Upon several black mountain bodies, the dilapidated halls were extremely ancient. According to what the Black Emperor said, these were the architectural styles from over a hundred thousand years ago — vastly different from those of the present age.

It was obvious that those ancient halls all had Dao markings carved into them. Otherwise, even divine iron would have long since decayed and could not have existed this long.

They very much wanted to climb the mountains to take a look, but Xiao Nannan said that the mountains were covered in black markings without a single golden line — banded black mist everywhere.

The Great Black Dog shivered, saying: “Without golden paths of life, that place is certainly a land of certain death. We absolutely must not approach!”

They observed from a great distance. Four mountain peaks in total bore ancient structures, and on those mountains there were medicinal fields, planted with many medicinal herbs.

“Medicinal fragrance — do you smell it? Intense medicinal fragrance — it is from things that are over ten thousand years old!”

“Outside, it is difficult to find even a medicinal herb of a few thousand years. Here there are herbs that have surpassed ten thousand years of growth!”

Tu Fei, Li Heishui, and the others could no longer move their feet forward. They craned their necks, staring at the medicinal fields on the black mountain bodies. The rich medicinal fragrance was drifting from there.

Undying divine medicines are finite throughout heaven and earth — there are only a few. But other rare and precious spiritual medicines can be cultivated on a large scale and are not unique.

This place had been virtually inaccessible to anyone since the Desolate Age. Those spiritual medicines had been growing for an unknown number of tens of thousands of years — withering and flourishing in turn — all were supreme rare treasures.

“If we don’t climb to the mountaintop or go near those buildings — just picking a few supremely rare spiritual medicines — there shouldn’t be any major problems, should there?” Even Pang Bo was starting to lose his resolve.

The four low black mountains each had a medicinal field at their mid-slopes, clearly cultivated by human hands. None were very large, but the medicinal fragrance was thick and overpowering.

“Nannan, look carefully — are there any golden markings around the medicinal fields?” Ye Fan said softly.

“Only one or two, and none of them reach into the medicinal fields — there’s even a stretch of distance between.” Xiao Nannan replied innocently.

“Let’s move forward and have a look. If anything seems wrong, we retreat at once!” Ye Fan made this decision.

They selected the third low mountain — it had one more golden marking than the others, and the medicinal field was farther from the structures at the summit.

Everyone advanced, eventually arriving at the foot of the mountain. Tension was high. The medicinal fields were full of supreme rare herbs. If they could pick a dozen or so, they could absolutely refine unrivaled sacred elixirs.

Herbs of ten thousand years or more — once refined into pills, they would have the power to restore the dead to life and regrow white bones. They could rival the Taixuan Sect’s Nine-Aperture玲珑 Pill in value, worth immeasurably — sacred objects capable of saving lives.

“Bones of the dead…”

Barely arriving at the foot of the mountain, they discovered white skeletons — snow-white and crystalline in the grass. One look told them these had been supreme experts. Within moments they had found more than a dozen.

“Most of these were likely the old Holy Masters who had nearly exhausted their lifespans and walked into life forbidden zones in their final years!”

Soon, they confirmed the identities of some. There were jade pendants from immortal dynasties of the Central Province; several were supreme among Holy Masters — yet all had perished in this place.

“Something is wrong. How did these people die at the foot of the mountain? There is something strange here — retreat immediately!” Ye Fan was the first to fall back, holding Xiao Nannan.

These were all supreme figures who had nearly made it to the medicinal field. Why had they all died here without picking a single herb?

They quickly pulled back, retreating a distance. Everyone felt a headache coming on, as if the blood throughout their bodies was about to ignite.

“Deadly poison — that medicinal field contains not only herbs of over ten thousand years, but also something with lethal poison capable of killing supreme experts!” The Black Emperor cried out in alarm.

Everyone’s faces turned pale. Their entire bodies went limp, nearly crumpling to the ground. Their muscles felt as if they were splitting apart, their bones as if they were about to snap.

“We won’t die. Not long ago we consumed the sacred fruit of the ancient forbidden land — that medicinal power can neutralize ten thousand poisons.” The Black Emperor gritted its teeth, urging everyone to hold on.

Ye Fan and Xiao Nannan were both unaffected. Pang Bo’s poisoning symptoms were also relatively mild and were not a major concern.

“Each take one Dao Comprehension Tea leaf in your mouth — that also neutralizes poison!”

Afterward, Ye Fan took out the divine spring and had everyone drink a great deal, and after each person also swallowed one Dao Comprehension Tea leaf, everyone recovered.

“Even supreme Holy Masters can be poisoned to death here. If we hadn’t consumed Undying divine medicine, we would all have died suddenly in this place today.” They felt lingering fear. In the Undying Mountain Range, every step brought a new shock.

They stood not far from the mountain foot, gazing at the medicinal field halfway up the slope. It was lush and green, with all manner of herbal plants. There was no way of knowing which were lethally poisonous.

“A corpse!”

Pang Bo spotted a body seated cross-legged within the medicinal field. The entire form was dried and withered, yet with golden light flowing across it — not decomposed. The skin clung tightly to the bones, as if wearing a layer of golden garments.

“That’s a bald-headed figure — not a single hair — the flesh withered and shrunken, yet not rotted!” Li Heishui muttered.

Ye Fan’s heart jolted. “It is a monk from the Western Desert. His golden body remains undamaged — clearly this was an enlightened monk of the highest order!”

“This monk died at least ten thousand years ago. His strength far surpassed that of a Holy Master and was comparable to a peerless divine king of the present age.” The Black Emperor rendered this judgment.

“Even such a figure died up there — truly a ferocious place!”

“A supreme expert like this could not possibly have been poisoned to death — there are other unknown dangers above!” The Great Black Dog showed a grave expression, completely abandoning any thought of ascending to pick spiritual medicines.

“There’s also a severed head in the medicinal field…” Tu Fei was startled — he spotted a head with dried and withered skin and flesh as well.

It wore a purple-gold crown, with hair white as snow. The head looked as if it had been torn off — the severed area very uneven — lying quietly among the medicinal fields, a horrifying sight.

“Move quickly — we cannot linger here!” Ye Fan did not let Xiao Nannan look, fearing it would frighten the small girl.

They fell back quickly. In the course of doing so, they actually found four herbs of over ten thousand years growing among the wormwood grass. If not for the rich medicinal fragrance permeating the air, they would never have found them.

Tu Fei laughed heartily and went forward to pick them one by one. All four spiritual medicines radiated five-colored divine light, condensing powerful vitality — nurtured by heaven and earth’s spiritual essence. Each one glittered and shimmered.

“We’ve struck it rich — we can refine unrivaled sacred elixirs! Each one is worth a life!” Tu Fei’s big mouth nearly split open to his ears.

They surmised that these must have been seeds that fell from the medicinal field and took root and sprouted nearby. They were considering a thorough search of the area when suddenly a thunderous boom rang out from the ancient structures on the low mountain, nearly splitting their hearts open.

“There are living creatures in the ancient hall!”

They left without a backward glance, not daring to stay another moment. Even the golden-bodied old monk and the old Daoist priest had both died in the medicinal field — that place was absolutely a land of great ill omen.

Boom… boom…

From behind, it was as if a divine drum was being beaten. The sounds were deep and muffled. Each one made their blood circulate faster, the blood vessels within their bodies nearly bursting.

“Why does it feel like the heartbeat of a powerful creature?” The Black Emperor was alarmed, saying: “If this truly is a heartbeat, it matches the vigorous life force of an ancient royal bloodline.”

Like the Ancient Dao Comprehension Tree, they were frightened into a full sprint, not looking back even once. Only after crossing over more than a dozen black mountain ridges did they slow their pace.

“This approach isn’t working — we are step by step drawing closer to the central zone of the Undying Mountain!” Pang Bo said gravely.

“Throw yourself into mortal danger and live — according to the layout of these Dao markings, there should be a path of life to leave the Undying Mountain.” The Great Black Dog said with uncertainty.

After advancing another dozen or so li, they came upon a huge lake. Within it, a stone crocodile was thrashing about, churning the waves — a terrifying existence at first glance.

“How is there another stone fetus?!”

“I understand now…” The Black Emperor seemed to have realized something, saying: “There is no knowing how many supreme existences are in this Undying Mountain. But at least one is certainly a sage spirit — the Nine-Aperture stone man and this stone crocodile should both be its descendants!”

They made a wide detour around it — but the stone crocodile still spotted them. However, after fixing its gaze on Xiao Nannan, it sank back to the bottom of the lake and did not emerge again.

Everyone felt fortunate. If not for Xiao Nannan, this journey would have been certain death — there would have been no path of life whatsoever. Within the Undying Mountain, every step was a fatal ground. With their level of strength, they could not have gone far.

“An object from beyond the realm!” the Great Black Dog cried out, its large tongue lolling far out, its expression one of shock.

Just ahead, there lay a blue-gold disk. Its diameter must have been a hundred zhang across, lying among a heap of chaotic rocks — almost completely buried beneath enormous boulders. This was the divine object from beyond the realm that several Holy Masters had fought over. It had crashed and collapsed a cliff face and been buried beneath the rubble, glimmering with cool brilliance — mysterious and unfathomable.

“A divine object refined and tempered by an ancient sage — what a priceless treasure!”

“Don’t go over there. There isn’t a single golden marking — the whole area is completely engulfed in black light.” Xiao Nannan’s voice was soft.

“What — another place of certain death!” The Great Black Dog’s heart was filled with disappointment.

Ye Fan and Pang Bo were also helpless. No one wanted to go over and investigate more than they did — to see whether it was truly a divine object left by an ancient sage, or something of an extra-dimensional civilization.

In the end, they finally approached the central zone of the Undying Mountain. Twenty-seven great mountains soared into the clouds, black as ink, all wreathed in banded black mist, blocking the way ahead.

Each one was an emperor among great mountains — its aura pressing and suffocating. They stood towering and magnificent, radiating a terrifying breath unchanged since time immemorial.

Upon the black mountain bodies, though ancient trees soared to the heavens in lush profusion, they still inspired dread!

“Twenty-seven great mountains standing in the due-east direction — look, in every direction there is a row of great mountains standing side by side. If each is twenty-seven, then altogether there are a hundred and eight kings among mountains rising up, encircling the central territory of the Undying Mountain.”

What exactly was within the center of the Undying Mountain? Everyone was filled with intense curiosity — yet all were keenly aware that drawing too close would be certain death.

“Where is our path of life?” By now they were nearly in despair. If they advanced further, they would truly have to cross over these great mountains and enter the very heart of the central territory.

“Over there is a chessboard, filled with golden light…” Xiao Nannan pointed in her adorable way toward an ancient forest.

“A chessboard filled with golden light…” The Great Black Dog leaped up at once, saying: “This must be the Gate of Life left behind by the Void Great Emperor!”

Xiao Nannan pointed the way. They entered this primeval old forest and indeed found a great chessboard — crisscrossed with lines, carved full of Dao markings. But aside from the small girl, no one else could see the golden light.

“Wonderful — this must be the Gate of Life. We can slowly feel out the mechanism.” The Black Emperor was very excited. This had been engraved by a Great Emperor, exhausting the utmost extremes of heaven and earth in profound mystery. For it, this was a divine treasury.

The Great Black Dog crouched beside the chessboard and began to ponder deeply, while everyone else could make no sense of it and looked around in all directions.

“Trouble — something has emerged from the central zone of the Undying Mountain!” Li Heishui lowered his voice, his expression dramatically changing.

“There truly is something that has emerged!” Pang Bo was alarmed.

The twenty-seven great mountains stood in a row before them, blocking off the central zone. Demonic clouds swirled. A creature flew out from within — blurred at first, then piercing through the black mist and becoming suddenly clear.

“He has no head!” Ye Fan’s pupils contracted sharply. What he saw was impossible to believe.

It was a headless knight — clad in black iron armor, tall and powerful and martial, holding a black spear in hand, with a bearing that subdued heaven and earth. Yet there was no head. At his neck were smeared considerable amounts of blood.

Beneath him was a tall stone horse, shaking its head and swishing its tail, rearing up and letting out a long neigh — formidable and dreadful. The stone hooves were the size of large bowls. With each fall, they shattered the void.

For a headless knight to appear from within the Undying Mountain’s center was truly terrifying to one’s spirit. The one thing that brought some comfort was that he had not come toward them — he only moved among the twenty-seven great mountains.

“What on earth is at the center of the Undying Mountain, for something as terrifying as this to appear — with no head, yet still alive?!”

“His depths cannot be fathomed at all. But even that stone horse alone is already so terrifying — one can well imagine his level of strength!”

The headless knight was extremely fearsome. Though he was still over ten li away, the powerful aura he radiated could be clearly sensed, surging like a tide.

“Black Emperor, have you worked out the mechanism yet?” Ye Fan urged. If they could not leave quickly, and the headless knight discovered them, great calamity might be upon them.

He had emerged from within the Undying Mountain — what kind of existence he was could simply not be determined. Even with Xiao Nannan’s extraordinary origins, there was no certainty she could hold him down.

“Done — this Emperor has worked it out. These are formation markings left by an ancient Great Emperor. We can use them to traverse the void and leave.” The Great Black Dog said. It was overjoyed — not only could it escape this place, but it had also gained this formation engraving, which excited it enormously.

“Are you certain you’ve understood it clearly?” Ye Fan asked. He felt this dead dog handled things too unreliably. Every time it traversed the void, it drifted millions of li off course — he truly feared a major problem would arise here.

“Who is this Emperor? Have no worries!” the Great Black Dog said proudly. But in the end it showed some anxiety, saying: “However, to be safe, we can go one at a time. Who goes first?”

Hearing it say this, no one dared to respond. They truly had no confidence in it.

The Great Black Dog was very indignant, saying: “You really have that little faith in this Emperor?”

“Fine then, I’ll go first!” Pang Bo said.

“No — we go together.” Ye Fan stopped him.

Pang Bo smiled and said: “This dead dog has a point — one by one is more reliable. Don’t worry — we are all people of great fortune and resilience.”

The Great Black Dog was even more furious and enraged, saying: “How can you all have so little faith in me?!”

“I trust you. You must transmit Pang Bo to a safe place.” Ye Fan said.

“Rest easy — absolutely no problem. I’ll transmit him to Gazing-Sky City, which we just left not long ago.” The Great Black Dog had the air of one who had everything in hand.

It selected a position on the chessboard, then had Pang Bo stand on it, activated the Dao markings densely spread nearby, and with a flash of light, Pang Bo disappeared in an instant.

In his original position, a series of strange runes appeared, flickering without cease, profoundly mysterious.

Upon seeing this scene, the Great Black Dog gaped wide open, its tongue nearly dropping to the ground, and in a stutter and mumble quietly said: “What the hell — why did he get sent so ridiculously far? Something has gone wrong!”

Ye Fan sensed things had gone badly wrong and grabbed hold of it, saying: “Where did you transmit Pang Bo to?”

“Don’t be hasty. He wasn’t sent that far. In the future you’ll definitely be able to meet him again.” the Great Black Dog explained guiltily.

Hearing this, Ye Fan was even more certain — it must have been incredibly far. He held it and refused to let go, saying: “Tell me quickly — where exactly did you send Pang Bo?!”

“You needn’t worry — it’s very close. He only went to the western side of the Eastern Desolation.” The Great Black Dog explained.

“That’s still close? We are in the central region of the Eastern Desolation. You sent him to the western region — expecting him to fly back himself, it would take at minimum two or three years!” Ye Fan was furious.

“Cough…” The Great Black Dog dry-coughed, becoming even more guilty, and said: “You misunderstood — what I mean to say is, I accidentally… sent him to the western side of the Eastern Desolation, and, cough, to be precise… the Central Province.”

“Dead dog — I’ll kill you!” Ye Fan grabbed the Great Black Dog by the throat, fuming with rage.

Pang Bo had been transmitted to the Central Province. Expecting him to fly back on his own, it would take at minimum five or six years — and if he’d been sent far enough, possibly more than a decade.

“This dead dog is completely outrageous!” Tu Fei and Li Heishui were also dumbstruck, fuming with indignation.

“Let go!” The Great Black Dog struggled, though its confidence was clearly lacking. It knew it had caused trouble.

“You said you’d transmit to Gazing-Sky City in the central region of the Eastern Desolation — but it drifted all the way to the Central Province. Have you ever been this absurd?!” Ye Fan wanted to give it a good thrashing.

“Cough. Since ancient times the Central Province has been a place where outstanding talents gather and ancient legacies are inexhaustible. Pang Bo has obtained the Demon Emperor’s ancient scripture — what he lacks most right now is real-world tempering. His going to the Central Province is actually good for him.” The Great Black Dog argued with conviction.

“This dead dog is completely unreliable!” Li Heishui and Tu Fei were also consumed with anger.

“Whatever may be said, being able to transmit at all from within the Undying Mountain is cause for rejoicing!” The Great Black Dog grew bolder and bolder as it spoke. Then, as if remembering something, it let out a wail: “Disaster! Half the Dao Comprehension Tea is with him — more than fifty leaves!”

Ye Fan had handed the Divine God-Beating Whip to Pang Bo to use for picking the Dao Comprehension Tea leaves, and it was still in Pang Bo’s possession.

The Great Black Dog wailed in grief, filled with regret. Ye Fan, however, let out a long breath — Pang Bo had gone alone to the Central Province. With such divine objects in hand, he at least had some insurance.

“Divide up the Dao Comprehension divine tea leaves — divide them up quickly!” the Great Black Dog clamored.

On the Qilin seed in Ye Fan’s hand, there were also about fifty leaves. They divided them up on the spot: the Great Black Dog, Tu Fei, and Li Heishui each received a dozen or more.

“Who goes next?” the Great Black Dog asked.

“Beat me to death and I still won’t trust you!” Li Heishui and Tu Fei shook their heads in unison.

“If you won’t trust me, then you’re stuck in the Undying Mountain.” the Great Black Dog curled its lip.

In the end, Tu Fei steeled his courage and stepped forward, saying: “Dead dog — if you dare send me to the Central Province, I’ll come back and settle accounts with you!”

“Rest easy. That was just a mistake. This time, guaranteed no problems!” The Great Black Dog swore with utter conviction.

Tu Fei stood still, stepping onto the Dao markings, motionless.

The Black Emperor contemplated beside him for a moment, then activated the Dao markings, muttering to itself: “It won’t be that absurd this time, will it?”

Whoosh!

A flash of light — Tu Fei vanished. A series of strange markings appeared in his original position, profoundly mysterious.

The Great Black Dog was utterly dumbstruck, unable to utter a word.

Seeing this expression on its face, Ye Fan and Li Heishui both knew things had gone wrong again. This dead dog had blundered greatly again. The two lunged at it simultaneously, grabbing it, shouting: “Where did you send Tu Fei?!”

“Cough — let go — this time it’s not far. Just sent him a bit north.” The Great Black Dog said.

“The Northern Region?!”

“Cough — it’s… the Northern Plains.”

“I’ll kill you!” Li Heishui grabbed hold of it and refused to let go.

The Northern Plains, the Eastern Desolation, the Central Province, the Southern Range, and the Western Desert were all parallel territories — the Northern Plains was the northernmost end of this world, an entirely different concept from the Eastern Desolation’s Northern Region.

“The Northern Plains — for over a million li there isn’t a soul in sight, utterly desolate — nothing but great grasslands or great gobi wastes. You could walk an entire lifetime and possibly never see a single person, and you actually sent him to that godforsaken place!” Li Heishui grappled with the Black Emperor.

Boom!

Suddenly, the headless knight at the central zone of the Undying Mountain emitted a towering surge of power, riding that tall stone horse and charging straight toward them. The stone hooves were enormous as sea-bowls. With each step they smashed the void — terrifying beyond measure.

“Bad news — the death knight is charging at us!” Ye Fan cried out.

“This time, we go together — quickly, get in here!” the Great Black Dog called out.

“Doggy, be careful — this time, please don’t send us to the Western Desert.” Xiao Nannan said innocently.