Chapter 613 – Abandoned Earth
A place with no life, where not even grass grows. An endless wasteland where dust and gravel swirl randomly and one care barely see ten meters in front of their face.
This was the Abandoned Earth!
Upon stepping into this place, Yang Kai couldn’t help becoming more vigilant. According to Zi Mo, the flow of energy in the Abandoned Earth was chaotic and disaster could strike at any moment. If someone was even a little careless, even their bones might not remain.
Moreover, due to this chaotic energy, it was very difficult to maintain a sense of direction, so it was easy to become lost. Every year, a large number of powerful masters would come here seeking opportunities, but most of them would never return.
How did the Abandoned Earth form? Zi Mo didn’t know too much, only that this place had suddenly appeared some two hundred years ago.
The region where the Abandoned Earth now stood on had not always been this desolate. Although it wasn’t a rich vibrant land, at the very least, there were flowers and trees and traces of human activities.
The appearance of the Abandoned Earth more than two hundred years ago had created a big stir and to this day was one of the greatest mysteries in Tian Lang Dynasty.
But while Zi Mo didn’t know the origins of the Abandoned Earth, Yang Kai did.
Tian Lang Dynasty’s most famous Forbidden Zone was actually created by Meng Wu Ya.
Treasurer Meng had passed Yang Kai a message at the last moment before the void corridor to Tong Xuan Continent collapsed.
In that Divine Sense message, he had told Yang Kai a route to take to get to Tong Xuan Continent; it was because of this message from Meng Wu Ya that Yang Kai had come here.
If it weren’t for Meng Wu Ya, Yang Kai would never have known that there was a hidden void corner in this Abandoned Earth. If he could find it, he could travel to the other world.
When Meng Wu Ya first arrived in this world from Tong Xuan Continent, he had used the void corridor where the Abandoned Earth was now located, and in order to protect this passage, he had used a profound technique to create a protective array here, turning this place into a kind of Forbidden Zone.
Over time, feeding on the surrounding World Energy, this array became more and more dangerous and eventually grew beyond the scope that Meng Wu Ya could control, gradually growing to its current size and scope.
Two hundred years ago, Meng Wu Ya had come to this world through this void corridor, so just how old is Treasurer Meng? Yang Kai recalled the content of the message he had received and couldn’t help wondering.
Treasurer Meng was really mysterious. Every time Yang Kai thought he had figured Meng Wu Ya out, he would quickly realize that he actually understood nothing about him. Yang Kai even faintly thought that Meng Wu Ya’s current Third Order Transcendent Realm cultivation was not his full strength.
[That old fox!] Yang Kai grumbled to himself as he shook his head.
Shui Ling followed Yang Kai’s footsteps closely; although she was already a Peak Immortal Ascension Boundary cultivator, this place still gave her a rather insecure feeling. She did not dare stray too far from Yang Kai for fear of them being separated.
Walking only a short distance, Yang Kai suddenly paused, closed his eyes and listened carefully, a moment later his expression becoming solemn as he grabbed Shui Ling and pulled her forward rapidly.
After only rushing out several dozen meters, a terrifying wind howled behind them.
Shui Ling turned around instinctively to look and immediately went pale; in the place where the pair had just been standing now stood a great tornado that stretched high in to the sky, fierce blades of wind that contained a terrifying energy constantly flying out from it, digging up the surrounding earth.
“Follow me closely,” Yang Kai said, “The energy here is too chaotic, if we’re not careful we may die here.”
Shui Ling’s beautiful face, which was now drained of all colour, nodded repeatedly, and asked somewhat nervously, “This place is so dangerous and there are no Precious Treasure, so why did that Zi Mo girl say a lot of masters from Tian Lang Dynasty still come here seeking opportunities?”
“Because these chaotic energy flows are actually a portrayal of a profound Martial Skill,” Yang Kai explained casually.
“These things are the result of a Martial Skill?” Shui Ling was stunned.
“En, many years ago, in order to protect the secret of this place, someone released a lot of high-end Martial Skills in this area and then, through some special methods, preserved their destructive power. Although as time passed, the form of these Martial Skills dissipated and the energy become chaotic, they still contain wisps of that master’s comprehension of the Martial Dao. If someone is able to comprehend part of those sensibilities from these chaotic energies, they might be able to piece together some profound Martial Skills, so… do you think those masters won’t be tempted?”
“What master possesses such skill?” Shui Ling was dumbstruck, “It shouldn’t be possible to preserve the destructive power of Martial Skills for so long.”
“Nothing is impossible. Also, you’ve already met that person.” Yang Kai smiled.
“Who?” Shui Ling was now even more confused.
Yang Kai didn’t answer despite Shui Ling’s multiple inquiries, so after a while she couldn’t help snorting disdainfully, “You’re really just lying to me. How could someone from the Great Han Dynasty understand the secrets of this place when that Zi Mo who has lived here all her life doesn’t?”
However, apart from this explanation, Shui Ling couldn’t think of any benefit in this place that would be attractive enough for the masters of Tian Lang Dynasty to risk their lives here.
As Yang Kai and Shui Ling proceeded, the two would encounter violent energy storms almost every hour. These storms would release potent bursts of energy that was composed of multiple chaotic attributes, making them particularly difficult to block .
Fortunately, Yang Kai’s senses were outstanding and he was always able to notice some abnormalities at the most critical times and lead Shui Ling away from danger.
After two or three days walking inward, Shui Ling’s beautiful face was matted with dust and dirt and her shimmering light blue hair was dishevelled and caked with mud.
The deeper the pair went, the more dangers they encountered and the more frequent the chaotic energy storms occurred. By this point, Shui Ling had become quite helpless so even though she didn’t know what Yang Kai’s ultimate goal was, she didn’t become anxious and just docilely followed behind him.
She knew that Yang Kai would surely lead her home.
At the same time, in a different location inside the Abandoned Earth.
More than a dozen Immortal Ascension Boundary masters were following a glowing ball of light. This ball of light wreaked havoc wherever it flew and contained a formidable power.
These dozen or so Immortal Ascension Boundary masters shouted and yelled to each other while under the leadership of one person, scattered around and tried to spy on the mysteries of this light sphere.
After much effort, just as they were on the verge of success, a figure suddenly came from a distance. This newcomer’s aura was violent and dangerous and quickly arrived in front of them.
The earth trembled when he landed.
“Who are you?” The leader angrily questioned.
“Xing Zong!” The person who came announced his name in a low voice, and although he was doing his best to suppress the anger of his heart, anyone who heard him could tell he was not happy.
“Xing Zong?” Hearing this name, the leader of this group’s face changed dramatically and he quickly stepped forward. After seeing Xing Zong’s face and confirming his identity, the leader immediately became respectful. He cupped his fists and greeted, “So it is Sen Luo Temple’s Sect Master.”
Sen Luo Temple was the only Super Force in Tian Lang Dynasty, so its status was completely unmatched.
Although the people gathered here now all had not small prestige in Tian Lang Dynasty, facing Xing Zong they still couldn’t help becoming respectful, all of them offering polite greetings.
Xing Zong simply nodded lightly.
The leader of this group wore a big smile on his face as he cautiously asked, “Did Sect Master Xing come to the Abandoned Earth in search of opportunities as well?”
In response, Xing Zong coldly snorted, “I don’t have so much free time.”
“Then for what reason has Sect Master Xing come here today?” The leader asked, slightly puzzled.
The Abandoned Earth was not a hospitable place, and since Xing Zong wasn’t here seeking inspiration, why had he suddenly decided to come here?
“My son was killed by two cultivators from the Great Han Dynasty, since you arrived here, have any of you seen a pair of foreigners?”
Hearing this, the leader’s expression changed to one of astonishment, “Young Sect Master was killed by cultivators from the Great Han Dynasty?”
The other masters gathered here also became indignant.
The reputation of Sen Luo Temple in Tian Lang Dynasty wasn’t very good, but the son of its Sect Master being killed by two Great Han Dynasty cultivators naturally aroused some ire.
No matter what contradictions cultivators had, when facing foreign enemies, they would feel a common enmity.
“None of us have seen such a pair, but since they dared come to this place, they definitely have some skill,” The leader muttered.
How could someone without any skill or strength dare enter the Abandoned Earth, what difference was that from seeking death?
“Sect Master Xing, do you have need of our assistance?”
Thinking for a moment, Xing Zong nodded and said, “Good, I have a method of that can trace their approximate location, so it is only a matter of time before I find them. All of you follow me and if they try to escape, help me block them.”
“It is our honour to be of service to Sect Master Xing,” The leader yelled, casting aside any thought of the light sphere he had been studying for so long and immediately ordering his men to follow Xing Zong.
Selling Xing Zong a favour at this time by helping with some minor matters would definitely have advantages in the future.
Not long after, this group met another batch of Tian Lang Dynasty cultivators. This group was quite small, only numbering five in total, but after hearing Xing Zong’s purpose for coming here, they immediately expressed their willingness to cooperate.
All together, a Transcendent Realm and more than twenty Immortal Ascension Boundary masters began closing in on Yang Kai and Shui Ling.
With the Tracing Insect leading the way, Xing Zong wasn’t worried about whether he could find Yang Kai or not.
The special link between the male and female Tracing Insects was valid even in this chaotic environment.
Yang Kai and Shui Ling were still walking deeper into the Abandoned Earth, proceeding neither quickly nor slowly. Both were not aware of the great danger those pursers behind them posed.
After walking for an unknown amount of time, the pair arrived in front of a region that was perfectly calm with a dark curtain surrounding it. Seeing this, Yang Kai breathed a sigh of relief, a touch of joy surfacing on his face.
The message that Treasurer Meng had sent him had been too hasty so although there was some guidance in it, Yang Kai was afraid he would lose his way in the Abandoned Earth, but now seeing this island of calm in the storm he was finally able to relax.
They had arrived!
Inside this calm region was the void corridor that led to Tong Xuan Continent.
“Yang Kai, this place gives me a bad feeling,” Shui Ling muttered, her tender body shivering as she stared forward. Right now, she felt a profound chill brushing past her face and so long as she dared to step forward, she would die a gruesome death.
“Danger isn’t just in front of us,” Yang Kai nodded lightly, turning around and staring at the region behind them.
There, a number of vague figures could be seen. The two sides were separated by only a hundred meters or so but these people were all standing still, as if they didn’t dare to approach this place.
Shui Ling cried out in shock, never having expected to meet people here at this critical time, and from the auras these people were giving off, it was obvious they did not have friendly intentions.