Chapter 233

As the bully spoke, he reached out to snatch it.

A cold glint flashed in Yang Jian's eyes.

He can tolerate ridicule, but he will never tolerate provocation.

He moved slightly, striking first despite being behind, and delivered a palm strike that landed squarely on the bully's outstretched wrist.

With a sharp crack, accompanied by a pig-like scream, the bully's wrist snapped.

Yang Jian didn't even pause; with a backhand flick, an invisible force swept out.

The stunned gangsters and the tyrant's henchmen were all sent flying, crashing into the wall and rolling to the ground, unable to get up for a long time.

The entire lobby fell silent instantly.

Everyone stared in horror at the frail-looking Daoist priest; no one had expected him to possess such ruthless methods.

The bully, clutching his severed hand, rolled on the ground in agony. When he saw Yang Jian's icy gaze sweep over him, he was terrified and scrambled out of the inn with his gang.

The few martial arts thugs who had previously mocked Yang Jian turned pale and hurriedly stepped forward, bowing deeply in apology. "Senior, your skills are truly remarkable! We were blind to your abilities, and we beg your forgiveness!"

Yang Jian waved his hand, indicating that they didn't need to be so polite. Only then did everyone look at him with new respect and their attitude became extremely respectful.

After the turmoil subsided, Yang Jian went alone to a teahouse in the corner of town and sat quietly.

He had just taken a sip of tea when a mysterious old man with white hair and beard, exuding an air of otherworldly wisdom, sat down opposite him.

The old man picked up his teacup, took a sip, and after a long while said in a low voice:

"Young man, you possess such cultivation at such a young age, yet you linger here for a mere rumor of a magical treasure. Is it worth it?"

Yang Jian felt a chill run down his spine. He couldn't fathom the old man's true nature, but the fact that he could see right through his thoughts meant he was no ordinary person.

He rose respectfully and bowed. "Junior Yang Jian greets Senior. To save my mother, I urgently need a magical artifact capable of splitting mountains. Even if there is only a sliver of hope, I will try my best."

The old man stroked his long beard. "Very well, the rumors about the magical treasures of Black Wind Mountain are not unfounded. I will now give you some pointers."

He lowered his voice and said slowly, "That magic weapon is indeed in a valley deep in Black Wind Mountain, but there is a maze-like barrier set up by an ancient powerful being outside the valley."

The valley is guarded by a demonic beast with a thousand years of cultivation. The barrier is made of vines and wood, which are ever-renewing and cannot be harmed by ordinary swords and axes.

If you wish to break the formation, you must find its core and use the power of thunder to break it in one strike."

Yang Jian was overjoyed and bowed deeply. "Thank you so much for your guidance, senior! I will never forget your great kindness!"

The old man smiled slightly, his figure gradually becoming transparent before finally dissipating into a wisp of green smoke, leaving only one sentence echoing in the teahouse. "Go, your journey has only just begun..."

Yang Jian dared not delay and, following the old man's instructions, led his Howling Celestial Dog straight to Black Wind Mountain.

After passing through dense forests, we found a valley shrouded in thick fog.

A chilling and eerie atmosphere permeated the valley entrance, sending shivers down one's spine.

He took a deep breath, picked up the Howling Celestial Dog, and stepped into the valley.

The moment he entered the valley, the ground beneath his feet suddenly trembled.

Countless black vines, as thick as bowls, burst from the ground like tentacles reaching out from hell, coiling around from all directions.

Yang Jian was prepared. A cold glint flashed in his eyes, and he unleashed a curtain of blades, severing all the attacking vines.

The broken vines fell to the ground and then burrowed back into the soil. In the blink of an eye, more and thicker vines emerged from the ground, their attack even more ferocious than before.

These vines are incredibly resilient and endless, seemingly impossible to eradicate.

While wielding his sword to defend himself, Yang Jian focused intently on finding the key point of the formation the old man had mentioned.

Just as he was struggling to cope, the Howling Celestial Dog that he had been protecting behind him suddenly let out a low growl.

She suddenly broke free from his embrace, rushed out, opened her still-childish mouth, and bit down on a vine that was attacking Yang Jian's back, tearing at it desperately.

"Howling Celestial Dog!"

Yang Jian exclaimed in surprise, a warm feeling welling up in his heart.

The Howling Celestial Dog's actions bought him a precious moment of respite.

Taking advantage of the opportunity, a flash of golden light appeared in his eyes, and he instantly saw through the true nature of the vine formation.

Amidst the countless swirling vines, an inconspicuous sapling, only half a foot tall, was emitting a faint light that shared the same origin as the entire barrier.

"That's it!"

Yang Jian locked onto his target, no longer holding back. With a loud shout, he transformed into a streak of light, breaking through the layers of vines and fiercely striking the inconspicuous sapling.

A deafening roar shook the earth.

The vines throughout the valley withered, shattered, and turned to ashes in an instant.

The thick fog dissipated, revealing a secluded path leading deep into the valley.

At the end of the path, a faint roar of a wild beast could be heard...

Yang Jian's pupils contracted sharply. He looked in the direction of the sound and saw a huge creature leap out of the dense forest ahead.

Its entire body was covered in bluish-gray scales, and three rows of sharp teeth grew out of its gaping maw. When its scarlet forked tongue swept across the ground, the rocks were corroded, producing a hissing sound and black smoke.

Guardian monster!

Yang Jian was startled. With nowhere to retreat, he steeled his resolve and charged forward.

Yang Jian leaped up on his toes, only to see the beast suddenly tilt its head back, spraying foul-smelling venom like a rain of arrows. Yang Jian hurriedly rolled away to dodge.

"This beast's scales are even harder than those of magical artifacts..."

Yang Jian wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth and glanced at the monster's eyes, where the scales were slightly thinner.

Just as he was about to look for another opportunity to strike, he caught a glimpse of several figures flashing behind the rocks on his left.

The Six Monsters of Mount Mei.

Yang Jian's heart sank.

He had long heard that these six brothers loved to occupy mountains and act as kings, and were adept at reaping the benefits of others' exploitation.

Sure enough, a hushed conversation came from behind the rock. "Seventh Brother, this kid's got some skills, maybe we should..."

"What's the rush? Let's wait until that monster runs out of energy before we make our move and take advantage of the situation."

Before the words were finished, the monster suddenly roared and pounced through the air, its claws braced against the ground.

Yang Jian rolled on the spot and thrust his hand back at the monster's belly, but was swatted away by its claw.

"Second brother, let's go!"

A dark shadow streaked through the air.

The burly, black-faced man with the giant axe leaped to Yang Jian's side and swung his axe at the monster's forepaws.

Immediately afterwards, the thin man in the blue robe flicked his wrist and shot out seven flying needles, aiming straight for the monster's eyes.

"You..."

Yang Jian was stunned for a moment.

"The Six Laozi of Six Monsters of Mount Mei have the utmost respect for those who are tough and resilient!"

The burly man carrying the axe roared, "Young master, we'll help you!"

With this assistance, the tide of battle turned instantly.

Taking advantage of the opportunity, Yang Jian leaped onto the monster's back and cut a three-inch-deep wound on its scales.

"Roar!"

The monster suddenly let out a heart-wrenching scream, and its body expanded at a visible speed.

"Draw it away!"

Yang Jian shouted loudly and pointed to the sky.

The Six Monsters of Mount Mei understood immediately, and the second oldest swung his giant axe at the monster's right claw.

The monster, in pain, shook its head frantically.

Using the momentum, Yang Jian leaped into the air, and the demon beast suddenly swung its tail!

"Woof!"

A dark shadow crashed into them.

The Howling Celestial Dog stood in front of Yang Jian, its barbs piercing through his abdomen.

Yang Jian felt a surge of heat in his chest, and his hand trembled as he caught the Howling Celestial Dog.

"You stupid dog..."

Yang Jian's voice trembled as he picked up Howling Celestial Dog and placed him behind the rock.

The monster's gaping maw lunged again, but Yang Jian neither dodged nor evaded, instead thrusting his blade straight at its brow.

"Puff!"

The monster's movements suddenly stopped, and its massive body crashed to the ground.

Yang Jian staggered and grabbed the rock for support, only then realizing that his back was completely soaked in cold sweat.

"Young master!"

The second brother ran over and patted him on the shoulder, "Good tricks!"

The third brother crouched down to examine the Howling Celestial Dog's injuries, and took out a small jade bottle from his pocket. "This is my family's heirloom bone-healing pill. Give it to the dog, and he'll be fine."