"Is this the world outside of the Zhi Family Secret Realm? I've been in seclusion for so many years I've nearly forgotten what the outside looks like."

In Mosen Province, two figures were racing through the air at high speed, and anyone sensing their presence would instinctively retreat in fear, not daring to provoke them.

One of them, wearing a black robe, had a handsome face, and his determined eyes occasionally flickered with a sharp Sword Aura.

Who else could it be but Chu Nan?

Chu Nan heard the martial artist beside him sigh and couldn't help but smile, "Senior, you were born in the Zhi Family Secret Realm, so I assume you haven't been to other places besides Mosen Province?"

This martial artist's aura was thick, and his features looked as if they were carved by a knife, appearing extremely rugged.

He was bare-chested, revealing strong muscles, and his whole body exuded a wild sense of power.

This person was Zhi Tianping, the fourth ancestor of the Zhi family, a prodigy martial artist who reached the Second Heaven.

Previously affected by the threat of Demon Blood, Zhi Tianping chose to seclude himself to suppress his berserk mindset after breaking through the Second Heaven and becoming one of the Zhi family ancestors.

He was completely unaware of the family's extinction crisis.

Until after repelling the Desolate Ancient Holy Hall, when Chu Nan demonstrated his ability to remove the Demon Blood threat even from cultivators of the Ninth Heaven, he then awakened Zhi Tianping and removed his threat.

After allying with the Zhi family, Zhi Tianping, acting as a link and driven by his personal strong desires, followed Chu Nan in leaving for the Imperial Capital together.

Chu Nan wasn't worried at all about Zhi Tianping possibly exposing his identity.

Though Zhi Tianping was a Second Heaven martial artist, he was born and raised in the Zhi Family Secret Realm and rarely left even after breaking through to the Second Heaven, with very few people outside having seen him.

Moreover, with the Demon Blood threat removed, as long as Zhi Tianping didn't reveal the power of the Demon Blood, he wouldn't be discovered.

Freshly out of the Zhi Family Secret Realm, Zhi Tianping seemed especially excited, with a novelty-seeking attitude toward everything, which didn't surprise Chu Nan.

After leaving the barren lands of Mosen Province, Zhi Tianping's eyes grew even more animated, like a bird set free from a cage, soaring freely and singing loudly.

Chu Nan actively introduced various information about the Qin Kingdom to Zhi Tianping, helping him understand the world outside the Zhi Family Secret Realm.

After exiting the Zhi Family Secret Realm, Chu Nan didn't immediately head for the Imperial Capital; he planned to return first to the Spirit Corpse Sect in Liangshan Province.

According to previous arrangements, the Cyan Mountain Sword Sect and the Spirit Corpse Sect had already gathered in one place, and even the former Mansion Master of the Cyan Profound State and his daughter, Lin Yian, had joined the Spirit Corpse Sect.

The power of the Strong Races and the Royal Family was too formidable, and only by following the Spirit Corpse Sect could they feel a shred of safety.

Heading to the Imperial Capital was no small matter, and only after confirming everyone's safety could Chu Nan fully be at ease.

Thus, the two of them rushed all the way, traversing several provinces; the aura of a Cloud Sea Realm martial artist made the forces along the way dare not block them.

Unknowingly, Chu Nan had already grown into a formidable powerhouse capable of shaking the region.

Yet even so, in the face of the Strong Races and the Royal Family of the Imperial Capital, Chu Nan was still just a slightly larger ant.

Without battle strength above the Second Heaven, one would always be a pawn to be moved in the Celestial Crossing Realm.

...

In Qin Kingdom, Liangshan Province.

Chu Nan and Zhi Tianping wandered around, making several stops, taking a full half month to reach their destination.

Liangshan Province was a relatively strong province within the Qin Kingdom's borders, whether it be the number of experts or the cultivation environment, it couldn't compare to Qingxuan Province.

But even so, Liangshan Province was still far behind the Imperial Capital; the number of Cloud Sea Realm martial artists demonstrated this difference.

Liangshan Province, Corpse Bone Mountain Range!

Due to the awakening of all the corpses in the Myriad Corpse Mountain, the Spirit Corpse Sect had to move to the Corpse Bone Mountain Range.

After the two realms separated, capable experts fled to the Heavenly Balance Realm one after another.

This led to the rise of mighty martial arts countries established by the powers of the Celestial Crossing Realm, dividing the entire realm into several parts, constantly warring without end.

Ultimately, Qin Kingdom's military force stopped the chaos across the land, with the Ji family becoming the nominal rulers of the Celestial Crossing Realm.

It's said that the Corpse Bone Mountain Range in Liangshan Province was once a battlefield before Qin Kingdom unified the Celestial Crossing Realm.

Countless died in that battle, and corpse energy filled the sky.

Though not as grand as Myriad Corpse Mountain, the Corpse Bone Mountain Range was still the most suitable place in Liangshan Province for the Spirit Corpse Sect's new headquarters.

From afar, the Corpse Bone Mountain Range, covered in white bones, looked like winter snow instead of bones.

The new headquarters of the Spirit Corpse Sect was built at the foot of the mountains, grand and imposing, deterring all surrounding miscreants.

"Senior, not far from here is my sect. Let me show you some hospitality," Chu Nan said to Zhi Tianping, appearing relaxed.

Zhi Tianping nodded slightly, full of anticipation, "I've never encountered sect forces in the Zhi Family Secret Realm; this will be a real eye-opener."

In front of Chu Nan, Zhi Tianping never assumed the demeanor of a senior but interacted as an equal, even though Chu Nan's cultivation was only at the Second Heaven of the Cloud Sea Realm.

Because Zhi Tianping knew that without Chu Nan, the Zhi family would have been destroyed long ago, and he, too, would face the doom they had already overcome, or even progress beyond!

Not long after their casual conversation, both of their expressions subtly changed.

A trace of Sword Aura flashed in Chu Nan's eyes as he said morosely, "Senior, do you sense a killing intent from the surroundings of the Corpse Bone Mountain Range?"

Zhi Tianping's soul strength was weaker than Chu Nan's, but he was still a Second Heaven powerhouse, and almost simultaneously, he noticed the same, saying:

"It seems there are many different forces appearing around the Corpse Bone Mountain Range; from the way their camps are set up, it's like they're preparing to besiege the Corpse Bone Mountain Range!"

Chu Nan silently clenched his fists; the thing he worried about the most had happened after all.

"Who could these people be? Strong Races or the Royal Family? Are they besieging the Spirit Corpse Sect because of me?" Chu Nan started to think worriedly.

Zhi Tianping, however, seemed eager and full of excitement, saying, "I haven't fought since breaking through to the Second Heaven. I hope this time I can really have my fill."

While Chu Nan was burdened with worry, Zhi Tianping's thoughts revolved around the joy that battle would bring him.

Of course, Chu Nan wouldn't let Zhi Tianping act impulsively, so he said, "Let's not expose ourselves for now; let's gather more information and confirm which force intends to destroy the Spirit Corpse Sect."

Zhi Tianping nodded, then suppressed his cultivation aura to the level of the Divine Illumination Realm, and Chu Nan did the same.

The two walked side by side, appearing to be typical Divine Illumination Realm martial artists of the fifth level.

Concerned about being recognized, Chu Nan even used a ghost disguise to alter his appearance.

From a distance of over ten miles, Chu Nan and Zhi Tianping began to fly low and cautiously approached, and before long, they discovered a squad of martial artists advancing towards the Corpse Bone Mountain Range.

The strongest among them had reached the seventh level of the Divine Illumination Realm!

Chu Nan and Zhi Tianping exchanged glances, then intentionally released a hint of aura.

"Who goes there!" the leading Seventh-Level Divine Illumination male martial artist suddenly shouted at the air.

Chu Nan and Zhi Tianping revealed themselves, one in front and the other behind.

Chu Nan showed a hint of fear and said, "We're just passing through, we mean no harm."

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