The Tianshan, also known as the Snow Mountain, earns its name because its peaks are perpetually snow-capped, appearing as a vast expanse of white from a distance.

The Tianshan is immense, stretching unbroken for thousands of li, and within this sprawling range lie numerous myths and legends, each more captivating than the last.

Standing at the foot of the Tianshan evokes an entirely different sensation than standing beneath Kunlun. Kunlun is vaster, more imposing, yet possesses an intrinsic restraint; approaching it feels like entering any ordinary massive mountain range.

The Tianshan, however, is different. Even from afar, it projects a spectacle of connection between heaven and earth, a feeling that intensifies as one draws nearer.

The four great Millennial Families have each secured a sanctuary ideally suited to their needs.

Whether it is the Kunlun Mountains, the Tianshan, the Shu Mountains, or the Changbai Mountains, each location possesses its unique character, serving as the only grounds capable of sustaining these ancient families through the ages.

The Tianshan is vast, boasting countless great peaks, though only thirteen are truly renowned.

Overlord Peak (Bawang Feng) is one of these Thirteen Peaks.

Overlord Peak is exceptionally high, its apex reaching an altitude of seven thousand meters, its entirety cloaked in white, radiating a harsh, biting cold. Zhang Yang arrived at the foothills of the Tianshan, less than two hundred li from Overlord Peak—a distance that, for Zhui Feng, would take but a moment to cover.

Sensing the distinct atmosphere of the Tianshan, and buoyed by the exhilaration of his newly grasped abilities, Zhang Yang patted Zhui Feng once more. The steed, refreshed, immediately set off, its back to the sun, galloping forward.

As one of the Thirteen Peaks, Overlord Peak’s defining characteristics are its sheer steepness and grim severity.

Overlord Peak is massive; describing it as a single peak is an understatement—it is more akin to a minor mountain range. The area it occupies is nearly the size of a county seat, and factoring in the mountain’s bulk, it rivals a small prefecture-level city. Despite its size, the environment of Overlord Peak is dreadful, riddled with several hundred cliffs and chasms of varying sizes. Its inhospitable nature deters all but the desperate.

Locally, Overlord Peak bears another moniker: Reaper’s Peak.

The name implies that entering Overlord Peak is tantamount to entrusting one's life to the Grim Reaper. It is rife not only with precipices but also with myriad natural traps, where a single misstep guarantees one's demise within the mountains.

Over the centuries, many who scoffed at the warnings dared to venture into Overlord Peak, yet fewer than one in ten ever emerged, and those who did were universally unwilling to return a second time.

It is precisely this brutal environment that has preserved this long-renowned peak in its primal state, eventually leading the Huyan Family to select it as their primary base. For them, the harshness of the terrain served as a perpetual crucible for refinement.

Ten minutes later, Zhang Yang reached the foot of Overlord Peak. Upon arrival, he curbed Zhui Feng’s speed; the Huyan family’s domain was nearby, and excessive noise could alert their sentinels.

Zhang Yang feared no one, but he sought no unnecessary conflicts. His primary objective this journey was the acquisition of the Millennial Snow Lotus Root.

“Into the mountains!”

After a brief survey of the area below, Zhang Yang quietly uttered the command.

In his previous life, Zhang Daoqian had left behind a map detailing the location of the Ten-Year Snow Lotus. The Millennial Snow Lotus was situated beside a gorge on the northwest face of Overlord Peak, a gorge flanked by sheer cliffs. It was during the harvest of that lotus that he accidentally fell, without which he might never have located it. That fall nearly cost him his life.

Zhang Yang had memorized the gorge's location. Though this was his first visit, he directed Zhui Feng to approach the destination slowly.

The perilous nature of Overlord Peak was mere sport for Zhui Feng. The steed effortlessly stepped over deep pits and hidden traps invisible to the naked eye. Having grown up in the Tianshan, Zhui Feng was familiar with terrains just as rugged, if not more so, than this, and traversing them was easy.

They had been within the mountains for only half an hour when Zhui Feng halted before a cliff face hundreds of meters high. Standing there, Zhang Yang felt a surge of pleasant surprise; according to Zhang Daoqian’s records, the location of the Millennial Snow Lotus was almost within reach.

It was not yet noon. If he had brought Long Feng, it likely would have taken another full day to reach this spot. In the wilderness, Zhui Feng’s speed far surpassed that of any automobile.

“Zhui Feng, Shan Dian, wait for me up here. Wu Ying and I will go down.”

At the cliff's edge, Zhang Yang whispered. Zhui Feng stamped its hoof in agitation but ultimately nodded its assent. This was a gorge walled by four sheer cliffs, making rapid descent difficult even for Zhui Feng. It had to wait above. To keep it company, he let Shan Dian stay behind. As for Wu Ying, its keen little nose was invaluable for locating hidden treasures, making it essential to bring along to save time.

Drawing the Dragon Devouring Dagger (Shi Long Bi), Zhang Yang clutched Wu Ying and leaped from the precipice.

In his past life, Zhang Daoqian had descended with extreme caution, only for his rope to snap halfway down, sending him plummeting to the bottom. Fortunately, several large trees cushioned his fall, and his own considerable strength allowed him to survive by sheer luck.

But that was him. Zhang Daoqian’s strength was only at the Second Level then. The current Zhang Yang was a peak expert at the Fourth Level of Inner Strength.

Zhang Yang’s body plummeted, the wind whistling past his ears. When he was about a hundred meters down, he managed to control his descent, bringing his body close to the cliff face and plunging the Dragon Devouring Dagger into the rock above. The dagger bit deep into the stone, cutting downward for many meters before finally slowing to a halt.

Zhang Yang’s body stabilized mid-air. He retracted the dagger, allowed himself to fall again, repeated the maneuver several times, and finally landed successfully in the gorge below.

It was a small canyon, spanning only about half a football field in area, dotted with numerous tall trees. Shielded by the surrounding cliffs, the environment fostered lush growth; the trees towered overhead, and small monkeys inhabited their branches. Seeing Zhang Yang, an uninvited guest, they showed no fear, only curiosity. Having no natural predators here, they were naturally devoid of apprehension.

Zhang Yang smiled at the monkeys before moving forward.

Without needing to search, Wu Ying began to emit urgent squeaks—the animal’s telltale sign of having located a valuable find. Wu Ying’s behavior brought a measure of relief to Zhang Yang; it meant the treasure was indeed still present. With the main ingredient secured, he could finally compound the Holy Elixir of Detoxification to purge all the deep-seated poisons from Zhang Keqin’s body.

Wu Ying hopped down from Zhang Yang and bounded ahead rapidly. Zhang Yang followed closely. Within the gorge was an opening resembling a tunnel leading outside, where an even steeper and larger cliff face awaited.

Wu Ying traversed the opening and began scrambling upward along the outer cliff. The exterior cliff was far more challenging to scale, but with the tools Zhang Yang had prepared, it wasn't insurmountable, and he followed steadily upward. The direction Wu Ying took matched the documentation left by Zhang Daoqian.

Soon, Wu Ying reached a small platform halfway up the sheer wall, which was lightly dusted with snow. This was the habitat of the Millennial Snow Lotus.

Reaching the platform, Zhang Yang finally let his guard down completely. Since Wu Ying had led him here, the lotus must still exist.

The platform was small, containing a tiny pool nestled in the far corner. Above the pool floated several broad, green lotus leaves, appearing strikingly vibrant against the surrounding white expanse.

Observing the locale, Zhang Yang finally understood why others, including members of the Huyan family, had never discovered this place. It was incredibly difficult to find, requiring passage through a ring of sheer cliffs, followed by a long climb, all within an intensely cold environment rarely visited even by birds of prey soaring overhead. Had the environment not been so punishing, this snow lotus would have vanished long ago, robbing Zhang Yang of the opportunity to treat Zhang Daofeng.

The snowmelt was chilling, and Zhang Yang plunged directly into the small pool, reaching beneath the water to find the Snow Lotus Root.

Drawing the Dragon Devouring Dagger, Zhang Yang carefully severed a small section of the root. By taking only a small piece, the lotus would not perish; it would simply be unable to produce seeds for the next century, requiring two hundred years of recovery. Though this reduced the yield of lotus seeds, the plant itself would survive, ensuring that if this location remained secret, it could continuously supply the Zhang family with Millennial Snow Lotus seeds. This small segment of root was more than sufficient for Zhang Yang’s immediate needs.

After securing the root segment, Zhang Yang hesitated, gazing at the small platform. He suddenly produced several flagpoles from his person and inserted them directly into the rock face. Using these, he quickly set up a small Heavenly Gate Formation (Tian Men Zhen).

Since using the Heavenly Gate Formation against Chu Yuntian, Zhang Yang had carried flagpoles for contingencies. This formation, lacking the support of internal energy, offered only a faint illusionary effect with negligible offensive power, but its obfuscating quality was perfect for concealing the Millennial Snow Lotus, preventing discovery even by someone standing directly on the platform.

If he left behind the method for entering and exiting the formation, descendants of the Zhang family could move freely, further securing the location. Essentially, this spot had now been transformed into a true Zhang Family Treasury.

Seeing the pool vanish behind the shimmering illusion, Zhang Yang nodded in satisfaction. For mere concealment, the Heavenly Gate Formation could persist indefinitely without an infusion of internal energy. This would hide the treasure from all but a Treasure-Seeking Mouse (Xun Bao Shu). However, such mice were exceedingly rare; if one were to stumble upon the lotus, it would simply be the mouse's good fortune.

Taking the snow lotus root, Zhang Yang swiftly returned to the gorge and ascended back to the upper reaches.

“Squeak squeak squeak!”

As soon as he emerged, Shan Dian and Zhui Feng rushed toward him. Shan Dian chattered rapidly, inquiring if Zhang Yang had found the treasure.

“I got it. Let’s go home!”

Zhang Yang smiled faintly, mounting his horse. Shan Dian leaped nimbly into his embrace, grinning foolishly. They were well aware of his purpose, and now that he had acquired what he needed, they were equally delighted.

Zhui Feng transformed once more into a streak of white shadow, vanishing into the distance in an instant.

“Hmm?”

On a tall tree amidst the mountain slopes, a soft sound of surprise escaped a shadow. An old man emerged from the trunk of the tree, watching the rapidly retreating Zhui Feng. A closer inspection revealed that his entire weight was supported solely by a single, slender branch beneath his feet—a branch so fine it seemed incapable of bearing him.