Zhang Yuhe summoned all his strength to activate the Tianhuang Flying Immortal Technique, soaring at high speed toward the depths of the Yunmang Mountains.
At this time, he had already cultivated to the great perfection of Spirit Transformation and could sense the opportunity for a breakthrough.
However, breaking through to the Void Refining Realm could not be done within Yunzhong City.
After reaching the Spirit Transformation stage, every major realm breakthrough would trigger a heavenly tribulation.
Not only would there be a heavenly tribulation when breaking through to the Void Refining Realm, but also when advancing to the Fusion Realm and the Mahayana Realm.
Thus, Zhang Yuhe could not risk surviving the calamity in Yunzhong City.
If he attempted to break through there, the resulting catastrophe would likely destroy the entire city.
Typically, when cultivators sensed a breakthrough opportunity after reaching great perfection in Spirit Transformation, they would travel to remote, sparsely populated areas to survive the tribulation, avoiding accidental injuries and unnecessary trouble.
That was why Zhang Yuhe had come to the Yunmang Mountains. He intended to find a secluded place to transcend his tribulation.
The Yunmang Mountains were deserted and uninhabited. Aside from the occasional monk hunting monsters, almost no one ventured there.
Zhang Yuhe flew rapidly through the mountains, searching for a suitable location.
Generally speaking, there were not many restrictions regarding where one could transcend a tribulation.
As long as the cultivator was not disturbed, most locations were viable—unless they chose particularly hazardous places, like areas rich in metal veins that naturally attracted lightning.
Normal, isolated spots were considered safe.
Nevertheless, Zhang Yuhe wanted to be especially cautious.
After all, it was his first time facing a heavenly tribulation, and he had never witnessed another cultivator undergoing one.
He lacked personal experience and had only read about tribulations in the library's ancient texts.
However, what he had studied felt abstract and detached from reality.
Determined to survive safely, Zhang Yuhe decided to prepare as thoroughly as possible.
In addition to his natal magic weapon, the Nine-Heaven Hunyuan Sword, he had also equipped several other defensive artifacts and prepared a large supply of recovery pills.
Even so, he still felt inadequately prepared.
Perhaps he could add a few more layers of security, such as setting up formations specifically designed to weaken heavenly tribulations.
He recalled seeing such a formation recorded in the Daosheng Sect's library. However, it had a specific environmental requirement: it needed to be set up near abundant water sources to function effectively.
Unfortunately, Yunzhong Prefecture was landlocked and lacked major rivers or coastal regions, making it difficult to find a suitable place.
Left with no better choice, Zhang Yuhe searched the Yunmang Mountains, hoping to locate a sizable lake.
"The Yunmang Mountains stretch for countless miles. There should be a big lake hidden somewhere, right?"
As the sensation of his impending breakthrough grew stronger, Zhang Yuhe couldn't help but grow anxious.
Many cultivators waited hundreds—or even thousands—of years for a breakthrough opportunity without success.
But for Zhang Yuhe, the moment he reached great perfection in Spirit Transformation, the urge to ascend had surged uncontrollably.
He almost couldn't restrain himself.
"Alas, being too talented comes with its own set of troubles," he muttered wryly. "I hope I can find a suitable place soon. Otherwise, I'll have no choice but to find a random spot in the mountains and take my chances."
As he flew quickly, Zhang Yuhe felt troubled.
"Hey, what's that?"
Suddenly, a huge lake entered the range of his spiritual consciousness.
Without hesitation, he sped toward it.
Soon, a vast lake, stretching for thousands of miles, appeared before his eyes.
"There aren't any powerful monsters lurking here, are there?"
Though he had finally found a suitable place, Zhang Yuhe didn't act impulsively.
The Yunmang Mountains were infamous for their monsters. Even ninth-level Yunmangs had appeared before. Even now, seventh- and eighth-level beasts roamed the region.
He didn't want to stumble into the lair of a high-level monster by accident.
Flying swiftly around the lake, Zhang Yuhe scanned the area for any signs of powerful beasts.
If he found one, he would rather eliminate the threat first.
Yet after a thorough inspection, he found nothing. The area was eerily silent.
Not even a bird flew across the water.
"This place feels a bit... off."
The unsettling quietness made him even more wary.
An enormous lake deep within the mountains, utterly devoid of life? Highly suspicious.
"Could there be a powerful demon beast overlord hiding here?"
He circled the area multiple times but still detected no sign of any monsters.
This left him uneasy.
"Should I look elsewhere?"
Where something seemed abnormal, there was often hidden danger.
He was convinced that some powerful creature must be lurking nearby—likely hidden deep beneath the lake.
Given the lake's vast, bottomless expanse, even his spiritual sense at the peak of Spirit Transformation couldn't scan it entirely.
If a monster lay in wait at the bottom, Zhang Yuhe would have to dive deep to find it—a slow, dangerous task he had no time for.
He needed to transcend the tribulation soon and couldn't afford unnecessary delays.
Moreover, he couldn't risk beginning the tribulation only to be ambushed midway.
Alone, without backup, he would be exceptionally vulnerable.
Surviving the heavenly calamity was hard enough—being killed by a monster mid-tribulation would be a tragic joke.
Resolute, Zhang Yuhe turned to leave in search of another location.
If this place wasn't safe, he would simply find another.
Boom!
Just as he turned, a tremendous noise erupted from the lake behind him.
He whipped around to look.
The once-calm lake now churned violently, sending massive waves crashing against the shore.
Then, from the depths, a colossal snake head emerged.
"Oh my god... that's one massive snake!"
Most of its body remained submerged, but the visible portion of its raised head alone spanned more than ten miles.
"This is ridiculous," Zhang Yuhe muttered.
He was well aware that monsters in this cultivation world could grow to absurd sizes, but seeing it firsthand was still shocking.
He swiftly scanned the beast with his spiritual sense and felt a chill run down his spine.
"A seventh-rank demon beast... a Red Moon Python."
A seventh-level demon beast was comparable in strength to a cultivator at the Void Refining stage—no trivial opponent.
Although Zhang Yuhe had not yet advanced to Void Refining, he had once slain a horned demon at the mid-Refining stage.
Even so, he had no desire to tangle with the Red Moon Python now.
He urgently needed to survive his tribulation and couldn't afford any distractions.
Seeing the Red Moon Python, Zhang Yuhe decided it was best to slip away quietly.
There was no shame in being cautious.
However, the Red Moon Python clearly had other ideas.
Hiss...
The enormous serpent let out an eerie hiss upon spotting Zhang Yuhe.
Its massive body rose higher into the air, revealing its full, terrifying length.
Then, almost instantaneously, the Red Moon Python's thick tail whipped toward Zhang Yuhe.
Boom!
The tail tore through the air, producing a deafening roar.
The powerful gusts created by the tail flattened towering trees around the lake.
"Damn it!"
Zhang Yuhe's temper flared.
"I didn't even provoke you, and yet you attack me?"
He gritted his teeth.
He had killed mid-stage Void Refinement demons before—why should he be afraid of a mere seventh-level python?