Volume 1, Chapter 338 – Ancient Land

“It has only been a short time since we last met, yet Miss Shi’s cultivation has advanced to this extent. I, Shen, am truly ashamed.”

Shen Tianlan shook his head slightly. He had known there was a gap between him and Shi Lan, but this gap was simply too frightening.

When they had first met, Shi Lan had only been at the seventh stage of the Innate Realm. Now she could already contend with great cultivators of the Nascent Soul Realm.

A rate of progress like this was something Shen Tianlan would not even dare imagine, much less claim to have ever heard of.

Some time ago, Shen Tianlan had even seen Shi Lan in Xianwu City. At that time, she had only just stepped into the Heavenly Astral Realm.

For a moment, more than half the joy of his Thunder Spirit Body’s awakening was washed away. The faint trace of pride that had just risen in his heart was struck down completely.

People truly could not be compared with one another.

“You flatter me, Brother Shen.”

Shi Lan turned to look at Gu Rongyue and gave her a slight nod.

“It has been a long time, Miss Gu.”

“Y-you too…”

Gu Rongyue sounded a little nervous, even stammering slightly, which made Shi Lan feel somewhat puzzled.

“And this young lady is…?” Shen Tianlan looked toward Tianbai at Shi Lan’s side, somewhat surprised.

There was a special quality about Tianbai, something pure and crystalline like flawless crystal, that naturally drew the eye.

“Her name is Tianbai. She is my…”

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Shi Lan faltered for a moment, unsure how to introduce Tianbai.

“I am my lady’s battle servant…”

Tianbai’s eyes flickered as she puffed out her chest and declared it loudly, her face full of pride.

Battle servant…

Shen Tianlan was not surprised. Battle servants were not uncommon. Powerful martial artists or outstanding prodigies often had battle servants at their side.

With Shi Lan’s talent and gifts, it was only natural for someone to follow her.

“Why are you two here?” Shi Lan asked in some confusion.

“The outside world is full of rumors that this place is a training ground left behind by an ancient Sovereign. I merely wanted to try my luck and see whether I might gain something from it.”

At this point, Shen Tianlan sighed.

“I never expected this place to be a gathering ground for yin spirits, a truly vicious and baleful land. It is already difficult enough just trying to get out.”

“Senior Brother Shen need not worry. We will find a way out eventually.”

Seeing the look on Shen Tianlan’s face, Gu Rongyue stepped forward and took his hand, her eyes full of tenderness.

Shen Tianlan froze for a moment, then turned his head and met Gu Rongyue’s gaze. The gloom in his heart suddenly eased quite a bit.

The two stared at one another without moving, tender feelings lingering in their eyes, as though they had cast the whole world behind them.

There was no doubt that sharing hardship was the fastest way to temper affection. Clearly, over these past few years of war and turmoil, the two of them had already walked through stretches of time together unknown to others.

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For some reason, the sight gave Shi Lan an inexplicable pang in the chest. She averted her gaze, her expression turning a little strange for a moment. She felt that perhaps she should not have taken this road.

Tianbai looked at the pair before her, then at the odd expression on Shi Lan’s face, her own expression turning suspicious.

Suddenly, she stepped forward, copied Gu Rongyue’s动作, and took hold of Shi Lan’s hand.

“?”

Looking at Tianbai’s silly grin, Shi Lan felt a question mark rise in her mind.

Tap!

A crisp flick landed on Tianbai’s forehead, and a lump instantly swelled up on her pale brow.

Tianbai cried out in pain, sucking in cold air as she covered her forehead and stumbled back two steps, her eyes full of grievance as she looked at Shi Lan.

Shi Lan withdrew her hand, rolled her eyes at her, and ignored her completely.

Tianbai’s yelp also jolted Shen Tianlan and Gu Rongyue back to themselves, and Gu Rongyue shyly released her hand.

All Shi Lan wanted at the moment was to find an exit and leave. She had no desire to waste too much time here, so after briefly discussing things with Shen Tianlan, they set off together.

As they traveled, Shi Lan did not neglect her cultivation either. She placed that soul crystal directly into her sea of consciousness to nourish her Spirit Infant.

Under the nourishment of that vast soul power, Shi Lan’s Spirit Infant rapidly grew stronger. It soon grew to the same size as her, nearly reaching the point of Spirit Transformation.

…

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After traveling for several days straight, Shi Lan and the others gradually began to spot signs of human activity.

Nearly all of these people were led by Nascent Soul Realm cultivators. Lone Myriad Phenomena Realm wanderers were nowhere to be seen, making Shi Lan’s group seem rather conspicuous.

There were likewise no shortage of yin spirits here, but many of the powerful yin spirits seemed to be bound by some kind of restriction. Though they each had their own territory, they could not step beyond it at all. Before long, the gathered martial artists had figured out this pattern.

Shi Lan did not go looking for trouble with those powerful yin spirits, nor did she slaughter the weaker yin spirits at will for the sake of soul crystals.

She always felt that beneath this desolate land lay some hidden secret unknown to others, so if she could avoid provoking those yin spirits, she would do so.

After circling around the territories of one powerful yin spirit after another, Shi Lan’s group followed the trail left by the people ahead and entered a vast grassland dotted with scattered lakes.

The calf-deep grass was dark in color, like dried blood scabs, and a faint smell of blood drifted over the entire wasteland.

The group skimmed low over the grass, flattening it beneath them as they flew. The surging air currents plowed deep furrows through the prairie below.

“Roar!”

As they passed over a dark red lake, a savage beastly roar suddenly rang in Shi Lan’s ears.

A terrifying giant beast over a hundred meters long, shaped like an ancient crocodile, burst through the surface of the water and lunged toward Shi Lan and the others with its blood-filled jaws thrown wide.

Buzz!

A dark golden longsword cut through the void and pierced straight through the beast’s brow, instantly extinguishing all life within it.

Splash!

The giant beast crashed back into the lake, sending up towering waves hundreds of feet high.

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Countless black shadows flashed beneath the water’s surface, crazily tearing into the beast and devouring it. The crimson blood turned the already dark red lake into something even more horrifying.

Looking at the terrifying scene before her, Shi Lan could not help frowning. This place was simply too bloody and sinister.

Golden Rainbow hovered at Shi Lan’s side, a layer of bloodlight winding around the blade, having been greatly nourished by the giant beast’s soul and precious blood.

This giant beast had walked the path of the ancient yao-devils and was not weak. It could rival a cultivator at the early Nascent Soul Realm, yet Shi Lan had slain it in a single exchange by controlling her sword through her Spirit Infant.

Her strength had already entered an entirely new realm.

After steadying herself, Shi Lan and the others resumed their journey.

Nearly every one of those lakes concealed terrifying ancient yao-devils. They encountered several more along the way. The strongest among them was almost about to step into the realm of a Heaven Demon, and only after a fierce struggle was Shi Lan able to get away.

As they gradually pressed onward, more and more martial artists appeared within Shi Lan’s field of vision.

At the far end of her sight stood a magnificent altar several hundred zhang high.

It was an ancient altar permeated with Dao resonance, its age impossible to tell after countless tens of thousands of years. Upon it stood ten heavenly pillars, each carved from some unknown spiritual precious jade and engraved with profound array patterns beyond comprehension.

To one side of the altar stood a great blue stone stele, on which were written two large characters:

Langya.

“Langya Grotto-Heaven!”

“Great Emperor Linglong!”