Black-Domain Great Plain

As for Han Feng's Sea Heart Flame, Xiao Jie already regarded it as something in his pocket.

Whether it was his Peak Dou Emperor cultivation or his status as a Seventh-grade Alchemist, neither was anything to fear.

In the Black-Corner Region, where profit reigned supreme and chaos and slaughter were everywhere, no one would avenge a dead Seventh-grade Alchemist. Much less would anyone offend a young Peak Sixth-grade Alchemist, perhaps even a Seventh-grade Alchemist, over a dead man. The only one he needed to watch out for was that Soul Hall Protector.

Han Feng had some connection with the Soul Hall, or rather, he was being used by them. Once his value had been squeezed dry, he would be killed and have his soul extracted. Unless he could break through to Dou Venerate or become a Tier 8 Alchemist, proving himself to be of even greater use to the Soul Hall. As long as he had value to be used, he could stay alive.

Therefore, Xiao Jie only needed to keep an eye on Han Feng, make sure he did not leave the Black-Corner Region, or seize the Sea Heart Flame before he was killed by the Soul Hall.

At present, Xiao Jie only knew of two Peak Dou Zong Soul Hall Protectors in the Northwest Continent. They acted separately. One should be in the Black-Corner Region, while the other might be in the Misty Cloud Sect. As for whether there were more, that was unknown.

As long as he did not expose his Heavenly Flames, he would be safe for the time being. After all, he was merely a Peak Sixth-grade Alchemist protected by a Dou Zong and several Dou Emperors. Even a single Protector would not find it easy to kill him.

If he exposed the fact that he possessed Heavenly Flames, and several of them at that, then he would basically be close to death. Two Peak Dou Zongs were not something any force in the Northwest Continent could contend with.

The more Xiao Jie thought about it, the more he felt that quietly gathering Heavenly Flames was the better choice. But if he did not stir up trouble in the Black-Corner Region, Han Feng would not go after the Fallen Heart Flame of Jia Nan Academy. That was another vicious cycle. If Han Feng did not go, Xiao Jie could hardly seize it openly.

If things dragged on until Xiao Yan arrived at Jia Nan Academy and obtained the Fallen Heart Flame before him, then the gap between himself and Xiao Yan would narrow.

This seemed to be the turning point between himself and Xiao Yan. It would depend on who obtained the Fallen Heart Flame and Han Feng's Sea Heart Flame first. As long as he acquired those two Heavenly Flames, everything would go smoothly for him in the future, and misfortune would turn to fortune.

Xiao Jie needed the fortune contained within those Heavenly Flames to eliminate the World Will's hostility toward him. As long as Xiao Jie's fortune surpassed Xiao Yan's, the original child of destiny, perhaps this world would favor him instead.

The Jia Ma Empire was extremely far from the Black-Corner Region. One had to cross several small countries before reaching the outskirts of the Black-Corner Region.

If people traveled such a vast distance on foot or by carriage or horse, it would take more than half a year to reach the edge of the Black-Corner Region from the Jia Ma Empire, and that was assuming the journey went without obstruction.

After all, within the territories of those small countries, the various forces fought chaotically every day for profit due to all kinds of reasons involving terrain and influence.

And whenever they ran out of money, those mercenary groups would turn into infamous bandits. Any caravan passing through their territory without powerful protection would likely have both its goods and women taken, ending in misery.

Other than Qing Lin, Xiao Jie's group consisted of Dou Emperor-level experts, so no blind force dared to stop them.

They flew onward using Dou Qi Wings the entire way. Although this consumed a great deal of Dou Qi, Xiao Jie, as a Peak Sixth-grade Alchemist, had quite a few pills that restored Dou Qi, so there was no need to worry too much.

Still, they stopped to rest every so often, mainly to look after Qing Lin, the little girl who had not even reached the Dou Zhe level. Xiao Jie and the others could also take the chance to regulate their breathing and recover.

As Xiao Jie and the others flew onward, no one foolish enough to block three experts above the Dou Wang level appeared along the way. It was not until more than thirty days later that the endless, monotonous mountain ranges below suddenly began to grow sparse.

The abrupt change made Xiao Jie pause slightly. He then raised his head and swept his gaze into the distance, only to see a pitch-black plain suddenly emerge at the end of his sight. Like a black line, it completely divided the world outside from the world within.

"Is that the Black-Domain Great Plain?"

Xiao Jie looked at the black line gradually expanding in his vision and spoke with some delight.

After more than a month of flying, Xiao Jie had grown somewhat weary. Yet at that instant, he suddenly became invigorated and could not help letting out a long breath.

"This boundless black plain matches exactly the description of the Black-Domain Great Plain, known as the gateway to the Black-Corner Region. Once we pass through it, we should arrive."

Hai Bodong also let out a sigh of relief. More than a month of flying had truly exhausted him.

"Then let us rest first. We will continue after recovering our condition."

Xiao Jie sensed the surroundings and found no danger nearby. He took out a Qi Recovery Pill, swallowed it, and entered a cultivation state. Hai Bodong and Qing Lin did the same, while the Eight-Winged Black Serpent Emperor found a place to stay on its own.

As Xiao Jie entered cultivation, faint energy ripples began to seep from his body. A barely perceptible suction rapidly drew the energy from the surrounding space into him. After being refined, it poured into the sea of Dou Qi within his dantian. The surface of his Qi sea, which had been reduced to less than half, gradually rose as energy flowed into it.

This quiet cultivation continued for nearly half a day before the faint energy ripples around Xiao Jie slowly weakened and finally vanished completely.

His tightly shut eyelashes trembled lightly, then slowly opened. A flash of deep azure light flickered through his black eyes.

He parted his lips slightly and slowly exhaled. The faint weariness on his face disappeared completely, replaced by a gentle glow like warm jade.

After resting and regulating his breath for this time, he had finally recovered somewhat. Such a long journey truly was not an easy matter.