Chapter 6: The Forsaken Land

The standoff did not last long.

As the beast approached the elder’s corpse for the third time, the razor-sharp bristles along its spine suddenly shot toward Li Ji’an and the others, swift as a storm, quick as lightning, embedding themselves deeply in the ground before the five men in the blink of an eye.

“Go!” That single move was proof enough—the beast before them far surpassed the imperial treasures of the Celestial Dynasty.

Li Ji’an, possessing the strength of a Grandmaster of Vitality, was confident in his ability to confront it, but the other four would be in grave danger, and who knew what other desperate tricks the creature might have.

The presence of the beast heightened everyone’s sense of peril. What had merely been an anxious uncertainty about this unknown world of cultivation now grew heavier.

Not daring to venture deeper into the Wilds of Fallen Dragon Ridge, Li Ji’an led his companions eastward along the periphery.

Though in the heart of the desert, Guangling claimed there were no thousand-mile sensing arts or soul-tracking immortal techniques. When interrogated, the elder had also said they had left no soul lamps behind, so their clan could not determine their survival nor sense their location.

Yet, Li Ji’an, having read countless tales of immortals before crossing over, harbored ingrained suspicions about the means of this world and dared not take anything for granted. Thus, he refrained from taking any spoils and chose to keep his distance, moving eastward.

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“Brother Li, save your strength—this white deer will last us another half month,” Dong Jiangling called out excitedly as he emerged from the forest, hauling a snow-white deer toward Li Ji’an.

Over the past year, their eastward journey had spanned ten thousand miles.

Fortunately, each of them was at the peak of Blood Refining in martial arts, able to endure hunger and cold.

There were plenty of beasts along the edge of the wilderness, and, following Li Ji’an’s guidance, they avoided the powerful and dangerous monsters, hunting only wild animals. Their progress had been smooth.

They had even hunted a few lesser beasts, deemed safer by Li Ji’an, which eased their anxieties about this world of cultivation.

“No need,” Li Ji’an replied, sitting cross-legged and opening his eyes.

Over the year, after the initial period where he led the hunts, the others gradually regained their confidence from their days in the Celestial Dynasty, and Li Ji’an rarely intervened, spending most of his time cultivating.

Here, he discovered that the Vitality training, which had reached its limit in the Celestial Dynasty, now seemed to open new possibilities for breakthrough.

“Lately, there are signs of increasing human activity; there must be settlements nearby. No need to ration our food—let’s nourish ourselves well and stay at our best,” Li Ji’an explained.

“Alright, we’ll do as Brother Li says,” Dong Jiangling and the others agreed without hesitation.

In this foreign land, surviving the wilderness, Li Ji’an’s strength and wisdom naturally made him their leader—the backbone and hope of their small group.

Dong Jiangling, especially after Li Ji’an’s slaying of the immortal, once again locked away his feelings for Zhao Shuyao deep within his heart.

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“Brother Li, if we encounter locals, should we try to blend in?” Dong Jiangling asked.

Li Ji’an gazed back at the road they had traveled and toward the northwest. “It’s been a year; we should be safe now.”

“We can finally cultivate immortality!” The four were filled with excitement.

Li Ji’an eyed them, skeptical about their prospects for cultivation—first because of spiritual roots, second because of age. But he could not fully deny the possibility, for he knew little of the true nature of this world of cultivation.

“Brother Li, those wretches spent over a hundred years bringing blood slaves into the Celestial Dynasty, committing unspeakable crimes. Do you think the predecessors who were brought here before us are still alive?” Having passed through the initial anxieties and regained hope of cultivation, the four finally vented their deep-seated anger.

Li Ji’an shook his head. Ning Sujin had said her clansman met calamity upon ascending to the immortal realm, as did Ning Yutan. Now, it was clear that the true disaster lay with the cultivators who acted as guides.

The so-called blood slaves, judging by the term, were likely mere consumables drained of their vitality—their fate easily imagined.

“Ning Sujin…” The only uncertainty was Ning Sujin herself; Li Ji’an did not know whether her claim of “great fortune” fifty-five years ago was a kindly lie.

“Hmph! Someday, when we’ve mastered immortal cultivation, we’ll avenge the predecessors!” The four ground their teeth in fury.

Li Ji’an looked at them and silently vowed, “We will.”

Traveling onward, half a month later—

“Friends, we mean no harm. You may even have this purple-gold mink,” called a man from the forest, tall as a mountain, nine feet in height, clasping his hands in greeting.

Behind him, seven others stood at various positions, forming a defensive stance.

Li Ji’an stared at them with steely eyes, his vitality ready but unreleased. The other four tensed as if facing mortal danger.

They had encountered these people five days earlier, and after revealing their strength, the group had kept their distance. Yet now, the strangers had actively sought them out.

“What do you want?” Li Ji’an sensed the eight, noting that three had refined vitality, the leader even surpassing his own strength, while the other five had vitality on par with Guangling and the elder, but also carried the aura of magical power.

The burly man laughed heartily. “Brother, we understand your caution, but it’s unnecessary. After several days observing you, we suspect you’re from one of the Forsaken Lands, yes?”

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“Rest assured! You’re not the only ones—we’ve seen others emerge from Forsaken Lands over the past decade,” the man said.

The five exchanged glances, noting their tattered, wild clothing, looking much like savages.

Li Ji’an recalled that the elder had said there were several Forsaken Lands, not just the Celestial Dynasty—even the Heavenly Azure Domain had three.

This was confirmation.

“Then why have you sought us out?”

“Haha, naturally we hope you’ll join our hunting party,” the man replied frankly.

“Why?”

“There’s a legend that those who emerge from Forsaken Lands are blessed with great fortune—sure to bring us luck. And I see you practice body refinement, making you excellent hunters.”

“I’m asking why we should join you.”

“Well… that’s not something I can explain in a few words. But if you come with us to the settlement for a few days, you’ll understand. You must want to cultivate immortality, right?” The burly man scratched his messy hair, unable to explain, and finally suggested they see for themselves.

After a moment’s silence—

“Your kindness is appreciated, but we’ll part ways here. Farewell,” Li Ji’an refused decisively.

“Hey now, don’t judge a gentleman by your own suspicions. My brother means well—without help, newcomers from such dreadful places might stumble into the territory of high-level beasts and be devoured alive.”

“Hah, truly typical of those from dead lands. Do you think that mere body refinement makes you invincible? Our goodwill wasted,” the others behind the leader jeered and mocked.

The burly man quickly turned to quiet his companions, then looked back at Li Ji’an with a hint of resignation. “Very well, I won’t press you. Twenty miles ahead is the largest human settlement nearby—at least there, you won’t have to fear beasts. Of course, if you change your mind, you can always find me. I’m Chen Zhaohu—ask anyone and they’ll tell you where I live.”

“Farewell,” Li Ji’an nodded.

“Oh, I almost forgot—where did you come from?” Chen Zhaohu asked.

Li Ji’an gestured eastward with his chin.

“Ah, remarkable! The eastern Forsaken Land is the Flaming Mountain—a perilous place. To have emerged from there… truly, your fortune must be profound,” Chen Zhaohu said, his gaze toward Li Ji’an and the others shining even brighter.