After returning to the village, start chasing the mountain from binding Emei

Chapter 996 The Great Power of Xi'e Mountain, the Maze Within the Mountain!

"What do you mean?" Chen Yang asked, somewhat taken aback.

Bashe said, "Now that I've said this, let me remind you, with your strength, you can go anywhere within the cave, but there's only one place you'd better not approach..."

"Oh? Where?" Chen Yang asked in surprise.

"Xieshan Mountain".

The snake uttered three words.

"Why?" Chen Yang asked, looking bewildered.

Bashe said, "Several powerful beings are hidden in the Western Emei Mountains, each with formidable strength. Even if I were to encounter them, the outcome would likely be at most a 50/50 chance..."

"Is it also a guardian beast?" Chen Yang was somewhat surprised.

It can go toe-to-toe with a Divine Fiend in the late stage of the Dao True Realm, something that ordinary spirit beasts in the late stage of the Dao True Realm cannot do.

"No, they are human cultivators."

Bashe shook his head. "This cave is vast and rich in resources. Over the years, there have always been some people who come in and don't want to leave, trying every means to stay. The purpose of us guardian beasts is to deal with these rats and prevent them from plundering the resources of the cave..."

"The significance of the existence of the grotto heaven is that it is a legacy left by our predecessors for future generations. We can come and take it, but we must abide by the rules. It opens once every hundred years and lasts for half a month. Within half a month, life and death are left to fate. How much opportunity we can obtain depends on our own abilities..."

"But there are always some scoundrels who are blinded by greed and only think about taking more than they can eat. Of course, some people are forced to stay, but no matter what the reason, when the time comes, we will go down the mountain to clear the area. The purpose is to get rid of these people..."

"In addition, when the number of spirit beasts in the cave exceeds a certain limit, and there are too many spirit beasts and plants with cultivation reaching the Dao True Realm, we will also take the opportunity to clear them out to ensure that the resources in the cave are not excessively exploited..."

"However, our strength is ultimately limited, and those who stayed behind are all incredibly cunning. Given the limited time, there will inevitably be omissions..."

"This oversight lasted for a hundred years. A hundred years is enough time for these human cultivators to significantly increase their strength by seizing the resources within the caves. When the next cleanup comes, it will be even more difficult to deal with them..."

"Fortunately, after the Heavenly Road was severed, these people were unable to break through to the Celestial Realm, and most of them wouldn't live past four hundred years old. We don't need to bother them; once their lifespan is up, they'll die on their own..."

"Therefore, by now, those who remained four hundred years ago have mostly turned to dust, but in the last four hundred years, including this time, the cave has opened four times..."

"The largest number of people stayed out a hundred years ago. About thirty of the hundred people who came in stayed out. During the cleanup, we killed more than twenty of them, leaving about eight or nine alive..."

“Shi Xiang Sheng and Miao Bonong are two of them. Over the years, many of these people must have died. I don’t know how many are left…”

"There were also people stranded in the previous two times, but it wasn't this extreme. There are probably three who are still alive. They are all hiding on Mount Xi'e now. Two of them are a monk and a Taoist priest, both of whom were among the first to be stranded. They are nearing the end of their lifespan and are half-buried. The other is a female rogue cultivator who should be about three hundred years old and rarely comes out anymore..."

"The boundary between Nan'e Mountain and Xi'e Mountain was broken by that Taoist priest and the female rogue cultivator. That sly fox from Xi'e Mountain and that silly worm from Nan'e Mountain also contributed a lot..."

"Although I heard that those two helped them break the curse seal within their bodies, allowing them to leave their fiefdom, the Mountain Lord's decree on their bodies has also become ineffective. The earth veins and water veins of Nan'e Mountain and Xi'e Mountain have also lost their connection with them and are no longer at their disposal. Moreover, those two left them with some kind of magic, treating them like dogs. I wonder if they regret it now..."

……

Chen Yang listened carefully; what Ba She told him was something Bei Zheng had never told him before.

Indeed, there are quite a few powerful beings within this cave.

"Fortunately, that monk wasn't with that Taoist. The three of them kept each other in check. I and that big dog from Beishan also had a deterrent effect on that silly tiger and that sly fox. So, over the years, the three of us have stayed on Xi'e Mountain and rarely went out. The cave has been relatively stable, and no major incidents have occurred..."

"However, this stability won't last long. Shi Xiangsheng and the others who were stranded last time have grown up. With me and that old dog Beishan, we're already outmatched. And we can't reach Nanshan and Xishan either..."

……

Bashe's words revealed a hint of helplessness.

Just as Chen Yang was about to ask something else, the Bashe stopped.

Ahead lay a forest that stretched as far as the eye could see, shrouded in a thin mist, giving it an eerie, ghost movie-like feel.

There were no birdsong, no animal roars, not even the chirping of an insect; the silence was almost suffocating.

The snake lowered its head, and Chen Yang jumped down from its top.

Bashe said, "There's a maze in this forest, and it's quite powerful. Once you enter, a thick fog rises, and your primordial spirit can't explore very far inside. It's not as good as my nose. I've entered many times, but I always manage to walk out in a daze..."

“I’ve explored most of Dong’e Mountain, but this one place is quite mysterious. If Ye Huai’an’s cave is on Dong’e Mountain, it’s most likely here. However, the area is quite large, and even if we know it’s here, the existence of this maze will make it difficult to find…”

……

Chen Yang's gaze fell on the woods ahead. Apart from a slightly eerie feeling, he didn't sense anything unusual.

maze.

It's perfectly normal to set up a maze around a cave.

If the maze was created by the Mountain Lord, it might even possess the power of laws, so it's normal that the Bashe couldn't enter.

But if even Bashe can't get in, how can Chen Yang?

Although his current physique is already SS-level immune to illusions, and mazes and illusions have some similarities, there are still differences.

Moreover, formations involving laws are not simply SS-level formations.

Chen Yang looked at the Bashe, "Senior, Mist Spirit..."

Although the thick fog is confusing, if the Fog Spirit is still around, it should be helpful in breaking through this maze, right?

Last night, Wuling was swallowed by Bashe, and I don't know if she's still alive.

Bashe didn't say much.

It slightly opened its mouth, flicked its tongue, and a cloud of gray mist flew out from its mouth and nose, quickly heading towards the woods ahead.

The thin mist in the forest seemed to have been switched on, quickly rising and becoming thicker, spreading outwards and soon enveloping Chen Yang and Bashe.

In just a short while, it became so dark that you couldn't see your hand in front of your face.

"Senior, you wouldn't have let the tiger return to the mountain, would you?" Chen Yang asked.

The creature that just flew out of the Bashe's body was the same Mist Spirit from last night. If we just let it out like this, what if it escapes?

"Don't worry, it can't escape."

Bashe was confident, "You've only ever heard of releasing a tiger back into the mountains, haven't you ever heard of becoming an accomplice to a tiger?"

"Oh?" Chen Yang looked surprised.

Bashe said, "Once this thing rolled around in my belly, it was enslaved by me and could only become my appendage. Whatever I tell it to do, it has to do..."

Chen Yang was clearly surprised upon hearing this.

This serpent has such abilities?

"So, when you asked me for the Mist Spirit last night, was it also to explore this forest?" Chen Yang asked.

"That's part of the reason."

Bashe didn't deny it either, "Who wouldn't be tempted by the Mountain Lord's Cave? Maybe they can find a way to break the curse seal within me..."

……

After a while, a cloud of gray mist emerged from the thick fog ahead and quickly arrived in front of the Bashe. The Bashe opened its mouth and quickly sucked it into its belly.

At the same time, the thick fog around them quickly dissipated, and in a few breaths, the scene of the forest shrouded in mist returned to normal.

That's truly amazing.

Chen Yang asked, "Senior, how is it?"

The Bashe had its eyes closed, seemingly communicating with the Mist Spirit.

A moment later, it opened its eyes, its expression somewhat grave. "I was too naive. Although the Mist Spirit is an elf born from the mist, the maze in this area is governed by laws, and it has no way to deal with it..."

"This……"

Upon hearing this, Chen Yang's expression became much more serious.

Before this, Chen Yang had communicated with Wu Ling, and Wu Ling had pointed out several suspicious areas to Chen Yang.

This area shrouded in mist is one of them.

In other words, the Mist Spirit had been to this area before, and it was only because it was helpless that it found this place suspicious.

As for other suspicious areas, with the old native Bashe around, they have already been ruled out by default.

If, as legend has it, the cave dwelling of Ye Huai'an, the ninth generation mountain lord of Shushan, is indeed located on Dong'e Mountain, then without a doubt, this place is the most likely suspect.

However, this area is indeed very large, and it will be difficult to find the cave without figuring out this maze.

"Senior, why don't we go in and try it ourselves?" Chen Yang said.

Whether it's a mule or a horse, you have to take it out for a spin to see.

How can you know if this maze is really that amazing if you don't experience it for yourself?

"Ah."

Without a word, Bashe and Chen Yang, one on the left and one on the right, quickly entered the forest ahead.

Inside the forest, the maze seemed to possess some kind of intelligent sensing; the moment they entered, the white mist that had just dissipated immediately rose again.

Soon it was pitch black again.

Chen Yang tried using his primordial spirit and mental power to detect, and sure enough, it was suppressed by a mysterious force, and he could only detect a range of about ten meters around him.

Even radar detection was interfered with by a mysterious force, and the transmitted images could not be clearly formed, consisting only of dense static.

Chen Yang opened his Heavenly Eye, and everything around him was a blinding white, like he had cataracts. If it weren't for his primordial spirit being able to perceive a distance of more than ten meters around him, he would have had to feel his way around to get there. The ground was wet, the forest was very humid, and it was covered with dense weeds, making it difficult to walk without sinking into the mud.

Within sight, all was a vast expanse of white, as if I had entered a chaotic world, and I couldn't distinguish front from back, left from right.

Fortunately, Chen Yang could still sense the presence of the Bashe. He followed closely behind the Bashe, the man and the snake focused on the road ahead and kept walking forward.

It took about five minutes to walk.

Both the man and the snake suddenly stopped.

The thick fog around him quickly dissipated, and the detection range of his primordial spirit suddenly expanded. Chen Yang was slightly pleased, thinking that he had already crossed the range of the maze.

However, when the surrounding white mist dissipated and Chen Yang could see the situation clearly, his smile froze on his face.

A familiar place, a familiar location.

It was the exact spot they had just been in.

Looking back, it was still the same grove of trees, shrouded in mist, looking exactly the same as before.

Chen Yang was completely stunned.

Although Bashe had mentioned it before, Chen Yang only truly understood the power of the forest maze after experiencing it firsthand.

They had just chosen a direction and walked straight ahead, but this maze led them out without them even realizing it.

They didn't even know when they turned around.

"See, what did I tell you? This maze is really bizarre."

Bashe smiled bitterly, "If my third eye hadn't been destroyed, it could have pierced through some of the power of laws, but I've tried before, and I still can't break through this maze..."

"I will try again."

Chen Yang hesitated for a moment, unwilling to believe such a superstition.

"Go."

Bashe shook its head. It had thought that with the help of the Mist Spirit, it would be able to break through the maze, but in fact, even the Mist Spirit could not escape the restrictions of the laws within the maze.

The being who left behind the maze seemed to have no intention of letting anyone in.

Chen Yang did not rush to act. Instead, he opened the insect seed bag and released thousands of bone-eating beetles to let the swarm explore.

No matter how powerful the maze is, I have enough bugs, surely one or two of them can penetrate it, right?
"Buzzing..."

The swarm of insects flew into the forest in overwhelming numbers.

The white mist quickly rose again in the forest, and the swarm of insects explored in different directions.

Time passed second by second, and less than ten minutes had gone by.

The thick fog rippled, and a buzzing sound came from within it.

Before long, bone-eating beetles flew out of the mist.

One by one, more and more insects flew out. Before long, all the insects that had just entered the forest flew out.

Not one was missed; they all came back.

Chen Yang's brows furrowed even deeper; the swarm had made no useful discoveries whatsoever.

They went forward and only ate bone-eating beetles, conducting a thorough, all-encompassing search, yet they still managed to find them all out in a daze.

They didn't even know how it came about.

Bashe said, "I've studied this place for many years, tried every method imaginable. The power of its laws is beyond our comprehension. If you could enter so easily, it would make me seem utterly incompetent..."

Chen Yang touched his forehead, looked up, and said, "I do have another method, but I don't know if it will work."

"Oh?"

Bashe turned to look at Chen Yang, curiously waiting for him to continue.

Chen Yang pointed to the top of the forest, "From there, we'll parachute directly into the center of the forest."

"Heh." Bashe laughed.

Chen Yang raised an eyebrow. "Senior thinks it's not good?"

Bashe shook his head. "It's not that it's impossible, it's just not very realistic. There's a barrier on this mountain, so you can't fly higher than three zhang. Look at the trees in this forest, there are plenty that are over three zhang tall. And the area blocked by the dense fog is definitely more than three zhang. Trying to parachute down to the center of gravity is simply unrealistic..."

The flight altitude cannot exceed three zhang, or ten meters, and a similar rule exists in Bei'e Mountain.

The laws are the laws, established by powerful beings at the Celestial Realm, and cannot be defied. Only if you also possess the power of the Celestial Realm can you possibly break the laws.

Chen Yang estimated it by sight and realized it was indeed difficult.

But how do you know it won't work if you don't try?

He immediately sent the swarm of insects flying into the air.

Sure enough, after flying only ten meters, it encountered a strange force that suppressed it and pulled it back. It was as if an air wall had appeared above it, making it impossible to go beyond the ten-meter distance from the ground.

Bashe shook his head at the sight.

When it stands upright, it is already tens of meters tall. With an additional ten-meter flight height, it can reach a height of sixty or seventy meters within the laws of nature. But even so, once it enters the forest, it will still be enveloped by dense fog and unable to distinguish directions.

The methods Chen Yang could think of were ones he had considered and tried over the past few hundred years, and were simply impossible.

At this point, Chen Yang, having failed in his efforts, had no choice but to recall the swarm.

He decided to go in and walk around in person again.

The Bashe didn't stop him; if Chen Yang could find a way in, it would be a good thing for him.

……

Thick fog rose again from the woods.

Chen Yang stood still, and after the thick fog rose, he did not move forward.

He sensed it carefully.

Indeed, even with ordinary methods, it is difficult to determine direction.

SS-level illusion immunity is completely useless in this environment.

This is a maze, a fog formation. The fog appearing in the formation is real and has nothing to do with illusions.

Moreover, even an illusion created by someone at the Celestial Realm level has already surpassed the SS-level category.

Chen Yang sorted out his thoughts.

Since it is a formation, there must be a way to break it.

The person who set up this maze was probably only trying to prevent unrelated people from disturbing them, not to kill them. There was no danger inside the formation, and those who entered were safely sent out by the power of the formation.

There was no danger, so Chen Yang wasn't in a hurry.

He released Mo Yuan from the Azure Pearl.

Mo Yuan has the ability to find treasures; perhaps we can use this ability to find the right direction.

Obscured by the thick fog, Mo Yuan was right at his feet, so much so that Chen Yang couldn't even see him with the naked eye.

After a brief explanation of the situation, Mo Yuan understood the predicament.

It sniffed the air, and its eyes shone with a golden light through the thick fog.

"Master, follow me."

It glanced around, seemed to have made some discovery, left Chen Yang with a message, and then walked on.

Chen Yang didn't say anything more and followed directly behind it.

One man and one rat, one in front and one behind, Chen Yang followed closely, his primordial spirit locking onto Mo Yuan's location, afraid of getting lost.

About ten minutes later, the surrounding fog thinned out again.

Has it been approved?

This rat's actions are truly extraordinary.

Chen Yang was overjoyed, but when the surrounding fog dissipated and what he saw before him once again plunged his heart into despair.

A huge, dark shadow was staring straight at them.

Who else could it be but Bashe?
It's the same location, the same place.

It wasn't approved; it was released again.

"How can this be?"

Mo Yuan also had an expression of existential doubt.

It clearly sensed a special aura and followed it here, so how did it come out of the forest?

(End of this chapter)