Immortality Cultivation

Chapter 270: Black Dragon Mountain Range [2]

Fang Hao nodded; the price was quite fair. He took out three Low-Grade Spirit Stones and handed them over, then asked casually, "I’m new here and not very familiar with the Black Dragon Mountain Range. Could you, old sir, offer some guidance? For instance, why is this mountain range called ’Black Dragon’? Does it have anything to do with the ’Black Dragon Abyss’?"

The old Cultivator took the Spirit Stones, weighed them in his hand, and tucked them away, his expression softening slightly. He looked left and right, then lowered his voice, "You are here for the first time, right? No wonder you don’t know. There are many stories about the origin of the Black Dragon Mountain Range, but the most widely circulated one involves an ancient legend."

Stroking his gray beard, a trace of nostalgia and awe appeared in his eyes. "Legend has it that a very, very long time ago—so long ago that the current system of Cultivation had not yet been established—a heaven-shaking battle erupted here. The two sides in the conflict were, on one side, the ancient Yao Race that ruled this land at the time, and on the other, a terrifying black demonic dragon that descended from the endless Void Realm."

"A black demonic dragon?" Fang Hao raised an eyebrow slightly.

"Yes, it is said that the demonic dragon’s body was incomparably massive, blotting out the sky and sun. Wherever it passed, Evil Qi soared to the heavens, and living beings were plunged into misery. It fought fiercely here with the great experts of the ancient Yao Race, causing the heavens to crumble and the earth to split, mountains to collapse, and rivers to change their courses. In the end, it seems both sides perished together. The corpse of that black demonic dragon is said to have fallen into the deepest part of this mountain range. Its Dragon blood soaked the earth, and its Dragon soul’s resentment never dissipated, causing the Spiritual Qi of this mountain range to become chaotic and violent, breeding many bizarre, dangerous places and ferocious Demon Beasts. Over time, this place came to be called the ’Black Dragon Mountain Range’, and the place where the legendary demonic dragon fell is what is now known as the forbidden ’Black Dragon Abyss’."

The old Cultivator paused and continued, "As for that ’Black Dragon Abyss’, it is indeed one of the most dangerous places in this mountain range. It extends deep underground, bottomless, and is shrouded in dense black Evil Qi all year round. It is said that this Evil Qi can erode spiritual power, corrode the Divine Soul, and breed all kinds of terrifying Baleful Spirits and demonic creatures. Moreover, the terrain inside is extremely complex, and the space is chaotic. Nine out of ten people who go in never come out. Even experts at the Nascent Soul Stage dare not easily venture deep into the core area. However, precisely because it is the legendary place where the demonic dragon fell, occasionally some Heaven And Earth Treasures contaminated by Dragon Qi or soaked in Dragon blood appear, attracting countless desperate people to throw their lives away, but very few are able to bring them out alive."

Fang Hao listened thoughtfully. The legends might have exaggerated elements, but the anomalies of the Black Dragon Mountain Range, especially the dangers of the ’Black Dragon Abyss’, did not seem to be without foundation. The dense Evil Qi, the chaotic Spiritual Qi, and the various bizarre Demon Beast-infested dangerous places might truly be related to the fall of some terrifying ancient entity.

"I see, thank you, old sir, for clearing up my confusion." Fang Hao cupped his hands and asked again, "Besides the Black Dragon Abyss, what other forces and individuals in this mountain range need special attention? For example, the ’Black Fiend Society’ and ’Blood Butcher’ I heard mentioned earlier?"

Upon hearing this, the old Cultivator’s expression changed slightly. He looked around vigilantly and lowered his voice even further, "Fellow Daoist, take this old man’s advice: here, knowing too much is sometimes not a good thing. That Black Fiend Society is one of the largest groups of Cultivators on the outskirts of the Black Dragon Mountain Range. Most of its members are ruthless desperate people wanted by various major forces. They act without any scruples, and killing people to seize treasures is a daily routine for them. The leaders are a few ruthless characters at the Perfected Golden Core stage, and that ’Blood Butcher’ is one of them. It is said that he Cultivates some kind of evil Blood Dao technique and is cruel and bloodthirsty. It is best not to provoke them."

"As for others that need attention..." The old Cultivator hesitated for a moment but still said in a low voice, "Besides these overt groups of desperate people, deep in this Black Dragon Mountain Range, it is said that there are some even older, more mysterious, and more dangerous existences hidden. Some are old monsters who have lived for who knows how many years, some are bizarre creatures born from certain forbidden lands or ruins, and even... there are rumors that in the deepest parts of the mountain range, there might still be scattered descendants of the ancient Yao Race, or some terrifying demonic monsters mutated by the demonic dragon’s Evil Qi. In short, here, be careful in everything. Do not easily trust anyone, and do not be blinded by any legendary treasures. Preserving your life is the most important thing."

The old Cultivator’s words carried a sense of world-weary wisdom and warning. Fang Hao could feel that this old Cultivator must be an old hand who had been hanging around the Black Dragon Mountain Range for many years, having seen too much life and death, which was why he spoke these heartfelt words.

"Thank you, old sir, for the warning. I will keep it in mind." Fang Hao thanked him sincerely. Although this old Cultivator’s cultivation was not high, this warning was very valuable to him as a newcomer. He thought for a moment, then took out a few more Low-Grade Spirit Stones and handed them to the old Cultivator, "A small token of appreciation, to buy your information."

The old Cultivator was stunned for a moment. Looking at the Spirit Stones Fang Hao handed over, a flash of complexity crossed his eyes. He did not refuse, silently accepting them, and said in a low voice, "If you, Fellow Daoist, want to stay somewhere temporarily, you can head thirty miles east. There is a ’Wild Wolf Valley’ there, which is considered a relatively neutral temporary camp. A few Loose Cultivators at the Late Golden Core Stage maintain basic order. As long as you follow the rules and pay some Spirit Stones, you can rent a cave to stay in temporarily, which is better than sleeping in the open and living in fear outside. However, don’t expect it to be very safe there either."

Fang Hao noted the name ’Wild Wolf Valley’, thanked him again, and then, taking the map, turned and left the simple stall.

He did not immediately head to ’Wild Wolf Valley’, but instead took another tour around this temporary gathering point, using some unneeded Demon Beast Materials to exchange for some low-grade healing and qi recovery pills, as well as blank talisman paper and Demon Beast blood ink. He needed to replenish some consumables and also wanted to see if he could find out more about the Sun Family’s search movements or more specific information about resource points deep in the mountain range.

After a tour, the harvest was not great. The Sun Family’s bounty did not seem to be a topic of open discussion here; many people were tight-lipped, clearly full of fear towards a behemoth like the Sun Family. As for the intelligence about the depths of the mountain range, it was either difficult to distinguish truth from falsehood or prohibitively expensive.

Fang Hao was not in a hurry; he knew that in such a place, intelligence needed to be collected slowly, and trust needed even more time to build.

Seeing that the day was growing late, the Cultivators in the valley began to return to their temporary dwellings or leave in groups. Fang Hao also decided to leave this relatively "lively" gathering point. With so many people here, it was not suitable for a wanted person like him to stay for long.

Following the direction pointed out by the old Cultivator, he headed towards ’Wild Wolf Valley’. Thirty miles was nothing to him now. He planned to go there first to take a look, find a relatively safe place to stay, perform preliminary repairs on ’Old Jin’ and the ’silver light shuttle’, and then slowly plan his next move.

The night grew thicker, and the night in the Black Dragon Mountain Range was even more dangerous than the day. In the darkness, various nocturnal Demon Beasts began to move. The roars of predation, the flapping of wings, and some strange, inexplicable whispers and crying sounds occasionally drifted from the depths of the dense forest, making one’s hair stand on end.

Fang Hao restrained his aura and moved quickly through the shadows, carefully avoiding areas that emitted dangerous auras. His goal was clear: settle down first, restore his strength, understand the environment, and then, in this black mountain range full of danger and Opportunity, seek his own Opportunity and way out.

The Sun Family’s bounty hung over his head like the Sword of Damocles, but he, Fang Hao, had never been one to sit and wait for death. This Black Dragon Mountain Range might be his new whetstone, and also the place where he would transform into a Dragon and soar.

In the night, his figure was like a ghost, quickly disappearing into the vast mountain forest. Only the simple map in his hand and the vigilance in his mind regarding names like ’Black Dragon Abyss’, ’Black Fiend Society’, and ’Blood Butcher’ reminded him of the dangers and unknowns of the road ahead.