The Princess said to the Big Black Dog, "Carry him on your back and come with me to the ruins of Buzhou Mountain."
The Big Black Dog looked at Zhang Chen with reluctance, but still enlarged its body, transforming to the size of an elephant and standing among the trees.
The Princess looked at Zhang Chen, "Get on."
"Ride the dog?" Zhang Chen glanced at the Big Black Dog, unexpected that the dog that once chased him now becomes his ride.
Zhang Chen patted the Big Black Dog’s leg, arrogantly saying, "You’ve grown so big, how can I possibly climb on?"
The Big Black Dog turned its head, and its fur seemed alive, directly wrapping around Zhang Chen, pulling him up.
"Brother Zhou, this is where we part." Zhang Chen, sitting on the Big Black Dog, glanced at Zhou Chuan and bowed respectfully.
Zhou Chuan looked at Zhang Chen on the Big Black Dog and then at the already vanished Divine Lady, feeling something off: "Wait, the Big Black Dog rode me, he’s riding the Big Black Dog, aren’t I his steed’s steed?"
Before Zhou Chuan could figure out the logic, the Big Black Dog suddenly leaped, vanishing into the void, leaving Zhou Chuan staring at its receding figure in a daze.
Much later, returning to his senses and pondering, he said, "It seems this Zhang Chen is remarkable. His background is astonishing, even being connected to such incredible beings. In the future, I must find an opportunity to befriend him. If I can have his support, won’t my Martial Dao path be much broader?"
Zhang Chen, riding on the Big Black Dog, felt like a gust, the scenery on both sides turning into scattered, distorted particles, twisting and dispersing in his vision.
A layer of light enveloped the Big Black Dog, protecting it from external gales.
Even traveling fast, it took half a day to reach the foundation of Buzhou Mountain.
"We’re here!"
The Big Black Dog suddenly halted and said to Zhang Chen.
Hearing this, Zhang Chen looked ahead and saw a giant peak like Mount Tai. The peak was towering, its grandeur imposing. Its base connected to the Kunlun range, its top reached the sky. White cranes perched on junipers, and black gibbons hung from vines. The sun shone on the forest, wrapping it in layered red mist; winds stirred in the dark valleys, sending colorful clouds flying.
The Princess stood before the mountain, her eyes gazing into the void, seemingly seeing something.
Zhang Chen, atop the Big Black Dog, was surveying the mountain when the dog unexpectedly let its fur slip, causing Zhang Chen to fall. Thankfully, Zhang Chen reacted swiftly, grabbing some fur to slow his fall, causing the Big Black Dog to grimace and lose a tuft of fur.
Seeing its shiny black fur pulled out, the Big Black Dog was displeased, wanting to retaliate, but glimpsed the Princess nearby, forcing a flattering smile, saying, "Sir, how could you fall so carelessly? Are you alright?"
While speaking, its size rapidly shrank, denying Zhang Chen another ride.
Zhang Chen looked at the Big Black Dog, uninterested in dealing with it, focusing his attention on the majestic mountains instead.
"This is the foundation of Buzhou Mountain. A great calamity in the past caused the mountain to break, leaving only the foundation. Even so, it dwarfs all Five Peaks combined," the Princess explained to Zhang Chen.
Zhang Chen felt excited at her words, knowing that finding just one stone from the mountain would allow him to learn the Mountain-moving Technique.
"I have other matters. Cultivate here, and I’ll come for you later," the Princess said, taking the Big Black Dog with her, leaving Zhang Chen lost in thought facing the mountains.
Scanning the mountains, Zhang Chen summoned the Great Freedom Celestial Demon for advice, "Now that we’re at Buzhou Mountain, can I practice with just any stone from here?"
"Of course! Even the most ordinary stone is enough for you to practice. But if you train with an ordinary Buzhou Mountain stone, you’ll only master a basic Mountain-moving Technique, nothing outstanding. Many took Buzhou Mountain stones for practice in the past," the Great Freedom Celestial Demon said. "Using ordinary stones may not allow you to link up with the Nine Revolutions Profound Skill, and even if you can, you won’t get far."
"Since I’m cultivating, I aim for the strongest technique and foundation. Please guide me on how to forge the strongest foundation," Zhang Chen asked the Great Freedom Celestial Demon graciously.
The Great Freedom Celestial Demon glanced around, then whispered, "I know there’s a core inside Buzhou Mountain, but I wonder if you’re daring enough to retrieve it."
"Why wouldn’t I dare?" Zhang Chen replied. "Please guide me. If I can master the Mountain-moving Great Law, I will always remember your great kindness."
Hearing this, the Great Freedom Celestial Demon replied indifferently, "I only pray you won’t target me in the future. That would be perfect. Follow me if you wish to forge the strongest technique."
The Great Freedom Celestial Demon transformed into a stream of light, flying towards the mountains.
Zhang Chen turned into a Vampire Bat, following closely, curiously looking at the vibrant, flourishing Buzhou Mountain, yet noting no signs of life, a truly peculiar sight.
They sped across the mountains and, upon flying thousands of miles, encountered a unique Qi Mechanism that unexpectedly forced Zhang Chen from his bat form, sending him plummeting. Fortunately, he angled his descent, landing on branches, which cushioned his fall, reducing the severity of his injuries.
"Old man, you tried to harm me!" Zhang Chen rapidly circulated his Qi Blood, healing his wounds.
At this moment, the Great Freedom Celestial Demon emerged from the shadows, seriously looking at Zhang Chen, "Young man, I didn’t harm you. It’s the natural awe-inspiring presence of Buzhou Mountain’s core region that suppresses all techniques. Your Magical Power is too low, and you can’t resist the remaining divine resonance of Buzhou Mountain, leading to your fall."
"Buzhou Mountain once held up Heaven and Earth, aligned constellations, suppressed the Earth’s extremities, and even Fruit Level existences couldn’t use Divine Techniques here. With the ongoing tilts in the world’s Qi Mechanism and diminishing Spiritual Qi, Buzhou Mountain’s divine resonance dispersed through great disasters, eventually breaking. It suffered further damage, and after countless calamities, its Divine Power nearly dissipated. Otherwise, you wouldn’t have the chance to gain from it. Those old timers were quite shrewd, never leaving such things for you to benefit from," the Great Freedom Celestial Demon said.
"I estimated that core’s Divine Power to have faded enough for you to have a chance at retrieval, which is why I brought you here. But its Divine Power is negligible for me, while it still affects you," continued the Great Freedom Celestial Demon. "Don’t use any supernatural powers; follow me on foot."
Understanding, Zhang Chen followed the Great Freedom Celestial Demon silently, pondering Buzhou Mountain’s origins.
In past life novels, Buzhou Mountain was said to be formed from Pangu the Great God’s body after he separated Heaven and Earth, his spine transforming into the Cosmic Pillar. What could Buzhou Mountain’s origin truly be?
"What’s Buzhou Mountain’s origin?" Zhang Chen asked while trekking through the mountains.
The Great Freedom Celestial Demon scratched its head, "It seems to be the spine of some famous figure; I’ve lost too much of my memory and can’t recall clearly."
"A spine?" An idea sparked in Zhang Chen’s mind, making him tentatively ask, "Could that unnamed Demon God be Pangu?"
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