Chapter 300: Chapter 234: Recuperating on the Immortal Mountain, Trouble Stirs After a Long Calm (Part 1)

On Penglai Immortal Mountain.

Yi Beidou’s form tore through the mountain forest. He wasn’t moving aimlessly; guided by the connection he’d forged with the Penglai Power, he was heading for the part of the island where the life force was most concentrated.

He quickly circled around to the back of the mountain, where a bamboo forest came into view.

This patch of bamboo was exceptionally mystical. The stalks themselves seemed to be of a unique species, their bodies possessing a translucent, jade-like quality. If it weren’t for the dense life force coiling around them, you could have said they were carved from jade and no one would have argued.

"Hm?"

As he stepped into the forest, Yi Beidou’s expression flickered. The scene before him seemed to have changed in some subtle way.

The positions of some of the bamboo stalks seemed to have shifted, lending the entire scene a subtle but definite sense of unfamiliarity.

"A Blinding Technique? A Barrier?"

Yi Beidou muttered to himself and continued forward. Suddenly, he heard a rustling sound to his side, and the prickly feeling of being targeted washed over him.

HYAH!!

He violently thrust a palm in the direction of the cold glint, his Demon Flame flaring to life.

Only then did he see it clearly: a sword-shaped construct of condensed light was hurtling toward him.

He could sense that it was remarkably similar to the Flying Sword Technique he had encountered before.

It radiated a piercing sharpness, capable of severing a person’s True Qi and Divine Soul.

This greenish-blue Flying Sword was by no means weak. While it couldn’t compare to the strike unleashed by the Ancient One’s incarnation, it possessed at least fifty or sixty percent of its power. An average Saint Realm master would have to face it with utmost seriousness.

However, to Yi Beidou, who was currently in his "Perfect State," a magnetic field attack of this level was barely worth a glance.

BOOM!!

Under the impact of the Demon Flame, the greenish-blue Flying Sword instantly shattered. The resulting gale swept through the surrounding bamboo, causing the stalks to sway and their leaves to rustle.

This, it seemed, had fully triggered some kind of defensive ward. The bamboo stalks affected by the force of Yi Beidou’s palm strike launched streams of greenish-blue Flying Swords, dozens of them swarming toward him from all directions.

It was clearly the defensive mechanism of some sort of Array.

Upon entering the bamboo forest, an intruder would have their path obscured by a Blinding Technique while the forest itself generated Sword Qi attacks. Retaliating and disturbing the surrounding bamboo would only provoke an even more terrifying counterattack.

Disoriented by the Blinding Technique, an intruder would likely lose their way and stumble aimlessly through the forest, triggering more and more attacks until the Array finally killed them.

An assault by dozens of Flying Swords at once could severely wound or even kill a Saint Realm master like Cheng Zhihong if they were caught unprepared. Furthermore, supported by the power of this mystical Immortal Mountain, the Array’s ability to generate Sword Qi was likely endless.

PENG!!

This time, Yi Beidou didn’t strike back. He merely channeled his Blood-Colored Demon Flame to its absolute limit.

The Bloodfire Throne manifested. The moment the streams of Sword Qi made contact with the magnetic field of Demon Flame—now condensed into a crystalline, amber-like substance—they instantly collapsed and dissipated.

More Sword Qi continued to assail him, but Yi Beidou remained as immovable as a mountain, letting his protective Demon Flame absorb the attacks.

In his current state, even if he just stood there, an average Saint Realm master would find it exceedingly difficult to break through his defenses.

’Based on what I’ve seen so far, this Immortal Mountain has likely remained unchanged since ancient times, and the same must be true for this Array.’

’Most of the Immortal Mountain seems to be free of wards, yet there’s such a treacherous Array here. This place must be a crucial nexus. It’s no wonder the Power of Life I sensed here is so dense.’

In his Perfect State, Yi Beidou paid these obstacles no mind. With Blood-Colored Demon Flame burning in his eyes, he immediately saw through the Blinding Technique and strode into the depths of the bamboo forest.

The Flying Swords fell like rain, but none could so much as scratch him while he was protected by the Bloodfire Throne.

After walking another hundred meters or so, he reached the end of the bamboo forest, and the view suddenly opened up.

There, nestled among the rocks, was a spring. Its water gurgled out and collected in a small stone pool about the size of a bathtub.

This was no ordinary spring water. A seven-colored radiance seemed to coil within it, and brilliant light flowed in its wake. A hazy, colorful luminescence hovered over the entire Spiritual Spring, making it look as though one had stepped into an Immortal Realm.

And the potent Power of Life that Yi Beidou had sensed was emanating from this very Spiritual Spring.

"This must be the focal point where the magnetic field of Penglai Immortal Mountain converges. The Penglai Power coalesces in this water. It must have some wondrous properties."

Yi Beidou muttered to himself. The bamboo forest must have been established to protect this Spiritual Spring; if he recuperated here, he wouldn’t need to worry about outside disturbances.

He had to deactivate these various states as soon as possible.

The Power of Tribulation brought on by possessing three Tribulation Stars was already starting to severely affect his mind; just a moment ago, he had nearly lost control and attacked Cheng Zhihong.

The purpose of Tribulation is to create more tribulation. If he were to completely degenerate into its living embodiment on earth, he would become a madman, constantly creating new Tribulation Stars.

For example, if he had killed Cheng Zhihong and condensed his Tribulation Star to absorb it, he would have grown even stronger, but his mind would have inevitably become more corrupt, creating a vicious cycle.

He had never expected to be pushed to the point of using three Tribulation Stars.

Then there was the Perfect State. The ultimate power of Celestial Demon Dissolution was formidable, but the burden it placed on his body was equally terrifying. He lacked the Physical Ability to sustain it. Even with the healing boost from the Penglai Power, without the requisite stamina, he would be completely drained, causing irreversible damage to his body.