, followed by a violent surge of energy erupting skyward, dazzling as the sun and moon. It spiraled upwards like a column of smoke!
The three had clearly already clashed with the six-headed wyvern! Explosions of potent Qi resonated fiercely through the air. Mu Yuan and Lin Fangjing stealthily crept closer. When they saw the scene within, they gasped in shock.
The six-headed wyvern was actually being suppressed and cornered!
A round stone mirror hovered above the wyvern’s heads, splitting into six beams of dazzling, swirling light that firmly pinned it down. Two of the cultivators performed intricate paces and gestures, chanting incantations, streams of Qi swirling around their bodies as they darted and circled above and below the trapped beast. The stone mirror radiated an intense, colorful glare that imprisoned the immense creature with six writhing necks and a long serpentine body.
The mirror itself was a mystery. Under its radiant beams, the wyvern’s six colossal heads thrashed wildly. Its lethal claws dug deep into the ground as it struggled desperately. The massive tree behind it swayed violently, shedding leaves like rain, its branches shaking. Cracks like a spider’s web spread across the ground. Yet, despite its furious struggle, the six-headed wyvern couldn’t break free!
Trapped under the assault of the two cultivators’ energized Talismanic Seals, the dragon-like beast seemed to be in immense agony. It emitted a series of strained, uneven cries, its eyes wide with fury, its scales standing erect like sharp spikes along its body.
As their chanting grew faster and more urgent, and their movements blurred into streaks of light swirling across the ground, wisps of faint, wavering phantom light gradually began to separate and swirl above the wyvern’s heads. The stone mirror greedily absorbed this ethereal essence. Suspended in the air, this phantom light resembled countless threads of Spiritual Sense coalescing into the distinct form of the six-headed wyvern!
Finally, the draconic beast crashed heavily to the ground, raising clouds of rotten leaves and decaying matter. Its life force vanished completely.
The dazzling light from the stone mirror dissipated. The third man, who had been standing calmly nearby, chuckled softly and flew down. He gently stroked the stone mirror, looking immensely pleased. “Absorbing the Soul and Spirit, the Spiritual Sense of such a Spirit Beast! My ‘Golden Light Spirit Illuminating Mirror’ has gained even greater power!”
One of the other two slit open the wyvern’s belly and retrieved a perfectly round, pulsing Inner Pill. The last cultivator took a deep breath. Astonishingly, the entire massive wyvern, several zhang long, was drawn into his mouth! His stomach showed no sign of bloating. Instead, a thick layer of radiant light shimmered over his entire body.
‘Great heavens! Could he be even more savage and ferocious than those on the Demonic Path?!’ Mu Yuan thought silently, observing this feat.
The man holding the Inner Pill chuckled. “Our collaboration yielded perfect results. Each gained what we needed. This dragon-beast was well worth the effort!”
The three men laughed heartily together before turning and striding deeper into the dense forest.
Only after the trio had vanished into the distance did Mu Yuan and Lin Fangjing reveal themselves again, exchanging expressions of deep shock mixed with lingering fear. That formidable six-headed wyvern had been slain in such a shockingly short time by those three cultivators!
“Judging by their techniques,” Lin Fangjing spoke after a moment of thoughtful silence, “they must be disciples from Langfeng Summit, Xuanpu Hall, and Tianyong City.”
“How can you tell?” Mu Yuan was genuinely curious. Shenxiao Dao’s standing among cultivation sects far surpassed that of Longevity Palace. It was natural for Lin Fangjing, as one of its disciples, to possess broader knowledge.
“The one using that stone mirror should be a Tianyong City disciple. Tianyong City is renowned for artifact crafting. That Magical Artifact extracts the Spiritual Sense from the Inner Pill, purges it of its previous links, and turns it into a spirit entity bound to serve the artifact.”
“The one who took the Inner Pill must be from Langfeng Summit. It’s widely known Langfeng Summit specializes in Flying Swords, somewhat similar to Mount Shu. That Pill will almost certainly be used by him to forge into an external avatar.”
“As for the last one… he swallowed the entire physical body. That’s likely an Xuanpu Hall disciple. Xuanpu Hall’s ‘Great Purity Natural True Embryo Great Method’ [Taì Qīng Zì Rán Zhēn Tāi Dà Fǎ] uses the practitioner’s own body as a furnace to refine a primordial ‘true embryo’, forming both Elixir and Nascent Soul. The physical body of the six-headed wyvern must have been consumed by him as precious nourishment, integrated directly into his own being!”
Listening to Lin Fangjing’s detailed explanation, Mu Yuan felt a wave of sobering silence wash over him. Kunlun’s strength was overwhelming, and its diversity of cultivation methods utterly unmatched by any other single sect!
Lin Fangjing herself seemed somewhat deflated. Disciples from such major sects had inherent advantages. Acquiring resources was, for them, astonishingly effortless. It was no wonder Kunlun had reigned supreme as the most potent cultivation sect in the world for thousands of years! Contrast this with Mount Shu, equally powerful, which had faced countless demonic onslaughts throughout history (though all were repelled). Yet, strangely, no one had ever dared to challenge Kunlun directly!
The rich grow richer, the poor grow poorer. The saying proved all too true. Kunlun, with its vast heritage and resources, cultivated its disciples with unparalleled advantages. Generation after generation, it produced a multitude of powerhouses. With its strength compounding endlessly over time, who could possibly dare to shake its foundations?
“What’s Kunlun Palace most famous for?” Mu Yuan asked after another long silence, his voice sounding a little dry.
“Kunlun Palace? Its treasury of techniques and esoteric secrets is immense and deeply potent,” Lin Fangjing replied. “But the most ancient and orthodox Kunlun lineage technique passed down within is the Five Directions Five Elements Breaking Restriction Technique.” [Wǔ Fāng Wǔ Xíng Pò Jìn Shù]
“Five Directions Five Elements Breaking Restriction Technique?” Mu Yuan recalled seeing Lin Feiyun and Nie Wushuang execute it; the memory was vividly etched in his mind.
“Exactly,” Lin Fangjing confirmed. “Legend has it that Kunlun’s founding Patriarch’s most prized soul art was the Five Directions Five Elements Breaking Restriction Technique. However, in its earliest form, it wasn’t known by this name. Back then, it was simply called the ‘Chaos Formula’ [Hùn Dùn Jué]. It was later divided into numerous branches. What Kunlun inherited and preserved is precisely the Five Directions Five Elements Breaking Restriction Technique.”
As the pair conversed, a sudden cacophony erupted nearby – a harsh, grating noise, loud and chaotic, sounding like the skittering of countless poisonous insects. Instantly after, waves of turbulent Qi surged forth. Lines of massive trees ahead crashed down violently! Blasts of golden light, clear blue light, and multicolored radiance erupted outward in fury! The three Kunlun disciples they’d just been discussing came hurtling back in obvious panic!
“What happened!?”
Mu Yuan and Lin Fangjing’s expressions changed instantly. There was no forewarning; they had no time to hide again. They saw the three men flying frantically towards them, faces etched with terror, their postures utterly broken and disheveled. Chasing after them, stepping leisurely through the air, was a man entirely clad in black robes – the Hei Pao! His walk was calm, almost languid.
“Monster Saint?!”