Supreme Electromagnetic Tyrant-Chapter 67 - 45 Peak Valley

Ji Xinghuo and his two companions also reached the edge of the cliff, where they gazed at the vast, steep mountain ranges in the distance.

None of these mountains were particularly high, most were below five hundred meters with a few surpassing a thousand meters; the highest peak they could see was just over two thousand meters tall.

However, the exposed surfaces of almost every peak were rocky.

The terrain was extremely rugged, with elevations varying drastically and cliffs, rock columns, and platforms everywhere, covered with dense green vegetation and forests, deeply cut valleys, babbling streams, and patches of mist enveloping the mountains; in the distance, they could even see peaks floating in the sky, like a scene from a heavenly realm.

Ji Xinghuo was reminded of the karst landscapes on Earth, the most famous of which was the Heavenly Gate Mountain area.

However, this place was even more magnificent and majestic than Heavenly Gate Mountain.

"Peak Valley!"

"I had heard about this place before, and now I finally see it with my own eyes."

Chi Zhonglin gazed at the splendid and peculiar scenery, suddenly rummaged through his backpack, and took out a camera to start taking pictures of the distant landscape.

Ji Xinghuo was curious, "What kind of camera is that, and it still works?"

"An old-fashioned film camera that doesn’t need electricity, uses a mechanical shutter and disposable flash bulbs, it really tests your photography skills." Chi Zhonglin clicked away several times, then turned and asked, "Xinghuo, do you want me to take a few pictures for you? When we return, I can develop them for you as a keepsake."

"Sure."

Ji Xinghuo readily agreed, as this was an experience he had never had before.

He positioned himself as Chi Zhonglin instructed, with his back to Peak Valley, facing the camera, his right hand making a scissor gesture, and a smile on his face.

"Move a bit closer, raise your head, don’t smile so stiffly, be more natural."

"Yes, yes, yes..."

"Good, hold that pose, don’t move."

"Ready, 3, 2, 1!"

Click!

A flash of white light, and the moment’s image was imprinted on the film. Chi Zhonglin had Ji Xinghuo change a few positions and took several dozen photos until the roll of film was used up.

Seeing his professional demeanor with the camera, Ji Xinghuo asked curiously, "Zhonglin, are you a professional photographer?"

"It’s a hobby of mine; I’m quite a seasoned photographer." Chi Zhonglin said proudly, "Film cameras are the most traditional photographic equipment, possessing a classical beauty. Only those who can take good photos with a film camera are truly skillful photographers."

Ji Xinghuo saw a rare seriousness on his face, earnest and passionate.

Though he didn’t understand much, he could appreciate it.

In this era, most people have their hobbies.

Even the most niche hobbies can form communities. Like-minded friends gather, delve deeply together, each community forming part of the social fabric of the Asia-Pacific Community, giving birth to many ’folk experts’ commonly referred to as "masters of crafts".

Ren Mian and Jiangnan Caiyi already knew about Chi Zhonglin’s hobby, so they were not surprised.

"Do you two want to take a few photos as well?" Chi Zhonglin asked.

Ren Mian shook his head.

"Zhonglin Jun has already taken many photos for me." Jiangnan Caiyi also declined.

"You can take a photo with Xinghuo."

Chi Zhonglin’s suggestion immediately piqued Jiangnan Caiyi’s interest. Seeing Ji Xinghuo had no objections, she happily stood beside him, and they took over a dozen photos together.

"Maybe I’ll take one with Xinghuo too," Ren Mian suddenly came over and stood next to Ji Xinghuo.

Click!

The moment froze on the film, as if eternal.

"Alright, let’s get down to business,"

Ren Mian asked Chi Zhonglin to put away the camera and said seriously, "We’ll be spending the next half-month in Peak Valley, with only one goal: to find the Stone Scythe Giant Demon."

"Is there really a Stone Scythe Giant Demon?" Chi Zhonglin looked skeptical.

"I got the information from three sources, people have seen the Stone Scythe Giant Demon in Peak Valley, and there’s over a ninety percent chance it’s true. Either way, we have to give it a try," Ren Mian pulled out a map with the geographic distribution of Peak Valley and pointed out their current location.

Chi Zhonglin looked out over the vast valley of stone peaks and sighed, "Peak Valley is so huge, finding a Stone Scythe Giant Demon in there is almost like finding a needle in a haystack, it’s all down to luck."

"Yeah..."

Ji Xinghuo nodded in agreement.

He had heard from Ren Mian the day before that their original hunting target for this trip was the Stone Scythe Giant Demon.

This was a type of omnivorous wild beast, resembling a baboon.

But they were much more terrifying than baboons, larger in size, stronger, faster, with four arms, highly adept at climbing and tree scaling, ferociously aggressive yet fond of living in groups, possessing a certain low level of intelligence, capable of setting traps and ambushing prey. If you provoke one, an entire troop would swarm at you.

When a Stone Scythe Demon awakens into a monster, it gains either "Stone Scythe Claw" or "Rock Skin."

The former is a superior ability but of little value.

It allows one’s hands to transform into a pair of hard, sharp stone claws, much like sickles, which are quite powerful, but this ability is not included in any professional templates and very few people opt to amalgamate it, so it doesn’t sell for much.

On the other hand, Rock Skin, though only a basic ability, is something some mutants might try to merge to enhance their defense power. freёnovelkiss.com

But it’s not very valuable either, worth just about twenty to thirty thousand.

However, if the Stone Scythe Demon continued to grow into an Elite, and then evolved again, it would become a Superior monster, the Stone Scythe Giant Demon, with a great chance of awakening a Transcendent Ability—Earth Pulse!

Earth Pulse is the core Ability of the "Earthwalker."

It’s quite rare and very powerful.

Of course, it’s also very valuable!

The area of Peak Valley is vast, possibly reaching fifty thousand square kilometers, equivalent to a smaller provincial jurisdiction. It is home to millions of Stone Scythe Demons, dominating this region like a kingdom, almost entirely unto themselves, with no one daring to provoke them.

The larger the number of monsters, the stronger the Superior monsters that emerge from their population.

Superior monsters not only awaken Abilities in their genes but can also, like intelligent beings, merge with Alien Species and master more Abilities.

The Stone Scythe Giant Demon is such a monster.

"We are just here to try our luck," Ren Mian said with a smile, "Peak Valley is not just home to Stone Scythe Demons; they are just the most powerful group. Besides them, there are hundreds, maybe thousands of other monsters. Maybe there will be other gains."

"Let’s go inside."

A moment later.

Ji Xinghuo and his group climbed over the cliff and entered Peak Valley.

Called a "valley," it is actually a continuous range of mountains. Walking among them, one’s head lifts to see unique peaks and sheer cliffs, with high cliffs and dense forests beside, also hiding many deep ravines and secluded valleys. The terrain is very complex, humid and hot, the air filled with fog, making it easy to lose one’s way.

This place is a paradise for Adventurers and a hell for ordinary people.

"Go around this tree."

Ji Xinghuo pointed ahead to the treetop, where a bright green, arm-thick snake coiled among the shadows, hard to spot among the leaves.

"Iron Arrow Green," Chi Zhonglin commented with a grimace, making a detour.

This snake isn’t venomous, but its skin is tough and thick. It likes to hide in trees and ambush its prey like an arrow. If it evolves into a monster, it would awaken the "Iron Scale" Ability, which would be of great value.

He went around by a few meters, and suddenly, a thick millipede burst out of the underbrush, clawing and biting at his shoe.

Puff!

Chi Zhonglin stomped the giant millipede to death and complained, "Peak Valley looks nice from the outside, but inside, it’s simply torture."

Ji Xinghuo agreed wholeheartedly.

His magnetic field sensed many more things nearby. There were all sorts of life forms from snakes and insects, flying bugs and birds, and various small animals from treetops to underground, including cracks in rocks and dark corners. They were densely packed, with countless magnetic fields overlapping each other in chaos just within a hundred meters radius.

Ren Mian was not unfamiliar with this, her expression unchanging.

Jiangnan Caiyi, however, was somewhat scared. Women were naturally afraid of bugs and snakes, and even as a Mutant, it was hard to overcome this psychological shadow.

Suddenly, Ji Xinghuo paused.

He looked to the right side, about a thousand meters away on a cliff, about a hundred meters from the peak top were several long, flat ledges where many humanoid creatures were sitting or climbing, foraging in the woodland on the platforms.

They picked wild fruits and tender leaves, digging out plant roots and stuffing them into their mouths.

"Stone Scythe Demons."

Ji Xinghuo observed carefully.

Stone Scythe Demons indeed resembled baboons, but they were much larger, sitting at one and a half meters tall, with only a layer of short fur barely covering the solid, rock-like brown skin beneath.

They had human-like facial features, with long heads and protruding mouths, deep-set eye sockets holding a pair of blood-red eyes.

The most notable difference was their four robust arms.

Each palm was disproportionately huge, with four long, sharp fingers that could easily dig into soil or slice through tree trunks.

When the Stone Scythe Demons stood up, reaching nearly two meters tall, all four arms and legs powering them to climb swiftly across rock faces as if walking on flat ground. The tail, only visible when they ran, was as flexible as the trunk, a bit longer, like a snake’s tail covered in large scales, with a spear-like blade at the end.

Ren Mian also spotted the group of Stone Scythe Demons.

After a glance, but unable to see clearly due to the distance, she said, "Let’s get closer without startling them."

The team approached the cliff where the Stone Scythe Demons were stealthily, stopping about two hundred meters away.

"Xinghuo?" Ren Mian looked at him questioningly.

Ji Xinghuo gently shook his head.

Actually, he had already perceived everything along the way clearly. There were over forty Stone Scythe Demons in this group, belonging to a medium-sized community. Six had evolved into monsters, led by an Elite Stone Scythe Demon, but there was no trace of a Stone Scythe Giant Demon.

Chi Zhonglin was slightly disappointed and asked, "Shall we engage?"

"Forget it." Ren Mian shook her head, "Stone Scythe Claws and Rock Skin don’t have much of a market. Hunting them is pointless. Besides..."

She looked up at the sheer cliff, "In places like this, killing Stone Scythe Demons isn’t that easy. Making a lot of noise could attract other trouble."

"True." Chi Zhonglin didn’t really want to engage either.

Ji Xinghuo was actually quite interested; he didn’t need Alien Species, but killing monsters could bring him Spiritual Origin Energy!

However, since his teammates were reluctant to engage, he couldn’t just act recklessly.

The team turned around on the spot, distancing themselves from the group of Stone Scythe Demons, and then continued deeper into Peak Valley.