Chapter 0363: The Nimeng Mountains

Two days later, the Sihai Mansion.
“What? Kill a hundred Upper Divine Beast, the Azure-Scaled Cloud Lion, within a hundred years?” Huang Long stared at Bishop, frowning. This was the task he had to complete before entering the Ancestral Dragon Pool.
With his current apparent strength, completing this task was almost impossible. Even with the help of the Upper Divine Chaos Beast, the Wind-Flame Dragon Scale, it was still difficult—because the time frame was too short. A hundred years meant that without a top-tier flying immortal artifact, it would take thirty to forty years just for the round trip, not to mention the time spent searching. Moreover, the Azure-Scaled Cloud Lion was a rare species and an Upper Divine flying beast, making it much harder to hunt compared to other Upper Divine Beasts.
Huang Long’s eyes flickered.
“Good. Starting from tomorrow, within a hundred years, if you fail to complete this trial, then even if you have eight divine clones, you won’t be able to enter the Ancestral Dragon Pool. This is a rule established since the Chaos Era and won’t change because of you,” Bishop said indifferently. Then he added, “However, since you have eight divine clones and the Wind-Flame Dragon Scale, this task shouldn’t be too difficult for you. I hope you won’t disappoint our high expectations of you.”
High expectations? Huang Long sneered inwardly as he looked at Bishop.
Although he hadn’t been in the Luning family for long, he knew quite a bit about them—such as the fact that this trial was overseen by Bishop. Now, Bishop clearly didn’t want him to succeed in killing a hundred Azure-Scaled Cloud Lions within a hundred years. It seemed that even if Kennedy wanted to favor him, he couldn’t interfere in everything—otherwise, it would cause controversy. Besides, Kennedy probably didn’t want him to enter the Ancestral Dragon Pool now either. As Fat Francis said, now wasn’t the best time for him to enter.
But no matter the reason, it no longer mattered to Huang Long.
“None of them want me to complete this trial?” Huang Long sneered inwardly.
Bishop secretly observed Huang Long’s reaction and said with a smile, “What? Huang Hai, are you dissatisfied with this trial? But the trial has been set and cannot be changed. Or, you can explain to the family and choose to give up.”
Give up? Huang Long replied indifferently, “Since it’s a trial assigned by the family, Huang Hai will naturally strive to complete it.”
Bishop was taken aback, a barely noticeable cold glint appearing in his eyes, before his face lit up with a smile. “Good. It’s best if you think that way. Then, this elder wishes you success in completing the task. You can return and enter the Ancestral Dragon Pool then.”

Huang Long said calmly, “Thank you for your concern, Elder.”
Bishop smiled and said, “You are the most ‘special’ member of our Luning family, so of course I care.” Without saying more to Huang Long, he left the Sihai Mansion, watched by Huang Long.
Huang Long watched Bishop’s retreating figure and sneered.
After Bishop left, Chester and Fat Francis came over immediately.
They came, of course, regarding Huang Long’s trial task.
“What? Kill a hundred high-ranking Divine Azure Lion beasts within a hundred years?!” Both Chester and Fat Francis exclaimed in shock upon hearing about Huang Long’s trial task.
“This must be Bishop that old man’s doing. Brother Huang Hai, let’s go see the clan head!” Fat Francis couldn’t contain his anger first, feeling indignant for Huang Long.
Huang Long shook his head. “No need.”
Fat Francis was stunned. “No need?”
At that moment, Chester spoke up, “Since this trial task has already been decided, it can’t be changed. And the clan head and the others must already know about it. So, Brother Huang Hai means it’s useless for us to go—the outcome will be the same.”
“But it’s simply outrageous! This is clearly meant to prevent Brother Huang Hai from succeeding! Not to mention Brother Huang Hai, even you, Chester, couldn’t possibly kill a hundred high-ranking Divine Azure Lion beasts in a hundred years, right?” Fat Francis remained furious.
He was right. Although Chester had the strength of a late-stage Seventh-Level Nether King, completing this trial task would still be very difficult.
Chester remained silent, essentially agreeing with Fat Francis’ words.
Seeing their expressions, Huang Long broke the silence with a smile. “I’m not worried at all. Why should you be? When we return, we can go to Tianxiang Castle.”
Seeing that Huang Long could still smile at this moment, Chester and Fat Francis were speechless.
“Let’s go to the Commerce Hall,” Huang Long said.
“The Commerce Hall?” Chester and Fat Francis were puzzled.
What were they going to do at the Commerce Hall now?
“Do you know where these Divine Azure Lion beasts appear? Let’s go to the Commerce Hall to see if there’s any information about them,” Huang Long said.
Even some scattered information would be better than searching blindly in the Ancient Prime Forest.
Only then did Chester and Fat Francis realize. Then, the three of them left the Sihai Mansion and headed to the branch of the Commerce Hall in the Luning headquarters.
After entering the Commerce Hall, Huang Long and the others went straight to the information section.
“Brother Francis?” Suddenly, a delicate voice rang out as they arrived at the information section.

The three of Huang Long turned their heads and saw six young men and women approaching. But when they recognized one of them, Huang Long was stunned—it was Eser, the very person who had tried to go to the Dragon Mountain Range to search for the Dragon Blood Crystal and had been forbidden by Huang Long from doing so.

Huang Long hadn’t expected to meet Eser here. However, he had changed his appearance, so Eser didn’t recognize him.

“It’s Eser,” Fat Francis said upon seeing her.

Eser’s sister? Huang Long wondered about the relationship between Fat Francis and Eser.

“Eser is the daughter of Fat Francis’s uncle,” Chester explained to Huang Long.

Huang Long was taken aback. He hadn’t expected Fat Francis and Eser to have such a connection. But he realized that the restriction he had placed on Eser before had been lifted.

“Lifted? Could it be Barret who did it?” Huang Long thought to himself.

Huang Long knew quite a bit about the restriction he had imposed—it could only be lifted by an extremely powerful person.

After the six young men and women arrived, they all greeted Fat Francis and Chester.

Although they knew each other, Fat Francis and the others were Level 7 Dark King warriors, far stronger than Eser and the rest.

“Brother Francis, what information are you looking for here in the Information Hall? Who is this gentleman?” Eser asked, looking at Huang Long, waiting for Fat Francis to introduce him.

“This is my brother, Huang Hai. Come and greet him,” Fat Francis said after a brief hesitation.

“What? Is he Huang Hai?!” Eser and the others were stunned, then all stared in shock at the dark-haired young man before them.

These days, they had often heard the name Huang Hai—everyone was very interested in him. Hearing Fat Francis say that the dark-haired young man before them was Huang Hai left them all in awe.

“Eser!” Fat Francis frowned upon seeing their expressions, then glanced at Huang Long, worried that their reactions might upset him.

Only then did the six of them realize what to do and went over to greet Huang Long, though their expressions remained as strange as before.

Huang Long remained calm, unbothered by their reactions.

The six of them also came to the Information Hall to gather information, so they followed the three of Huang Long inside.

“Azure-Scaled Cloud Lion?” When they arrived at the Information Hall and learned that the three of Huang Long were there to buy information about the Azure-Scaled Cloud Lion, Eser was surprised.

Huang Long was intrigued and turned to her, “You know something about the Azure-Scaled Cloud Lion?”
Eser hesitated before speaking.

“Aiselle, if you know anything, tell Brother Huang Hai,” said Fat Francis. “Brother Huang Hai’s trial task this time is to kill the Azure-Scaled Cloud Lion.”
It was then that Aiselle and the others understood why the three members of the Yellow Dragon clan had come to buy an Azure-Scaled Cloud Lion.
Aiselle and the others naturally looked puzzled again, as they also knew that the Azure-Scaled Cloud Lion was usually an original beast at the level of a high-ranking god or above, while Huang Hai was only a mid-ranking god.
“The last time I went on a mission in the Ancient Forest with Lord Lemmi from the Palace of the Nether King, we encountered over a dozen Azure-Scaled Cloud Lions,” Fat Francis said, so Aiselle didn’t hide anything either.
“Over a dozen?” Huang Long felt both hopeful and disappointed.
Over a dozen was still far from the hundred required for the task.
“Oh, where exactly was that?” Huang Long asked.
It was better to know about over a dozen than nothing at all.
“It was near the Nimeng Mountains in the Ancient Forest,” Aiselle replied.
“The Nimeng Mountains!” Huang Long was stunned. Chester and Fat Francis also exchanged glances, frowning. They were familiar with the Nimeng Mountains, but it was said that the area had always been strange—rumors suggested it might contain restrictions from the Chaos Era, from which even the strongest warriors could hardly escape if they stumbled upon them.
However, aside from what Aiselle told them about the whereabouts of over a dozen Azure-Scaled Cloud Lions, the Three of the Yellow Dragon clan hadn’t gotten any more information about them at the Hall of Commerce.
When they left, Chester and Fat Francis didn’t seem to be smiling.
“Brother Huang Hai, are you really going to check out the Nimeng Mountains?” Chester asked on the way back.
Huang Long nodded. “It depends. If there’s really no other way, I’ll have to go to the Nimeng Mountains.”
“But the Nimeng Mountains are very dangerous. I think you’d better not go. It doesn’t matter if you can’t complete that trial task; you can apply again next time. Given your special circumstances, your family surely won’t refuse to give you a chance to enter the Ancestral Dragon Pool,” Fat Francis advised worriedly.
Chester nodded, looking at Huang Long.
Huang Long shook his head, saying nothing.
If he really couldn’t find the Azure-Scaled Cloud Lions by then, no matter how dangerous the Nimeng Mountains were, he would still go. Although Aiselle said there were only over a dozen, Azure-Scaled Cloud Lions were social original beasts, and their lairs might well be in the Nimeng Mountains. So, in Huang Long’s opinion, there were likely more than just over a dozen of them there.