First Acquaintance with the Immortal Realm

"Flame Mountain Forbidden Land?" Li Ji'an paused.

Chen Zhao'hu grinned, "Oh, I forgot, you guys probably don't call it that. In our Heavenly Azure Domain's cultivation world, there are three such Abandoned Lands. The first is the Flame Mountain Forbidden Land to the east. According to records, a radius of five thousand li is sealed by fiery mountains. Blazing flames burn the sky and boil the sea. Legend has it that even a Golden Core expert accidentally perished there, their body and soul turned to ash, with not a trace of spiritual energy within."

"Indeed, there are two others like this?" Li Ji'an nodded, then casually asked.

"The other is the Sandstorm Death Zone to the southwest. It's even more despairing for those within. Endless yellow sand stretches for thirty thousand li, and sandstorms that can tear apart Gods and Demons rage. As far as I know, no one has ever come out of it."

"The last one is the Bewildering Forest Death Zone to the northwest. Twisted trees stand densely, and mist permeates the area. It's speculated that even a True Lord's Primordial Spirit could get lost in illusions and be turned into nourishment by the twisted trees."

Li Ji'an frowned slightly, "If they are such forbidden lands... how can anyone come out?"

"Haha, the Great Dao is fifty, its variations are forty-nine, and one escapes. Everything has a sliver of hope. The three forbidden lands are no different. Do you think you could have crossed the Flame Mountain Forbidden Land, which can incinerate Golden Core cultivators? That's what I call profound fortune. You are people of great fortune." Chen Zhao'hu looked at Li Ji'an expectantly again.

"Brother! Can you stop believing in those vague notions? Profound fortune, my foot! I think you just got lucky, like stepping on dog poop by accident. We saw this Purple Gold Sable first, so by rights, half of it should be ours. But you just gave it away like that, and they didn't even appreciate it..." Chen Zhao'hu's younger brother was very dissatisfied with his idea.

Li Ji'an pondered for a moment.

He didn't quite agree with Chen Zhao'hu's talk of fortune.

How could the Guiding Immortal Masters who traveled to the Immortal Bestowed Dynasty safely every ten years be explained by mere profound fortune?

It must be that they accidentally discovered some pattern or a weak point in the sandstorm.

After a moment of silence, Li Ji'an still bid farewell to them and cautiously skirted around with his five companions.

"Brother Li, that person's Vital Energy and Blood is so potent. He's cultivating the Vital Energy and Blood method, right?" Zhao Shuyao asked, a hint of confusion on her face, until they could no longer see the other party.

"Indeed. If we're talking about Martial Path cultivation, he's superior to me," Li Ji'an nodded.

"Since this world also has cultivators who temper their bodies with Vital Energy and Blood, then... why did that beast's family travel such a long distance to bring us here?" Zhao Shuyao voiced her confusion.

Li Ji'an was silent for a moment, "Perhaps they're bullying us for our lack of knowledge."

Zhao Shuyao's question made Li Ji'an feel significantly lighter.

The fact that they went far away instead of recruiting Blood Slaves here... indicated one thing: such actions would have consequences here, and those consequences were more severe than traveling to the Immortal Bestowed Dynasty, or even risking the sandstorms.

He judged that this cultivation world probably wouldn't be too chaotic and would have some form of healthy operating rules.

"Brother Li, are we going to that settlement?"

"Yes!"

Li Ji'an's judgment was based on two points. First, the strength of Chen Zhao'hu's group, who were comparable to him yet claimed to be famous in the settlement, could indirectly indicate the settlement's power level.

Second, it was still due to the judgment that rules existed in this place.

That evening, the five of them arrived near the human settlement about twenty li to the north.

Using the cover of night, Li Ji'an stood on a small hill, observing the situation of the settlement.

"This is the settlement?"

"The Imperial City probably isn't this grand, is it?"

"Look, someone's carrying a wild boar in there."

The human settlement that Chen Zhao'hu mentioned, they had initially thought it would be just a few tents, a few thatched huts, at most the size of a mountain village.

But now... looking at the area not far away, which was even larger than the Imperial City of the Immortal Bestowed Dynasty, even Li Ji'an was somewhat surprised.

Moreover, the buildings inside were not bad. Most were earthen houses, flat and sturdy, and there were even many stone houses, which was quite spectacular.

What surprised everyone the most was that many houses seemed to be made from the same mold.

As night deepened, people returned in an endless stream, some carrying prey, some with herbs, some with food...

They even bumped into two people returning from behind, as there was nowhere to hide. The five people hiding behind the dirt pile startled the two.

After observing for an entire night, and seeing the continuous stream of people busy with their livelihoods the next day, the five walked into the settlement.

"Yo, young man, lucky you, a first-tier Purple Gold Sable... Hiss, a Six-Whiskered Purple Gold Sable, at least a mid-grade bloodline. Too bad, if it were alive, it could sell for at least ten Spirit Stones in the Immortal Market."

The settlement had no city walls for defense, nor guards. Li Ji'an and his four companions walked in boldly. The people they met didn't pay them much attention, only a few commented on the Purple Gold Sable they carried on their shoulders.

"Yan Family of Spirit Pearl Mountain is recruiting Land Reclamation Warriors to enter the Fallen Dragon Ridge wilderness with the clan's main force. The area is too large, and manpower is insufficient. They will absolutely not treat you as cannon fodder. If the reclamation is successful, you can join the Yan Family, be granted a clan cultivation dojo, clan techniques, and a daily wage of twenty taels of Spirit Sand... Requirements: strong and healthy body, body cultivators preferred. Mid-tier first-tier body cultivators can negotiate..."

"Clear Water River Wu Family is seeking a Son-in-Law. Requirements: Spiritual Root or Spiritual Energy sensing Spiritual Aura must be at least above five strands. Age below fifty. If already in Qi Condensation, it can be extended to eighty. Those in early Qi Condensation or above with excellent conditions can discuss privately. If a descendant with a mid-grade Spiritual Root is born..."

"United Market is recruiting Immortal Seeds indefinitely with no quota. Requirements: mid-grade Spiritual Root or above, age not exceeding eighteen, orphans preferred."

"The Spirit Pill Pavilion under the Azure Cloud Sect within the market is starting its ninth phase of recruiting Medicine Testers. Requirements: mortals who have not yet entered the Qi Condensation stage. Limited spots, first come, first served, no exceptions. Please seize this heaven-sent opportunity..."

After walking along the main road for half an hour, a vast square came into view.

The square was crowded with people, and the noise was deafening.

On the high platform in the middle, someone was shouting various recruitment information.

"..." Li Ji'an's scalp tingled.

This was completely different from the novels he had read before.

From the first moment he saw the mortal settlement last night, he felt surprised. After entering today and seeing the mortals without Vital Energy and Blood or Magical Power aura living leisurely, until now...

He suddenly understood!

Those standardized houses, that abundant harvest, those leisurely mortals...

A world where immortal cultivation exists, a world with so many powerful Spiritual Powers and Immortal Methods, how could it be the same as an ancient feudal dynasty?

Building houses, hiring an Immortal Master to cast an Earth Element Spell, would only cost a bit of Magical Power and also hone their techniques.

Growing food, cultivators who could grow crops with Spiritual Value, growing enough food to fill ordinary people wouldn't be a problem, right?

With a spell like the Spirit Rain Technique existing, there would definitely be no drought or water shortage.

And the vast number of mortals could also provide value to cultivators.

Mutual benefit, coexistence between immortals and mortals... Excellent!

Seeing several fellow readers commenting and voting from the very beginning, and still following along now, makes me so happy. This is better than any data or ranking, it excites me more. With your recognition of the world I'm immersed in, it's all worth it.