Chapter 382 ·Bat Mountain
Chapter 382: Bat Mountain
“Bat Mountain. It looked like my luck was pretty good—I actually managed to enter this place ahead of time.”
After leaving the Blood Lake, Zhou Ming quickly arrived at Bat Mountain, the core region of the Blood Sea Secret Realm.
Looking at the mountain range, whose outline resembled an upside-down bat and whose entire body was dark crimson, Zhou Ming could not help but sigh at his good fortune.
Although the Blood Sea Secret Realm only covered an area of a little over a hundred kilometers in radius, for a Transcendent expert, it would take at most half an hour to cross it with ease.
However, the reality was that, because of its unique environment, the Blood Sea Secret Realm not only concealed numerous dangers, but also contained various barrier-like spatial obstructions due to its unstable space.
On top of that, in order to monopolize the Blood Sea Secret Realm, the Fu Family's Ancestor had deliberately modified it, setting up many dangerous traps.
Therefore, even Transcendent experts had to proceed cautiously, advancing one step at a time after entering.
What Zhou Ming had not expected was that he had originally intended to use the Blood Ghosts to enhance the power of his Crimson Halo, yet he had unexpectedly been transferred to the Blood Lake near the Bat Mountain Range.
Although the Bloodspring Spirit Liquid was within arm's reach, Zhou Ming did not lower his guard in the slightest. Instead, he heightened his vigilance to its maximum.
According to the information left behind by the Fu Family's Ancestor, Bat Mountain was the most dangerous place in the Blood Sea Secret Realm. Even after later generations of the Fu Family's Ancestor had occupied the Blood Sea Secret Realm for quite some time, they still had not managed to thoroughly investigate this place.
This was because inside Bat Mountain, which resembled a giant tomb, lay the corpse of the Blood Clan Legend that had once rested there, containing an extremely dense concentration of resentment.
Under the influence of that resentment and the unique environment, all kinds of bizarre creatures had been born here.
Furthermore, space had begun overlapping, and no one knew where the next step might lead. It was a place filled with uncertainty.
Just as Zhou Ming was observing Bat Mountain, he suddenly turned to look behind him.
“Someone has already arrived?”
Sensing an unusual aura appearing behind him, Zhou Ming chose not to remain any longer. Since he had to enter Bat Mountain sooner or later, he had no intention of letting anyone discover his whereabouts.
He leaped into the air, and in the next instant, spatial fluctuations appeared as his figure vanished from sight.
Only a brief moment after Zhou Ming entered Bat Mountain, the Ghost King, dressed in a blood-red robe and possessing a youthful yet sinister appearance, also arrived.
Although many Blood Corpses were hidden within the Blood Lake, with some even comparable to Transcendent experts, they were ultimately mindless dead things.
If the Ghost King was determined to flee, the Blood Corpses had virtually no chance of stopping him.
“Someone had already gone in?”
Sensing the lingering spatial fluctuations that had yet to dissipate, the Ghost King narrowed his eyes slightly, wondering who could have entered Bat Mountain ahead of him.
As a flash of inspiration crossed his mind, he instantly recalled the traces he had discovered at the Blood Lake.
Without further hesitation, the Ghost King immediately transformed into a streak of blood-red light and shot into the domain of Bat Mountain.
Like Zhou Ming, his figure was immediately swallowed by the invisible space.
Not long afterward, Elder White Whale, whose build resembled that of a bear, also arrived.
Beside him were a mature and alluring beautiful woman, along with a gaunt man whose eyes were as sharp as those of an eagle.
The beautiful woman was a Transcendent expert from the He Family of Black Tortoise Island, named He Baige.
The He Family of Black Tortoise Island was one of the five major powers of the Cloud Mist Sea and possessed three Transcendent experts.
One of them was nearing the end of his lifespan and was prolonging his life through a state of feigned death. Unless Black Tortoise Island faced a life-or-death crisis, he would not easily awaken from his slumber.
Another remained behind to guard Black Tortoise Island, preventing any unexpected incident that might result in the He Family's headquarters being wiped out.
The family's primary inheritance was that of Phantasmal Tamers, specializing in raising turtle-type Phantasmal Beasts. Their Transcendent-level Phantasmal Beast was known as the Sea Guardian Turtle.
This time, they had come for the Bloodspring Spirit Liquid in order to extend the lifespan of the eldest elder in their family.
Back at the Trade Fair, she had repeatedly proposed various conditions in an attempt to exchange for the Sea Breath Pearl in Zhou Ming's possession, but Zhou Ming had ultimately refused every offer.
Fortunately, the Sea Breath Pearl's life-extending effect was not particularly outstanding. Coupled with Zhou Ming's strength having already reached the Mid-level Transcendent Rank, otherwise, she would have long since resorted to force to seize it.
As for the gaunt man with eagle-like eyes, he was Qi Haiya from the Four Directions Chamber of Commerce of Black Wind Island.
The Four Directions Chamber of Commerce was an organization similar to a corporate conglomerate, possessing a unique technique for raising low-tier eagle-type Ferocious Beasts.
Although they could not control them as freely as Beast Tamers, by paying a certain price, they could raise and command enormous Giant Sea Eagles with relatively gentle temperaments.
These Ferocious Beasts possessed wingspans of over ten meters, could easily carry cargo weighing over a ton, and were capable of flying through the Cloud Mist Sea Region shrouded in mist.
It was precisely by relying on this method that the Four Directions Chamber of Commerce's business spread throughout the entire Cloud Mist Sea Region.
The Four Seas Chamber of Commerce, which had competed for the Black Jade Pearl back then, was one of the Four Directions Chamber of Commerce's branches.
The two had appeared alongside Elder White Whale of Rainbow Island. Either the three factions maintained close relations, or they had simply encountered one another by chance and formed a temporary alliance.
“Someone has already arrived ahead of us. Let's speed things up.”
After sweeping his sharp gaze across the surroundings, Qi Haiya immediately informed the other two of the situation.
“Bat Mountain isn't an easy place to break into. Arriving early doesn't necessarily mean obtaining the Bloodspring Spirit Liquid first.”
Although He Baige spoke calmly, the seriousness in her eyes was obvious.
Back when the five major powers had joined forces to eliminate the Fu Family, they had obtained a considerable amount of intelligence regarding the Blood Sea Secret Realm.
Although she knew that the Bat Mountain Range was extraordinarily complex, she still could not help but feel somewhat concerned.
Elder White Whale said nothing further and immediately led the two of them into Bat Mountain.
Soon afterward, other Transcendent experts began arriving at Bat Mountain one after another.
However, some of them already bore slight injuries.
Although these injuries would not have a major impact, they were enough to prove that the hidden dangers within the Blood Sea Secret Realm were not something even Transcendent experts could easily deal with.
Especially since the Blood Sea Secret Realm had been fully formed for two to three hundred years, giving it more than enough time to nurture formidable existences.
If one's luck was poor or one's vigilance was insufficient, dying here was entirely possible.
Especially with so many Transcendent experts gathered here, fierce battles over treasures could erupt at any moment. Even minor injuries could determine the outcome of victory or defeat.
Meanwhile, after Zhou Ming entered Bat Mountain, he suddenly found himself inside a narrow passageway.
The tunnel, which was ten meters wide and ten meters high, made it difficult for Zhou Ming to fight in his Molted Serpent form.
After briefly examining the rocky walls of the passage, Zhou Ming discovered that they were not made of ordinary stone, but were instead spatial barriers formed from a special material.
Just as Zhou Ming raised a glowing pearl to investigate his surroundings, an invisible force suddenly descended upon him, and the soft internal organs inside his body were instantly torn to pieces.
Faced with this bizarre attack that came without the slightest warning, Zhou Ming was instantly pushed to the brink of death.
However, in the very next moment, a Molted Serpent that resembled a dried corpse emerged beside Zhou Ming.
He forcibly healed his injuries by using the life essence of one Molted Serpent.
This was an inspiration Zhou Ming had obtained from the Puppet Substitution Tribulation Technique.
The limitation was that Zhou Ming himself still had to have a single breath left. Otherwise, he would not even have the opportunity to use it.
Fortunately, he had advanced to the Transcendent Rank through the path of bloodlines, giving him vitality and physical toughness far beyond that of ordinary Transcendent experts of the same level. Otherwise, this time he truly would have capsized in a gutter.
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