Deep Within the Mountain Range

The Willow Tree had been broken for many years. Only a charred section of its main trunk remained, over ten meters in diameter, with a single willow branch, lush green as if dripping with color, swaying in the wind. Why had it spoken today when it had never uttered a word in all these decades? Little Dot blinked his large eyes, immensely curious.

"Greetings, Willow God!"

The villagers were terrified and filled with reverence. The Willow Tree's display had surpassed all imagination. Many fell to their knees, praying for it to protect Stone Village's peace.

Some of the older elders trembled as they took the lead in prayer, expressing their respect with devout hearts and sincere words.

A mysterious power emerged, profoundly strange. It resembled the sacrificial force described in the bone scriptures, born when the ancient ancestors worshipped the heavens, spreading outward in ripples.

The ancient cauldron passed down through the village resonated. The sun, moon, mountains, rivers, and ancient ancestors upon its walls became clearer, flowing with a mysterious sheen. It seemed even more ancient, carrying an air of boundless ages that rushed toward them.

Yet the Willow Tree spoke no more. Just as it had been for decades, it stood silent and still, as though it had never spoken at all.

"Heed the Willow God's warning. Begin storing provisions!" an elder ordered after calming down.

The village immediately became busy. The corpses of several hundred mounts lay across the streets, piled together like small mountains. They would be enough to feed the villagers for a long time, but they had to be processed to prevent them from rotting.

That day, the village was filled with the fragrance of meat. Every household hurriedly prepared jerky, smoked meat, and more. Even the children helped. The Willow Tree had spoken—something that had not happened in decades. The villagers did not dare let its words go in one ear and out the other. Unease filled their hearts as they made earnest preparations for the great calamity that was about to come.

Purple Mountain, the Thunder Clan, Luofu Great Marsh, and the Golden Wolf Tribe had arrived in force, only to flee for their lives in utter disarray. Lone Mountain Town was in an uproar.

The people of the four clans were filthy and bedraggled, slaughtered until they had become birds startled by the mere twang of a bowstring. A great terror filled their hearts. This time, they had lost all face. They rested and recovered in Lone Mountain Town, stripped of their former arrogance. No one dared suggest attacking Stone Village again, and they were even unwilling to mention that name.

"What a disgrace! The mighty forces of four clans, rulers over their lands and commanders of this region, yet now we cannot even conquer a single village." Some clan elders were furious beyond measure.

After venting a little of their rage, many began to tremble. The Willow Tree was too powerful, invincible. Their losses this time had been far too great. They beat their chests and stamped their feet, but regret came too late.

Such a major event was bound to cause enormous waves, perhaps triggering many ill omens. The four clans decided to leave this place as soon as possible.

To them, this was a demon land stained in blood. A single village had caused the deaths of three supremely powerful clan chiefs. Such a crushing defeat was simply unimaginable!

At this moment, the deepest reaches of the Primeval Mountain Range were not peaceful either!

Wisps of mist rose and shrouded the mountains, blurring the scenery as though everything lay within primordial chaos. The roars of prehistoric beasts abruptly ceased, leaving behind a deathly silence.

An enormous figure emerged, wreathed in thick mist. Its true body could not be seen, but the terrifying aura it emitted shook heaven and earth. The myriad mountains and valleys trembled. Birds and beasts all prostrated themselves upon the ground, quivering as they kowtowed in its direction.

It stood between heaven and earth, its height unknown, towering into the clouds. A pair of deep green eyes gleamed like two lakes embedded in the sky, each several li across. Those azure eyes were so enormous they were terrifying, and its killing intent soared into the heavens!

It was difficult to imagine what sort of creature this was. Its body was unimaginably vast and majestic. If word of it spread beyond these mountains, it would surely shake all directions.

"This sacred object is mine." It spoke in a low voice, as muffled as rolling thunder, shaking the mountains until they seemed on the verge of collapse. Countless savage birds and fierce beasts among the distant peaks shuddered uncontrollably.

Boom!

Its answer was a massive iron staff, thick as a pillar holding up the heavens, sweeping toward it. Violent winds howled, rocks flew and tumbled, and clouds of mist surged.

This strike was practically world-destroying, as if it had pierced through heaven and earth!

"Roar..."

A muffled roar,

A ferocious baleful aura swept across the nine heavens. That enormous figure extended a giant claw that covered the sky and earth, enough to crush several mountain ridges beneath it. Cold light flashed from it, incomparably sharp.

Clang!

The giant claw collided with the iron staff above the clouds. The sky seemed to be torn apart as the mist scattered and all kinds of brilliant radiance burst forth. A supreme precious technique erupted, flooding heaven and earth.

"Whoosh," "whoosh"...

Piece after piece of strange bone fell from the sky. Some were crimson like blood diamonds, some black as ink, and some crystalline white. All shone with precious light—they were all extraordinary precious bones.

If the human experts outside the mountain range had seen them, their eyes would have turned red. They had undoubtedly fallen from ancient descendant creatures, and there were more than a dozen of them. What a staggering treasure that was!

These precious bones, condensed with primordial symbols, flew down and scattered throughout the vast Primeval Mountain Range, stabilizing its mountains and rivers. When the fierce winds high in the sky swept down again, they could no longer destroy the great mountains.

The ferocious beast whose immense body rose above the clouds stood between heaven and earth. Its lake-like green eyes were icy as it said, "The mercy of a woman!"

Boom!

It opened its mouth and spat out a terrifying beam of light that swept across heaven and earth. Had the precious bones not just suppressed the Primeval Mountain Range, countless living beings would surely have suffered devastation. It blasted apart the clouds filling the sky, and dazzling divine light slashed forward. This was a supreme precious technique!

Boom!

Its answer was an iron staff that split into the dazzling precious technique, erupting with resonant sounds of the Great Dao. Moreover, supreme primordial symbols appeared, clanging loudly as they made the staff radiate boundless light. Dense sheets of symbols wreathed it, and after this blessing, the staff's divine might surged dramatically.

This was a great battle. Two unimaginable beings laid down primordial treasure symbols to stabilize the mountains and rivers, then fought each other to the death.

"You and that Little Red Bird were both grievously wounded. Retreating is your only choice!" The terrifying being with oily green eyes was incomparably cold, its killing intent laid bare.

The great battle continued!

Boom!

Suddenly, in another direction deep within the mountain range, flames soared to the heavens. A Little Red Bird appeared and began an earthshaking battle with another terrifying creature.

"I never thought you were still alive in this world."

"Roar..."

Four supremely powerful creatures were fighting. Their level of terror surpassed all imagination. Even powerful descendants such as the Demon Ape and the Li-Fire Bull Demon trembled, hiding far away and not daring to move.

In Lone Mountain Town, the experts were aghast, for even they could hear the sounds from deep within the mountain range. Looking up, they saw chaos mist winding there. More than a dozen beast bones suppressed the boundless mountain range, and no one could see through it.

"What happened? Could the mountain treasure be about to emerge? Are they fighting a decisive battle for the final contest?"

As soon as the words fell, divine light tore through the Primeval Mountain Range and chaos mist surged wildly. Even with more than a dozen precious bones suppressing the mountains and rivers, the mountain range still shook violently.

Peerless precious techniques were colliding. Heaven and earth trembled. Everyone's hair stood on end as they exchanged horrified glances. At that moment, even their souls quivered, and many people actually dropped to their knees with a thud.

Everyone shook from head to toe, trembling without end. It was a supreme pressure that made them unable to stop themselves from kowtowing and worshipping.

What terrifying creatures were these? Everyone felt chilled from head to toe. Some recalled that their clans had once intended to search for the mountain treasure. They truly had been tired of living. Fortunately, they had ultimately withdrawn!

Run!

That was the thought in everyone's mind. In this desolate and savage land, every extra moment they remained meant several more measures of danger. One misstep, and they would perish without even bones left behind.

The people of the Thunder Clan, Luofu Great Marsh, Golden Wolf Tribe, and the other clans trembled even more. A single demonic willow had already terrified them, and now there were the beings deep within the mountain range as well. This place was simply not fit for humans. Swift retreat was the best choice.

Panic seized Lone Mountain Town. The major clans and experts from every region all began to flee, racing toward the edge of the land at top speed, unwilling to remain even for another quarter of an hour.

Boom!

Suddenly, an earthshaking crash rang out from the heart of the Primeval Mountain Range. Chaotic rocks shot into the sky as the earth itself split apart. Chaos mist spread outward, sweeping across the entire mountain range.

Immortal light shot into the heavens there, and auspicious radiance surged as though the world had returned to before creation. It was as if a supreme treasure of chaos had emerged, rising and sinking without end, shaking the entire Great Wilderness.

"The mountain treasure has emerged!"

At that moment, no one needed to say another word. Everyone knew that sacred object had surely seen the light of day again.

With a "Wenglong," the depths of the mountain range boiled over. The battle became even fiercer as four unimaginable terrifying creatures fought to the death for the newly unearthed mountain treasure.