"Hmm, it's a Three-Colored Leaf Grass, but what a pity..."
Within the perilous Demonic Beast Mountain Range, on the dangerous cliff face of a steep precipice, a figure in black robes, Ye Chen, appeared. His gaze fell upon a peculiar medicinal herb growing on the sheer cliff wall, and he shook his head with some regret.
The herb had two leaves, each flowing with faint yellow and pale blue hues, shimmering and swirling, emitting a refreshing fragrance that delighted the heart and mind.
This was an immature Three-Colored Leaf Grass. Once fully grown, its three leaves would separate, shimmering with red, green, and blue radiance. At that point, it would no longer be an ordinary spirit herb but would belong to the category of Heaven and Earth Treasures.
Heaven and Earth Treasures could also be considered a type of spirit herb, but compared to ordinary spirit herbs, they were far more precious. Each one held immense value, far surpassing common spirit herbs.
For example, the Three-Colored Leaf Grass not only contained potent energy of heaven and earth but also possessed the miraculous effect of strengthening spiritual power.
Another example was the Blood Soul Lotus, which also had the effect of nourishing spiritual power but additionally possessed the wondrous efficacy of invigorating blood and transforming the spirit.
It could be said that each Heaven and Earth Treasure had unique effects and could often only grow in places abundant with the spiritual energy of heaven and earth, usually guarded by powerful demonic beasts.
Like the immature Three-Colored Leaf Grass before him, it was guarded by a giant eagle. However, the eagle happened to be out foraging, so it wasn't present, allowing Ye Chen to discover this Three-Colored Leaf Grass.
Ye Chen did not pick this Three-Colored Leaf Grass. An immature Heaven and Earth Treasure could at most be considered an ordinary spirit herb, far from comparable to a true Heaven and Earth Treasure.
Moreover, the growth of each Heaven and Earth Treasure was quite difficult, so Ye Chen didn't want to pick it, preferring to leave it to grow naturally.
Even so, Ye Chen was not without gains.
During the nearly half-month in the Demonic Beast Mountain Range, he had discovered many precious medicinal herbs along the way. There were quite a few spirit herbs, and even several precious ones with over a hundred years of medicinal age, which he carefully picked and preserved.
However, Elder Yan was a bit puzzled and finally asked Ye Chen directly: "Actually, you don't need to enter the Demonic Beast Mountain Range for training at all. With your realm, as long as you have sufficient energy, breaking through should be a very easy matter. Entering this Demonic Beast Mountain Range for training is somewhat a waste of time."
Although Elder Yan didn't know Ye Chen's realm in his previous life, he could guess it was definitely very high.
So-called training in the Demonic Beast Mountain Range, fighting demonic beasts, might have extraordinary effects for ordinary young generations, but for someone like Ye Chen, a former supreme being, it had no effect.
Because his previous life had accumulated incomparably rich combat experience, which the training in the Demonic Beast Mountain Range simply couldn't compare to, nor could it provide any real training effect. It was even more just a waste of time.
Ye Chen shook his head and said, "Elder Yan, you don't understand. Although entering the Demonic Beast Mountain Range can't provide real training effects, for me, what's truly important isn't the training itself. I want to hunt Xiantian demonic beasts and search for Heaven and Earth Treasures. Only then can it be more beneficial for my breakthrough."
Elder Yan, after all, was no ordinary person and quickly understood.
Once a demonic beast reached the Xiantian realm, it would condense a demonic core within its body, containing extremely abundant and dense energy of heaven and earth, even more profound than the Xiantian True Yuan power of an ordinary Xiantian expert.
And Heaven and Earth Treasures were even more precious among spirit herbs, containing unimaginable miraculous effects, all of which had extraordinary results for refining pills.
These two things were of considerable use to Ye Chen, no wonder he specifically entered the Demonic Beast Mountain Range.
Especially Xiantian demonic beasts. The Xiantian demonic cores within their bodies condensed powerful energy of heaven and earth, which was particularly important for Ye Chen, who cultivated the Human Yuan Body Art, because the Human Yuan Body Art could utilize the energy of heaven and earth to accelerate cultivation speed and continuously strengthen the physical body.
With just one Xiantian demonic core, it could at least allow Ye Chen's Human Yuan Body Art to reach the minor achievement stage. Even if his realm remained at Houtian, relying on physical strength alone, he could rival a true Xiantian expert.
This was also the advantage of body refiners.
However, Elder Yan frowned: "Little Chen, although you can defeat Ye Zhengyang, you should also understand that Ye Zhengyang is at most just newly stepped into Xiantian, his realm not even fully consolidated yet. He can't compare to a true Xiantian, there's a gap. And Xiantian demonic beasts are much stronger than Xiantian realm experts. If you want to hunt Xiantian demonic beasts, one can only say—"
"It's very difficult!"
Ye Chen did not refute Elder Yan's blunt assessment. In fact, he naturally understood how difficult hunting Xiantian demonic beasts was.
If it were about escaping, as long as he wanted to, he had countless ways to escape. A Xiantian demonic beast simply couldn't kill him. But wanting to turn the tables and hunt one was another matter entirely.
Every Xiantian demonic beast was a truly terrifying existence. Once advancing to Xiantian, it represented a leap in life level. Whether in size, strength, senses, speed, or all other aspects, they would rise to another level.
Even with the memories of his previous life, the current gap between him and a Xiantian demonic beast wasn't just in realm but also in a huge disparity in power. Even cultivating the Tyrant Heaven Refining Saint Art and the Human Yuan Body Art couldn't easily bridge this enormous gap.
Ye Chen did not deny or refute, only saying: "It is indeed difficult, but not impossible."
There were always ways. Killing enemies beyond one's realm was not unimaginable for him.
Night had deepened. A bright, clear moon hung in the sky, casting soft moonlight like silver gauze draped over the earth, adding a veil of mystery to this notoriously dangerous Demonic Beast Mountain Range.
Ye Chen did not choose to rest. Only at night were demonic beasts most weary. Usually, they would lower their guard and rest, but it was also the best time for Ye Chen to strike and hunt Xiantian demonic beasts.
Moreover, having cultivated the two body refining techniques, the Tyrant Heaven Refining Saint Art and the Human Yuan Body Art, his stamina was far more abundant than that of ordinary cultivators, allowing him to fight persistently.
In the latter half of the night, Ye Chen walked on foot deeper into the mountain range. Along the way, the jungle grew denser, tree canopies blocking out the sky and sun, mist and haze permeating the air. The entire mountain range seemed increasingly dangerous, with terrifying roars of demonic beasts echoing from time to time, causing hearts to tremble.
Suddenly, he stopped in his tracks and, in the first instant, silently concealed himself within the jungle. All sound and breath vanished, all pores on his body tightly closed. His entire being seemed to become ethereal, impossible to sense.
This was a special technique of body refiners, capable of sealing all pores, completely isolating one's aura, making it undetectable.
But achieving this was very difficult. Only by reaching a fairly high level of control over one's body could one accomplish this step, mastering all muscles and even pores.
Following Ye Chen's gaze, far ahead about a hundred meters away, on a tall, massive rock, a huge wolf sat half-upright, raising its wolf head to gaze at the moon in the sky, opening its mouth to let out a long, mournful howl.
This giant wolf was quite extraordinary. Its fur was silvery bright and smooth, bristling and majestic. Even while sitting, it stood about fifteen feet tall. It exuded a powerful aura that intimidated other demonic beasts, keeping them from approaching and even causing them to submit from afar.
As the silver giant wolf howled mournfully, a soft, conspicuous pillar of light actually descended from the sky, spiritual energy surging, entering the silver giant wolf's mouth and nostrils. It was actually absorbing the essence of the sun and moon.
Without a doubt, this was a Xiantian demonic beast. Only upon reaching the Xiantian realm and above could demonic beasts absorb the spiritual energy of heaven and earth for cultivation.
"A Xiantian demonic beast... finally appeared!"
Facing the appearance of the silver giant wolf, Ye Chen not only wasn't nervous but instead seemed very excited, his eyes blazing with fervor, as if looking at prey.
In fact, for him, the silver giant wolf was a prey prepared to be hunted by him.
Now he was waiting, waiting for a suitable moment, when the silver giant wolf's vigilance was at its lowest. He would strike at that time, catching the silver giant wolf off guard.
This wait lasted a full half-night.
Ye Chen was very patient. For a true expert, patience was never lacking.
During this period, the silver giant wolf continuously absorbed the spiritual energy of heaven and earth. Its smooth silver fur seemed increasingly lustrous, flowing with a hazy silver radiance under the moonlight, incredibly mysterious.
At the same time, the giant wolf's vigilance slowly relaxed as time passed. Meanwhile, Ye Chen entered a combat state. Gripping his long spear, all five senses and six perceptions were heightened to the extreme, sharp to the utmost. He focused intently, gazing into the distance at the silver giant wolf.
He was building momentum, ready to strike. The long spear in his hand pointed towards the silver giant wolf. At any moment, he would unleash his strongest attack, dealing the greatest damage to the silver giant wolf.
"Awooo—"
The silver giant wolf raised its head and let out a mournful howl, about to end its absorption of spiritual energy. It needed to return and digest it, and this was the moment when its guard was lowest.
At this moment, Ye Chen struck!