"Thank you for the warning. We'll be leaving immediately!"
The Wolf King looked at the retreating Goku with a hint of disappointment in his eyes. Clearly, Goku had no interest in it, and it didn't dare press further. It could only watch as they left. Then, its gaze shifted toward Moonlight, who was walking behind Goku. A trace of infatuation and melancholy flickered in its eyes.
Well, the truth was, this lustful wolf king did have some ulterior motives for wanting to follow Goku—namely, to stay close to the beautiful Moonlight.
"Sigh, I guess it just wasn't meant to be," the Wolf King muttered, letting out a long howl before leading its pack away like a retreating tide, vanishing into the distant grasslands.
---
Not long after, a massive ancient fortress appeared before the group—majestic and imposing, radiating a mysterious and archaic aura.
"Look! That must be where the God-Rank expert left their treasure!" Nalan Yanran pointed at the towering castle with excitement written all over her face. Yun Yun and the others were equally delighted.
"Yeah, that should be it. Still a bit of a distance, though. Put your hands on me—I'll take us over."
With a sharp swish, Goku teleported, taking Yun Yun and the others with him, reappearing right in front of the enormous castle gates.
A fresh and fragrant breeze greeted them. Flowers bloomed everywhere, and lush grass stretched across the land. Rare medicinal herbs were interspersed among the blossoms. Gu He immediately rushed into the flowerbeds, picking herbs with excitement and awe all over his face.
"Oh my god! This... this is a Rank-4 medicinal herb—Golden Purple Flower! That's Heavenly Fragrance Sunflower, and that over there is Dragon Beard Grass... Damn, this is just one flowerbed and it's packed with rare herbs!"
---
Watching Gu He and Yun Feng feverishly harvesting herbs in the flowerbeds, Goku shook his head. He quickly grabbed the eager Nalan Yanran and said, "Don't bother. The real treasures are inside the castle!"
With that, he pushed against the giant bronze doors—without success.
Yun Yun frowned as she examined the notches on the bronze doors. "Don't tell me it needs a key?"
"A key? The only one we had is still sitting on that stone pedestal back in the ruins!" Goku shrugged. Then, with a smirk, a glowing sword formed in his hand. "Screw it! Let's do this the old-fashioned way!"
"Wait! You can't just force it open—what if there's a trap?" Yun Yun quickly stopped him.
"What's the worst that could happen? I'm just cutting a little hole." Goku grinned and slashed at the door. His energy sword sliced through the heavy bronze like tofu. With a thunderous crash, chunks of metal hit the ground, revealing an entrance over two meters tall. Radiant light spilled out, along with an overwhelming scent of medicinal elixirs. The treasure inside was clearly extraordinary.
Yun Yun was dumbfounded, staring at the now open doorway in disbelief. That gate was forged from the hardest mystical iron in this world, and he'd just sliced through it like paper. Was such a thing even possible?
"See? Easy." Goku smiled as the brilliant light and fragrant aromas filled his senses. "Looks like there's a ton of loot in there. Let's check it out!" He strode in, followed closely by Yun Yun and Nalan Yanran, both giddy with anticipation.
Still busy collecting herbs, Gu He and Yun Feng finally noticed that the others had entered the grand hall. Dropping their half-harvested Rank-4 herbs, they rushed to catch up—and were instantly stunned by what they saw.
The main hall of the fortress was suffused with dazzling brilliance and sparkling mist. The air was thick with the scent of medicine, and treasure lay in every corner, far beyond anyone's imagination.
Gu He and the others went wild, charging forward into the hall. Everywhere they looked, dazzling lights danced around them. Jade jars and cups sat on wooden tables, filled with priceless elixirs and fine wines, alongside platters of rare fruits.
Despite the passage of time, not only had these items not deteriorated—they had become even more potent. Clearly, this was the work of the intricate formation that filled the hall.
No one could stay calm. Even the normally composed Yun Yun joined in as everyone began frantically sweeping items into their spatial rings.
Goku stood off to the side, shaking his head. He could tell these pills and fruits were simply for daily use by the original owner, not part of any treasure trove. But still, if this was just the lobby… what lay beyond?
His eyes swept the room, landing on a sandalwood table beside a white tiger-skin chair. Two scrolls sat atop it.
He walked over and picked one up. Upon reading it, his eyes lit up.
"Advanced Earth-rank Combat Skill: Sky-Piercing Sword Slash! Huh, a sword technique. This'll be great for Saeko."
He tucked it away and opened the second scroll. A small smile played on his lips.
"An advanced Earth-rank movement technique: Willow Drift Phantom! Looks like a perfect fit for a female cultivator."
Goku casually stored both scrolls in his world ring.
"Even the stuff lying around in here is advanced Earth-rank? This Dou God sure had flair." He glanced around again.
Bright colors decorated every corner. The air carried a faint floral fragrance, the whole room laid out like a young girl's boudoir.
"Wait a minute… could this ancient God have been… a woman?" Goku muttered.
Looking at the others still excitedly pillaging, he rolled his eyes.
"Guys, that's enough. These are just decorations. The real treasure is deeper inside. Leave something for whoever comes after us. Let's go."
Hearing his words, Yun Yun flushed and sheepishly stopped what she was doing. Nalan Yanran giggled and followed Goku, who was already headed deeper into the castle.
Gu He and Yun Feng were still frantically looting until they noticed the others' backs disappearing down the hallway. Panicking, they quickly dropped what they were doing and chased after them.
Exiting the main hall, they entered what resembled a massive garden. Trees offered ample shade, flowerbeds stretched endlessly, and the air was so thick with medicinal fragrance that even Goku was momentarily stunned.
Every plant here was a treasure—nothing ordinary. After thousands of years under the influence of the powerful spirit-gathering formation, everything had evolved. Each herb here was at least Rank-5, some even Rank-8 or 9!
Rainbow-colored lights shimmered through the garden. The aroma was almost tangible. Every breath revitalized them, clearing the mind, refreshing the body—extending one's life by decades. It was nothing short of a miracle.
"Oh my god! That... that's a Shapeshifting Grass! Rank-8?! No way! And over there! That's Skydew Demon Fruit! Legend says a single one can evolve a Rank-7 beast into Rank-8.. And... is that?! Longevity Fruit, Rank-9?! One of those grants eternal life!
And that herb over there—also Rank-9! This is insane! Everything here... it's just unreal..."
Gu He stood frozen, his entire body trembling. He was completely overwhelmed.
Even Goku couldn't help but swear.
"Holy shit... what a god-tier setup. Damn!"
He finally understood. These herbs probably weren't that amazing to begin with—but after thousands of years and the influence of the spiritual array, they'd undergone world-shaking transformations. Some even evolved beyond their original ranks!
At that moment, a red-robed man—Xue Yi—arrived at the castle gates. He stared, eyes wide, at the hole neatly cut into the massive bronze door.
"What the f*ck!? Who the hell did this?! Was this really necessary?! This door was made from one of the hardest mystical metals in the world… and someone just sliced it open like butter?"
His mind reeled at the thought of such power. The sheer sharpness and precision of the cut indicated an unimaginable weapon—and terrifying strength behind it. Whoever had done this could probably tear right through his defenses.
Xue Yi's expression turned grim... and excited.
"If I can get my hands on that weapon... who could stop me?"
"Hmm?"
He suddenly turned around, sensing something. Four figures had appeared in the sky without him noticing.
Their terrifying auras swept across the land, and his face immediately turned pale.
"The leader... he's definitely a Rank-9 peak powerhouse—Dou Saint-rank! And the others… they're all Rank-9 too?! What the hell!? How are there such beings in the Magic Beast Mountain Range?
Wait... is that... him? The one from the legends? He's still alive?!"
Before he could think further, the four had already descended.
Tong Ming glanced at the cut-open bronze gate, his usually calm expression turning grave.
"You did this?" he asked Xue Yi.
Xue Yi shook his head. "Just got here myself. I was just as shocked. I think whoever opened the treasure trove is responsible."
Tong Ming frowned. "They were able to force open the Heavenly Profound Gate? Their strength must be terrifying. This is going to be more difficult than I thought."
He subconsciously touched the jade key in his pocket.
Then he looked at the perfectly sliced opening in the gate… and nearly cried.
This key—he'd risked his life thousands of years ago to obtain it, only for someone to bypass it with brute force.
What was all that effort for.
Suddenly, a scream shattered the silence.
"Help!"
Tong Ming and Xue Yi exchanged glances and dashed into the castle.
What they saw shocked them to their core. Several Rank-8 and Rank-9 spirit herbs were fighting the intruders!
A red-berried vine—Bloodthirsty Vine—had wrapped itself around a middle-aged man, its thorns draining his blood. Within moments, he had withered into a skeleton.
"Yun Feng!" Yun Yun cried out, rushing to help—but she was entangled too, barely able to resist the thorns with her Dou Qi.
"Damn it! You don't fear strong enemies, but you fear dumb teammates!" Goku cursed, slicing through the vines ensnaring Nalan Yanran.
Yun Feng had rushed in blindly, thinking to pick the herbs without realizing that at this level, spiritual herbs had already gained sentience—and they wouldn't be harvested quietly.
In moments, everyone but Goku was ensnared.
He dashed to Yun Yun, cut her free with his energy sword, and then rescued Moonlight.
Sensing Goku's overwhelming strength, the Bloodthirsty Vine recoiled, retreating underground. The other Rank-8 herbs followed suit, disappearing into the garden.
Gu He was lying on the ground, skin pale and shriveled.
"Master Gu He! Are you alright?" Yun Yun rushed to him, worried. As the Cloud Mist Sect's only Rank-5 alchemist, they couldn't afford to lose him.
"I... I'm fine…" Gu He weakly replied, downing a handful of red recovery pills.
Meanwhile, Goku turned to face the four new arrivals.
Seeing Goku's group, Tong Ming and the others froze. A Rank-6 Dou Emperor, a Rank-5 Dou King, a dead Rank-4 Dou Spirit, and… a Rank-5 magic beast?
When their eyes landed on Goku, their expressions changed completely.
He looked ordinary, no detectable cultivation... but they had just watched him easily cut through a Rank-8 Bloodthirsty Vine with combat power matching a 7 or 8-star Dou Emperor. It even ran away from him.
This guy… was the real threat.
"I can't sense anything from him... how is that even possible?" Tong Ming was stunned. As a peak Rank-9 Dou Saint beast, even he couldn't see through Goku.
'Was he... an quasi God-Rank expert? Or even above that?'
"I take it you're the one who opened the Dou God's treasury?" Tong Ming stepped forward. "How about this—there are more than enough herbs here. Let's split them."
Goku didn't even look impressed. He dug at his ear and replied flatly, "Who the hell are you? And what makes you think you're qualified to share my loot?"
"You…" Tong Ming's expression turned ice-cold.
No one had dared speak to him like this in thousands of years.
A terrifying aura exploded from his body, shaking the air itself.
Yun Yun and the others were crushed under the pressure. Nalan Yanran dropped to her knees, coughing blood.
"Impudent fool! How dare you insult Lord Tong Ming!" roared Tian Fang, stepping forward, planning to test Goku's strength for himself.
"Yanran, are you okay?" Goku ignored him, rushing to her side.
He formed a glowing orb in his palm and pressed it to her chest. In moments, her injuries were healed.
He passed her to Yun Yun and slowly turned around, his eyes burning with fury.
A suffocating, earth-shattering force exploded from his body. The castle shook. The earth trembled.
The world itself seemed to collapse under the weight of his rage.
"You actually hurt my girl... you're looking to die."
His voice was cold and deadly. The sheer intensity of his killing intent swept through the air like a storm.
In this world… who can withstand the fury of an enraged Goku?
Tong Ming and the others turned pale. Their hearts pounded in fear.
They were afraid.