Silence fell near the mountaintop, with no sound to be heard.
The three creatures paid no attention to Chu Feng, as if they had ignored him.
Chu Feng understood that he was currently quite far from the summit and that these creatures likely considered him non-threatening, hence their indifference, allowing him to stand below.
These were three extraordinary beings with a certain spiritual wisdom.
"Take this chance to leave!"
Chu Feng decided to descend the mountain. Although he was very curious about the small tree rooted on the bronze mountain and eager to learn more about it, he knew this place was too dangerous for him, where he could lose his life at any moment.
The fragrance grew stronger, emanating from the bronze mountain.
One of the mastiffs moved swiftly like lightning, leaping through the pile of rocks, then directly charging up the steep mountainside towards the peak.
A yak over a zhang long, its body glossy black, its thick horns intimidating, began walking steadily behind them, along the rocky side, eventually reaching the treacherous bronze mountain.
The fierce bird in mid-air, resembling one cast in gold, had increasingly radiant wings and golden pupils. It lowered its altitude, approaching the cliffside, staring intently at the small tree.
As Chu Feng prepared to retreat, the fragrance multiplied several times, and the flower bud was about to bloom.
"Plop!"
Despite being some distance away, Chu Feng clearly heard the sound of the flower opening. One petal of the silver-white bud the size of a fist at the top of the tree unfolded.
Flowers have sounds!
The floral scent was intoxicating, much stronger than before, seeming to possess a special magic that made people intoxicated.
In an instant, the three creatures rushed to the edge of the cliff, nervously watching, and started sniffing the fragrance vigorously, as if swallowing the aroma in big gulps.
Turning back, Chu Feng saw this scene, their strange behavior astonishing him.
The three creatures were barely holding back, wanting to attack each other, revealing terrifying wildness.
Continuous soft sounds came, silvery petals kept unfolding, accompanied by a faint white mist and sparkling brilliance. The blossoms emitted sounds, their fragrance tenfold richer!
Chu Feng was truly alarmed. What kind of flower was this? Its aroma was so tempting that even he couldn't help but want to turn back and rush towards the mountaintop.
At the top of the three-foot-tall tree, the silver-white flower fully bloomed, emitting white mist that spread across the bronze cliff, making it look like a fairyland.
Golden spots adorned the petals, glowing all at once within the white mist, shimmering like stars.
This sight was magnificent and captivating.
The three creatures had been waiting for this moment, for its maturation!
They fought fiercely, colliding violently, claws slashing through the air—a release of primitive savagery, desperately seeking to monopolize the miraculous flower.
When the black yak stepped, the entire mountaintop trembled slightly due to its immense strength.
Clang!
In mid-air, the golden bird opened its large claws, crashing against the rough cow horn, producing an ear-splitting sound.
The mastiff growled deeply, its voice echoing like thunder.
The three creatures engaged in combat, attacking each other, fighting for the blooming flower.
During this process, they also sniffed intensely, trying to capture every bit of the fragrance.
On the bronze mountaintop, white mist rose gently, and amidst the mist, golden specks flickered like a small sea of stars, extremely mysterious and beautiful.
Bang!
They touched the greenish tree, and one of the mastiff's paws brushed against the flower.
A strong wind blew, the golden bird swooped down, clashing hard with the mastiff, its sharp claws aiming to tear it apart.
Previously, they refrained from fighting each other out of mutual fear, but now, with the flower in full bloom, they fought recklessly, regardless of the consequences.
As the golden bird flapped its wings, several petals fell from under the mastiff's paw, carried away by the wind down the bronze mountain.
The terrain here was extremely steep, and the mist-covered petals quickly drifted towards Chu Feng.
He reached out and caught one, its rich fragrance almost making him dizzy. Upon closer inspection, there was a layer of crystalline substance inside the petals, adorned with golden specks.
"Pollen!"
A layer of pollen covered it, gleaming.
Chu Feng reached out and caught four petals in succession. Two had a slightly lighter fragrance, carrying only a little pollen, while the other two were richly fragrant, densely covered with crystals, their aroma irresistibly intense.
The three creatures atop the bronze mountain glanced down, coldly, then resumed their fierce battle for the remaining petals.
Seeing this, Chu Feng clenched the petals tightly.
However, he soon noticed something odd; the petals in his hand were no longer smooth, showing signs of withering. Opening his palm, he found the crystals had disappeared, and the petals had dried up!
In an instant, they lost their luster, becoming dry and yellow.
What happened?
With a slight effort, one petal crumbled into fragments.
Chu Feng was shocked, tossing the remaining three dried petals aside, shouting towards the mountaintop, "I'm returning them."
Then, without hesitation, he turned around and hurried down the mountain.
Although eager to escape, he couldn't stop pondering why those four petals had withered in his hand. This change was very strange!
Passing by the copper house and bronze monument, he didn't pause, focusing solely on descending quickly. As the terrain became less steep, he increased his pace.
After a long time, when Chu Feng arrived at the foot of the mountain, the sun had already set.
Fortunately, the three extraordinary creatures did not chase him down, still fighting at the summit.
Chu Feng was drenched in sweat; such intense physical activity on such a high mountain left him exhausted, despite his good physique.
Exhausted, he sat at the foot of the mountain, panting heavily, hearing his heart pounding loudly. He drank water greedily.
Looking back at the great mountain, it indeed seemed like a mystery.
The Xiwang Bronze Monument, the mysterious copper house, and the copper mountain—was the interior of this grand mountain truly made of copper?
If possible, he really wanted to peel off the soil layer of this mountain to see what was inside.
This mountain was just one of the Kunlun Mountains. What secrets did this region hold?
"I must leave quickly. If those three creatures come down, it will be incredibly dangerous."
Several days ago, an earthquake had caused numerous cracks on the mountainside, including here at the foot of the mountain. Chu Feng carefully avoided stepping into them.
By accident, he spotted a stone in one of the crevices, about three inches tall, square-shaped, unusually regular in form.
Chu Feng picked it up casually and continued on his way.
Unsure if it was an illusion or not, Chu Feng felt something unusual within his body, subtle yet perceptible, occasionally feeling a warm current flowing through his flesh.
Trying to focus on it, it disappeared; ignoring it, it reappeared unexpectedly.
An illusion, or bodily sensitivity?
He doubted his senses, wondering if his perception was confused.
"It started with this hand."
He opened his left hand, where he first noticed something, though nothing was there.
"The four petals mysteriously withered in my left hand."
Chu Feng pondered this matter as he walked, finding it not simple at all, leaving him uneasy.
The petals had emitted white mist and specks of light, appearing eerie no matter how he looked at it.
Behind him, the bronze Kunlun Mountain had today truly challenged his existing beliefs, possessing a subversive quality that made him think deeply.
"Those three creatures are not ordinary. They were fighting over the flower on the tree, which should be harmless."
Though cautious, Chu Feng believed the flower shouldn't harm the body, otherwise, why would rare fierce beasts fight to the death for it?
Shaking his head, he temporarily put these thoughts aside, striding towards the herdsman's settlement.
Under the night sky, the boundless plateau was exceptionally quiet, occasional distant roars adding to the sense of vast emptiness and desolation.
Chu Feng stayed overnight at a herdsman's home, planning to start his return journey the next day.
At night, he quietly read books, simultaneously sensing the earlier warmth, elusive and barely perceptible, uncertain whether it would change.
For a long time, he sighed softly, "Let nature take its course."
Because, after many attempts, he found that the more he focused on it, the harder it was to perceive, whereas letting go allowed a vague sense to emerge.
"Pollen, catalyst." Chu Feng muttered these words, suddenly remembering something.
When graduating, Lin Nuoyi's family had sent a car to pick her up. He vaguely remembered hearing these terms, though he hadn't listened clearly from afar.
Though they had broken up, he still wanted to see her off, but seeing her family's indifferent attitude, Chu Feng simply waved goodbye and left.
Slightly distracted, he inadvertently noticed a stone beside him.
"This stone has such a regular shape."
Inside his tent, he weighed the stone, which, although cubic, had rounded edges, smooth and polished.
Upon closer inspection, faint patterns appeared on the stone, seemingly natural formations.
The patterns were dim, easily overlooked without careful observation.
"Were they man-made?"
At the foot of the Kunlun Mountain, he hadn't paid much attention, just picking it up casually, thinking about the copper mountain while absentmindedly tossing it in his hand.
Now, he suddenly realized this stone was somewhat special.
Chu Feng washed the stone and examined it closely under the lamplight.
The stone stood three inches tall, gray-brown in color, with faint patterns encircling it, resembling vines or naturally formed marks, looking very old.
Could it be an ancient tribal relic? He guessed.
Chu Feng turned it over, touching the traces, when suddenly a faint crack echoed in the quiet night. "