I'm in Yellow Maple Valley, and I have one equipment slot!

Chapter 352 The True Core Area of ​​Kunwu! Encountering the Lion Beast!

Zhou Yuan flew upwards along the seemingly endless white steps for a distance, when he suddenly sensed several whooshing sounds coming from behind him.

He looked back and saw that the dozen or so Nascent Soul cultivators, led by Hua Tianqi, were also using their own methods to hurriedly catch up.

"Fellow Daoist Zhou—"

Hua Tianqi caught up a few steps, keeping a distance that was neither too close nor too far from Zhou Yuan. He forced a smile on his face and politely cupped his hands in greeting.

The remaining dozen or so Nascent Soul cultivators also cast respectful and obsequious glances at Zhou Yuan, bowing in greeting.

As Hua Tianqi flew away, he took the initiative to speak, saying, "Fellow Daoist Zhou, if I am not mistaken, this place should be the legendary ancient divine mountain of our Great Jin cultivation world—Mount Kunwu! I never imagined that this mountain would actually exist, and even be sealed underground in this southern border region!"

He paused, a mixture of solemnity and greed on his face, and continued, "I don't know who broke this seal, but anyone capable of breaking the seal of Kunwu Mountain must be someone of great power and extraordinary abilities!"

"We're basically just following behind and reaping the benefits. In order to better deal with the unknown dangers in these mountains and to contend with the first group to enter, I dare to invite Fellow Daoist Zhou to join forces with us to seize the treasures of this mountain! What do you think, Fellow Daoist Zhou?"

As soon as Hua Tianqi said this, the dozen or so Nascent Soul cultivators behind him looked at Zhou Yuan with anticipation.

If we could form an alliance with this fearsome figure who has shaken the Great Jin Dynasty, the safety factor in the perilous Kunwu Mountain would undoubtedly be greatly improved, and the chances of seizing treasures would also increase significantly!

However, Zhou Yuan shook his head without hesitation.

It wasn't that he looked down on these people, but rather that he was used to being alone, disliked teaming up with others, and didn't want to be burdened.

However, one shouldn't hit a smiling face, and he didn't want to offend so many people for no reason, so he politely declined in a calm tone: "Thank you for your kindness, Fellow Daoist Hua. However, I am used to traveling alone and do not like to travel with others. Fellow Daoists, please make yourselves at home."

Having said that, he said no more, cupped his hands in a respectful gesture to the crowd, and said calmly, "Gentlemen, I, Zhou, will take my leave now!"

Before he finished speaking, the Wind and Thunder Wings on his back flashed with azure light, and his speed suddenly increased. He moved along the white steps, transforming into a pale golden streak of light, and disappeared into the swirling white mist in front of him in a few flashes.

Hua Tianqi watched Zhou Yuan's disappearing figure, a hint of disappointment on his face, but he dared not say anything more.

He could only shake his head helplessly and said to the group behind him, "Let's go! We'll follow! Although Fellow Daoist Zhou is unwilling to join forces with us, there are many of us. As long as we are careful, we might be able to get a share!"

After saying that, he led four Nascent Soul elders from the Poison Saint Sect, along with six other Nascent Soul cultivators, a total of more than ten people, and hurriedly went up the steps to catch up, afraid of missing some treasure.

Meanwhile, the Ye family's team had already taken several days' lead over Zhou Yuan and his group, penetrating deeper into the core area of ​​Kunwu Mountain.

Just recently, they had forced their way through several grand halls guarded by countless ancient puppets. Those puppets were fearless and numerous, causing considerable trouble for the Ye family's forces.

In the end, the eldest elder of the Ye family personally took action, located the central control point of the puppets, and destroyed it, finally stopping the endless puppets from operating.

At this moment, the Ye family members who had passed through the main hall had arrived at a steeper set of steps behind the main hall.

From here, we are not far from the true heart of Kunwu Mountain.

In the Ye family's group, besides the Second Elder Ye Tianhua and the big-headed weirdo Ye Yuesheng, there was also a figure with a deep and unfathomable aura, who was none other than the Ye family's First Elder—Ye Tianshi!

It turns out that the true cultivation level of this Elder Ye was actually at the late Nascent Soul stage!

He had been using a powerful treasure to conceal his cultivation level at the peak of the mid-stage Nascent Soul realm, thus deceiving everyone!

Otherwise, if the sects of both the righteous and demonic paths were to learn of his true cultivation level, they would probably try to curb the development of the Ye family.

Now, there's also Hazuki Sei, the big-headed monster who faked his death years ago.

This Ye family team actually has two Nascent Soul stage cultivators in charge!

Such a lineup is enough to make any force tremble!

However, at this moment, the faces of the Ye family members did not show any joy, but rather a sense of solemnity and irritation.

"Elder, Seventh Uncle, that damned flying corpse is following us everywhere, like a persistent ghost! It's putting us at a disadvantage!"

Second Elder Ye Tianhua frowned and complained to Ye Tianshi and Ye Yuesheng.

A few days ago, shortly after they entered Kunwu Mountain, they were attacked by a level 10 demon beast called "Lion Beast".

That beast was incredibly strong and fast, causing considerable trouble for the Ye family's team.

Two people were even injured by the demonic bird, and their situation was once very critical.

Fortunately, Elder Ye Tianshi promptly unleashed the Ye family's treasured "Black Blood Blade," severely injuring the lion-beast's right leg with a single strike, thus frightening it into retreat.

However, one wave has not settled, and one wave has risen again.

Just a day earlier, they discovered that a rare "Silver-winged Yaksha" flying corpse had silently followed them.

This Silver-Winged Yaksha's strength has also reached the late Nascent Soul stage!

Moreover, this creature's wind and earth escape techniques are exceptional; it moves like the wind and appears and disappears unpredictably.

In a one-on-one fight, even a typical late-stage Nascent Soul cultivator would probably be no match for him.

However, it lingered at a distance from the Ye family's group, neither attacking nor leaving, like a patient hunter waiting for its prey to make a mistake.

If you chase it, it will run away immediately, making it impossible for you to catch it;

As soon as you stop, it quietly follows you again.

With such a terrifying late-stage Nascent Soul flying corpse following behind, the elders and disciples in the early and middle stages of the Nascent Soul realm in the Ye family's team all felt a chill run down their spines.

If it weren't for the presence of two late-stage Nascent Soul cultivators, Ye Tianshi and Ye Yuesheng, the team would probably have collapsed from fear long ago.

"Ignore that flying corpse!"

Ye Tianshi's gaze was cold as he said in a deep voice, "With so many of us, as long as we don't split up, it won't dare to make a move easily!"

The most urgent task is to find those two heaven-reaching spiritual treasures as soon as possible! Once we have the treasures, a mere flying corpse is nothing to fear!

He reassured everyone and then continued leading the team forward.

However, after walking for a while, they discovered that the section of road ahead was under an extremely powerful no-fly zone!

Regardless of their cultivation level, they could no longer fly and could only walk forward obediently.

After walking for a while, the view suddenly opened up, revealing a large, undulating stone staircase with more than a dozen different sizes.

They lead to different directions up the mountain.

In the distance of each stone step, the same white mist swirled.

It was impossible to tell where the end led.

At the intersection of all the stone steps was an extremely large white jade plaza, only a few miles away from them.

The Ye family quickened their pace and arrived at the white jade plaza. This plaza was a hundred acres in size, and the ground was entirely paved with the finest, crystal-clear white jade, as smooth as a mirror.

Around the square stood towering white jade pillars, each ten feet tall, carved with lifelike and vivid depictions of rare mythical beasts and birds.

In front of the stone steps extending from the square, there stands a tall jade tablet at each point.

The stone tablet is inscribed with mysterious place names such as "Jinshi Pavilion", "Xiangyun Hall", "Qiling Academy", "Zhenmo Tower", "Kunwu Hall", and "Zhuling Hall" in ancient seal script.

Upon seeing the words on these jade tablets, the Ye family members were immediately excited!

They knew that further up lay the true core area of ​​Kunwu Mountain!

Those legendary treasures are hidden in those palaces and pavilions!

However, with so many paths to choose from, they have to make a decision.

"It seems we'll have to split up."

Ye Tianshi gazed at the dozen or so stone steps leading in different directions and pondered, "The self-destruction of the illusion array outside, while blocking the entrance, can only buy us a few days. We can't put all our eggs in one basket. If we explore everything at once, one path at a time, we'll probably only be able to explore one or two places in a few days. Once the powerful figures from all over the Great Jin Dynasty flood into Kunwu Mountain, it will be very difficult for us to seize any more treasures!"

After an emergency discussion, the Ye family decided to split the team into three groups to explore three routes that were most likely to contain the treasure.

The first route: led by Elder Ye Tianshi himself, along with several other Ye family elders at the early Nascent Soul stage, headed towards the stone steps inscribed with the jade tablet of "Kunwu Palace".

Kunwu Hall, as its name suggests, is likely the core main hall of Kunwu Mountain, and most likely houses the Heavenly Treasure!

The second route: led by the big-headed monster Hazuki Sei, along with two elders at the early Nascent Soul stage, headed to the stone steps inscribed with the jade tablet of "Demon Suppression Tower".

The Demon Suppression Tower, as the name suggests, is a place of suppression and sealing. Although dangerous, it may also contain great treasures!

The third route, led by the Second Elder Ye Tianhua, proceeds to the stone steps inscribed with the jade tablet of "Lingbao Pavilion".

Lingbao Pavilion, as the name suggests, is a place to store treasures, so it's definitely not to be missed!

The three groups of people had reached a decision and, without further hesitation, each chose a stone staircase and hurriedly went up.

As for Zhou Yuan, because of his extremely fast escape speed, and because most of the restrictions along the way had already been broken or weakened by the Ye family cultivators who arrived earlier, he encountered almost no significant obstacles.

In just one day, he caught up with the Ye family cultivators and brought them to the vicinity of the white jade square where they had previously stayed.

However, the Ye family cultivators had indeed left a backup plan on the only way to Baiyu Square.

They used a precious array plate to set up a powerful array combining trapping and illusion here, in an attempt to slow down the arrival of those who came later.

Ahead, where there should have been a passageway, a dense purple bamboo forest appeared.

Above the bamboo forest, a dense purple glow filled the air, obscuring the view of the forest's depths. Divine senses that ventured into the forest were distorted and isolated, clearly indicating a sophisticated combination of illusion and trapping formations.

Zhou Yuan raised his hand and unleashed a massive golden sword light, several dozen feet long, that shot into the bamboo forest.

A buzzing sound emanated from the purple bamboo forest, and seven beams of purple light suddenly shot into the sky from various parts of the forest.

Then, the purple aura in the bamboo forest seemed to come alive, transforming into purple waves that instantly blocked the golden giant sword.

Before long, the golden sword light was completely destroyed by the purple wave defense.

"Hehe, the Ye family is really cautious. They even brought out a formation like the Seven Stars Purple Star Formation, which requires a complete set of formation plates to set up."

Zhou Yuan recognized the origin of this formation at a glance.

He smiled slightly, showing no sign of worry.

Along the way, he had already seen several formations set up by the Ye family, such as the "Ice and Flame Dual-Pole Formation" he had encountered on the road. These could only be set up so quickly after being refined into formation plates.

It's important to understand that crafting a large array into a portable array plate that can be set up instantly requires several times the materials and effort of ordinary array setup methods!

This also shows just how much the Ye family paid and how long they planned for this treasure hunt in Kunwu Mountain!

Zhou Yuan had no interest in slowly deciphering the Purple Star Seven Star Formation.

He gently patted the spirit beast pouch at his waist.

"Little Purple!"

A purple light flashed out and landed on his shoulder.

On Xiao Zi's pair of crystal-clear purple horns, spatial ripples flickered slightly.

The next moment, a crack silently appeared in the space in front of them.

Zhou Yuan, carrying Xiao Zi, stepped into the spatial rift.

The next moment, he appeared behind the Purple Star Seven Star Array, on the huge white jade square!

However, just as he set foot on solid ground and before he could even take a good look at the square, an extremely fierce and violent aura suddenly erupted from not far in front of him like a whirlwind!

"roar!!!"

A deafening roar, seemingly capable of tearing apart the soul, rang out!

A gigantic bird, dozens of feet in size, with a lion's head, an eagle's body, and four huge wings on its back, suddenly appeared out of thin air dozens of feet in front of Zhou Yuan!

Its eyes, as big as copper bells, flashed with a cruel and wary light as it stared intently at Zhou Yuan!

It was the same level 10 demon beast that the Ye family's eldest elder had previously defeated with the Black Blood Blade—the Lion Beast!

It did not leave, but lurked near the white jade square, seemingly guarding something, or perhaps waiting for new prey to come to it!

"A level ten demon beast—" Zhou Yuan looked at the giant beast in front of him, whose aura was fierce and whose strength was comparable to that of a human Nascent Soul cultivator in the late stage. Instead of fear, his eyes shone with a light as if he had seen a treasure!

"Tsk tsk, a level ten demonic beast, every part of it is a treasure! Especially this lion-like beast with the bloodline of an ancient mythical beast, if we could capture it and make it a guardian spirit beast for our sect, that would be a good choice!"

Zhou Yuan looked the lion-beast up and down, as if he were examining a precious commodity.

These spirit beasts, along with those two heaven-reaching spiritual treasures, were Zhou Yuan's ultimate purpose in coming to Kunwu Mountain.