Chapter 441: 380 Zhangg Sweep! [Vote for monthly tickets!]
"Such incredible speed!"
Outside Seven Mysterious Mountain, the Seven-fingered Daoist was taken aback.
Confident in his own swiftness and having been the first to set off after preparing well ahead, he was still overtaken by Chen Jichuan, who departed after him.
"In terms of speed alone, this person is already comparable to ordinary First-Pattern or Second-Pattern Immortals!"
Seven-fingered Daoist heightened his vigilance.
However, he didn’t slow down, maintaining top speed and closely following Chen Jichuan, becoming the second person to enter Seven Mysterious Mountain.
Through the passage carved by the Taiyin Divine Needle, they entered the mountain’s belly in the blink of an eye.
Upon entry.
The first sight was lightning and wind flickering unpredictably.
Boom!
In the next moment, a massive hammer hurtled straight toward him—
"Go!"
With no room to dodge, Seven-fingered Daoist was forced to summon his sword. Like a rainbow piercing the sun, it collided head-on with the giant hammer.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
Boom! Boom! Boom!
In an instant, sword qi clanged and roared through the area.
The massive hammer flew backward and disintegrated mid-air into thousands of flying ants, which instantly regrouped, completely unharmed.
The treasured sword landed in front of Seven-fingered Daoist, similarly unscathed.
But in this brief interval—
"He’s inside!"
Seven-fingered Daoist vanished in a flash, appearing inside the cave.
The cave was small, with seven or eight passages leading in all directions.
It seemed to have been a storage area at some point but was now completely emptied out.
Only a faint trace of wind and thunder aura remained.
"Huang Quan!"
As soon as Seven-fingered Daoist saw the scene, he knew immediately that Chen Jichuan had beaten him to it and carted off all the treasures stored here.
Annoyance surged within him, accompanied by a sense of urgency.
"One step behind."
"But it’s fine."
Seven-fingered Daoist didn’t linger here, unwilling to entangle with the yellow ants, which were impervious to blades, fire, and water.
With a leap.
He dashed toward one of the cave’s tunnels.
Meanwhile, he retrieved a small burlap banner stained with blood and covered in runes from his sleeve.
With a wave of the banner in the air—
Countless spiritual insects poured out—
Cloud Wing Insects.
Blood Worms.
Cold Ice Spiders.
Fire Jade Divine Locusts.
Seven-Colored Beetles.
...
Tens of thousands of spiritual insects swarmed forth, their species and numbers incalculable.
At least seven to eight kinds, all of them Third-order spiritual insects. Among them were even the likes of the ’Golden Backed Mantis,’ a pinnacle Third-order spiritual insect.
At this moment, they spread out simultaneously, rushing into the passageways extending from the cave in all directions.
"Hmph!"
"So what if he’s fast?"
"I have thirty thousand spiritual insects at my command, perfect for navigating the complex and ever-changing ant nest of Seven Mysterious Mountain."
The mountain’s belly, built by the Seven Mysterious Flying Ants, was a labyrinth-like maze with countless tunnels and caves. Most people who entered would first find themselves lost and overwhelmed.
Seven-fingered Daoist, with his mastery of controlling insect swarms, could explore with far greater efficiency than a lone cultivator.
Yet he himself didn’t stop moving.
While his spiritual insects scattered, he continued to dart through the cavern, following the faint trails of wind and thunder aura deeper inside.
In a flash, he had passed through two ant nests—
"Hmm?"
"Gone?!"
Seven-fingered Daoist furrowed his brow, realizing that the wind-and-thunder aura left behind by Chen Jichuan abruptly vanished here without a trace.
He speculated inwardly, "Could it be that his Secret Technique is unsustainable?"
But he was puzzled as well, "He certainly didn’t look like someone struggling to maintain his Secret Technique a moment ago."
Even within the ant nests of Seven Mysterious Mountain, he himself was putting forth maximum effort, pushing his speed to its limits.
Given Huang Quan’s mastery of Wind Thunder Escape, if not for an inability to sustain it, he shouldn’t have abandoned it so shortly after its use.
"Or is he intentionally concealing his traces?"
Seven-fingered Daoist’s thoughts churned, but given the urgency of time, he couldn’t ponder too deeply.
This was the heart of Seven Mysterious Mountain, the lair of the Seven Mysterious Flying Ants.
Countless Seven Mysterious Flying Ants swarmed the area.
They blotted out the sky!
Among them were many Third-order flying ants and even a few Fourth-order flying ants.
Thus, speed was paramount.
If he got entangled.
If he got cornered.
Even as an Eleventh Tribulation Independent Immortal, he couldn’t withstand the consumption and would only meet a dead end.
"No time to dwell on it!"
Seven-fingered Daoist no longer cared about Chen Jichuan.
Even as he reflected, his speed did not diminish, as he navigated the tunnels and chambers, correcting his direction with the help of his thirty thousand spiritual insects.
His goal for this expedition was clear—
"Fourth-order Spirit Medicine!"
"Fourth-order Magical Treasure!"
"Flying Ant Eggs!"
The most precious entities within Seven Mysterious Mountain, aside from the mountain itself, were these three types of treasures.
The mountain itself was massive and unmovable—out of consideration.
Among the remaining three, Fourth-order Magical Treasures were a matter of luck and might not appear.
However, given the characteristics of the Seven Mysterious Flying Ants and the mountain’s almost tangible concentration of spiritual energy, the likelihood of Fourth-order Spirit Medicines being present was exceedingly high.
As for the Seven Mysterious Flying Ant Eggs, they were guaranteed to be found somewhere within the mountain.
"Start with the Spirit Medicine!"
Compared to eggs and treasures, the spiritual energy fluctuations of Fourth-order Spirit Medicines were far more pronounced and easier to detect.
Furthermore.
As an Eleventh Tribulation Independent Immortal preparing to face the Twelfth Tribulation—a practically impossible survival challenge—he needed to amass as much high-grade Spirit Medicine as possible to prep for his life-or-death ordeal. Success would elevate him to Upper Immortal, failure would see his soul scattered.
...
Minute by minute passed.
"Nothing!"
"Nothing!"
"Still nothing!"
The more Seven-fingered Daoist searched, the more agitated he became.
The relentless encirclement of the Seven Mysterious Flying Ants was one factor.
The other was his continued empty-handedness.
"Why?"
"How could this be?!"
Arriving at yet another ant nest.
Seven-fingered Daoist stared grimly at an empty cave.
He had been searching with all his strength, yet every time it seemed he arrived too late, just like now, the cave’s treasures had already been looted.
Some caves showed subtle signs.
Others revealed more blatant evidence, like the faint traces of recently uprooted Spirit Medicine—its lingering fragrance still filling the cavern.
Such scenes made Seven-fingered Daoist’s expression ever darker and his fury grow fiercer.
"Huang Quan?"
"Or someone else?"
The first name that came to Seven-fingered Daoist’s mind was Chen Jichuan.
After all, Chen Jichuan’s speed upon entering Seven Mysterious Mountain had shocked him significantly.
Now, faced with this predicament, Chen Jichuan became his first suspect.
And indeed.
Seven-fingered Daoist’s suspicion was not unwarranted.
...
"Another one!"
Deep within a cave in Seven Mysterious Mountain, Chen Jichuan emerged out of thin air, his face alight with joy upon spotting a plant growing within.
[Spirit Medicine: Four-colored Cloud Flower]
[Grade: Fourth-order]
[Description: Spirit Medicine that grows in areas rich in spiritual energy, useful for breaking through bloodline constraints and grade limits. Can be refined into ’Four-colored Red Cloud Pill,’ which offers a chance to surpass the grade limit of Third-order beings. Can also be refined into ’Cloud Immortal Pill,’ which assists Inner Realm cultivators in improving their cultivation.]
...
"Four-colored Cloud Flower!"
Chen Jichuan immediately recognized the plant, and from his memory surfaced all the techniques and precautions for its harvesting.
With a light flick of his sleeve.
The cloud-like ’Four-colored Cloud Flower’ was promptly collected into his storage. Its medicinal efficacy was akin to the ’Qilin Treasure Medicine’ he’d encountered in the Starry Sky World, both of which could break bloodline limits.
Whether for personal use, trade, or pill refinement, its value was immeasurable.
"The third Fourth-order Spirit Medicine."
Chen Jichuan kept count in his heart, his joy bubbling with excitement.
This trip had been exceedingly fruitful.
Three Fourth-order Spirit Medicines.
Two Fourth-order Magical Treasures.
Forty Seven Mysterious Flying Ant Eggs.
In less than two short incense-stick durations since entering the mountain—not counting the ’Purple Mansion Immortal Gourd’—Chen Jichuan’s harvest already exceeded what he’d gained in the entirety of the prior 130 years of this life.
No wonder he was so pleased.
Compared to Seven-fingered Daoist’s utter lack of gains thus far, Chen Jichuan’s happiness only grew.
"Five Elements Great Escape!"
"Dayan Divination Method!"
"Mastering these two techniques was indeed worthwhile!"
In cultivation.
Chen Jichuan couldn’t match Seven-fingered Daoist.
But in combat prowess, Chen Jichuan was his equal.
When it came to technique diversity and mastery, an ordinary Fourth-order Immortal might not even stand up to Chen Jichuan, let alone Seven-fingered Daoist, who was desperately grappling for survival.
From the moment he entered Seven Mysterious Mountain.
Chen Jichuan’s advantages began to shine.
The Wind Thunder All Heavens Great Escape was just the start.
Subsequently, the ’Five Elements Great Escape’ and ’Dayan Divination Method’ began to show their brilliance.
"Though named a mountain, Seven Mysterious Mountain is actually formed from the corpses of Seven Mysterious Flying Ants, infused with the attributes of the Five Elements (gold, wood, water, fire, earth). Using Earth Escape alone, even if it’s a Super-level technique, would be futile."
"But I’ve cultivated the ’Five Elements Great Escape’ to the Sixth Realm, enabling me to move freely through Yin Yang and the Five Elements."
"Even within Seven Mysterious Mountain, I can swim like a fish in water."
It wasn’t just his mastery.
The techniques themselves were extraordinary.
Chen Jichuan’s ’Five Elements Great Escape’ wasn’t simply the separate mastery of gold, wood, water, fire, or earth escape techniques.
This technique integrated all Five Elements Escape Skills into one, a cohesive whole. Within Seven Mysterious Mountain’s intricate environment, it allowed for unrestrained mobility.
Whereas cultivators who separately mastered the Five Elements would still falter due to their inability to truly unify the techniques.
"The mountain’s stones are extraordinarily sturdy."
"Seven-fingered Daoist and the others can only rely on the maze-like tunnels to navigate. While they’re busy solving the labyrinth, evading and fighting off the Seven Mysterious Flying Ants’ sieges, their search speed is nothing compared to mine."
"And let’s not forget my Divine Skill, ’Dayan Divination Method,’ which offers precise guidance."
Chen Jichuan felt fortunate to possess such techniques and skills, giving him freedom and dominance within Seven Mysterious Mountain.
Continuing his relentless pace, he roamed through tunnels and caverns, endlessly hunting treasures.
...
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
The Five Elements Great Escape was performed at its peak, allowing Chen Jichuan to traverse mountains, pierce stones, and ignore obstacles of water, fire, or metal.
His hands worked busily in his sleeves, constantly calculating.
The ’Dayan Divination Method,’ upgraded to a Divine Skill, though reduced to Second Realm, still retained its profound accuracy, even surpassing that of its previous form, ’Najia Divination Method.’
Constantly adjusting his direction.
Without needing to twist and turn through labyrinthine passageways, with crystal-clear objectives, Chen Jichuan’s search efficiency within Seven Mysterious Mountain—what comparison was there to ordinary Independent Immortals?
Seven-fingered Daoist.
White Bone Venerable.
Hundred Desires Wanderer.
Whether Nine Tribulations Independent Immortals or Eleventh Tribulation Independent Immortals—they were all left trailing behind Chen Jichuan.
Unable to catch a bite of the feast.
"Fortune favors the capable; everyone relies on their own skill."
Chen Jichuan rejoiced as though he were a playful squirrel frolicking in a pond.
Thinking of Seven-fingered Daoist, White Bone Venerable, and the others, he mentally apologized but showed no outward remorse.
Were the situations reversed—
If they had the ability to seize all the treasures of Seven Mysterious Mountain—they wouldn’t hesitate for a second, nor would they spare him anything.
Chen Jichuan remained carefree and content.
...