Entering the White Bone Mountain Range

The incident aboard the flying boat did not draw much attention.

As he looked at the vast city before him, Bai Yu found that compared to the dynasty controlled by the Heavenly Demon Sect, this city, resembling a market, carried an additional air of fierce menace.

The entire city's operations relied on the White Bone Mountain Range behind it, sustained by the resources produced within and the cultivators who came and went, keeping its bustle alive without end.

Among the crowds entering White Bone Market, most belonged to subordinate forces of the Myriad Sword Sect and Heavenly Demon Sect, and faint spiritual power radiated from most of them.

Of course, there were also ordinary folk without cultivation. Some sold food, while others bore immense pressure as they prepared to enter the mountain range and gamble their lives in a desperate struggle.

Compared to the previous Ashen Sorrow Mountain, this place offered far greater freedom, yet the high-pressure environment within was even harsher.

Li Shishi did not greet Bai Yu. After disembarking from the flying boat, she led the law enforcement team toward the White Bone Mountain Range. The oppressive presence brought by the Black-Scale Fire Horse made many people voluntarily clear a path, and once it had gone far away, it stirred up quite a commotion.

"Young Master, are we heading straight into the mountains?"

"Or should we rest and resupply at White Bone Market first?"

Yu Linglong asked in confusion.

"Let's buy wine and supplies first, then head straight in."

After giving it some thought, Bai Yu made his suggestion.

They had spent more than ten days on the flying boat. They had already rested wherever they needed to, and Bai Yu had no desire to waste time in the market.

Thus, after purchasing a large amount of fine wine and necessary daily supplies, the two of them set off directly for the White Bone Mountain Range.

The White Bone Mountain Range was also one of the divine mountains that had appeared within the past century. Though it was not as bustling as other mountain ranges, for reasons unknown to most, it had become a paradise for wandering souls, zombies, and vast quantities of gloomy materials.

Although the Heavenly Demon Sect and Myriad Sword Sect had hunted through the entire mountain range countless times, it was still filled with many unknown dangers for Qi Refinement cultivators.

Yet the things hidden within, along with the occasional fortuitous opportunity found by those blessed with deep fortune—

Made countless people look toward the White Bone Mountain Range with anticipation.

Everyone wanted to become the next lucky one, especially those from the Heavenly Demon Sect who refined corpses and forged ghosts, as well as alchemists.

However, over the past century, no one seemed to have risen to the heavens in a single leap within the White Bone Mountain Range.

But that did not mean entering the mountain range would yield nothing at all.

When Bai Yu and Yu Linglong entered the mountain range, they could clearly sense quite a few gazes spying on them.

Chaos and slaughter were forever the main theme of a place like this. Though these people did not strike immediately, once they figured out Bai Yu's background—

For some, robbery offered greater returns than searching for treasures themselves.

The White Bone Mountain Range was a motley mix of dragons and snakes, and disciples of the Myriad Sword Sect and Heavenly Demon Sect were the sort to start fighting the moment they met. Vigilance and wariness were therefore necessary.

Bai Yu found such rude scrutiny deeply unpleasant. He had never liked being exposed beneath such gazes.

Rather than remain on guard every moment, it would be better to establish his authority directly and make these people feel fear.

With that thought, Bai Yu gave a light tap, and Black Charcoal's figure slowly emerged.

A centipede three meters long and as thick as an adult man's thigh brought an absolute sense of oppression.

After devouring two people contaminated by the Five Turbid Beings, Black Charcoal had undergone a mutation. Not only had its body grown enormous, but a savage human face had gathered upon its glossy, jet-black carapace.

Apart from its inherently terrifying venom, the Sha Qi Black Charcoal carried made people shrink back at the sight of it.

Its Qi Refinement peak strength alone intimidated most of the hostile gazes around them.

More importantly, Black Charcoal's name had actually been recorded by the panel, gaining a progress bar of its own!

[Technique: Return-to-Origin Gu Control Art (Minor Mastery) 4677/6500]

[Skill: Cutting (Great Mastery)]

[Progress: (2860/3500]

[Yin-Yang Mystic Dragon Gu (Life-Bound Gu) (Growth Stage)]

[Dragon Qi Progress: /]

[Yin-Yang Qi: 3566/5000]

[Evil Dragon Resentment: 8872/]

[Evil Earth Stone Gu (Dragon Blood Stone Gu Mutation): 200/2700]

[Yin Mosquito Gu (Blood Mosquito Gu Mutation) 469/4500]

[Blood River Body Tempering Art (Beginner 563/]

[Delusion-Breaking Golden Eyes (Beginner) (Earth-Entering Eye Mutation): 2366/]

[Three-Eyed Wine Worm 1670/3000]

[Nine-Pouch Flower Gu 1720/3000]

[Human-Faced Black Centipede Gu 12/6000]

Looking at the information on the panel, Bai Yu realized that Gu or spells with no further potential would disappear after their progress was fully grinded out, while the Gu that remained and underwent autonomous changes could continue to be grinded?

That gave some originally ordinary Gu the potential to evolve. To Bai Yu, this was the foundation of his path to becoming stronger!

After all, from first coming into contact with a Gu to successfully refining it required a great deal of time to grow accustomed to it. But with the grind panel, once something had already been successfully refined, one could grind it into mutation afterward, saving an enormous amount of effort.

With Black Charcoal's appearance, most of the prying gazes vanished.

Bai Yu could not be bothered with them. He directly activated his Delusion-Breaking Golden Eyes, and the surrounding auras instantly emerged.

After briefly judging the direction in which the densest crimson stream was spreading, Bai Yu led Yu Linglong deeper into the White Bone Mountain Range.

As they ventured farther in, the crimson stream Bai Yu was tracking became increasingly distinct.

At that moment, Bai Yu and Yu Linglong stood atop an earthen slope, their gazes sweeping the surroundings. On the bare ground nearby, white mist seemed to be rising, carrying a pungent stench of corpses.

Bai Yu crouched down and rubbed the damp, black soil between his fingers.

The black soil was mixed with thick moisture and carried a faint corrosiveness. A trace of dangerous aura seeped out from within it.

"Such pure yin soil, coupled with the formation of a fierce tiger descending the mountain—this should be a naturally formed corpse-nurturing ground. Whatever lies beneath is likely no ordinary thing."

Bai Yu rose to his feet and slowly spoke as he looked over the surrounding terrain.

Such naturally formed corpse-nurturing grounds were places zombies and ghostly creatures loved to dwell in. The pure yin energy within was their finest tonic.

And the deathly silence of the surroundings proved even more clearly that this corpse-nurturing ground had an owner. The wandering ghosts and zombies of the White Bone Mountain Range clearly knew of this place, yet did not dare approach it.

Thinking this, Bai Yu led Yu Linglong directly out of the corpse-nurturing ground. After finding a large tree nearby that could conceal them, he ordered Black Charcoal to dig downward into the corpse-nurturing ground.

"Screee!"

Having received the command, Black Charcoal let out a piercing shriek. Its enormous body immediately moved, and beneath its hard tusks and long legs, the originally solid earth was torn apart, sending great amounts of black soil flying.

As Black Charcoal dug deeper, the yin energy within the corpse-nurturing ground grew denser and denser, until large amounts of moisture began to spread through the surrounding area.

"Boom! Boom! Boom!"

A battered old coffin was rooted out by Black Charcoal. The instant it came into contact with the coffin, a pitch-black arm shot out from its depths and gripped Black Charcoal, accompanied by a deep beastly roar!

"Screee!"

Suddenly attacked, Black Charcoal turned its head with icy fury. Without the slightest hesitation, its massive body came crashing down.

"Boom!"

The coffin shattered. An Iron Corpse with a body like that of a black ape was immediately coiled up by Black Charcoal. Its gaping maw, lined with savage tusks, bit straight down toward the Iron Corpse's head.

The piercing sound of metal grinding against metal made one's teeth ache.

"An Iron Corpse at the eighth level of Qi Refining?"

"Even in the White Bone Mountain Range, this fellow could be considered someone of note."

"But before Black Charcoal, the defense he was so proud of, along with his terrifying corpse poison, no longer seemed all that significant."

Bai Yu smiled faintly. To Black Charcoal, an Iron Corpse of this strength was simply not worth mentioning!