Haotian nodded and took out two more Ginseng Fruits. "They're of little use to me now, but they may be of some help to you."
"Keep them and refine them slowly."
Yaochi accepted the Ginseng Fruits, deeply moved. "Thank you, Elder Brother."
"Between us, there's no need for thanks." Haotian waved a hand. "I'll set my breathing in order, then set out."
"I'll have to trouble you to take care of the affairs of the palace."
Three days later, Haotian left Purple Firmament Palace. He mounted his Escape Light and headed straight for the west.
Crossing Buzhou Mountain and the Heavenly River, he gradually reached the divide between the eastern and western regions of the Primordial Wilderness.
The eastern lands' spiritual beauty faded, while the western lands' desolation grew more pronounced.
Mountains, rivers, plants, and trees grew sparse. Spiritual energy was thin, and Killing Qi seemed to drift through the world.
Haotian brought his clouds down and continued west on foot.
He concealed his aura and took on the appearance of an ordinary Golden Immortal cultivator, walking across the barren land at an unhurried pace.
What he saw along the way was truly wretched.
Some mountain ranges had fractured, their Spiritual Veins withered. The mountainsides were a dark red, traces of corruption by demonic energy.
Some rivers had dried up, their beds cracked. Here and there, scattered bones lay exposed, their age unknown.
On the rare occasions he encountered living beings, they were all strange in appearance, their auras mixed and muddled.
Some were native Exotic Beasts that had grown vicious in the harsh environment.
Others were cultivators who had migrated from the east. Every one of them was gaunt, yet their gazes remained resolute.
Haotian made no attempt to approach them. He only watched from a distance.
After