Chapter 079: Gathering Spiritual Herbs

A Starry Hall, at its apex, the starry sky shimmered, countless stars glittering brilliantly. If not for the surrounding buildings, one would truly feel as if standing in a river of stars, dreamlike and illusory.

Two figures suddenly appeared in the hall that had been lonely for countless ages. The solitary atmosphere seemed to gain a trace of vitality, yet a sense of sorrow permeated everywhere.

Yang Tian's dazed gaze swept over the shining stars around him, and his resolve to become a strong man grew firmer. Only the strong could stand atop the starry sky, pluck stars and seize the moon, and look down upon the heavens.

"Just a branch sect, yet it's so magnificent." After staring for a while, Yang Tian couldn't help but sigh. To refine stars into a rare treasure and manifest a Starry Hall—this was the means of a peerless great power.

"Although it's just a branch sect, it's not something today's super sects can compare to." Meng Hao nodded, his gaze sweeping over the surrounding hall with a hint of fervor.

This Starry Hall was a rare treasure. The Meng family had tried many times, but no one could reach its core area, let alone take it away.

The two did not speak much along the way. The black-clad youth seemed very familiar with the place, dashing inward all the way. After half an hour, they arrived at a medicinal garden.

"This is the Starry Sect's medicinal garden, now belonging to our family." Meng Hao slowed down, casually remarking as he walked into the garden.

The garden spanned a thousand acres, far smaller than the Array Sect's, but the Starry Sect specialized in the power of the starry river, and most spiritual herbs in the cultivation world were useless to them.

"Why are most of them sprouts?" Scanning the garden, Yang Tian deliberately muttered. High-year spiritual herbs were scarce, and of course, the chance of Meng Hao sharing any with him was slim.

"These herbs only grow in places with ancient aura; they can't survive outside. So our family planted some." Meng Hao walked into the garden, smiled, then turned to Yang Tian and said, "I can give you some of these herbs."

"Oh... then many thanks." Scratching his head, Yang Tian chuckled. When Meng Hao turned away, he tentatively asked, "Could I pick a few sprouts and try to cultivate them, to see if they survive?"

"Sprouts?" Pausing, Meng Hao gave Yang Tian a strange look, but didn't refuse, fearing Yang Tian might feel estranged. He smiled slightly and said, "Alright, but only one of each kind."

"Thank you so much, Brother Meng." Yang Tian quickly expressed his gratitude and immediately began swiftly picking the sprouts from the ground. He had the Ancestral Dragon Ring; though he didn't know if they could survive outside, he had to try. These herbs were too rare, and even if low in years, if he could cultivate them, it would be a staggering fortune.

"When they fail, you'll have plenty to cry about." In the distance, Meng Hao watched Yang Tian's actions, curled his lip, and muttered inwardly.

After about two hours, Yang Tian had collected nearly a thousand kinds of various spiritual herbs, all rare varieties. They were all sent into the Ancestral Dragon Ring, and he secretly hoped they could be cultivated.

They had been traveling through the Starry Sect without encountering any danger. Yang Tian grew more puzzled about the purpose of this trip. If there was no danger, why was he here? A hint of vigilance rose in his heart.

After traveling for about half a day, Yang Tian and Meng Hao arrived at the foot of a large mountain. Beside it stood a stone tablet inscribed with the words "Forbidden Ground." The entire mountain exuded a oppressive atmosphere.

"Yang Tian, our destination is inside." Looking at the mountaintop, Meng Hao exhaled a breath, a trace of inexplicable sorrow flashing in his eyes. He gave a complex glance, and the two stepped inside.

The entire mountain was filled with a strange aura, and the ground was covered with peculiar patterns. Just a few glances at these swirling lines made Yang Tian dizzy.

"These patterns must have been left by a strong man, right?" His gaze constantly swept over the surrounding stone walls. The imprints seemed to be insights into martial arts left by a powerful cultivator, but Yang Tian's cultivation was too low to discern any details.

A thousand-zhang square plaza paved with an unknown jade emitted an invisible oppressive majesty. Within the plaza stood rows of stone tablets, each inscribed with a name—this was a cemetery.

"This is the burial ground of the Starry Sect's past strong men, right?" The invisible aura pressed down, also revealing a sense of desolation. Yang Tian's breathing became difficult. From the surroundings, many graves had been dug up.

"Too ruthless, even graves have been overturned." Yang Tian clicked his tongue. Generally, strong men had treasures buried with them, and even in death, these graves were coveted.

Ahead of the cemetery, an underground cave built with bluestone bricks exuded a strange aura, with the words "Treasure Chamber" carved above.

Looking at the cave ahead, the grief in Meng Hao's eyes intensified, mixed with a hint of hatred. Yang Tian didn't ask further, and the two stepped inside.

"Crack... crack..." As soon as they entered, flames ignited on both sides, the smell of animal oil assailing their nostrils. A strange aura spread through the cave.

"Crack!" Yang Tian had taken only a few steps when his gaze fell on the bones on the ground. Many had weathered away; they didn't seem to be Starry Sect strongmen. Many jade-like bones had been taken, leaving only fragments visible.

A spine-chilling aura rose. Countless bones lay scattered, densely piled on the ground, making one's scalp tingle. There were too many bones.

After walking for nearly three quarters of an hour, the two reached the end of the cave. A huge silver light screen appeared before them, an ancient and heavy aura instantly rushing over, faintly revealing the immense power contained within.

"This is a barrier, used to protect what's inside." Just as Yang Tian was pondering, Meng Hao's voice slowly sounded, his expression extremely complex.

"A barrier." Hearing this, Yang Tian couldn't help but take a few looks. A barrier required a strong man who had mastered spatial power, with strength reaching the War Emperor realm. From the looks of this barrier, it might be even higher.

Meng Hao took out a silver talisman, its energy very similar to the silver light screen. It seemed to be the key to open the barrier.

"This talisman took the family thirty years to refine, and it can only envelop two people at a time." Meng Hao said meaningfully.

"Thirty years." Yang Tian clicked his tongue, inwardly shocked. Thirty years was almost a small era; it seemed the treasure inside was extremely important to them.

Meng Hao slapped the talisman onto himself, a silver light flashing on his body. Yang Tian moved closer, and the two were instantly enveloped by silver light.

"Let's go." Grabbing Yang Tian's arm, their bodies charged toward the barrier. As soon as they touched it, a brilliant silver radiance enveloped them, and an irresistible thought rose in their hearts.

"Crack!" The silver light shield around them twisted for a moment before returning to normal, and their figures appeared inside the barrier.

A scorching heat wave instantly hit. The entire cave was fiery red, the surrounding vacuum distorting. The heat was intense, even stronger than the heat on the stone steps leading to the Array Sect.

"What kind of beast is this?" Yang Tian's gaze quickly shifted. When he saw a huge creature sleeping soundly ahead, his eyes widened.

The beast was ten zhang tall, its entire body fiery red, covered with strange scales. It had two crossed horns on its head, a tail resembling a dragon's tail, and golden flames shooting from its eyebrows. Beneath its chin, several zhang-long whiskers kept swaying.

"Father..." Just as Yang Tian was stunned, a trembling voice slowly sounded. Yang Tian's gaze instantly shifted. Not far away, Meng Hao had collapsed to the ground.

Before him lay a pile of white bones, with a few strips of cloth remaining.

"Father failed, so the son has to bear it?" Watching the pain in Meng Hao's eyes, Yang Tian was silent for a few breaths, then sighed softly. If he guessed correctly, the purpose of Meng Hao's trip was the space inside the beast.

Meng Hao sat on the ground for a long time, then collected his father's bones, withdrawing all the grief from his eyes. He looked up, his hate-filled gaze fixed on the sleeping beast ahead, a cold killing intent spreading.

"This is a Fire Qilin Horn Beast. I don't know its original cultivation level, but on Martial Dao Mountain, its power is suppressed to the peak of the first rank." Taking a deep breath, Meng Hao walked over to Yang Tian and said slowly.

"Brother Meng Hao, killing it might be quite difficult." A look of gravity spread across Yang Tian's face as he spoke slowly. Though its power was suppressed, the aura the beast emitted gave him a palpitation—it was extremely formidable.