**Chapter 6: Entering the Mountains**
The Taihang Mountains are located in the far north of the Great Yu Cultivation World, bordering the Yan Kingdom. The range is full of towering peaks that seem endless.
It is said that even a Nascent Soul True Monarch had never explored the boundaries of the Taihang Mountains.
In this cultivation world, the realms are Qi Refining, Foundation Establishment, Purple Mansion, Golden Core, Nascent Soul, and Divine Transformation!
A Divine Transformation cultivator can ascend to the spirit realm, making the Taihang Mountains' vastness evident, given that even a Nascent Soul True Monarch could not fully map it.
There are also rumors that the demon monarchs on Jade Dragon Peak in the Taihang Mountains are extremely powerful.
Ye Jingcheng could not verify this, but he leaned against the side of the wooden boat, listening to the wind whistling in his ears while his sharp gaze scanned the surroundings.
Despite the howling gale, it did not affect the four of them. The boat was protected by a thin spiritual shield that blocked the wind.
The spirit boat glided over rolling hills, revealing peaks of increasing height. What Ye Jingcheng once thought of as the highest, Lingyun Peak, now seemed ordinary compared to these towering mountains.
The Jade-ring Mouse was also with Ye Jingcheng.
After flying for a whole day, traversing an unknown distance of hills, they finally reached the mountains. The sky was now dark.
"We'll rest here for the night and enter the mountains tomorrow!" Ye Jingyu said as he began searching carefully in front of a small mountain.
He soon found a cave, which was evidently frequently used by the Ye family. Ye Jingyu inspected the cave entrance and the ground to ensure there were no anomalies before leading the others inside.
"Don't disturb the branches on the ground; they are markers left by the elders!" Ye Jingyu instructed, and the others nodded in agreement.
The cave was dry, not damp at all. Deeper inside, there were several moonlight stones that naturally illuminated the space, making it quite bright.
"Let's release the spirit beasts!" Ye Jingyu ordered, then took out a set of formation plates and flags, beginning to set up a complex array.
"Fourth Brother is also a talented formation master. He's quite skilled!" Ye Jingyong said to Ye Jingcheng, noticing his curiosity.
Ye Jingcheng nodded and looked at Ye Jingyong's Flying Cloud Leopard and Azure-scaled Snake. Indeed, the two beasts were not much different from those seen in the Demon Hunting Hall.
The Flying Cloud Leopard had grown considerably, from the size of a small puppy to that of an average house dog. The Azure-scaled Snake had only deepened in color. Seeing Ye Jingcheng's interest, Ye Jingli felt a bit embarrassed, as Ye Jingcheng had to take care of the Crimson Flame Fox, while his Jade-ring Mouse was better developed.
Ye Jingcheng was unaware of Ye Jingli's thoughts. He was comparing the growth of spirit beasts and understanding the ancient book's influence on them.
He concluded that the spiritual light stimulated spirit beast growth and should be complemented by Spirit Nourishment Pills. He decided to use less spiritual light on the Jade-ring Mouse in the future, as the Ye family had many of them and its rapid growth could be problematic. The Crimson Flame Fox, with its unique talent, was an exception.
Soon, Ye Jingyu completed the formation and joined the group. They exchanged insights on spirit beast training, with Ye Jingcheng being the primary focus due to his Jade-ring Mouse's impressive growth.
Ye Jingcheng used Spirit Nourishment Pills and spiritual incense to explain the Mouse's progress, as mentioned by his ninth grandfather, Ye Hailian. For other details, he claimed ignorance, as he was still a novice in spirit beast training.
On the other hand, Ye Jingcheng learned a lot of new techniques from Ye Jingyong and Ye Jingyu, including their cultivation tips. Despite being at the fourth level of Qi Refining, Ye Jingcheng received useful advice from the sixth and seventh-level cultivators, which provided new insights into his cultivation.
After the discussions, the four of them took turns keeping watch. Ye Jingcheng was first, given his half-time on the spirit boat. With four spirit beasts and the cave's formation, the task was not too difficult.
Since they were not deeply into the mountains yet, they did not encounter any formidable demon beasts. The few wild animals that might approach were kept out by the formation.
After an hour, Ye Jingli came to relieve Ye Jingcheng.
"Jingcheng, can I buy some Spirit Nourishment Pills from you at the family's price?" Ye Jingli asked, having listened to Ye Jingcheng's previous mention of the pills containing spiritual incense.
"Sure," Ye Jingcheng agreed. According to the family's selling rules, he sold them for one contribution point, or one spirit stone.
However, selling to family members meant a discount to one and a half spirit stones, which allowed him to make a slight profit.
"Sixth Brother, I won't take too many. Here are three pills, so I'll pay four spirit stones!" Ye Jingcheng produced a vial containing three Spirit Nourishment Pills.
The vial, when opened, emitted a pleasant fragrance.
Ye Jingli was thrilled.
"Jingcheng, I appreciate it greatly. I can now refine first-rank lower-grade magic tools. If you have materials, I'll make them for you for free!" Ye Jingli promised happily.
After the transaction, Ye Jingcheng went deeper into the cave to practice his cultivation technique, the Lihuo Jing. It was a Yellow-rank medium-level technique, considered standard in the Ye family, with moderate cultivation speed and less condensed spiritual energy.
The only advantage was its warmth, which helped dispel the night's chill in the mountains. After a week of practice, Ye Jingcheng had already sweated quite a bit.
The night passed uneventfully, and dawn arrived quickly.
The four emerged from the cave, but this time they did not use the spirit boat. Flying within the Taihang Mountains was a major taboo, as many flying demon beasts roamed the area, making aerial travel risky.
So, the four used lightweight spells to maintain their formation and moved into the mountains.
Leading the way were two Flying Cloud Leopards, and the Jade-ring Mouse was perched on Ye Jingcheng's shoulder.
The Jade-ring Mouse's abilities were evident as it squeaked urgently at any unusual sounds, prompting Ye Jingyu to change direction accordingly.
After another half day, the group arrived at a secluded and lush valley, hidden behind several large mountains.
Ye Jingyu again set up formations at the valley's entrance.
"There's a low-lying spring and a small first-rank lower-grade spiritual vein in the valley, which can attract many first-rank lower-grade demon beasts. It used to be the lair of two Flying Cloud Leopards!" Ye Jingyu explained as he worked.
Once the formation was set, Ye Jingyong made to enter the valley, but both Ye Jingyu and Ye Jingcheng stopped him.
"Second Brother, let's investigate a bit more!"