Sage Monarch - Chapter 18

Chapter 18

Hu… Hu…, so these are the Dark Corpse Mountains . ”

The next day, at noon, the sun scorched the earth . The continuous chirps of the cicadas in the forest made the blistering hot air feel even hotter .

The surging Yan River flowed out from a huge mountain range . This mountain range was pitch-black, serene and hidden in the distance . One could barely disconcern the dangerous mountain peaks . Tall trees blocked the sun, covering the ground with shadows . Ferocious beasts howled throughout the forests, intimidating all who approached .

wuu wuu wuu a terrible wind exited the mountain range . This wind could make a person feel cold from the inside out, raising goosebumps all over their skin .

One could occasionally see huge marine monsters with scaled claws bobbing up and down within the fast moving water of the Yan River’s source . These fiends could release their Qi from within the water . Each deep pool could drown numerous QiGong cultivators .

Yang Qi stood at the entrance to the “Dark Corpse Mountains . ” He couldn’t help but admire the exquisite and mystical beauty of nature’s creations .

The “Dark Corpse Mountains” was situated about 1000 Km from Yan Capital City . To reach the range, one had to go through many desolate regions . For an ordinary person it would take at least 10-15 days of hard trekking . But with Yang Qi’s QiGong cultivation, he only needed to madly rush for one day and night .

He sat down, cross-legged, to rest for a moment . He reached within his clothes, and fished out a cloth-wrapped bundle . It contained lots of [Qi Gathering Pills] . These pills were beautifully wrought, and had a bright green color . It was a medicine full of Qi, and even its smell could energize a person .

A long time ago, a saint in Feng Rao continent first manufactured this [Qi Gathering Pill] . If a person consumes this medicinal pill, it can help with their physical fitness and provides immunity . It increases the flow of Qi in one’s meridians and solidifies the foundation of their Qi . Consuming one pill would allow a person to forgo eating for one day .

The pill was made from a wide variety of drugs which had been mixed with the essence of sun and the moon . It also contained the spiritual essence of heaven and earth . As time passed, it became the currency of the Feng Rao continent, completely replacing the gold and silver used before .

People purchased all sorts of things with [Qi Gathering Pills]- weapons, armor, silk clothes, even slaves, treasured objects, …etc .

This medicinal pill was very convenient for many people . For example, Yang Qi was entering the Dark Corpse Mountains to kill Demonic Beasts . Since he brought these [Qi Gathering Pills], he didn’t need to bring along any cumbersome rations .

After swallowing a few [Qi Gathering Pills], Yang Qi started to circulate the QiGong in his body . His muscles and bones started to crackle like firecrackers, and the surrounding air was forced into a vortex, clearing the surrounding trees and plants of their leaves and flowers .

“I have ten days before the family gathering . I wonder how the mayor will deal with me… If I want to revive my family, I must challenge Lan and her brother and wash off the humiliation that I have suffered . Thus I must obtain absolute power! It would be great if I could break through to the seventh realm of QiGong in these mere 10 days . “

Woosh!

Yang Qi rushed into the dangerous Dark Corpse Mountains and activated his “Protective QiGong”, as he jumped from tree to tree . Within moments, he had entered the depths of the vast jungle .

He wished to breakthrough to the seventh tier, “Qi Imagination” realm as soon as possible . If he breaks through, his fighting strength will increase tenfold and he will be able to materialize his Qi as shapes . He should be able to fully use higher tier skills like [Devil’s Wings] and [Protection of the Dark God] . At this strength, even experts of the eighth realm wouldn’t be able to deal with Yang Qi .

[Devils Wings] was a skill that allowed him to materialize his Qi as wings . He would be able to freely glide in the air, almost guaranteeing him the ability to escape anyone who chased him . He couldn’t help but yearn for the sky when he thought of Yan Fie Xia’s [White Crane Wings] which allowed her to be unparalleled in the sky, agilely dodging arrows and attacks alike .

[Devil’s Wings]’ power and agility was definitely a level above that of the [White Crane’s Wings] . Even though [The Power of the Divine Elephant Suppressing Hell] was an extremely high level QiGong cultivation technique, he still couldn’t confirm the skill grade of [Devil’s Wings] .

[Protection of the Dark God] allows the user to become almost invincible and his strength would increase by leaps and bounds . This skill definitely wasn’t just for show .

Not only that, upon attaining seventh tier “Qi Imagination” realm, Yang Qi would possess many abilities such as flying and assimilating objects . If he could master it, his whole body would be filled with offensive attributes, giving many variations to his fighting method that would make his attacks more flexible .

Deep in the dense jungle, a cluster of very tall trees protruded into the sky, surrounding a clearing . The clearing was covered with sticks and dried leaves . This place gave off a dangerous aura and one could see the vague outline of a tyrannical Magical Beast .

Even for Yang Qi, who was travelling through the trees, it was very dangerous .

In a flash, Yang Qi passed through thousands of big trees, eventually entering the mountainous region . He stopped to rest after using one breath . But the moment he stopped, he was assaulted from his back by an unpleasant stench .

Immediately turning around, Yang Qi found a python with a body thicker than his waist opening its bloody mouth wide and biting in his direction . The overwhelming stench came from the mouth of the python . Its teeth flashed with a blue light, showing the venom that coated its teeth .

“Good chap . ”

In the blink of an eye, Yang Qi leapt to another tree, avoiding the attack .

What a ferocious python, its whole body was covered with exquisite ash grey scales . These scales appeared to be impervious to sword and spear, and its triangular eyes showed an uncanny intelligence . Seeing that Yang Qi had evaded its attack, the python opened its mouth once more but this time it was filled with Qi .

Pu!

The Qi was circulated and then condensed to form a poisonous bomb that was the size of an adult’s head . Then, just like an arrow released from a faraway bow, it shot towards yang Qi with lighting speed, the surroundings quaked as it emitted a buzzing drone .

Surprisingly, this QiGong contained powerful toxins . This python was able to communicate with spirits and had become a Magical Beast . Its QiGong vigor had far surpassed that of an ordinary person who had reached the fifth tier .

Due to their huge build after transforming, Magical Beasts could produce different types of QiGong cultivation . Some Magical Beasts’ Qigong was much more profound than those of humans, almost like an ancient inheritance that has been awakened .

It was said that a very long time ago, demons rampaged across the whole continent, while mankind was just a mere slave of the demon race . These demons were tyrannous beyond belief, and their power was so vast that they could move mountains or fill oceans . It was these demons who created what is known as QiGong cultivation today .

Later, mankind produced innumerable sages, allowing them to break the balance . The demons were gradually driven away and suppressed, allowing for the present day to come about .

However, it is said that in these mountains, magical beasts carry the remnants of ancient memories within their blood vessels . When these memories awaken, they naturally comprehend these varied kinds of QiGong cultivation .

Now, it was evident that this huge python was a Magical Beast that had awakened a trace of ancient memories in its blood .

“Bastard!”

When facing the bombardment of poison-grenades, Yang Qi bellowed . With a swipe of his hand, a massive wave of Qi surged out, repelling and shattering the poison-bombs .

The python immediately took fright, and there was astonishment within its eyes . Seeing that its opponent far surpassed itself, it promptly huddled its body, it fled to the tree; it still knew when to escape! It was as if its wisdom was not low, equivalent to that of a child of 10 years .

The python was startled, and there was even a little bit of fear within its eyes . Seeing that its opponent far surpassed its level, it promptly retreated, fleeing down the tree; it knew when to escape! Its intelligence wasn’t low at all; it could rival that of a 10-year-old child .

But the moment it fled, a spear made of Zhen Qi penetrated its body, impaling it upon the tree trunk . It died almost immediately .

Normally, a python like this would have tenacious vitality and it wouldn’t die from being nailed to a tree . It would struggle to free itself before gradually losing strength . However, the ridiculously overbearing [Dark God’s Spear] could kill the creature by just bruising it . Unlike the python that relied on poisonous gas, this weapon carried the power of hell allowing to directly destroy the soul of any living creature .

The moment the python was hit with the [Dark God’s Spear], its soul was destroyed .

After the python died, the Zhen Qi that made up the [Dark God’s Spear] scattered; dissipating into the air . The python’s body fell to the ground with a loud rumble, and several dried twigs and withered leaves flew in the air .

Yang Qi jumped down and looked at the python’s body . He began to condense Zhen Qi in his hand; his Qi condensed to become a sharp knife and he cut open the python’s body .

Soon, the python’s body skin was completely peeled . After a few moves, Yang Qi had been made it into a bag .

Yang Qi then extracted a dull blue colored crystal from within the python’s gall bladder . This crystal was known as a Demonic Core .

After a Demonic Beast cultivates to the Qi Exploding realm, a [Demonic Core] would be formed within their body . This contained the condensed essence of their QiGong cultivation .

A [Demonic Core], depending upon its grade, could be sold in the black market for a large amount of Qi-Gathering Pills .

Therefore, a lot of people go to the mountains to kill Demonic Beasts, as they could profit very nicely . For example, the Yang family conducted an Autumn hunt where the young disciples hunted for [Demonic Cores] . The disciple with the most cores would get a reward from the family .

During every Yang family Autumn Hunt, all could get millions of [Demonic Cores], and amass a great fortune . It was also a way to test the family’s disciples’ strength . It was like killing many birds with one stone .

Killing Demonic Beasts was like a walk in the park for Yang Qi, but he still collected their cores to earn money for his family, which was in trouble . But for others, killing this type of python would require many people joining hands to attack together, some may even get wounded during this effort . Yet Yang Qi didn’t need to spend any effort, he needed to use one attack to kill it .

Furthermore, Yang Qi discovered that this remarkable technique had a kind of natural restraint with regards to Demonic Beasts .

Under such circumstances, the speed at which Yang Qi killed Demonic Beasts was much faster than that of Qi Lords and 8th tier experts of the family .

After he killed the python and got its [Demonic Core], he immediately got up, and used his QiGong to protect his body . He scuttled up a tall tree and leapt up to its most distant part with his sense of sight and hearing at its full strength now .

All kinds of sounds were transmitted to his brain . It was as if a 3D view of the surroundings were launched in his mind .

“En! Not too far from here, there are approximately 10 [Silver-back Devil Wolves] . Is that the smell of fresh blood?”

His nose twitched .

He jumped down from the large tree, and dashed ahead and reached a spacious and empty zone within the forest . There he saw approximately 10 silver colored bodies of large wolves, their fur was like a mix of oil and water . They were gnawing on a couple of corpses .

Unexpectedly, those corpses were actually humans’ corpses . One could faintly make out the armor and weapons scattered on one side .

It was evident that these were adventurers like Yang Qi and had entered these mountains, only they had met with evil schemes of the [Silver-back Devil Wolves] .

[Silver-back Devil Wolf] was even more difficult to deal with, when compared to the python he had just fought . It was an impressive and well-known Demonic Beast . They traveled in a pack and were highly disciplined . They moved through the forest like the wind . Furthermore, after each wolf had matured, it could awaken their QiGong cultivation . They were extremely terrifying as their fur was even impervious to weapons . This fur was highly sought after and was worth a considerable amount .

If one ran into a pack of [Silver-back Devil Wolves] within the forest, then that was the beginning of tragedy . It was the same as offending a wealthy or aristocratic family in reality .

The intelligence of those wolves was not a bit inferior to that of humans . According to rumors, these wolves’ ancestors were the brilliant and famous demonic sages of historical times . The memory contained within their blood vessels was of extreme importance .

When Yang Qi reached this ground, the dozen or so heads that were gnawing upon the corpses perked up their ears and immediately turned their heads towards his direction .