Datong Dynasty

On the Spirit Boat, Zeng Fan and the others sat cross-legged on the floor. This Spirit Boat was used solely for travel, so it had no seats, rooms, or anything else for resting. All the disciples gathered in one place; some meditated with their eyes closed, while others chatted with their fellow disciples.

After the Spirit Boat left the territory of the Five Mountains Sect, it began to accelerate slowly. In Zeng Fan's eyes, the five enormous mountains grew smaller and smaller. A light barrier also rose around the Spirit Boat, shielding the Body Tempering Realm disciples from the violent winds above. Zeng Fan patted Yuan Jin beside him. Yuan Jin, who had been looking around, turned back in confusion, only to see a red pill being offered to him from Zeng Fan's hand. It was none other than a Body Tempering Pill.

"What's this?" Yuan Jin took the pill and looked at Zeng Fan, his eyes clearly asking a question.

"The Body Tempering Pill. It speeds up cultivation. Taking this one should let you break through to Body Tempering Blood. I think you should take it here and see whether you can break through before we get there."

Zeng Fan explained to Yuan Jin. He had already taken the Body Tempering Fruit, and eating another one now would not give him much of a chance to break through. Keeping one in reserve was enough, so he gave the remaining pill to Yuan Jin and let him try to break through. That way, they would be safer when they acted together later.

Yuan Jin nodded and reached out to take the pill. Then he suddenly said, "If I break through now, I'll have to kill two demon beasts at the Body Tempering Blood level. Wouldn't it be even better if I killed two demon beasts at the Body Tempering Bone level first and broke through afterward?"

Zeng Fan was somewhat surprised. "Are you a genius, kid? You actually thought of a method like that!"

Just as they were about to discuss whether this was feasible, Wang Beichen lazily interrupted them from the side.

"I advise you not to have that thought. If you can raise your strength as quickly as possible, you must seize the opportunity. Once we get there, you won't have a say in what you encounter."

Yuan Jin slapped his forehead. "I almost forgot we have a rich young master here. Your family must have told you about the situation this time. Hurry up and give us some inside information."

Wang Beichen glanced at Yuan Jin, clearly displeased with being called a rich young master, but he did not take it too seriously. Seeing everyone looking at him curiously, he coughed twice and slowly began to speak.

"You all know that we're going over there to fight demon beasts, right?"

Everyone nodded one after another.

"Then do you know why we're fighting?"

Wang Beichen's expression grew slightly solemn. Without waiting for them to answer, he revealed the truth directly.

"The place where the Datong Dynasty is located lies at the border of our sect's territory. Naturally, the border exists because there's an equal power on the other side."

"But aren't we fighting demon beasts?" Zeng Fan spoke up, then froze as an unbelievable thought surfaced in his mind.

"Is the power on the other side established by demon beasts?"

Wang Beichen nodded slightly. "That's right. The power opposite us was established by demon beasts, and it's called the Sky Demon Mountain Range. Demon beasts are different from us humans. They believe absolutely in the law of the jungle. Those demon beasts that possess intelligence can also be called the Demon Race. In the eyes of the Demon Race, ordinary demon beasts that have yet to develop intelligence don't count as their kind. Moreover, beasts reproduce far too quickly, so every so often, the Sky Demon Mountain Range organizes a beast tide to attack the cities, using it to eliminate some of the ordinary demon beasts."

Wang Beichen paused slightly, a trace of horror in his eyes. "Launching a beast tide can also allow some demon beasts to break through and gain intelligence, thereby becoming part of the Demon Race. How do they break through? Heh heh, the flesh and blood of us cultivators are excellent supplements. The more demon beasts eat, the faster they advance. So once they lose on the battlefield, their fate is to be torn apart and eaten."

After Wang Beichen finished speaking, the people around him fell silent. Zeng Fan felt a chill surge from the soles of his feet straight to his crown. This trial was not simple at all. Every human cultivator on the battlefield was an excellent supplement for the demon beasts. How could they possibly let them go? Once they met, the two sides would fight to the death.

"If the sect is so dangerous, why did it still send us out?" Wang An could not help asking.

Wang Beichen glanced at him but could not be bothered to explain. "Didn't you see that even I, an immortal second-generation heir, have to make a trip to the battlefield? Some rules must be followed. No one can defy them."

Yuan Jin patted Wang An on the shoulder. "That's how cultivation is. The demon beasts have to eat humans to advance, and we human cultivators have to kill demon beasts to temper ourselves. This is something both sides tacitly accept. The sect doesn't raise good-for-nothings."

Wang An froze, a trace of a bitter smile appearing at the corners of his mouth. This was completely different from the immortal cultivation he had imagined. Apart from him, Zeng Fan, Murong Xue, and Yuan Jin quickly accepted this reality. Zeng Fan had climbed the immortal path step by step through his own efforts, so something like this could not shake his mind. As for Yuan Jin and Murong Xue, who came from cultivation lineages, they had already been mentally prepared for it.

"Looks like I have to try breaking through. That'll give me a better chance of surviving," Yuan Jin said, his gaze slowly turning firm. He took out the Body Tempering Pill and swallowed it, then immediately sat down to cultivate and began working hard to refine its medicinal power.

After hearing Wang Beichen's explanation, the others also felt the pressure. They all sat down to cultivate, striving to accumulate a little more strength before reaching the Datong Dynasty.

Time flashed by. After a day of flying, the Spirit Boat finally entered the territory of the Datong Dynasty. However, the two Foundation Establishment Realm cultivators merely rested briefly in a city before once again ordering everyone to set out, heading for the dynasty's border pass.

Just as they were about to reach the border pass, Yuan Jin's breakthrough finally arrived. While Zeng Fan was meditating with his eyes closed and absorbing Spiritual Energy, an intense Spiritual Energy fluctuation appeared beside him. Zeng Fan opened his eyes and saw Yuan Jin's brows tightly furrowed, while the aura around him grew stronger and stronger. After reaching the peak of Body Tempering Bone Perfection and pausing briefly, it suddenly surged through. The fluctuation of Body Tempering Blood spread from Yuan Jin's body.

A smile appeared on Zeng Fan's face. Yuan Jin had succeeded in breaking through. This also alarmed the disciples nearby, who all cast surprised looks over. Someone had actually broken through at a time like this? However, everyone merely expressed their amazement before losing interest. After all, they were almost at the border pass, and everyone's nerves had begun to tighten.

The aura around Yuan Jin slowly weakened before finally being drawn completely back into his body. He exhaled lightly, then flashed Zeng Fan and the others a wide, toothy grin.

"Success!"

Murong Xue gave Yuan Jin a thumbs-up. Wang Beichen nodded faintly, while Wang An looked somewhat excited. After all, the higher the cultivation of his two big brothers, the sturdier his backing would be.

"Everyone, get ready! We're landing!" Qian Dayou's voice came from the front of the Spirit Boat. Zeng Fan nodded at Yuan Jin, indicating that they could talk after landing.

A city appeared in Zeng Fan and the others' view. In front of the city, an extraordinarily long pass lay across the earth. Clearly, that was where they were headed. However, the Spirit Boat was flying toward the city, which meant they were evidently going to rest there for a while.

The Spirit Boat slowly descended at the city gate. A group of people was already waiting there. At the head stood a middle-aged man with sharply defined features, a long beard, and a blue Daoist robe. He was currently watching the slowly descending Spirit Boat with a smile.

After all the disciples had gathered on the ground, the Spirit Boat slowly shrank and was finally put away by Qian Dayou. The man strode over, laughter spilling from his mouth at the same time.

"We've finally been able to look forward to your reinforcements. So it's the two Junior Brothers coming this time. Sorry for the trouble, sorry for the trouble. I've already prepared a banquet in the city to welcome you and wash away the dust of your journey."

"Senior Brother Sun Ze, what are you saying? We came here under our sect's orders, so how could it be troublesome? Please also arrange things properly for the disciples of the sect, Senior Brother."

Qian Dayou cupped his hands toward the man before him, and Lin Li also bowed to Sun Ze before falling silent. Sun Ze knew his temperament. He gave a few instructions to the subordinates beside him, then entered the city with Qian Dayou, chatting and laughing. Lin Li followed behind in silence.

Only after the three had entered the city did Sun Ze's subordinate bow to everyone and speak. "Fellow Daoists, I am Cai Yi, the Marshal of Troops and Horses for the Datong Dynasty this time. We have arranged lodgings in the city. Please enter the city in order and rest. If you have any needs, you can inform the soldiers at your lodgings. The conditions are rather harsh, so please bear with them. The trial officially begins tomorrow."

Cai Yi waved his hand grandly. Three commanders stepped forward, each leading the Spirit Control, Spirit Assimilation, and Body Tempering Realm cultivators into the city to rest.

Above the Spirit Assimilation Realm was the Spirit Control Realm, and after breaking through the Spirit Control Realm came Foundation Establishment. Zeng Fan looked over and saw only a few dozen people. The leading commander was also very polite to them. After all, these people had a high chance of breaking through to the Foundation Establishment Realm. Once they broke through, their status would immediately become different.

Next came the Spirit Assimilation Realm cultivators, numbering roughly several hundred. Their leader's attitude was ordinary, but these Spirit Assimilation Realm cultivators had nothing to say about it. After all, the fluctuation radiating from the man was clearly that of the Spirit Control Realm. The strong were respected, so there was indeed no need for him to be overly polite to them.

Finally came the numerous Body Tempering Realm disciples, who seemed to number over a thousand. The commander could not even be bothered to waste words. With a grand sweep of his hand, the many disciples obediently followed behind him and entered the city in a mighty procession. After all, with a Spirit Control Realm expert leading the way, who would dare say too much?

Zeng Fan and the others followed the crowd to the lodgings arranged for the Body Tempering Realm disciples. It was an inn, with two people to a room. As for the Earth Vein disciples, they received one room each. Naturally, Zeng Fan stayed with Yuan Jin. Having somewhere to stay was enough; he was not picky.

After tidying up briefly, Yuan Jin moved his body around, then slightly furrowed his brows.

"There's very little Spiritual Energy here. It can't compare with the sect at all. Cultivating will probably be rather difficult."

Zeng Fan had been mentally prepared for this. The sect used formations to gather the spiritual energy of heaven and earth, while this borderland was currently at war. The Spiritual Energy here was naturally scarce.

Even so, Zeng Fan sensed it for himself. The Spiritual Energy inside the inn was sparse and scattered, perhaps because too many people inside were cultivating and had absorbed too much of it.

"It's better than nothing. Make more preparations; we'll be setting out tomorrow," Zeng Fan said, turning his head toward Yuan Jin.

"That's true." Seeing that Zeng Fan had already sat cross-legged to cultivate, Yuan Jin smiled faintly, slowly closed his eyes, and began consolidating the realm he had only recently broken through to.

In the blink of an eye, the second day arrived without a sound. Golden sunlight spilled into the room. Yuan Jin and Zeng Fan opened their eyes at the same time.

The trial had begun!