After bidding farewell to True Monarch Pingtian, Ji An sped away in the direction indicated by the map.
Across the Central Continent's lands, cooking smoke could often be seen rising from gathered mortal towns. It seemed the population had recovered quite well.
After flying for two hours, dusk settled over the darkening mountains. The sky behind him was awash in crimson, the evening glow like an enormous Red Carp swimming through the sea of heaven.
Ji An descended and found a secluded place with scarcely any human traces. He buried the formation plate, planted the formation flags, and activated the Black Tortoise Armor Formation.
Ripples stirred along the formation's edge, transforming into several squat trees that stubbornly grew from cracks between the rocks.
He held the Gourd Stone in his hand and extended his divine sense to touch the silver specks within. His body suddenly vanished from the spot, and in the next instant, he entered the small world.
At that moment, Qin Yan was sitting cross-legged beneath the Gathering Origin Tree, resting. The moment he saw Ji An enter, he immediately rose to his feet and cupped his hands with a smile. "Greetings, True Lord. Did something happen outside these past few days?"
Ji An nodded slightly. "Yes. I encountered several Buddhist Cultivators from the Western Continent. They were pursuing a fellow cultivator I had met several times before, so a battle broke out."
Over the past few days, he had been with True Monarch Pingtian, leaving him no opportunity to return to the small world to cultivate.
He briefly explained the situation in the Central Continent, then cautioned him, "If you leave the small world to move about outside, do not stray beyond the range of the immortal city. Those Buddhist Cultivators practice unusual techniques. Without anyone noticing,