As night fell, the entire Imperial Mountain Range fell into a boundless silence. Occasionally, the faint traces left by cultivators crossing the void could be seen in the distant sky, proving that this once-deserted place was no longer so peaceful.
Ming Qi and his companions simply maintained vigilance and precautions throughout the night, not exploring further towards Mount Osho. Ming Qi suspected that a major event would soon unfold there, and that reacting accordingly would be the best option.
Mount Osho was no longer a deserted place, a place rarely visited by humans. Everyone who arrived knew that perhaps a powerful force no less powerful than their own was lurking nearby, waiting for its opportunity, like a beast waiting for its prey.
Mount Osho, which had unknowingly become the focal point of this incident, remained as tranquil as ever.
Towering, ancient trees densely clustered around the peak of Mount Osho, which soared into the sky like a prehistoric beast, quietly perched atop the boundless expanse of the Western Wilds.
As far as the eye could see, all that remained was the dense forest surrounding Mount Osho. Nearly a hundred miles in radius, it was encircled by a species of towering, ancient trees of unknown origin. The mere sight of them filled one with a bone-chilling chill.
The night breeze rustled the branches of the tall trees, creating a rustling sound.
Indistinctly, under the shroud of darkness, several shadowy figures silently approached Mount Osho.
They moved cautiously, deliberating over each step. Their direction and pace were meticulously planned, clearly following a routine.
After a short while, they arrived at the dense cluster of ancient trees.
To ascend Mount Osho, one must traverse a dense primeval forest stretching nearly a hundred miles. How much danger lies hidden within this forest? No one who has arrived at Mount Osho could possibly reveal it.
"Captain, we've broken through the maze within the outer ten miles, but we still don't know the secrets of this Magic Forest."
Standing outside the forest, one of the group whispered.
"The Magic Forest is just a scare tactic. We've already broken the maze outside, haven't we? So what's there to be afraid of? Just study as we go."
Another voice spoke, a chilling tone, sounding like a tough guy.
As soon as this person spoke, the others fell silent. After a moment's silence, one of them took the lead and entered the primeval forest known as the Magic Forest.
This group was clearly a small mercenary group, driven by a thirst for treasure above all else. Having stumbled upon the ancient hidden gem on Mount Osho, they had made a desperate attempt to explore it.
Entering the Magic Forest, everyone felt as if the surrounding space had suddenly transformed.
No light at all, complete darkness.
The road beneath their feet felt as light as cotton, making them feel as if they would stumble if they weren't careful.
They were all cultivators of profound cultivation, including two innate masters, but at this moment, they all felt the same, their feelings unaffected by their strength.
"Captain, there's something strange going on here. Should we..."
After walking for a while, one of them spoke nervously, but before he could finish his words, he suddenly felt a flash of light before his eyes. A dazzling red bead shot towards him like lightning.
Almost instantly, he saw a stream of blood, as bright and crimson as the bead itself, flying before him.
Puff!
It was only then that he felt something. He suddenly opened his mouth, and a stream of blood spurted out, a fine rain of blood falling in the darkness.
First he saw blood, then felt something unusual, and without even feeling any pain, he was already completely dead. This almost completely defied common sense, yet it happened just like that. Unfortunately, he was already dead, unable to utter this utterly impossible truth.
One person died, and the gushing blood instantly spread into a bloody mist, spreading before several people. Almost simultaneously, each of them saw a dazzling red bead spinning around.
"No! Run!"
He shouted those four words crisply, and his body slid to the ground, limp as a bag.
Puff, puff, puff!
Continuous, almost uninterrupted sprays of blood erupted in the air, then fell.
"Ah!"
Finally, someone screamed in terror, but he couldn't escape his fate. His death only lasted half a second longer than his companions.
After more than a dozen bodies collapsed to the ground, a blood-red light flickered in the sky.
A blood-red light illuminated the twisted branches of the ancient trees in the surrounding magical forest, illuminating a faint human figure.
Flutter...
The sound startled a night owl, which spread its wings and soared from the tree trunk into the air.
At that moment, a voice echoed through the pitch-black night, "Xiao Ling, you're slow again. You made a sound and startled the night owl."
"You're so stupid! You're not activating the Origin Formation, but you're going to all this trouble. If you think telling the Sect Master about this little thing would please him, go ahead. I have no objection."
The faint red figure vanished in a flash, leaving behind only a trail of blood in the bloody night.
No one spoke again, and the entire Magic Forest once again became as silent as the abyss of death.
"According to the information I've obtained, outside Mount Osho lies a dense forest a hundred miles in radius, known as the Magic Forest. Horrifying and bizarre things are said to be happening there. To ascend Mount Osho, one must pass through the Magic Forest; it's the only way."
The next morning, Ming Qi immediately shared some information about Mount Osho.
"I've heard that something related to the Magic Bloodline might exist within the Imperial Mountains. So, it seems likely this Magic Forest is the source."
Su Yuan was lucid for once, and her words were always to the point. This was naturally due to her having spent time with her in the Western Wilds, and being aware of some of the rumors surrounding the region.
"What is the Magic Bloodline?"
Su Yuan's mention of the Magic Bloodline stunned everyone; none of them had ever heard of it.
"Simply put, the Demonic Bloodline is derived from being directly connected to the royal bloodline of the Demon Realm. It can unleash the potential of demons, causing their cultivation to skyrocket and making them fearless."
After hearing Su Yuan's words, Ming Qi immediately understood.
This Magic Forest is like heaven for cultivators from the Demon Realm, but pure hell for righteous cultivators. Once they enter, their Dao is extinguished and their demonic power is intensified, with no return.
"What if we just fly through it?"
Mo Changli asked. Her idea was simple: since they couldn't pass through the Magic Forest, they could just fly through it. That probably wouldn't be a problem.
Su Yuan shook his head and said, "It's not that simple at all. The Magic Forest restricts and weakens all righteous cultivators who enter it. Anyone who enters the Magic Forest, whether on the ground or in the air, cannot escape its obstruction."
"If that's the case, then wouldn't we be able to do anything?" Mo Changli said.
"That's not certain. Right now, we're just getting a feel for the terrain of Mount Osho. I think it won't be long before someone breaks through the restrictions of the Magic Forest and forcibly ascends Mount Osho."
Ming Qi said thoughtfully.
His plan, to put it bluntly, was to fish in troubled waters. Since he wasn't as strong as the others, his only option was to take advantage of the chaos.
For example, let's take the Biyou Sect for example. Chu Huaiyuan, who possessed the power of the Tenth Level Innate Golden Body, personally led the team. There was no way they would just wait around. They would definitely choose to open a gap in the Magic Forest and then force their way through to the foot of Mount Osho.
Ming Qi knew perfectly well. Although he couldn't see it right now, he knew there were no shortage of powerful individuals watching over Mount Osho, and they were undoubtedly commanding experts.
These individuals were likely thinking the same thing as Chu Huaiyuan: they definitely wouldn't wait around.
After some research, Ming Qi decided to move closer. After all, perfect concealment was no longer feasible. With more and more monks appearing nearby, encountering other mercenaries was a possibility. It was better to simply reveal one's identity.
At dusk, after a few days of rest, Ming Qi and his group finally set out on their exploration again.
They were still several hundred miles from Mount Osho, but now, taking advantage of the cover of night, they quietly approached the mountain to minimize encounters with other mercenaries.
After traveling all night, they finally stopped again in the early morning hours after covering over two hundred miles.
This point was less than a hundred miles from the Magic Forest surrounding Mount Osho, allowing them to more quickly obtain information on the situation there.
During this relatively short search, they had already passed by no fewer than five mercenary groups. While it was impossible to determine whether they were aware of Ming Qi and his companions' presence, Ming Qi had at least gathered some information about the mercenary groups they had encountered.
All sources have confirmed that the five major mercenary groups in Killing Star City have dispatched their elite warriors to Mount Osho!
After receiving this information, Ming Qi no longer worried about breaking through the Magic Forest. His current concern was whether the situation on Mount Osho would deteriorate to the point where even these Innate Cultivators would be unable to intervene.
While there were no Martial King-level warriors among the major mercenary groups in Killing Star City, there were numerous Innate Cultivators at the ninth and tenth levels. Once the competition reached this level, Ming Qi would find it difficult to intervene.
Looking over Mount Osho, the giant mountain, like an ancient beast, remained quietly dormant, seemingly unaware of what was about to unfold.
Things soon began to improve. That afternoon, someone, unable to contain themselves, finally took action!
The target, surprisingly, was the Magic Forest surrounding Mount Osho!