Destruction Mountain Range

Night.

Inside Snow Stone Castle, in the study of Snow Eagle Territory.

Dongbo Xueying sat behind his desk, while Zong Ling and Tong San sat nearby in a relaxed manner.

"Xueying, why did you call us here?" Tong San asked, looking somewhat puzzled.

"I went to see the Grand Mage today. He agreed to take Qing Shi as a personal disciple, but he set two conditions: either fifty thousand gold coins or the heart of a Silver Moon Wolf King. If I satisfy either one, Qing Shi's apprenticeship will be settled," Dongbo Xueying said.

"Fifty thousand gold coins?" Tong San's eyes widened. "That's daylight robbery! Back in the day, your Uncle Zong and I, along with your parents, risked our lives countless times, yet we never managed to hoard that much treasure. It was only after your mother became pregnant that we had an unexpected, massive windfall! Otherwise, how could your father have bought a noble title and the Snow Eagle Territory? And he asks for fifty thousand gold coins just like that?"

This amount was astronomical; even most Meteor Knights would struggle to produce such a sum even if they emptied their entire life savings.

His parents were among the very few lucky ones who had adventured abroad. Adventurers, by nature, frequented extremely dangerous places with high mortality rates. It was only because his parents had managed to survive that they could afford the title and the territory. Furthermore, because those who dared to become adventurers were fearless and ruthless, the nobles in Yi Water City knew full well how wealthy Snow Eagle Territory was, yet none dared to make a move against it.

"The Silver Moon Wolf King's heart is even harder to obtain," Zong Ling said, frowning. "If it were just a lone Tier 4 Magic Beast, with Xueying's current strength and our coordination, we would have a good chance! But the Silver Moon Wolf King commands a massive pack... being surrounded by a pack is far more terrifying than facing a single king."

The wolf king itself wasn't the terror; the pack was!

That was why, even though the Silver Moon Wolf King was only a Tier 4 Magic Beast, its corpse was worth as much as a Tier 5!

"I intend to enter the Destruction Mountain Range," Dongbo Xueying stated.

"Absolutely not—"

"That's too risky!"

Tong San and Zong Ling were both shocked.

What kind of place was the Destruction Mountain Range?

It was the largest mountain range in the entire world, connecting four provinces! Countless Magic Beasts lived within, and there were even Transcendence-level lifeforms. Generation after generation, the human empire had never been able to fully eradicate this massive threat. In fact, the empire's military was primarily deployed along the perimeter of the mountain range! The army frequently conducted large-scale purges on the outskirts, which was the only reason large quantities of low-tier Magic Beast meat could be purchased in the outside world.

That was why Tier 1, 2, and 3 Magic Beast meat was relatively cheap. From Tier 4 onwards, however, the price skyrocketed. A Tier 4 Magic Beast could not be hunted by ordinary troops; it required the elite of the elite.

"Even the army only moves in large-scale operations, sweeping only the outermost three thousand li," Zong Ling added quickly. "Even Silver Moon Knights and Title-level Knights are unwilling to venture deep into the Destruction Mountain Range... There isn't much to gain in the outer three thousand li, and if you go deeper, you could encounter terrifying Magic Beasts at any moment!"

"Exactly, Xueying," Tong San chimed in. "Even when your parents and I were adventuring, we never thought about drilling into the heart of the Destruction Mountain Range! Just like you—you want to hunt a Tier 4 Magic Beast, but it's impossible to guarantee you'll only find a Tier 4. You might run into a Tier 5 or even a Tier 6! That would mean death!"

They were both extremely anxious.

The Destruction Mountain Range?

That was the ultimate lair of humanity's greatest enemy, the 'Magic Beasts'! To enter was to gamble with one's life.

"You haven't heard me out yet," Dongbo Xueying said with a smile. "I do intend to enter the Destruction Mountain Range, but I will only stay within the outermost three thousand li. And hunting Magic Beasts is secondary; the most important thing is that I plan to hunt down the Curved Blade Alliance!"

"The Curved Blade Alliance?" Zong Ling and Tong San's eyes lit up.

Because the outer three thousand li were frequently swept by the army, overly powerful Magic Beasts had long since retreated, leaving mostly low-tier beasts in large numbers. Every sweep was essentially a massive clash between the army and these low-tier beasts... The low-tier beasts were endless; every time a group was wiped out, more would continue to pour out from the depths of the Destruction Mountain Range.

Too many human soldiers had fallen in those three thousand li, but it had also allowed the army to temper many powerful warriors.

"The Curved Blade Alliance? Those bandits hide in the Destruction Mountain Range, but they don't dare to go too deep either; they also stay within the outer three thousand li," Zong Ling nodded slowly. "And the leader of the Curved Blade Alliance, Gai Bin, is a Meteor Knight. He is notoriously greedy and must have plenty of treasure. The entire bandit lair likely holds even more, but attacking it won't be easy."

"The enemy is in the light, and I am in the dark. Uncle Zong, how do you think my strength compares to Gai Bin's?" Dongbo Xueying asked.

"You are far stronger than him. I can hold my own against him for a while, but against you... if you truly go all out, I wouldn't be able to hold on," Zong Ling said with a wry smile.

In his normal state, Dongbo Xueying was already at the peak of the Meteor Knight level.

When he unleashed his full power, it climbed to the level of a Silver Moon Knight!

His spear technique was nearly that of a master, and his techniques for circulating battle qi were those passed down by the 'Mystic Ice Knight' Gu Yuanhan!

"Your only weakness is that you've seen too little blood," Zong Ling said. "Although you are the one who executes the death row inmates in our territory, you have had too few life-and-death struggles. When you spar with us, it is, after all, just sparring."

"I understand. That's why this trip to the Destruction Mountain Range... while searching for the Curved Blade Alliance's lair, I will inevitably encounter many Magic Beasts, which will be a good opportunity to temper myself," Dongbo Xueying said.

"Finding the Curved Blade Alliance's lair won't be easy."

Zong Ling was still worried. "You will encounter Magic Beasts time and again during the process... there is even a slim chance of running into a powerful beast."

Although it was unlikely to encounter something as strong as a Transcendence-level or Tier 6 beast in the outer three thousand li, Tier 4 or 5 beasts were occasionally present. When the army swept the area, these beasts would sense the danger and retreat early. But for an individual adventurer like Dongbo Xueying, such formidable beasts could lie in wait to ambush him.

"My luck shouldn't be that bad," Dongbo Xueying said. "Besides, my spear technique is quite adept at defense; I have the confidence to protect my life."

"Furthermore, if I don't go to the Destruction Mountain Range... how else am I supposed to earn fifty thousand gold coins?" Dongbo Xueying shook his head.

Wanting to avoid risk?

A Meteor Knight could serve as a guest protector for a great clan; it would be very safe, but the annual salary would only be three to five thousand gold coins. If one wanted to acquire tens of thousands of gold coins, one had to take great risks.

"Very well," Zong Ling said. "I will go with you. At least I have been to the outer three thousand li several times before."

"Uncle Zong, you've been there?" Dongbo Xueying stared in surprise.

"Yes. After your parents bought Snow Eagle Territory, I practiced on my own and went to the outskirts of the Destruction Mountain Range to temper myself." As a member of the Snake-man Race royal family, Zong Ling had his own pride; he had always pushed himself hard, desperate to break through the Heaven-tier and step into the Meteor level.

"When you go to the Destruction Mountain Range, listen to your Uncle Zong more. Don't be careless," Tong San also urged.

After preparations, on the morning of the fifth day, Dongbo Xueying and Zong Ling set out with a troop of one hundred soldiers.

The castle drawbridge had long since been lowered.

"Brother, come back soon!" Qing Shi ran to the edge of the mountain peak and shouted loudly, with Tong San standing by his side.

"Qing Shi, don't worry, just stay home and listen to Uncle Tong," Dongbo Xueying called back from a distance.

"I know!"

Qing Shi nodded heavily, though his heart was filled with reluctance.

Since he was little, he had never been separated from his brother for so long; this time, his brother was going out on business that was said to take half a month.

He did not know that Dongbo Xueying was heading out this time to earn his "tuition."

The cavalry unit Dongbo Xueying was with traveled with ease, arriving at the edge of the Destruction Mountain Range, over nine hundred li away, by evening.

The cavalry unit began to set up camp.

They started to set up pots and cook their meal.

"Old Yang."

Zong Ling and Dongbo Xueying were with a bearded man named Yang Cheng, an Earth-rank knight loyal to the Dongbo Clan and the captain of this hundred-man unit.

Zong Ling said, "The Lord and I will enter the mountain range early tomorrow morning; I leave things here to you."

"Lord Zong Ling, Lord Lord, please rest assured. I will handle this small matter properly. But you two must be careful," Yang Cheng said with concern. "Back when I was in the army, I did sweep through the outer regions of the Destruction Mountain Range. But that was with a massive army; I never went in alone. The swarms of Magic Beasts would charge at us without fear of death... Of the brothers who enlisted with me, only three or four out of ten managed to retire safely. The others almost all died in the Destruction Mountain Range."

Dongbo Xueying nodded.

The Destruction Mountain Range... it was indeed a forbidden zone. Only armies and desperate bandits dared to enter the outer reaches. As for the deeper parts, those who dared to enter were pitifully few.

The next morning, just as the sky was beginning to brighten.

Dongbo Xueying, carrying his weapon case, quietly entered the Destruction Mountain Range on foot with Zong Ling. There was no way to ride horses in the Destruction Mountain Range, and even the slightest commotion from a horse might attract terrifying Magic Beasts.

"Lord, please be careful," Captain Yang Cheng and the other soldiers watched with concern as the black-clad youth and the silver-haired snake-man walked away, until they disappeared into the mountain forests of the Destruction Mountain Range and could no longer be seen.

*

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