Chapter 394 - 164: Disturbance in the Mountains, Li Xinggang! The Toad Peeks Out
A Feathered Strike could traverse thirty thousand li across the void. The ripples from their collision spread to an unknown distance.
The violent shockwaves from the battle within the Sealed Space, though diminished to less than one ten-thousandth of their original strength by the time they reached the outside, were still discovered by certain observant individuals.
...
A stretch of wilderness in Dinghuang Prefecture, Ling Province.
The forests here were dense and lush, teeming with wild beasts. The mountains were tall and vast, forming a long, unbroken range.
Hunters and Medicine Gatherers from the nearby villages often entered the mountains to hunt and gather herbs.
Especially after the new laws were implemented, the Celestial Patrol Bureau wiped out the Demon Ghosts that lurked here, and even more people began to frequent the area.
CLIP-CLOP-CLOP!
Chen Shaoyou arrived on horseback, trotting along the official road at a leisurely pace.
The implementation of the new laws wasn’t just about legislation; it had a profound influence on all life within the realm.
This influence was top-down, affecting everything from official administration and criminal penalties to water management, transportation, and even all major travel arteries.
This official road, while not particularly smooth—kicking up a fair bit of dust as he rode—was still a vast improvement over the old dirt paths.
After leaving home without his family’s knowledge, Chen Shaoyou had come here and had been scouring the area for a month.
He cultivated by night and wandered the vicinity by day, searching for traces of the Great Demon’s descendant.
’This Frog Head Mountain isn’t exactly a famous scenic spot, but since it covers such a vast area, spanning three Great Provinces, it wasn’t hard to find.’
’But who would ever know that this is the head of a Great Demon Ghost?’
Chen Shaoyou rode onward, musing to himself.
Even with his level of Cultivation, it had taken him a full month just to traverse the side of Frog Head Mountain closest to Ling Province. It was a testament to just how massive the mountain truly was.
And according to the legends he knew, such a colossal mountain peak was actually the head of a Great Demon...
Even though he knew the fearsome reputation of the Seven Heroes and Three Li, he couldn’t help but be shaken.
No wonder that in a future era teeming with brilliant talents, the name of the Seven Heroes and Three Li could stop a child from crying and strike fear into the hearts of countless Feathered, Spirit Immortals, and even the titans of the Celestial Destiny Realm.
An existence with such a colossal body and terrifying strength—and on top of that, it was immortal and indestructible.
’Even the most powerful person would have to be afraid, right?’
No wonder that back then, someone as powerful as the Elder Celestial Master could only seal it away, not destroy it completely.
As he thought about it, a fervent heat rose in his chest.
If he could really obtain the bloodline descendant of one of the Seven Heroes and Three Li, the benefits he would gain would be simply immeasurable!
’Unfortunately, the legend is too vague. I only know that it’s supposed to happen around this time.’
’But whether it’s this year, next year, or even three to five years from now, I have no way of knowing for sure.’
Chen Shaoyou sighed.
Legends, after all, weren’t specific records. Who could remember something that happened tens of thousands of years ago, unless it was related to the Elder Celestial Master?
Let alone pinpointing the exact time.
He was lucky the mountain was so famous; otherwise, he wouldn’t have even been able to find it.
But that was all the help he had.
The legendary account of the event...
...was summed up in a single line: "A farmer in Frog Head Mountain found a descendant of Toad Wrath and received great fortune."
"Huh?"
Suddenly, a thought struck him, and he halted his horse.
Looking up, he heard faint sounds carrying from the other end of the official road. Several hundred zhang away, he could vaguely make out a group of figures approaching.
’Medicine Gatherers heading into the mountains?’
At that thought, Chen Shaoyou focused his gaze and saw them clearly: a group of Medicine Gatherers carrying herb baskets on their backs.
You make a living with what’s around you. Frog Head Mountain was full of medicinal herbs, including some rare and valuable ones.
Although incidents of wild beasts and poisonous miasma harming people occurred from time to time, it wasn’t enough to deter the nearby villagers.
It had been this way for many years, and even more so after the new laws were implemented and the evil spirits in the mountains were eradicated.
But it was now late autumn. Before the mountain beasts went into hibernation, everything from jackals, wolves, tigers, and leopards to venomous snakes and bears would be looking to store up "food."
Unless one was either excessively greedy or suffering from extreme hardship, no one would choose to enter the mountains at this time.
After all, the risks were too great.
As they drew closer, he could see them more clearly.
They were the most ordinary of Medicine Gatherers, travel-worn and dusty. There were old and young among them; the eldest was about fifty or sixty, while the youngest was no more than eleven or twelve.
Judging by their accents, they seemed to be farmers from a nearby village.
When these people saw Chen Shaoyou on his tall, red horse, dressed in fine clothes, they all subconsciously shrank back.
Chen Shaoyou hadn’t paid them much mind at first, but as his gaze swept over them, his heart skipped a beat.
The dozen or so people in the group all had a black mist shrouding the space between their eyebrows, a sign of impending disaster.
Only one of them, a rather simple and honest-looking middle-aged man, showed a sign of good fortune.
’Now this is interesting.’
As the group moved to avoid him and prepared to enter the mountain, Chen Shaoyou called out to them:
"Friends, are you heading into the mountain to gather herbs?"
"Ah?"
The group of Medicine Gatherers was already somewhat in awe of a nobleman like Chen Shaoyou and didn’t want to get too close.
So when he spoke, they were all taken aback.
A slightly older Medicine Gatherer, after snapping out of it, quickly bowed and scraped, saying:
"You are correct, Young Master. We are Medicine Gatherers from a nearby village."
Chen Shaoyou dismounted, holding the reins, and said with a smile:
"My name is Chen Shaoyou. I’m from Dingyang Prefecture. I’ve come to Frog Head Mountain because someone in my family is gravely ill, and I’m in urgent need of a rare Treasure Medicine to cure them."