The three exchanged glances, seeing confusion in one another's eyes, yet also finding a measure of resolve-having already set foot on land of the same origin as Xuanyuan Mountain, they had no reason to turn back.
They lowered their heads and pressed on, though their footsteps grew ever heavier.
Their surroundings grew increasingly monotonous. Flowers and grasses had long since vanished, and even the wind seemed to have grown stingy, only occasionally skimming the ground and lifting the hems of their robes.
The colorful clouds overhead seemed to have been scattered entirely by the wind, leaving only a gray expanse of sky that gave off a dim glimmer.
Endless black stone lay beneath their feet, and a lifeless sky hung overhead. The three seemed to be walking through a wasteland forgotten by the world, their path ahead as uncertain as the darkness before them.
They had no idea how long they had walked.
There was neither day nor night here, nor stars by which to measure time, making it difficult to judge the hour accurately. But by a rough estimate, given their pace, they had probably traveled several thousand li since first spotting the black speck of Xuanyuan Mountain.
They had trekked at least a thousand li over this black stone alone, yet the black speck on the horizon remained that same tiny speck, its outline not the slightest bit clearer.
Cui Jiuyang felt as though the boundless black stone had drained every ounce of strength from his body. His legs gave way, and he dropped onto his backside.
He wiped the sweat from his face. Whether he was merely grumbling or truly exhausted beyond endurance, he complained hoarsely, "That Xuanyuan Mountain... could it be moving? We take a step, and it takes a step too. At this rate, we