The Thousand Blade Mountain Range stretched for tens of thousands of li, its countless peaks rising across the landscape in seemingly random fashion. Yet beneath that apparent disorder lay a clear hierarchy. The lower mountains contained low-tier mineral deposits and were typically inhabited by low-tier exotic beasts. Conversely, the higher one ventured, the more valuable the resources became and the stronger the beasts guarding them. 0

At the same time, as the tier of the mountains rose, the number of guardians steadily decreased. First-tier mountains often housed tens of thousands of them; second-tier ones usually only a few thousand. By the third tier, their numbers usually dwindled to around a hundred, though even a hundred third-tier exotic beasts were enough to force most Adepts to retreat. Luo Chen's group had already learned that lesson firsthand when they were driven off by the black-golden viper swarm. Fourth-tier mountains were on a whole different level. Their guardians often numbered fewer than ten, sometimes only one or two, yet...0