Chapter 1517: Unyielding Mountain Visitor

Chapter 1521: The Guest from the Undying Mountain

The chariot was old and dilapidated, its shafts almost broken. Its wood, dark and seemingly metallic, was of an unknown kind. The wheels were ground from stone, grayish-brown, not perfectly smooth, and slightly rough.

These details were minor; what truly shocked people was that the chariot was pulled by a stone tiger. Though it lacked one ear, limped on three legs, and had one leg half-broken, its intimidating aura was still terrifying.

This was a Saint Spirit, yet it was merely used to pull a chariot. How could this not be astounding?

As soon as the ancient, worn chariot entered the ancient continent in the sky, it caused a stir. Many people focused their gaze on it, and a commotion arose.

"Who is this person, using a Saint Spirit as a draft beast? What is their background?"

"That stone tiger is at least at the Saint level, and has reached its peak. For it to willingly serve as a beast of burden, the person inside the chariot must be truly awe-inspiring."

The old chariot approached slowly. The person inside observed the scenery along the way, gazing at the land beneath the clouds, and sighed softly, "The mountains and rivers I've seen along the way are magnificent, a true work of nature's artistry. It has been many years since I last appreciated such a view."

Beside the chariot walked three attendants, each covered in black armor that concealed their heads and faces, making their true appearance indiscernible. The material of their armor was unknown; even divine sight could not penetrate it.

The old chariot occasionally drove beyond the ancient continent, observing the scenery on the ground below. Compared to the ancient continent, the vast mountains and rivers of the land held a greater appeal for them.

"The City of Darkness has existed for so long; it is an old place where one can experience all the joys and sorrows, the bitter and the sweet. In this era, its mission must finally be nearing its end," the person in the chariot murmured softly.

"Excuse me, friend, would you mind stepping out for a moment?" Shi Zhongxuan stood up and called out to the ancient chariot passing nearby. He stared at the stone tiger, a fluctuating light in his eyes.

An attendant lifted the curtain, and a foot stepped out. There was no strong power fluctuation, nor any intimidating aura.

It was a seemingly young man with deep-set eyes. He was very handsome, but his complexion was exceptionally pale, as if he rarely saw the sun, giving him a delicate, almost sickly beauty.

He wasn't particularly heroic, but strikingly handsome. At first glance, he seemed to be recovering from a serious illness, but upon closer inspection, it became clear that this was simply his natural demeanor.

"Greetings, everyone," he said, cupping one fist in the other hand. His syllables were inflected with a unique cadence.

At this moment, even Jiang Yifei stood up, clearly sensing the man's extraordinary nature. He possessed a unique temperament that, despite his unremarkable demeanor, made him impossible to ignore.

Princess Yueling, Prince Huaizun, Fenghuang, and others all showed surprise. This person was undoubtedly a top-tier master; it was an instinctive feeling they all shared.

"May I ask your name, Daoist brother? And where do you hail from?" Shi Zhongxuan asked.

"My name is Anpu, and I reside in the Central Domain," the young man replied.

Everyone was surprised. Such a powerful figure had never been heard of before. Why had he suddenly appeared today? Did such a person even exist in the Central Domain?

In the distance, Ye Fan's brow furrowed slightly. This person was certainly not simple; he even made Ye Fan's heart skip a beat. Yet, he had never seen him before. Was he truly a powerful figure from Beidou?

"Tigers and leopards hide in deep mountains, qilin are buried in the fields," Shi Zhongxuan remarked. "I thought all of Beidou's heroes were gathered here, but I didn't expect there to be an unrevealed figure like yourself, brother."

Many bystanders echoed his sentiments, all sensing the man's extraordinary nature, believing him to be an reclusive expert, inspiring awe.

"Where do you reside, brother?" Jiang Yifei asked.

"Not far from the City of Darkness," Anpu replied, casting a deep glance at Jiang Yifei.

Everyone felt a mixture of surprise and uncertainty, secretly marveling at the City of Darkness's extraordinary nature, that such peerless figures could hide nearby without any prior rumor.

People could only comfort themselves with the thought that the world was vast, and there were bound to be some unknown powerful individuals, perhaps even some who would never be discovered by the world until their deaths.

"Are all the Great Saints discussing matters after the Immortal Path opens? Why don't you all go and listen? I'd like to take a look myself," Anpu said, cupping his hands in salute to the others before walking away on foot.

Many watched his retreating figure, deep in thought. This person had appeared too suddenly, his origins unknown, making him seem particularly unusual.

In front of the grand hall, there was a sea of people, filled with powerful cultivators. Anpu arrived and listened quietly for a long time.

It wasn't until the Ji family's Great Saint emerged that Anpu's expression shifted. At the same time, the Ancient Void Mirror within the old Saint of the Ji family trembled slightly, emitting a resonant chime.

The old Saint immediately turned his head, looking sharply in that direction. His gaze was incredibly intense as he spotted the slightly sickly young man, staring at him for a long time.

"He has their aura!" he murmured to himself, giving the man a profound look before turning and leaving without making a move.

"The elder's senses are still sharp; the Divine Mirror is too precise," Anpu murmured. He stood there for a moment, then returned along his original path. When he passed by the gathering of heroes, he was invited to sit down.

"It's truly surprising that a hero like yourself, brother, had no prior reputation," someone remarked, subtly trying to ascertain his true origins.

"In the past, my elders were strict, so I couldn't come out. Recently, I finally got a chance to properly explore this land," Anpu stated calmly. He remained composed throughout, as if nothing could stir his emotions.

Everyone sat down and pleasantly discussed ancient matters. Anpu proved to be very knowledgeable, acquainted with many ancient secrets, and his revelations captivated cultivators from all directions, who listened intently.

"The Immortal Path is about to open. The beings in the seven forbidden life zones will likely make significant moves, won't they?" someone brought up the topic.

"The Undying Mountain is quite close. I wonder what attitude the Supremes within will adopt once they emerge," someone expressed concern.

"Speaking of which, the Enlightenment Immortal Tea from the Undying Mountain will be ripe again soon. It's a pity that probably no one dares to wait outside the mountain this year. In the past, people could always obtain some leaves," someone said with deep regret.

Anpu smiled and said, "Through a fortunate coincidence, I happened to acquire a few leaves. Since our conversation today has been so pleasant, I invite you all to partake in some tea."

With that, he waved his hand, and a set of glistening tea ware appeared on the stone table. Several leaves flew out and into the pot; these extraordinary tea leaves each had a unique shape.

One leaf resembled a small, shimmering tripod with three legs and two handles, interwoven with Dao patterns.

Another glowed with red light, like a floating furnace, spewing forth bursts of flame. Wisps of divine patterns formed its shape.

This was a masterpiece of the heavens: Enlightenment Divine Tea leaves were born with Dao patterns, each representing a different principle, an unchanging truth of the world.

Among them, one was particularly unique: shaped like a human figure. It resembled a tiny, meditating person, crystal clear, enveloped by wisps of mist, as if an immortal had descended to the mortal realm.

Everyone was utterly astonished. Who was this person, to bring out Enlightenment Tea leaves for guests simply because the conversation was agreeable?!

In the past, whoever obtained these leaves would carefully store them away, only bringing them out to entertain the most distinguished guests.

This person was incredibly generous, instantly earning the goodwill of everyone present.

This was especially true for cultivators from other domains. The Enlightenment Tea Tree was an unreachable legend for them; they had never hoped to see it firsthand. To unexpectedly taste this immortal tea today left them all deeply impressed and overjoyed.

The clear spring water, like sweet dew, had a faint, delightful fragrance, which was surprising in itself. Once boiled and slowly poured into the pot, an instant aroma filled the air, astonishing everyone nearby.

The tea's aroma was so extraordinary that just inhaling it cleared one's mind. It was truly remarkable.

The black-armored attendant presented the tea. The dozen or so young individuals sitting around the stone table carefully and respectfully raised their tea cups, first inhaling the aroma, then exclaiming in admiration.

Huo Lin'er glanced over, then lowered her head to drink her tea, saying nothing, deep in thought. In fact, she had been observing Anpu for a while, her brow furrowed.

After tasting the tea, everyone felt refreshed and invigorated, as if on the verge of enlightenment. They silently contemplated for a long time, and a quiet stillness settled over the group.

It was a long time before everyone slowly came back to their senses. They all thanked Anpu. Though the slightly sickly young man appeared aloof, he was also very humble, shaking his head as if it were no big deal.

As they conversed about ancient and modern times, the Undying Mountain naturally came up, along with discussions of Emperor Void and the Great Accomplished Saint Body, as both had attacked it.

Just then, a girl in purple appeared. She was graceful and beautiful, with faint dimples on her fair face and bright, sparkling eyes, appearing lively and playful.

"This is the jewel of the Ji family from the Eastern Wasteland, a heaven-blessed prodigy with astonishing talent, who successfully fought her way back from the Ancient Starry Road," someone commented.

"It's said that she isn't particularly diligent in her cultivation, yet she's exceptionally powerful, a true natural genius."

Someone stood up and greeted her. She was a descendant of Emperor Void, and so stunning, naturally worthy of an invitation.

However, Anpu let out a soft sigh and said, "In that case, she and I are hereditary enemies. Although it's an old feud among our elders, I have no choice but to act."

Everyone was startled, not expecting this usually calm man to utter such words, signaling his intent to attack Ji Ziyue!

"Brother, that's not a good idea," Jiang Yifei said, shaking his head.

"I hear he's quite close to the Human Saint Body," Shi Zhongxuan reminded him.

"Oh, really?" Anpu smiled faintly, a surprisingly brilliant smile, before reverting to his sickly appearance. "They are all hereditary enemies," he stated.

Around him, the three black-armored attendants walked straight ahead, heading towards Ji Ziyue. Everyone's expressions froze; they hadn't expected him to actually act on his words.

Ji Ziyue was already approaching and had heard their words, but her expression remained unchanged. She gracefully halted her steps as the three attendants drew near.

Whoosh!

Suddenly, a galaxy-like burst of light surged forth, directly blocking the path of the three attendants, dazzling and brilliant.

Ye Fan flung the wine from his cup, and it astonishingly manifested as a brilliant, boundless river of light, like a flowing galaxy.

It was just a cup of wine, yet it achieved such an astonishing effect that the three black-armored attendants instantly halted, and the group of heroes were all taken aback.

Within this river of light, they sensed a vast, magnificent, and invincible will!

Ye Fan waved to Ji Ziyue, inviting her to come over.

Anpu sighed softly, "This place is truly filled with hidden talents. Right before our eyes, there is a master whom few can perceive. Such a person deserves a cup of Enlightenment Tea."