A Mysterious Deadland! A Terrifying Divine Item, the Yellow Wangchuan River!

"Mortal Immortal..." Lu Changsheng needed information now—any information regarding the "Mortal Immortal." This was the first time he had ever heard the term. Now that even a fragment of the Tombstone of the Mortal Immortal had surfaced, the name was definitely not groundless. Who on earth was the Mortal Immortal? How did the Mortal Immortal compare to the Giant Spirit Ancestor? Through the Immortal Blood, Lu Changsheng already knew that the Giant Spirit Ancestor was definitely not in the Ancestor Realm, but rather above the Ancestor Realm. Then, was what lay above the Ancestor Realm an immortal? Lu Changsheng was not quite sure. He had far too many questions that needed answering right now. Yet information of this magnitude was bound to be a secret among secrets. Suddenly, an idea occurred to him. "Perhaps the imperial family of the Great Qian Divine Dynasty knows about the Mortal Immortal, or even has information on the Road to Ascending Heaven?" Such a thought flashed across Lu Changsheng's mind. In truth, Lu Changsheng was probably not the only one to have thought of this. In the Boundary Sea, not a single one among the powerhouses of the myriad races was foolish. They had surely thought of it long ago. How could a divine dynasty capable of establishing a foothold in the Kunwu World, presiding over vast swathes of territory and commanding hundreds of millions of subjects, fail to hold a few secrets? Countless figures had likely harbored the desire to storm the imperial capital of the divine dynasty and demand answers. Yet it was merely a passing thought. Up to now, it wasn't that no one had ever attempted to breach the divine dynasty's capital. There were those who had! Yet without exception, every single one who tried had perished. The divine dynasty possessed national divine items! The reason national divine items commanded such illustrious renown was that countless Limit Realm powerhouses had thrown themselves forward in succession, continually testing the waters at the cost of their lives—a bloody lesson written in gore! Unrivaled by the Limit Realm! That was the reputation of a national divine item. "How difficult will it be to assemble all nine tombstone fragments?" "I cannot pin all my hopes on tombstone fragments; I should seek out other divine items as well." "However, the tombstone fragment did provide me with a clue: the Road to Ascending Heaven! It seems that whether it was the Mortal Immortal or the Ancestor Realm experts seeking to take a step further, none could do without the Road to Ascending Heaven." "Where is this Road to Ascending Heaven?" Lu Changsheng urgently wanted to find the Road to Ascending Heaven right now—even the faintest clue would do. "At the end of the heavenly road, one becomes an immortal in the mortal world..." Lu Changsheng recalled that phrase once more. It was a mythological tale. Previously, Lu Changsheng had had no leads and had even taken it with a grain of salt. Now, things were different. He had obtained a divine item: a fragment of the Tombstone of the Mortal Immortal. This confirmed the existence of the Mortal Immortal. Could that mythological tale also be rooted in fact? Even if the myth was fictitious, might it contain a trace of clues regarding the Mortal Immortal or the Road to Ascending Heaven? Lu Changsheng carefully recalled the myth. A few place names were mentioned in it. "Time to go back and check the maps." Thus, Lu Changsheng brought Zhao Shuying back to the Zhao Manor and began searching through a map of the Great Qian Divine Dynasty. "It should be near Xia Province!" "Several place names appeared in that mythological story, all within the borders of Xia Province. If the Road to Ascending Heaven truly exists, or if there are clues about the Mortal Immortal, they are most likely in Xia Province." Lu Changsheng examined the map. Xia Province lay in the heartland of the Great Qian Divine Dynasty, virtually its geographic center. Its strategic position was exceedingly vital, an arena contested by military strategists throughout history. Countless events had unfolded in Xia Province, and naturally, innumerable myths and legends had been passed down. The myth Lu Changsheng knew was merely an inconspicuous tale among them. It just so happened that Lu Changsheng wanted to leave Tianmao City anyway. After all, he had clashed head-on with people from the Great Qian Divine Dynasty and defeated them. Although he had not killed them, who could say if the Great Qian Divine Dynasty would send more people? To avoid unnecessary trouble, leaving was the right choice. So Lu Changsheng summoned Zhao Shuying. "Zhao Shuying, we must leave Tianmao City. Go bid farewell to your parents as well," Lu Changsheng said bluntly. Or rather, it was not a discussion, but a command. Zhao Shuying was startled. "We're leaving now?" She was still somewhat reluctant to part. "You saw what happened earlier—men of the Great Qian Divine Dynasty came into conflict with me. Who knows if the Great Qian Divine Dynasty will dispatch more people to demand the divine item? If another conflict erupts, what will happen to your parents and family in Tianmao City?" Lu Changsheng's words rendered Zhao Shuying silent. Indeed, no matter how reluctant she felt, what alternative did she have? Ever since she obtained the divine item, her life could never return to what it was. "Understood, Mr. Lu. Please allow me to bid farewell to my parents. Could we depart tomorrow?" Zhao Shuying asked. "Very well." Lu Changsheng was not unreasonable. Waiting another day or two made no real difference. The next day, Zhao Shuying came to Lu Changsheng. "Mr. Lu, everything is settled. We can set off now," she said. It seemed she had explained the situation to the Zhao clan the previous day. Whatever the case, she had accepted reality. "Good, let us depart." Thus, Lu Changsheng and Zhao Shuying boarded the carriage once more, slowly departing Tianmao City. "Mr. Lu, where are we heading this time?" Zhao Shuying asked. She had left in a hurry and had not yet asked their destination. "Xia Province." Lu Changsheng did not bother to explain further. In truth, once she left Tianmao City, anywhere was the same to Zhao Shuying. Under the scorching summer heat, a carriage slowly rolled into Liangcheng, the provincial capital of Xia Province. "We're finally in Liangcheng," Zhao Shuying breathed a sigh of relief, her eyes brightening with excitement. The journey had taken quite a bit of time. There had been a few twists and turns along the way, but on the whole, they encountered no major trouble—only the tedium of long travel. Zhao Shuying stepped down from the carriage first and booked two rooms at an inn to settle in for the time being. As for how long they would remain in Liangcheng, no one could say; at worst, they could simply rent a courtyard residence. An inn had too many prying eyes and loose tongues. After they settled in, Lu Changsheng instructed Zhao Shuying to look for a place of their own during this period. Regardless, they needed a proper residence. Lu Changsheng estimated he would stay in Liangcheng for quite a while. Perhaps not just Liangcheng—he intended to explore all of Xia Province, but Liangcheng could serve as his base, as other parts of Xia Province were not far off, requiring only a few days' travel at most. Having a residence in Liangcheng was very necessary. Zhao Shuying had spent time wandering the martial world, so she was familiar with such matters. In just three days, she rented a manor—indeed, a grand manor. The two moved into the manor shortly after. It was large and spacious; its previous owner, a wealthy merchant, was preparing to do business elsewhere. Because the asking price was high and it had not sold yet, he had agreed to rent it out. Lu Changsheng took a glance and said, "There is no need to rent. Just buy it directly. Besides, you are already a 'godly being' who has forged the foundation of a spirit body; you must adapt to your identity. What godly being lacks silver?" Lu Changsheng knew Zhao Shuying had not yet adjusted her mindset. Silver? To Lu Changsheng, silver held zero value. What use was silver? He could obtain boundless amounts of it at any moment. Not to mention a single manor—even ten manors, he could easily buy. Even if they moved out tomorrow and left it abandoned, he wouldn't care in the slightest. "Understood, Mr. Lu. I will go find the merchant and buy this manor right away," Zhao Shuying quickly bowed her head and admitted her fault. Indeed, her mindset had not shifted. Would a godly being looking for a place to stay need to rent? Wouldn't that make people laugh their heads off? Why would a godly being ever lack silver? Zhao Shuying had simply forged the foundation of her spirit body too recently. She had not yet realized that she was already fundamentally different from ordinary mortals. Zhao Shuying quickly handled the matter. Lu Changsheng did not concern himself with such trivialities. After settling into Liangcheng, he began collecting various mythological tales and legends. To his surprise, these stories were even published in storybooks. Liangcheng was, after all, a provincial capital, incomparably more prosperous than Tianmao City. There were even scholars dedicated to penning storybooks. Lu Changsheng purchased a large pile of storybooks, all containing tales of gods and spirits. Ninety-nine percent of them were basically useless, but what if there was a clue? Whether regarding the Road to Ascending Heaven or the Mortal Immortal, even the faintest clue would make it worthwhile. "Hmm?" Finally, a few days later, Lu Changsheng truly found a hint. It couldn't quite be called a clue, but rather a rumor concerning Xia Province. This rumor was extraordinarily ancient. According to the legend, an earth-shattering battle between immortals and demons had once taken place in Xia Province. Taking Xia Province as their battleground, immortals and demons fought until the heavens collapsed and the earth split, obscuring the sun and moon. This legend had circulated in Xia Province for ages. Crucially, this supposed immortal-demon battlefield had a specific location. It was said that several hundred li from Liangcheng lay a deadland. A so-called deadland was a place where not a single blade of grass could grow—a forbidden zone for life. Spanning several tens of li, not a single plant sprouted; it was exceedingly eerie. It was said to be the immortal-demon battlefield. "An immortal-demon battlefield? Could it have been a clash between figures akin to godly beings, or wielders of divine items?" Lu Changsheng's eyes lit up. After spending so many days in Xia Province, this was the only lead he had acquired that might point to a divine item. Even though this lead probably wouldn't amount to much—after all, the story had circulated for far too long and was common knowledge throughout Xia Province. Other Limit Realm experts had undoubtedly explored the immortal-demon battlefield long ago and most likely returned empty-handed. Even if there had been a divine item, it would have been carried off ages ago. Still, Lu Changsheng decided to investigate in person. He wasn't solely seeking a divine item; he was also searching for clues to the Road to Ascending Heaven and the fragments of the Tombstone of the Mortal Immortal. Even the faintest trace would suffice. Thus, leaving Zhao Shuying in Liangcheng, Lu Changsheng departed Liangcheng alone and flew toward the deadland three hundred li away. With Lu Changsheng's speed, he soon arrived at the deadland. He spotted it from afar. At a single glance, he perceived the bizarre nature of this deadland. Deathly stillness! A dense deathly qi actually permeated the area. Precisely because of this concentrated deathly qi, the surrounding tens of li had been affected, rendering the land barren and making it famous far and wide as a "deadland." Ordinary mortals dared not set foot here. Once inside, the heavy deathly qi would shock them or corrode their bodies. Even if they did not die, they would fall gravely ill. Ordinary mortals feared the deadland, but to cultivators, it was nothing. Mere deathly qi—not to mention a Heavenly Saint, even a Martial Saint or Divine Ability realm cultivator would not fear such trivial deathly qi. Whoosh! Without hesitation, Lu Changsheng stepped straight into the deadland. Dense deathly qi instantly enveloped him. Yet Lu Changsheng's physical body had also attained the Heavenly Saint level. Mere deathly qi could not even erode his flesh, held completely at bay outside his skin. Aside from a slight chill, Lu Changsheng felt nothing. His consciousness swept across the area, yet found nothing. No aura of a divine item. No anomalies either. Yet where did this deathly qi originate? Lu Changsheng delved deep underground, but still found nothing. Deathly qi could not appear out of thin air. "The deathly qi seems bound within these tens of li by some force, unable to dissipate." "An array formation? Doesn't quite look like it. Rather, it looks like a naturally formed special environment..." Lu Changsheng carefully examined the conditions of the deadland, yet gained no clarity. It looked more like an innate, naturally formed environment where, once life died, its deathly qi would not dissipate. Over time, as more and more living beings perished and the deathly qi failed to disperse, the denser deathly qi caused even more life to die. This created a vicious cycle. By now, the deadland's territory had expanded several times over, reaching the vast expanse currently blanketed in deathly qi. Lu Changsheng felt somewhat disappointed. If it was natural, his trip had been in vain. "Hmm?" Suddenly, Lu Changsheng seemed to sense something. He abruptly raised his head to look at the distant horizon. Three streaks of light tore through the void, ultimately descending into the deadland. Two men and one woman. Lu Changsheng could not be more familiar with their aura. Limit Realm! All three were Limit Realm powerhouses from the Boundary Sea! "There are others!" Upon landing, the three naturally spotted Lu Changsheng as well. In fact, they had already noticed Lu Changsheng from the sky, yet had come down anyway. Just as Lu Changsheng knew they were Limit Realm powerhouses, they also knew Lu Changsheng was in the Limit Realm. "Fellow Daoist, have you come to the deadland to search for clues regarding a divine item?" one of the men suddenly addressed Lu Changsheng. "Indeed. Have you come for clues about a divine item as well?" Lu Changsheng nodded. Coming to the deadland—what else could it be for if not a divine item? Evidently, like Lu Changsheng, this was likely their first time hearing the legend of the deadland, which was why they had come to investigate. After all, the legend was far too enticing. An immortal-demon battlefield! Anything involving "immortals" was extraordinary. "Has Fellow Daoist discovered anything?" Lu Changsheng shook his head. He had arrived only slightly earlier than the three of them; how could he have discovered anything? "Then we shall not disturb Fellow Daoist." With that, the three turned and departed. Lu Changsheng's eyes narrowed slightly. As long as the three did not disturb him, he wouldn't bother with them. Limit Realm experts did not necessarily fight upon meeting. A battle required benefits. What profit was there in fighting without cause? However, once the three were far from Lu Changsheng, the female Limit Realm expert lowered her voice and said, "Eldest Brother, that man has a divine item on him!" "Indeed, our senses cannot be mistaken. A divine item—and an unused one at that? That's simply incredible." "Eldest Brother, should we strike directly? If we kill him, the divine item will be ours! That would be far easier than painstakingly searching for clues and fighting other Limit Realm experts for it." All three Limit Realm experts felt a surge of greed. After all, a divine item tempted anyone's heart. Yet the "Eldest Brother" sneered, "You two have stayed in the Kunwu World for so long—have you ever heard of anyone carrying a divine item on them and running around out in the open?" "Carrying a divine item openly comes down to two possibilities." "One is pure stupidity—not knowing the importance of a divine item, or not knowing its aura leaks out. But is that possible?" "The other possibility is exceedingly sinister. Certain treacherous Limit Realm experts will deliberately keep a divine item on them and let its aura leak, luring other Limit Realm experts to ambush them. The outcome, naturally, is a one-way trip to death!" "Do you think that man looks stupid?" Hearing their eldest brother's analysis, the other two felt a chill in their hearts. Indeed, among those who could cultivate to the Limit Realm and make their way into the Kunwu World, who could possibly be foolish? Entering the Kunwu World required paying an exorbitant price. One could say that the Limit Realm experts entering the Kunwu World were the cream of the crop, the pinnacle figures from every faction and race. Could such people be stupid? Since he wasn't stupid, only the final possibility remained. It was deliberate! The highest caliber of hunter often appeared in the guise of prey. That was no empty phrase. "What a close call!" "Eldest Brother, that man is too sinister! To deliberately carry a divine item to bait us into attacking... Had we struck, would he have crushed us with thunderous force?" the female expert said, gritting her teeth. She had almost made a fatal mistake. "Sinister? That is merely the way to survive in the Kunwu World," Eldest Brother said rationally. "By doing this, he might be looking to turn the tables, but he also shoulders risks. However, that has nothing to do with us as long as we do not provoke him. After all, we have no divine items on us; fighting us holds no benefit for him." Thus, the three continued searching through the deadland. This time, their arrival was backed by a clue. However, with Lu Changsheng around, they did not want to reveal it directly. Instead, they put on a show of searching aimlessly. Lu Changsheng saw through every bit of it. After all, across mere tens of li, his divine consciousness could easily cover the entire area. "These three are quite clever," Lu Changsheng murmured softly. Could he not conceal the aura of the Mortal Immortal's tombstone fragment? No, he simply didn't want to conceal it. He had leaked it intentionally—not to bait others into attacking, but to find other fragments of the Tombstone of the Mortal Immortal. These fragments were unique, possessing a mutual resonance. Within a certain range, both sides would sense each other. When that happened, Lu Changsheng would naturally know whether the other party carried a fragment. Therefore, not only could the aura not be concealed, it had to be released openly. Yet these three acted suspiciously. They did not seem to be visiting the deadland for the first time; they appeared very familiar with the area. If this wasn't their first visit, what were they here for now? Lu Changsheng had already searched: the deadland bore no trace of a divine item's aura, nor anything that felt special to him. "Since you want to put on an act, I'll give you your chance." A glint of sharpness flashed in Lu Changsheng's eyes. Then, Lu Changsheng searched the deadland diligently for another two hours. Appearing to have found nothing, he flew straight out of the deadland. "Eldest Brother, he left. Should we..." one of the men quickly asked. Eldest Brother shook his head. "No rush. His situation is unclear. We must remain cautious and wait until nightfall." "Yes, Eldest Brother." Though the other two felt their eldest brother was excessively cautious—perhaps overly so, considering the man had already departed—to Limit Realm experts, day and night made no difference anyway. The three spent a few more hours searching the deadland, waiting until darkness fell. Watching the sky darken, Eldest Brother swept his consciousness around once more, thoroughly checking the surroundings. Confirming that there was indeed no one else in the deadland, he finally breathed a sigh of relief. "Eldest Brother, is it fine now?" the woman couldn't help asking. "It's fine. That man has been gone for several hours, and there is indeed no one else within the deadland's bounds. We no longer need to hold back." With that, Eldest Brother opened his palm. A pitch-black bead emerged in his hand. "Go." The pitch-black bead flew into the void. Hum! Immediately, the deathly qi throughout the entire deadland trembled violently. Boundless deathly qi surged wildly toward the pitch-black bead. The bead was like a bottomless pit, continually devouring vast amounts of deathly qi. Black patterns manifested across its surface, growing increasingly intricate, until it released ripple after ripple of black light. Then, the pitch-black bead transformed into a colossal gateway! Beyond the gateway lay an abyss of darkness, with thick deathly qi faintly billowing outward. The moment they saw the gateway, the three were overcome with excitement. "It's real! The clue we obtained is real!" "This bead truly was a gateway—or rather, a key leading to the sealed grounds!" "This was never an immortal-demon battlefield at all, but the sealing ground of a powerful divine item!" "No one knows why a divine item was sealed here, or who sealed it." "Yet without question, with such a grand spectacle, this divine item must be extraordinary..." Ever since obtaining information and clues regarding the deadland alongside the black bead, the three had been planning this. Now, they had finally succeeded. With this colossal gateway leading to the sealing ground, they had a very high chance of obtaining that divine item. Unable to contain their eagerness, the three immediately stepped into the colossal gateway. As for guarding the entrance? There was no need. This was a deadland; ordinary people would never come here. Even among Limit Realm experts, who would visit a deadland in the dead of night? Of course, the more fundamental reason was that none of the three was willing to stay behind and guard the gate. After all, everyone wanted the divine item and the opportunity. Even companions had to compete for opportunities. Not long after the three stepped into the gateway, a figure flew swiftly from the horizon and landed in the deadland. It was Lu Changsheng! In truth, he had never truly left. After flying far from the deadland, he had quietly concealed himself and restrained his aura, waiting all the way until nightfall. Just now, he sensed a massive fluctuation in the deadland's deathly qi, and the three auras vanished simultaneously. Only then did Lu Changsheng rush back, arriving to behold this colossal gateway in the center of the deadland. "Sure enough, those three knew the secret of the deadland." "They came specifically to open this gateway." "They have most likely entered, but who knows where this gateway leads?" Lu Changsheng actually hesitated. The deathly qi radiating from the gateway astonished even him. A deeply perilous power seemed to lurk within. Stepping inside would likely invite grave danger. He preferred to wait outside the gate, biding his time to catch them when they returned. Yet what if it truly was a divine item, and the three used it? Many divine items directly aided cultivation. If it were refined on the spot, Lu Changsheng's waiting would come to nothing. Boom! Suddenly, the gateway shook violently. The dense deathly qi seemed to boil. Evidently, major turmoil was unfolding on the other side. "Never mind, let's take a look." Faced with a divine item, Lu Changsheng naturally wouldn't let the opportunity slip by. Having made up his mind, Lu Changsheng flew directly into the gateway. Beyond the dark, profound gateway, Lu Changsheng immediately sensed an overwhelming deathly qi. Compared to the deadland outside, the deathly qi here was at least ten times denser! Such concentration was simply inconceivable. Even mountains of corpses and seas of blood should not produce such terrifying deathly qi. This was no longer merely the deathly qi left behind by the death of mortal beings. "Hmm? Those three are fighting?" Lu Changsheng suddenly noticed the three Limit Realm experts locked in a fierce battle. Looking at their opponents, he saw countless monsters condensed from deathly qi. These monsters were terrifyingly formidable. Supported by the dense deathly qi of this realm, they were practically immortal and indestructible. Even when blasted apart, they reconstituted instantly, proving exceedingly troublesome. The three were thoroughly entangled—even as Limit Realm powerhouses, they found themselves trapped. Behind that wall of deathly qi, Lu Changsheng spotted a colossal orb. The orb was pitch-black, yet it seemed to gleam with a dark sheen. Moreover, it emanated deathly qi ten to a hundred times denser than the surrounding air! Lu Changsheng understood in an instant. The source of all this deathly qi was that black orb, not the deaths of any living beings! "A single bead can emanate such dense deathly qi, even generating a zone spanning tens of li?" "And that's while it was sealed behind the gateway! If this bead left the gateway and appeared directly in the deadland, how far would that deathly qi spread?" "Hundreds of li? Or even thousands of li?" Lu Changsheng felt a jolt in his heart. This black bead was extraordinary. Clearly, this was a world-shaking, supreme divine item! Yet what exactly was this divine item? By its sheer power alone, it easily suppressed three Limit Realm powerhouses. "Ah..." "Fellow Daoist, save us!" "Fellow Daoist, help us! I know the secret of this bead..." The three noticed Lu Changsheng as well. They immediately realized Lu Changsheng's departure had been an act. Yet what did that matter now? They were like clay idols crossing a river—unable even to save themselves. Now, they only wanted to survive, so they had no choice but to plead with Lu Changsheng for help. However, Lu Changsheng did not move an inch, completely indifferent to their plight. His eyes remained fixed on that bead. Behind the pitch-black bead, a yellow river seemed to surge and churn relentlessly. Within its waters, countless souls seemed to wail in agony. This could not help but remind Lu Changsheng of an ancient myth. The legendary destination of countless departed souls. A mystical river existing only in the Netherworld of the Underworld: The Wangchuan River! Yet was that truly the Wangchuan River?