"Boom!"


    A hammer the size of a human head smashed into the side of a striped tiger, whose roar echoed through the air. The beast, comparable to a peak-level martial artist, collapsed limply to the ground.


    "It''s the Tiger Spirit Fruit! A mystical plant that can enhance one''s true energy!" Shen Yu shouted, emerging from the tiger''s lair and waving the fruit triumphantly.


    Meanwhile, Han was already busy carving up the tiger. There were parts of its body that were worth a lot.


    Tiger bones were beneficial for strengthening bones, and its pelt could be used to forge weapons...


    "Junior Brother, that hammer... you''re really good with it." Bai Ruoyue commented, her expression unreadable.


    "Senior Sister, this thing works way better than a sword against certain beasts," Han said with a radiant smile.


    "And it feels great to use."


    Each swing of the hammer was fueled by pure adrenaline.


    "I still think the sword is better," Bai Ruoyue shook her head. "At least it''s more stylish."


    "Black Mountain has really changed a lot," Bai Ruoyue mused, gazing into the distance.


    "Before, in this region, it was rare to see beasts at the peak of martial arts, let alone those at the Organ Realm."


    "But on our way here, we’ve already encountered three beasts at the Organ Realm. It seems like the deeper areas are starting to release their wild creatures."


    "Black Mountain now doesn’t leave any room for lower-tier warriors to move around."


    "As for the beasts and the warriors... that''s not something we can concern ourselves with." Han packed up his gear and stood up.


    "All we can do is gather as many resources as we can and grow stronger."


    "Let''s go. We''re almost there, and Second Senior Brother and the others are already waiting."


    The three of them continued through the dense forest, where towering ancient trees blocked out the sky, making them seem insignificant in comparison.


    Since they split into two teams, they hadn’t encountered any serious danger. Both groups had experts at the Organ Realm, which was enough to deal with most threats.


    After traveling a little further, they came upon a small, lush green meadow. The mountain range stretched out before them, its terrain as diverse as ever.


    Shen Long and the others were waiting in a nearby corner.


    "Junior Brother, I’m really impressed," Shen Long said with genuine admiration.


    "Your intuition is spot on. We’ve gathered nine more mystical plants, one of which is a treasure from the Organ Realm. I never thought spiritual plants could be so easy to find."


    "It’s as if the treasures are growing right beneath our feet."


    They were skeptical of Han, then came to recognize his brilliance, and now, they were beginning to revere him.


    Junior Brother, you’re our god!


    Han smiled. While the mystical plants were hidden in various secret places that others would never have found, he, with his "God’s perspective," had mapped out the route and figured out the answers. It was easy for him.


    It felt like picking up money from a sack. He was genuinely worried the storage bags might not be big enough.


    "Get ready, there’s something good here," Han said.


    "But there are a few big guys too."


    With his divine view, the beasts hiding in the meadow were completely exposed.


    Three massive serpents at the Organ Realm, one of which was nearly at the peak of the Organ Realm, stood before them. Among the group, only Bai Ruoyue had the strength to deal with them.


    This was why they worked together—Tian Bai''s six other members weren’t just gatherers or storage handlers; when the time came, they could contribute significantly.


    If Han had entered Black Mountain alone, facing this situation would have been a real problem.


    There were few treasures as unguarded as the Mountain Dragon Branch.


    As Han and the others stepped into the grass, they noticed the plants moving without any wind, swaying like waves.


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    "One ahead, Organ Realm peak. Second Senior Brother, two to your left, entry-level Organ Realm!" Han shouted, and everyone immediately shifted positions.


    "Hissss!"


    A green serpent, over ten meters long, reared up and charged toward them.


    "Boom!"


    Upon impact, large swathes of grass were flattened, and the ground cracked into deep pits.


    Three Organ Realm beasts? Seven people could totally handle that!


    Humans were smart, and now, there were enough of them!


    The martial artists at the Meridian Realm surrounded the last beast, their swords flashing and hammers smashing, while the snake’s tail whipped around. The battle was intense, and the terrain was soon destroyed.


    During the fight, the Nine Aperture Golden Pill and True Dragon Blood Soul Stone were releasing energy at an accelerated rate, which Han absorbed more thoroughly, making him stronger and more formidable with each passing moment.


    His performance even surpassed that of Zhang Yuantao, who had been at the Meridian Realm peak for half a year!


    When Bai Ruoyue finished her fight, she saw Han standing on top of the serpent’s head, delivering a final hammer strike.


    Bai Ruoyue couldn''t help but stare in disbelief. Junior Brother, you’re going about this the wrong way!


    "Senior Sister Yu, go inside and collect the treasures. Senior Sister, help Second Senior Brother. Quickly dismember the beasts and take everything valuable!" Han ordered.


    "The nearby beasts are coming!"


    With his divine view, Han could already see many beasts rushing toward them.


    After issuing the command, Han put more strength into his hammer strikes, coordinating with the others to end the battle faster.


    "Boom!"


    Two serpent corpses collapsed to the ground, and everyone immediately gathered their spoils. Under Han''s guidance, they quickly made their escape.


    Moments later, loud roars filled the air as more beasts appeared, clawing at the remains of the serpents, fighting among themselves.


    The serpents were so massive, over thirty meters long, that Han and his group couldn’t possibly carry all of them. They could only take the most valuable parts.


    After reaching a safe location, Shen Yu took out the treasure she had collected, and Bai Ruoyue gasped.


    "Dragon Vein Grass! So much of it!"


    At the Wanjing Trading Conference, one single Dragon Vein Grass had sparked a bidding war. Now, they had nearly twenty of them.


    A treasure that was nearly impossible to find in the capital city was now almost as common as weeds.


    This is the power of intuition!


    There was also a bright red fruit that seemed to be dripping with blood, but Bai Ruoyue and the others couldn’t recognize it.


    Han, however, knew exactly what it was.


    The Serpent Soul Fruit! A treasure that could help with bone refining and purging impurities from the skeleton!


    Unfortunately, this fruit hadn’t matured yet.


    The Serpent Soul Fruit would start turning green when it began to ripen, and when it turned fully green, it would be completely ready. This fruit was still bright red, meaning it was far from maturity.


    "How could there be so much Dragon Vein Grass..." Bai Ruoyue was stunned.


    "This must be the result of a blessed land, combined with the power of ascension," Han mused.


    At this moment, everyone finally began to understand the level of Black Mountain and the power of the Mountain God.


    No wonder it had drawn the attention of the Xuandu Sect, and no wonder the Heavenly Mother Sect had invested ten years into it.


    "Just thinking about such an opportunity... I feel so sorry for Tian Bai not being able to keep it all to himself." Bai Ruoyue suddenly remarked.


    Han laughed. "Senior Sister, you’re really too greedy."


    "Junior Brother, does your intuition tell you if there are any Bone Refining Realm beasts in this area?" Shen Long asked.


    "No, the strongest ones are peak Organ Realm," Han replied.


    "Then how about we split into three teams? I''ll go on my own and take one route," Shen Long suggested, his gaze sharp.


    Han paused, considering the proposal while looking at the map.


    Shen Long’s suggestion wasn’t unreasonable. As someone at the Organ Realm, even alone, he would be safe. Even if a powerful beast appeared, it wouldn’t kill him instantly, and there would be enough time for a rescue. Plus, with a smaller target, the mission was more manageable.


    "I think it might be too risky," Shen Yu said, concerned.


    "To gain more rewards, sometimes taking a little risk is worth it," Shen Long said without fear.


    He wasn’t the type to say, "I want more resources, so you all go risk your lives."


    Instead, he would say, "If there''s a risk, let me take it."


    The most important thing was that after everything they had gone through, Shen Long had complete faith in Han now.


    The kind of trust where he could safely entrust Shen Yu to Han’s care!


    "What do you all think?" Han asked, deciding to discuss this matter with the group.


    "Be careful, don''t break my little snail," Bai Ruoyue said, handing over her communication snail to Shen Long.


    In the end, everyone agreed to Shen Long’s suggestion.


    Three paths: one for each team, all advancing together!


    However, splitting into three teams was already pushing it. The remaining members weren''t suited for solo travel, and they were also out of communication snails.


    Bai Ruoyue was capable of going solo, but she would never let Han go alone.


    Han quickly re-planned the route, and the three teams set off.


    "I feel like my cultivation is improving faster in battle," Shen Yu said cheerfully.


    Along the way, when they encountered weaker beasts, she was tasked with handling them.


    Gathering treasures was important, but honing one’s skills couldn’t be neglected either.


    Besides, it didn’t take much time.


    "That''s only natural," Bai Ruoyue replied.


    "For martial artists, fighting is sometimes even more beneficial than spiritual plants."


    "If a martial artist can survive long battles, their strength and cultivation will surely surpass ordinary limits."


    Talented warriors from Black Cloud Town could reach peak physical condition in three to five years, advancing to the Meridian Realm. But if they spent three to five years in Black Mountain without dying, their power would grow exponentially.


    Of course, this possibility was nearly nonexistent.


    Han nodded in agreement, knowing this best.


    With the support of several treasures in his body, he became stronger the more he fought.


    After sweeping through their respective paths, the three teams finally reunited, each one brimming with spoils.


    Han had specifically chosen a location with powerful beasts guarding it as a gathering point, so they could team up to deal with them.


    He also noticed that Shen Long had taken out all the treasures he had found, showing no signs of keeping anything hidden.


    With his divine perspective, Han knew exactly what Shen Long had encountered and gathered, every detail clear to him.


    This made Han feel a bit guilty. He had been too quick to judge Shen Long.


    Han also noticed some martial artists who had been lurking in Black Mountain since the second tremor, surviving without leaving or dying. But he avoided them, choosing not to confront them.


    If he could quietly reap the rewards, why stir up unnecessary trouble?


    Plus, engaging with these martial artists would only waste their precious time.