Zhu Yuyan's observation was accurate. After penetrating 24 li into the sixth-grade Jian Dan iron ore mountain, no more high-speed flying gravel could pierce through.
Even in the cultivation world, physical laws applied.
Even the essence of ninth-grade spiritual iron Gengjin would require immense energy as power to pierce 20 li of sixth-grade Jian Dan iron ore.
Without continuous output of magic power from cultivators, driven solely by natural spiritual energy riots, the energy contained within the Gengjin essence could at most pierce through 20 li of mountain body.
However, Yang Hong was unaware of this. After delving deep into the mountain, his divine sense could not extend far either, with a limit of 18 li; anything beyond that was invisible.
Therefore, the cautious Yang Hong decided to continue digging. Although he might only excavate an inch or two each time, he understood a truth:
Without accumulating small steps, one cannot reach a thousand li!
Even the slightest progress was preparation for even greater advancements in the future.
"You three keep watch behind me, I will continue digging."
"Alright ~ Husband, you can rest assured. We will defend the rear."
The three women, Zhu Yuyan, fully supported Yang Hong's decision. If it weren't for Yang Hong exerting himself to channel energy to the ninth-grade spiritual plants, drawing heavenly tribulations, and buying them time to excavate,
and then Yang Hong using his extraordinary physical strength to dig this 24 li tunnel, all of them would have likely become corpses by now.
The three women separated by a distance, each taking out at least five defensive magic artifacts to block in front of them, intently watching the direction from which the gravel had come, their divine senses fully deployed.
In reality, the three women, Zhu Yuyan, were already extremely fatigued.
For half a day, their divine senses had been constantly deployed, a very significant expenditure.
At this moment, all three had sunken eyes and sallow complexions, appearing dispirited.
Yet, they had to maintain their spirits, their divine senses radiating outwards, constantly vigilant for any potential danger.
Fortunately, no more dangers appeared this time.
...
When the tribulation clouds in the sky were dispersed by the "Black Despair" storm, the originally dark red world brightened slightly, returning to the yellowish-red hue from the beginning of the "Black Despair."
In the Eastern area of the Zikun Mountain Range, a group of ninth-rank cultivators simultaneously let out a sigh of relief, their pale faces filled with the excitement of surviving a catastrophe.
"Everyone, put in more effort! This 'Black Despair' is about to end.
Once the 'Black Despair' ends, everyone can enter the Western area of the Zikun Mountain Range to collect spiritual ores. We will no longer impose any restrictions on anyone. Whatever you obtain is yours.
Furthermore, high-level cultivators are forbidden from seizing from low-level cultivators. Anyone found doing so will be executed without mercy!"
In order to quell the final storm and counter-attack of the "Black Despair," those powerful figures were uncharacteristically generous.
"Sect Leader Chen, are you telling the truth? Even if we find ninth-grade spiritual iron, it will be ours, and no one will snatch our gains?"
"Sect Leader Chen, is there a time limit? For how long can we freely collect spiritual ores?"
"Sect Leader Chen, when can we enter the Western area of the Zikun Mountain Range?"
As soon as the leader of the ninth-rank cultivators finished speaking, the cultivators below rushed to ask questions.
Most cultivators, though happy, were not overly excited, some even showing indifference. They knew that in the face of power, all agreements were like toilet paper in a restroom –
discarded after use, and utterly foul!
To the strong, as long as there were benefits, any agreement was like used toilet paper.
"Everyone, rest assured. As long as we withstand the final counter-attack of the 'Black Despair,' all of us Mahayana realm cultivators will act as guarantors and monitor the entire Western area of the Zikun Mountain Range throughout. If anyone dares to violate the rules, we will stop them immediately. Those who refuse to heed our advice will be directly annihilated!"
Hearing this, all the happy cultivators shivered, a cold sweat breaking out all over their bodies.
[We were just worried that you old fogeys would find excuses and play the victim. Your so-called 'refusal to heed advice' might just mean that if you take a fancy to a treasure, we are considered the ones who refuse to listen, and we'll be wiped out.]
This was the thought that simultaneously occurred to the vast majority of low- and mid-level cultivators.
They knew to some extent how shameless those high and mighty Mahayana realm cultivators could be!
Influenced by this sentiment, the mid- and low-level cultivators began to cautiously control their magic power output, preparing to flee and evacuate at any moment.
"Everyone, keep it up! The final wave of 'Black Despair' is here. If we can withstand this wave, we win."
This voice echoed almost simultaneously across the hundreds of millions of li long defense line in the Eastern area of the Zikun Mountain Range. All cultivators wore excited expressions; the final "Black Despair" was about to pass.
A dark, ink-like mass, resembling churning lava, surged from the horizon at extreme speed.
"Channel your magic power with all your might. Success or failure rests on this."
As the high-level cultivators shouted, the mid- and low-level cultivators strained their faces, seemingly pouring all their strength into outputting magic power to stabilize the "Wind Settling Array."
In reality, most cultivators were merely putting on a show; the magic power used to redden their faces might have been more than that infused into the "Wind Settling Array."
*Crackling...*
A faint, yet grand sound reached the ears of all cultivators!
All cultivators in the Eastern area of the Zikun Mountain Range simultaneously changed their expressions.
*Crackling...*
Another light sound, and sand drifted with a gentle breeze over the peaks of the Zikun Mountain Range!
"Everyone, quickly channel your magic power with all your might! Hesitation now is seeking death."
"Fellow Daoists! It's time to fight for our lives. If we don't fight now and let the 'Black Despair' pass, then even us Mahayana realm cultivators will perish, and all your descendants will be wiped out!"
"Behold my Great Teleportation Spell, fellow Daoists, assist me."
A colossal Tai Chi diagram, spanning ten thousand li, appeared in the sky, reversing the dark red sandstorm.
"White Tiger Wind Control Art, come and assist me."
With a tiger's roar, a gigantic phantom of a white tiger, a thousand li wide, materialized in the sky, driving the fierce wind into the dark red sandstorm.
The defense of the Eastern area of the Zikun Mountain Range this time was a joint effort between humans and demons. The demons living here were more aware of the terror of the "Black Despair" and were willing to set aside their differences and cooperate with humans.
Powerful spells were unleashed, and with the assistance of tens of thousands of cultivators of all levels, the dark red sandstorm was blocked, and the wind and sand were rolled back towards the Western area of the Zikun Mountain Range.
However, before these cultivators could relax, someone suddenly roared and immediately teleported far away into the sky.
"Not good ~ Quick, retreat ~"
"Damn it! Run for your lives!"
Some of the high-level cultivators fled, while others continued to cast spells, but all the low-level cultivators abandoned their arrays and tasks, using escape techniques to flee.
This was because as the dark red sandstorm rolled back, spiritual energy riots still descended upon the Eastern area of the Zikun Mountain Range.
No cultivator who knew of the "Black Despair" was willing to stay and die; they fled immediately.
This, this was the nature of cultivators – cherishing their lives and being selfish!
Within a few breaths, the colossal spell phantoms in the sky also disintegrated!
The ninth-rank Mahayana powerhouses had also fled.
The wild beasts and demonic beasts that were leisurely grazing and hunting in the mountain forests also fled downhill in a frenzy.
The dark red sandstorm, carrying immense heat like molten lava, swept through the Eastern area of the Zikun Mountain Range with apocalyptic might!
Innumerable plants instantly ignited and were quickly consumed by fire; slower-moving beasts, without a chance to turn into charcoal, were torn to shreds by the terrifying hurricane!
Wherever the "Black Despair" passed, life was extinguished.
Only the human cultivators and demons who had escaped in time survived.
Of course, those who were slow also turned into charcoal and fragments.
If the "Black Despair" hadn't slowed down considerably after crossing the Zikun Mountain, then the entire Zikun Mountain Range's Eastern cultivation world, with its tens of millions of cultivators, would have turned to dust, becoming spiritual energy returned to heaven and earth!