Chapter 1143, The Jiang Family Mountain God

Translator: Silavin

 

The Map stretched out so vast its boundaries could not even be seen.

 

Within it, Lu Fan could make out Secret Realms and Dungeon Instances of every conceivable variety scattered across the terrain. In fact, beyond them, there were medicinal herbs and mineral deposits waiting to be harvested and mined in numbers too great to count.

 

Put plainly, the sheer density of resources here had completely shattered Lu Fan’s expectations.

 

This Map was, without question, an artificial construct. Nothing natural could ever yield such extraordinary abundance.

 

The resources here were not merely suited to Combat Specialised Players, even Support Specialised Players could greatly benefit from the resources here. And above it all, visible to every member of the group, an immortal-like island hung suspended in the sky.

 

The island drifted at an immense altitude. At first glance, it appeared rather small.

 

But Lu Fan’s perception was too sharp, and he understood immediately that the island only seemed small because of the distance between it and the ground. In truth, its surface area was no smaller than the vast terrain beneath their feet.

 

And more than that. Through the quiet reach of his senses, Lu Fan detected something further. Suspended even higher above the first island was another floating landmass, which showed barely a whisper at the very edge of his perception.

 

Whether anything floated above that second island, he could not say. The distance truly exceeded even his extraordinary range.

 

One thing was clear though: the sprawling territory beneath them was not the Sacred Jiang Family itself. It was merely a single corner of it.

 

This particular corner served as a training ground, a Map designed to nurture young recruits. Monster Levels and Grades were simply calibrated for the youth to temper themselves in battle.

 

Lu Fan’s perception swept the entire Map swiftly and returned empty. There was not a single Player here.

 

The Sacred Jiang Family’s own people were clearly stationed higher up.

 

Ouyang Bai Ge surveyed the terrain with calm, deliberate eyes, then spoke. “This is likely the training ground kept for the Sacred Jiang Family’s younger generation. Every Monster, every Secret Realm, every Dungeon Instance here are all captured or constructed by Players. If we want to reach the actual location the Sacred Jiang Family is living in, we’ll need to find a path up to that island overhead.”

 

Ye Wuxian glanced at the floating island and frowned. “It doesn’t look that far. Can’t we just fly up?”

 

Ouyang Bai Ge smiled. “If only it were that simple. From what I know of Sacred Lands, the reason they divide territory into layered Maps is not merely to provide training grounds for their youth. If the Sacred Jiang Family ever came under a surprise attack, these stacked Maps would function as a system akin to defensive trenches, each one a line of resistance to blunt the advance of any enemy. Which means there will be restrictive Arrays between every Map. No one can simply fly through them.”

 

“Well, we could force our way past them. But the energy we would need to waste breaking through each Array would far exceed the effort of simply finding the proper path up.”

 

Lu Fan nodded. “Teacher Ouyang is right. I can feel it. There is a faint but unmistakable pressure of Ancient God Power hanging above us. The path to the island seems to not have any obstruction. But the moment something contacts that invisible Array, there will definitely be consequences.”

 

It would simply be easier to show them, so he casted Dragon Language Replication, copied Xiao Ye’s Dragon Breath, and released a fireball skyward.

 

The massive ball of flame roared upward in a blazing arc toward the distant island.

 

Halfway there, it struck something invisible. The air itself buckled and distorted around the impact point.

 

The fireball’s force detonated in a thunderous burst, and in the same instant, golden lightning materialised from nothing, raining down in a frenzied cascade upon the point of contact, obliterating the Skill in a single, overwhelming volley.

 

One could easily imagine what that would do to a Player who flew into it directly.

 

And threading through every bolt of that golden lightning were fine strands of deep crimson, strands of pure Ancient God Power.

 

The lightning itself might be weathered by the strongest of combatants. But the Ancient God Power woven within it was a needle hidden in silk, where even a Divine Being would sustain critical wounds from it, or be completely erased.

 

The sight drew a sharp involuntary breath from Ye Wuxian.

 

She was deeply grateful, in that moment, for the presence of Lu Fan and Ouyang Bai Ge. Had she simply flown up on impulse, she would by now be picking herself up from a devastating strike. She pressed a hand lightly to her chest, steadying herself. “Then… how do we get to the island?”

 

Lu Fan considered. He turned toward Ouyang Bai Ge.

 

The old woman opened her mouth to reply, and the ground beneath everyone’s feet began to tremble.

 

Vines erupted from the earth, ripping free of the soil in thick, writhing masses. And then something vast forced its way upward from the depths.

 

An ancient tree colossal beyond reckoning rose up.

 

Its entire form was encased in grasping vines as it tore free of the ground and rose before the group.

 

On the surface of its enormous trunk was a wizened Human face, uncanny in every detail.

 

At the points where the face’s eyes should have been, two points of light pulsed without pause, like twin fires burning deep within hollow sockets.

 

But after what they had witnessed with the Bronze Qilin, every member of the group understood the truth immediately. Those were not eyes.

 

They were Slaughter Hearts.

 

This tree spirit possessed two Slaughter Hearts.

 

Ouyang Bai Ge’s brows drew together. “This must be one of the Seven Stars of Slaughter. To think it was given two Slaughter Hearts by the Slaughter Ancient God. The Slaughter Ancient God knew its own Ancient God Power had not fully awakened. Two Hearts were granted specifically to amplify this guardian’s strength further, to make it far more formidable to protect the Sacred Jiang Family. Finding the path up depends on this Monster.”

 

Lu Fan nodded and drew Refined Undefiled from his inventory. He raised his voice to address the group.

 

“It is far stronger than the Bronze Qilin. We’ll move together this time. Make sure you never let your guard down. We can’t make a single mistake.”

 

“Understood!”

 

The response came in unison. Every member of the group drew their weapon and applied their Buffs with calm efficiency.

 

The great tree before them bore the name: Jiang Family Mountain God.

 

Even from the name alone, it was evident this was a Monster created by the Slaughter Ancient God.

 

Its Level had reached 180, and it was of the Quasi-Mythical Grade, placing its Combat Power on par with the Bronze Qilin at full activation of its Slaughter Heart. Yet this entity possessed two Slaughter Hearts. What would become of it with both fully ignited? That was just too terrifying to properly think about.

 

This was a dangerous opponent. Treating it with anything less than complete focus would be inviting a catastrophe on them.

 

And, seeing intruders, the moment the Jiang Family Mountain God emerged from the earth, it attacked.

 

Its vines came lashing outward from the ground in a storm of sweeping strikes. The Damage they caused was staggering, and the Attack range was so broad as to leave almost no avenue of escape.

 

Han Ke, fulfilling her role as Support, found herself immediately overwhelmed by the assault. With no other option, she was forced to stay with Jian Ying and the others to ensure her safety.