Chapter 775: Red Bright

The mountain path was rugged, strewn with jagged rocks. The terrain was treacherous, so out of caution, Qin Sang did not choose to fly. Although marked on the geomancy map, this place was not static.

For instance, beast lairs changed with each opening of the area, and the beasts themselves often fought each other. It was common for cultivators to accidentally stumble into a beast's lair due to a momentary lapse in caution. The number of cultivators who met their end in the jaws of beasts was no less than those who perished due to the secret realm's restrictions.

The two-headed Qiongqi walked alongside Qin Sang, both on alert. The Qiongqi's perception of beasts was sharper than Qin Sang's. Soon, Qin Sang successfully reached the mountaintop. With a swift movement, he concealed himself among a cluster of rocks to observe the path ahead. The path he had chosen was secluded. There were no signs of anyone having traversed the mountain, and the forest ahead appeared completely still and devoid of human presence. The mountains beyond grew progressively taller; they would have to proceed one step at a time.

He and the two-headed Qiongqi quickly descended the mountain, crossed a river valley, and began to climb again. After successively traversing three more mountains without encountering any danger, their steps became noticeably lighter.

"Finally, I see it..." Qin Sang stood on the mountaintop, gazing unblinkingly at the sea of clouds beyond the mountain range, muttering to himself. At the very edge of his vision, deep within the sea of clouds, the silhouette of a towering pagoda shimmered faintly. Golden radiance emanated from the depths of the cloud sea, as if a great sun were hidden within. The clouds constantly shifted and changed, and due to the great distance, Qin Sang could only discern the middle section of the Heavenly Pagoda, its spire deeply submerged in the cloud sea.

From afar, illuminated by the golden glow, countless auspicious birds and mythical beasts seemed to encircle the Heavenly Pagoda, presenting an aura of ultimate celestial majesty. Qin Sang was captivated, utterly awestruck by the pagoda. He looked up into the depths of the white clouds. Had he fallen from up there? Full of doubt, he gazed for a long time but could see nothing but a vast expanse of clouds. No wonder the cultivators at the base of the Heavenly Pagoda had mistaken him for an ancient corpse.

"Let's go!" Qin Sang withdrew his gaze, patted the two-headed Qiongqi's head, and resumed their journey.

A large river flowed through the valley between two mountains, its waters turbulent, crashing against the mountain walls and sending up sprays of white foam. Waterfalls cascaded down the mountain walls on both sides, their deafening roars echoing through the mountains and drowning out all other sounds.

At that moment, Qin Sang and the two-headed Qiongqi were hidden in a thicket, looking up at the damp rock face ahead, not daring to make a sound. The spray from the waterfalls created a thin mist in the valley, allowing them to conceal themselves easily. They were watching a crevice in the sheer cliff face, from which white-feathered, red-tailed cranes occasionally flew out, circled for a while, then returned to the crevice. From Qin Sang's vantage point, he could roughly glimpse what was inside the crevice. The crevice served as a nest for these cranes, harboring over a dozen of them. Each one shared the same appearance. An adult crane, including its long tail feathers, measured about ten feet long.

Qin Sang recognized this crane as a Red-tailed Crane, a fierce beast unique to the Seven Kills Hall. It had a volatile temperament and claws like swords. Despite its slender build, which might not compare to larger, more ferocious beasts, its physical body was incredibly robust. Facing a flock of adult Red-tailed Cranes, even a late-stage Core Formation cultivator would have no choice but to flee. Red-tailed Cranes preferred shady forests, typically nesting in ancient, leafy trees, and a flock could often dominate a large section of woodland. Due to their hidden nests, many cultivators accidentally encroached upon their territory.

Oddly, this flock of Red-tailed Cranes was nesting in a crevice, which they usually disliked. Initially, Qin Sang was caught off guard and nearly detected by them, forcing him to quickly hide. Others would have fled at the sight of so many Red-tailed Cranes. With his skill and daring, Qin Sang risked approaching and discovered there was a reason for their unusual nesting location. An old vine was rooted deep within the crevice, clinging to the rock face. From the vine, which hung inverted, dangled several crimson fruits.

Qin Sang couldn't identify the spiritual fruit. However, for it to attract an entire flock of Red-tailed Cranes to relocate, it certainly wasn't an ordinary fruit. Qin Sang's interest was piqued, so he and the two-headed Qiongqi stealthily approached to see if they could snatch the spiritual fruit. If he encountered a secret realm protected by ancient restrictions that would take time to break, no matter how valuable the treasures inside, he wouldn't linger; he would head straight for the Heavenly Pagoda. Snatching the spiritual fruit would be a quick grab-and-run, not wasting much time. Furthermore, he happened to know a bit about Red-tailed Cranes and was confident he could shake them off. The fruit looked so enticingly red that it would be a waste not to try and get it after coming all this way.

Many areas within the Seven Kills Hall contained spiritual herbs and fruits, but they were either heavily restricted or guarded by fierce beasts. Obtaining them depended entirely on one's strength. Such an opportunity was rare; miss it, and it would be gone. Regardless of the spiritual fruit's properties or whether it was ripe, acquiring it would always be a good decision.

Qin Sang quietly retreated, surveyed the surrounding terrain, then returned to his original spot, gave the two-headed Qiongqi some instructions, and, repeating an old trick, sent it out to lure the enemies. Qin Sang was very familiar with this tactic, often employing his escape techniques to execute his plans.

The two-headed Qiongqi was very reluctant. This flock of Red-tailed Cranes was clearly much stronger than the beasts at the bottom of the cliff. If caught by them, it might meet its end here.

"When you run, jump into the river. They won't find you. Meet me downstream. Once I figure out what kind of spiritual fruit it is, I'll share one with you." Qin Sang promised in a low voice.

The two-headed Qiongqi's furry head nudged Qin Sang, its two vertical pupils, one on each side, staring intently at him. It greatly doubted if this person was trying to trick it. Ever since it was captured by this person, it had been treated as a laborer, doing all the dirty and tiring work, yet it never received good things. Its status was even lower than that fat worm that just ate and slept. If not for the person's vow to restore its freedom, it would have quit long ago.

Qin Sang glared fiercely at it. "Aren't you afraid it's a poisonous fruit that will kill you? All the beasts in here are abnormal. If you want to end up like them, go ahead and eat!"

The two-headed Qiongqi recalled the chaotic battles in the Purple Mist Dead Zone, shrank its head, and leaped out of the thicket. Its agile form instantly lunged onto the sheer cliff, its hooked claws digging deep into the rock, then it leaped upwards.

Simultaneously, the Red-tailed Cranes in the crevice detected the Qiongqi's presence and let out shrill cries.

"Whoosh, whoosh..." Several adult Red-tailed Cranes burst from the crevice and swooped down like lightning. A gust of wind rushed past. The Red-tailed Cranes possessed astonishing momentum, their sharp talons glinting with cold light. The two-headed Qiongqi dared not delay; its body flickered, splitting into several illusory figures that darted instantly in various directions on the cliff face, all heading towards the same general area. For a moment, the Red-tailed Cranes couldn't distinguish between real and fake, so they split their forces to intercept the illusions.

They didn't notice that while they were distracted by the two-headed Qiongqi, a figure was swiftly and silently scaling the sheer cliff face in the distance.

"Puff, puff..." The illusions were successively shattered, and the two-headed Qiongqi was nearly caught by one of the Red-tailed Cranes. Seeing that the situation was hopeless, it flipped its body, leaped directly from the cliff face, landed on the ground, and began to flee at top speed. The enraged Red-tailed Cranes relentlessly pursued it.

By this time, the other figure had already climbed the sheer cliff.