I cultivate the Chaos Technique

Chapter 153 Misty Forest

After obtaining the millennium snow lotus, Zhang Yifan did not linger and immediately embarked on a new journey. He knew that time was of the essence, and he was still missing a crucial ingredient—a ten-thousand-year-old Ganoderma lucidum—before he could successfully refine the Seven Treasures Rejuvenation Pill. This precious Ganoderma lucidum was said to grow in the misty forest of the distant eastern Tianqi Prefecture.

From the frigid, snow-capped mountains to the misty forest, the distance is a full two million miles. Even with Zhang Yifan's current profound cultivation at the Nascent Soul stage, such a long journey would take him a full five years simply to travel by air. Five years is far too long in the ever-changing world of cultivation; countless changes could occur during that time, not to mention his deep concern for his loved ones awaiting treatment. Every passing second was agonizing for him.

Fortunately, he has now successfully broken through to the Nascent Soul Realm, gaining a crucial privilege—the ability to freely use inter-state teleportation arrays across all states. These teleportation arrays were built by the predecessors of the cultivation world, who devoted countless efforts and precious resources to facilitate communication and travel between states. Their principle is based on the use of powerful spatial forces, enabling cultivators to traverse vast distances in an instant, achieving a near-teleportation effect and greatly reducing the time and energy cultivators expend traveling between states.

Zhang Yifan carefully stored the thousand-year-old snow lotus in his specially crafted storage magic treasure, ensuring its safety. He then began inquiring about the location of the teleportation array to the Eastern Tianqi Prefecture. In the cultivation towns near the Cold Light Snow Mountain, news spread rapidly, especially about Zhang Yifan, a Nascent Soul cultivator who had endured countless hardships in the snow mountain, successfully defeating numerous powerful demonic beasts and acquiring precious treasures. This became a popular topic of conversation. Therefore, when he asked the local cultivators about the teleportation array, they enthusiastically guided him, their eyes filled with awe and envy.

Following the others' directions, Zhang Yifan quickly found the teleportation array hidden in the valley. This teleportation array was vast, its surroundings covered with various mysterious runes and patterns, exuding an ancient and enigmatic aura. Several enormous stone pillars stood within the array, inlaid with spirit crystals emitting a soft glow; these spirit crystals were the key energy source driving the teleportation array's operation.

Zhang Yifan took a deep breath, adjusted his state, and ensured that his spiritual energy was abundant and stable. Then, he stepped into the teleportation array and, based on his previous experience using teleportation arrays, slowly poured his spiritual energy into the spirit crystal within the array. As the spiritual energy was poured in, the light of the spirit crystal became increasingly dazzling, and the teleportation array began to tremble slightly. The surrounding spatial energy was gradually activated, and a tense and oppressive atmosphere filled the air.

Just as Zhang Yifan was about to activate the teleportation array, a dark shadow suddenly darted out from the nearby woods and pounced towards it. Zhang Yifan's eyes sharpened, and he instantly became alert, instinctively gripping his longsword and preparing to parry the sudden attack. However, as the shadow drew closer, he realized it was actually an injured spirit fox.

The fox's fur was a fiery red, like a burning flame, but it appeared somewhat dull and lifeless at the moment. Several bloodstained wounds marred its body, and its eyes revealed a hint of fear and helplessness. It seemed to be being hunted by some powerful force, and had stumbled into this place in its panic.

Zhang Yifan's heart stirred slightly. He wasn't a cold-hearted person to begin with, and moreover, in the eyes of this spirit fox, he saw a survival desire and struggle quite similar to his own on the path of cultivation. So, he sheathed his longsword, gently squatted down, and reached out his hand to the spirit fox, trying to soothe its emotions.

The fox was initially wary, taking a few steps back, but under Zhang Yifan's gentle gaze and soothing words, it seemed to sense that he meant no harm and gradually relaxed. It cautiously approached Zhang Yifan, gently sniffing his hand, its fear gradually replaced by a hint of trust.

Zhang Yifan gently stroked the spirit fox's wounds, using his spiritual energy to heal it. Nourished by the spiritual energy, the spirit fox's wounds healed rapidly at a visible speed, and its previously dull fur gradually regained its luster. Sensing the changes in its body, the spirit fox's eyes were filled with gratitude. It gently rubbed against Zhang Yifan's palm, as if expressing its thanks.

"Let's go, it's not safe here," Zhang Yifan said softly. Although he knew the spirit fox might not understand him, he believed the intelligent little creature could sense his meaning. The spirit fox seemed to truly understand him. It nodded at Zhang Yifan, then turned and ran into the depths of the forest, quickly disappearing into the vast expanse of trees.

Zhang Yifan looked in the direction the spirit fox had left, shook his head slightly, and a faint smile appeared on his face. Then, he focused his attention on the teleportation array again, poured in spiritual power, and activated it.

With a flash of dazzling light, Zhang Yifan felt the surrounding space violently distort, as if he were in a colorful vortex, his body being pulled by a powerful force, hurtling towards an unknown direction. This feeling of traversing space was extremely strange, yet also somewhat dizzying and uncomfortable. However, with his unwavering will, Zhang Yifan struggled to remain conscious, tightly guarding his spiritual power and mind, ensuring that no mistakes would occur during the teleportation.

He didn't know how much time had passed—perhaps just a moment, or perhaps an eternity—but the pulling force finally disappeared, and Zhang Yifan's feet once again touched solid ground. He slightly opened his eyes and found himself in an unfamiliar place.

The surrounding area stretched out into a vast plain, with rolling mountains in the distance, shrouded in mist, creating a scene reminiscent of a fairyland. The sky was a deep, jewel-like blue, and the bright, warm sunshine felt incredibly comforting. A refreshing scent filled the air, a mingled fragrance of flowers and the earthy aroma, a stark contrast to the biting cold and austere atmosphere of the frigid, snow-capped mountains.

Zhang Yifan knew he had successfully arrived in the Eastern Tianqi State. He looked around, trying to find the direction to the Misty Forest. In the distance, he saw a bustling town, teeming with people. He decided to go into the town first to inquire about specific information about the Misty Forest.

The moment he stepped into the town, he felt a strong atmosphere of cultivation. Shops lined both sides of the street, filled with all kinds of rare magical treasures, elixirs, cultivation manuals, and spiritual materials needed for cultivation. Cultivators came and went, some selecting magical treasures, some exchanging cultivation experiences, and others demonstrating their supernatural powers and spells, creating a prosperous scene.

Zhang Yifan found a lively-looking inn and went inside. Inside, many cultivators were discussing various strange and unusual events that had recently occurred. Zhang Yifan found an empty seat, ordered some food and wine, and listened intently to the conversation around him.

"Have you heard? There seem to be some unusual things happening in the Misty Forest lately. It's said that the monsters there have become even more ferocious, and mysterious lights are flashing out from the depths of the forest from time to time. I wonder if some treasure is about to appear." A cultivator in a green robe said in a low voice, his eyes revealing a hint of excitement and curiosity.

“That’s right. I’ve also heard that several seniors with considerable cultivation entered the Misty Forest to explore, but they never returned, their fates unknown. This shows just how dangerous the Misty Forest is.” Another cultivator chimed in, a look of worry on his face.

Zhang Yifan pondered to himself, the Misty Forest was already mysterious and unpredictable, and now these unusual circumstances suggested that the dangers within were far beyond his imagination. However, he did not back down; instead, his determination to venture into the Misty Forest only strengthened. To save his loved ones, he was willing to overcome any obstacle ahead.

After a satisfying meal, Zhang Yifan inquired about the route to the Misty Forest from the innkeeper, then left the inn and sped towards the forest. As he approached the Misty Forest, the surrounding environment gradually changed. The air became increasingly humid, shrouded in a thin mist, and visibility began to blur. The vegetation along the roadside grew denser, with various strangely shaped plants intertwining, forming a natural barrier that prevented outsiders from entering.

Zhang Yifan cautiously moved through the dense vegetation, vigilantly observing his surroundings. Suddenly, a slight rustling sound came from the bushes beside him. He immediately stopped, his longsword instantly drawn, his eyes sharply fixed on the source of the sound. A monstrous beast covered in sharp thorns emerged from the bushes. It wasn't large, but its eyes were extremely fierce, and it bared sharp fangs, letting out a low roar at Zhang Yifan.

Zhang Yifan frowned slightly. Although this demonic beast looked unremarkable, he dared not be careless in the slightest. On the edge of this unfamiliar and dangerous misty forest, any demonic beast could pose a deadly threat. He gripped his longsword tightly, slowly circulating his spiritual energy, preparing to meet the beast's attack.

The demonic beast seemed to sense Zhang Yifan's wariness. Instead of attacking rashly, it slowly circled Zhang Yifan, searching for an opening. Zhang Yifan, in turn, kept a close eye on the beast's every move, not missing a single detail. Suddenly, the beast pounced, moving with incredible speed, like a black lightning bolt. Zhang Yifan was prepared. He dodged to the side, avoiding the beast's attack, and simultaneously thrust his longsword swiftly towards the beast's abdomen.

The monster reacted extremely quickly, flipping in the air to avoid Zhang Yifan's longsword, then sweeping its tail towards him. Zhang Yifan hurriedly blocked with his longsword, and with a muffled "bang," he felt a tremendous force coming from the sword, causing him to involuntarily take several steps back.

Although this demonic beast was not as strong as him, it was extremely agile and its attack methods were quite cunning. Zhang Yifan knew that he could no longer continue to deal with it passively; he had to find the beast's weakness as soon as possible and deliver a fatal blow. Therefore, he unleashed the Xuanqing Sword Technique, his sword flashing, and streaks of sharp sword energy swept towards the demonic beast.

The demonic beast scattered and fled under the attack of the sword energy, but its speed was ultimately no match for the speed of the sword energy. Soon, a sword energy struck the demonic beast's back, cutting a deep wound. The demonic beast let out a painful howl, and its speed visibly slowed down. Zhang Yifan seized the opportunity to launch an attack. He flashed forward, instantly closing in, raising his long sword high, imbued with powerful spiritual energy, and slashing it down fiercely at the demonic beast's head.

With a crisp "crack," Zhang Yifan's longsword cleaved the monster's head in two, splattering blood and brains everywhere. Zhang Yifan slowly sheathed his sword, breathing heavily. Although this monster wasn't particularly powerful, it had still caused him some trouble, making him more acutely aware of the dangers of the Misty Forest.

He quickly cleared the battlefield and continued deeper into the Misty Forest. As he ventured further, the fog thickened, and the surrounding environment became increasingly eerie and terrifying. But Zhang Yifan's gaze grew ever more resolute. He knew the Ten-Thousand-Year-Old Ganoderma was within this Misty Forest, and whatever awaited him, he had to forge ahead.