The crescent moon hung in the sky, surrounded by sparse cold stars. Li Pingcan stood atop Listening Wind Cliff, his green robes fluttering wildly in the mountain wind. Gazing into the distance, his deep eyes showed no ripples of emotion.
Though his battle with Liang Zhiyuan had ended without disaster, it had set off alarm bells in his mind. In this world, trying to establish oneself without sufficient hidden strength was ultimately as futile as chasing moonbeams on water.
"Martial God's treasure... it's ti."
Over the past few days, Li Pingcan had experinted with [Dream Language], discovering he could not only communicate with mountain "spirits" but also hear ghostly whispers during midnight when yin energy was strongest. However, these wandering spirits moved in a daze, rembering nothing of their past lives, unable to even hold basic conversations.
"Even so, with the Spectral Soldier Command Token in hand, it's worth a try."
Returning to his cave dwelling, he began preparing equipnt for his journey to Old Yin Mountain. For defense, he wore the "Mystical Tortoise Armor" - a first-tier mid-grade magical garnt confiscated from Liang Zhiyuan - as his innermost layer. Crafted from a thousand-year-old mystical tortoise shell, it was impervious to water and offered astonishing protection. Over this, he wore an ordinary magical robe purchased from a rogue cultivator that could change color to blend with the environnt, prioritizing discretion.
He placed the unusable Yin-Yang Mirror against his chest as makeshift heart protection. For offense, the unedged heavy sword forged from Star Iron rested across his back. After his battle with the sword cultivator's divine consciousness, his understanding of sword arts had improved dramatically - even a tree branch in his hands could beco a lethal weapon, let alone this exceptional iron sword.
His storage pouch bulged with "little helpers": over a dozen carefully modified Thunderbolt Pellets powerful enough to threaten Qi Refining cultivators;
eight first-tier low-grade Divine Movent Talismans;
seven first-tier mid-grade Golden Light Talismans;
and a thick stack of first-tier high-grade offensive talismans including Fireball, Ice Spike, and Wind Blade Talismans - enough to make any poor rogue cultivator at Qi Refining mid-stage despair. The throwing knife treasure was concealed in his sleeve, potentially useful for surprise attacks.
"Safety cos from multiple layers of protection," Li Pingcan thought, satisfied with his preparations.
"Endurance and supplies can't be neglected either."
He packed all his Spirit Nourishnt Pills and Revival Pills, then used [Divine Berry Technique] to quickly grow ten berries, storing them in dicine bottles tucked into his robes. Through systematic skill practice, his Divine Berry Technique had maxed out at "1999" proficiency points - now capable of producing ten berries daily with an additional max-level trait: [Last Light]. No matter how severe the injury, the berries could sustain a dying person, briefly restoring them to full capacity - truly a miraculous life-saving dicine in desperate situations.
Completing his preparations, Li Pingcan examined his reflection - an utterly ordinary, sowhat scruffy middle-aged rogue cultivator - and smiled in satisfaction.
"Ard to the teeth. May this journey go smoothly."
After one final check confirming nothing was overlooked, man and eagle shot toward Old Yin Mountain like arrows loosed from a bow.
Returning to Old Yin Mountain, an icy, bone-piercing wind carrying indescribable rot and blood assaulted his senses, nearly making him retch.
"This place really is where even dogs wouldn't co."
Landing, Li Pingcan couldn't help but complain. As a Druid naturally attuned to nature, this lifeless forbidden zone made him profoundly uncomfortable, like a fish out of water, with every inch of his skin protesting.
Golden Eagle Dafei grew visibly agitated;
despite previous visits, its eagle eyes remained vigilant, feathers bristling. Without Li Pingcan's reassurance, it might have fled imdiately.
"Don't be afraid. Wait here."
Patting Dafei's neck, Li Pingcan placed a spiritual mulberry leaf on its forehead. The cooling spiritual energy finally cald the great bird sowhat.
Rather than imdiately venturing deeper per the map, he first found a wind-sheltered depression and took out the Spectral Soldier Command Token. As the token flashed, absorbing yin energy, the biting wind around him seed to thin.
"It actually works." Li Pingcan felt slightly reassured.
He spread fungal mycelium again, but like before, this land's yin energy annihilated all life spores upon contact.
"Seems I can only rely on myself."
Hanging the token at his waist and gripping the Star Iron sword, Li Pingcan advanced step by step into the thick mist. The valley stood deathly silent save for his footsteps and the wind's moan. The ground was covered in thick black dust that felt spongy underfoot, like stepping on rotting corpses. The cliff walls on either side were pockmarked with caves of varying sizes - pitch-black maws gaping like monstrous mouths leading to unknown depths.
Holding his breath, Li Pingcan fully extended his spiritual sense, vigilantly scanning his surroundings.
"Rustle... rustle..."
Suddenly, an extrely faint sound like silkworms eating mulberry leaves ca from the black earth ahead. Li Pingcan froze, eyes sharpening like blades as he focused on the subtly shifting black soil, his heartbeat quickening.
Here it cos!
The next instant, the earth erupted! A pitch-black insect the size of a palm, resembling but not quite a centipede, burst from the ground with lightning speed! Its body was covered in hard black chitin, eyeless, with only a constantly gnashing maw revealing needle-like teeth. Its hundreds of segnted legs weren't fleshy but made of translucent bone-like material that glinted coldly in the gloom.
"Hiss!"
The strange insect shrieked sharply and without hesitation shot toward Li Pingcan's face like black lightning!
"So fierce!"
Rather than alard, Li Pingcan's eyes glead with excitent. With his contract slot long empty, this was perfect. Against low-intellect insects, his powerful spiritual strength significantly increased chances of forced contracting.
Instead of retreating, he stepped forward, ntally reciting: "Insect Contract!"
Vast spiritual energy instantly enveloped the attacking Spirit-Devouring Insect. Like an enraged beast, the insect madly thrashed and bit within this ntal cage, its cold, violent spiritual spikes stabbing viciously into Li Pingcan's consciousness.
"Quite feisty?"
Li Pingcan frowned, though the pain remained bearable. This little creature's consciousness was chaotic, but its intensity matched an ordinary Qi Refining mid-stage cultivator!
After testing its limits, he stopped holding back. Spiritual power comparable to Qi Refining late-stage crashed down like an invisible mountain upon the insect's psyche! Simultaneously, he employed both carrot and stick:
"Little bug, follow and you'll live in luxury - all this mountain's spiritual energy for you to absorb! Resist, and I'll smash your shell for firewood!"
Between absolute spiritual domination and tempting (threatening) persuasion, the insect's resistance gradually weakened, finally transmitting fear and submission.
The contract succeeded!
Instantly, information about the creature flooded his mind. This lifeform born of extre yin and evil indeed possessed astonishing abilities.
[Spirit-Devouring Insect: Can devour ambient spiritual energy, cultivator's magic power, and yin energy. Can spawn offspring that silently parasitize mortals or low-level cultivators, inheriting the mother's abilities.]
Li Pingcan's eyes brightened.
Devouring cultivators' magic power... this ability was downright outrageous! Moreover, it could absorb yin energy. In formations, timing and location were crucial - in Old Yin Mountain's yin-saturated depths, with neither advantage, setting formations was impossible, equivalent to cutting off Li Pingcan's strongest arm.
He'd been worrying about arranging formations in this yin-infested land. With this little creature, the problem was solved!
Having the Spirit-Devouring Insect clear the path, using its innate aura to neutralize and push aside Old Yin Mountain's dense yin energy, creating a relatively "clean" area. Then within this "safe zone," he could calmly set up his [Seven Stars Formation]. Step by step, steadily advancing his position toward the mountain's core like a chess ga!
Patting the now docile insect, Li Pingcan said, "From now on, you're Little Sha. No, Little Black's already taken... let's call you Sha Ba!"
"Hiss~"
The insect affectionately rubbed its maw against his finger.
"Let's go, Little Sha."
With this powerful "mapping tool," Li Pingcan progressed easily. Man and insect strode confidently deeper into the forbidden land. Little Sha cleared the path, devouring dense yin energy to form a ten-foot-wide "safe passage."
Following behind, Li Pingcan periodically planted formation flags in specific positions. As each flag was placed, a simple yet Seven Stars-aligned miniature formation took shape.
This was his "nibbling" strategy - advancing thodically, bringing all of Old Yin Mountain under his formation control.
The deeper they went, the more bizarre the surroundings beca. Withered trees bore desiccated, unrecognizable skeletons. Rusted broken weapons littered the ground, snapped flagpoles jutting from black soil. The air's faint weeping and howling grew clearer, as if an army charged just beyond hearing.
"The resentnt here is overwhelming."
Li Pingcan inwardly marveled;
soone faint-hearted might lose control from sheer atmosphere alone. He gripped the Spectral Soldier Command Token tighter - while it couldn't command all ghosts, it at least reduced unnecessary trouble in this "ghost domain."
"Hiss!"
Suddenly, Little Sha halted ahead, emitting urgent, wary hisses. Li Pingcan imdiately suppressed his aura, hiding behind a boulder to observe.
Not far ahead in a depression, dozens of translucent figures wandered aimlessly. Clad in tattered armor wielding yin-energy weapons, they were clearly a patrol of spectral soldiers! Their leader appeared more substantial, wearing ruined lieutenant armor, empty eye sockets burning with green ghost-flas that chanically scanned the area.
"Spectral Lieutenant, comparable to Qi Refining mid-stage."
Li Pingcan's heart skipped - he hadn't expected such trouble halfway up the mountain. Direct confrontation was unwise.
Instead of imdiately presenting the token, he used newly learned [Dream Language], subtly projecting a thought: "Soldiers, your service is appreciated."
The wandering specters froze. The lieutenant's ghost-flas flickered violently, as if discerning the thought's origin. Its intelligence long eroded by resentnt, only combat instincts and obedience to "orders" remained.
"Enemy... where?" A cold, broken thought responded.
"The enemy lies ahead," Li Pingcan guided, continuing ntally. "With ... slay them!"
"Slay them!"
"Slay them!"
As if triggering so chanism, all specters erupted with soaring killing intent, their ghost-flas turning blood-red.
Only then did Li Pingcan leisurely take out the token, channeling magic to make it glow. The fierce ghost-face emblem lit up, radiating invisible pressure. Sensing this familiar aura, the lieutenant confird Li Pingcan's "commander" status, kneeling in formal salute, followed by its troops.
"It actually works!"
Li Pingcan rejoiced inwardly - [Dream Language] combined with the token was like a "VIP pass" for Old Yin Mountain!
Putting on a stern expression, he ntally commanded: "Clear the path ahead without fail!"
Saluting again, the lieutenant rose, leading its troops as a yin-wind vanguard. With spectral soldiers paving the way, Li Pingcan progressed smoothly.
Half an hour later, the map's marked core area - a valley called "Martial God's Ho" - finally appeared. Upon entering, yin energy ten tis denser than before assaulted him, making him shiver uncontrollably.
At the valley's center stood a massive black stone mausoleum. Before it, a broken stone tablet bore three blood-red characters in ancient, vigorous script:
Martial God's Tomb!
An indescribable solemn desolation emanated from the stele.
"Finally here."
Taking a deep breath, Li Pingcan remained vigilant. Signaling the specters to wait outside, he cautiously advanced with Little Sha toward the grand tomb.
But when ten yards remained, sudden change!
"Boom!"
The entire tomb quaked violently without warning! The three blood-red characters seed to co alive, emitting eerie light. An aura far more terrifying than the lieutenant's exploded from the tomb!
"Intruders... die!"
A cold, authoritative voice filled with battle-hardened killing intent echoed through the valley.
The black earth before the tomb erupted as a towering figure clad in black heavy armor erged astride a skeletal warhorse, wielding a halberd! Shrouded in tangible black killing intent, the eyes beneath its helt burned with madness.
"Army Specter!"
Li Pingcan's pupils constricted sharply. This was no ordinary specter, but a terrifying entity ford from countless fallen soldiers' resentnt and battlefield killing intent - an Army Specter! In this yin valley, its strength likely approached Foundation Establishnt!
Considering retreat, Li Pingcan prepared to sacrifice his spectral troops as rear guard for escape, when the Army Specter unexpectedly didn't attack imdiately. Its blood-red eyes scrutinized him intently.
Seizing the mont, Li Pingcan employed [Dream Language] again - this ti not commanding, but respectfully inquiring:
"Senior, this junior ans no offense, only seeking Martial God's legacy."
The Army Specter's ghost-flas flickered, seemingly surprised at communication. Its icy voice held less violence, more authority:
"Legacy... only for true martial artists. You... what qualifications?"
"Though unworthy, this junior has minor martial achievents."
Li Pingcan calmly dropped his disguise, unleashing full Divine Martial Realm physical aura - equally domineering pressure rising to confront the specter's killing intent!
"Divine Martial Realm?!"
For the first ti, the specter sounded genuinely astonished. "To think soone still cultivated the body to this degree..."
After long consideration, its authoritative voice returned: "You show promise. But martial arts transcend brute strength. Survive one strike, and the legacy is yours."
Without fanfare, its halberd moved - a simple forward thrust that sohow concentrated an army's will, sealing all avenues of escape. To Li Pingcan's senses, this thrust beca the world's sole existence - unavoidable, unblockable.
Pure "montum" - the supre battle intent forged by the Martial God through countless bloody campaigns!
Rather than retreating, Li Pingcan's expression focused, his own battle spirit rising to et this overwhelming force!
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