72: Breaking the ban to enter the mountains, divine medicines are as common as herbs.

"Die."

A cold, crisp word without a hint of emotion spat from Chu He's mouth, like an invisible sharp sword, instantly piercing through all of Feng Ziyan's pride and illusions.

Her brain buzzed, turning blank.

She had thought of countless possibilities, thought that this man would continue to entice her with words, thought he would use more domineering ways to force her, but she never expected that he would so directly give her such a life-or-death choice.

Be his woman, or die.

There was no third path.

Feng Ziyan looked at the excessively handsome face before her; there wasn't a hint of a joke in those deep eyes. She could clearly feel the terrifying killing intent, like a mountain of corpses and a sea of blood, hidden beneath that calm gaze.

She had no doubt that if she uttered the word "no," in the next second, her end would be just like that Blazing Sun Elder, with both body and soul extinguished.

On what grounds?

On what grounds could he be so domineering?

Just because he was strong?

A surge of unprecedented humiliation and resentment welled up in her heart. Feng Ziyan's nails dug deep into her palms, and a trickle of blood flowed through her fingers, yet she felt no pain.

She wanted to resist, she wanted to roar, she wanted to use her strongest Divine Ability to tear the hateful face before her into pieces.

But she didn't dare.

The image of Uncle Fu spitting blood and falling, the scene of Blazing Sun Elder turning into ashes—these replayed constantly in her mind.

Reason told her that before this man, all her resistance was merely a joke.

"Young Miss... you mustn't..."

From behind came Uncle Fu's weak and anxious voice.

Uncle Fu struggled to stand, but was pinned to the ground by a wisp of Qi emitted from Chu He, unable to move. He could only watch helplessly as his Young Miss was forced into a corner, his heart filled with endless regret and powerlessness.

Had he known earlier, he shouldn't have let the Young Miss come to this Heaven-Reaching Pagoda!

Feng Ziyan heard Uncle Fu's voice and bit her lower lip so hard it bled.

She didn't want to yield.

She would rather die than be dominated by a man like a plaything.

Just as she was about to gather her mana, even if it meant self-detonation to maintain her final dignity, Chu He's voice rang out again.

"Don't think about doing anything foolish."

As if seeing through her thoughts, Chu He said indifferently, "Before me, you don't even have the qualification to self-detonate."

He extended a finger and lightly tapped Feng Ziyan's brow.

In an instant, Feng Ziyan felt an irresistible, vast power surge into her body. The mana she had just gathered was instantly dispersed, and she couldn't muster a single shred of strength throughout her body.

Like a ragdoll with its bones removed, she slumped weakly against the Restriction light curtain behind her.

Despair completely shrouded her heart.

Chu He withdrew his finger and looked at those Phoenix eyes filled with resentment, anger, and humiliation, yet mixed with a hint of fear, thinking to himself: The timing is about right.

If pushed too hard, this little Phoenix might really choose to perish together. Now he needed to offer a carrot.

"Being my woman doesn't mean being my slave, much less a plaything."

Chu He's voice softened slightly. "The women of I, Chu He, will all be God-Queens ruling over a world in the future. That bit of so-called pride of yours is utterly laughable to me."

"I am giving you this Opportunity not because of your beauty, but because of your Bloodline. The offspring born from the union of your Bloodline and mine will have the potential to overturn this world."

"To bear my offspring and strengthen the Family is your glory and your only value."

Having said this, Chu He paused and changed the subject.

"Of course, I am not an unreasonable person."

He looked at Feng Ziyan, his gaze deepening. "I can give you a chance, a chance to prove you have other value besides procreation."

Feng Ziyan's eyes flickered with a hint of confusion.

"Do you see that mountain?"

Chu He pointed toward the Central Holy Mountain shrouded in Restrictions.

"This mountain is covered by a Fourth-tier peak Composite restriction, and it hides the true Opportunity of this floor. Those so-called Spirit Medicines outside are nothing more than appetizers."

"Now, everyone is blocked outside, helpless."

Chu He withdrew his gaze and looked back at Feng Ziyan, a curve forming at the corner of his mouth.

"You, come in with me. I will let you see with your own eyes what you can gain by following me."

After speaking, he ignored Feng Ziyan and turned to walk toward the Holy Mountain.

The power that had been restraining Feng Ziyan and Uncle Fu also vanished.

Feng Ziyan gasped for air, her body drenched in sweat as if she had just been pulled from water. Leaning against the light curtain, she watched the receding back, her gaze complex to the extreme.

Uncle Fu scrambled to her side and said urgently, "Young Miss! Let's go quickly! Get as far away from this devil as possible!"

Go?

A bitter smile appeared on Feng Ziyan's lips.

Where could they go?

This man had already planted a Heart anchor in her. As long as she was still inside this Heaven-Reaching Pagoda, it was impossible to escape his grasp.

Moreover... Chu He's final words unconsciously echoed in her mind.

"I will let you see with your own eyes what you can gain by following me."

Her heart actually produced a hint of curiosity and anticipation uncontrollably.

She wanted to know exactly how strong this man was.

She wanted to know how he would enter that Holy Mountain that even Late Nascent Soul Stage Cultivators were helpless against.

She wanted to know even more if what he said about helping her purify her Bloodline was true.

"Uncle Fu..." Feng Ziyan's voice was somewhat hoarse. "Let's... follow and see."

"Young Miss!" Uncle Fu was pale with fright. "Are you crazy? He's a devil!"

"I know." Feng Ziyan's gaze was exceptionally firm. "But I also want to see what the world of a devil is like."

After saying that, regardless of Uncle Fu's dissuasion, she struggled to stand and followed Chu He's back.

Uncle Fu watched his Young Miss's resolute back and could only let out a long sigh, following with a face full of bitterness... At this time, over a hundred Cultivators had already gathered at the foot of the Holy Mountain.

Among them were no lack of Nascent Soul Old Monsters.

They all stared longingly at the Seven-colored light curtain shrouding the Holy Mountain, each with a troubled face.

"This Restriction is too strong! This old man used all his strength and couldn't even shake it a bit!" a Middle Stage Nascent Soul elder sighed.

"It's more than just strong; this Restriction can even reflect attacks! Just now, some blind fool tried to force his way in and was severely injured by his own Divine Ability!" another Cultivator said with lingering fear.

"Are we just going to watch this mountain of treasures and return empty-handed?"

The crowd discussed animatedly, yet everyone was helpless.

Right then, Chu He's figure leisurely walked over.

His appearance immediately drew everyone's attention.

"It's him! That Malevolent star who killed Blazing Sun Elder with one punch!"

"He's come too? Quick! Get away from him!"

The crowd was in a commotion, and everyone subconsciously retreated, clearing a large space for him, their eyes filled with awe and fear.

Chu He ignored the surrounding gazes. He walked to the Restriction light curtain, stopped, and looked up at this shimmering Composite array.

Feng Ziyan and Uncle Fu, who were following him, also arrived.

Feng Ziyan looked at Chu He's back and thought: I want to see what method you have. This is a Fourth-tier peak Composite array; even if a Soul Transformation Ancestor came in person, they would likely have to expend some effort.

Just when everyone thought Chu He would be like them, sighing at the Restriction.

Chu He moved.

He didn't use mana, nor did he perform any Divine Ability.

He simply extended his right hand, pressed his index and middle fingers together, and lightly swiped against the light curtain before him.

Like slicing through a thin sheet of paper with a knife.

Screech—

A soft sound.

That indestructible Seven-colored light curtain that left all the Nascent Soul Old Monsters helpless was actually casually sliced open by him, creating an opening over a person's height!

The edges of the opening were as smooth as a mirror, without a hint of energy fluctuation.

The entire foot of the mountain instantly fell into a dead silence.

Everyone's eyes nearly popped out, and their mouths were wide enough to fit an egg.

"This... how is this possible?!"

"Am I seeing things? What... what did he do?"

"Breaking the array with one finger?! That's a Fourth-tier peak array!"

Exclamations rose one after another, and everyone felt their worldview was completely overturned.

And Feng Ziyan, standing behind Chu He, was even more struck as if by lightning, frozen in place. In her beautiful Phoenix eyes, besides shock, there was an indescribable sense of awe and... captivation.

If Chu He killing Blazing Sun Elder with one punch before had shown absolute violent "power."

Then now, his breaking the array with one finger showed an ultimate understanding and control of "law"!

This shocked her even more than pure power!

Chu He ignored the crowd's shock, looked back at the dumbfounded Feng Ziyan, and said indifferently:

"What are you still standing there for? Follow."

After speaking, he stepped into the crack.

Feng Ziyan jolted back to her senses and hurriedly pulled the equally petrified Uncle Fu, following him inside.

After they entered, the sliced opening instantly healed as if it had never appeared.

Leaving behind a group of Nascent Soul Old Monsters at the foot of the mountain, left in a daze, doubting their very existence... Upon entering the Restriction, a surge of Spiritual Qi so dense it was almost physical hit them.

The scene before them caused both Feng Ziyan and Uncle Fu to gasp.

On the hillside, thousand-year Spirit Medicines that were hard to find for any price in the outside world were everywhere like roadside weeds.

Purple-veined Dragon Blood Ginseng, Nine-leaf Soul-returning Grass, Thousand-year Vermilion Fruit... they even saw ten-thousand-year Medicine Kings emitting a faint Dao rhythm, having already birthed a bit of intelligence!

"Heavens! We're rich! We're rich!" Uncle Fu trembled with excitement and wanted to rush up to harvest them.

Feng Ziyan was also shaken by the scene, her breathing becoming hurried.

However, Chu He treated these divine medicines as if they were invisible, as if he truly saw a pile of weeds.

He walked straight toward the mountaintop.

"What's there to see in this trash?"

His voice wasn't loud, but it clearly reached the ears of Feng Ziyan and Uncle Fu.

Trash?

Feng Ziyan and Uncle Fu's movements froze simultaneously.

These ten-thousand-year Medicine Kings that would make even Nascent Soul Cultivators go mad were actually... trash in his mouth?

Then what wasn't trash?

Filled with doubt and shock, the two followed Chu He's steps as if possessed.

Soon, they reached the mountaintop.

On the summit, there were no jade palaces as imagined, only a clear pond about ten zhang wide.

In the center of the pond, three items floated quietly.

A willow branch, entirely green as if carved from emerald, emitting endless vitality.

A golden heart the size of a fist, its surface covered in profound Dao patterns, as if containing the principles of heaven and earth.

And an ancient black book made of an unknown material.

The moment they saw these three things, the Phoenix Bloodline in Feng Ziyan's body and the Nascent Soul in Uncle Fu's body both began to tremble violently and uncontrollably!

That was a craving originating from biological instinct!

"This... this is..." Uncle Fu pointed at the three items, too excited to speak coherently.

"enlightenment willow, heart of heaven and earth, Mystery Transformation Canon!"

Feng Ziyan cried out in shock, her eyes erupting with unprecedented brilliance!

Any one of these three was enough to set off a bloodbath in the outside world!

The enlightenment willow, a divine object rumored to have been touched by Immortal spiritual energy; even just sitting quietly beside it for a moment could instantly put one into a state of enlightenment!

The heart of heaven and earth was the transformation of this Small World's core Origin; after refining it, one could control the entire Small World!

And that Mystery Transformation Canon was a supreme Cultivation Technique that pointed directly to the Great Dao of Soul Transformation!

This was the true Opportunity of this floor!

Just as Feng Ziyan and Uncle Fu were immersed in immense shock and ecstasy, Chu He shook his head, a hint of disappointment appearing on his face.

"That's it?"

He curled his lip, his tone full of disdain.

"The enlightenment willow is okay, barely enough to be a toy for my useless sons. The heart of heaven and earth... the energy is mixed, the grade is too low. As for this Mystery Transformation Canon..."

Chu He casually sucked the black book into his hand, flipped through a couple of pages, and then threw it directly into the pond like trash.

"Complete rubbish, full of holes. Practicing according to this thing, if one doesn't suffer Qi Deviation, they'd be considered exceptionally talented."

Feng Ziyan: "..."

Uncle Fu: "..."

The two were completely dumbfounded.