Urban Extraordinary Immortal Doctor-Chapter 998: Shi Gang’s Secret

The terrain of the Bitao Mountain Range was low around the edges and higher in the middle, particularly the central region of the mountain range’s core area, which consisted of eighteen towering ice peaks. Each ice peak reached tens of thousands of feet into the sky. From a distance, they looked like crystal-clear ice swords piercing the heavens, thrusting straight into the clouds with unparalleled majesty. frёeωebɳovel.com

Clusters of snow-white clouds encircled the middle of the ice peaks, and occasionally, huge birds could be seen darting between the clouds and the mountains.

These giant birds were also a type of Spirit Beast, with incredibly fast flight speeds. With a single flap of their wings, they could soar a hundred yards, exuding a powerful and fierce aura.

From their high vantage point, they had a broad view and could easily spot any movement on the ground below.

Fang Bai’s Cultivation Team, which had reached but dozens of miles from the central region of the core area, had already caught sight of the cloud-veiled colossal ice peaks and felt the pressure they exerted.

"Those eighteen ice peaks are the forbidden area within the core region of the Bitao Mountain Range, and also the Forbidden Zones of Life for humans. In the nearly ten thousand years since the Bitao Martial Academy was established, no Cultivation Team has ever dared to ascend any of the ice peaks; at most, they would make a round trip around the periphery of the eighteen ice peaks."

Huang Miao raised her hand, pointing towards the eighteen ice peaks dozens of miles away.

"What magnificent ice peaks! Ordinary martial artists probably couldn’t climb them at all, could they?"

For Hou Ziping, who was seeing the legendary eighteen ice peaks for the first time, there was a mix of excitement and exhilaration. Even if he could not scale the peaks this time, when he returned to the Bitao Martial Academy, he would have the capital to boast to his fellow disciples.

After all, just being able to come here and witness the magnificence of the eighteen ice peaks was an achievement worth taking pride in.

Huang Miao said, "It’s said that the temperatures at the summits of the eighteen ice peaks are so low that they’re unbearable, and even formidable birds dare not fly over the tops. Otherwise, their wings will freeze, rendering them unable to fly. And human martial artists, even those powerful enough to reach the Desolate Level Realm, can’t withstand the chill at the mountain tops and dare not linger there. Us martial artists of the Heaven Level Realm would probably struggle to bear it even at the foot of the eighteen ice peaks!"

Liu Liehu, upon hearing Huang Miao’s words, felt a chill creep over him and instinctively tightened his neck, saying, "In that case, let’s just wander around the periphery of the ice peaks, better to avoid getting too close and being frozen into popsicles!"

"Liehu, don’t speak nonsense! Only speak auspicious words!"

Liu Qingqing lifted her right arm, extended a delicate finger, and lightly poked Liu Liehu, scolding him in a charming voice.

"Got it."

Liu Liehu scratched his head and chuckled with a silly smile.

The five of them were preparing to move towards the ice peaks and investigate closely around them, to see if they might discover any treasures. Suddenly, however, they heard the roar of Spirit Beasts from behind.

"What’s going on?"

Huang Miao and the others were startled and turned their heads in the direction of the roaring.

Even Fang Bai was a bit surprised, furrowing his brow slightly.

The five of them had traveled all the way from the Stone Forest, and although they had encountered some Spirit Beasts along the way, they had cleverly avoided them under Fang Bai’s leadership. Especially within the dozens of miles approaching the ice peaks, they had nearly seen no signs of Spirit Beast activity on the ground.

Just moments ago, when they had set eyes upon the ice peaks, Fang Bai had specifically released his Divine Sense to probe the surroundings within a two-thousand-meter range, only to find no trace of any Spirit Beast presence.

Unexpectedly, a surge of Spirit Beasts erupted from nowhere, roaring as they charged in their direction.

From the cacophony of roars, it was clear that not only were there many Spirit Beasts attacking fiercely, but their target was also Fang Bai’s Cultivation Team.

The roar of the Spirit Beasts thundered like rumbling lightning, their galloping hooves trembled the ground, signaling their rapid approach.

"Run! Use your movement techniques at full speed towards Ice Peak! I’ll cover the rear!"

Fang Bai suddenly shouted with urgency, propelling Huang Miao and the others into action.

Without time for thought, they did as Fang Bai instructed, circulating True Yuan, using their movement techniques to desperately head in the direction of Ice Peak.

Fang Bai followed behind the four of them, also hurtling toward Ice Peak.

However, within the rugged mountains, the speed at which human Martial Artists could traverse was no match for the Spirit Beasts born of this land. Huang Miao and the others had only advanced about five li when the pursuing group of Spirit Beasts had already covered ten li and were rapidly closing the distance.

Although Huang Miao and the others did not look back, they could sense the Spirit Beasts drawing near. What frightened them even more was that the number and strength of this group of Spirit Beasts were even greater than the dozens of Antlered Silver Lions that had surrounded them in Stone Forest.

"It’s unavoidable now, we’re done for!"

When they were still several li from the eighteen Ice Peaks, Huang Miao and the others could even hear the heavy breathing from the nostrils and mouths of the Spirit Beasts behind them.

It was at this moment Fang Bai’s Divine Sense scanned the area and spotted among the group of Spirit Beasts chasing them, a Martial Artist sitting upon one of the Spirit Beasts, emitting a strange howling sound.

"It’s actually him? I didn’t expect this guy to know Beast Taming Technique!"

Fang Bai’s Divine Sense locked onto the sitting Martial Artist, his eyes gleaming, a trace of surprise crossing his features.

The Martial Artist, around forty years of age, wore the attire of an Inner Court Disciple of Bitao Martial Academy, with a gaunt face and sinister eyes, holding a zhang-long steel spear – it could be no one other than Shi Gang from Shi Village.

At this moment, Shi Gang, with his steel spear slanting towards the sky, perched atop a huge Fire Cloud Leopard, his shrill and rapid howls commanding the hundreds of surrounding Spirit Beasts to charge in the direction of Fang Bai and his companions.

The Spirit Beasts swept forward like a wild wind, rapidly closing the gap toward Fang Bai and the others.

When they were nearly a thousand meters away from Fang Bai and his companions, Shi Gang steered the Fire Cloud Leopard beneath him onto a low hill, coldly surveying their position from afar as Killing Qi billowed about him.

At this time, Shi Gang stood tall and proud, radiating an air of arrogance and might, far from resembling an Inner Court Disciple with merely a mid Heaven Level Cultivation Level.

"The true strength of this Shi Gang is actually Heaven Level Perfection, on par with the Personal Transmission Disciples of Bitao Martial Academy. I had not used Divine Sense to probe him before, and he has managed to conceal himself. It seems he has not only cultivated a technique that can hide his Cultivation Level but has also done so very skillfully. However, he hasn’t manifested Divine Sense, so how is he controlling the Spirit Beasts? Could it be with the help of some Spiritual Artifact?"

As Fang Bai pondered this, his Divine Sense carefully probed the man again and indeed noticed a black jade pendant hanging from his chest.

With each strange howl from Shi Gang’s mouth, the black jade pendant hanging around his chest flickered faintly bright, releasing a strand of Divine Sense imperceptible to ordinary Martial Artists. This strand of Divine Sense spread out in all directions, controlling the hundreds of Spirit Beasts.