Proving God begins with the principle that no effort is wasted.

Chapter 97 Desperate Situation

The closer one gets to the heart of Yinshan, the more desolate the world becomes. Grass and trees wither, rocks turn black. The entire mountain range seems to have been rotten by an ancient, malevolent force, barren of everything. Crooked, withered branches reach out like ghostly claws, grasping at the hazy sky.

The temperature dropped sharply.

Breathing in and out, all I see is white frost. The chill doesn't penetrate the skin and flesh, but goes straight to the bone marrow.

For miles around, the mountains were completely shrouded in thick, ominous fog. The fog rolled and churned, as murky as ink, swallowing ravines, burying mine shafts, and blocking all paths of survival.

Beyond a hundred feet, the sun is not visible.

This is a forbidden area for the living. Ordinary cultivators who set foot on its outer perimeter will suffer from mental and spiritual disorder and be plagued by inner demons.

Yet within Jiang Lan's dantian, the seed of energy cultivated through bloody battles was subtly stirring and leaping with excitement. What others would avoid at all costs was nourishment for him, nurturing his Dao foundation.

He stepped into the first layer of malevolent mist.

The wind stopped abruptly. The world fell silent instantly. Only the monotonous, crisp sound of shoes grinding against black stones echoed, one after another, in the empty valley.

The light of day was blocked by the black mist, making the view dim and oppressive. The jade pendant inside his robe slowly warmed, and a gentle aura expanded, blocking all the chaotic evil, turbid energy, and subtle inner demons from his body. His mind was like a mirror, clear and undisturbed.

Chen Xuan's route was very steady. He explored along the outer edge of the ridge, first tracking the demon's movements, then exploring the mines. He didn't seek speed, but rather stability.

Jiang Lan calmed his breathing, withdrew his stance, and lightened his movements. The power of his spear was hidden in his bones, and his killing intent was deep within his heart. His gaze, sharp as needles, swept across the crevices in the rocks, the shadows, and the dead corners of withered trees. Yinshan was no place of peace. Beneath every inch of deathly silence, a deadly trap might lurk.

After walking for half an hour, the ground gradually became covered with blackened old blood, layer upon layer, seeping into the stone's texture.

Broken blades, rotten Taoist robe fragments, and shattered bone pieces were scattered here and there.

These were the remains of cultivators who had explored the mountain in previous years. Forty-three people entered the mountain, and three returned.

The scattered relics are a bloody price to pay.

After passing a towering black rock, the valley suddenly opened up.

At this very moment—

The ground suddenly shook.

hum!

A deep, rumbling sound rolled from the depths of the earth, the rock strata trembled slightly, and the entire valley seemed to be gently turned over by something. The ominous mist suddenly became violent, and the originally scattered and floating black mist instantly transformed into countless killing air currents, swirling and gathering in all directions.

Jiang Lan's pupils contracted slightly, and he instantly took two steps back, lowering his center of gravity and planting his feet firmly on the black stone ground.

He didn't wait for the situation to stabilize.

Rustling—hissing—

The crackling sound of friction echoed from the crevices in the rock walls on both sides.

Six hunched, dark figures crawled out from the shadows of the cracks in the rocks. Their bodies were shriveled, their skin grayish-black, and their bones twisted.

Two eerie green flames flickered in its eyes, and its claws gleamed with a cold metallic sheen, dragging out with a grating scraping sound. A malevolent aura permeated its body, and demonic nature tainted it.

Evil spirits born from the mutation of the mineral vein!

Six demons landed in a fan shape, silently blocking his escape routes to the left and right. The next second, the withered branches and bushes behind him rustled again. A seventh demon had blocked his retreat.

The Seven Fiends surrounded them. There was no way to retreat from any direction.

The next moment, seven dark figures pounced simultaneously!

It moved with incredible speed, gliding along the ground, its claws tearing through the cold air, aiming straight for Jiang Lan's throat and dantian—two vital points. An ordinary cultivator who had reached the Qi Channel would have had their flesh torn apart and their Qi Sea ripped open in an instant.

Jiang Lan suddenly drew her gun!

puff!

The spear tip pierced the eye socket of the foremost monster, its skull exploding open. Black blood splattered, scalding hot. The monster's body instantly stiffened.

Death. One kill in a flash, clean and swift.

But the remaining six were already close, their claws tearing through the air as they attacked from three sides.

Jiang Lan flipped her wrist, and the gun barrel snapped horizontally!

Bang!

He used brute force to shake off the two demonic creatures, then spun around, his toes barely touching the rocks, sliding three feet to the side to avoid their encirclement and attack. Black mist swirled, and demonic shadows darted about. Within the valley, a chaotic battle instantly erupted.

These demons are not strong individually, far inferior to a peak cultivator at the Nine Acupoints level.

But they are fearless, painless, and instinctively coordinate their encirclement. The longer the fight lasts, the greater the wear and tear, and the more openings they reveal.

In a short time, Jiang Lan killed three demonic creatures. Every shot was fatal, every move pierced the body.

But the remaining four continued to pester him relentlessly, their claws grazing his arms and sides several times.

scoff!

The robe was torn, leaving shallow bloodstains on the skin. The malevolent energy seeped into the body through the wound, cold and stinging, attempting to disrupt the flow of energy through the meridians.

Jiang Lan clenched his teeth, his mind unwavering. The jade tablet suddenly burned, and the turbid evil energy that had invaded his body seemed to be grasped and crushed by a hand. He fought with increasing composure; desperate battles were the best way to cultivate one's character.

But just as he was preparing to finish off the last few monsters and completely wipe out the area—

Hundreds of feet above their heads! The billowing, malevolent mist suddenly parted!

A terrifying magical pressure that overwhelmed the entire area crashed down into the valley!

The ground rubble trembled violently, a chilling wind swirled, and the entire black mist churned violently. The four demonic creatures fighting below froze instantly, prostrating themselves on the ground as if paying homage to a king.

Amidst the black mist dome, an endless black shadow slowly descended. Its form was indistinct, its outline enormous, its beginning and end invisible, its true appearance unreadable.

Only a pair of scarlet vertical pupils pierced through layers of mist, cold, indifferent, and aloof, looking down at the tiny figure at the bottom of the valley.

Neither human nor demon, neither devil nor ghost.

A hoarse, ancient whisper, carrying the silence of ages past, echoed throughout the valley.

"Ten years have passed... and yet another cultivator dares to trespass on my Yin Mountain."

As soon as he finished speaking, the terrifying pressure suddenly tightened. Jiang Lan's muscles and bones suddenly felt heavy, his blood and qi stagnated, and his spear thrust was forcibly slowed down.

He looked up, his gaze piercing through the black mist, fixed on the towering, demonic figure. For the first time, a sharp pain pierced his heart—

Chen Xuan, you've kept this from me!

Chen Xuan's words as he handed over the jade token echoed in his mind: "What I want is the results of the investigation, not your life."

Now he understands.

Chen Xuan knew there were high-level demonic creatures here. But he didn't say anything. It wasn't that he didn't know; it was that if he did, no one would dare to come!

The demonic figure in the sky slowly descended, its crimson gaze locking onto Jiang Lan.

"Condensation Realm... Fourth Grade Dao Foundation..." Each word was enunciated slowly, silencing the mountains and rivers. "Not bad rations...more chewy than that mid-Condensation Realm one last time."

The four demons surged forward again, attacking relentlessly. A high-level demonic entity above them was poised to strike, its killing intent locked onto his vital points.

The next second, the enormous demonic figure suspended in the black mist slowly raised an immeasurable giant claw.

The entire valley's malevolent mist converged in his palm! A destructive torrent of malevolent energy instantly materialized!

Jiang Lan's pupils contracted sharply, and he gripped the Heavenly Thunder Talisman tightly in his palm. Ahead, demons surrounded them, ready to kill. Above, a colossal evil spirit pressed down.

In the first battle at Yinshan, they had just entered a deadly situation when they encountered a fatal predicament!