Maple Nan City

After leaving the Five Elements Mountain Range, Lin Ming and his companions did not choose to directly traverse the void with their physical bodies and forcibly fly to the distant Southern Region of the Middle Continent.

Although Lin Ming's current strength as Two-Star Peak Dou Venerate, coupled with his control over Space Power far exceeding that of others of the same level, makes it not entirely impossible for him to do so, it would undoubtedly be a long and arduous journey filled with uncertainties.

The territory of the Middle Continent is vast and boundless, with each region separated by more than a million miles. There are many Spatial Turbulence, natural mazes, and even some unknown dangerous places. Blindly traversing these areas can easily lead to losing one's way or even encountering misfortune.

Therefore, utilizing the Space Wormhole on the continent that were opened up by ancient powerful beings or maintained by various forces is undoubtedly the most efficient and reliable option.

Their first stop was a city with Space Wormhole closest to the Five Elements Mountain Range, which could directly reach Beast Cry City, the home of their senior brother Xu Shilin's family.

Lin Ming manipulated the Space Power, carrying Zi Yan and the other two through several short spatial leaps, and soon arrived at the bustling hub city. After paying a hefty fee, the four of them stepped into the enormous entrance to the Space Wormhole, which shimmered with a deep silver light.

Entering the wormhole felt like stepping into a strange tunnel constructed of pure silver light. All around were streaks of Radiant Flow rushing past, and beneath one's feet were solid barriers formed by Space Power, creating a subtle sense of weightlessness and acceleration.

Traveling through a wormhole is tedious and lengthy, but within the stable passage, the concept of time becomes blurred. Half a month later, a strong Spatial Fluctuations came from ahead, and the light at the exit gradually increased.

"Buzz--"

With a slight dizziness, the four were pushed out of the Space Wormhole by a gentle force, and the feeling of solid ground beneath their feet came over them, and they found themselves in another world.

A warm breeze, carrying the fresh scent of grass and trees and a faint aroma of smoke, swept over me.

What came into view was a bustling city of great scale, with an architectural style quite different from that of the Central Region of the Central Plains in the northern part of the Five Elements Sect. The city was nestled against the mountains and by the water, with a continuous red mountain range in the distance and tall city walls nearby, engraved with Maple Leaf -shaped patterns. At the city gate, there was a constant flow of vehicles and people, and the noise was deafening.

"We've arrived. This is Beast Cry City. Of course, we locals prefer to call it Maple Nan City," Xu Shilin said to Lin Ming with a warm smile on his face, as if he were returning to his homeland.

"My Xu Family has been operating here for many years and is considered one of the local strongmen. Junior brothers, please follow me and rest at my home for a while."

Led by Xu Shilin, the four of them walked through the bustling streets.

Lin Ming then understood why it was also called Maple Nan City. The city was planted with many tall Fire Maple Tree. Although it was not the season when the Maple Leaf were at their reddest, the edges of the leaves were already tinged with crimson, swaying in the breeze, creating a unique Southern Region charm.

The streets were lined with shops selling mostly medicinal herbs, ores, and various Magical Beasts materials, all specialties of the Southern Region. Among them were some rare items that were hard to find in the Northern Region, demonstrating the prosperity of trade in this area.

The Xu Family mansion is located in the central area of Maple Nan City. It occupies a vast area and is always bustling with visitors, demonstrating its extraordinary status in the area.

Upon Xu Shilin's return, the gatekeepers and guards all bowed respectfully and addressed him as "Young Master." The Xu Family Head, an elderly man with a face somewhat resembling Xu Shilin and a composed demeanor, had already received the news and personally greeted him in the main hall.

"Grandpa, this is Lin Ming, the Sect Master of our Five Elements Sect. These two are Vice Sect Master Zi Yan and Elder Xiong Zhan." Xu Shilin respectfully introduced them to his grandfather.

The Xu Family head dared not be negligent and hurriedly stepped forward to pay his respects. "Sect Master Lin Ming's presence is an honor to our Xu Family! Shi Lin has received much care from you, Sect Master, in Pill Tower and the sect. I am deeply grateful!"

He was warm and attentive, and immediately instructed his servants to prepare the best guest rooms and banquet.

Under the Xu Family, Lin Ming and his companions rested for a day, washing away the fatigue from their continuous spatial travel.

The following day, Lin Ming, Zi Yan, Xiong Zhan, and many members of the Xu Family, spanning three generations, gathered in the hall.

Lin Ming cut straight to the point. "Senior brother, we've arrived in Maple Nan City. Next, we'll head to the Meteor Beast Mountain Range. What are your plans for the rest of the journey?"

Upon hearing this, Xu Shilin's face showed a hint of struggle and helplessness. He looked at his father and grandfather, then at Lin Ming, and said sincerely.

"Junior brother, to be honest, the Meteor Beast Mountain Range is infamous, and deep within it lies the 'Fallen Phoenix Abyss,' Deadly Land even Dou Zun expert can perish. Although I am not weak in alchemy, my cultivation is not even at the Dou Zong. I only broke through to the Nine-star Dou Emperor not long before leaving the sect under Elder Yao's guidance. With my meager strength, if I were to go deeper with you, not only would I not be of any help, but I would probably become a burden and hinder your actions."

He paused, then continued, "Moreover, I've been away from home for a long time, and there are many family matters to attend to. Therefore..."

Xu Family quickly echoed, "Sect Master Lin Ming, what Shi Lin said is quite right. When exploring ruins, quality is more important than quantity. Although our Xu Family is weak, we still have connections and channels in this Southern Region border region. We will do our utmost to facilitate Sect Master trip!"

"Senior Brother, there's no need for that," Lin Ming smiled gently. "Your presence in Maple Nan City, providing us with support, is of even greater significance. With our sect newly established, having an ally like the Xu Family in the Southern Region is a blessing. If our sect continues to develop in the Southern Region, we will need the Xu Family's continued assistance."

Seeing Lin Ming's understanding nature, the Xu Family members breathed a sigh of relief, their faces showing gratitude. Xu Shilin immediately assured them, "Junior Brother, rest assured, leave everything in Maple Nan City to me! I will closely monitor news from the Meteor Beast Mountain Range, and inform you immediately via the Message Jade Slip at the slightest sign of trouble."

With the important matters settled, the atmosphere became even more harmonious. The Xu Family immediately took action, using their family channels to collect a large amount of the latest maps of the Meteor Beast Mountain Range, known dangerous areas, information on powerful Magical Beasts that had recently appeared, as well as some ancient legends and fragmented records about the "Fallen Phoenix Abyss," and handed them all over to Lin Ming.

After spending another day in Maple Nan City and completing all the preparations, Lin Ming, Zi Yan, and Xiong Zhan, accompanied by the Xu Family, arrived once again at the Space Wormhole plaza in Maple Nan City. This time, they would travel through the wormhole, making one transfer along the way, a journey that would take nearly two months in total, to reach the large city closest to the outer edge of the Meteor Beast Mountain Range — Southern Wasteland Beast City.

"Junior brothers, take care on your journey! Be careful in everything!" Xu Shilin solemnly clasped his hands in farewell at the entrance of the wormhole.

"Senior brother, I'm entrusting Maple Nan City to you. Goodbye, sect." Lin Ming nodded in response.

Without another word, the three turned and stepped into the Space Wormhole leading to an even more dangerous and unknown city. A flash of silver light, and their figures gradually disappeared into the depths of the passage.

The Xu Family members who came to see them off gazed at the now-calm wormhole entrance, their eyes filled with blessings and a hint of worry, murmuring, "I hope everything goes smoothly..."

The Space Wormhole enveloped the three of them once again. After nearly a month, Lin Ming and his companions switched to another Space Wormhole and began their final wormhole journey before reaching their destination.

However, unlike the stable and bright passage that led from Maple Nan City, the wormhole leading to the Southern Wasteland Beast City this time appeared to be much older and cruder.

The passageway barrier was no longer pure silver, but had a slightly grayish hue, as if it bore the marks of countless years.

Outside the passage, the Radiant Flow were gone, replaced by a deep, all-consuming darkness. Occasionally, distorted bands of light or tiny Spatial Rift would flash by, bringing with them waves of unease. The solidity beneath one's feet had also lessened considerably, and the jolts and weightlessness fluctuated in intensity, clearly indicating that the maintenance of this wormhole was far inferior to the previous one.

"This wormhole seems to be quite old; its stability has deteriorated considerably," Xiong Zhan said in a deep voice, frowning his thick, dark eyebrows.

His true form is Ancient Dragon Bear. Although he is not as sensitive to spatial changes as the Ancient Void Dragon, he is still far stronger than ordinary human powerhouses.

Zi Yan, on the other hand, was quite excited. Her purple eyes curiously surveyed the dangerous darkness outside the passage, and she even stretched out her fair fingers, as if wanting to touch the occasional ripples in space. "Hey, this is more interesting! Much more fun than that Death Qi passage before!"

Lin Ming remained calm, with faint Spatial Fluctuations surrounding him, smoothing out minor Spatial Turbulence and ensuring the stability of the three within the passage.

Then, Lin Ming said in a deep voice, "The Southern Region is inherently more remote and desolate than the Central Region, so the wormholes connecting its periphery are naturally not as well-developed as those in the core area. Be careful, and don't get distracted. Although the Spatial Turbulence within this passage isn't fatal, being swept out of the passage would still be troublesome."

As Lin Ming spoke, he sensed the structure of this ancient wormhole.

Dharma Form to create stable wormholes in the Central Region of the Central Plains, this wormhole appeared rough and direct, lacking many sophisticated reinforcements. It relied more on the inherent toughness of the materials and the immense power of its creator to forcefully support the passage. This gave him a more concrete understanding of the "barbaric" nature of the Southern Region.

The journey passed slowly in this slightly bumpy environment. Boredom was the main theme, but apart from Zi Yan, Lin Ming and Xiong Zhan possessed extraordinary composure. This allowed Zi Yan to calm down under Lin Ming's care.

Time flies, and almost another month has passed.

As the Space Wormhole neared its end, the darkness outside grew increasingly intense, and occasionally, chilling roars could be heard, seemingly emanating from the depths of the endless void.

The turbulence in the passage became increasingly violent, and at one point, a considerable Spatial Turbulence storm even appeared. The silver-gray Space Power crashed against the passage walls like a tidal wave, producing a teeth-grinding creaking sound.

Lin Ming's expression remained unchanged. He formed a hand seal, and a pure and vast Space Power spread out from him, like Pillar of the Sea, forcibly suppressing and calming the turbulent currents that were rushing in.

Zi Yan and Xiong Zhan also took their positions, their auras surging, ready to make a move at any moment. Fortunately, the storm subsided after about half a day, without any real danger.

After this incident, all three became more vigilant. However, two days later, they heard Spatial Fluctuations ahead, similar to those they had experienced when leaving Maple Nan City, but even more wild and restless.

The light from the exit was not a gentle silver, but a murky glow tinged with a faint blood-red and earthy yellow.

"We're almost there!" Lin Ming's eyes narrowed, and he reminded them.

Zi Yan and Xiong Zhan immediately perked up.

"Buzz--!"

A pushing sensation several times stronger than before came, accompanied by violent spatial tremors. The three of them felt their bodies lighten, and then they were thrown out of the wormhole exit.

The moment their feet touched solid ground, a completely different atmosphere from that of Maple Nan City washed over them.