The Abandoned Land

The standoff didn't last long.

When the beast approached the old man's corpse for the third time, the sharp hairs along its back suddenly shot toward Li Ji'an and the others. They flew as fast as the wind, swift as lightning, and sank deep into the ground right in front of the five of them.

"Go!" That alone was proof that this beast was far stronger than the Spirit Beasts of the Immortal Bestowed Dynasty.

With the strength of a qi-and-blood Grandmaster, Li Ji'an reckoned he could handle it. But the other four would be in danger, and he had no idea what desperate measures the beast might have.

The beast's presence heightened everyone's sense of danger.

Their faint unease over the unknown Cultivation World had only grown stronger.

Daring not to venture farther into the depths of the Desolate Ridge Wasteland, Li Ji'an led the four eastward along its edge.

Although Guangling had said there was no Immortal Method for sensing things across ten thousand li or tracking souls in the desert forbidden land, and the old man had also said during his interrogation that they had no Soul Lamps left behind, so their clan couldn't tell whether they were alive or dead or sense their whereabouts,

Li Ji'an had read too many xianxia novels before crossing over, and had already formed certain impressions of the methods used in the Cultivation World. He didn't dare trust them blindly. That was why he hadn't taken the spoils, and why he had decided to keep well away and head east.

"Brother Li, take it easy with the food. This white deer will last us another half month." Dong Jiangling came out of the woods carrying a snow-white deer and shouted excitedly to Li Ji'an.

Over the past year, they had traveled east for more than ten thousand li.

Fortunately, they were all martial experts at Blood Transformation Perfection, with plenty of stamina to endure hunger and cold.

There were also plenty of wild beasts along the edge of the wasteland. Following Li Ji'an's instructions, they avoided powerful beasts that might pose a danger and hunted ordinary game. Their journey had gone smoothly.

They had even tried hunting a few beasts that Li Ji'an judged to be less dangerous, which had eased their anxiety about the Cultivation World here.

"No need." Li Ji'an sat cross-legged on the ground, opened his eyes, and shook his head.

During that year, he had led the others on hunts at first. But as the four gradually regained the confidence they'd had in the Immortal Bestowed Dynasty, he rarely took action and spent most of his time continuing to cultivate.

Since arriving here, he had found that the qi-and-blood cultivation that had hit a dead end in the Immortal Bestowed Dynasty seemed to have room for a breakthrough after all.

"There have been noticeably more signs of human activity lately. There should be a human settlement nearby, so we don't need to ration our food anymore. Eat well and keep yourselves in top condition," Li Ji'an explained.

"All right. We'll do as you say, Brother Li." Dong Jiangling and the others agreed without hesitation.

In this strange land, surviving in the wilderness, Li Ji'an—with his great strength and broad knowledge—had quietly become their leader.

He was the little group's hope and their rock.

After Li Ji'an had "slain the immortals," Dong Jiangling had once again locked his love for Zhao Shuyao away in the depths of his heart.

"Brother Li, if we meet the people here, should we try to join them?"

Li Ji'an looked back the way they had come, then toward the northwest. "It's been a year. We should be out of danger."

"We can finally cultivate immortality!" The four were thrilled.

Li Ji'an looked at them, doubtful that they would be able to cultivate.

First, there were spiritual roots. Second, there was their age.

Still, he couldn't rule it out completely. He didn't know what this real Cultivation World was truly like.

"Brother Li, that family were beasts. They'd been coming to our Immortal Bestowed Dynasty to take Blood Slaves for over a hundred years. They were utterly wicked. Do you think the elders who were brought here before us are still alive?" Having weathered their initial fear and found hope of cultivating immortality, the four finally let out the anger they had buried deep in their hearts.

Li Ji'an shook his head. Ning Sujin had said that her clan brother had faced great misfortune when he ascended to the Immortal Realm, and Ning Yutan had said the same.

Now, it was clear that the true ill omen lay in those cultivators who came to take people away.

From the words "Blood Slave" alone, it seemed likely they were just materials to be drained of all their qi and blood. Their fate was easy to imagine.

"Ning Sujin..."

The only uncertainty was Ning Sujin. He didn't know whether the "great fortune" she had mentioned when she was taken away fifty-five years ago had been a well-intentioned lie.

"Hmph! One day, once I've made something of myself as a cultivator, I'll avenge the elders!" All four gritted their teeth.

Li Ji'an looked at them and silently said, "We will."

They traveled on, stopping now and then. Half a month later—

"Friends, we mean no harm. You can have this Purple Gold Sable, too." In the dense forest, a man nine chi tall and built like a small mountain cupped his fists from a distance and called out.

Seven people stood behind him, spread out in different directions and holding defensive positions.

Li Ji'an watched them with a sharp gaze, his qi and blood held in check.

The other four also tensed, ready for a fight.

They had first run into these people five days ago, and after revealing their strength, had kept their distance.

Yet the other group had still come looking for them.

"Then what do you want?" Li Ji'an sensed the qi and blood of all eight men across from them. Three had concentrated qi and blood, and the burly leader was even a little stronger than he was. The other five had qi and blood on par with Skin Grinding, but also carried a magical energy like Guangling's and the old man's.

The burly man laughed freely. "Brother, we understand your wariness, but there's no need. After watching you for a few days, we figure you must have come from some Abandoned Land, right?"

"Don't worry! You're not the only ones. We've seen others come out of an Abandoned Land, too, more than ten years ago."

The five exchanged looks, glancing at their own ragged, disheveled clothes. They did look like wild folk.

Li Ji'an's thoughts stirred. When he had interrogated the old man, the man had also said that the Immortal Bestowed Dynasty wasn't the only Abandoned Land. There were three even in the Heavenly Azure Domain.

Now, that claim had been confirmed.

"You still haven't said why you came looking for us."

"Haha, naturally, we hope you'll join our hunting party," the burly man said frankly.

"Why?"

"Because legend has it that anyone who can make it out of an Abandoned Land is blessed with great fortune and will bring us good luck. Besides, I see you practice body cultivation, too. You'd make fine hunters."

"I'm asking why we should join you."

"Well... I can't explain it in just a few words. But come back with us to the settlement and stay a few days. You'll understand. You want to cultivate immortality, don't you?" The burly man scratched his messy hair. In the end, unable to think of a way to explain, he simply invited them to find out for themselves.

After a brief silence,

"We appreciate the offer. We'll be on our way. Until we meet again." Li Ji'an rejected them without hesitation.

"Hey, don't assume the worst of people! My brother means well. You've just come out of a hellhole like that. Be careful you don't wander into some high-tier beast's territory and get swallowed alive."

"Hah. No wonder you people came out of that spiritless land. Do you think you're invincible just because you've started body cultivation? You spit on kindness like it's donkey's liver and lungs."

The men behind the burly man immediately began sneering in discontent.

The burly man hurriedly turned and stopped them, then looked back at Li Ji'an, seeming a little helpless. "If that's how it is, I won't press you. The largest human settlement nearby is twenty li ahead. At least there, you won't need to worry about beasts harming you.

"Of course, if you change your minds, you can find me anytime. My name is Chen Zhao'hu. Ask anyone where I live, and they'll tell you."

"Farewell." Li Ji'an nodded.

"Oh, right, I forgot to ask—which Abandoned Land did you come from?"

Li Ji'an raised his chin and pointed east.

"Whoa, that's no small feat. To the east lies the ten-thousand-li Flame Mountain Forbidden Land. To make it out of there... Tsk, you must have had a tremendous store of good fortune." The burly man's eyes shone even brighter as he looked at Li Ji'an and the others.