Chapter 111: The Town is Still Here, But the People Are Long Gone

The mountains stretched endlessly beneath the clear sky as dense forests covered the slopes, while winding rivers flowed through the valleys.

Occasionally, the cries of birds echoed between the trees, accompanied by the distant roars of unknown beasts.

A figure moved rapidly through this vast wilderness.

His steps were light, and his movements were exceptionally efficient. Even when crossing uneven terrain or climbing steep slopes, he maintained a steady pace without showing the slightest sign of exhaustion.

This person was none other than Lu Yang.

Nearly five days and four nights had passed since he left the Imperial Capital.

As he had expected, traveling without a mount allowed him to reach Wuyuan Province considerably faster than ordinary travelers.

Of course, such a journey would have been difficult for most Body Tempering cultivators.

Even those who had reached the Ninth Stage of Body Tempering Realm could not maintain such a pace indefinitely without suffering considerable exhaustion.

However, Lu Yang was a Spirit Awakening cultivator, and he did not need to be on high alert at all times, traveling quite leisurely, so he didn’t suffer much exhaustion.

Even so, he had not simply rushed forward without paying attention to his surroundings.

Whenever he passed through a settlement or encountered travelers, he would observe them from a distance before deciding how to proceed.

After all, his purpose in coming to Wuyuan Province was not just to visit his father, and for the time being, the fewer people who knew of his arrival, the better.

After a while, Lu Yang stopped atop a rocky outcrop and gazed into the distance.

Beyond the rolling mountains lay the territories governed by Wuyuan Province.

He had finally returned.

After a brief moment of contemplation, he withdrew his gaze and continued forward.

However, instead of heading directly towards Canglan Prefecture, he changed direction and traveled towards Luoyun Prefecture instead.

The Azure Spirit Sect was originally located within the territory of Luoyun Prefecture, being one of its hegemonic forces.

Although the sect had been destroyed many years ago now, its influence had once extended across a considerable portion of the surrounding region.

Numerous county towns once relied on its protection, traded with its disciples, or maintained various connections with its affiliated families.

Even after its destruction, the consequences had not disappeared overnight.

Some families had risen, some had declined, certain powers that once lived under the Azure Spirit Sect’s shadow had gradually expanded their influence, while others had been swallowed by the turmoil that followed its fall.

Since he wanted to find information about the Azure Moon Spirit Control Art, he had to start with the Azure Spirit Sect.

The current structure of Luoyun Prefecture was therefore unlikely to resemble what Lu Yang remembered from his previous lives.

Before making any substantial arrangements, he needed to understand the present situation.

Moreover, it wasn’t like he was completely unfamiliar with the Luoyun Prefecture.

It was where everything had begun after his transmigration into this world, after all.

The world had changed, and he had changed with it.

Now, he was going back to that place once again, but as a completely different person from his two past lives.

...

As Lu Yang crossed another stretch of forest, he eventually slowed down beside a large tree.

He looked at its trunk for a moment before reaching out and breaking off a section of its bark.

The piece was reasonably thick and broad, with a somewhat rough surface on the outside but relatively smooth from the inside.

Lu Yang examined it briefly, and then, using his fingers, he began to work on it.

His movements appeared casual, but the control behind them was anything but ordinary.

The bark gradually took shape beneath his hands as he removed the rough edges, polished the outer surface, adjusted its contours, and carefully created several small openings.

Before long, what was originally an unremarkable piece of tree bark had become a crude wooden mask, not particularly artistic.

Lu Yang had never studied woodcarving before. Fortunately, making a simple mask did not require exquisite craftsmanship.

With his present strength and control over his Blood Qi, even a relatively crude piece of material could be shaped with considerable precision.

He only needed to know what he wanted to make.

After inspecting the result, Lu Yang nodded with satisfaction.

He found a suitable length of grass, fashioned it into a cord, and tied the mask around his face.

The mask covered most of his features, leaving only the necessary openings for his vision and breathing.

His appearance had become considerably more difficult to recognize, and combined with his fully released Spirit Awakening Realm cultivation, no one would associate him with a young boy barely sixteen.

At most, they would think he was a true successor of some major faction out for training or the heir of some great clan sneaking out.

Naturally, this disguise could not fool everyone.

Someone familiar with his appearance could potentially recognize him through his body shape or voice.

However, for his current purpose in Luoyun Prefecture, this was more than enough.

He adjusted the mask one final time before continuing along the forest path.

Only if the Dust Hiding Breath Concealing Method had some form of physical disguise, he wouldn’t have to go through so much trouble.

The Dust Hiding Breath Concealing Method could conceal his cultivation and Blood Qi, but it did not possess the ability to alter his physical appearance.

If it included body modification or bone remodeling techniques, things would have been considerably simpler.

Unfortunately, such abilities were not something one could casually expect from an ordinary concealment technique.

Even among Spirit Awakening Realm techniques, methods capable of altering one’s physical features were exceedingly sophisticated.

They required a deep understanding of the human body, Blood Qi, and the relationship between one’s physical structure and cultivation.

Only particularly profound techniques might incorporate such abilities below the Essence Gathering Realm.

Lu Yang had never encountered similar methods even in his previous life.

He had to make do with the crude wooden mask for now.

...

Another day and night passed.

By the time Lu Yang finally reached his destination, the sun had already begun descending towards the horizon, dyeing the sky crimson.

A couple miles ahead of him was a small county town.

Its walls were not particularly tall, and the buildings visible beyond them were relatively modest. Compared to the prosperous Imperial Capital, the difference was almost comical.

However, Lu Yang did not look down on this place, standing quietly outside the town as he gazed at the familiar gates.

The last time he came here, Fang Chen was with him, and the two had just met not long ago.

At that time, both of them were very young, and he was also around the same age as he was right now.

But that was another lifetime.

Now, he had returned once again.

The town was still here, but the people he had known were long gone, and the world beyond these walls had changed considerably.

Even the Azure Spirit Sect, which had once stood above countless ordinary people in the surrounding region, had become a part of history.

Lu Yang remained silent for a moment before he lowered his gaze and walked towards the gates, which appeared much more worn down compared to last time.

He did not come here to reminisce about his past lives.

There were things he needed to understand, and this county was the most suitable place to begin with.

Before he could make any further arrangements, he first needed to learn what had happened in the years following the Azure Spirit Sect’s destruction.

Only then could he determine his next course of action.