Chapter 1370: Heroes

Chu Feng had previously speculated that the clan inhabiting this Taishang terrain was either the Vermilion Bird or the Golden Crow, but it now appeared he was completely mistaken. A whole nest of Golden Crows had been burned to death. These beings, living ancestors of fire, true deities, and even considered fallen immortal birds, had all met a tragic end. Naturally, the cliff itself must have been extraordinary, harboring unimaginable mystical fires within.

It now seemed that neither the Vermilion Bird nor the Golden Crow could long reside here. What creatures were truly lurking in this forbidden land, and to which clan did they belong?

The immeasurable terrain was shrouded in swirling mist, like a celestial veil, impossible to penetrate or discern clearly. Within the burgeoning mist, unknown dangers undoubtedly lay dormant. Yet, Chu Feng could not retreat; following the ancient texts, he advanced step by step.

A whoosh tore through the air as a fierce beast charged past with frantic speed. Its passage caused numerous trees in the forest to bend sideways, then continuously explode, their leaves turning to dust, and rocks shattering into debris.

Was that a fish? Chu Feng was astonished, finding it almost impossible to believe. The fierce beast that had just burst from the forest was, incredibly, a massive shark, or at least it bore an uncanny resemblance. With no body of water or ocean in sight, it swam through the void, its maw agape, carrying a group of people through the air. It was a mount!

A flash of light quickly intensified into a raging, pulsating fire. The peculiar great shark moved through the forest ahead, bathed in flames, shaking its head and tail, appearing increasingly vibrant and exuding potent energy. The outer perimeter of the Taishang terrain was ablaze, yet the shark swam right through it, venturing deep into the mountains.

Deafening sonic booms whistled past as a spaceship soared by, carrying another group of individuals who plunged into the mountains, igniting a spectacular burst of azure flames that shot skyward. Rays of light emanated from Chu Feng's eyes. He realized that various clans had been active in recent days, all undertaking significant actions. They likely sensed the dawn of a tumultuous era and were desperately striving to enhance their power. Many of these beings probably shared his objective: to come here and undergo evolution. After all, this place was no secret; the Six-Eared Macaque lineage had long been interested in it, and their plans were well-developed. Many powerful clans understood that tempering one's true form here offered immense opportunities, provided they survived the ordeal within the Taishang furnace.

The spaceship crashed into a pile of jagged rocks, sending sparks flying. From within, several beings emerged and entered the Taishang terrain. Clearly, in this kind of terrain, the magnetic field values were highly anomalous, and the spatial field fluctuations were intensely violent, severely disrupting all flying vehicles.

The void trembled as a powerful wave of energy surged forward, akin to a tsunami. That was a true dragon! No, it was actually an earthworm, but incredibly enormous – as thick as a water vat – wriggling its way across the void. Its entire body was crimson, tinged with faint gold. It arrived from beyond the mountains, spanning the sky with an extraordinary and majestic presence. And it, too, was a mount, carrying a group of beings across the void. This enormous red-gold earthworm moved swiftly, flying directly over Chu Feng's head.

"Splat!"

A large clump of mud splattered down from the sky, landing close to Chu Feng. It was a massive glob, enough to bury a person, and it sent mud and water spraying in all directions. Chu Feng reacted swiftly and managed to dodge out of the way. His expression darkened. This wasn't mud at all; it was earthworm excrement, seemingly aimed directly at him. A misstep would have been utterly revolting. Had he not reacted quickly, he would have been plastered to the ground by the "mud."

As the red-gold earthworm moved away, faint laughter drifted down from its back. There were no apologies, only blatant disregard. Some even displayed contempt, conversing in low whispers and pointing, positioned superiorly above him as if watching a spectacle.

This is outrageous! Are they looking for death? This is truly overbearing.

A cold glint appeared in Chu Feng's eyes as he glared into the air.

"Hey, why are you staring? That clump of earth-dragon dung didn't even land on you," a young girl mumbled with displeasure. What was intolerable was that before Chu Feng could even speak, someone aboard the red-gold earthworm voiced their displeasure first, chastising him for staring.

"Do you want to die?" Chu Feng wanted to retort.

With a flick of its tail, the red-gold earthworm swiftly vanished into the depths of the mountains. Someone on the fierce insect, however, advised their companion, saying, "Don't cause trouble. We're already in the Taishang terrain; let's not create new complications."

Astonishing electromagnetic light, like countless bolts of lightning streaking across the sky, emanated from a cicada. It whistled past, vibrating its transparent wings, bringing with it a sky-filling electromagnetic storm — a truly breathtaking sight. It was enormous, carrying several individuals as it traversed the sky, then disappeared into the Taishang terrain.

Another group arrived. Chu Feng's expression subtly shifted. He noticed that quite a few individuals shared his objective, and some, judging by their attire, did not appear to be from the Yang Realm. He mused that indeed, times were changing. All manner of strange and powerful beings were emerging, with various creatures appearing in rapid succession.

Chu Feng continued forward, fabricating a new identity for himself. He couldn't be known as Chu Feng, nor Cao De, as either name would surely lead to his demise. He had stirred up considerable trouble on the three-party battlefield, a fact known far and wide. He had ensnared, slain, and even consumed the Nine-Headed Bird, and had mortally offended the Yuan family by killing their Celestial Venerables. Now, while not quite a universal enemy, he was certainly a thorn in the side of several major powers. To reveal himself here would be exceedingly dangerous.

"My name is Zhou Zhengde. When my transformation is complete, that will be the moment Chu Feng reigns supreme," he reminded himself, ensuring no slip-ups. Soon, he would be able to utilize the pollen from the three seeds, at which point he anticipated a rapid surge in power, allowing him to swiftly improve and look down upon all his rivals. This temporary dormancy was merely preparation for a greater ascent.

In the mountain forest, flames danced, yet these unique plants remained unburnt, perfectly preserved. For instance, the purple-gold vine shimmered with a metallic luster, proving remarkably tough. Likewise, the iron-wire pine, with its black iron trunk and cracked, aged bark, refused to burn. These were all renowned tree species, known to thrive in magma-filled fire zones.

As Chu Feng traversed the area, boundless flames raged, with mountain fires of various hues surging through the forest, almost engulfing him. Fortunately, the energetic flames here were tolerable. Of course, this was also a testament to his own extraordinary nature; ordinary evolvers would find it impossible to set foot here. This was still merely the outer perimeter. To reach the Taishang terrain itself, one had to traverse a vast mountainous region, featuring ridges, valleys, and even immense rifts.

Many beings had already gathered in this area. Some groups consisted of dozens of individuals, while others had only two or three, each faction standing apart. A careful count revealed over twenty distinct factions, representing the strongest clans, who had sent their most outstanding disciples here. These individuals were all exceptional elites. Some had formed as embryos from mountains and rivers, nurtured for immense periods, essentially children of heaven and earth. They had only recently awakened and been brought forth. Others hailed from reclusive Yang Realm families, rarely seen in the world. Their disciples were nurtured within their private creation lands, situated in unique terrains, possessing astonishing physical vitality and spiritual power, and were only now emerging.

For instance, a branch of the Dao clan, the Alien Wilderness Golden Body Dao Clan, was present. Their physical bodies were said to be unparalleled, with no known rivals. This was a highly secretive family, and yet, someone from it had appeared today. The Dao Clan was already among the most formidable, so their variant, the terrifying and boundless Alien Wilderness Golden Body Dao Clan, was naturally even more awe-inspiring. Not far away, the Alien Wilderness Great Thunder Sound Buddhist Clan was also present, a revelation even more startling. It was rumored that this branch had long been extinct, yet somehow, members had appeared today. It was rumored that the first half of the Buddhist Clan's supreme breathing technique was originated by the Great Thunder Sound Buddhist Clan.

Chu Feng gasped, his senses sharp and spiritual power immense. He naturally overheard the distant conversations, identifying which clans had arrived. Furthermore, races from beyond the heavens, not native to the Yang Realm, had also descended, all vying for the same opportunities. At this critical juncture, with the major trends on the cusp of a turning point, every clan sought to elevate themselves.

Among these two dozen or so clans, the Yuan family was present. This powerful family, infamous for pressuring the Heavenly Emperor's descendants and persecuting the Yu Shang clan into decline, possessed unfathomable strength. They, too, had dispatched representatives. Moreover, members of the Heng Clan had also arrived, subtly exuding an aura that suggested they might be the strongest clan in the Yang Realm.

In the distance, the colossal red-gold earthworm swayed its body. Beside it stood four men and two women, all with curious expressions, glancing over at Chu Feng.

"Pfft," one of the green-haired women giggled, her skin as fair as snow, and her large eyes sparkling with amusement as she displayed a mocking expression.

"Don't indulge yourself; maintain decorum here," a young man reminded her.

"I know, I know, but this person is truly amusing. He almost got buried by earth-dragon dung; he must smell awful, hehe." The woman chuckled repeatedly, quite uninhibited.

Chu Feng's expression was far from pleasant, but for the moment, he ignored her. This incident, however, would not simply be overlooked; he fully intended to demand an explanation.

The crowd had dispersed, standing in various directions as if awaiting something, and no one spoke. Chu Feng was no exception; he had no desire to stand out or draw undue attention, so he quietly positioned himself to the side.

In this manner, they waited for two full days, everyone maintaining their patience. During this time, additional clans arrived. Among them were the Six-Eared Macaque Clan. Monkey Mitian and his sister Miqing indeed appeared, arriving under the protection of their clan's powerful experts to undergo a life-leap here. Furthermore, Chu Feng spotted members of the Mo family, a Human King clan. Earlier, at the Tongtian Immortal Waterfall, Chu Feng had intensely clashed with Mo family disciples, killing two of them and subsequently being relentlessly pursued by the clan. Driven by intense resentment and fury, he eventually utilized Old Gu's prehistoric followers to wreak havoc on the Mo family, the Human King clan.

A short while later, Chu Feng's pupils contracted, though he expertly masked his reaction. He was profoundly surprised internally, having spotted a familiar face. It was a woman with a sweet and captivating appearance, an impeccable figure, truly a beauty of unparalleled grace. Her attire was distinctly classical, reminiscent of a woman from the imperial court. This was an acquaintance: Jiang Luoshen.

Chu Feng could hardly believe it was her; he was certain his eyes weren't deceiving him. This was the national goddess from Earth in the Lesser Yang Realm, with whom he had been linked in various rumors during the early stages of the world's transformation. Her close friend, Xia Qianyu, had once been on a blind date with Chu Feng, which, unexpectedly, led to a series of misunderstandings and a flurry of romantic rumors about Chu Feng and Jiang Luoshen. She, too, had entered the Yang Realm and was now unexpectedly here. Chu Feng observed closely. It was clear that Jiang Luoshen was not the main figure of that group, but merely an attendant, walking behind another young woman who was remarkably beautiful and possessed a powerful aura, her identity unknown.

At that moment, Chu Feng had no time for further contemplation, as the forbidden land's tranquility was broken; something was finally stirring.

"Apologies for the long wait, everyone."

A voice emanated from the depths of the Taishang terrain. It was already Chu Feng's fourth day since arriving there. Evidently, those who had arrived earlier had already sought an audience with the master of this place, yet no being had appeared until this very moment. From within the Taishang forbidden land, a war chariot emerged from the haze. It was ancient, imbued with the aura of creation, and slowly advanced outward. Undeniably, this forbidden land was extraordinary, commanding the patient waiting of even beings from beyond the heavens, a stark contrast to other places.

A stack of celestial texts descended from the sky, landing before everyone's eyes. A voice from the ancient war chariot spoke: "These are some field descriptions of the Taishang terrain. If you wish to enter, everyone will have an equal opportunity. Study them carefully."

Everyone was dumbfounded. The book was impossibly thick, a full *zhang* (approximately 3.3 meters) tall.