Chapter 187 - 184: Re-entering the Demon Mist Mountain Range

It was September.

In the early autumn, the weather was gradually turning cooler.

On a mountain.

"Chu Bai, sense it carefully."

Ning Jiang held the Red Lotus Sword and swung it down gently. Sword Intent surged forth. Instantly, the sword in Chu Bai’s hand began to tremble uncontrollably.

Nearby, the grass and trees rustled and trembled.

After a few more swings, Ning Jiang stopped. "How did it feel?"

"My sense of Sword Intent is much clearer. I thought it would take me five years to grasp Half-Step Sword Intent, but now, I’m sure I can do it in three at most."

Chu Bai closed his eyes and spoke slowly.

Lately, he had been coming to Ning Jiang every day to experience Half-Step Sword Intent.

For any Sword Cultivator, this kind of direct experience with Sword Intent was incredibly precious.

In the Six Eastern Provinces, anyone who could comprehend Sword Intent was an exalted figure. Who would casually let someone else experience their Sword Intent?

The price Chu Bai paid for this was joining Kunlun and promising to stand as its guardian after Ning Jiang’s departure.

BOOM!

A loud bang echoed from nearby.

Two figures collided.

"Face my blade! Thunder Blade Technique!"

Duan Wuya bellowed as he slashed down. The flash of his saber was like a thunderbolt, impossibly fierce.

His opponent was the Vajra King, Meng Bubai. Meng Bubai clenched his fist, condensing his Blood Qi. His entire fist suddenly swelled to several times its normal size as he smashed it forward violently.

After the loud bang, both men retreated.

"Exhilarating!" they both exclaimed with a hearty laugh.

"Not bad. You’ve reached the Minor Achievement stage so quickly."

Ning Jiang nodded in approval as he watched.

He had taught Duan Wuya a Saber Technique and Meng Bubai a Body Refining Technique.

He was about to leave Cyan Cloud Country, and to protect Ning Yu’an and the others, he had roped in these three Kings to help guard Kunlun.

These three Kings were now members of Kunlun.

"Alright, continue your cultivation. I have something else to attend to."

With a quick farewell, Ning Jiang departed.

...

The Demon Mist Mountain Range, twenty-two miles outside Luoyang City.

Two figures appeared there.

"A large part of the reason I chose to stay in Luoyang City back then was for the Demon Mist Mountain Range. However, even I am powerless against the Array within it."

The voice carried a natural, coquettish charm, enough to make a man’s heart race.

Beside her stood a white-haired young man.

"It’s Yue Lianxi."

There were quite a few Martial Artists outside the Demon Mist Mountain Range. Upon seeing Yue Lianxi, their gazes burned with desire, and they found themselves unable to look away.

"A woman that beautiful... I’d die happy if I could spend just one passionate night with her."

"Watch your mouth. Didn’t you see who’s with her? Forget it. She’s way out of your league."

"Who is it?"

"Peerless Under Heaven!"

"What, it’s him?!"

As they spoke, Ning Jiang and Yue Lianxi had already entered the Demon Mist Mountain Range.

"Hehe, it seems they thought I was your woman. I certainly don’t mind that kind of misunderstanding," Yue Lianxi said with a delicate laugh, her gaze bewitching.

The calmer Ning Jiang was, the more she wanted to tease him.

’Wouldn’t it be quite an accomplishment to stir this young man’s desires?’

Ning Jiang ignored her comment and got straight to the point. "You’ve been in Luoyang City for a long time. What do you know about this place?"

"Such an unromantic man."

Yue Lianxi shot Ning Jiang a reproachful glance, exasperated by his indifference to female charms. "The Demon Fog Array," she said, "was laid by an expert of at least the Primordial Spirit Fourth Tribulation Realm. I’ve tried to break it myself over the past few years, and even invited experts from my Sect to help, but nothing worked."

"Now that you’re going in to investigate, how confident are you?" Yue Lianxi asked.

"A hundred percent," Ning Jiang replied.

"A hundred percent? You know about Arrays too? Well then, I’ll be looking forward to it." Yue Lianxi smiled bewitchingly, not a hint of doubt in her voice.

From the moment he appeared on the scene, Ning Jiang had surprised her time and again. When she first decided to invest in him, she never imagined he would grow so powerful so quickly.

In less than a year, he had become invincible in Cyan Cloud.

In less than an incense stick’s time, a bank of roiling white fog appeared ahead of them.

"Stay close to me. Don’t get separated."

Ning Jiang stepped inside. Yue Lianxi’s casual demeanor vanished, her expression turning uncharacteristically serious.

Even a Spirit Realm Powerhouse would be trapped if they got caught in this Array. There was no room for carelessness.

The area was quiet, almost soundless.

To most Martial Artists, the Demon Fog was a forbidden zone, never to be entered.

It was said that an Innate Limit Strong Person, whose natural lifespan was nearing its end, had once ventured inside, only to never return.

These bloody lessons served as a constant warning to the world.

The white fog ahead was a vast, boundless sea, surging like ocean waves. The deeper they went, the thicker it became, until they couldn’t see their own hands in front of their faces.

The unknown is often frightening.

’Who could have laid the Demon Fog Array in a place like this?’

’And why?’

’What lies in the depths of the Demon Fog?’

"Don’t be nervous."

Ning Jiang glanced at Yue Lianxi, sensing a gravity in her gaze that was usually absent.

Just as Yue Lianxi was about to reply, a piercing cry, loud enough to shatter stone, echoed from the sky.

SCREECH.

A massive black shadow emerged from the white fog, appearing before the two of them.

It was the Cyan-Scaled Eagle.

The Cyan-Scaled Eagle was even larger than before. With its wings spread, it was like a great hall, emanating a fearsome pressure.

Even more surprisingly, several cyan feathers now grew from its tail, clashing with the scales that covered the rest of its body.

The body of a Cyan-Scaled Eagle, a type of Demon Beast, should be covered in cyan scales. Yue Lianxi couldn’t understand the appearance of these feathers.

Ning Jiang, however, knew exactly what was happening. This Cyan-Scaled Eagle was undergoing atavistic regression, evolving into a Qingtian Roc!

This transformation, of course, was thanks to the Demon Technique Ning Jiang had taught the Cyan-Scaled Eagle.

"Not bad. It seems you’ve listened to me and have been cultivating well."

Ning Jiang nodded with satisfaction. The Cyan-Scaled Eagle’s aura could now match that of a top-ten expert on the Innate List.

When he had first met this Cyan-Scaled Eagle, it was merely at the Innate Realm Middle Stage. Its progress could only be described as meteoric.

The Cyan-Scaled Eagle let out two low cries and affectionately rubbed against Ning Jiang.

Ning Jiang had taught it a Demon Technique, making him its first true master. A Demon Beast of its level possessed intelligence comparable to a human’s, and it knew that following Ning Jiang was its greatest fortune.

"Get on."

Ning Jiang stepped onto the Cyan-Scaled Eagle’s back, and Yue Lianxi followed.

WHOOSH.

A great wind rose as the Cyan-Scaled Eagle took flight, carrying the two of them deeper inside.

"You certainly are a mysterious one."

Yue Lianxi studied Ning Jiang with curiosity. He seemed omnipotent, capable of controlling even Demon Beasts.

"Everyone has their secrets," Ning Jiang said with a cryptic smile.

"Hehe, don’t worry. I know better than to pry."

Yue Lianxi smiled charmingly. A woman as smart as her wouldn’t make such a crude mistake.

After flying for more than ten miles, the Cyan-Scaled Eagle suddenly stopped. It let out a low cry, its tone filled with wariness.

"Oh? You can’t fly ahead?"

A curious look appeared in Ning Jiang’s eyes; he could, in fact, understand the Cyan-Scaled Eagle’s cry.

The Cyan-Scaled Eagle nodded. As if to prove its point, it flew forward a short distance. Instantly, an immense pressure bore down on them, forcing them toward the ground.

"I see. A Forbidden Sky Array. It seems we’ve found an array within an array."

Ning Jiang understood. This kind of Forbidden Sky Array prevented any form of flight.

At that moment, he grew increasingly curious. ’A Demon Fog Array on the outside, and an array within an array on the inside... What secret could this place be hiding?’

After they landed, they proceeded on foot.

As they did, the thick white fog unexpectedly began to thin.

"These trees?"

Yue Lianxi’s eyes widened in surprise. The surrounding trees were all immense, their bark deeply grooved. Judging by their appearance, they had to be over a thousand years old.

The trees in the outer Demon Mist Mountain Range were on a completely different level from these.

"What’s that?"

A short while later, a barrier of light appeared before them.

Boldly, trusting in his skills, Ning Jiang walked straight toward it.

"Be careful," Yue Lianxi exclaimed in alarm.

"Don’t worry, there’s no danger."

As he spoke, Ning Jiang took a step inside, disappearing into the light barrier. Seeing this, Yue Lianxi could only grit her teeth and follow.

Once inside, they found themselves in a vibrant valley overflowing with blossoming flowers.

The valley teemed with life. Thousand-year-old trees were a common sight, and a mere glance at the ground revealed precious Treasure Medicines.

This place was like a paradise hidden from the world.

Pill King Valley couldn’t even begin to compare to this place, because what filled the air here was no longer Primordial Qi!

"This is... Spiritual Qi!"

Yue Lianxi took a single breath, and her eyes shot wide in disbelief.

A hundred years ago, the major Sects had left Cyan Cloud Country precisely because its Spiritual Qi had vanished, making it unsuitable for cultivation.

And yet, here was a place filled with Spiritual Qi. It was simply incredible.

As she looked around the valley, she saw that it was covered in Treasure Medicines. Beyond that, there were even numerous Spirit Medicines!

"A hundred years ago, the Spiritual Qi disappeared. What do you know about it?" Ning Jiang asked.

Yue Lianxi thought for a moment before replying, "I’ve read some records in the Yanyue Sect. They say the disappearance of the Spiritual Qi a hundred years ago was very strange. Some Spirit Veins withered despite not being fully depleted, as if some mysterious power had siphoned away all the Spiritual Qi in Cyan Cloud Country."

"Perhaps, the source is right here," Ning Jiang said slowly.

Yue Lianxi was startled. If that were true, this place held an immense secret.

"Hahaha, it’s been decades! I, Zhong Ji, have finally seen living people again!"

Suddenly, a loud laugh rang out.

Ning Jiang looked up to see an old man in tattered clothes, his hair disheveled and his appearance utterly slovenly.

But he emanated an astonishing aura.

"Zhong Ji? Isn’t that the Innate Limit Strong Person who entered this place decades ago?" The name sounded familiar to Yue Lianxi.

This man, Zhong Ji, had entered the Demon Mist Mountain Range back when his lifespan was running out, searching for a way to prolong it.

"He has stepped into the Spirit Realm."

Ning Jiang’s gaze slowly narrowed.