Wei Tu listened to Fu Zhizhou’s words and shook his head slightly.

The cultivation world was full of stories about those with poor talent but unwavering willpower rising to greatness.

However, among the vast population of cultivators, only a handful ever managed to truly defy the heavens with determination alone.

Or rather—

Willpower alone could only set the lower limit, but it could never define the upper limit.

Among rogue cultivators in the Qi Refinement Realm, there were plenty with willpower just as strong as Fu Zhizhou’s.

But most of them never even reached Foundation Establishment and ended up dying with regrets.

Let alone attempting to reach Golden Core.

The only reason Fu Zhizhou had succeeded at reaching Foundation Establishment at a hundred years old was that he had managed to gather all three key elements necessary for a breakthrough—willpower, opportunity, and strength.

Even though he never received a great fortune directly, his connection to Wei Tu and Kou Hongying allowed him to indirectly obtain opportunities that others couldn’t.

For ordinary rogue cultivators, reaching Qi Refinement Ninth Realm before 120 years old was already an impressive feat.

But getting access to a Foundation Establishment Pill or an alternative method to break through was something most could only dream of.

However—

The Foundation Establishment Realm was different.

Fu Zhizhou wouldn’t be able to replicate his previous success the same way.

The same fortunate encounters that helped him in the past were unlikely to happen again.

Because opportunities to reach Golden Core weren’t like Foundation Establishment opportunities—they were rarely something that benefited multiple people at once.

And even for Wei Tu and Kou Hongying, who had their own paths to Golden Core, their chances were still uncertain.

After finishing their talk about Fu Zhizhou’s future, Wei Tu brought up his own plans—he intended to head to Demon Wolf Mountain to search for Iron Magnetic Spirit Wood.

“I’ve spent the past years cultivating in Danqiu Mountain and Yunhe Mountain, never stepping foot into Demon Wolf Mountain…”

“So I want the two of you to accompany me this time.”

Wei Tu spoke seriously.

The spiritual grounds where Iron Magnetic Spirit Wood grew were all deep within Demon Wolf Mountain, where encounters with Tier-2 demon beasts were likely.

Although Tier-2 demon beasts were generally weaker than human cultivators of the same level, their raw survival instincts made them extremely dangerous in battle.

While cultivators aimed to win with minimal risk, demon beasts fought desperately to survive, making them deadly opponents.

Hearing his request, Kou Hongying and Fu Zhizhou immediately agreed without hesitation.

After all—

Wei Tu had spent years quietly supporting them, providing aid without asking for anything in return.

Now that he finally needed their help, neither of them could refuse.

“Traveling with Uncle Wei into Demon Wolf Mountain, the three of us working together will allow for greater gains.”

Kou Hongying smiled.

She had never personally witnessed Wei Tu in battle, but she understood well just how terrifying a Tier-2 Talisman Master could be.

Additionally, since Wei Tu was a Foundation Establishment cultivator like her, he wouldn’t be a burden in Demon Wolf Mountain.

He would be an ally, not someone she had to protect.

Unlike Kou Hongying, Fu Zhizhou didn’t say much.

He simply nodded and accepted the request.

Over the past decade, Kou Hongying had already repaid Wei Tu’s past kindness.

But he hadn’t.

So no matter how dangerous Demon Wolf Mountain was, he couldn’t refuse.

Of course—

Fu Zhizhou knew Wei Tu wouldn’t treat his life lightly.

Word of Kou Hongying’s arrival quickly spread, and before long, members of the Shuyun Alliance once again came knocking, hoping to persuade Fu Zhizhou to join them.

“I have made my decision.”

Fu Zhizhou shook his head and cut off Helian Xiong’s attempt to convince him.

“I plan to join Qiyue Zhao Clan.”

Hearing this, Helian Xiong frowned.

“Brother Fu, forgive me for being blunt, but Qiyue Zhao Clan is a dangerous place… If you join them, you’re throwing your life away!”

He hesitated before lowering his voice, looking around to make sure Wei Tu and Kou Hongying weren’t present before continuing.

“It’s true that Wei Talisman Master is your friend, but that doesn’t mean he isn’t using you!”

“Heshan Huang Clan and Qiyue Zhao Clan are allies—don’t you think it’s suspicious that he’s pushing you toward them?”

“For all we know, he might even be profiting off this arrangement!”

Helian Xiong spoke carefully, his tone filled with false concern.

“They say one should be wary of distant relatives and trust those closest to them.”

“But I am telling you this for your own good.”

“Listen to me—stay away from Wei Talisman Master. He is not on the same path as us.”

“He is a Tier-2 Talisman Master, already favored by a Golden Core Clan.”

“But us? We have no such backing. If we don’t stick together, we’ll be swallowed up sooner or later.”

Helian Xiong watched Fu Zhizhou’s expression closely as he spoke.

However—

Fu Zhizhou’s face remained completely indifferent.

Seeing that his words had no effect, Helian Xiong stood up and let out a long sigh.

“I have said my piece, Brother Fu.”

“I just hope you won’t let yourself be sold and still help your seller count the money.”

With that, he turned and left.

But as he walked away, his pace was slow, almost as if he was waiting for Fu Zhizhou to change his mind.

Back in his own room, Helian Xiong’s expression darkened.

“So Fu Zhizhou really intends to join Qiyue Zhao Clan…”

He stared towards Fu Zhizhou’s residence, his gaze thoughtful.

Under the cover of darkness, Wei Tu, Kou Hongying, and Fu Zhizhou left Danqiu Mountain and made their way toward Demon Wolf Mountain.

During the journey, Fu Zhizhou mentioned Helian Xiong’s behavior during their conversation.

“Helian Xiong tried to drive a wedge between us. There must be a reason for it.”

“Either the Shuyun Alliance promised him great rewards, or they are threatening him with severe punishment if he fails.”

Hearing this, Wei Tu’s eyes narrowed slightly.

“In either case, it means the Shuyun Alliance is far more desperate to recruit you than we initially thought.”

“We should remain cautious.”

Fu Zhizhou nodded.

Now that they had openly rejected the Shuyun Alliance, it was possible that trouble would follow.

But at this point—

He had already made his decision.

Even if he had to risk his life, he would never turn back.

Wei Tu made his judgment.

He had known Helian Xiong for some time and understood his nature—without enough incentive, Helian Xiong would never go to such lengths for the Shuyun Alliance.

Offending three Foundation Establishment cultivators just for the sake of an alliance?

That seemed highly unlikely.

Thus, as the three traveled, they began analyzing Helian Xiong’s true motives.

“The Shuyun Alliance is led by Pill Master Shu, and Pill Master Shu once had a grudge against Qiyue Zhao Clan due to Geng Wen’s death…”

“During the underground auction, Pill Master Shu unintentionally exposed Jia Yunqing’s identity, forcing the other cultivators to back down from bidding…”

By the second day, Kou Hongying, who was keenly observant, had already pieced together the real reason why the Shuyun Alliance was trying to stop Fu Zhizhou from joining Qiyue Zhao Clan.

“Hongying, are you saying that the Shuyun Alliance is secretly aligned with Chisong Jia Clan?”

Wei Tu and Fu Zhizhou immediately caught onto her implication.

“The Shuyun Alliance is merely a group of rogue cultivators. While they may be powerful, they do not have a Golden Core True Lord among them…”

“Pill Master Shu is already at the late Foundation Establishment stage, and his next step is to break into the Golden Core Realm. Chisong Jia Clan just so happens to be able to provide him with a Tier-3 spiritual vein and experience in forming a Golden Core.”

Kou Hongying reasoned.

“I see.”

Wei Tu was surprised to realize that killing Geng Wen had, in some way, altered the power dynamics within Zheng Kingdom’s cultivation world.

If Geng Wen hadn’t died, and his murder of Zhao Qingluo hadn’t been exposed—

Perhaps Pill Master Shu would have remained neutral, or even chosen to side with another Golden Core family instead of allying with Chisong Jia Clan against Qiyue Zhao Clan.

“Helian Xiong was willing to risk offending us just to drive a wedge between us. It seems he has secretly pledged loyalty to Chisong Jia Clan as well…”

Fu Zhizhou’s expression turned cold.

This was the only explanation that made sense.

At first, Helian Xiong’s efforts to persuade him into joining the Shuyun Alliance had been lukewarm.

But the moment he mentioned joining Qiyue Zhao Clan, Helian Xiong suddenly became relentless, even going as far as to try to break his relationship with Wei Tu.

Because—

If Fu Zhizhou really did join Qiyue Zhao Clan,

Chisong Jia Clan would surely hold Helian Xiong accountable for his failure.

“From now on, the three of us must be wary of the Shuyun Alliance.”

Wei Tu, as the leader of the Righteous Society, made the concluding statement.

“Understood, Third Brother.”

“Got it, Uncle Wei.”

Fu Zhizhou and Kou Hongying nodded in agreement.

Demon Wolf Mountain spanned multiple national borders, serving as a natural barrier between the Five Demon Sects and the Seven-Nation Righteous Cultivation Alliance.

The region was riddled with perilous hidden grounds, and at its core, there were even “Heavenly Demons”, terrifying beings feared by both the Righteous and Demonic factions alike.

(Like human cultivators, demon beasts were divided into tiers that corresponded with the human cultivation stages—Qi Refinement, Foundation Establishment, Golden Core, and Nascent Soul. These were classified as: Huang (Yellow), Xuan (Mysterious), Di (Earth), and Tian (Heaven).)

Heavenly Demons were the equivalent of Nascent Soul True Lords—their power was unfathomable and ranked among the greatest forces in the Grand Cang Cultivation World.

A few days later, after a long journey, Wei Tu, Fu Zhizhou, and Kou Hongying finally reached the outskirts of Demon Wolf Mountain.

“Demon Wolf Mountain is divided into three regions: the outer region, the inner region, and the core region…”

“The outer region typically only has Tier-1 demon beasts, with the occasional appearance of a Tier-2 beast.”

“The inner region…”

As they traveled, Fu Zhizhou and Kou Hongying, who had extensive experience navigating Demon Wolf Mountain, briefed Wei Tu on its dangers.

“These survival rules were learned through blood and death. You must not take them lightly.”

Fu Zhizhou warned.

Wei Tu nodded, committing their advice to memory.

“Not far ahead is Yiquan Mountain Marketplace. The market was established by the Three Great Sects and has a Golden Core True Lord stationed there. If we encounter a beast we cannot defeat, escaping to the marketplace should ensure our safety…”

From the sky, Wei Tu listened to Kou Hongying’s explanation and looked ahead. Sure enough, amidst the endless black mountains, he could see a human settlement standing firmly within the wilderness.

“Demon Wolf Mountain experiences a beast tide every five hundred years. The next one is still over twenty years away…”

Recalling the past, Wei Tu suddenly remembered that before he had reached Foundation Establishment, a Shengjiang He Clan cultivator named He Peng had once told him about the Demon Wolf Mountain Beast Tide.

It was likely that the Three Great Sects had built Yiquan Mountain Marketplace not just to profit from trading demon beast materials, but also as a stronghold against the inevitable beast tide.

After passing Yiquan Mountain Marketplace, Wei Tu and his companions directly entered the inner region of Demon Wolf Mountain, heading toward Lihuo Lake.

According to the clues provided by Puppet Master Yu, the Iron Magnetic Spirit Wood was located near Lihuo Lake.

100 miles.

200 miles.

300 miles…

Under Kou Hongying’s guidance, the group steadily ventured deeper into the inner region.

“There’s a pack of demon beasts ahead… including two Tier-2 beasts. We should avoid them for now.”

Wei Tu’s expression suddenly changed.

He quickly stopped Kou Hongying from moving forward.

As the strongest of the three, Kou Hongying was naturally leading the group, while Wei Tu and Fu Zhizhou took the rear.

“What? Two Tier-2 beasts… and a whole pack?”

Kou Hongying froze.

Her spiritual sense had not detected any nearby demon beasts.

But before she could ask further, Wei Tu didn’t hesitate—

He grabbed her wrist and immediately activated a Burrowing Talisman, dragging them both into the earth.

Just a few breaths later—

A massive black demon wolf, as large as an ox, lunged at the very spot where Kou Hongying had been standing.

It sniffed the air, pawing at the ground in confusion.

Finding no trace of the human scent it had just detected, it stood there, bewildered.

A deep, resonant howl pierced through the forest.

The massive black demon wolf tilted its head back and howled again. In an instant, over twenty smaller wolves, resembling it in appearance but slightly smaller in size, emerged from the shadows.

Under the command of the black demon wolf, these wolves spread out, sniffing the air and searching for Wei Tu and the others. Their howls echoed across the mountains.

“That was close.”

Hiding ten zhang underground, Kou Hongying used her divine sense to observe the scene above. She patted her chest and let out a small sigh of relief.

—Demon beasts had exceptionally strong physical bodies, but their spiritual perception was often weaker than that of human cultivators of the same level.

Because of this, she could safely spy on the wolves from below without fear of being detected.

“If it weren’t for Uncle Wei, I might not have died, but I definitely would have been in serious danger…”

Kou Hongying retracted her hand from Wei Tu’s grasp, sneaking a glance at him.

A rare trace of gratitude flickered in her eyes.

Ever since her father, Kou Liang, had passed away, Wei Tu was the only person who gave her a true sense of security.

“Uncle Wei, how did you sense the incoming wolf pack?”

A thought lingered in her mind.

Her cultivation technique was superior to Wei Tu’s Lesser Spring and Autumn Art, and her cultivation level was higher than his.

By all logic, she should have sensed the wolves before he did.

“Smell.”

Wei Tu pointed at his nose.

“I practiced the ‘Heavenly Fragrance Silk Technique’ and cultivated ‘Fragrant Silk Nose,’ which greatly enhances my sense of smell. I can detect scents within a five-mile radius.”

Demon beasts, unlike human cultivators, rarely concealed their scent, making it easy for Wei Tu to detect their presence as soon as he entered Demon Wolf Mountain.

It was as if he had been born for this terrain.

“Fragrant Silk Nose?”

Kou Hongying was taken aback.

The last time Wei Tu had explained how he detected the Qingye Snake, he had briefly mentioned this ability.

Afterward, she had tried cultivating the Heavenly Fragrance Silk Technique herself, but she had never been able to develop such a keen sense of smell.

“Could it be that Uncle Wei has a special physique?”

A suspicion took root in her mind.

The cultivation world was filled with various unique constitutions.

While treasured bodies and dao bodies greatly enhanced cultivation speed, there were also rarer constitutions that granted special abilities, such as enhanced smell, touch, or hearing.

Though not as overpowering as treasured or dao bodies, such abilities could be invaluable in certain situations.

“Uncle Wei, the Tier-2 demon wolf and its pack have left.”

Half a day later, Kou Hongying scanned the surface with her divine sense and confirmed that the wolves were gone.

“But another Tier-2 beast remains.”

Wei Tu’s face remained vigilant.

“Another one?”

Kou Hongying raised an eyebrow and followed Wei Tu’s gaze toward the northwest.

Soon enough, within the outermost range of her divine sense, she spotted a Flame Ape Demon hiding atop a tree, stealthily observing their group.

It had positioned itself precisely at the edge of her detection range, making it difficult to notice without concentrated effort.

“However, the wolf pack is gone, and this lone Flame Ape Demon is no match for the three of us. We should kill it.”

Wei Tu quickly analyzed the situation.

With three Foundation Establishment cultivators, dealing with a single Tier-2 demon beast was far from difficult.

“Alright, I’ll follow your lead, Uncle Wei.”

Kou Hongying’s eyes flashed with excitement.

Though she had earned her Jade Rakshasa reputation in Demon Wolf Mountain, she had only ever hunted Tier-1 demon beasts.

Whenever she encountered a Tier-2 demon beast, her first instinct was always to flee.

This time, however, they had a real chance to take one down.

If they succeeded, the Flame Ape Demon’s materials alone would be worth enough to sustain her cultivation for ten years.

A quarter of an hour later—

The Flame Ape Demon, which had been spying on Wei Tu and the others, was now battered and bruised, glaring down at them with undisguised rage.

Its killing intent boiled over.

The surrounding forest floor was filled with razor-sharp earth spikes and shifting sand pits, hindering its movement.

Above, a golden eagle circled high in the air, screeching sharply as it dove at the Flame Ape Demon’s vital points.

“Damn humans!”

The Flame Ape Demon roared, its blood-red eyes locking onto Fu Zhizhou, who stood with a gleaming silver spear in hand.

With a thunderous pounding of its chest, it spat out a deep brown demon core.

It then channeled its raw, overwhelming power into the core before charging straight at Fu Zhizhou.

—A demon beast’s core was its greatest essence, much like a Golden Core cultivator’s golden core.

A demon beast would never use it lightly.

But once unleashed, it could unleash devastating power, enough to turn the tide of battle.

A blinding light erupted from the brown demon core.

Under its immense pressure, Fu Zhizhou—who had previously been holding his own—began to lose ground rapidly.

His silver spear clashed against the demon core, but he could only dim its radiance slightly—not enough to inflict any serious harm on the Flame Ape Demon.

However—

Just as the Flame Ape Demon’s massive hand swung toward Fu Zhizhou, a thin water barrier materialized in front of him.

Kou Hongying, hovering in the air, muttered an incantation as several water-elemental spells manifested around her.

Each one radiated immense energy.

“Water Prison Technique!”

“Water Arrow Technique!”

The spells launched in quick succession!

A translucent blue prison momentarily trapped the Flame Ape Demon, while hundreds of shimmering water arrows rained down on its thick hide.

However—

Despite the relentless assault, the Flame Ape Demon’s tough body—which rivaled high-grade artifacts—shrugged off the attacks with only minor scratches.

“Once I kill this black-robed brat, I’ll deal with you next!”

The Flame Ape Demon roared, breaking free from the water spells and rushing at Fu Zhizhou once again.

But at that moment—

A gleaming sword light descended from above.

It shot straight toward the Flame Ape Demon’s forehead.

“Hmph, just another petty magic sword—”

The Flame Ape Demon sneered, believing this attack to be no different from the ones before.

After all, it had already swatted down multiple flying swords.

But then—

A hole appeared between its brows.

Blood poured freely from the wound.

The Flame Ape Demon staggered for a moment—

Then collapsed with a loud crash, its face frozen in disbelief.

If it had been prepared, it might have dodged the attack.

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