Mysterious Eagle Ten Great Sages!

Chapter 21: Mysterious Eagle Ten Great Sages!

Eighteen hundred miles from Gu Family Village stood Mysterious Eagle Mountain, a gathering place for countless powerful individuals.

Located on the northwestern edge of the Great Ming Mountain Range, Mysterious Eagle Mountain was surrounded by towering peaks. Its terrain was treacherous and easily defensible, serving as a crucial passage connecting three prefectures, which had led powerful figures to establish bases there throughout history.

The Mysterious Eagle Gang was the largest force occupying this area. Their ten leaders were all Establish Fate Realm martial artists, known collectively as the "Mysterious Eagle Ten Great Sages"! They commanded over two thousand desperadoes. Passing merchants and caravans were forced to hand over half their "life-buying money"! Any dissatisfaction would result in the slaughter of all men and the abduction of women to the mountain.

Local merchant guilds, driven to their wits' end, had repeatedly petitioned the authorities. The Youzhou Tiger Roar Army, Jinzhou Elite Armor Cavalry, and Jizhou Long Wind Army had all attempted to suppress them! However, the treacherous and complex terrain, coupled with the extreme cunning of their leader, Qi Gang, meant that any sign of trouble would cause them to disperse and vanish into the mountains!

After several fruitless attempts, and with Qi Gang slightly moderating his behavior, the matter was eventually dropped.

Mysterious Eagle Mountain soared a thousand feet high, with numerous strange rocks and perilous peaks. Halfway up the mountain, on a flat expanse of land, a mountain stronghold spanning several hundred acres had been constructed. The stronghold's gate, standing fifty feet tall and four feet thick, was made of century-old ironwood, guarding the only path to the summit!

In the center of the stronghold, a massive training ground was filled with over a thousand bare-chested, robust men practicing saber techniques.

"Hah!" "Hah!" "Kill!"

The more than a thousand men stood in neat formation, their bare chests gleaming with oil.

"Advancing Chop!"

"Reverse Rising Slash!"

"Turning Horizontal Cut!"

These three basic saber techniques, performed by over a thousand people, created a spectacular sight!

Any military general present would have been shocked to see a hint of military discipline in the training of these outlaws, indicating they had begun to move beyond being a mere mob!

On a high platform to the side of the training ground, a red carpet was laid out. Two rows of weapon racks held long sabers, swords, axes, spears, and other eighteen types of weapons. Each piece gleamed with a cold light, radiating a chilling aura – all of them were top-tier weapons!

"Great Leader! Sun Hailong has violated your prohibition! He led over a dozen brothers down the mountain!" a short, stout middle-aged man reported, his head bowed, staring at a massive, thousand-pound meteor hammer on the ground, trembling.

"Half a year ago, I sent his brother to a high cliff a thousand miles away to stake out a Golden-Eyed Eagle's nest. Coincidentally, the Tiger Roar Army was encircling our Mysterious Eagle Mountain! So, I didn't send anyone to meet them. His urgency is understandable!" a grand and resonant voice boomed, causing the short, stout middle-aged man's ears to ring and his vision to blur! Shocked, he couldn't help but look up.

It was a tall, rugged middle-aged man, built like a Demonic Beast. His solid, golden muscles bulged, and his right arm, thicker than a normal person's thigh, was wrapped in a thick iron chain, roaring like thunder!

"However! Those who defy me must die!" He lightly swung his arm, and the massive meteor hammer, accompanied by a ghostly, howling sound of tearing air, whipped up a rolling hurricane! It struck terror into the hearts of all who witnessed it!

"That's strange! There are surprisingly few wild beasts this year! Did they all freeze to death in winter?" a young man named Qingzi muttered to himself.

The hunting party had already ventured dozens of miles into the mountains, yet they had found almost nothing! Their biggest discovery was a roe deer and a few rabbits!

"Captain, something's not right! Every spring, after winter, hungry wild beasts go crazy foraging, even attacking human villages! We've been in the mountains for half a day now, and we haven't even spotted any fierce beasts! It's as if..." a young man holding a spear approached Gu Hao, his face grave.

"As if they've all been killed!" Gu Hao's expression was also grim. It was natural for him to be displeased when the first hunt of the year encountered such problems.

"Whoosh!"

A gray blur streaked through the forest and disappeared.

"Chase!"

"It's a roe deer!"

"Watch me!"

The hunting party sprang into action. Several men leaped in pursuit, and within a few bounds, they returned with the roe deer.

"Heh, this roe deer is quite plump! Over thirty pounds!" Qingzi chuckled. The members of the hunting party possessed at least the cultivation of the second stage of Foundation Establishment, granting them immense strength. Qingzi had broken its neck with a few leaps.

"Everyone be careful. It's good that we didn't have any harvests! At least there won't be any village raids this year," Gu Hao sighed, dejectedly saying, "Let's speed up. We'll sweep the area within a hundred miles, and if we don't find anything, we'll return to the village!"

"Ah! No way!"

"Returning to the village with no harvest at all! That's too embarrassing!"

"Let's worry about our stomachs first! This little bit of food won't be enough for us to eat!"

Everyone exchanged glances. For twenty adult Foundation Establishment second-stage cultivators, this meager prey was far from sufficient!

Dozens of miles away from the hunting party, by a pool of water.

Gu Shaoshang lit a bonfire and began roasting a large hind leg of an unknown wild beast, occasionally sprinkling various seasonings. He was naturally unaware that his actions had led the hunting party into such an awkward predicament.

Since the New Year's sacrifice, Gu Shaoshang had been constantly appearing on the outskirts of the Great Ming Mountains, hunting various ferocious beasts. Not only had he harvested Source Power, but his practice of the Flying Dagger Technique and the Primordial Python Star Devourer Record had also greatly accelerated. His physical foundation had also become increasingly robust. Although he hadn't broken through any realms, his previously slender body had gradually become more filled out.

The human growth period typically began around the age of ten. During this period, the entire skeletal structure, muscles, and other parts of the body would experience rapid and astonishing development.

Accompanying this growth period was a significant demand for energy. If a young person's energy intake was insufficient during their youth, it would be extremely difficult to compensate for it in adulthood.

In just over two months, Gu Shaoshang had undergone a tremendous transformation!

Not only had his height increased, but the skin and muscles after the second stage of Foundation Establishment had become even more taut. His slightly dark complexion had turned fair with a rosy hue, appearing as lustrous as jade! The pores on his face had become finer, his lips a healthy pink, and his dark eyes shone with spirit! He exuded a vibrant vitality and life force!

Anyone who saw him would surely praise him, "What a handsome young man!"

"Just a little bit more! I'll soon be able to restore the Myriad Heavens Projection Mirror to one star! It's perfect to do a projection run today!" Gu Shaoshang picked up the beast leg, unfazed by the heat, and chewed and crushed it, bones and all, before swallowing it. The Primordial Python Star Devourer Record circulated, transforming it into energy that was deeply stored.

"Mmm, tastes good!" Gu Shaoshang patted his belly contentedly after eating his fill, closed his eyes, and entered the Mirror World.

With each subsequent entry and his progress in martial arts, Gu Shaoshang's cultivation time in the Mirror World had increased from sixteen hours a day to twenty-four hours, and the time it took to enter had also shortened considerably.

As usual, Gu Shaoshang completed his Myriad Heavens Projection run and chose to challenge Gu Ji.

"Challenge, Gu Ji!"

With a flash of purple light, Gu Shaoshang reappeared in the familiar scene.

Watching Gu Ji stride forward, Gu Shaoshang took a deep breath, suppressing the fear of the after-effects of the divine ability "Tail-Feathered Mantis Shrimp" and the near-death experience.

"Gu Ji!"

Gu Shaoshang roared!

He reactivated the divine ability "Tail-Feathered Mantis Shrimp." The air exploded violently, and endless light erupted! A Xingyi "Cannon Fist" once again blew up Gu Ji's projection! Its power was even much stronger than when he first used the divine ability!

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