Chapter 495: Chapter 493: Death Soul Mountain Range, Controlling the Queen Ant
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The Death Soul Mountain Range was located in the north-west region of Central Plains. This area was considered one of the more infamous dangerous grounds within the region.
Though it wasn’t far from the Western Region, at Mo Yu’s speed, it would take approximately five days to arrive.
The group, led by Mo Yu, made haste without much rest along the way. After four days of nearly ceaseless travel, they finally noticed the surrounding temperature rapidly dropping by the afternoon.
"Are we there yet?"
Mo Yu raised his head and looked ahead. In the distance, the outline of a mountain range emerged, shrouded in a layer of icy, chilling fog.
Seeing the sinister-looking mountain range, enshrouded in mist, Xiao Yan and the others couldn’t help but feel a hint of relief. They had finally reached the Death Soul Mountain Range.
With the destination within sight, Mo Yu gestured, leading the group to land on a mountaintop outside the range.
"We’ve arrived at the Death Soul Mountain Range, but let’s take a moment to recover. These past few days have been quite taxing," Mo Yu said with a smile after they landed.
Hearing his words, Feng Zun Zhe and the others nodded. Despite being Dou Zun-level experts, the relentless journey had left them somewhat fatigued.
"Xiao Yan, didn’t you mention having a Dou Zun ally keeping watch here? Now that we’re all here, it’s time to have him join us," Mo Yu said, shifting his gaze to Xiao Yan.
"Indeed." Xiao Yan nodded, soaring into the air as his hands formed a rapid series of seals. A moment later, five powerful fire spirits emerged from his body, spreading a unique ripple outward.
"So this is the Five Ring Flame Expelling Technique... fascinating." Observing the strong aura emanating from Xiao Yan, Mo Yu raised an eyebrow and murmured to himself.
As Mo Yu contemplated, the sound of wind splitting came from the distance. Soon, a figure clad in white appeared.
The newcomer wore a white robe, his hair and beard as white as snow. Despite his aged appearance, a faint sharpness flickered in his otherwise calm eyes.
The moment the elder arrived, Mo Yu felt a subtle pressure, instantly recognizing him as another Dou Zun expert.
After briefly conversing with Xiao Yan, the elder descended with him to the mountaintop where the others waited.
"Mo Yu, this is a senior I befriended, Tianhuo Zun Zhe," Xiao Yan introduced with a smile.
"I am Yao Tianhuo. Greetings to Manor Lord Mo," the white-robed elder said politely, though a flicker of surprise flashed in his eyes.
When Xiao Yan mentioned seeking his cousin for assistance, Yao Tianhuo had expected one or two Dou Zun allies at most. Yet, within just a few days, Xiao Yan had gathered five Dou Zun experts!
Particularly the silver-eyed youth before him, who appeared to be of a similar age to Xiao Yan, yet carried an indistinct pressure.
It was difficult for Yao Tianhuo to fathom what kind of family could produce two such prodigies like Mo Yu and Xiao Yan.
"Haha, Senior Tianhuo, you are an elder. There’s no need to be so formal. It would be an honor to work together," Mo Yu replied warmly. He was clearly familiar with Tianhuo Zun Zhe and treated him with due respect.
With Tianhuo Zun Zhe joining them, the group now had a force of eight Dou Zun experts, which filled Xiao Yan with renewed confidence for the rescue mission.
"So, this is the Death Soul Mountain Range?" Mo Yu’s eyes narrowed slightly as he gazed at the fog-covered mountains in the distance. "Can we just fly in directly?"
"No," Tianhuo Zun Zhe replied, shaking his head. "The outer fog is manageable, but the deeper you go, the denser it gets. Losing your sense of direction would leave you stranded. Furthermore, there are strange magical beasts lurking in the fog, making it easy to be ambushed."
"Not only that," Feng Zun Zhe interjected. "The Death Soul Mountain Range houses a branch hall of the Hall of Souls. There’s no telling what defenses they’ve set up. Flying in directly would almost certainly alert them."
Among the group, Feng Zun Zhe was undoubtedly the most familiar with the Central Plains, and his seasoned experience far exceeded that of the others. Thus, no one questioned his judgment.
"This season marks the peak of the mountain range’s icy fog, but we can’t afford to wait for it to dissipate. We’ll have to take the risk and enter through the fog," Feng Zun Zhe continued, his eyes scanning the area. "There are smaller sects and forces around the periphery of the range.
"From what I know, most of them are secretly controlled by the Hall of Souls. We must avoid being spotted by anyone."
"If we’re unlucky and are discovered, even with our current strength being comparable to this branch hall, provoking reinforcements from the Hall of Souls’ main hall would be disastrous," Feng Zun Zhe added grimly.
"Leave that to me," Tie Jian Zun Zhe said in his raspy voice. "I will eliminate anyone who sees us."
Mo Yu nodded silently. He trusted Tie Jian Zun Zhe’s abilities, and at this point, they couldn’t afford to worry about innocents. After all, anyone tied to the Hall of Souls was unlikely to be trustworthy.
"Everyone, stay close and be cautious. Let’s move out!"
With that, Mo Yu’s figure shot forward like an eagle, diving into the mist-covered forest below.
The others followed closely behind, their silhouettes vanishing into the fog.
The forest, blanketed in thick white mist, offered extremely low visibility. Even soul perception could only extend about a hundred meters before being blocked entirely.
Occasionally, low beastly growls echoed through the foggy woods, accompanied by faint rustling sounds. Agile figures darted through the mist like spirits, moving swiftly toward the depths of the mountain range.
However, the deeper they ventured, the more challenges they encountered.
The vast expanse of the Death Soul Mountain Range, combined with the dense fog, made locating the Hall of Souls’ branch hall no easy task.
The map provided by Elder Xuan Kong proved somewhat useful initially, but as they ventured deeper into the mountain range, its efficacy dwindled significantly.
Eventually, Mo Yu and the others had no choice but to rely on their own abilities to explore gradually.
"This Death Soul Mountain Range is vast. Finding the hall where Yao Lao is imprisoned won’t be an easy task," Mo Yu remarked with a heavy tone.
Hearing this, Xiao Yan smiled wryly. "We have no other choice. This map was a gift from Elder Xuan Kong of the Pill Tower. If I hadn’t won the championship of the Pill Gathering, Elder Xuan Kong likely wouldn’t have provided such assistance. This map is already the most detailed information the Pill Tower could obtain."
Mo Yu nodded in acknowledgment and then, as if struck by a thought, chuckled. "Searching aimlessly like this is indeed unwise. Xiao Yan, do you have any pills capable of attracting the king of magical beasts within this mountain range? I think I may have an idea to locate the Hall of Souls’s branch hall."
"Mo Yu, are you suggesting using the magical beast king to track down the Hall of Souls’s branch hall?" Feng Zun Zhe hesitated, pondering the feasibility.
"But the magical beast king of this Death Soul Mountain Range is not easy to deal with. Even a Dou Zun would struggle to subdue it easily. If we alarm the Hall of Souls experts, it could spell trouble. Isn’t this plan too risky?" Tianhuo Zun Zhe frowned slightly, expressing his concern.
Mo Yu smiled faintly in response. "Don’t worry, I have my ways of subduing the magical beast king."
Then, turning his gaze to Xiao Yan, Mo Yu waited for his response.
Seeing Mo Yu’s confidence, Xiao Yan gritted his teeth and nodded firmly. "Since Cousin Mo Yu is confident, I naturally trust you!"
With that, Xiao Yan retrieved a crystal-clear pill radiating a rich fragrance from his storage ring.
"This is a seventh-grade pill, the ’Beast Spirit Pill.’ It enhances the purity of magical beast bloodlines, making it extremely tempting for high-tier magical beasts. Once this pill is revealed, it won’t take long for the magical beast king of this region to be drawn here."
Upon seeing Xiao Yan take out the Beast Spirit Pill, Feng Zun Zhe and Tianhuo Zun Zhe exchanged glances, their faces betraying helpless resignation. Using such a risky method to lure the magical beast king and force it to lead the way seemed overly dangerous.
However, since Mo Yu was their invited ally, and Xiao Yan trusted his cousin implicitly, they had little choice but to give this daring plan a try.
Taking the Beast Spirit Pill from Xiao Yan’s hand, Mo Yu smiled and said confidently, "Rest assured, nothing will go wrong."
With those words, Mo Yu raised the Beast Spirit Pill, allowing its alluring fragrance to spread and attract the magical beast king.
The night in the Death Soul Mountain Range was particularly chilly. Haunting cries echoed through the valleys, giving the area an eerie and unsettling atmosphere.
Shortly after Mo Yu raised the Beast Spirit Pill, faint rustling sounds began to emanate from the distance.
As these noises grew louder, Feng Zun Zhe’s sharp gaze swept over the white mist in the distance. His expression changed as he exclaimed, "Not good! It’s a swarm of Stone-Devouring Ants—they’ve been drawn here!"
Hearing Feng Zun Zhe’s alarm, Tianhuo Zun Zhe and the others also turned pale.
The Stone-Devouring Ants were among the most terrifying creatures in the Death Soul Mountain Range. Their strength didn’t lie in their individual power but in their terrifying numbers, often reaching into the millions.
The notorious reputation of this mountain range was partially due to its chilling mists, but largely attributed to the relentless swarms of these ants. Despite their relatively low rank—only third or fourth-grade—their overwhelming numbers made even eighth-grade magical beasts steer clear of their path.
Stone-Devouring Ants consumed any flesh or blood in their way, leaving behind nothing but bones. Wherever their swarms passed, only skeletal remains would be left, devoid of even the faintest traces of blood.
For those who accidentally stumbled into their territory, encountering such a swarm was tantamount to certain death. If not for the fact that these ants could only survive in the cold mists of the mountain range, the surrounding regions would likely be uninhabitable.
No one had anticipated that the Beast Spirit Pill would attract such a troublesome menace.
Faced with this seemingly endless tide of death, even their eight Dou Zun combatants could do little.
"Mo Yu, put away the Beast Spirit Pill and prepare to retreat! Do not engage with these cursed creatures!" Feng Zun stood up quickly, his voice laced with frustration.
Clearly, he was displeased with Mo Yu’s reckless action that had summoned the Stone-Devouring Ants. After all, their mission to rescue Yao Chen, a long-time friend, was too critical to risk failure.
However, Mo Yu remained unfazed by Feng Zun Zhe’s reproach. He understood that their lack of familiarity with each other would naturally lead to friction.
Retreating, however, was not part of Mo Yu’s plan. Though these Stone-Devouring Ants were formidable, who was to say they didn’t have a "king" controlling them?
If he could subdue the ant queen, not only could they resolve the immediate crisis, but they might also pinpoint the location of the Hall of Souls’s branch hall.
With this thought, Mo Yu’s silver eyes gleamed as they locked onto a concealed yet potent presence deep within the misty forest. This aura likely belonged to the ant queen, the ruler of this swarm.
Making up his mind, Mo Yu immediately put away the Beast Spirit Pill and dashed into the misty forest without hesitation.
Seeing this, Feng Zun Zhe’s face darkened as he angrily muttered, "What is Mo Yu thinking? Isn’t this trouble enough already?"
"I’ll follow him. You all wait here," Xiao Yan, who understood Mo Yu well, sensed his cousin’s confidence and quickly volunteered.
"You needn’t worry about the lord," Qing Zhi interjected calmly. "He has everything under control. Haven’t you noticed? The sound of the ant swarm has already stopped."
Hearing this, Feng Zun Zhe and the others were stunned. Listening closely, they realized that the unsettling rustling of the ant swarm had indeed vanished.
"What the..."
As they stood in shock, a tall figure emerged unscathed from the cold mist, landing lightly on a tree branch. It was none other than Mo Yu.
On his shoulder rested a half-foot-long, dark-golden eight-winged ant.
"The Stone-Devouring Ant Queen?"
Seeing the creature, Feng Zun Zhe and Tianhuo Zun Zhe’s expressions shifted drastically.
Mo Yu, however, merely smiled faintly and said, "Relax, I’ve already subdued it. Let’s go—this little one knows the location of the Hall of Souls."
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