Chapter 24

While Meng Hao was in seclusion within the crevice on the summit of Black Mountain, the turmoil over the Drought Spirit Pill within the Mountain Rely Sect gradually subsided. Especially when Zhou and Yin returned, many people saw them, but no one dared to ask who had taken the Drought Spirit Pill.

However, Meng Hao's absence led to rumors that he had died.

At this moment, outside the first outer sect cave of East Peak, Wang Tengfei, dressed in white, stood with his hands behind his back. The mountain breeze blew his long hair and his clothes fluttered, making him look perfect. His flawless, handsome face was enough to make many women infatuated.

Indeed, if Wang Tengfei nodded, not only within the Mountain Rely Sect, but even in the entire Zhao Kingdom's cultivation world, almost all the young female cultivators would be madly in love with him.

His gentle eyes, amiable aura, handsome appearance, tall and strong body, outstanding talent, and remarkable cultivation, along with his astonishing background, all made Wang Tengfei seem to be favored by heaven and earth, earning him respect and admiration, known as a heavenly pride.

At this moment, he stood there with a charming smile, his eyes gazing into the distance as if they could penetrate the mountains and land on the Black Mountain filled with beasts.

After a long time, a trace of excitement that others could not detect flashed in his eyes.

"The time is almost right. I spent three years searching for ancient texts and another year searching throughout the Zhao Kingdom. Finally, I waited for two years within the Mountain Rely Sect, and now the day has come. Two hundred years ago, that Ying Dragon must have flown here before it died," Wang Tengfei said, his smile as warm as the spring breeze, but his heart was burning with passion.

"I never expected that the two most important things to me would both be related to the Mountain Rely Sect. Could it be that this sect is a place of good fortune for me? Once this matter is resolved, I will only wait to enter the inner sect and plan the second important matter related to the Foundation Establishment stage!" Wang Tengfei's smile became even more charming.

"Senior Brother Wang, everything is almost ready. We even invited several fellow cultivators from other sects based on the conditions you provided. This time, we will surely succeed. The only regret is that Shangguan Song hasn't returned, and we don't know where he is or if he has invited Uncle Shangguan," said a man behind Wang Tengfei. This man was at the Fifth Layer of Qi Condensation and spoke with respect.

"No problem. I have prepared for this for a long time, and according to my calculations, this demon python's shedding will end in two years. Once it succeeds, it will be at its weakest," Wang Tengfei said with a smile, his eyes shining even brighter. He had prepared for this for many years and paid a heavy price, using four precious treasures and tens of thousands of spirit stones to set up an array. Even he could only bear this cost once, and now he was empty.

"Senior Brother Wang, rest assured, this will surely succeed. I will congratulate you in advance on your success in obtaining the pill."

"It will naturally succeed; I, Wang Tengfei, have never failed," Wang Tengfei said with a smile, his appearance becoming even more radiant. He understood that if the ancient texts were correct, when he returned, he would obtain a treasure that would accompany him for life, and even an ancient inheritance that could change the world. As for the demon core, if it were at its peak, it would be comparable to a heavenly treasure, but now, after so many years, its power would be minimal. It would only serve to mislead others and help him break through the bottleneck of the Sixth Layer of Qi Condensation, advancing to the Seventh Layer.

"Tomorrow morning, we will go to Black Mountain," Wang Tengfei said with a gentle smile, touching his right arm hidden under his sleeve. A blood-colored spot existed on his arm, which he had touched through the clothing. Wang Tengfei's eyes flashed with excitement again.

This spot was formed by a drop of blood that fell from the sky when he was six years old. Since then, he often had dreams where he seemed to become the ruler of the sky, galloping through the heavens.

It was this drop of blood that gave him a trace of inheritance and allowed him to deduce from the ancient texts over the past two hundred years, leading him to this place.

"No one in this world can find this place except me, because only I have received a trace of the inheritance from that drop of blood. I can even sense that it is the only drop of blood," Wang Tengfei said, gazing at Black Mountain with a more charming smile, filled with anticipation.

"If the old ancestor of the Mountain Rely Sect were still around, this treasure and dragon would surely be his. But he has been missing for four hundred years, and this is my destiny. According to the ancient texts and my multiple inspections, when the dragon flew here two hundred years ago, its aura was concealed by the treasure, and few people noticed it. Even within the Mountain Rely Sect, it was the same. There were powerful restrictions that not only concealed its aura but also prevented anyone from gaining anything, even if they entered. They would be deceived by illusions and see nothing.

Moreover, this demon python is cunning. It usually remains dormant and never comes out, only roaring during its shedding. Only at the moment it completes its shedding will the restrictions dissipate, allowing safe entry. I deduced this because of the inheritance from the drop of blood. No one else could possibly know."

"The treasure and the inheritance are there, waiting for me, Wang Tengfei!" Wang Tengfei's smile became even more radiant. He waved his sleeve and turned to return to his cave. The moonlight enveloped him, as if reluctant to leave, making the cultivator beside him look at him with reverence.

The next morning, in the crevice on the summit of Black Mountain, Meng Hao's entire body was red. As a large amount of sweat dripped down, black impurities continuously oozed from his pores.

He had been in seclusion for several days, his mind always clear, and he had heard the demon python's roars becoming more frequent, indicating a critical moment.

Meng Hao did not divert his attention to check but focused on his cultivation, repeatedly trying to break through the bottleneck of the Fourth Layer. When his eyes turned red and he had consumed eight out of ten Drought Spirit Pills, his mind exploded, his body trembled violently, and a tearing sensation spread through him. His body felt as if it could fly, becoming as light as paper.

Inside his body, his meridians became crystal clear, not like crystals but a sign of transcendence. His spiritual energy flowed, surpassing a river, like a small lake. Even if it was small, it was still a lake!

This lake was heavy, existing in Meng Hao's dantian, like a lake of qi.

With Meng Hao's will, this lake could burst forth with the power of the Fifth Layer of Qi Condensation. Although it was weak in the eyes of Foundation Establishment cultivators, at the Qi Condensation stage, the Fifth Layer was the first major milestone, the Seventh Layer the second, and the Ninth Layer the final, leading to the formation of a true sea of qi and the establishment of a Dao platform, marking the transition from a mortal body to a spiritual foundation, known as the Foundation Establishment stage.

With a loud rumble, an unknown amount of time passed, and Meng Hao slowly opened his eyes. A never-before-seen brilliance flashed in his eyes, and a series of cracking sounds came from his body. He seemed to have grown taller, but his skin was still slightly dark. However, his face had a new, indescribable aura.

" Fifth Layer of Qi Condensation," Meng Hao took a deep breath and smiled. Reaching the Fifth Layer of Qi Condensation allowed him to practice the Wind Walking Technique, which, combined with his flying sword, would significantly improve his speed and combat effectiveness, unlike at the Fourth Layer.

"The Drought Spirit Pill is indeed remarkable, but it also has its limits. I wonder if consuming too many will make it lose its effect like other pills. I wonder if it will last until I reach the Sixth Layer of Qi Condensation," Meng Hao looked at the two remaining Drought Spirit Pills, hesitating. Suddenly, his expression changed as the demon python's roars became more desperate, and a loud boom echoed. Meng Hao leaned forward, quickly looking out through the crevice.

At this moment, his eyes widened, and his hands clenched into fists.

He saw a young man in white, exceptionally handsome, standing on a nearby mountaintop. He was surrounded by golden flying swords, creating a strong wind, and was battling a demon python that had partially emerged from the crevice.

This person... was Wang Tengfei.

He wore a smile, looking very composed. His gentle gaze and amiable smile made him like the sun, radiating a dazzling light that overshadowed everyone around him.

Even his movements were perfect, as if favored by heaven and earth.

Around him were nine people, including Shangguan Xiu, who was the main force in the battle with the demon python. The others, all at the Seventh Layer of Qi Condensation or higher, were unfamiliar to Meng Hao. They surrounded and attacked the demon python, causing loud roars and booms.

Staring at Wang Tengfei, Meng Hao remained still, but the usual calm in his eyes was replaced by a deep, unseen darkness, becoming the only thing in his gaze.

As the demon python's roars became more desperate and its body was covered in wounds, blood splattered. It was at its weakest, and the attacks became even more intense. Wang Tengfei smiled, his smile still perfect, but his eyes showed a hidden excitement.

He had been waiting for this moment for a long time.

At this moment, nine distant mountain peaks flashed, emitting silver light that connected, forming an array. This array spread in the sky, turning into countless silver threads, becoming a silver mist that rushed toward the demon python, seemingly to seal it.

But just as the silver mist approached, the demon python suddenly roared, a sound that shook the Black Mountain. A shadow of a beast appeared above its head.

This beast was entirely red, with large wings, a fierce head, and sharp claws that glowed with cold light. Behind it was a long tail. The moment the shadow appeared, the sky changed, and everyone around was shocked. Only Wang Tengfei's eyes showed even more excitement, but the shadow disappeared in an instant.

At the moment the shadow disappeared, the demon python's body suddenly flew out of the crevice, its tail smooth, indicating the completion of its shedding. It roared, and a red mist spewed out, creating a powerful shockwave that enveloped everyone. Even Wang Tengfei could not avoid it. The red mist swept everyone up, pushing them away, and the silver mist that followed enveloped not only the demon python but also Wang Tengfei and the others.

Almost the moment Wang Tengfei and the others were enveloped by the silver mist, Meng Hao's heart raced like never before. He had seen that the sword was no longer on the demon python after its shedding, and he knew where it was. Without hesitation, he rushed out, using his fastest speed, his flying sword whistling as he instantly reached the mountaintop and entered the crevice.

"Quick, quick, quick!!" Meng Hao growled, rushing into the crevice without regard for the strange smell, heading straight for the deep end. He immediately saw a large patch of shed python skin and the ancient, simple sword embedded in it.

Without pausing, he pulled out the sword, his heart pounding and his face flushed with excitement. Just as he was about to leave, Meng Hao's eyes widened as he saw the entire python skin. Even in his extreme excitement, he could not help but gasp. This was indeed a python skin, but it was a terrifying sight he had never seen before.

It was... a beast corpse, a dried, nearly hundred-zhang-long corpse. The Black Mountain was like a hollow shell, with the beast corpse occupying most of its interior.

A hundred-zhang-long body, two shattered but recognizable large wings, and a fierce head that was still terrifying even in death. Its appearance was the same as the shadow the demon python had transformed into before it emerged, and the so-called python was just the tail of this beast!

"Even the tail is a demon, what kind of beast is this?!" Meng Hao was speechless.

"This demon... must have a demon core!" Meng Hao gritted his teeth. Based on his experience, demon cores were not always in the abdomen but mostly in the head. He quickly approached the head of the terrifying beast, flipped his right hand, and used the ancient flying sword to cut open the head. Inside, there was indeed a shriveled demon core, which he quickly took out. Just as he was about to leave, his heart raced again. He saw a skeleton under the head of the beast, with a golden storage bag beside it.

The skeleton had been dead for many years, pressed under the beast's head. Meng Hao