Ignaz looked around, and the endless plain he had imagined was gone. His surroundings had transformed into a valley that seemed soaked in blood-red hues, littered with countless spirit beast corpses and scattered bones.
"Could this be the nest of that giant bird?" he wondered.
Even though night had fallen, the crimson color remained vivid and impossible to hide.
As he took a few steps, the corpses of the countless spirit beasts swept in earlier began to shrivel.
Their blood surged skyward toward the center of the valley, forming an endless sea of crimson energy. Only when the corpses had been drained to mere bones did the blood energy dissipate.
With the daylight-swept corpses consumed, a resounding cry from the giant bird echoed from the valley's center, after which the valley returned to an eerie calm.
Cautiously, Ignaz crawled out from among the bones and began moving toward the center of the valley.
"This place gives me an unprecedented sense of… comfort. And there's something at the valley's center, constantly drawing me in," he murmured.
The sensation was overwhelming. Having witnessed the bird's terrifying power, Ignaz could not help but think of mythic creatures: monstrous birds that prey on dragons—Garuda. The giant bird before him, while smaller than a Garuda, far surpassed ordinary 100,000-year spirit beasts and might even approach the 200,000-year limit.
Whatever was drawing him, he had to see for himself.
As he advanced, more spirit beast skeletons littered the ground, some broken and scattered. Soon, he reached the valley's center and looked up, frozen in shock.
Before him rose a massive mountain of tens of thousands of spirit beast corpses. From its core flowed a waterfall of blood, pooling at the base to form a river that encircled the entire corpse mountain.
Even stranger, near the top of the corpse mountain, a small hill of vibrant green thrived—a rare burst of life amidst the grim, blood-soaked landscape.
As the black blood mist over the peak slowly dissipated, a stunningly beautiful plant emerged. One side leaned over the corpse mountain, the other over the green hill—its growth nurtured by the contrast of life and death, forming a uniquely powerful being.
Ignaz's eyes widened in shock and excitement:
"Could this plant be the Yin-Yang Twin Grass? The immortal herb I read about actually exists!"
Its color and appearance matched perfectly with the legendary descriptions. If Ignaz could harvest it and consume it, even without awakening a second spirit, his spirit power would increase by several ranks—a truly invaluable item.
"How can I take this Yin-Yang Twin Grass from the peak without angering the Garuda?" he pondered, eyeing the sleeping giant bird atop the corpse mountain.
With his current strength, he could easily employ his teleportation and void skills to grab the plant—but the risk was clear. If he acted, the Garuda would awaken and attack indiscriminately.
"Do it… or not?"
After much hesitation, Ignaz decided to take the gamble. This 100,000-year-plus Garuda would eventually become his spirit ring anyway. Taking what it guarded was only natural.
Summoning his courage, he focused on the Yin-Yang Twin Grass and teleported, vanishing from sight. He reappeared slightly closer to the peak.
As he prepared for another teleport, the Garuda's eyes snapped open. It rose to its full height, wings unfurling, tracking Ignaz's invisible movement.
"Woo—"
The keen-sensed Garuda pinpointed Ignaz's next destination and struck with its claws.
As the massive talons descended, Ignaz activated his second soul bone skill:
"Void."
He became semi-transparent, visible but untouchable. The Garuda's strike found only air. Seizing the moment, Ignaz teleported twice more, reaching the mountain peak. He leapt, gripping the Yin-Yang Twin Grass. A wave of infinite resentment surged through him, quickly replaced by a profound sense of pleasure. The two emotions alternated, forcing Ignaz to suppress his turmoil as he secured the herb in his treasure pouch.
Teleporting away immediately, Ignaz fled. The Garuda, enraged, pursued him relentlessly.
"You 100,000-year-old beast! You think you can escape? Wait until I reach level 70—I'll kill you!"
Using teleportation and void alternately, Ignaz countered the Garuda's 100,000-year skills, reaching the valley's entrance and a vast, open plain.
But as he materialized, the Garuda's critical strike slammed him violently:
"Bang—"
The force carved a deep pit, breaking several of his ribs and leaving his face pale. Were it not for his exceptional constitution, a single claw swipe could have sent him straight to the underworld.
As the Garuda prepared to dive for a final, lethal blow, the ground suddenly cracked, scattering countless stones. Ignaz fell into the fissure, narrowly saving his life.
He slowly reached a relatively open area, sitting against a slope, and retrieved the Yin-Yang Twin Grass from his treasure pouch.
"This grass… its pull on me is incredible. I hope consuming it doesn't disappoint."