Mountain Patrol Military Officer

This afternoon, in the snowy Anping County, an ordinary afternoon.

Snowflakes fell on the muddy road, leaving white traces, and the wind whipped snow pellets against the oiled paper-covered windows.

Sparse figures hunched over, clinging to the roadside on the street.

The county was desolate, with the residents huddled in heated rooms, warming themselves. The whole county town was like an elder languishing in the winter, cold and desolate, becoming groggy in this endless, lingering snowy weather.

The more affluent in town had all moved to Jingguan City, heard to be a completely different world, like a warm spring sun, with colorful blossoms there.

At a certain moment,

"Boom Boom Boom"

A deafening sound came from the distant sky, and immediately, the ground began to shake.

The originally quiet Anping County suddenly turned noisy, with figures rushing out in panic.

"The earth dragon has turned over!"

A citizen shouted loudly.

But soon, someone realized it wasn't.

"No, look there!"

"It's the Ancestor Mountain!"

The people whispered in surprise as they looked up.

Outside the county, the long-quiet Ancestor Mountain was trembling, with clouds rolling like a hurricane and tsunami, as if an ancient giant beast had been awakened.

Soon, the sky above the Ancestor Mountain was devoured by a dark mass in the windy, snowy Heaven and Earth, with clouds surging like a turbulent sea.

"Kuala"

"Boom Boom Boom"

Silver snake-like lightning madly slithered, tearing the black sky, with thunderous roars echoing like drums, the sound reverberating between Heaven and Earth, hurting everyone's ears and even causing the earth to tremble.

Amid the flashing lightning and roaring thunder, the color of Heaven and Earth changed, gradually accumulating an overwhelming pressure.

And amidst this sudden change in the unusual heavenly phenomenon, scattered figures dashed out from Anping County, with voices either exclaiming in awe or muttering in solemnity.

"A heavenly phenomenon, as expected, there's something odd about this mountain!" someone exclaimed with bright eyes, looking towards the Ancestor Mountain.

"Is there some Heavenly Treasure about to emerge?" someone's eyes lit up with excitement.

"...."

These people were "gold seekers" from the worldly society, attracted by the heavenly phenomena from places around Shu, seeking Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures.

Ever since the Ancestor Mountain exhibited anomalies, many had come to investigate following the news. Initially, no one succeeded in their explorations, then as dangers emerged within, many who entered never returned, so fewer dared to go in. Eventually, troops cordoned off the area, and people stopped visiting, with many gold seekers leaving Anping County.

Yet a few stubbornly remained in Anping County.

Some stayed because their companions disappeared in the mountains, wanting to go in search; others, conspiracy theorists, believed the troops blocked the mountain not merely because it was dangerous, to prevent intrusions, but that some secret was surely hidden.

"Hurry, let's check it out!"

These people rushed through the wind, some on galloping horses, heading toward the Ancestor Mountain.

Along with them, there were streaks of light piercing the clouds and cutting through the wind, swiftly heading toward Jingguan City.

Half an hour later, above Anping County, demonic sounds pierced the sky, with colorful streaks of light shooting across from the distant skyline of Jingguan City, illuminating the gloomy sky over Anping County, as exotic auras bloomed within them.

At this moment, above the Ancestor Mountain, lightning flashed and thunder roared, with a fierce aura rolling down, the True Thunder of Heaven and Earth transforming into trees of lightning wildly striking.

Outside the Ancestor Mountain, troops in encampments, shrill whistles resounding, with black Mystic Armors reflecting a chilling gleam, waiting in stern formation.

Amidst the mountains beyond the cordons, splendid streams of light burst through the sky, revealing figures.

From the southwest, a sharp sound of piercing through the air suddenly rose, as twelve Ancient Bronze Banners unfurled with the wind, carrying a massive stone platform resembling an obsidian block. Wherever it passed, the air exploded with booming sounds. Upon the stone platform, an elderly man in black robes stood with hands behind his back, exuding a chilling aura, his eyes cold and shadowy.

On the other side of the void, wind and snow converged with a whoosh, transforming into frost white mist. Within the enveloping mist, a woman dressed in snowy white, with an icy complexion and jade-like bones, elegantly and calmly stepped out. Her face veiled, surrounded by a halo, her whole being appeared ethereal, as the flying snow around her transformed into strands of ribbons swirling about, resembling a transcendent cold-world Fairy.

In another bizarre scene, hundreds of enormous black crows whizzed in, followed by explosions in the air, leaving behind scraps of ghostly black feathers. These feathers gathered, transforming into a stern-faced man clad in black Feather Armor.

Closely following, a dazzling Sword Qi cut through the wind and snow, as a swordsman in yellow stepped on a Flying Sword. The sword's body twined with blue Thunder Snakes, imposing, with his sword-like eyebrows and starry eyes exuding an extraordinary spirit, followed by several streaks of sword light sketching brilliant trails across the sky. As they passed, the flying snow was shredded by Sword Qi, turning into specks of crystalline light dust.

And so, various figures or forces appeared in succession around the Ancestor Mountain, revealing unusual auras as they arrived, including some from the Martial Vault.

Yet all these faces were unfamiliar.

No one knew exactly what kind of dragons hid or tigers laid in wait, within Jingguan City currently.

After all, with the luck in Shu being restored, Demons emerged from the mountains. Over more than a year, two mature "industrial chains" attracted many foreign Martial artists into the region.

One, the emergence of countless Demons in the Ten Thousand Mountains, with a large influx of demon materials into the common worldly society, like demon flesh, leather armor, demon bones, all viewed as treasures, spurring a boom in industries using Demons as materials, such as elixirs and artifact refining.

Another, the Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures, naturally grown and hard to seek, led to a frenzy wherever news emerged in various places in Shu, much like a gold rush; whenever they sniffed out news, they swarmed there.