With Li Ye's current techniques and cautious nature, he never engaged in repeated killings within the same area.
He would rather spend extra time than risk attracting the attention of the myriad beasts within the Myriad Beasts Mountain Range, which could lead to being surrounded or worse, provoke a third-rank beast to take action personally.
After all, even with a third-rank life-bound puppet guarding him, the depth of danger hidden in these mountains was unfathomable.
Forget about the countless number of second-rank beasts by conservative estimates, there were at least a dozen third-rank ones, likely more.
Were it not for the restrictions imposed by the cultivation world on the other side of the mountain, these beasts might have already mobilized their forces and easily overrun the Four Nations, turning the entire region into a paradise for monsters.
Thus, caution was paramount. Being surrounded by beasts was a scenario Li Ye would avoid at all costs.
With that in mind, aside from the time spent relocating, scouting suitable prey, and judging the right moment to strike, the actual time spent on killing was quite minimal.
Each battle, once initiated, was typically over in a flash.
Ironically, it was the follow-up blood sacrifices that took the most time.
Maintaining this rhythm, after roughly a month, he had already upgraded two Formations Breaking Talismans to near third-rank level.
"If this pace continues, in two or three more months I should have around seven or eight third-rank talismans prepared…"
As he moved steadily through the mountains, Li Ye calculated silently.
Assuming two talismans were needed per attempt, combined with his current array of expertise and his progress in Heavenly Craft Scripture, there was a decent chance he could open a passage into that ruined secret hall.
As for completely dismantling its array restrictions… considering parts of it might be fourth-rank, that was a pipe dream for now.
By this point, he had "operated" in various parts of the mountain, and the number of second-rank beasts slain was significant.
In his judgment, he was approaching the limit.
Especially with other cultivators also venturing into the mountain to hunt beasts if any area saw too much bloodshed, it could trigger a retaliatory beast siege.
If that happened, not only would he be in danger, but countless other cultivators might also suffer. That was something Li Ye wished to avoid.
And so, he continued his careful pace killing and sacrificing, while constantly observing the reactions of the mountain's beasts.
One day, just as he was preparing to strike down a second-rank bird-type beast he had been watching for a while, his expression suddenly changed.
He instantly halted all movement, withdrawing his aura so completely he seemed to vanish into the tree he was in leaving not a trace.
The bird beast also panicked, flapping its wings wildly and fleeing deeper into the forest.
In the next moment, a flying carriage shot across the sky above his location, carrying a figure shrouded in profound light, faintly emanating the energy of a Golden Core cultivator a force to be reckoned with.
However, judging by their frantic flight, it seemed more like they were fleeing than traveling, clearly headed straight out of the Myriad Beasts Mountain Range.
From behind them came distant, earth-shaking roars that made the forest tremble and sent beasts scattering.
Even hidden within a tree and at a fair distance, Li Ye could feel the pressure weighing on him.
This was very likely a third-rank beast!
The thought flickered through Li Ye's mind, but he quickly suppressed it. With the Wood God Art circulating within him, his entire presence became as still and quiet as a tree, showing no reaction to the chaos around him.
Fortunately, as time slowly passed, the third-rank beast from deep within the mountains did not pursue, and the forest gradually returned to calm.
Yet Li Ye remained motionless, maintaining his concealment for an entire day.
It wasn't until the nearby beasts resumed their usual activity, and no further disturbances came from the mountain peak where the pressure had originated, that he finally allowed himself to relax slightly.
He then left the area, exited the Myriad Beasts Mountain Range, and returned to the nearest market town.
"A Golden Core cultivator came from the other side of the Myriad Beasts Mountain Range!"
He pondered silently.
"But why did he come here? With Wu now without a ruler, and only the Black Flood Dragon holding the line in Jing, if this Golden Core cultivator intends to establish a sect here, either of those two nations could become his target…"
"But given the state of the Four Kingdoms' cultivation world, would cultivators from the more prosperous regions on the other side of the mountains even bother with this place?"
At that, Li Ye couldn't help but chuckle to himself.
"Better to reign in hell than serve in heaven." That sort of thing could happen anywhere. If a Golden Core cultivator had fallen on hard times outside and decided to retire here in peace, it wouldn't be entirely out of the question.
The only real cause for concern was the possibility that this unknown Golden Core cultivator had heard rumors of the ancient inheritance hidden within the Lava Palace, and had crossed the mountains specifically to seek it out.
"But even so, here in the Chidi Mountain Range we've never attempted to block access to the Lava Palace. The great array we laid was only meant to seal off the fire beasts. If a Golden Core cultivator truly comes to Pingyang Mountain seeking to enter and explore, we already have contingency plans in place enough to buy time until I return…"
With that thought, he began disguising himself in various forms and identities throughout the market town, searching every intelligence channel he could for information on the mysterious Golden Core cultivator.
To the Four Kingdoms' cultivation world, the sudden appearance of an outsider at the Golden Core level was nothing short of seismic it could shift the balance of power completely.
And although it had been less than ten days since the incident, thanks to the buzz it caused, information about the stranger was already a hot commodity in intelligence circles. Gathering it cost Li Ye little effort.
To start with, the Golden Core cultivator had not concealed his movements; many cultivators had seen him flying past in his grand carriage.
Later, it was confirmed that after exiting the Myriad Beasts Mountain Range, he had purchased intelligence on the Four Kingdoms and then headed toward Wu.
After that, however, he vanished without a trace.
If a Golden Core cultivator truly wished to hide, it was naturally beyond the capabilities of ordinary cultivators to track them down.
Li Ye stepped out of the market town, shedding his disguise and returning to his original appearance.
"Looks like I need to step out of the mountains more often to stay updated. That mysterious Golden Core arrived far too suddenly disappearing without a trace after entering Wu. No one knows what he's truly after, so I'll have to stay on guard…"
On Pingyang Mountain, Li Ye still had his Voidrealm Tree and several third-rank spiritual plants his most precious resources. While he didn't yet feel the need to put his beast-hunting and blood-sacrifice activities on hold, he couldn't shake a lingering sense of wariness.
And so, three months quietly passed.
The Four Kingdoms' cultivation world did not, as many had feared, erupt into turmoil from the outsider's arrival. No great shift in the balance of power occurred.
After the initial flurry of attention, the Golden Core cultivator became a rare sight occasionally spotted in different nations, but never lingering.
He ignored all attempts by Foundation Establishment cultivators to curry favor.
And from beginning to end, he never once clashed with any of the existing Golden Core forces.
That only made his presence all the more mysterious and all the harder to understand.
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