Yang Zhen was exhausted from walking. Wasn't it supposed to randomly appear somewhere in the first level of the world? Why hadn't he encountered a single person after walking for so long?
This world is neither small nor large. So many people came in together, yet Yang Zhen hasn't met a single one yet, and the burden on his back is almost overflowing.
As rumored, the first level of the world was indeed full of heavenly materials and earthly treasures. The heavenly materials and earthly treasures Yang Zhen had collected along the way were already worth several hundred crystals.
However, Yang Zhen was unaware that others only needed to glance at him to receive three thousand crystals from Yun Kong and the other two. If he knew, he would definitely find someone to look at him a few more times and then share the spoils.
Before long, Yang Zhen was tired from walking and collecting. These things were medicinal materials needed by Alchemist, but they were not very useful to him. In addition, he would have to sell them, which was too troublesome.
There was a large rock in front of them, and for some reason, Yang Zhen really wanted to climb up and see the scenery. This sudden urge had nothing to do with age.
Just as Yang Zhen climbed up, he suddenly heard a series of whispering conversations.
Someone's there!
"Where on earth has Yang Zhen gone? The first level of the world is only so big, and he still hasn't shown up."
"Appeared?" A woman's voice came. "What's he doing out here? So many Golden Core Realm experts like Yuan Kong are looking for him. If a Foundation Establishment Realm cultivator like him shows up, how can he possibly survive?"
"Junior sister, once I find Yang Zhen and collect the bounty, I'll marry you. Then we'll be a divine dao companion, wouldn't that be carefree and unrestrained?"
The woman snorted coldly, "Senior brother, do you think we have a chance to kill Yang Zhen? He seems to have quite a lot on him. If we can get his storage ring, we won't have to worry about Cultivation Resources for decades."
"But we can't find Yang Zhen. This place is the most remote and desolate in the entire first level world. The entrance to the second level is to the north, and someone has discovered the aura of Realm Treasure to the west. We're in this godforsaken place in the southeast. Who would come here right now? Junior sister, if you see Yang Zhen, you can pretend to approach him, and then..."
"What... what if Yang Zhen does...?"
Those two bastards are quite cunning; they figured out exactly how he was bewitched and how they planned to cut off his head.
The male couple were speaking with sinister expressions about cutting off Yang Zhen's head, but Yang Zhen was overhearing the unintentional information they were revealing.
Although the two didn't exchange many words, the information they conveyed delighted Yang Zhen. After searching for a long time, he discovered that the southeast direction was the entrance to the second level, while the west direction contained the aura of Realm Treasure.
No wonder that guy down there said this place is a godforsaken place. Yang Zhen was thrown here by the Nine Realms Exquisite Pagoda, it's no wonder he's unlikely to encounter anyone.
Even if you do encounter them, they'll likely have ulterior motives, like the couple below.
Yang Zhen, lying on the rock, was thoroughly enjoying the spectacle. The two were probably both at the Foundation Establishment Realm Ninth Layer. Just as he was thinking about how to deal with them, the woman suddenly raised her head for some reason, and their Yang Zhen met. For a moment, both of them were stunned.
The man called out a few times, but when the woman didn't respond, he asked in surprise, "Junior Sister, what's wrong?"
Yang Zhen winked at the woman, who seemed to only then realize what was happening. She screamed, the sound so loud it was deafening, and Yang Zhen quickly shrank back and covered his ears.
"Who goes there?" the man shouted in a deep voice. Just as he was about to get up from the woman, a huge fist came down from the sky and landed on his forehead.
Bang!
A dull thud rang out, stunning the man who was knocked onto the woman. When he regained consciousness, the two of them were already tied to a tree by Yang Zhen.
With Yang Zhen's current strength, dealing with these two scheming fellows would be a piece of cake.
"Yang... Yang Zhen, what are you doing here? We have no grudges against each other, why... why did you attack us?" The woman said, her head lowered and biting her lip.
A flicker of fear crossed the man's eyes as he pleaded, " Yang Zhen, I... I didn't intend to use you to exchange for crystals, much less kill you. You... you won't kill me, will you?"
Yang Zhen curled his lip, not even bothering to look at the ill-fated couple. He stuffed the things he had found in their clothes into his pocket, looked up at the man, and asked, "Which sect are you disciples of?"
"I am a disciple of the Sea Xiongnu Sect from the Great Jiang Kingdom. My name is..."
"Alright, alright, I'm not interested in your names. Black Bear Sect, what a strange sect!" Yang Zhen waved his hand and looked at the two of them, asking, "I'm asking you, is the entrance to the second level really in the north?"
"That's definitely true in the North!"
"The West has detected the aura of Realm Treasure?"
"The news has spread throughout the entire floor. Most of the experts have gone to the West now, so it shouldn't be wrong."
The two answered every question without hesitation, not daring to hide anything. Given the situation, who would dare utter a single word of dissent?
Yang Zhen hesitated for a moment, then, under the terrified gazes of the two men, held up one finger and asked, "One last question!"
Hearing this, the two of them breathed a sigh of relief and nodded hurriedly, saying, "Ask away! As long as we know the answer, we will tell you everything. We won't hide anything."
Yang Zhen glanced at the two of them. "I suppose you wouldn't dare to hide anything. This last question is very important. Think carefully before you answer. If you answer well, I might let you go. But if you hide anything, you'll both die!"
Both of them turned pale. What a joke! Tied to a tree and starving to death, and a man and a woman at that! Even in death, they'd probably be vilified.
"Young Master Yang... I will tell you everything I know without hiding anything. Please... please don't kill us!"
The woman's tears fell in a steady stream, making her look utterly pitiful.
Yang Zhen was satisfied with their reactions and stood up to ask, "Don't cry, don't cry. I'm not a bad person. Listen carefully to the last question."
The two of them immediately pricked up their ears, even holding their breath, afraid that they wouldn't understand Yang Zhen's question.
Which direction is west?
The two of them froze, staring blankly at Yang Zhen, unable to react for a long time.
Yang Zhen frowned and drew the Startling Thunder Sword with a clang.
"No, no, no! Behind you, behind you is the west!"
The two men's expressions changed drastically. The man hurriedly said, "If we speak too slowly, Yang Zhen might pierce the candied hawthorn with his sword. That would be terrible!"
Yang Zhen glanced back, put away the Thunderclap, and turned to leave.
"You should have said so earlier! You won't shed a tear until you see the coffin."
Watching Yang Zhen's departing figure, the two looked at each other, both almost in tears.
"How embarrassing! It wasn't my fault for turning!"
Yang Zhen cursed, his face turning red. At first, he didn't realize what had happened, but after he learned the location of the entrance and the Realm Treasure, he realized that he had gone astray and couldn't tell which way was north, south, east, or west.
Now that he knew the direction, Yang Zhen unleashed his Skyward Cannon and charged westward.
While suspended in mid-air, Yang Zhen suddenly had a thought, and his figure became elusive, like a leaf in the air, fast as lightning, and unpredictable.
Traversing the Void in Midair!
Yang Zhen was overjoyed. He hadn't expected that the Traversing the Void in Midair technique would be so exhilarating. Moreover, when combined with the Heaven-Defying Tathagata Cloud-Dispelling Palm, the speed reached its limit. Ordinary flying swords couldn't be this fast.
Before long, Yang Zhen saw a lively scene ahead, with shadowy figures and Yuan Kong and the others among them.
Just then, a deafening roar resounded, and from the center of the crowd, a terrifying surge of energy emanated in all directions, and a fruit resembling a lollipop ripened.
They're here! It's getting lively!
Yang Zhen could see clearly that the bright red thing must be the so-called Realm Treasure; otherwise, why would so many people be gathered around it?