Chapter 140: First Arrival at the Heavenly Mountains

Chapter 140: Arrival at Mount Heaven

Jiang Yan looked up to see the golden Moon Sable, covered in blood, standing on a distant peak. Its front paws were pressed firmly onto the head of a Golden-Winged Tiger, and it was howling excitedly toward the sky.

The Golden-Winged Tiger’s fur was shredded in many places, and one of its ears had been torn off. More gruesome still, its entire body was covered in wounds, as if it had been dragged across a bed of nails; there was not a single patch of intact skin left.

"Roar..."

The tiny Moon Sable stood upon the massive head of the Golden-Winged Tiger, cheering triumphantly. Upon spotting Jiang Yan, the creature tilted its small head, hopped off the tiger, and scurried down the mountain. Halfway down, it seemed to realize something was amiss, ran back to the summit, and with a flick of its small paw, sent the Golden-Winged Tiger tumbling down the slope.

As the bloodied tiger rolled to a stop at Jiang Yan’s feet, the Moon Sable darted around him, jumping and dancing, clearly seeking praise for its conquest.

Jiang Yan patted the sable’s head, produced a Spirit Beast Pill, and placed it into the creature’s tiny paws before shooing it away to play.

The Moon Sable sat on its haunches, cradling the pill in its front paws, munching on it with a rhythmic crunching sound. Once finished, it wiped its mouth, glanced at the fallen tiger and then at Jiang Yan’s storage pouch, before vanishing in a streak of golden light toward the base of the mountain.

Jiang Yan reached out and touched the back of the Golden-Winged Tiger. In an instant, the beast disappeared, stored away into his treasure pouch. A second-grade Golden-Winged Tiger was a valuable asset. If it were dead, its bones, blood, meat, and beast core would serve as excellent materials for alchemy and artifact refining. If it were still alive, even better—he would throw it into the second-grade spirit beast garden, and within days, Mount Hua would boast yet another second-grade spirit beast.

After stowing the tiger, Jiang Yan walked over to Tang Wan and helped her up. "Wan'er, how are your injuries?"

Tang Wan rose with the aid of his arm. At his question, a faint blush stained her pale, delicate face. She lowered her head slightly and smiled. "I am much better, Senior Brother. My spiritual energy shares the same attributes as yours, thanks to the Green Wood Spirit Transformation Art, which allows for self-healing. I am fine now; I was just exhausted from overexerting my spiritual energy while performing the Green Wood Moon-Chasing technique, as it was my first time facing a Foundation Establishment cultivator."

"Senior Brother, Sect Master, I am useless. I have brought shame upon you. I couldn't even withstand a single strike from the enemy and even caused Senior Sister Wan to get injured." Nanmen Luo, having finished tending to his own wounds, emerged from behind the Mount Hua gate. Seeing the battle concluded and Jiang Yan supporting Tang Wan, he assumed she had been hurt while blocking the spiritual pressure from Ximen Shang, and he spoke with a heavy heart.

A playful look crossed Tang Wan’s face. "Junior Brother Nan, what does my injury have to do with you? I was merely exhausted from slaying the experts of the Western Gorge Sect."

Hearing this, Nanmen Luo exhaled in relief. "I am glad you are unharmed, Senior Sister. But, Senior Brother, Lu Tiannan is dead. How should we dispose of him?" he asked, gesturing toward the body on the ground.

"Behead him. I intend to march upon Mount Heaven within the next few days to avenge our master’s death. Junior Brother, focus on your cultivation. Strive to reach the Foundation Establishment stage so you may assist me."

Jiang Yan glanced at the corpse of Lu Tiannan, his eyes burning with resolve as he looked at Nanmen Luo. Marching on Mount Heaven to avenge their master was a destiny he could not avoid. With Tang Wan injured, Jiang Yan needed another Foundation Establishment cultivator by his side to ensure the destruction of the Mount Heaven Sect.

Nanmen Luo’s face flushed. He pressed his palms together and bowed solemnly to Jiang Yan. "I shall strive with all my might, Senior Brother. I will not fail your expectations and will work to reach the Foundation Establishment stage as soon as possible."

...

Three days later, the Golden-Winged Tiger was successfully tamed, and Mount Hua gained another second-grade spirit beast.

Five days later, the Moon Sable returned from the wild with a tiny, second-grade infant Moon Sable in its mouth, bringing the total count of second-grade beasts at Mount Hua to three. It became clear that the spirit beast garden could no longer accommodate them. The Moon Sable also managed to swindle another Spirit Beast Pill from Jiang Yan, who finally realized that the creature had become addicted to the pills and had raided a local den to "kidnap" a cub.

Thinking of the second-grade Meat-Brown Bear King in the trial grounds, Jiang Yan sent the Moon Sable there, promising another reward if it could capture the bear. The sable trotted off excitedly to hunt for the beast.

Half a month later, aided by medicinal herbs, Nanmen Luo broke through the ninth level of Qi Refining and reached the Great Perfection of Qi Refining.

A month later, Mu Yun recovered from his injuries and reached the ninth level of Qi Refining.

A month and a half later, Tang Wan recovered and successfully refined her first semi-finished Foundation Establishment pill. Though incomplete, it was valuable enough to offset the cost of the herbs used.

Two months later, Nanmen Luo broke through to the Foundation Establishment stage. Mount Hua now boasted three Foundation Establishment cultivators, possessing the strength to suppress the third-grade Golden Flame Sect of Linqing Prefecture.

...

Mount Hua Plaza.

Jiang Yan stood with his hands behind his back on the back of a Sky-Traveling Crane, speaking to Tang Wan below.

"Wan'er, after I leave, you are to handle all major sect matters. If outside enemies attack, do not engage; wait for my return."

"This journey will take me at most five days, and at least three. During my absence, let all sect affairs proceed as usual."

"Take the Inedia Pills and a portion of the spirit grain you refined, and have Junior Brother Mu take them down the mountain to the Curio Pavilion for sale. The semi-finished Foundation Establishment pill may also be auctioned there."

"Keep a close eye on the trial grounds. If the Moon Sable captures the Meat-Brown Bear King, put it in the spirit beast garden and feed the sable some pills. Once I return, we will send the disciples into the trial grounds..."

Tang Wan bowed respectfully. "I shall obey your orders, Sect Master. May your journey be swift and your return safe."

Jiang Yan signaled to Nanmen Luo, Zisu, and Ning Qian to board the crane. He then steered the beast and flew toward Mount Heaven.

...

Jiang Yan stood at the foot of Mount Heaven, gazing up at the snow-capped peaks with a weary expression. "Junior Brother, are you certain this is Mount Heaven?"

Nanmen Luo squinted at the mountain for a long time and nodded heavily. "Yes, Sect Master. My master told me when I was young that Mount Heaven is covered in snow year-round, and the ice on its peaks never melts."

Jiang Yan clapped his hands to dust off his robes, his demeanor calm and detached. "Since we have arrived, let us proceed. Zisu, release the beast."

At his command, Zisu reached into her storage pouch, and a snow-white Howling Celestial Dog appeared at their feet.

The dog, disoriented from the pouch, shook its head, sniffed the air to orient itself, and then turned its small, round head toward the mountain and let out a bark.

"Woof!"

The thunderous bark echoed throughout the entire mountain range. The vibrations were so intense that snow from several peaks began to cascade down, crashing into the buildings below.

"What manner of beast dares to cause trouble at Mount Heaven?" A roar that shook the valley erupted from the summit. The voice sounded first at the peak, then again at the mountainside, and in the blink of an eye, the speaker arrived at the foot of the mountain.