"This humble Daoist Jiang Yun pays his respects to you, Senior!"
Jiang Yun did not dare be negligent. He immediately stopped and bowed respectfully.
The hunter grinned, his voice booming.
"What Senior? I'm just a hunter from these mountains, and I've lived for half my life."
"If you don't mind, little Daoist, just call me Old Liu!"
Jiang Yun's thoughts raced, but his expression remained unchanged. "So it is Senior Liu."
"May I ask why Senior Liu has stopped me? What guidance do you have for me?"
"Heh!" Old Liu rested his steel fork on his shoulder and studied Jiang Yun with interest.
"Little Daoist, you've entered a treasure mountain without recognizing it. Why would you pass up a heaven-sent opportunity delivered right to your door and do something as foolish as buying the casket and returning the pearl?"
"Do you know where this place is?"
"Please enlighten me, Senior!"
Jiang Yun's heart sank, and he fell silent for a moment.
He knew that leaving easily today was probably impossible.
This mysterious hunter, Old Liu, had clearly come for him!
To avoid being schemed against afterward, Jiang Yun decided to probe the hunter's background as well. He turned back and asked.
Old Liu chuckled. "This mountain is called Changyang Mountain! A remarkable treasure lies hidden within!"
"If it is a treasure, then it should naturally be claimed by one of virtue."
The moment Jiang Yun heard that, he understood what was going on.
"This humble Daoist's cultivation is shallow and his virtue insufficient. I am unworthy of such a treasure. May Senior obtain it soon!"
Jiang Yun cupped his hands, making his stance clear. This time, he was truly preparing to leave!
What a joke!
Changyang Mountain!
In the myths of his previous life, this place was renowned far and wide!
"Xingtian danced with shield and axe, his fierce will forever remained!"
In the past, the Great Witch Chiyou had contended for the position of Human Emperor, drawing the joint assault of the Sage sects. Even the Heavenly Court had sent the Nine Heavens Mystic Maiden into battle.
In the end, Chiyou was defeated and perished.
This enraged another Great Witch of the Witch Race, Xingtian!
It was one thing for the Sage disciples to act, but Haotian was merely a page beneath the Dao Ancestor, inheriting the legacy of the Demon Race Heavenly Court. How dare he interfere in the affairs of the Witch Race?!
Xingtian immediately charged into the Heavenly Court!
The Classic of Mountains and Seas recorded: Xingtian and the Emperor fought here for divine authority. The Emperor severed his head and buried it in Changyang Mountain!
The mountain beneath his feet was where Xingtian's head had been buried!
Though Haotian was regarded by many great powers of the Three Realms as nothing more than a page and was usually looked down upon,
he was, in truth, a Quasi-Sage powerhouse!
He was the orthodox ruler of the Three Realms personally appointed by Dao Ancestor Hongjun!
How could Jiang Yun, a mere Mysterious Immortal, possibly become entangled in such overwhelming karma?!
"Wait! Why are you in such a hurry, little Daoist?"
Seeing this, the hunter Old Liu quickly took a step forward and blocked Jiang Yun's path.
"At least let me finish first!"
"Please speak, Senior!"
Jiang Yun made his position clear. "After hearing you out, this humble Daoist still intends to continue his travels!"
At this moment,
the identity of this hunter, "Old Liu," had already become obvious in Jiang Yun's mind!
Among the Witch Race, one who bore the name "Liu"!
His strength was unfathomable, and he had appeared here at Changyang Mountain...
There was a ninety-percent chance that he was the ancient Great Witch second only to the Twelve Ancestral Witches—
Xiang Liu!
At the very least, he possessed strength comparable to the peak of the Grand Unity Golden Immortal realm!
Perhaps, after all these years, he had even entered the threshold of Quasi-Sagehood!
At that thought, Jiang Yun's pupils suddenly contracted!
He forcibly suppressed the shock in his heart, keeping his expression calm.
"Hahaha! What a clever little Daoist!"
Seeing that Jiang Yun seemed to have seen through his identity, the hunter Old Liu no longer bothered to disguise himself.
His body twisted, and the rugged aura of a mortal hunter vanished. In its place arose a savage, primordial ferocity that seemed capable of crushing the eternal heavens!
"That's right, I am Xiang Liu!"
Xiang Liu's voice rang out like a great bell. "Little Daoist, since you've already guessed that this is Changyang Mountain, I will not hide it from you."
"My brother Xingtian's head is suppressed beneath the secret realm of Changyang Mountain by that bastard Haotian!"
"A formation personally arranged by Haotian surrounds the outer perimeter of that secret realm. It is exceedingly strange."
Xiang Liu said in a deep voice, "The stronger the person entering it, the greater the formation's power becomes!"
"If I forced my way in, it would surely trigger the formation's full counterattack. By then, not only would I fail to retrieve the head, I might completely destroy the secret realm instead."
As he spoke, he spread open his palm, revealing a drop of blood essence, crimson as agate and burning with blazing flames!
"This is a drop of fire-element Great Witch Blood Essence!"
Boom!
The moment the blood essence appeared, the temperature within a radius of ten thousand miles began to rise sharply!
"Great Witch Blood Essence!"
Jiang Yun's breathing stopped for a moment.
This was an incomparably precious supreme treasure!
Whether it was used to refine Houtian Spiritual Treasures, temper the body, or set up a supreme formation, it was a top-tier material rarely found in the world!
The value of this single drop of blood essence was not even inferior to a High-Grade Houtian Spirit Treasure!
"As long as you enter, break the restriction, and release Xingtian,"
Xiang Liu said, "this drop of Great Witch Blood Essence will be given to you in exchange!"
A glint flashed through Jiang Yun's eyes before he quickly calmed down in the face of such temptation.
He slowly shook his head and cupped his hands.
"Senior, you must be joking."
"That is where Xingtian is suppressed! It was personally established by Great Celestial Worthy Haotian. How could it possibly be simple?"
"This humble Daoist is only a Mysterious Immortal. If I enter, I fear there will only be death and no chance of survival."
Jiang Yun refused decisively!
The treasure might be good, but he still needed to be alive to claim it!
Even touching the slightest thread of karma involving such great powers could lead to eternal damnation, let alone personally stepping into it.
Besides, he was a third-generation disciple of the Interception Sect!
Merely refusing a deal with the Witch Race was not enough for even Xiang Liu to dare attack him lightly.
"You are quite cautious, little Daoist!"
Xiang Liu could not help but regard Jiang Yun more highly.
To preserve his true heart in the face of the temptation of Great Witch Blood Essence, such Dao Heart was rare even within the Three Realms.
"Very well!"
Xiang Liu sighed helplessly, seemingly determined to make Jiang Yun enter.
He then reached out again and took out an exceptionally ancient wooden staff covered in primordial totems.
"This is the Peachwood Staff once wielded by the Great Witch Kuafu of our Witch Race."
"It contains a Great Witch's full-powered strike!"
"A Great Witch's... full-powered strike!"
That was a terrifying attack comparable to the peak of the Grand Unity Golden Immortal realm!
"With this item to protect you, if true danger arises, it will be enough to force your way out!"
Xiang Liu handed him the staff. "Now, are you willing to agree?"
Jiang Yun's gaze flickered uncertainly.
A drop of Great Witch Blood Essence, and a staff containing a Great Witch's full-powered strike...
This was no small offer!
More importantly, this staff was a life-saving talisman!
Although Jiang Yun's Heavenly Derivation Art was warning him, it did not indicate certain death. It indicated danger!
Danger meant there was still a chance of turning things around!
"Fortune is sought amid danger! Besides... this Xiang Liu..."
Jiang Yun understood at once. He no longer hesitated and accepted the staff.
"Since Senior thinks so highly of me, this junior will gladly accept!"
Before you continue