I cultivate the Chaos Technique

Chapter 158 Starry Cliff

Zhang Yifan successfully broke through the Misty Forest, carrying the hard-won ten-thousand-year-old Ganoderma lucidum. His heart was filled with the relief of surviving a calamity and anticipation for the future. He dared not delay for a moment, knowing that time was of the essence, and the life of his loved ones was growing weaker with each passing second. His immediate priority was to gather the remaining ingredients for the Seven Treasures Resurrection Pill, and as far as he knew, one of the ingredients, the extremely rare Starry Grass, could only be found on Starry Cliff in the Western Lingxiao Mountains.

So, he rushed to various teleportation array strongholds without stopping, using his privileges as a Nascent Soul cultivator to repeatedly step into the ancient and mysterious teleportation arrays. Each teleportation caused intense spatial distortion, tormenting his body and making him dizzy, but he gritted his teeth and endured it with sheer willpower. The discomfort during teleportation felt like being torn apart by countless invisible hands, as if his internal organs had shifted, and his spiritual energy churned chaotically. But thinking of his loved ones struggling on the brink of life and death, he gritted his teeth and endured the pain of spatial transformation time and time again.

As he finally stepped out of the last teleportation array located on the edge of the Western Lingxiao Mountains, a powerful and majestic aura of spiritual energy rushed towards him, instantly invigorating him. Looking up, the Lingxiao Mountains resembled a sleeping dragon, winding and coiling across the land. The undulating peaks soared into the clouds, their steep cliffs and jagged rocks resembling works of art sculpted by time and the power of heaven and earth. The mountains were covered in lush, verdant vegetation, yet unlike ordinary forests. Most of these plants possessed a rich spiritual energy, their branches and leaves swaying gently in the breeze, shimmering with an eerie light, as if telling the ancient stories of this mountain range. Clouds and mist swirled among the mountains, sometimes as ethereal as a veil, sometimes surging like a turbulent sea of ​​clouds, concealing much of the mountain's scenery and adding to its mysterious and unpredictable charm.

Zhang Yifan dared not slacken in the slightest. He quickly composed himself, held his breath, and slowly released his Nascent Soul Realm divine sense, spreading it out in all directions of the Lingxiao Mountain Range. This divine sense was like an invisible tentacle, carefully exploring every inch of land, every valley, and every cave, leaving no corner unexplored that might conceal the Star Radiance Cliff.

As his divine sense expanded, images flooded his mind like a tidal wave. He saw a rushing mountain waterfall, its waters cascading like a silver river falling from the heavens, crashing against the boulders below, splashing up layers of spray and creating a deafening roar. The splashing water, refracted by the sunlight, displayed auspicious, multicolored light, like a fairyland spectacle. He saw a deep, tranquil valley, where exotic flowers and rare herbs vied for attention, their multicolored lights intertwining, creating a dreamlike scene. Each flower exuded a unique spiritual energy, seemingly attracting his attention, yet none of them were what he was looking for. He also saw ancient ruins on steep mountain walls, the marks of time clearly visible on the mottled stone walls, as if silently witnessing past glory and vicissitudes. The ancient runes and broken statues all exuded a profound sense of history, causing him to stop and gaze, filled with countless emotions.

However, the Starry Cliff he had been searching for remained elusive, like a stone sinking into the sea, without a trace. Zhang Yifan couldn't help but feel anxious. He knew that the Starry Cliff must be hidden in an extremely secluded place deep within the mountains, otherwise it wouldn't be so difficult to find. But he didn't give up, constantly adjusting the range and depth of his divine sense's search, trying to penetrate the layers of mist and the thick mountain body to unveil the mystery of the Starry Cliff.

Just as he was completely absorbed, almost lost in his obsession, his divine sense suddenly detected an extremely faint yet unique fluctuation of spiritual energy. This fluctuation was unlike any spiritual energy he had sensed before; it contained a mysterious and vast aura, as if it came from the distant starry sky, dazzling and captivating. Zhang Yifan's heart stirred; his intuition told him that this was very likely the location of Starry Cliff!

Without hesitation, he followed the direction of the spiritual energy fluctuation, his figure moving like lightning, swiftly traversing the mountain forest. The withered branches and fallen leaves beneath his feet rustled under his feet, startling a flock of birds perched on the branches. He paid no heed, his gaze resolute as he continued towards his goal, silently praying that this time he would successfully find the Starshine Grass, taking another step closer to saving his loved ones.

As Zhang Yifan hurried through the mountains and forests, he suddenly sensed that the surrounding spiritual energy fluctuations had become chaotic, as if an invisible force was interfering with his progress. He frowned, cautiously stopped, and looked around. In the bushes not far away, pairs of eerie green eyes gleamed in the darkness. Then, a group of wolves-like but much larger beasts, emanating a strange black glow, slowly emerged. These beasts were called Shadow Fang Beasts. They lived in packs, were ferocious by nature, adept at launching surprise attacks from the shadows, and could manipulate shadow power to conceal themselves. They were extremely troublesome beings in the Lingxiao Mountains.

Zhang Yifan gripped his longsword tightly, his spiritual energy surging within him, causing the sword to gleam and hum. The lead Shadow Fang Beast let out a low roar, and then the entire pack charged at Zhang Yifan. They were incredibly fast, their figures weaving through the forest like streaks of black lightning. Zhang Yifan sidestepped, avoiding the direct attack, and swung his longsword, unleashing a sharp sword aura towards the leading beasts. The sword aura whistled past, sending leaves flying, but the Shadow Fang Beasts were extremely agile, easily dodging the attack and quickly spreading out to surround Zhang Yifan from all directions.

Seeing this, Zhang Yifan unleashed the Profound Clarity Sword Technique, his sword moves unpredictable and ever-changing. In an instant, sword energy crisscrossed his body as he engaged in a fierce battle with the Shadow Wolf Fang Beasts. He moved nimbly, dodging and weaving through the beasts' attacks, searching for an opportunity to counterattack. Each swing of his sword carried powerful spiritual energy, attempting to sever the beasts' offensive momentum. However, the Shadow Wolf Fang Beasts coordinated perfectly; one would feign an attack while another would seize the opportunity to strike from behind, leaving Zhang Yifan overwhelmed.

In the midst of the fierce battle, a Shadow Fang Beast seized an opportunity and attacked Zhang Yifan from behind. It opened its blood-red maw, revealing sharp fangs, and lunged at Zhang Yifan's neck, reeking of decay. Sensing the danger, Zhang Yifan whirled around, his longsword plunging fiercely into the beast's abdomen. The beast cried out in pain, its body contorting slightly, but it quickly resumed its attacking stance, clearly not fatally wounded.

Zhang Yifan thought to himself, this couldn't go on. He had to finish the battle quickly, otherwise, if he got bogged down in a protracted fight and his strength was exhausted, and if other unexpected events occurred, he would surely be in dire straits. So, he seized the opportunity. When the beasts pounced again, he suddenly unleashed all his spiritual power, pushing the Xuanqing Sword Technique to its limit. A dazzling sword aura rose like a blazing sun in the sky, sweeping towards the surrounding Shadow Wolf Fang Beasts. This sword strike contained his determination and unwavering belief in victory. Wherever the light touched, the air was torn apart, hissing as it struck.

The Shadow Fang Beasts stared in terror, trying to dodge but it was too late. A series of screams erupted as most of the beasts were struck by the sword energy, their bodies instantly torn to shreds, transforming into streaks of black light that vanished into the air. Only a few less seriously injured beasts, sensing the danger, tucked their tails between their legs and fled.

Zhang Yifan, panting heavily, sheathed his longsword and looked at the carcasses of the demonic beasts scattered on the ground. He felt little joy in victory. He knew this was just a small setback on his journey to find Starry Cliff; the road ahead was long, and the dangers would only increase. But he had no time to linger. After a brief rest, he continued forward, following the direction of the fluctuation of spiritual energy.

As he drew closer to his target, the surrounding environment grew increasingly mysterious and tranquil. Starlight filtered through the leaves, casting patches of light on the ground, like a galaxy fallen to earth. Zhang Yifan proceeded cautiously, careful not to disturb the serenity of this mystical place. Finally, he parted a dense thicket of bushes, and a breathtaking view opened up before him.

A towering cliff appeared before him, its sheer face shimmering with starlight, like countless stars inlaid upon it, dazzling and captivating. Various exotic flowers and plants grew atop the cliff, radiating a soft glow under the starlight. At the very top of the cliff, a small plant emitted a deep blue light, its leaves like fragments of starlight, each containing immense spiritual power—the very Starlight Grass he had longed for.

Zhang Yifan's heart suddenly raced. He gazed excitedly at the Starry Grass, his eyes gleaming with hope. After countless hardships, he had finally found this crucial medicinal ingredient. However, just as he was about to climb the cliff to pick the Starry Grass, a powerful protective light suddenly shone from around the cliff, blocking him from entering.

Zhang Yifan was startled. He tried to touch the restriction with his sword, but a powerful rebound made his arm go numb. He realized that Starry Cliff must have a powerful protective restriction, and picking the Starry Grass would not be easy. But he did not back down. Instead, he calmed down and carefully observed the patterns and spiritual energy fluctuations of the restriction, trying to find a way to break it.

He circled the cliff again and again, constantly thinking and trying. Time ticked by, and his loved ones were still struggling between life and death. He was frantic with worry, but he knew that impatience would be futile. Finally, after observing for a long time, he discovered a weak point in the barrier. He channeled his spiritual energy, focusing it at his fingertips, and gently touched that weak spot.

With a soft "crack," a fissure appeared in the barrier. Zhang Yifan was overjoyed. He increased his spiritual power output, and the crack grew larger until finally, the barrier shattered. He eagerly climbed the cliff and headed towards the Starry Grass. Just as he was about to touch the Starry Grass, dark clouds suddenly gathered in the sky, lightning flashed and thunder roared, and a powerful aura descended from the heavens.

Zhang Yifan looked up and saw a mysterious figure dressed in black robes appear in the air. The figure's face was hidden beneath the robes, but judging from the aura emanating from him, he was extremely powerful. The mysterious figure coldly stared at Zhang Yifan and said, "If you want to take the Star Radiance Grass, you'll have to get past me first!"