In the shadow of a large forest, a black-robed figure stood on the precipice of a mountain. His eyes took in the view of a large city gate with three golden words inscribed on it, Blue Expanse City.
Raising the corner of his mouth, the black-robed man left as the wind scattered two piles of black dust.
Fifteen minutes later, the man arrived before the city gates.
“Hold, where’s your pass?”
With a clank, two city guards crossed their spears before the man as they released their 6th layer Qi Condensation cultivation.
Taking out a metal tablet with the ‘serene’ character inscribed on it, the black-robed man let them see it. The guards nodded and let him pass.
“Enter!”
The black-robed man quickened his pace but after a hundred meters, he turned his head at the guards, eyeing them with disdain.
“Utterly useless!”
The man raised his head and exposed his face. It was Zhuo Fan.
It had been a month since he left Luo clan, and this city was his first destination, Blue Expanse City. This place was Hell Valley’s domain. Just how Veiled Dragon Pavilion placed its guards in the Windgaze City, so did Hell Valley in this city.
To avoid anyone recognizing him, Zhuo Fan put on a black robe.
He braved through this deadly danger because he was left with no other choice. Who told the spiritual beasts to gather on the Allbeast Mountain Range near the Blue Expanse City?
This was also why the security was so tight in this city.
Be it righteous or demonic cultivators, there were other external means to increase one’s power besides the hard and arduous method of cultivation. Spiritual weapons, demonic treasures, spirit animals, demonic creatures, these were all external means but of significant importance. At the time of peril, it could save one’s life.
The late elder of Hell Valley was a good example. Condor Jian Fan’s Soul Devouring Crow had the Purple Lightning Gold Eye and could push back Veiled Dragon Pavilion’s three elders’ joint attack.
Long Jiu’s 3rd-grade spiritual weapon was another, helping him push back two Hell Valley’s elders with just a sword.
It was obvious how important these external means were to cultivators.
Spiritual beasts could be turned into demonic creatures or spirit animals. Righteous cultivators tamed them into spirit animals, while demonic cultivators tamed them into demonic creatures. Zhuo Fan’s Blood Infant which was born naturally was an exception.
The Blue Expanse City was taken by Hell Valley during the founding of the Tianyu Empire. As such, any cultivator wanting to get his spirit animal or demonic creature would have to obtain Hell Valley’s approval.
And Hell Valley used this as a pretext to set up a checkpoint half a mile around it to confirm everyone’s identities, allowing entry to only those with a pass.
But how could Zhuo Fan expose himself and offer himself up on a chopping block?
So he killed two righteous cultivators outside, stole their pass, and waltzed right in.
“Humph, Hell Valley can only intimidate some shy disciples with this. You think this is enough to deal with a bold cultivator or a Profound Heaven expert?” Zhuo Fan’s mouth let out snide remarks as he walked on.
He came all this way to Allbeast Mountain Range looking for a rare 6th level spiritual beast, Thunder Skylark!
Entering Lightning Canyon could only be done through the purple lightning. Zhuo Fan was certain Long Jiu’s 3rd Heaven purple lightning wasn’t the same as the lightning from that place, or it would’ve reached the 6th Heaven.
That kind of power was a deterrence even for a Radiant Stage expert.
So before he cleared Lightning Canyon’s restrictions, he had to first find a way to guarantee his life in that place. And the Thunder Skylark, a creature that lived by swallowing lightning, was a perfect choice.
When he’d made it his demonic creature that matched the Demon Transformation Art, he’d have no trouble getting in.
Zhuo Fan hoped Lightning Canyon’s purple lightning wasn’t higher than 6th Heaven, or not even the Thunder Skylark would survive repeated blows to its body and turn to ash.
If that happens, then he’d only be waiting for his death.
Zhuo Fan took a deep breath and picked up the pace. If not for Heavenly Emperor’s remnant, he’d never dare go through such danger.
Bam!
As he walked, a black figure knocked into his chest. Zhuo Fan looked down to find a little beggar in shabby clothes.
Zhuo Fan was enraged, but before he could curse, here came the little beggar’s pleading voice, “Please, don’t shout!”
Zhuo Fan frowned. Then, from his back, a group of thirty Qi Condensation cultivators appeared.
Because the beggar hid in front of Zhuo Fan, his black cloak was wide enough to hide the beggar.
“Any sign of him?”
“None!”
“What are you standing around for? Find him! If we don’t find him, master will have our heads.” A steward cursed. The others only nodded as they scattered.
Once they were gone, the beggar looked up with a relieved breath and patted his chest, “Scared me to death. I didn’t think I’d make it.”
Zhuo Fan ignored him and walked away.
“Eh, brother…”
The beggar was stunned for a second then swooped in to block Zhuo Fan’s path. He had a dark and dirty face but sported an extra big smile as he said, “Thank you for earlier. If it weren’t for you…”
But Zhuo Fan kept walking.
The beggar stood there blinking then hurriedly caught up with Zhuo Fan, “Brother, did you come from outside the city? Can you take me outside, please?”
“If you want to leave, do it alone. You don’t need a pass to go out!” Zhuo Fan dodged him.
The little beggar’s face was bitter as he bit his lip and sniffed twice as tears rolled down his cheeks, “Brother, to be honest, I stole from them. If they catch me, I’m a goner. Please, take me outside.”
Smiling, Zhuo Fan eyed him, “Around fifteen-sixteen years old and a 4th layer Qi Condensation cultivator. You’re not weak for your age. There’s no way a commoner can have such cultivation. Are you truly a beggar?”
The beggar stopped crying and his eyes darted everywhere as if looking for an excuse.
Zhuo Fan continued with a smile, “And even if you’re sincere, why should I help you and offend a powerful clan? I see no reason why I need to help you!”
Zhuo Fan then shook his head and walked past him. The beggar stood frozen in his spot, not knowing what to do. He didn’t think Zhuo Fan was pragmatic.
From the start, the beggar thought Zhuo Fan to be a kind youth since he helped him once.
“Don’t you want to go to the Allbeast Mountain Range?” The beggar shouted.
Zhuo Fan halted his steps, “All who come here are looking to go to the Allbeast Mountain Range. What else is here, visiting Hell Valley’s cemetery?”
The beggar was stunned by his words, [This kid sure has an attitude. Isn’t he afraid of being killed for cursing Hell Valley?]
But the more Zhuo Fan acted as such, the weirder the beggar’s eyes turned.
“You’ll have to wait for three months before going to Allbeast Mountain Range.”
Zhuo Fan stopped with a frown, “Why?”
The beggar skipped to him with a smile, “Let me tell you, the Diamond Sand is about to come out on Allbeast Mountain Range. These past months Hell Valley sealed the whole mountain range for this precise reason.”
Diamond Sand?
Zhuo Fan was secretly overjoyed.
The Diamond Sand was known as the blood of the earth, rare and difficult to obtain. It was used for refining 5th-grade spiritual weapons. But what made it even more valuable was that it was a flowing spirit metal, a perfect match for his Blood Infant.
His Blood Infant was close to breaking through to Bone Tempering Stage and he needed to refine its body. At that time, Blood Infant could switch between being corporeal and illusive, killing people without leaving tracks. Refining it with a hundred spirit metals would turn it as hard as a demonic treasure and it would become difficult to cause any harm to it.
He could also achieve a similar result by refining Blood Infant with Diamond Sand. If he was able to do it, then he wouldn’t have to worry about obtaining 100 spirit metals. And with a body refined from Diamond Sand, facing a Profound Heaven expert would be a cinch.
Thinking of this, Zhuo Fan’s eyes flashed with excitement.
The beggar saw through Zhuo Fan and coughed as he raised his head with pride, “Let’s make a deal. If you take me outside the city, I will take you to Allbeast Mountain Range. And when the Diamond Sand erupts, we can take advantage of their carelessness and steal a bit.”
Zhuo Fan secretly snickered. There was no way Hell Valley didn’t prepare for this. But the fact that he had a guide to enter Allbeast Mountain Range without them knowing was a nice bonus.
“Deal!”
The beggar raised his hand and winked.
Zhuo Fan shook his head and slapped the beggar’s hand.
“Ha-ha-ha, awesome. I finally found someone to take me out of this damnable place.” The beggar laughed while jumping around. “Brother, what’s your name?”
“Zhuo Fan!”
Zhuo Fan was blunt because he knew even though Hell Valley was aware of the Luo clan, his title as a steward wasn’t well known. And the only one who knows that he killed two of their elders was Yang Ming. But would anyone believe him even if he said it?
Zhuo Fan was confident that Yang Ming would let this matter fester inside him. If anyone knew that Elder Jian died at the hands of a Qi Condensation punk, yet he survived, his future would be bleak, if not cut short.
Moreover, even if he did speak up, Hell Valley would never announce it. Could they afford to lose any more reputation?
The beggar laughed, “Brother Zhuo, call me Xiao Ning.”
“Fine.” Zhuo Fan nodded, not carrying much because he knew it was fake.
The beggar pouted, looking at him with a deep look full of curiosity. Zhuo Fan gave him a different impression from all those he had seen before, simply mysterious…