Observing the Landscape

Whoosh—

With their Taoist robes snapping in the wind, Xu Yan and his two companions descended steadily from a height of thirty zhang.

They were surrounded by a lush, ancient forest where the trees grew so tall they blotted out the sky. The soil beneath their feet was soft and spongy; a single heavy step sent muddy water splashing outward.

Having flown for an hour, the three of them paused to recover their spiritual energy.

Xu Yan activated his Spirit Eye, peering through the ancient woods. He remained vigilant of his surroundings while simultaneously observing the terrain and the flow of the landscape.

They were currently in what appeared to be a marshland, where much of the heaven and earth's energy lay dormant beneath the surface.

Xu Yan crouched down, the Wondrous Method Fortune Edict Script faintly manifesting in his palm.

He pressed his hand against the earth, using the Edict Script to probe the terrestrial energy.

Beneath the ley lines, the energy was mottled and chaotic, yet amidst the disorder, Xu Yan discovered a distinct aura. It was long and continuous, like a dragon vein, stretching far into the distance.

"Brother Xu, did you find anything? Where should we head next?" Yao Yu asked.

"Follow me."

With a thought, Xu Yan took to the air once more.

Yan Qihu and Yao Yu followed closely behind.

After about a hundred miles, they emerged from the marshy forest.

The three entered a region of hills. These peaks were not particularly tall; at a glance, the highest among them reached only twenty zhang.

The verdant little hills were covered in low-lying shrubs, and a clear, spiritual aura rippled through the air.

Most of these hills stood roughly twenty zhang high, resembling rows of sharp swords thrust into the ground, stretching out in dense, orderly succession.

Xu Yan and his companions flew through the mountain forest.

Two hours passed, and dusk began to fall. Sunlight, like shattered gold, poured down, draping the stone forest in a golden cloak.

Not far away, a splashing sound echoed.

Xu Yan turned his head, squinting as spiritual light flickered within his pupils.

He landed on a small hill and gazed into the depths.

Seeing this, Yan Qihu and his companion immediately drew their magical artifacts, beginning to scan their surroundings with caution.

Fifty zhang ahead stood a hill twenty-one zhang high. A waterfall cascaded from its peak, flowing down the mountainside to the base, where it split into hundreds of streams that snaked off in every direction!

More importantly, Xu Yan noticed that the dozen or so hills surrounding it were all slightly shorter, as if they were bowing in tribute to this central peak.

The Edict Script in his palm glowed faintly.

Xu Yan's divine sense enveloped the area; the feng shui and mountain formation there were extraordinary, appearing like a naturally formed array.

[Dragon Head Mountain Terrain: A hundred streams flow unceasingly, endless and inexhaustible. Possesses the effect of teleportation, capable of shifting one three thousand li to the east in an instant.]

"An Ancient Teleportation Array!"

Xu Yan's gaze flickered. He calmly retrieved the Gold Whistle Talisman.

"Brother Xu, what is it?" Yan Qihu asked, puzzled by his actions.

"There is an Ancient Teleportation Array fifty zhang ahead. Don't make a scene; we shall wait for Brother Fang and the others to arrive before we make our move," Xu Yan said calmly, using his divine sense to communicate with the two beside him.

"Understood!"

Hearing this, Yao Yu and Yan Qihu's expressions shifted. They had not expected Xu Yan to discover an Ancient Teleportation Array on the very first day, and with nightfall fast approaching.

Within the Immortal Treasury, many malevolent spirits emerged only after dark.

Swish!

He activated the Gold Whistle Talisman. With a hum, the talisman transformed into a streak of golden light, shooting backward at incredible speed and vanishing in the blink of an eye.

Just then, Xu Yan frowned and turned his head to look behind them.

Within the stone forest, a faint aura seemed to flicker and pass.

Extremely cautious, Xu Yan immediately rose into the air, his vast divine sense sweeping outward.

With a shake of his hand, he drew the Green Pattern Sword.

"Fellow Daoist, are you not going to show yourself?"

Xu Yan called out casually.

Yan Qihu and Yao Yu also tensed, staring intently at the spot.

In the distance, there was clearly no one there, and the two of them had not sensed any movement of energy. However, seeing Xu Yan's battle-ready posture, they raised their guard to the highest level.

Silence reigned for several seconds, broken only by the whistling wind.

"Half-Immortal Xu has keen eyes."

From behind the forest, a gloomy and eerie voice drifted over. A cultivator in black robes walked out, unhurried and composed.

The man was only twenty-five or twenty-six years old, with a cultivation base at the third level of Pulse Opening. He moved like a phantom, as if he had merged with the surrounding rocks. His cuffs were embroidered with a nine-star interlocking pattern.

"Are you from Nine Star Kui Island?" Xu Yan asked coldly.

"I am Tuoba Kan," the gaunt-faced man said, strolling forward as if on a leisurely walk. "Brother Murong said that following Half-Immortal Xu might yield some rewards. I truly did not expect Half-Immortal Xu to discover the Ancient Teleportation Array so quickly. I am genuinely impressed."

Had he not also activated a Gold Whistle Talisman just now, he would not have exposed himself.

This man's concealment technique was exceptionally profound.

"Fellow Daoist, isn't this a bit improper? We discovered this place first," Yao Yu frowned and said.

"Rest assured, everyone. When my young master arrives, he will certainly not treat you unfairly," Tuoba Kan said, squinting. He then looked toward the nearby mountain terrain, stroking his chin. "This array's capacity is limited; it can transport at most a dozen people. This makes things rather difficult."

The group from Nine Star Kui Island had gathered over a dozen more people after arriving at Spirit-Sealing City; counting them all, there were now over thirty.

Yan Qihu was somewhat angry. Looking at Tuoba Kan, he couldn't help but retort, "Since you are a disciple of a great clan, you shouldn't be lacking in manpower. Why not go find one yourself!"

"Isn't that what I've done?" Tuoba Kan's eyes turned gloomy, a smirk playing on his lips. "A piece of advice for the three of you: if you want to live, it is best not to have any other ideas."

In Tuoba Kan's view, giving Xu Yan and his group some spiritual wealth was already an act of charity.

In this Immortal Treasury, life and death were of no account, and there were no rules to speak of. Just because you found it first didn't mean it was yours.

Xu Yan gripped the Green Pattern Sword tightly. Hearing the man's words, his heart was filled with killing intent, yet his face remained calm.

Throughout this journey, the law of the jungle had been displayed in vivid detail. If rogue cultivators like Yan Qihu hadn't banded together early on, they would have long since been stripped bare by the great clans.

As Xu Yan pondered a strategy, his thoughts racing, the sound of flight echoed from the distance.

"So soon?" Tuoba Kan turned to look.

Xu Yan and his two companions also looked over.

However, it was not Fang Che and his group, nor was it anyone from Nine Star Kui Island.

Three cultivators with the heads of beasts and human bodies arrived.

One was a Heavenly Fox youth, though his appearance differed from Tushan Jiuyuan's; his fur was a grayish-brown.

The other two had bright red, exotic horns atop their heads, their bodies tall and robust, standing half a head taller than the average human.

The Heavenly Fox youth held a compass and had also tracked them here. Seeing the four of them already present, his eyes revealed a look of surprise.

The three demons landed on a small hill and cast their gazes toward the four humans.

Their demonic pupils were filled with malice and intense killing intent.

"Now, this is troublesome."

Tuoba Kan squinted at the three demons, his brows arching.