Chapter 488: Encounter in the Mountains

Chapter 488: Chapter 488: Encounter in the Mountains

Along the way, aside from Ji Chen himself, there were countless cultivators heading towards the Purple Spirit Mountain Range.

Before long, a vast mountain range appeared before him.

The ancient trees in the mountains were tall and their branches and leaves were unusually lush, yet paradoxically, they all presented a withered appearance, as if their vitality had already completely drained away, leaving only empty husks.

This was the peril of the Purple Spirit Mountain Range.

It was said to be a true Life Forbidden Area.

Not only cultivators, but even the flora in the mountains found it difficult to survive there for long, as some unknown entity within the mountains absorbed all life force.

Ji Chen was well aware of this, so he wouldn’t risk venturing deep into the mountains; instead, he only planned to join in the bustle at the periphery.

"Top forces like the Turquoise Pool and the Purple Mansion have recently seen many powerful figures arriving and heading into the mountains. I wonder where the Immortal Masters who went ahead have reached by now? Could they have encountered some incident?"

"Figures of the Immortal Lord Level are the strongest of our time. If they truly face threats, they would likely not take risks, especially since they have Ancestral Artifacts with them."

Discussions like these reached Ji Chen’s ears.

His arrival did not alarm anyone.

Quietly, Ji Chen too began advancing toward the mountain’s interior.

"Buzz!"

As he stepped into the Purple Spirit Mountain Range, Ji Chen immediately sensed a strange aura surging from all directions, enveloping him.

Under the pressure of this aura, he felt his steps grew astonishingly heavy, as if he was carrying a massive mountain on his back.

The speed at which his life force was draining also accelerated, even more shockingly than in the Celestial Extinction Mountain Range before.

Fortunately, this rate of loss was still within what Ji Chen could accept.

He did not pause, continuing forward.

On this path, there were many cultivators.

Everyone wandered around the outskirts of the mountain, looking for some ordinary opportunities, with most people too afraid to venture too deeply for fear of accidents.

Of course, there were also those bold individuals venturing onward, set on acquiring the Demon Monarch’s inheritance, with a determination to never return without the Daoist Lineage, and it’s with the resolve to risk death that they came here.

"There are many battle scars, likely from cultivators who went ahead finding some opportunities, leading to conflicts."

Along the way, someone spoke, looking at these traces, showing they were not from a Demon Beast attack.

Moreover, with the forbidden power in the mountains being so overwhelming, even causing the flora to wither and struggle to survive, it was almost impossible for Demon Beasts to lay hidden there.

Soon, after walking nearly ten miles, someone saw some broken weapons on the ground.

After examination, an elder couldn’t help but exclaim, "It’s fragments of an Immortal Artifact! What on earth happened here that the fighting was so fierce even Immortal Weapons were destroyed!"

This discovery certainly made everyone much more cautious.

During this, Ji Chen maintained his solitary path, keeping a distance of more than ten feet from everyone else around him.

Clearly, everyone shared the same thought.

Unless entering the mountains with a companion, exchanges with others nearby were rare, as everyone was guarded against one another.

"Young friend, please halt."

After advancing some more, reaching about twenty miles into the mountains, suddenly, a person appeared before Ji Chen.

This was a middle-aged man who blocked Ji Chen’s path.

"What business do you have?"

Ji Chen narrowed his eyes, realizing that this person surely did not have good intentions.

"Young friend, are you Ji Chen?"

The middle-aged man inquired, with a cold gleam in his eyes, revealing a killing intent.

"Since you know, say what you want without wasting words." Ji Chen replied.

"What’s going on?"

The conversation here evidently drew the attention of cultivators who had gathered nearby.

Everyone cast their gazes over here.

"Is it the Hongmeng Body Ji Chen?"

"Isn’t he the lower realm genius who killed Xu Yan in Yanxian City?"

Many were surprised and couldn’t help but start discussing.

The series of events that had happened recently had made Ji Chen’s name increasingly well-known.

Many were seeing him in person for the first time.

"Even though it has nothing to do with me that you killed Xu Yan, if I take your head, I will receive an Immortal Format from the Profound Celestial Pavilion. I have spent considerable effort looking for you during this time. Now that I encounter you here, it seems it’s just your bad luck."

The middle-aged man sneered, his deep eyes filled with endless killing intent.

As Ji Chen had anticipated, this person came to kill him, aiming to earn an Immortal Format reward from the Profound Celestial Pavilion.

Upon hearing the middle-aged man’s words, Ji Chen couldn’t help but laugh, locking eyes with him, "Are you that confident you can kill me?"

Not out of arrogance, although still only at the Peak of the Reincarnation Realm Fourth Layer now, with various cards and methods, even ordinary Emperor Level figures were long no match against him.

And this middle-aged man before him, judging from his aura, was at most around the Sixth and Seventh Layer of the Reincarnation Realm.

Ji Chen could even kill Immortal Venerable Han’s Dao Body, so how could he fear this person before him?

"People have said you are arrogant by nature, and seeing you today, it seems true. With merely the strength of the Reincarnation Realm Fourth Layer, I would like to see how you will escape from under my hand."

The middle-aged man kept sneering, as during his words, a notable aura surged from him.

"Escape?"

Ji Chen scoffed, "I never said I would run, did I?"

"Do you perhaps believe yourself capable of opposing me?" The middle-aged man snorted coldly.

With the strength of the Reincarnation Realm Seventh Layer, he knew full well the immense gap between him and someone in the Reincarnation Realm Fourth Layer.

He had heard that Ji Chen indeed had some remarkable cards, but didn’t believe the latter could truly stand against him relying solely on those cards.

Most likely he was just putting on an act.

"Buzz!"

As his words fell, the middle-aged man’s eyes flashed with a sharp light, and he directly launched an attack.

In his hand was a Big Ring Saber, radiating a dazzling brilliance, sweeping with a horizontal slash.

The terrifying saber light tore through space, carrying a frightening power of the Dao, and fiercely slashed towards Ji Chen.

"Overestimating yourself!"

Ji Chen snorted coldly, utterly fearless. Facing the middle-aged man’s attack, he not only didn’t retreat but actively engaged forward.

"Buzz!"

With two fingers together, he pointed forward, urging the Great Dao Sword Intent to its extreme.

A terrifying sword aura shone, and the dreadful sword momentum shrouded the whole area in an instant.

"Crack!"

As the sword aura and saber light collided, both directly shattered, with neither gaining the upper hand.

"Swish!"

Meanwhile, Ji Chen’s body transformed into an afterimage, disappearing from the original spot and reappearing before the middle-aged man.

"Die!"

The cold voice came from Ji Chen’s mouth.

He launched another finger attack, with a terrifying law aura swirling at his fingertip. Besides the Great Dao Sword Intent, he simultaneously urged multiple laws’ powers, integrating them into this attack, pointing towards the middle-aged man’s chest.