Heading to the Continent

Ancient Sacred Mountain Range!

Gu Yuan and Gu Fang stood together. Before Gu Yuan, a spatial passage was slowly solidifying, while spatial turbulence boiled and surged within it, adding a measure of clamor to the tranquil space.

"Be careful on this journey," Gu Yuan instructed Gu Fang.

"Rest assured, Father. Isn't Uncle Ling coming with me? Besides, we're not heading to the Central Plains, only to the borderlands of the Jia Ma Empire," Gu Fang replied.

The Uncle Ling Gu Fang spoke of was named Ling Wu. Like Ling Ying, who guarded Xiao Xun'er, he specialized in concealing his aura and was one of the Ancient Clan's most loyal protectors.

"Then go!"

After speaking to Gu Fang, Gu Yuan turned to Ling Wu. "I'm entrusting Fang'er to you."

"Please rest assured, Clan Leader. So long as Ling Wu still draws breath, the Young Clan Leader will never suffer the slightest injury."

"If you encounter an enemy you cannot handle, send a distress signal immediately!"

"Understood!"

Hearing Ling Wu's unhesitating reply, Gu Yuan nodded and waved his hand, tossing a Space Ship into the spatial passage. "You may depart."

Gu Fang watched as the Space Ship entered the passage and grew larger, eventually transforming into a colossal vessel a thousand zhang long.

With a flicker of his body, he leaped aboard and stood by the side of the ship.

The Space Ship's invisible defensive field blocked the spatial turbulence. The entire vessel was as steady as a mountain, without the slightest sway.

Standing within it, Gu Fang could sense that this was far from the vessel's peak state. If Dou Qi were continuously poured into it, it could become even larger and more stable.

This was the Ancient Clan's foundation. Anything casually brought out was a top-tier treasure.

Thinking of this, Gu Fang looked up at his father. "Father, we're leaving!"

"Go!"

As Gu Fang bid farewell, Ling Wu poured in his Dou Qi, and the Space Ship instantly shot into the passage.

Gu Yuan stood at the entrance to the passage, watching the Space Ship grow smaller and smaller, then let out a soft sigh.

"He has left in the end."

After saying this, Gu Yuan turned toward his rear flank. As he did, five figures tore through space and emerged.

They were the Ancient Clan's Three Immortals, along with Old Demon Han and Gu Nanhai.

Gu Yuan turned his gaze to Gu Nanhai. "Elder Nanhai, Fang'er's safety will be in your care from now on. Should anything arise that cannot be resolved, or if you sense the Soul Clan's experts probing them, immediately bring Fang'er and Xun'er back to the Ancient Realm!"

"Rest assured, Clan Leader. Gu Nanhai will certainly see this through!"

After speaking, Gu Nanhai bowed to the Three Immortals, then turned and stepped into the spatial passage, chasing after the Space Ship carrying Gu Fang.

Once Gu Nanhai had left, Gu Yuan shifted his gaze to Old Demon Han.

"Misty Medicine Saint, I must also ask you to keep a closer eye on Fang'er. There are many matters in which the Pill Tower can act more conveniently than our Ancient Clan," Gu Yuan said to Old Demon Han.

Old Demon Han was from the Pill Tower and was known as the Misty Medicine Saint. He was Gu Fang's master and had only recently broken through to the strength of a Six-star Dou Sheng.

"Don't worry. I'm quite fond of Fang'er myself, so I'll naturally give orders for him to be well looked after!"

As he spoke, he tore open a spatial passage beside him. "Then, Clan Leader Gu Yuan, I shall take my leave first."

"Gu Yuan thanks you in advance!"

After Gu Yuan finished speaking, Old Demon Han returned the gesture, then turned and stepped into the spatial passage.

Only after Old Demon Han's aura had completely vanished did Gu Yuan turn to the Three Immortals. "Three Elders, as Clan Leader, I cannot personally patrol the continent. When the three of you are inspecting the various Hall of Souls branches, please look after Fang'er's situation as well. Gu Yuan thanks you three once again."

"You are too courteous, Clan Leader."

Gu Dao stepped forward and supported Gu Yuan. "Gu Fang possesses the finest bloodline seen in a thousand years. Even without you saying so, we would pay close attention to him. After all... this concerns the grand plan for the Ancient Clan's continued existence."

"Uncle Ling, roughly how much longer until we reach the vicinity of the Jia Ma Empire?" Gu Fang asked, sitting cross-legged as he temporarily withdrew from cultivation.

"About two more days."

Ling Wu replied, "Even using a spatial passage, we do not possess the Clan Leader's strength. Two days is already quite fast."

"Mm. Then please let me know when we are about to arrive, Elder Ling."

After speaking, Gu Fang flipped his right hand over, and a cluster of dark golden flames surged into existence in his palm.

Looking at the flame, Gu Fang brought his left hand close to his right. As the flame rolled gently, the dark golden fire split into two streams, one gold and one black, settling in the centers of his palms.

In his left palm was the golden flame—the Golden Emperor Burning Heaven Flame. Though it was only a tiny wisp, it carried an overbearing majesty that looked down upon all beneath heaven. Its small form contained the power to destroy heaven and earth.

In his right palm burned black flames—Nihility Devouring Flame. Though it was called black, this was not an ordinary black, but a black like a black hole, devouring everything.

When one gazed into those flames, one could even feel...

That they wanted to devour one's flesh, blood, and soul completely.

"Nihility Devouring Flame, Golden Emperor Burning Heaven Flame—two Heavenly Flames. An Emperor-tier Cultivation Method, the Luo Tian Yuan Huo Jue. The Heaven-tier Soul Realm!"

Gu Fang stared at the flames and murmured, "Before obtaining these, I could easily refine Fourth-grade Pills. Now, even with my strength limiting me, refining ordinary fifth-grade or even Sixth-grade Pills shouldn't be a problem, right?"

Gu Fang's voice was not loud, yet part of it still reached Ling Wu's ears.

Hearing this, Ling Wu silently swallowed. As Gu Fang's protector, he had naturally been informed of many secrets before setting out, but even so, hearing them again still left him deeply shaken.

An alchemist's rank differed from one's cultivation rank. Due to one's bloodline, cultivation strength could be raised quickly, but an alchemist's rank required slow, painstaking work, built up through furnace after furnace of refined pills.

Gu Fang had just said that, as long as his strength was sufficient, he could refine Sixth-grade Pills and become a sixth-grade alchemist. How terrifying was that?

One had to know...

Gu Fang was only a fourteen-year-old youth!

"A six-star Dou Shi, with Heavenly Flames and Soul Power, can fight a low-tier Da Dou Shi without much trouble. Such strength...

is acceptable in the Jia Ma Empire, but if we're going to the Central Plains or the Black Corner Region, it's still far too weak!"

While Ling Wu was still in shock, Gu Fang continued murmuring. After finishing...

he resumed cultivating.

Two days passed!

Ling Wu, who had been controlling the Space Ship, stood up. "Young Clan Leader, we've reached the vicinity of the Jia Ma Empire's capital!"

As the words fell, a pure white beam shot out from the Space Ship, opening an exit.

Gu Fang and Ling Wu moved at once, leaving the spatial passage.

After Ling Wu put away the Space Ship, Dou Qi formed into wings behind him. He grabbed Gu Fang and hovered in the air.

Ling Wu's strength was the same as Ling Ying's—both were at the Peak Dou Huang—so they could only fly using Dou Qi Wings.

"Young Clan Leader, where are we going next?"

"Where?"

Feeling the gentle breeze stirred by the Dou Qi Wings, Gu Fang slowly sank into memory...

The Jia Ma Empire—this place he had visited countless times in the book. This was his first time truly arriving here. Where should he begin?

Wutan City, Ya Fei, the Mittel Auction House...

He recited those familiar names.

After several breaths, Gu Fang opened his eyes. "The Jia Ma Empire's capital—the Mittel Auction House!"

"Yes, Young Clan Leader!"

With that, Ling Wu beat his wings and flew toward the Jia Ma Empire's capital.