Chapter 191: Center District Secrets

A Record of a Mortal’s Journey to Immortality - Volume 3

However, Han Li was not anxious. This was because the central zone of the forbidden area was vastly different from its outer regions.

In the areas outside the central zone, most of the spirit herbs and rare fruits grew randomly and without order. Their traces could be found in any corner of these regions. Typically, it was a first-come, first-served situation, and those who obtained them would immediately flee. Therefore, there were few conflicts truly arising from the discovery of spirit medicines in these places. Instead, more people perished due to purges by others or acts of murder and treasure appropriation.

However, the central zone was different. According to disciples who had fortunately returned in the past, this central zone was very large, occupying more than one-third of the entire forbidden area. It was enclosed by stone walls forming a large circle. Starting from the vicinity of the four bronze gates and moving inwards, the entire region was divided into three distinct outer layers, much like the skin, pulp, and core of a common fruit, presenting a clear and unusual stratification.

The picturesque location where Han Li currently stood was the outermost layer of the central zone.

According to the information, the section from here to the next layer was not extensive, likely only a little over a li in width. Within this range, the plants and trees, though individually rare and precious, and seldom seen in the world, had very few that could serve as true spirit medicines with practical effects for cultivators. Most were merely for aesthetic appreciation or amusement.

Many from the Seven Great Sects speculated that this layer was intentionally arranged by the forbidden area's owner, serving as a garden. The dazzling and eye-catching flowers, plants, and fruit trees were originally meant for the owner's enjoyment. If one wished to find something truly useful here, it would be less troublesome to search in other areas of the forbidden land.

The truly valuable, high-grade spirit medicines for cultivators were primarily found in the central zone's second layer. Most disciples from various sects who entered this area came specifically for this layer. Among them were the three main ingredients for concocting Foundation Establishment Pills, which were naturally their primary target. Han Li, too, was determined to obtain these spirit medicines.

Speaking of this second layer, it truly left Han Li astonished for a long time after he first saw the relevant information.

This was because the second layer was entirely a massive ring-shaped mountain range, perpetually enveloped by a dense, impenetrable fog. Within this mountain, there were natural spiritual sites like caves, hidden valleys, and cliffs, as well as artificial structures such as stone houses and stone halls. All sorts of spirit medicines grew in these locations.

The information exchanged between the ugly man and Han Li primarily consisted of distribution maps showing the locations of these spirit medicines. This was because no one could guarantee that the existing information would cover their specific area after entering. Therefore, having as many of these distribution maps as possible was naturally better, making it easier to pinpoint locations and search according to the maps.

However, the fog in this mountain was too vast and too dense! Cultivators who entered would typically become completely disoriented within a few steps, having no choice but to slowly grope their way forward, stumbling blindly. Whether they could find their way out again depended entirely on their luck.

What was even more troublesome was the myriad of demonic beasts inhabiting the ring-shaped mountain. These ranged from low-tier First-level beasts like Fire Rats and Wind-chasing Rabbits to peak-tier First-level beasts such as Golden Light Pythons and Icefire Wolves, encompassing almost every type of First-level demonic beast the Seven Great Sects had ever heard of, or not heard of.

Those with lower strength could be handled by a single cultivator at the sixth or seventh Qi Condensation layer, even seven or eight at once, without issue. However, if they encountered peak-tier high-level beasts, even the elite disciples of the Seven Great Sects would only be able to flee in disarray.

Fortunately, the latter type of demonic beasts were very rare on this mountain, and most had become guardian beasts specifically protecting certain spirit medicines, thus not easily encountered outside.

Therefore, most of the more formidable demonic beasts were still high-tier First-level ones. However, they could be easily dealt with if several elite disciples joined forces. Of course, if encountered by a single individual, a bloody battle would be unavoidable.

Whether it was the mountain's fog or the demonic beasts residing within, if only one of these challenges were present, these proud and ambitious elite disciples might still reluctantly attempt to venture into the mountain to collect medicines. But now that both were encountered simultaneously, the disciples could only exchange bewildered glances. Ascending the mountain under these circumstances would undoubtedly be a one-way trip!

Consequently, the first few batches of disciples who entered the forbidden area in those early years merely collected common spirit medicines outside the central zone and did not enter the ring-shaped mountain at all.

However, after several expeditions, a cultivator from the Masked Moon Sect painstakingly refined a magical treasure called the 'Moon-Yang Pearl'. This item could neither attack nor defend; its sole purpose was to emit a unique light capable of countering various fogs and poisonous miasmas. It was specifically prepared by this person for the forbidden area expedition.

As expected, the Masked Moon Sect disciples, having acquired this treasure, shone brightly during their next trip into the forbidden area!

They managed to dispel most of the fog on the ring-shaped mountain, largely unnoticed by the other sects, and returned laden with treasures. With this harvest, they refined a large quantity of Foundation Establishment Pills and subsequently recruited many new disciples, causing their sect's strength to soar. From then on, the Masked Moon Sect established its position as the foremost cultivation sect in Yue State.

However, as the saying goes, 'there are no secrets that time will not reveal.' News of the Masked Moon Sect's great acquisition of spirit medicines in the forbidden area, using the Moon-Yang Pearl, still spread. Soon after, the other six sects, unwilling for them to monopolize the benefits, came knocking on their door.

Unwilling to incur the wrath of the masses, yet also reluctant to simply hand over the treasure, the Masked Moon Sect, after much wrangling and negotiation with the other six sects, finally offered the Pearl, which then became a shared possession of the Seven Great Sects.

Subsequently, this treasure was held by the Seven Sects in rotation. After each expedition to the forbidden area, the sect that had previously held the Pearl would hand it over to another sect for safekeeping.

Regardless of which sect held the Pearl, once inside the forbidden area, its disciples had to use the treasure within a pre-stipulated time, under the supervision of disciples from the other sects. They were absolutely forbidden from deliberately rushing or delaying the timing of the fog dispersal.

This arrangement ensured that all disciples who arrived at the central zone in time could enter the ring-shaped mountain to gather spirit medicines simultaneously, making it extremely fair.

While the agreement on these terms appeared to be a significant loss for the Masked Moon Sect, forcing them to abandon their dream of monopolizing the forbidden area's spirit medicines, it actually saved them from the calamity of annihilation and allowed them the opportunity to gradually grow stronger.

By now, the Masked Moon Sect had become preeminent among the Seven Great Sects, its power virtually unfathomable. The other sects, unless they allied in pairs, simply could not contend with it.

This was also why Han Li remained unhurried and able to converse disingenuously with the ugly man before him.

This time, the Seven Great Sects had already agreed upon the time for dispelling the fog even before entering: it was set for the morning of the third day.

Han Li had previously rushed towards the central zone without resting, fearing being ambushed again on the way and delaying his entry into the mountain. Now that he had already entered the central zone, there was no need to be anxious anymore! Even if he rushed to the second layer now, he would merely be staring helplessly at the fog there!

As for the third layer at the heart of the forbidden area, it was even more mysterious!

Standing on the summit of the ring-shaped mountain, one could clearly see a colossal pagoda, a hundred zhang tall, towering in the center of the vast area enclosed by the second layer. Surrounding the pagoda was an extensive dense green forest, encompassing it so tightly that not even water could seep through. This was the so-called third layer, the absolute core of the forbidden area!

Upon hearing their disciples' descriptions, the high-ranking experts of the Seven Great Sects immediately recognized this as the forbidden area owner's original residence and coveted the items within the pagoda immensely.

However, at the boundary between the second and third layers, an unknown but powerful restriction was still active, blocking all disciples attempting to enter. This restriction was simply not something that mere Qi Condensation cultivators could break, yet cultivators above the Foundation Establishment stage could not enter the forbidden area. Thus, what the pagoda actually contained remained an unsolved mystery to this day!

Han Li had absolutely no interest in the colossal pagoda within this third layer. For him, finding enough spirit medicines in the second layer and then retreating safely would be cause for immense gratitude and divine blessing.

Han Li patiently dealt with the ugly man for a full quarter of an hour before finally shaking off his persistence and disappearing into the nearby foliage. As he vanished, he glanced back at the other party, seeing that Zhong Wu remained idly in place, showing no intention of leaving.

It seemed these 'experts' wouldn't rest until they had eliminated most of the other disciples who intended to fish in troubled waters! He estimated that the other three sects probably also had people doing the same thing.

As Han Li pondered, he searched everywhere in an area far from the bronze gates.

Under a towering tree, Han Li discovered an inconspicuous tree hole, which brought a surge of joy to his heart.

After ducking inside, he made some minor protective arrangements at the entrance, then stopped thinking about anything and fell into a deep sleep.

Han Li needed a good rest. Heaven knew what might happen when the fog on the ring-shaped mountain was dispelled early tomorrow morning! His complete strategy was to first restore his condition to its peak.

However, he believed that the number of disciples from various sects who would stand before the ring-shaped mountain tomorrow, waiting for the fog to clear, would certainly not be many! And each of them would likely be no less difficult to deal with than Feng Yue.

Han Li slept exceptionally soundly during this slumber. He only slowly awoke in the early hours of the next day. The most important day of his forbidden area expedition had finally arrived!