Chapter 611

Chapter 611

I Can See Through Everything

“This mountain… something’s not quite right.”

As Lu Qing approached the towering peak, he finally noticed something strange.

From afar, the mountain had appeared straight and vertical, like a pillar propping up the heavens. But now that he was closer, he realized the structure was segmented, its surface unusually smooth and regular. It didn’t resemble a true mountain at all.

It looked more like the spine of some colossal creature.

But what kind of creature could have a spine that stretched so unimaginably high? What kind of body must it have had?

Staring at the “mountain” ahead, Lu Qing was filled with awe.

Almost instinctively, he activated his spiritual powers, trying once again to probe the object’s nature. He had attempted this before but had gleaned nothing. This time, he intended to persist.

“Ah Qing, doesn’t this mountain look like…” Xiaoli hesitated.

“Yeah, it really does resemble the spine of some enormous creature,” Lu Qing nodded.

Xiaoli’s eyes widened. “Then how big must that creature have been?”

“I don’t know. But it must’ve been something far beyond our imagination.”

After a moment, Xiaoli said softly, “Ah Qing, I can faintly sense there’s some sort of powerful treasure on this mountain. The feeling’s not very clear, but it’s there.”

“Is that so? Then it means we’ve come to the right place.”

Lu Qing kept staring at the “mountain” in front of him. He waited for a full quarter-hour without anything happening.

Just as he was about to give up—

Finally, a few lines of information slowly floated up from the “mountain”:

[Bone of a True Witch: The spinal bone left behind by a True Witch of the ancient Wu Clan.]

[True Witches are mid-tier members of the Wu Clan, ranked below Great Witches and Ancestral Witches.]

[This spine, left behind after death, was refined by a powerful figure of the clan to suppress this space and serve as a mountain for trials.]

[In ancient times, the descendants of the Wu Clan would climb this spine, endure the baleful aura within, and receive the marrow’s baptism to transform into Witches.]

…

“The Bone of a True Witch… So this mountain really is the spine of some mighty being. And the oppressive nature of this realm is because of it.”

Lu Qing was overjoyed after reading the lines.

Beyond learning the origin of the mountain, what thrilled him most was the information about the trial: those who climbed the bone and survived its test would receive the marrow’s baptism.

He didn’t know how powerful a “True Witch” was.

But if even a single vertebra from its body could suppress an entire space, then it had to be a being of unfathomable strength.

The marrow it left behind must be a treasure beyond imagination.

“Ah Qing, did you find out what this mountain really is?” Xiaoli asked when she saw Lu Qing’s expression change.

She knew that Lu Qing possessed an extraordinary ability—one that could often reveal the nature of things after a period of focused sensing.

“I’ve figured out a little. We might need to climb this mountain soon. If you can endure it, you might gain a great opportunity. But if it becomes too much, hide inside the Li Huo Cauldron and wait it out,” Lu Qing said.

“There’s a big opportunity?” Xiaoli’s ears perked up.

“Let’s go.”

Lu Qing activated his movement technique and rushed forward. Before long, he reached the base of the Bone of the True Witch.

There, he saw that quite a few people had already gathered, clustered in several groups.

Some faces were familiar—people from the Gongshu Clan, and those from the Lanhai Sect and Xuanyuan Sect whom he had previously subdued.

Altogether, more than a hundred people had gathered at the foot of the bone.

But things didn’t look good.

Many of them were wounded, sitting cross-legged with pale faces, recuperating.

Some stared blankly, clearly in shock from some recent ordeal.

Others lay motionless on the ground—completely lifeless.

Clearly, something dangerous had already taken place here.

Lu Qing’s arrival caught the attention of the crowd.

When they saw him, many expressions changed.

So he really did enter the Ancient Tower.

The people from the Lanhai Sect and Xuanyuan Sect, in particular, reacted with dread. Not long ago, they had been suppressed by Lu Qing and forced to hand over their techniques to survive.

Elder Yu was still recovering from his injuries outside and couldn’t even enter the tower.

Even Gongshu Yu’s expression turned grim.

Top-tier Golden Core cultivators like Batian and Shen Zangfeng also shifted visibly.

The oppressive force of this realm was far stronger than in the outside part of the secret realm.

Their strength was being suppressed to an unprecedented degree.

But someone like Lu Qing, whose physical body rivaled that of a spirit beast, was now an even greater threat.

Despite being the focus of so many powerful cultivators, Lu Qing’s expression remained unchanged.

He could sense their wariness toward him.

But he didn’t care. He didn’t even greet them. Instead, he quietly moved off to the side and examined the Bone of the True Witch.

Upon closer inspection, he found that the surface of the massive bone wasn’t entirely smooth.

A vast spiraling staircase had been carved into it, seemingly left for challengers to ascend.

This had to be the trial described in the floating text.

As Lu Qing examined the mountain attentively, several others noticed.

Soon, someone stepped forward with a few followers and headed toward Lu Qing.

“It’s Batian. What’s he up to?”

“Could he be planning to eliminate a threat before it grows?”

“No way. He’s not that stupid. He and this one have no grievance.”

“Maybe he wants to propose an alliance.”

“Would that help? You saw what happened earlier. Climbing the mountain isn’t about how many people you have.”

Batian’s movement stirred discussion, though most of it was exchanged via spiritual transmission—no one dared speak ill of him aloud.

“Fellow Daoist, Batian greets you.”

Batian, flanked by a few clansmen, walked up and cupped his hands.

This gesture surprised many.

Those familiar with Batian knew he was famously domineering. Apart from prodigies like Shen Zangfeng, he rarely paid anyone any mind, let alone greeted them politely.

“Greetings,” Lu Qing replied.

He had noticed Batian approaching. At first, he thought Batian had come to provoke him—after all, he’d seen the man’s domineering nature firsthand on Viewing Peak.

But now, seeing Batian so cordial, he was a bit surprised.

“I am Batian, heir to the Overlord Clan. May I know your name?” Batian asked politely.

“I am Chen, given name Qing,” Lu Qing replied, giving his alias but not his background.

Batian didn’t mind. It was common for cultivators to hide their identities while traveling.

Instead, he praised, “So it’s Fellow Daoist Chen. You were magnificent outside the Ancient Tower, treating those Guardian Beasts like nothing. Truly impressive.”

“You flatter me. They were just Golden Core beasts. With your strength, Batian, you’d handle them easily as well.”

“If we were outside, sure,” Batian chuckled. “But in this realm, we’re all heavily suppressed. I couldn’t act as easily as you did.”

“You’re too modest.”

Their polite exchange left many watchers puzzled.

Lu Qing also found it strange. He was trying to guess Batian’s real intent.

Sure enough, after a few more pleasantries, Batian cut to the chase.

“Tell me, Fellow Daoist Chen—do you intend to climb this bone mountain?”

“I do. Isn’t that why everyone’s gathered here?” Lu Qing answered without hesitation.

“Indeed. We all entered this strange realm in search of opportunities. This mountain is clearly one such place,” Batian nodded.

“And?”

“I just wanted to warn you—it’s not an easy climb. If you rush in, you may suffer.”

“Oh? How so?” Lu Qing raised an eyebrow.

Now he was genuinely curious.

Batian explained, “The mountain is infused with an immense suppressive force. Once you set foot on the staircase, the pressure increases severalfold compared to the rest of this space.

“And with each step upward, the pressure grows stronger. Each segment of the spine multiplies the suppression.

“Worse yet, the mountain houses tangible baleful aura that manifests into beastly forms to attack those who climb.

“If one fails to endure the aura’s corrosion, their divine soul may be severely damaged. They could even lose their minds.”

Batian listed the dangers in detail.

Lu Qing was surprised again. He hadn’t expected Batian to be so forthcoming.

Still, he bowed slightly. “I appreciate the warning.”

Now he understood why some cultivators were dazed or dead—it was the combination of crushing pressure and baleful aura during the climb.

“Even knowing this… do you still intend to climb?” Batian asked.

“I’ll give it a try. How else would I know if it’s truly beyond reach?”

“Well then, I do have a proposal that might ease your burden.”

“Oh? I’m listening.” Lu Qing remained calm, knowing the true offer had finally arrived.

“Your physical strength is unmatched in this realm. Among us, only you might be able to handle the mountain’s suppression with ease.

“But the baleful aura is a different story. It seeps into the soul and wears down one’s will. Without a strong artifact to defend against it, even you might suffer.

“So here’s my suggestion: we of the Overlord Clan will lend you several powerful defensive artifacts to help you climb safely.

“In return, should you obtain any fortune atop the mountain, we ask for a share.

“What do you think of my offer?”

The crowd was stunned, then quickly realized what Batian was up to.

After the surprise passed, many nodded in silent approval.

The plan was cunning but sound.

Everyone here had seen Lu Qing’s terrifying physical prowess. He had slain Golden Core beasts with brute strength alone.

If anyone could conquer the bone mountain, it was him.

For Batian, lending a few artifacts and possibly gaining a share of the fortune was a highly profitable gamble.

“Who says this guy’s all brawn and no brains? This strategy is sharp as a blade.”

Clearly, Batian’s usual boisterousness had fooled them all.

He was far more calculating than he let on.

Lu Qing was surprised as well.

After a pause, he smiled. “Thank you, Batian. But I’d still like to try it on my own first.”

“That’s perfectly fine. Take your time. My offer stands—if you change your mind, come find me anytime.”

Batian didn’t push.

He knew that someone like Lu Qing wouldn’t be easily swayed.

He himself would’ve done the same—try it first before considering collaboration.

Having already attempted the climb, Batian was well aware of how dangerous it was.

So he was confident: once Lu Qing tried and failed, he’d come back to negotiate.

With that, Batian returned to his place with his clansmen.

As he left, all eyes turned to Lu Qing once more.

They now knew he was about to begin the climb.

And everyone was curious—just how far could this man go on the Bone of the True Witch?