Gate of Death

Thus, the two quickly reached a verbal agreement.

From then on, Zi Yan would be responsible for helping Shi Kang search for medicinal herbs and precious Heaven and Earth Spiritual Materials, while Shi Kang would provide her with delicious pills.

Zi Yan was still popping pill pellets into her mouth one by one, wearing a satisfied expression.

At this rate, the pills Shi Kang had given her probably would not last long before this little glutton devoured them all.

After calling Zi Yan over, the group had nothing much to pack up.

Thus, Shi Kang, Zi Yan, and Qing Lin left the Tagor Desert under Shi Long and Shi Fei's escort.

When they left, Shi Kang did not say goodbye to the Snake People.

Mainly because he was taking their Queen away. Shi Kang was afraid they would keep pestering him, and he would not be able to stop himself from making a move.

Still, Shi Kang had not left without giving them anything. Before departing, he left four Longevity Pills for the Snake People Clan as payment for his stay.

Each of those four Longevity Pills could extend the consumer's lifespan by fifteen years. Such pills were nothing to Shi Kang, but to the four Snake People Elders whose lifespans were nearing their end, they were undoubtedly an exceedingly generous gift.

While traveling, Zi Yan would occasionally sense the presence of something good.

Shi Kang did not spoil her fun. As long as Zi Yan said an item was decent, he would go down and collect it.

Zi Yan had just gleefully snatched a rather good medicinal herb from a Monster Beast that had only recently entered the sixth rank. After putting the herb away, she continued their journey.

Zi Yan continued concentrating as she sensed the surrounding auras. Before long, she seemed to detect something, and her eyes suddenly lit up.

"Shi Kang, wait a moment. I think I sensed something good." Zi Yan anxiously tugged on Shi Kang's sleeve, her voice carrying a trace of excitement.

"What did you find this time?" Shi Kang asked with a helpless smile. She had shouted "something good" no fewer than ten times along the way.

But honestly, those things had all been quite ordinary to Shi Kang.

If they kept stopping and starting like this, who knew how long it would take them to return to the Stone Realm?

Shi Kang did not want to delay their journey for such things.

"No, this time it really is something good." Zi Yan spoke very seriously. "The aura I sensed is incredibly powerful. It is definitely not ordinary."

"Oh? What is it?" Seeing Zi Yan like this, Shi Kang grew curious as well.

"It is Wind Attribute, and it is as powerful as Heavenly Flames, but more... floaty?" Zi Yan racked her brains but could not find a suitable word, so she could only emphasize, "It is really powerful! I can feel the unique power it gives off."

Shi Kang's heart jolted.

Could it be?

A Wind Attribute Heaven and Earth Spiritual Material comparable to Heavenly Flames?

Shi Kang cultivated the Myriad Spirits Body Refining Art. This was precisely the kind of thing he needed.

This was something Shi Kang had dreamed of obtaining.

"Zi Yan, where is it?" Shi Kang's tone became noticeably urgent.

The group was currently flying high in the air, with rolling mountain ranges and dense forests beneath them.

Zi Yan pointed at the mist-shrouded mountains ahead and said, "It is on that mountain!"

There stood a towering mountain, its peak piercing the clouds as though it could tear through the heavens.

Many grand buildings were scattered across the mountain in an orderly fashion. It appeared to be a sect faction.

"Shi Long, check the map. Where are we?" Shi Kang turned to Shi Long and asked.

To make traveling easier, Shi Kang had specifically told Shi Long to bring a detailed map this time.

Shi Long hurriedly took out the map and examined it carefully before replying, "Misty Cloud Mountain. That sect should be called the Misty Cloud Sect."

Misty Cloud Sect!

Hearing that familiar name, Shi Kang's heart skipped a beat.

The original work had never mentioned any Wind Attribute spiritual material here.

Seeing Zi Yan's certain expression, and remembering that she had never sensed wrongly along the way, Shi Kang did not hesitate and immediately decided, "Let's go down and take a look!"

Under Zi Yan's guidance, the group landed in the rear mountains of Misty Cloud Mountain. Ancient trees towered overhead, and the air was filled with the fragrance of vegetation.

Not far away stood an elegant bamboo dwelling. Beside it rose a Stone Gate more than ten zhang tall, engraved with ancient cloud patterns, with faint currents of air swirling around it.

Shi Kang could keenly sense someone inside the residence, with the strength of a one-star Dou Ancestor.

If he was not mistaken, that person should be Yun Shan, the former Sect Master of the Misty Cloud Sect.

"Shi Kang, it is inside that Stone Gate!" Zi Yan pointed at the Stone Gate beside the residence and said excitedly.

As long as she helped Shi Kang find something good, she could receive more delicious pills. How could Zi Yan not be excited?

Just then, a middle-aged man in white slowly emerged from the bamboo dwelling. His white hair cascaded like a waterfall and fluttered in the wind. His features were handsome, and faint mist lingered around him, giving him the air of an immortal sage.

Yet beneath those seemingly calm eyes was a trace of barely perceptible anger.

"You have trespassed into the Forbidden Ground of my Misty Cloud Sect," the middle-aged man said calmly, though his voice carried unquestionable pressure. "What do you intend to do?"

To be honest, Yun Shan's bearing was genuinely intimidating.

If not for the aura of a one-star Dou Ancestor emanating from him, Shi Kang might truly have mistaken him for some reclusive master.

This guy was putting on way too much of an act!

That was Shi Kang's first impression of Yun Shan, and he could not help mocking him inwardly.

Before Shi Kang could say anything, Shi Long stepped forward.

"Insolence!"

He took a step forward and released a slight portion of his aura, pressing it toward Yun Shan.

Yun Shan had no ability to resist Shi Long at all. He only felt as if he had fallen into an icy abyss, as though the blood throughout his body had frozen.

His legs trembled uncontrollably. All of his earlier immortal poise vanished, and he looked like a plucked rooster.

He felt as though a great mountain was pressing down on him, leaving him unable to move. His eyes were filled with terror.

What was going on? Who was this man? Why was he so strong? What were they doing here? Countless questions swirled through his mind.

"Young Clan Leader, how should we deal with him?" Shi Long turned to Shi Kang and asked respectfully.

Shi Kang slowly walked toward Yun Shan. With every step he took, the panic in Yun Shan's heart deepened.

His heart pounded wildly, as though it were about to leap from his throat.

By the time Shi Kang stopped before Yun Shan, Yun Shan could no longer hold himself together.

Under the shadow of death, he no longer cared whether he had done anything wrong. Yun Shan began begging for mercy.

"Please spare my life, sir. I did not mean to..."

Seeing Yun Shan like this, Shi Kang immediately lost interest.

He had thought Yun Shan was someone formidable, but it turned out he was merely an ordinary man. Before overwhelming strength, he instantly revealed his cowardly side.

"I ask, and you answer. Say one extra word, and I will kill you. Understand?"

Yun Shan nodded frantically, fine beads of sweat appearing on his forehead.

Shi Kang pointed at the Stone Gate and asked, "What is that Stone Gate?"

Yun Shan did not dare lie and answered honestly, "It is the Forbidden Ground of our Misty Cloud Sect, the Gate of Death."

Gate of Death! Shi Kang seemed to recall that successive Sect Masters of the Misty Cloud Sect would enter the Gate of Death to increase their strength before taking office.

Shi Kang continued, "What is inside?"

"The Wind Attribute Dou Qi inside is especially dense. Those who possess Wind Attribute Dou Qi can cultivate faster within it," Yun Shan hurriedly said, afraid that speaking too slowly would anger Shi Kang.

"What else do you know?" Shi Kang asked several questions in succession, but Yun Shan's answers did not satisfy him.

It was not that Yun Shan refused to cooperate, but that Yun Shan himself did not know much about the Gate of Death.

Shi Kang had not learned any useful information from him.

It seemed he could only go inside and see for himself...