33: Chapter 33 The Mountain Range of Ten Thousand Beasts

"During this hunt for Yao Beasts, all actions must follow my command. Because we are a team, and the mountain range is full of dangers, remember that you must not act alone. Furthermore, do not let treasure blind your eyes and take foolish risks, leading other clansmen into dangerous situations."

"In the Ten Thousand Beast Mountain Range, we will inevitably encounter other Cultivators. Remember not to stir up trouble unnecessarily and bring about unwanted problems."

"Is that clear?"

"Yes! ..."

"Good. The auspicious hour has arrived. Prepare to set off!"

With Li Xuanzhou's command, the gathered crowd split into several small streams, passing through the Family's mountain gate in turn and boarding the deck of the cloud-breaking boat.

The cloud-breaking boat was a Low Grade flying Spiritual Artifact, which was quite precious. The entire Li Family possessed only three flying Spiritual Artifacts, and equipping the hunting team with this boat was also to enhance the safety of the Li clansmen.

The main body of the cloud-breaking boat was forged from lightweight Iron Spirit Wood and special Dark Gold Red Iron. The hull had smooth, beautiful, streamlined contours to minimize aerodynamic drag. The vessel was enveloped in a faint barrier of spiritual light, used to ward off the astral winds and external incursions during high-speed flight.

Its size could be adjusted within a certain range by the user manipulating the control buttons inside the boat. At its largest, it could reach nine Zhang in length, and at its smallest, it could shrink to just a few Chi in diameter, carrying up to fifty people at once.

The bow of the boat was carved with auspicious clouds and Auspicious Beasts, which not only symbolized 'piercing through the clouds' but also functioned as a node for a Formation that gathered Spiritual Qi. Stable levitation Formations were embedded in the gunwales on both sides to ensure smooth flight, while the drive core was located in the middle or rear of the hull, powered by embedded Spirit Stones or direct spiritual energy injected by Cultivators.

As a Low Grade flying Spiritual Artifact, its flying speed exceeded that of a Foundation Establishment Initial Stage Cultivator flying on an artifact, approaching or even reaching the escape speed of a Foundation Establishment Middle Stage Cultivator flying at full power. Furthermore, as long as it had sufficient kinetic energy, it could fly at high speeds above the sea of clouds for a long time, piercing through clouds and breaking through mist.

Li Xuanzhou inserted the token controlling the cloud-breaking boat into the groove of the command cabin's main control console. As he injected his spiritual energy, the spiritual runes on the surface of the cloud-breaking boat lit up one by one, and the wind-riding Formation began to hum and operate. The boat's hull shuddered slightly before rising smoothly into the air, gradually accelerating as it sped towards the direction of the Ten Thousand Beast Mountain Range to the east.

After flying for about half an hour, the cloud-breaking boat approached the edge of the Ten Thousand Beast Mountain Range.

In the distant horizon, the undulating contours of the green mountains emerged. The vegetation gradually changed from sparse plains to dense primeval forests, and a faint, wild scent—a mixture of fresh vegetation and a subtle beastly musk—began to permeate the air. Li Xuanzhou controlled the flying boat to lower its altitude and slow down to observe the terrain more closely.

A moment later, the cloud-breaking boat finally hovered over a relatively concealed valley clearing. This place was extremely remote, with towering cliffs on both sides and a valley entrance only about ten Zhang wide, making it one of the excellent entry points to the Ten Thousand Beast Mountain Range.

The Anping County entrance to the Ten Thousand Beast Mountain Range was located about eighty Li east of Wangshan Town. The range of the Ten Thousand Beast Mountain Range was vast, stretching for tens of thousands of Li, formed by over a thousand different types of mountain ranges winding and converging here. The overall terrain was rugged, with steep Peaks towering into the clouds, deep forests, wide valleys, and endlessly murmuring streams.

The area within a thousand Li of the mountain range's entrance was typically called the outer region, the area between one thousand and ten thousand Li was the middle region, and beyond ten thousand Li was the inner region. Rumor had it that the end of the Ten Thousand Beast Mountain Range connected to the Endless Mountain Range.

Once inside the Ten Thousand Beast Mountain Range, one could no longer ride flying treasures to travel; this was the most basic common sense in the cultivation world.

Everyone leapt down from the deck of the cloud-breaking boat. Li Xuanzhou stored the cloud-breaking boat into his Storage Pouch, and they began to survey the surrounding terrain.

The entire valley was surrounded by lush green vegetation. Beneath their feet were layered green stone slabs, moistened by a small stream so that they gleamed with water, with a few green weeds sprouting from the crevices.

A hundred Zhang to the left of the valley was a cliff face. A crack split its Peak, from which a silver ribbon-like waterfall cascaded from the clouds, crashing into the stream below and splashing water mist that refracted into a seven-colored rainbow under the sunlight.

Going dozens of Li further east from this valley would lead into the gathering grounds of the Yao Beasts.

After arranging the Formation, Li Xuanzhou led the team at the very front. He took out a map from his Storage Pouch and pointed to the first destination of this trip—Black Wind Ridge, which was about four hundred and fifty Li away from the valley.

After confirming the location, Li Xuanzhou released a Tier One Late Stage Psychic Dog from his Spirit Beast Bag. The Psychic Dog sniffed the air and dashed towards the east, with the members of the Li Family following closely behind.

Li Changqing was the only person besides Li Xuanzhou and Second Uncle Li Huahang whose cultivation had reached the ninth level of Qi Refining. He was arranged at the very back of the team, while Li Changle walked in the second-to-last position, right next to Li Changqing.

Li Xuanzhou knew that his junior, Li Changqing, was not simple. He had entered the Ten Thousand Beast Mountain Range several times when he was only at the sixth level of Qi Refining. Having had no contact with him for several years, his cultivation had actually broken through to the ninth level of Qi Refining, which astonished him. He also knew that Li Changqing had a Tier One Late Stage Spirit Beast by his side.

Therefore, placing Li Changqing at the rear was a decision he had made after careful consideration.

As they went deeper, the density of the mist in the mountain range increased. The areas they could see with their naked eyes and Divine Sense were significantly affected, with their coverage range slashed by thirty to forty percent.

After more than two hours, Li Changqing and the others had traveled over a hundred Li to the east and entered a mountain ravine.

This mountain ravine was several Li long, with steep cliffs on both sides covered in moss and vines. A stream wound its way down from the heights, splashing clear sounds among the scattered rocks and forming pools of varying depths. The water surface was often shrouded in a thin white mist, shimmering under the sunlight.

By this time, it was already noon, and the weather was at its hottest. Considering the safety of the clansmen, Li Xuanzhou decided to rest here for half an hour. Everyone sat in meditation to recover their spiritual energy, and also took out the food they had prepared in advance to eat and replenish their physical strength.

A burst of chirping sounds came from the Spirit Beast Bag at Li Changqing's waist. The Spirit-Seeking Mouse inside the Spirit Beast Bag was extremely restless.

"Master, there is Spirit Medicine or a Spiritual Plant three Li ahead," the voice of the Spirit-Seeking Mouse, Xiao Jin, echoed in Li Changqing's mind.

Seeing this, Li Changqing thought for a moment, then let the Spirit-Seeking Mouse reveal the aura of a Tier One Peak Spirit Beast before releasing it from the Spirit Beast Bag.

"Changqing, what's the situation? When did you get another Spirit-Seeking Mouse? Its cultivation has actually reached the Tier One Peak! You sly kid, you're really hiding your light under a bushel!"

"Great-Uncle Thirteen, I acquired this Spirit-Seeking Mouse by a stroke of luck. It seems to have discovered a Spiritual Plant ahead."

Li Xuanzhou did not press for more information about the Spirit-Seeking Mouse either; now was not the time to pry.

"Changqing, let your Spirit-Seeking Mouse lead the way. We will follow behind."

A moment later, they passed through this section of the mountain ravine and entered the next.

The sides of this mountain ravine were relatively open. At a height of nine Zhang on the left cliff wall, there was a hidden cave. From inside the cave, the rumbling sounds of Magical Artifacts clashing with unidentified objects could be heard.