Chapter 20: The Desolate Mountains

To advance from the fifth level of the Bone Tempering Realm to the Body Forging Realm in just three months was an absolute fantasy.

Yet, hearing it from Chu Fengmian's mouth, the Third Elder actually felt a flicker of belief.

Previously, during the battle between Chu Fengmian and Li Xing, the Third Elder had found it hard to believe that Chu Fengmian could possibly defeat Li Xing; however, in reality, Li Xing had been utterly powerless against him and was slain by Chu Fengmian's hand.

Therefore, even if what he said now was a fantasy, the Third Elder felt a sense of conviction.

"Fengmian, it seems you have truly grown up. There are no wastes in the Chu family! Fine, since you have spoken, I believe you!" the Third Elder laughed loudly.

He laughed with incomparable satisfaction. Previously, when Chu Fengmian was a useless waste targeted by everyone, the Third Elder had felt extremely stifled. Now that Chu Fengmian had risen, his heart felt immensely relieved.

The Third Elder said, "If you need anything during these three months, do not hesitate to ask."

"During these three months, I plan to leave the Lin Estate," Chu Fengmian spoke up.

He had already made up his mind.

To enter the Body Forging Realm within three months was a challenge. If he stayed within the Lin Estate, Chu Fengmian truly lacked the confidence to break through. After all, for a martial artist, every breakthrough required peril; only amidst danger could one progress faster. Staying in the Lin Estate was simply too stable.

"Leave the Lin Estate..."

The Third Elder's brow furrowed. If he stayed in the Lin Estate, even if the Fourth and Fifth Elders harbored resentment, they would not dare to act against him. After all, the Life-and-Death Stage three months from now had been set in the presence of the Lin Estate Lord; no one would dare touch Chu Fengmian within the estate right now.

But if Chu Fengmian left the Lin Estate, things would be entirely different. Once outside the estate, no matter how powerful the Lin family's influence was, there would be blind spots. It was highly likely that the Fourth and Fifth Elders would not wait three months before sending people to kill him.

The Third Elder frowned and said, "Do you realize that leaving the Lin Estate will surely bring much danger?"

"Of course I know. How can one become a powerhouse without experiencing danger?" Chu Fengmian said calmly.

Powerhouses were born from experiencing countless perils and countless life-and-death battles. If Chu Fengmian stayed in the Lin Estate, it might be stable, but what would be the use? He had been reborn not for the sake of temporary stability.

"You are right. One can never truly grow within the Lin Estate," the Third Elder nodded. He had no intention of stopping Chu Fengmian. "I hope you return safely in three months."

As he spoke, the Third Elder suddenly took a jade bottle from his robe and handed it to Chu Fengmian. "This is the only thing Uncle Lin can do for you now."

Just as Chu Fengmian took the bottle, the Third Elder hurriedly departed.

"This jade bottle..."

Chu Fengmian opened the bottle, and a fresh fragrance wafted toward him. Inside the bottle was a green medicinal pill containing extremely pure spiritual energy.

"Jade Dew Pill, a Profound-grade pill."

Seeing this green pill, a warmth rose in Chu Fengmian's heart. The Third Elder's hurried departure was likely because he feared Chu Fengmian would refuse to accept it. The Jade Dew Pill was a mid-grade Profound pill that was of great use to Body Forging Realm martial artists; it likely took the Third Elder years to obtain this single pill.

"In three months, I will definitely step into the Body Forging Realm and return to the Lin Estate!"

Chu Fengmian whispered to himself, stowed the Jade Dew Pill away, took his Xuanqing Sword, and left the Lin Estate without looking back.

...

"Another one."

In a dense mountain forest, a young figure was sprinting frantically through the brush. Behind the figure, a massive horned bull, three to four meters tall, was in hot pursuit.

"Phantom Image!"

Just as the giant bull was about to catch him, the young figure moved, suddenly splitting into three silhouettes, leaving the massive bull momentarily stunned.

"Sword!"

Seizing the opportunity, a sword suddenly descended from the sky with a roar, piercing the giant bull. The beast collapsed to the ground, blood flowing down the blade.

"Another Green-Skinned Iron Bull killed. This one's realm should have reached the seventh level of the Bone Tempering Realm," the young man muttered to himself as he looked at the carcass. He sliced open the bull's head and extracted a green demon core the size of a longan.

This young man was none other than Chu Fengmian. It was now his tenth day in the Desolate Mountains.

During these ten days, Chu Fengmian had been fighting day and night, slaying countless beast after beast. The Desolate Mountains was the largest mountain range near Linwu City. It was a dense jungle that did not belong to humans, but to countless demonic beasts.

These beasts were massive in size and could also cultivate and channel energy; their strength was ten times that of a human at the same realm.

When Chu Fengmian first arrived, he encountered a Green Goat at the sixth level of the Bone Tempering Realm and had to fight it for a full hour before successfully killing it. However, the longer he stayed in the mountains, the more he understood the weaknesses of these beasts.

While these beasts possessed immense strength and incredibly tough bodies—far surpassing human martial artists in raw power—they had a fatal weakness: low intelligence. This made them easier to kill using certain tactics.

However, that only applied to low-level beasts. Truly high-level beasts possessed intelligence that could even surpass humans, and their strength was a hundred times greater than a martial artist of the same realm. Those were the truly terrifying creatures.

In his past life, Chu Fengmian knew that some truly powerful beasts even imitated humans, establishing empires that were almost indistinguishable from human civilizations.

Martial artists and demonic beasts were naturally antagonistic; beasts could devour humans to increase their strength, while martial artists could use beast bodies to forge armor and their cores to refine pills. The two sides were locked in an eternal struggle.

Chu Fengmian took the demon core of the Green-Skinned Iron Bull and placed it into a snake-skin bag. The bag was already nearly one-third full, filled with various colored demon cores.

In ten days, Chu Fengmian had killed over a hundred beasts. Previously, he had struggled against a sixth-level Bone Tempering Green Goat, but now, killing a Green-Skinned Iron Bull at the eighth level of the Bone Tempering Realm was effortless.