Free Web NovelChapter 225: Chapter 224: Northern Boundary Mountain
The Northern Boundary Mountain was perpetually covered in snow that never melted. From a distance, it resembled a colossal white Wall stretching straight to the heavens. Its mid-slopes were already swallowed by the snow, and the scenery higher up remained a mystery no one could solve.
Unlike the winding and undulating South Mountain Range, the Northern Boundary Mountain was a single, colossal peak. It stood like the very pillar of the Northern Boundary, towering over the snowy plains.
In the beginning, even before Jiang Qiu and his people had fully traversed the South Mountain Range, they could already see the silhouette of the Northern Boundary Mountain across a sea of peaks.
A month went by, and the Northern Boundary Mountain remained in sight, a constant beacon guiding their way. It now appeared even more majestic and towering than before, its peak merging the skyline with the snowline.
It was the largest mountain in the Northern Boundary, and legends about it were innumerable. The tales of the Chosen One were tied to it, and even the fall of the mythical True Dragon of the Demon Race was said to be inextricably linked with it.
The seal over the entire Northern Boundary rested upon the Northern Boundary Peak, a testament to the mountain’s status and importance.
And yet, at the foot of this mysterious and ancient mountain dwelt a great and ancient tribe of the Demon Race. They were a people who disliked conflict and were not given to gluttony, living in quiet vigil at the base of the Northern Boundary Mountain.
"If we keep going, we’ll likely enter the territory of the Northern Boundary Mountain Demon Clan. We’ll make camp nearby for now."
With a wave from Jiang Qiu, the entire party began to make camp, felling trees to construct temporary shelters.
From their vantage point, the Northern Boundary Mountain remained an imposing sight. The intervening land was a vast, white expanse of coniferous forests and snowfields. They were likely still fifty or sixty kilometers away, so by all rights, they shouldn’t have to worry about being detected by the Northern Boundary Mountain Demon Clan.
However, Jiang Qiu had done his research before arriving. The bloodline of the Northern Boundary Mountain Demon Clan was terrifyingly potent. Their inherited abilities, it was said, could be used by every member of the clan, not just the Celestial Chosen Demons. Even ordinary clansmen had access to them. One of the most crucial of these legacies was Realm Perception. Without relying on their eyes or ears, they could sense everything within a five-to-six-kilometer radius.
With such a wide perception range, coupled with the Demon Race’s innate ability to transmit information through their bloodline, being discovered by a single member of the Northern Boundary Mountain Demon Clan meant being discovered by them all. If that happened, their entire party would likely be wiped out right here.
Besides, they still had to rendezvous with [Fan] and his people from the East Shore Tribe first. There was no need to be hasty.
With this in mind, Jiang Qiu led his group to make camp in a Snow Forest. Fortunately, a river flowed nearby, its powerful current seemingly originating from the Northern Boundary Mountain. This very environment attracted Demon Beasts to its banks to drink, turning the area into an excellent hunting ground.
Relying on this abundant source of food, the Human Race contingent led by Jiang Qiu kept up their strength and morale.
According to the map, they were very close to the rendezvous point with the East Shore Tribe. Not having encountered them yet simply meant the other party hadn’t arrived. During the wait, Jiang Qiu went to scout the foothills of the Northern Boundary Mountain by himself.
Even though the collective experience of the various tribes had already made it quite clear where the best places were to covertly ascend the Northern Boundary Mountain, he still needed to scout them out himself to ensure there were no surprises.
He was already in the Dao Forging Jade Sinew Realm and had cultivated the first stage of the *Ice Prison Fire Tower*. His physical prowess was exceptional, and his speed was immense. In the span of a few deep breaths, he entered the perimeter of the Northern Boundary Mountain. The ground began to slope upward, and the trees grew sparse.
The moment he stood at the foot of the Northern Boundary Mountain and looked up, the sky vanished. All he could see was a colossal, gnarled mountain of ice and snow soaring into the clouds, magnificent and vast.
TAP TAP TAP...
After taking a few more steps upward, he suddenly plunged into a white mist. From a distance, the mist had blended in with the Northern Boundary Mountain, making him think it was snow. ’I can’t believe it’s all mist?!’
Jiang Qiu held out his left hand and clenched his fist. His fingers were barely visible, his palm already lost in the mist. The dark color of his clothes seemed to wash away. If not for the icy chill of the [Northern Snow Lance] in his right hand, he might have thought the white mist had devoured him completely.
’With a mist like this for cover, no wonder no one can climb the mountain before the Contest of the Chosen. I’ve only just entered the edge of it, and I already can’t tell north from south. If some monster were to leap out of this mist, it would be impossible to defend against.’
After muttering to himself, Jiang Qiu turned to head back. Suddenly, he froze. His pupils quivered as he swept his gaze coldly around him. ’The mist has hidden the path I came from?’
In truth, he had been on guard against the dangers of the mist ever since he’d begun scouting the Northern Boundary Mountain, constantly mindful of its density. Yet, in the blink of an eye, he was completely enveloped, the path totally obscured.
’Is the mist moving?’
Jiang Qiu’s brow furrowed. He tentatively began walking in what he believed was the correct direction. He could faintly feel the gradient of the ground changing beneath his feet, but the base of the mountain was too flat for him to make out any subtle differences in the slope.
TAP TAP TAP...
He gripped his [Northern Snow Lance] tightly, taking one deliberate step after another in his chosen direction. The mist seemed to be thinning slightly, and he could even hear a faint, rushing sound—likely the river that flowed from the Northern Boundary Mountain.
Following the approaching sound of water, Jiang Qiu quickened his pace. The indistinct noise grew clearer, resolving into voices: "After so many years, a Celestial Chosen Demon Lord has finally emerged who can perfectly inherit the Ancestor’s bloodline. Our tribe is sure to win this Contest of the Chosen, right?"
"It’s a certainty. The legacy our Ancestor left us is incredibly rich. In the past, Celestial Chosen Demons who inherited only a fraction of that legacy were strong enough to contend with the Human Race’s most powerful Chosen Ones. But our current one has inherited the ancestor’s bloodline perfectly!"
Hearing the conversation between the two demons, Jiang Qiu slowed his pace, his eyes narrowing as he tightened his grip on the [Northern Snow Lance].
"But I hear the Human Race has produced an incredibly powerful Chosen One as well. He even annihilated their strongest tribe, the West Ice Tribe. And the avians of Cold Heaven Cliff were decimated... The man is terrifying..."
"Hah. So what if he’s powerful? If we weren’t charged with guarding the Northern Boundary Mountain, we could level the entire Northern Boundary ourselves. That Chosen One, at his strongest, is probably only comparable to the historic [Zhuang]. The stir he’s caused isn’t that great. Once our Lord [Extreme] emerges from the Ancestral Land, he’ll be able to roam the Northern Boundary Mountain at will, no matter how high it is, just like the Ancestor of legend."
"You have a point. Having perfectly inherited the Ancestor’s bloodline and successfully absorbed the legacy, Lord [Extreme]’s power must have already surpassed the limits of the Northern Boundary. Maybe he can lead us to shatter the Human Race’s damn seal and storm the myriad worlds!"
"Hahaha, it’s not impossible! As long as we pluck the Enlightenment Fruit, breaking the seal will be child’s play. When that time comes, and our Great Witch makes a move with the Ancestor’s power, the very heavens of the Northern Boundary will change!"
"We have lain dormant for tens of thousands of years, all for this one moment to soar to the heavens."
Two humanoid demons sat on a boulder by the river, speaking with great conviction.
Thanks to their unique bloodline, they could adapt to the thinner parts of the white mist and were unhindered by it, treating this as a small break during their patrol.
This area was incredibly safe. As long as one didn’t venture further up the mountain, the mist felt just like home.
