A crimson Divine Rainbow swept across the boundless mountains and rivers as Li Qingshan traveled eastward alone.
His movements were graceful and swift, leaving a long trail in the air.
Three days later, a majestic ancient city appeared on the horizon, its walls soaring into the clouds, covered with intricate patterns, exuding an ancient and magnificent aura.
This is one of the famous mega-cities in the Southern Region the Eastern Wasteland, containing several Domain Gate established by major powers, connecting to all directions.
Having paid the required resources, Li Qingshan stepped into the Domain Gate square established here by the Yaoguang Holy Land.
The square is paved with huge gray and white stones and is incredibly vast. At its center stands a massive altar.
The altar was constructed of five different colored divine stones, corresponding to the five elements, and was covered with dense and profound Void Dao patterns. At this moment, it was emitting a hazy glow, and the space around it was slightly distorted, emitting a low hum.
Dozens of cultivators were already waiting here, their cultivation levels varying from the Sea of Bitterness to the Dao Palace.
They sat alone or in small groups, their gazes occasionally sweeping over the massive Domain Gate with anticipation, tension, or a calm acceptance.
Li Qingshan's arrival did not attract much attention.
He was reserved, like an ordinary person, but his extraordinary demeanor still made a few people secretly take notice.
"Fellow Daoist, are you also going to the Northern Region to try your luck?"
A kind-faced, middle-aged cultivator at the Dao Palace Realm, dressed in a brocade robe, struck up a conversation with a smile.
Li Qingshan nodded slightly in response, without saying anything more.
Seeing his indifferent attitude, the cultivator didn't take it to heart, smiled, and stopped bothering him.
About an incense stick's time later, an elder from the Yaoguang Holy Land responsible for guarding the Domain Gate appeared. His hair and beard were all white, and his aura was profound. He swept his light over the waiting crowd, and his voice was calm yet authoritative. " The Domain Gate is about to be activated towards the Northern Region Holy City. Please ascend the altar and stand in the designated area. Do not move around at will, and do not use your divine sense to probe the Void turbulence. Those who violate this rule will bear the consequences."
Upon hearing this, everyone stood up and, following the instructions, stepped onto the Five-Colored Altar, standing within the safe zone marked by the shimmering Void runes.
Li Qingshan walked with ease, standing in the center of the crowd.
"Activate the Domain Gate!"
The elder gave the order.
Several disciples of the Yaoguang, who had been preparing for some time, simultaneously poured massive amounts of source energy into specific grooves around the altar.
In an instant, the vast essence was frantically drawn out by the altar, and the dense Void Dao patterns lit up one by one, bursting out with dazzling light!
"Boom!!"
The entire altar trembled violently, Five-Colored Divine Light shot into the sky, tearing through the clouds and outlining a huge, constantly rotating spatial vortex in the heavens.
Deep within the vortex lies a bizarre and distorted passageway, seemingly connecting to the other side of the world.
A powerful spatial force descended, and a faint, clear light emanated from Li Qingshan's body, easily isolating him from the uncomfortable spatial oppression.
The next moment, an irresistible force came, and the figures of everyone on the altar blurred and elongated, turning into streaks of light, and were swallowed by the huge spatial vortex!
The world is spinning!
Li Qingshan remained calm amidst the bizarre and fantastical Void passage.
He sensed the drastic changes in the rules of space around him; the shattered starscape, the absolute silence and darkness, and the occasional invisible spatial storms that brushed past him could not move him.
He even spared a wisp of his divine sense to carefully comprehend the mysteries of traversing the Void, which was of great benefit to his understanding of the Space Great Dao.
Most of the other cultivators in the group closed their eyes and concentrated, focusing all their divine power on resisting the discomfort caused by this spatial teleportation.
Some cultivators at the Sea of Bitterness Realm with slightly weaker cultivation levels turned pale and trembled slightly.
This contrasted sharply with Li Qingshan's nonchalant attitude.
After an unknown amount of time, a point of light appeared ahead and rapidly expanded.
"We're almost there! Prepare to withstand the impact!" an experienced monk shouted a warning.
boom!
A violent tremor followed, the spatial binding force vanished abruptly, and blinding sunlight replaced the strange sights within the passage.
A feeling of being grounded came over me.
arrive!
Everyone breathed a sigh of relief.
However, when they saw what was before them, the ease and anticipation on their faces froze instantly, turning into astonishment and disappointment.
"What the hell is this place?!"
What came into view was not the beautiful mountains and rivers, or the palaces and towers that I had imagined, but an endless expanse of red land!
The sky was a vast, clear blue, with a slightly pale Sun hanging in the sky, its rays scorching and direct.
The earth was a monotonous crimson, covered with sand and gravel, stretching as far as the eye could see.
In the distance, undulating, barren mountains appeared a deathly dark red.
The fierce wind whipped up sand and dust, forming yellow tornadoes that moved across the vast Gobi Desert, emitting a howling sound that added to the desolation and barrenness.
The air was filled with the scent of dryness and dust. Although the essence of heaven and earth was not thin, it had a violent and scorching quality, which was completely different from the moist and mild climate of the Southern Region.
"Wasn't the Northern Region supposed to be incredibly rich? Where's the source? Where are the divine mines? How come it's such a godforsaken place!"
A burly man couldn't help but curse.
" Laozi spent so much source energy, and all I got is this crappy place? Is there something wrong with the Domain Gate of the Yaoguang Holy Land?"
The other person also looked extremely gloomy.
Disappointment spread through the crowd.
Li Qingshan's gaze swept across the boundless red land, his eyes calm and undisturbed.
He already knew the true face of the Northern Region from the information he had, and now that he was witnessing it with his own eyes, he felt as if his knowledge was being confirmed.
" The Northern Region are vast, and we are merely situated on its edge."
He silently thought to himself, "The source is indeed hidden beneath this land, buried deep within mineral deposits, rather than exposed on the surface."
The brocade-robed cultivator who had spoken earlier sighed and said to the complaining people around him, "Please calm down. The Northern Region is indeed rich in resources, but more than 99% of the rich mines have already been divided and occupied by the Great Saint, Desolate Ancient Family, and supreme sects."
Such desolate places are the norm in the Northern Region.
The truly prosperous cities were the Source City, Divine City, and the legendary Holy City established by powerful forces.
Upon hearing this, everyone fell silent, realizing the cruelty of reality.
Li Qingshan stopped lingering and paid no more attention to these disheartened cultivators.
He took a step forward, and his figure appeared on a barren, red mountain in the distance.
Looking around, he saw only barren land stretching for miles, a vast and desolate expanse of sky and earth. A fierce wind, carrying sand and gravel, whipped his robes, making a rustling sound.
" Northern Region "
He muttered to himself, his divine sense slowly spreading out like a tide, sensing the vast dragon energy hidden deep within this ancient land and the scattered pulsations of the source minerals, while also perceiving the various ferocious auras lurking beneath the desolation.
This is a stage where opportunities and dangers coexist.
Without a moment's hesitation, Li Qingshan chose a direction, his figure transforming once again into a crimson-gold Divine Rainbow, tearing through the vast sky and plunging into the depths of this crimson land.
Behind them, the other cultivators who had come with them dispersed, each carrying different feelings, and entered this vast and cruel world.
A strong wind whipped up sand and gravel, stinging my face. The sky was high and distant, the earth silent.
The Northern Region of the Eastern Wilderness welcomed this lone visitor in the most direct and unadorned way.