Absolute Peak Valley

Absolute Peak Valley

Ji Xinghuo and the other two also reached the cliff's edge and gazed into the distance, where they saw vast stretches of steep peaks.

None of these mountains were especially tall. Most were under five hundred meters, with only a few exceeding a thousand. The highest peak visible was only a little over two thousand meters.

Yet nearly every exposed mountainside was bare rock.

The terrain was extraordinarily treacherous, rising and falling in jagged layers. Cliffs, sheer precipices, stone pillars, and platforms were everywhere, covered in dense vegetation and jungle. Deep ravines crisscrossed the land, streams murmured, and patches of mist shrouded the mountains. In the distance, stone peaks could even be seen floating in the sky, like a paradise on earth.

Ji Xinghuo was reminded of Earth's karst landscapes, the most famous of which was the Tianmen Mountain scenic area.

But this place was even more magnificent and awe-inspiring than Tianmen Mountain.

"Absolute Peak Valley!"

"I'd heard of this place before. I've finally seen it with my own eyes."

Chi Zhonglin stared at the stunning scenery. He suddenly rummaged through his backpack, pulled out a camera, and began taking pictures of the distant mountains and terrain.

Ji Xinghuo was curious. "What kind of camera is that? It still works?"

"An old-fashioned film camera. It doesn't need electricity—it uses a mechanical shutter and single-use flashbulbs, so it really tests your photography skills." After snapping several shots, Chi Zhonglin turned and asked, "Xinghuo, want me to take a few pictures of you? I can develop them for you after we get back. They'll make good souvenirs."

"Sure."

Ji Xinghuo readily agreed. It was an experience he had never had before.

Following Chi Zhonglin's directions, he stood with Absolute Peak Valley behind him and faced the camera. He raised his right hand in a V sign and smiled.

"Come closer, lift your chin, and don't smile so stiffly. Relax a little."

"Yes, yes..."

"Good. Hold it right there. Don't move."

"Ready. Three, two, one!"

Click!

A flash of white light went off, and the image of that moment was captured on the film. Chi Zhonglin had Ji Xinghuo change positions several times and took dozens of photos in succession, stopping only after he had used up the roll.

Seeing how professional he looked as he fiddled with the camera, Ji Xinghuo asked curiously, "Zhonglin, are you a professional photographer?"

"It's my hobby. I'm a seasoned photographer." Chi Zhonglin's face showed no small amount of pride. "Film cameras are the most traditional photographic equipment. They have a kind of classical beauty. Only those who can take great photos with a film camera can be considered truly skilled photographers."

Ji Xinghuo saw a rare seriousness on his face, solemn and passionate.

He did not understand it, but he could relate.

In this day and age, most people had their own hobbies.

Even the most niche interests could form communities. Like-minded friends gathered together to study and delve deeper into them, and these communities made up the society of the Asia-Pacific Community, giving rise to countless "folk masters," usually called "specialist bros."

Ren Mian and Jiangnan Caiyi had long known about Chi Zhonglin's hobby, so neither was surprised.

"Do you two want some pictures as well?" Chi Zhonglin asked.

Ren Mian shook her head.

"Zhonglin-jun has taken many pictures for me before." Jiangnan Caiyi declined as well.

"You could take pictures with Xinghuo."

Chi Zhonglin's suggestion immediately tempted Jiangnan Caiyi. Seeing that Ji Xinghuo did not object, she happily stood beside him, and the two took more than a dozen photos together.

"I'll take one with Xinghuo too." Ren Mian suddenly walked over and stood beside Ji Xinghuo.

Click!

The image was fixed on the film, as if it would last forever.

"Alright, time for business."

Ren Mian had Chi Zhonglin put away the camera, then said seriously, "For the next half month, we'll be staying in Absolute Peak Valley. We have only one goal: find the Stone Scythe Giant Mandrill."

"Are there really Stone Scythe Giant Mandrills here?" Chi Zhonglin looked doubtful.

"I got the information through three different channels. People have seen Stone Scythe Giant Mandrills in Absolute Peak Valley, so there's over a ninety percent chance it's true. We have to give it a try anyway." Ren Mian took out a map showing the geographical layout of Absolute Peak Valley and pointed out their current location.

Chi Zhonglin looked over the boundless stone peaks and valleys and sighed. "Absolute Peak Valley is so huge. Finding a single Stone Scythe Giant Mandrill in there is like looking for a needle in a haystack. It all comes down to luck."

"Yeah..."

Ji Xinghuo nodded as well.

Ren Mian had already told him yesterday that the original target of this hunting trip was the Stone Scythe Giant Mandrill.

They were omnivorous beasts that resembled baboons.

But they were far more terrifying than baboons: larger, stronger, faster, and equipped with four arms. They were exceptionally good at climbing cliffs and trees. Brutal by nature, they also preferred to live in groups and possessed a certain degree of primitive intelligence. They knew how to set traps and ambush prey. If one was provoked, the entire group would swarm in.

When Stone Scythe Goblins awakened into monsters, they would gain either Stone Scythe Claw or Rock Skin.

The former was a high-quality ability, but it was not very valuable.

It turned both hands into a pair of hard, sharp stone claws like sickles. Its power was quite good, but the ability was not included in any Class Template, and very few people wanted to fuse with it, so it could not fetch much money.

Rock Skin, on the other hand, was only a basic ability, but some Aberrants would try to fuse with it to improve their defenses.

Still, it was not worth much—perhaps twenty to thirty thousand.

However, if a Stone Scythe Goblin continued growing into an elite and evolved once more, it would become a superior monster, the Stone Scythe Giant Mandrill. It had a high chance of awakening a Super-Limit ability—Earth Pulse! Earth Pulse was the core ability of an Earth Walker.

It was very rare and very powerful.

Naturally, it was also very valuable!

Absolute Peak Valley covered a vast area. Some estimated that it might reach fifty thousand square kilometers, comparable to a small province in a jurisdiction. Millions of Stone Scythe Goblins lived within it. They were the dominant force in this region, practically forming a kingdom of their own that no one dared provoke.

The larger a monster population was, the stronger the superior monsters born within it tended to be.

Superior monsters could not only awaken the abilities in their genes, but also fuse with Ability Seeds like intelligent lifeforms and gain more abilities.

The Stone Scythe Giant Mandrill was one such monster.

"We're just here to try our luck." Ren Mian smiled. "Stone Scythe Goblins aren't the only creatures in Absolute Peak Valley. They're merely the strongest population here. There are hundreds, perhaps thousands, of other monster species. We might find something else worthwhile."

"Let's go in."

A moment later.

Ji Xinghuo's group climbed over the cliff and entered Absolute Peak Valley.

Though it was called a "valley," it was actually an endless chain of mountains. Everywhere they looked were strange peaks and sheer cliffs, with towering precipices and dense forests beside them. Many deep ravines and hidden valleys lay concealed within, making the terrain extremely complex. It was humid and sweltering, with mist hanging in the air. One careless step and they could easily lose their way.

This was paradise for adventurers and hell for ordinary people.

"Go around that tree."

Ji Xinghuo pointed above them. A large emerald-green snake, thicker than an arm, was coiled in the shade of the tree, difficult to spot among the leaves.

"Iron Arrow Green." Chi Zhonglin curled his lip and detoured around it.

This kind of snake was not venomous, but its hide was thick and tough. It liked to hide in trees and launch itself at prey like an arrow. If it evolved into a monster, it would awaken the Iron Scale ability, which was considerably more valuable.

After he detoured several meters, a thick giant centipede lunged from the grass, flailing its legs and biting at his shoe.

Pop! Chi Zhonglin crushed the giant centipede beneath his foot and complained, "Absolute Peak Valley looks beautiful from the outside, but inside, it's pure torture."

Ji Xinghuo thoroughly agreed.

His Magnetic Field Induction detected even more things. Living creatures were everywhere around them.

Venomous snakes, insects, mosquitoes, flies, birds, and all kinds of small animals filled the trees, the ground, rock crevices, and dark corners. The hidden creatures within a hundred meters alone were too numerous to count. Countless magnetic fields overlapped into a chaotic mess.

Ren Mian was no stranger to this, and her expression did not change.

Jiangnan Caiyi, however, was somewhat afraid. Women were naturally frightened of insects and snakes, and even becoming an Aberrant made it difficult to overcome that psychological shadow.

Suddenly, Ji Xinghuo stopped.

He looked to the right. On a cliff roughly a thousand meters away, several long platforms lay about a hundred meters below the summit. Many humanoid creatures sat or crawled among the trees on those platforms, foraging for food.

They plucked wild fruits and tender leaves, dug up plant roots, and stuffed them into their mouths.

"Stone Scythe Goblins."

Ji Xinghuo observed them carefully.

Stone Scythe Goblins did indeed resemble baboons, but they were much larger. Even sitting down, they stood about one and a half meters tall. Their bodies were covered only by a thin layer of short fur, beneath which could be seen tough brown skin like rock.

Their facial features resembled those of humans, but their heads were long, their mouths protruded, and blood-red eyes lay deep within their sunken sockets.

The most obvious difference was their four thick arms.

Each palm was disproportionately huge, with four long, pointed fingers. A casual swipe could sink them into the earth or sever a tree trunk.

When Stone Scythe Goblins stood up, they were nearly two meters tall. Their four arms and two legs worked together as they climbed the rock face at astonishing speed, moving as though on flat ground. Only when they ran did their tails become visible—extremely flexible and slightly longer than their torsos, like serpent tails covered in large scales, with spear-shaped tail blades at the tips.

Ren Mian saw the group of Stone Scythe Goblins as well.

She observed them briefly, but they were too far away to see clearly. "Let's get closer. Don't alert them."

The team stealthily approached the cliff where the Stone Scythe Goblins were located, stopping when they were a little over two hundred meters away.

"Xinghuo?" Ren Mian gave him an inquiring look.

Ji Xinghuo gently shook his head.

In truth, he had already sensed everything clearly on the way over. There were more than forty Stone Scythe Goblins in this group, a medium-sized pack. Six had evolved into monsters, and their leader was an elite Stone Scythe Goblin, but there was no sign of a Stone Scythe Giant Mandrill.

Chi Zhonglin was slightly disappointed. "Should we attack?"

"Forget it." Ren Mian shook her head. "There's no market for Stone Scythe Claw or Rock Skin, so there's no point in hunting them. Besides..." She glanced up at the sheer cliff. "In a place like this, Stone Scythe Goblins won't be easy to kill. If we make too much noise, we might attract other trouble."

"True." Chi Zhonglin did not really want to fight either.

Ji Xinghuo was actually quite interested. He did not need Ability Seeds, but killing monsters could earn him Spirit Source Energy! Still, since his teammates did not want to fight, it would not be appropriate for him to act recklessly.

The team turned around where they stood, put distance between themselves and the Stone Scythe Goblins, and continued deeper into Absolute Peak Valley.