Chapter 165 ·Ling Wuchen’s Journey Through the Central Lands

Time ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍passed swiftly.

Whether ‍​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍it was the changes in the Spirit Realm or the Demon Realm, they resembled rivers and seas—sometimes calm, sometimes filled with raging waves.

Meanwhile, ‍​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍the Supreme Creation Lesser Luo Grotto Heaven remained the same as always, tranquil as still water.

Ten ‍​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍years passed.

Within ‍​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍Longevity Hall, Gu Yan’s cultivation had risen from Human Immortal Realm Third Layer to Human Immortal Realm Fifth Layer.

Basically ‍​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍one layer every five years—not fast, not slow, steady and stable.

Clouds rolled and dispersed outside the hall, while within it the years remained peaceful and serene.

......

Spirit Realm.

Ten years’ time was neither especially long nor especially short.

On Burning Heaven Demon Venerable’s side, he truly had quieted down.

However, the chaos within the Spirit Realm did not calm because of Burning Heaven Demon Venerable’s silence.

Because the demon race had once again become unwilling to remain lonely.

The Western Wasteland, like the Northern Plains, had always been traditional demon territory.

Over these years, the great demon experts had either died or fled. Although demons still occupied the Western Wasteland, they had never become a major force.

But now, a new Demon King had risen.

It was a Great Peng bird.

No one knew where this Great Peng bird came from, nor how many years it had cultivated. They only knew that when he suddenly appeared, he already possessed peak Tribulation Crossing Realm cultivation.

He unified the demon race of the Western Wasteland. Wherever his orders reached, all demons submitted.

The human cultivators within the Western Wasteland were either killed, driven away, or fled voluntarily.

There was no helping it. This demon was simply too powerful.

With a single flap of his wings, the winds and clouds changed color while mountains and rivers trembled.

The several major human forces that originally occupied the Western Wasteland were utterly insignificant before him.

When Tribulation Crossing ancestors attacked, he tore them apart with a single claw.

When sect-protecting grand formations activated, he dispersed them with a single breath of demonic wind.

Within only a few years, the Western Wasteland completely became the domain of the demon race.

Moreover, this Great Peng Demon King was completely different from the Bull Demon Demon King of the past.

The Bull Demon Demon King had acted tyrannically, always alone, disdaining cooperation with any force.

But this Great Peng Demon King seemed far more skilled at judging situations.

After rising to power, he did not clash violently with Burning Heaven Demon Venerable like the Bull Demon Demon King once had.

On the contrary.

He proactively sent envoys to the Northern Plains and formed an alliance with Burning Heaven Demon Venerable.

Together, their target pointed directly toward the human Central Lands.

The Central Lands—the richest and most prosperous region among the Spirit Realm’s five great regions.

Resources were abundant there, making it the true core territory of the Spirit Realm.

Both the Great Peng Demon King and Burning Heaven Demon Venerable knew that if they truly wished to dominate the Spirit Realm, then the Central Lands were an unavoidable part of the plan.

As for the Eastern Continent...

Naturally, they still remembered that the Eastern Continent was protected by a great expert capable of casually killing peak Tribulation Crossing Realm beings.

How overbearing had the Bull Demon Demon King been? Yet he had still been exterminated just like that.

Although they did not know whether that great expert was still within the Eastern Continent, with matters like this, it was better to believe than doubt.

Therefore, their plan was to first seize the Central Lands, strengthen themselves, and only afterward decide whether to move against the Eastern Continent.

What they did not know was that the Central Lands were also protected by a mysterious sword cultivator great expert no weaker than the one in the Eastern Continent.

......

Western Wasteland, somewhere within a barren mountain range.

Ling Wuchen currently looked extremely miserable.

Several places on his robe were torn apart, his hair was disheveled, his face pale, and traces of blood still hung from the corner of his mouth.

Yet his gaze remained sharp, while the longsword in his hand emitted a faint cold radiance.

Speaking of which, his luck had always been rather good.

Over the years, fortunate opportunities continuously came his way, and his cultivation advanced triumphantly. He had now reached the early Void Refinement stage.

Several months ago, he accidentally obtained an ancient sword art within a secret realm. After entering secluded cultivation to comprehend it, he finally grasped an extremely powerful sword intent.

His strength increased greatly, and he was currently at the peak of youthful spirit and ambition.

However, when he emerged from the secret realm, he was completely dumbfounded.

Why was this place the Western Wasteland?

The location where he entered the secret realm had clearly been within the Eastern Continent!

And furthermore...

How had the Western Wasteland become like this?

Demons were everywhere.

Flying in the sky, running across the ground, swimming through the water—demons filled every corner.

Even more ridiculous was that these demons were not scattered rabble, but highly organized and disciplined.

Patrol teams appeared one after another, even more formal than the mountain patrol disciples of human sects.

The moment Ling Wuchen saw this, he immediately realized something was wrong.

He casually captured a minor demon for interrogation, only then learning that the Western Wasteland now belonged entirely to the Great Peng Demon King.

The human cultivators had either died, fled, or been captured as slaves.

Ling Wuchen’s mood at that time could only be described in four words:

Utterly cursed by terrible luck.

Under the Great Peng Demon King, there were several demon generals at the Tribulation Crossing Realm alone.

With his current cultivation, he was basically just a moving piece of meat in this place.

Even more unfortunate, the commotion caused while interrogating the minor demon attracted the attention of nearby demon patrols.

An eagle demon at the Transformation Spirit Realm arrived with a group of subordinates to surround him.

Ling Wuchen slew the eagle demon with one sword strike before immediately turning to flee.

But once he started running, he could no longer stop.

The demon race’s pursuit arrived much faster than he had imagined.

Western Wasteland, somewhere within a mountain forest.

Ling Wuchen skimmed rapidly above the treetops at astonishing speed.

But the pursuers behind him were even faster.

“Human cultivator! Stop running!”

A shrill screech sounded from behind him.

Ling Wuchen turned his head to look, and his expression changed slightly.

Three vulture demon birds were rapidly chasing after him.

Each one possessed Void Refinement cultivation.

The leading one was even at late Void Refinement.

Ling Wuchen cursed under his breath and accelerated again.

But the speed of those three vulture demon birds was simply too great.

As the distance rapidly closed, Ling Wuchen gritted his teeth, suddenly halted his figure, turned around, and drew his sword.

“If I can’t escape, then I’ll fight!”

His longsword left its sheath as a sharp sword light split through the sky, directly targeting the leading vulture demon bird.

The vulture demon bird snorted coldly. With a flap of its wings, violent winds surged forth, directly blowing apart the sword light.

“A mere early Void Refinement human dares draw a sword before us?”

Opening its beak, the vulture demon bird spat out golden flames that surged toward Ling Wuchen like a heaven-covering tide.

Ling Wuchen rapidly retreated while continuously swinging his sword. Sword lights intertwined into a sword net that barely blocked the golden flames.

Yet the terrifying heat still scorched a large section of his robe black.

“You have some skill.” The vulture demon bird slightly nodded. “But only this much.”

All three vulture demon birds attacked simultaneously.

Three streams of golden flames shot toward Ling Wuchen from three directions.

A cold glint flashed through Ling Wuchen’s eyes.

Taking a deep breath, the longsword in his hand trembled slightly.

An incomparably sharp sword intent rose from his body.

This was the sword intent he had only recently comprehended.

He had not yet fully mastered it, but at a time like this, he could no longer care about such things.

“Slash!”

Ling Wuchen swung his sword.

A silver-white sword light burst through the air carrying icy killing intent. It directly split apart the golden flames before continuing onward toward one of the vulture demon birds.

The vulture demon bird was greatly shocked and hurriedly twisted its body to dodge.

But the sword light was too fast.

It still severed half of one wing.

Blood sprayed outward as the vulture demon bird released a miserable scream, its body shaking unstably.

“You’re courting death!”

The leading vulture demon bird became enraged. Flapping its wings, it transformed into a streak of golden light and charged directly toward Ling Wuchen.

Its claws stretched outward carrying the force to tear through space itself.

Ling Wuchen raised his sword to block.

Clang!

The deafening sound of metal collision exploded outward.

Ling Wuchen was blasted flying backward as blood sprayed from his mouth.

Lowering his head for a glance, he saw several cracks had already appeared upon his longsword.

Late Void Refinement truly was not something he could currently contend against head-on.

Ling Wuchen did not dare continue fighting. Borrowing the momentum from being blasted backward, he immediately turned and fled once more.

Behind him came the furious screech of the vulture demon bird.

“Chase him! Keep chasing! We want to see him alive or dead!”

Ling Wuchen clenched his teeth tightly and pushed his speed to the limit.

He darted through the mountain forests, using the terrain to evade pursuit.

But the three vulture demon birds occupied the skies and possessed a broad field of vision. He simply could not shake them off.

Thus the chase continued.

More and more injuries appeared across Ling Wuchen’s body.

First, he was struck by one claw from a vulture demon bird, leaving three bloody gashes across his back.

Later, he was struck by golden flames, scorching his left arm black.

After that, he suffered another blow that shattered two of his ribs.

Yet somehow, he stubbornly refused to die.

Every time he was nearly caught, he either suddenly erupted with sword intent to force back his pursuers or narrowly escaped by using dangerous terrain.

The three vulture demon birds became increasingly furious as they chased him.

“Is this human some kind of loach? How can he run this much?!”

“The injuries on his body are getting worse and worse! He won’t last much longer!”

“Push harder!”

After another half day of pursuit.

Ling Wuchen finally saw hope.

Ahead lay the border between the Western Wasteland and the Central Lands.

As long as he crossed that boundary river, he would enter the territory of the Central Lands.

Although the Great Peng Demon King unified the Western Wasteland, his influence had not yet reached into the Central Lands.

As long as he reached the Central Lands, these demons would no longer dare pursue him so openly.

Ling Wuchen exhausted the final trace of his strength and charged toward the boundary river.

Behind him, the three vulture demon birds also realized his intentions.

“He wants to escape into the Central Lands! Stop him!”

All three vulture demon birds accelerated simultaneously, transforming into three golden streaks that rushed toward Ling Wuchen.

Ling Wuchen glanced back, determination flashing through his eyes.

Biting the tip of his tongue, he spat a mouthful of essence blood onto his sword.

The longsword hummed as sword light exploded brilliantly outward.

With a single slash, he unleashed a sword light over one hundred zhang long that swept across the battlefield, forcing the three vulture demon birds backward for a brief moment.

And that brief moment was enough.

Ling Wuchen plunged headfirst into the boundary river.

Splash!

The icy river water swallowed him completely.

The three vulture demon birds flew above the boundary river and circled several times, but ultimately did not dare cross the border.

“Hmph. Count him lucky.”

“Let’s return. Report to the Demon King that a human cultivator escaped from the Western Wasteland into the Central Lands.”

The three vulture demon birds turned around and flew back toward the depths of the Western Wasteland.

Within the boundary river, Ling Wuchen was swept downstream by the current.

There was not a single part of his body that did not ache, and his consciousness gradually became blurry.

But he knew that for now, he was safe.

He did not know how much time passed before the river carried him to shore.

Struggling, he crawled onto land and collapsed upon the riverbank, gasping heavily for breath.

He raised his head to look at the sky.

The sky was very blue, and the clouds very white.

In the distance, there even seemed to be figures of human cultivator patrols.

Ling Wuchen tugged weakly at the corner of his mouth, revealing a bitter smile.

He had originally thought that after emerging from the secret realm and comprehending new sword intent, he would be able to display his talents grandly throughout the Spirit Realm.

Yet the moment he emerged, the Spirit Realm itself had changed completely.

And he had become prey first.

After lying there for a while and recovering some strength, he finally struggled into a sitting position.

He looked at the injuries covering his body, then glanced at the longsword in his hand that was already covered in cracks.

“Seriously... I must’ve had terrible luck for eight lifetimes.”

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