Cultivation Begins from Infancy - Chapter 311

Volume 3 - Chapter 49: Ji Qingqing - Part 2

The secret realm's extreme north.

Separated by hundreds of thousands of miles from the Sacred Mountain, it exceeded Li Hao’s imagination.

This entire holy land of the Ji Clan was as vast as seven or eight major provinces of the Great Yu Divine Dynasty.

Li Hao and Ji Yun Yue traveled through the air. Along the way, the farther they got from the Sacred Mountain, the more desolate the terrain became. Expanses of desert alternated with patches of lush greenery, creating diverse natural landscapes, but the area was entirely uninhabited.

For Ji Yun Yue, with her incredible movement techniques, this journey would take only half a day.

For Li Hao, however, it would take fifteen years.

“This secret realm was left behind by the ancestor of my Ji Clan,” Ji Yun Yue chatted with Li Hao as they traveled. “Outside the secret realm, we’ve set up a concealed illusion array. Approaching the Ji Clan’s domain without guidance is nearly impossible; even a Demon King would get lost and fail to launch a direct attack.”

Their conversation revealed to Li Hao the fundamental difference between the ancient holy clans and other tribes: the secret realm.

Other tribes lived in the vast wilderness, relying solely on protective formations. If their settlement were discovered by demons, even the strongest formation would eventually be broken.

A secret realm, however, was different. It possessed many profound mysteries and could resist an assault by millions of demons, requiring immense effort to breach.

Even those at the Dao Seeker Realm would struggle to tear apart a secret realm, expending significant strength.

Only someone at the Saint Realm, like the one who granted Li Hao his mark, could destroy it with ease.

...

After traversing hundreds of thousands of miles, the two finally reached the desolate sea.

Stretching endlessly into the horizon, the Arid Sea was vast beyond comprehension.

In a specific location along the shore stood a steep and solitary peak, an unmistakable landmark at the edge of the Arid Sea.

There, a Ji Clan elder stood guard. Ji Yun Yue approached to explain their purpose, presenting the Clan Leader’s token to borrow an artifact ship known as the Nine Desolations Boat.

The two boarded the Nine Desolations Boat, crossing the Arid Sea toward another isolated cliff on its far side.

On that cliff grew the antidote-bearing Twinflower.

“This Arid Sea… are there any monsters in it?” Li Hao asked, standing at the stern and gazing at the occasionally rippling waves. The sea, seemingly bottomless, wasn’t dark but faintly tinged with crimson.

Ji Yun Yue smiled gently. “Of course not. Even divine weapons would decay here. Legend has it that this Arid Sea was formed from the blood of a certain Demon Saint defeated by my clan’s ancestor, spreading out to become this vast expanse.”

“The blood of a Demon Saint?”

Li Hao paused, staring at the boundless crimson waves. If it truly was the blood of a Demon Saint, how enormous must that creature have been?

“Is that story true?”

“Perhaps exaggerated over time,” Ji Yun Yue replied, “After all, the Arid Sea spans tens of thousands of miles. Even a Demon King with a hundred-zhang body would already be considered colossal.”

The Twinflower grew on the western edge of the Arid Sea, atop a solitary cliff. It was guarded by a Demon King subdued by the Ji Clan. If the Twinflower wasn’t consumed within half a day of being picked, it would wither and lose its efficacy.

When Ji Yun Yue presented the Clan Leader’s token, the Demon King recognized it and readily handed over a vibrant, crimson Twinflower to them.

With the Twinflower in hand, the two wasted no time, immediately steering the Nine Desolations Boat back toward the Arid Sea's center and heading for the floating Prison Sky Island.

...

At the same time, as Li Hao and Ji Yun Yue sought the Twinflower, Ji Yunqing and Li Tiangang were rushing to the same destination.

Ji Yunqing explained their purpose to the elder at the Solitary Peak, borrowing another divine weapon-class boat to cross the Arid Sea. The two quickly made their way toward the Prison Sky Island.

After traversing the vast Arid Sea, the high-floating Prison Sky Island came into view.

Three enormous chains stretched from the depths of the abyss to the sky, anchoring the Prison Sky Island in place.

“Without these three Abyssal Sky Chains, the Saint Ancestor’s laws on Prison Sky Island would cause it to keep rising until it reached the heavens of the secret realm, where it would be incinerated by the sacred fire of the blazing sun. Everyone on the island would be burned alive,” Ji Yunqing explained.

Li Tiangang’s pupils contracted slightly. Even this prison for the Ji Clan’s criminals possessed such an awe-inspiring design. Was this the power of a Saint?

The other ends of the Abyssal Sky Chains extended into the Arid Sea, anchoring into three massive, nail-like spires within a circular abyss.

The thick chains stretched taut and descended into the abyss, covered in moss and bearing the marks of countless years.

“They’ve probably already found the Twinflower and are on the island by now,” Ji Yunqing remarked.

He leaped onto one of the spires, and after Li Tiangang followed, they stowed their boat and began making their way along the iron bridge-like chain toward the Prison Sky Island.

The chains stretched thousands of miles, spanning the sky with an imposing majesty.

Li Tiangang glanced up at the massive floating island above them, his eyes gleaming with excitement.

Soon, he would finally meet her. His heart surged with emotion as he hurried forward. As the two ascended the Abyssal Sky Chain, far below them, in another part of the sea, Li Hao and Ji Yun Yue had already obtained the Twinflower and were rushing toward the same destination.

...

“You wait here. I’ll go fetch Qingqing,” Ji Yun Yue told Li Hao, unwilling to let him enter such a dangerous place.

Li Hao shook his head. “We’ve come this far. Let’s go together.”

Seeing his resolve, Ji Yun Yue sighed, resigned. She raised her hand and summoned a long whip-like chain, wrapping it around both herself and Li Hao.

“Fine. But be careful of the Desolate Abyss below. The laws here prevent even Dao Seeker Realm cultivators from flying. If you fall, there’s no saving you.”

She cautioned him carefully.

Li Hao nodded, and the two stepped onto the iron chains, climbing swiftly.

With their movement techniques, the steep chain resembled an inclined ladder to the heavens. They leaped and climbed with remarkable speed.

As they ascended, reaching the chains high above the Desolate Abyss, Li Hao felt a strange force enveloping him. His energy was suppressed, rendering him unable to utilize his internal strength or sense the Earth and Heaven Meridian. All connections to the outside world seemed severed.

No wonder crossing the abyss was said to be impossible.

The laws here exerted even greater pressure than those of the Arid Sea.

He glanced downward, his expression becoming more solemn, reminded of the second trial at the Tangong Academy: crossing a ten-thousand-zhang iron chain to train one's courage.

For him and Ji Yun Yue, such trials were far below their current capabilities. Though solemn, they were simply more cautious in their movements rather than fearful.

The chain swayed gently as fierce winds howled above the abyss, but Li Hao and Ji Yun Yue maintained steady progress, unaffected by the elements.

...

On the Prison Sky Island above, Ji Qingqing and Nanny Ning emerged from the mountain, standing before the Abyssal Sky Monument as they waited.

From time to time, they cast out their divine souls to observe the surroundings. After a while, Nanny Ning’s expression lit up with joy.

“I see them!”

On the thick chain thousands of miles away, two faint figures could be seen leaping and climbing steadily upward.

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