Chapter 115: The Mountain Range of Divine Herbs

In a desolate, uninhabited mountain range, demonic energy swirled around a lonely peak. Suddenly, a thunderous roar erupted, sending plumes of demonic energy surging into the heavens, where they coalesced into dark, ominous clouds.

The demonic clouds churned and rolled, plunging back into the heart of the mountain. After a brief moment of silence, a thunderous boom shook the earth. The entire mountain shattered, splitting asunder as jagged rocks filled the sky. A figure wreathed in demonic energy soared upward, standing suspended in mid-air.

In an instant, gale-force winds whipped up, howling through the air for a long time before finally subsiding. The demonic energy surrounding the figure gradually retreated into his body.

"Whoosh!" As his eyes snapped open, two piercing, tangible gazes cut through the void, chilling the soul.

This figure was none other than Yin Tianfang, who had been in seclusion healing his wounds. Over the past month, his injuries had fully recovered, and his cultivation had reached a new level. Within his dantian, three lotus pedestals had each birthed a single lotus seed.

These seeds were Yin Tianfang’s Golden Cores. One was as white as snow, emitting a gentle, warm glow; another was as black as ink, shrouded in darkness; the third was a crimson blood-diamond, pulsing with a fierce, blood-red light like a sea of gore.

These three seeds represented his three Golden Cores. Only now could Yin Tianfang be considered to have truly entered the early stage of the Core Formation realm.

However, having stepped into this realm, a grave problem faced him. To achieve the Nascent Soul stage after forming his cores, Yin Tianfang required three souls. A Golden Core nurtures a Nascent Soul by using the soul as a catalyst. The core is merely an embryo; only when a spirit resides within can it shatter the core to form a soul. Without it, the core is nothing more than a stillborn husk.

"It seems I must find the necessary herbs quickly and cultivate the Art of Tripartite Soul," Yin Tianfang thought as he descended slowly from the sky.

Across the vast landscape, mountain ranges stretched out like a true dragon slumbering upon the earth. These mountains were lush, vibrant, and teeming with life. The range was incredibly vast, its end nowhere in sight.

This was known as the God-Herb Mountain Range, a place famous throughout the entire continent. Legend held that a divine herb grew somewhere within its depths.

The mountain range took its name from this very legend. Throughout history, countless powerful figures had ventured into these mountains one after another, seeking to claim the divine herb. After all, the value of such an item was immeasurable; possessing it could change the destiny of an entire clan or sect.

Yet, despite the countless people who had entered, none had ever found it. Instead, many who ventured into the God-Herb Mountain Range simply vanished, never to be heard from again.

Even so, many refused to give up, flocking to the range in the hope that fortune might smile upon them and grant them the divine herb.

In the sky, a streak of light flashed toward the mountain range. As it landed, it revealed a white-haired figure—Yin Tianfang.

He had come to the God-Herb Mountain Range, though not for the legendary herb. Beyond the myth, the range was filled with countless other spiritual herbs, including rare varieties that could be found nowhere else.

He recalled how, at the exchange market, merely trading for two herbs had exhausted all his savings and even invited disaster upon him. Thus, this time, Yin Tianfang intended to scour the range to gather everything he needed.

Standing at the edge of the range, he cast his gaze inward and extended his divine sense, but found nothing unusual. The mountain range seemed far safer than the Foggy Forest he had once traversed. Nevertheless, Yin Tianfang did not lower his guard.

Before arriving, he had researched the region and knew well that countless cultivators met their ends here every year. The seemingly calm mountain range was not as safe as it appeared on the surface.

Just as he was surveying the terrain, several more streaks of light appeared in the sky. They did not stop, flying straight into the depths of the mountains.

Yin Tianfang looked up, a hint of surprise in his eyes. Every one of those figures possessed formidable cultivation. As he observed them, one gaze fell upon him—the gaze of the strongest among them.

The stranger’s eyes lingered on him for a moment before moving on, and the group vanished into the distance.

With a soft exhale, Yin Tianfang stepped into the mountain range.

"Whoosh!" Deep within the mountains, a figure shot out from a gorge, transforming into a streak of light that sped toward the distance.

"Roar!" A furious bellow erupted from the gorge, rolling like thunder. A massive shadow rose from the depths, beating two enormous wings as it gave chase.

It was a terrifying beast—resembling a tiger but endowed with wings, its body as large as a mountain. Two sharp, jagged fangs glinted with cold, lethal light. An aura of ferocity radiated from it, and its scarlet eyes burned with intense rage.

It was a Heavenly Winged Demon Tiger!

The beast was incredibly fast, closing the distance in a blink. Spreading its wings, it soared above the streak of light, its massive claws—each like a small hill—slashing downward with brutal force.

*Bang!*

The light dissipated, revealing the figure within: Yin Tianfang.

Seeing the massive claws descending from the sky, Yin Tianfang’s mind stirred. A demonic sigil flashed upon his forehead—a mark identical to the one that had once appeared on Zhao Zixiong’s brow.

With a sharp cry, Yin Tianfang clenched his fists and struck out. His punches were like angry dragons surging from the sea, the force of his blows tearing through the air and creating shockwaves of immense pressure.

*Thud!*

Fists met claws. An invisible, terrifying ripple expanded in a ring, shaking the very air and stirring up a violent gale.

Yin Tianfang plummeted rapidly. As his feet struck the ground, the earth shuddered, and the terrifying force radiated from his heels, causing spiderweb-like cracks to spread across the terrain. Great trees toppled over, and dust filled the air.

"Hoo!" The wind roared as the massive shadow descended. Staring down at Yin Tianfang with scarlet, hateful eyes, the Heavenly Winged Demon Tiger opened its hideous maw and spat out a sphere of concentrated energy.

The orb contained a volatile and devastating power. As it neared Yin Tianfang, it detonated with a thunderous roar. A blinding light erupted, carrying the force of cataclysmic destruction, and instantly swallowed him whole.