Gazing at the one hundred and eight towering mountains before him, Gu Qian, the Sect Master of the Myriad Beasts Sect, felt a surge of emotions.
In his youth, he too had been filled with passion and ambition, intending to conquer each of these peaks and make a name for himself across the land.
Ideals were beautiful, but reality was harsh.
Ultimately, his best record was successfully reaching the summit of only the forty-seventh mountain.
However, he had also gained immensely.
The fact that he could surpass his fellow disciples and become the Sect Master of the Myriad Beasts Sect was largely due to the fortuitous encounters he had during his mountain climbing trials.
"You shall choose to ascend the first fifty peaks for your trials and seek your own opportunities. Remember not to aim too high; take one step at a time. Also, maintain a low profile and avoid causing trouble. This place is a mix of all sorts of people, and if you provoke someone you shouldn't, I won't be able to protect you."
Gu Qian patiently instructed the young disciples of the Myriad Beasts Sect on various matters, repeatedly emphasizing caution and forbidding them from causing trouble.
The most straightforward young female disciple spoke up, "Sect Master, you underestimate us. My goal is the hundred and eighth mountain. I must reach the very peak, survey all the mountains, and bring fame to the entire Immortal Spirit Realm."
The other disciples chimed in, clamoring to climb the mountains ranked after the hundredth, each with high aspirations.
Gu Qian shook his head helplessly, admonishing, "Youthful impetuosity is good, and young people should indeed have great ambitions, but you must also know your own limits. The mountains ranked after the hundredth are likely only accessible to the most monstrous prodigies of the younger generation, such as Long Lingli, Di Tianzheng, Zhu Fengwu, and others. As for the hundred and eighth, countless heaven-defying talents have attempted to climb it throughout history. Let alone reaching the summit, very few have even managed to reach the base. Xiao Ya, you should stop daydreaming, and the rest of you, honestly climb the preceding mountains, otherwise..."
Mid-sentence, Gu Qian suddenly stopped, staring in stunned silence at a dragon-like creature galloping in the distance amidst a cloud of dust.
"No way, a Pulao is fleeing in panic. It looks like that spoiled eldest daughter of the Long family, Long Lingli. Who has the guts to lay a hand on Long Lingli? Isn't that like lighting a lamp in a latrine, seeking death?"
Gu Qian's eyes widened as he saw a figure closely pursuing Long Lingli, his eyeballs nearly popping out.
"Young Master Ji... Ji Mo?!"
He rubbed his eyes in disbelief.
Hadn't Young Master Ji already met his end? Was this a soul returning on the seventh day?
As Gu Qian tried to get a clearer look, the two figures in pursuit had already plunged into the mountain range and vanished.
"Sect Master, you must be seeing things. In the Blood Prefecture, it's already a blessing if Long Lingli doesn't provoke others. Who would dare to touch her? And that Young Master Ji, he was dragged away and eaten by monsters, leaving no scraps behind. How could he possibly reappear?"
The female disciple named Xiao Ya, always blunt, declared that Gu Qian was mistaken.
How could someone who was dead reappear?
With the Long family backing her, Long Lingli was someone no one dared to offend.
Gu Qian moved his lips but didn't retort, also suspecting he was hallucinating.
At this moment.
Long Lingli's heart was in despair.
She had heard news of frequent anomalies occurring at the Hundred and Eight Peaks and had excitedly rushed to join the commotion.
A few days prior, she had gained an opportunity by soaking in the Yin Blood Pool, which significantly improved her bloodline. This time, she aimed to take her cultivation a step further and challenge higher peaks.
Little did she know.
On her way, she inadvertently encountered a terrifying event.
She personally witnessed, in an underground Yin River, an incredibly fearsome, gaunt man who, with his bare hands, captured a Devil Emperor Bone Fish of seventy thousand years. He brutally dismembered it, slicing it into slivers as thin as cicada wings.
Even more terrifying was that, right in front of the still-breathing Devil Emperor Bone Fish, he seasoned the flesh slices with horseradish and soy sauce and ate them raw.
A fish weighing tens of thousands of pounds was devoured by this cruel fellow in no time. It was too horrifying.
Subsequently, Long Lingli's presence was exposed, and she was relentlessly pursued by the man.
She used all her abilities but could not escape this ferocious man.
What made her despair even more was that her path was now blocked by towering mountains that pierced the clouds. She had nowhere left to flee.
"Don't come closer, what do you want?"
Long Lingli was currently in her Pulao form, resembling a dragon but more petite and delicate.
Her voice was loud and resonant like a bell, shaking the heavens and earth, but her body trembled uncontrollably, and she dared not meet Ji Mo's gaze.
Ji Hanhan smacked his lips, drool nearly dripping.
Was this a dragon?
It seemed its bloodline wasn't pure, but it was definitely a great tonic.
Rumor had it that dragon liver and phoenix gall were exquisite delicacies. Today, he would get to taste dragon liver.
"Heh heh, what do I want? Naturally, I want to pan-fry it."
Ji Mo rubbed his hands and approached step by step, the uncontrollable drool dripping down.
He had eaten pan-fried foie gras, and it was exceptionally delicious.
He imagined pan-fried dragon liver would be even more delectable, something to look forward to.
Pan-fry?
Upon hearing the word, Long Lingli was struck by lightning, her entire being going numb.
Her thoughts immediately went astray, her face turned ashen, and she collapsed onto the ground.
What girl could endure that?
"Beast, I will never let you have your way, even in death!"
Long Lingli let out a roar of grief and indignation.
The proud nature of the dragon race compelled her to protect her purity even unto death.
But Ji Hanhan was unfazed. "Heh heh, even if you die, I will still have my way."
It wasn't like eating raw fish where freshness mattered; eating it alive was best.
For pan-fried dragon liver, there weren't so many requirements; controlling the heat was enough.
Hearing that he wouldn't let her go even after her death, Long Lingli felt as if she had fallen into an ice cave.
Was this human speech?
Not letting go even in death?
"Bastard, I'll fight you!"
Long Lingli gritted her teeth, her chest filled with righteous fury.
Her eyes blazed with fire, her dragon energy surged, unleashing the powerful aura of the early Emperor Immortal realm.
Simultaneously, her form reverted to human, transforming into an exceptionally beautiful woman with dragon horns. She unleashed a dragon race divine ability and lunged madly at Ji Mo.
"Female?"
Ji Mo was taken aback. In his momentary lapse, Long Lingli pounced on him and pinned him to the ground.
The sneak attack was successful.
Long Lingli was ecstatic, raising her fists and pounding Ji Mo's chest.
Shimmering dragon claw phantoms, like shooting stars, struck Ji Mo's chest, emitting sounds like dry thunder.
Had it been anyone else, they would likely have been smashed into a pulp.
But Ji Mo was unharmed. He grabbed Long Lingli's wrists with both hands, flipped over, and reversed the situation, pinning her firmly beneath him.
Long Lingli struggled desperately but couldn't move an inch. Ji Mo was like a divine mountain, pressing down on her so hard that she couldn't budge at all.
The two were pressed tightly together, their heartbeats and breaths clearly audible.
"It's over."
Long Lingli's heart sank to the bottom of the sea; she already envisioned her tragic fate.
Two lines of clear tears slowly streamed down her eyes.
However, Ji Mo did nothing untoward. He got up and stood.
He had recognized Long Lingli as the dragon girl he had met in the Yin Pool a few days prior.
Ji Hanhan actually had a good impression of Long Lingli.
After all, when that sharp-tongued woman had accused him of being bean sprouts, Long Lingli had extended two fingers, indicating an astonishing length, and questioned: "Are your bean sprouts this long?"
For the sake of that sentiment, he decided to spare this honest good girl and would not eat her dragon liver.
Long Lingli was stunned, unable to comprehend why Ji Mo would let her go.
Her mind was blank, utterly bewildered.
Was her human form that unsightly, scaring him away?
Or did this fellow have peculiar tastes and dislike humans?
Suddenly, a flash of inspiration struck her, and she believed she had seen through the truth, unable to resist a soul-piercing question: "You wouldn't happen to be impotent, would you? Did it end before it even began?"
What?
Ji Mo was dumbfounded.
What did she mean?
I'm impotent?
Where am I impotent? I'm very strong, okay!