After venturing more than a hundred li into the Sunset Mountain Range, he officially entered its outer region.
The outer region was vast and was divided by some into three layers.
The 1st Layer was mostly the territory of Low-Tier Fierce Beasts.
The medicinal herbs here weren’t of a very high level, but the trade-off was that it was less dangerous.
Most Martial Disciples conducted their trials on this layer.
The 2nd Layer was teeming with Mid-Tier Fierce Beasts.
They were terrifyingly powerful and immense, capable of contending with Martial Artists who had produced Yuan Jin.
Even a Martial Artist at the Sixth Rank of Meridian Opening wouldn’t dare to provoke some of the more formidable ones.
This area was more dangerous, but it was rich in medicinal herbs and resources.
As for the 3rd Layer, only Martial Artists would dare to enter for their trials.
After all, it was home to numerous High-Tier Fierce Beasts, and there were even rumors of Demon Beasts that could swallow a Martial Artist whole.
It was exceptionally dangerous.
Shen Fan was well aware of his own strength.
Facing a Mid-Tier Fierce Beast would be suicide, so he limited his activities to the 1st Layer of the outer region.
Some Low-Tier Fierce Beasts had strength comparable to a Martial Disciple at the Third Rank of Meridian Opening, which was perfect for honing his Martial Techniques.
Furthermore, the Fierce Beast Materials from them could be sold for a good price.
If he hunted enough Fierce Beasts, he could save up enough to purchase Elixirs to advance his Cultivation.
After all, the Outer Courtyard assessment was in just over two months.
To place in the top three, he needed to break through to the Peak of Meridian Opening Third Stage.
Therefore, after advancing to the Third Rank of Meridian Opening, he would need to supplement his training with Elixirs to speed up his Cultivation.
And to buy Elixirs, he naturally had to hunt enough Fierce Beasts for their materials to exchange for silver taels.
He used the Cloud Ladder Ascension Technique and, in just a few leaps, reached the summit of a hundred-meter-tall mountain.
Then, he activated his Soul Eye to survey the surroundings.
With his current strength, once his Soul Eye was active, it could cover a two-li radius.
Within that range, not the slightest stir of wind or blade of grass could escape his notice.
This was one of the reasons he dared to come here alone.
Within the two-li radius, the area was mostly forest.
Under the sweep of his Soul Eye, even a caterpillar crawling on a black tree trunk was crystal clear.
After a moment of searching, a look of delight appeared on his face.
He immediately leaped from the summit, spreading his arms like a great bird as he dove toward a patch of forest to the east.
The Cloud Ladder Ascension Technique truly lived up to its reputation as a Martial Technique that surpassed Top-tier Body Techniques.
With a light glide through the air, he shot forward like an arrow, crossing two to three hundred meters in an instant and landing on a tree trunk.
HISS HISS…
A hot, hissing sound suddenly reached his ears.
Shen Fan turned his head and retreated, just in time to see a Snake Head the size of a bucket.
It was triangular, flicking a reddish-green tongue, and its two dark-green fangs glinted with a Cold Light.
“Triangular Snake!”
Shen Fan’s face lit up with joy.
He had already spotted the Triangular Snake’s trail, but the creature blended so perfectly with its surroundings that it was difficult to identify its species, even with a sweep of his Soul Eye. New chapters come out on g.com first.
After all, his Cultivation was still a bit low, so he couldn’t fully unleash the divine power of his Soul Eye.
The Triangular Snake was a Low-Tier Fierce Beast comparable to an expert at the Third Rank of Meridian Opening, with an aura approaching the Peak of Meridian Opening Third Stage.
Its Snake Gallbladder was an extremely precious Alchemy ingredient.
The Snake Head was incredibly fast.
Shen Fan had just retreated when it was already before him, its two eyes locked onto his neck as it lunged to bite.
Shen Fan didn’t dare be careless.
With a quick shuffle of his feet, he crossed from one tree trunk to another.
When fighting a Triangular Snake, you couldn’t let it get close.
The poisonous gas it sprayed from its mouth had a paralyzing effect that was nearly impossible to defend against.
After putting some distance between them, Shen Fan’s gaze shifted, tracing the snake’s body back from its head.
He saw that it was about ten meters long.
Strike a snake at its seven-inch point.
This was the weak spot for all serpentine Fierce Beasts.
Just then, the Triangular Snake’s body shot upright, spinning like a pillar.
It swelled in size, and its head lunged forward violently.
“Perfect!” Shen Fan roared.
He leaped sideways, appearing beneath the snake’s body.
Drawing his blade, he slashed diagonally, striking its weak point.
The Triangular Snake was severed in two.
Emerald-green blood pooled on the ground, smelling even fouler than a stagnant sewer, as its blood was mostly composed of toxins.
Shen Fan, holding his long blade, was extremely satisfied with that strike.
He smiled, cut open the snake’s body, and retrieved a fist-sized Snake Gallbladder, placing it inside a Jade Box.
The most precious part of a Triangular Snake was its gallbladder.
It was an excellent medicinal ingredient for cultivating the Flesh Body and enhancing one’s qi and blood.
If used to refine a Body Tempering Pill or a Snake Blood Pill, the effects would be even greater.
This single gallbladder was worth three thousand silver taels.
As for the other parts of the Triangular Snake, they were also worth some money, but they were too bulky to carry, so he had to abandon them.
Shen Fan stored his prize and began searching for his next target.
For a time, the agonizing cries of Fierce Beasts echoed intermittently within a radius of a dozen li.
Flashes of cold, deadly blade light and heavy, booming impacts became the harbingers of death, reaping the lives of these beasts.
‘A Fierce Boar, strength comparable to the Third Rank of Meridian Opening.
Its bristles can be used to make weapons.
Worth about one thousand silver taels.’
‘A Brocade Rat, strength comparable to the Peak of Meridian Opening Third Stage.
Its attacks aren’t very ferocious, though.
It still couldn’t withstand a single strike from my Fast Blade.
Its fur is a fine material for making quality garments, worth five thousand silver taels.’
‘A Big Black Bear, with a Cultivation comparable to the Peak of Meridian Opening Third Stage. This chapter was taken from g.com without permission.
Its aura wasn’t any weaker than Liu Jie’s.
Unfortunately, it only had brute strength and was dumber than a rock.
Killed with a single palm strike.
The bear gallbladder is an ingredient for refining Elixirs, and the Bear Paws are a rare delicacy.
Altogether, they’re worth almost ten thousand silver taels.’
…
With his Soul Eye for reconnaissance, Shen Fan could find prey faster and more efficiently than anyone else, making his hunts extremely effective.
In just half a month, he had collected materials from several dozen Low-Tier Fierce Beasts, worth a total of over one hundred thousand silver taels.
‘No wonder so many people like to come to the Sunset Mountain Range for their trials,’ Shen Fan thought.
‘This place is a paradise for training.
The wealth you can accumulate from a single trip is enough to support several months of Cultivation, and you can even fight Fierce Beasts to hone your Martial Techniques.’
Shen Fan carried a large sack on his back, stuffed full of all sorts of materials.
It was bulging heavily.
If he hadn’t discarded some of the bulkier items, he probably would have had enough to fill an entire room.
He was certainly happy about the harvest, as it meant he could now afford the Elixirs required to advance from the Third Rank of Meridian Opening all the way to its Peak.
But the greater reward was the improvement in his Martial Techniques.
After half a month of honing, his Fast Blade technique had become sharper and swifter, as if it were an extension of his own body.
The blade moved with his will, bringing its speed, precision, and ruthlessness to a new level.
Even a Fierce Beast at the Peak of Meridian Opening Third Stage could be dealt with in a single strike, clean and efficient.
In terms of both its Mental Realm and practical application, his Fast Blade had reached the Great Success Realm.
His Great Sorrow Palm had likewise been cultivated to the Peak of Small Achievement Realm.
A single palm strike could unleash a howling gale.
Even the Big Black Bear, with a Flesh Body as hard as steel, had its meridians shattered by his palm, collapsing dead on the spot.
Through this ordeal of training, his Flesh Body had become as hard as iron, his qi and blood were vigorous, and his Primordial Qi was stable.
His foundation was solid.
He only needed to sit and cultivate for a short while to advance to the Third Rank of Meridian Opening at any time.
However, he felt that the longer he suppressed his breakthrough, the more his Primordial Qi would refine his body.
If he built an even more solid foundation now, his strength would be even greater after he finally advanced to the Third Rank of Meridian Opening.
Besides, his current strength was already enough to sweep through most experts at the Third Rank of Meridian Opening.
The quality of his Primordial Qi and the strength of his Flesh Body were both exceptional.
At that moment, the sun was shining brightly.
A refreshing breeze blew toward him, carrying a faint hint of moisture that dampened his face.
After walking for about the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, a turbulent river appeared.
The RUSHING sound of the water was far more pleasant than the cries of the Fierce Beasts.
‘The current here is swift and the bottom isn’t visible.
This is a good place to cultivate,’ Shen Fan thought.
He stopped, and with the large sack still on his back, leaped into the river.