Translator: AnubisTL

Two days later, having thoroughly reviewed the situation in the southern Great Wilderness Domain, Li Qing set off with Zhao Tianxiong, who had been eagerly awaiting this journey.

Giant Deer Prefecture lay in the central region of the Great Wilderness Domain, a considerable distance from the southern region.

However, for Li Qing and Zhao Tianxiong, maintaining focused, full-speed travel would significantly shorten the journey.

Li Qing, a core formation realm true lord, possessed astonishingly potent mana and an astonishingly swift escape speed.

Zhao Tianxiong, as the Zhao Family Clan Head, naturally possessed specialized magic artifacts for travel.

He now piloted an Escaping Light Boat, a spirit boat equivalent to a top-grade magical artifact, surpassing even Li Qing's Serpent-Head Spirit Boat in speed.

With the boat operating at full capacity, it managed to keep pace with Li Qing's figure, barely lagging behind.

"Fellow Daoist Zhao, this spirit boat is quite impressive," Li Qing remarked, glancing back at the Escaping Light Boat as he flew through the air. "The spirit patterns are meticulously crafted—it must be the work of a master artisan, wouldn't you say?"

Li Qing had once considered refining his Serpent-Head Spirit Boat, but now that he had unconsciously reached the core formation realm, the spirit boat held little significance for him. He had thus postponed the refinement indefinitely.

Cultivators at this realm could fly through the air using their own abundant mana, achieving remarkable speed.

Those who further cultivated escape techniques could achieve even more astonishing speeds, far surpassing the capabilities of spirit boats.

"True Lord Li, you flatter me," Zhao Tianxiong said modestly, his hand gripping several mid-grade spirit stones to replenish his mana. "This Escaping Light Boat was a gift from one of my uncles. As for its creator, I'm afraid I don't know."

Clearly, even for a late foundation establishment realm cultivator like Zhao Tianxiong, piloting such a high-speed spirit boat was taxing, requiring the aid of spirit stones to maintain his spiritual energy.

After all, when traveling abroad, maintaining ample spiritual energy was crucial. Any crisis could prove disastrous without it.

Though accompanied by a core formation true lord, Zhao Tianxiong remained cautious, unwilling to entrust his fate entirely to another.

Li Qing found this prudence admirable.

Thus, the two soared through the high skies, leaving behind faint, elongated trails—one following the other in perfect harmony.

In the blink of an eye, six days had passed. The two men continued their monotonous journey without rest or sleep.

Finally, they approached the border of the Great Wilderness Southern Region.

The air grew noticeably drier, and the landscape ahead stretched out as a barren expanse, almost devoid of vegetation.

Indeed, the Great Wilderness Southern Region was an endless crimson desert!

The term "crimson desert" referred to the land's rusty-red hue. Not only the soil but even the scattered rocks that littered the ground were reddish-brown, creating an utterly desolate landscape.

To be honest, Li Qing was surprised. He hadn't expected this territory, controlled by two powerful demonic sects, to be so desolate—a completely barren wasteland.

He had imagined it would be a place teeming with life, the air thick with spiritual energy.

As if sensing Li Qing's surprise, Zhao Tianxiong, who had been following closely behind, offered an explanation:

"True Lord Li, you haven't been to the southern region before, have you? When I first came here, I was shocked too. It's strange how such a desolate place can be home to so many cultivators, including core formation true lords."

Zhao Tianxiong quickly explained the reason to Li Qing.

It turned out that the Ancient Hua Immortal Dynasty had been too powerful, squeezing the living space of two long-established demonic path sects to the brink of extinction.

This pressure wasn't limited to the demonic path; even the righteous path forces, led by the Taiyi Sect, were confined to the bitterly cold Northern Region.

The desolate appearance of the southern region had a specific cause.

Long ago, a genius of formation arts emerged from the demonic path, creating an enhanced version of the Spirit Gathering Grand Formation!

This enhanced formation not only amplified the original spirit-gathering effect but also added a new function: spirit-locking.

Once deployed over a Spirit Vein Land, the formation would draw spiritual energy from the surrounding area into the vein and lock it in place, preventing any leakage.

This formation spread rapidly across the southern region after its creation.

Any sect or individual controlling a spiritual vein immediately deployed this special Spirit Gathering Grand Formation over their Spirit Vein Land.

Over time, the spiritual energy in other parts of the southern region became increasingly scarce, transforming the land into a barren wasteland.

In contrast, the Spirit Vein Lands, where special Spirit Gathering Grand Formations had been established, possessed an absurdly dense concentration of spiritual energy, resembling sacred grounds.

"So that's how it is," Li Qing murmured after hearing this explanation, inwardly sighing.

As expected of the southern region, where the demonic path thrives. Their actions are utterly unrestrained, completely disregarding whether such methods defy the natural order.

Yet, upon further reflection, Li Qing realized this outcome was almost inevitable.

If other factions deployed these Spirit Gathering Grand Formations, any group that failed to do so would inevitably suffer the loss of spiritual energy from their Spirit Vein Lands.

Over time, this imbalance would have severe consequences.

The spiritual vein itself might even degrade by one or two ranks!

As the foundation of any faction's power, no one would willingly allow such a thing to happen.

If you deploy this Grand Formation, then I must do the same. No one wants to be at a disadvantage!

As they continued their conversation, the pair ventured deeper into the Great Wilderness Southern Region.

They hadn't traveled far when a furious roar suddenly erupted from a mortal town ahead:

"What?! The hundred boys and girls you were supposed to offer as tribute have been stolen? Who the hell did this?!"

The voice was thunderous, its tone brimming with rage.

An aged voice replied in terror, "Immortal Master, please calm your anger! We don't know who they were, but they were clearly powerful immortal masters who could fly through the air. Many Martial Artists in the town were left half-crippled."

"Trying to steal my tribute? Could they be from the Blood Spirit Sect?"

The gruff, booming voice paused briefly, then roared again:

"Old man, are you trying to deceive me? This place is desolate and remote—how could other cultivators possibly be here?"

"I spent three months painstakingly summoning rain for you. If you can't deliver those hundred boys and girls today, I'll sacrifice your entire town alive!"

Soon, the mortal City Lord was pleading for mercy, his voice filled with despair. "Immortal Master, spare me! This old man speaks the truth! I would never dare deceive an immortal!"

"Hmph! True or false, I'll search your soul first!"

In the city, a bare-chested, bronze-skinned, and grotesquely muscular man stood up, preparing to perform soul-searching and soul-refining on the elderly mortal before him.

But in the next instant, a cold snort echoed from the sky.

"Hmph!"

Immediately afterward, an overwhelmingly powerful aura descended, instantly immobilizing the hulking brute.

Moments later, two figures swooped down from the sky.

It was Li Qing and Zhao Tianxiong!

Neither of them had expected to encounter immortal cultivators abducting mortals so soon after entering this chaotic, barren land.

(End of the Chapter)

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