"Where is this place?"
The army had been teleporting repeatedly. Using a series of spatial coordinates, they rapidly traversed the void through space gates, leaping from one town or village to another. With the Heavenly Emperor Tower of the Primordial Realm as support, the migration of the army was carried out effortlessly. Spanning thousands—nearly ten thousand—li, they had now arrived at the outermost village within the territory of Xuanhuang City.
Beyond this point, they were no longer within the city's sphere of influence.
There were no available teleportation array coordinates to utilize either. From here onward, they had to rely on their own strength to press forward—or on the space gate's intrinsic capabilities. However, its teleportation range would be significantly reduced.
At the Yellow Grade, each advancement by one rank increased the space gate's distance by ten li. At Yellow Grade Rank 1, it could teleport ten li, while at Rank 9, the maximum range reached ninety li. Not long, but not short either.
Once upgraded to Mystic Grade Rank 1, it could teleport a hundred li. Rank 2 allowed for two hundred li, and so on. At Rank 9, it could jump nine hundred li at a time—effectively allowing near-instantaneous relocation within that radius.
Upon reaching Earth Grade Rank 1, the range became one thousand li, with a max of nine thousand li. The growth curve was extraordinary. In time, moving ten thousand li in a blink would be considered routine.
Even now, being able to cross dozens of li at a time was already a feat. Few cultivators could match it. No escape technique or flight method could rival it.
"This is Yuguo Village. It's said that this place has frequent rainfall and an abundance of fruit trees," Jia Xu explained. "These trees are the village's specialty, traded for money and supplies. The fruits are famed for their delicious taste—top quality in both flavor and texture. They're highly sought after in other markets."
Jia Xu glanced around. This village was relatively prosperous, filled with birdsong and floral fragrance. Nestled in a mountain valley, the entire area—both inside and outside the valley—was blanketed with various fruit trees.
Pear trees, apple trees, loquats, bananas… It was strange. No matter the fruit tree, they all thrived here. They bloomed and bore fruit rapidly, much faster than normal. The fruit's taste surpassed even the finest varieties elsewhere. This place could be called a true blessed land, a natural spiritual treasure trove.
Everywhere one looked, there were flowers in full bloom, and the air was rich with floral and fruity aromas.
Thanks to this bounty, Yuguo Village had grown wealthy. Houses and structures had been built, even defensive walls. The walls were constructed using green plants interwoven with stone and soil—similar to Baiyang Village's walls—with formidable defense. It was a place suited for reclusion and well-being—a land that nourishes people with its natural blessings.
"Truly, this place is full of fruit trees, stretching endlessly," Yi Tianxing commented after surveying the surroundings. "However, from here, we must proceed on foot through the wilderness. Of course, we could still use the space gate, but the cost of opening it is high. This journey through the wild might be the perfect opportunity for tempering."
From this point, space teleportation was no longer viable.
Choices had to be made.
"My lord, I believe traveling through the wilderness will be an excellent chance to temper ourselves," Jia Xu said with a smile. "Although the wild is dangerous, it's also full of opportunities. Who knows what fortuitous encounters we might find?"
"My lord, we choose the wilderness route," Wang Dahu added, nodding to the soldiers behind him.
"We have no objections either," said Yang Yanping.
These soldiers were all elite—handpicked from the military's finest. None were cowards.
Just then, a middle-aged man led a few others out from the village and hurried over. This man radiated an honest, mild-mannered aura. Approaching Yi Tianxing, he quickly bowed with a smile.
"Village Chief Guo Yulin of Yuguo greets the City Lord. If I had known you were coming, I would have prepared to welcome you properly," he said apologetically.
Hearing that Yi Tianxing had arrived with a full army, Guo Yulin had been shocked and had rushed over. He still didn't know what was happening. This clearly wasn't a casual visit—it was a fully armed, elite force.
"No need for concern," Yi Tianxing replied calmly. "This was an impromptu journey. It's not your fault. We won't be staying long—we'll be moving on soon."
"Are you heading to deal with the insect disaster?" Guo Yulin asked. As a village chief, he wasn't dull. The presence of an elite, fully equipped army, combined with the recent rumors of an insect plague and summoning orders, made the situation clear. The bug disaster was imminent, and Yi Tianxing had come to respond.
The insect swarm's direction pointed near Yuguo Village. If it reached them and couldn't be stopped, the village would be engulfed. Knowing Xuanhuang City was acting gave him a bit of relief. It meant some degree of protection.
"Yes, we are just passing through," Yi Tianxing nodded. He then turned to look at the fruit trees around. "By the way, I heard that the fruits here are famous, and while they may not be spiritual fruits, they taste excellent. I'd like to dig up a few trees to plant myself—so I can enjoy the fruits of my own labor in the future."
"Of course, you're more than welcome," Guo Yulin responded readily. "Many others from different towns and villages have asked to buy our trees for transplanting. But fruits grown elsewhere never match the flavor of those from Yuguo. Likely due to our unique soil and water."
He wasn't worried about losing business by selling trees. Even if the transplanted trees bore fruit, the quality and taste fell short. A single bite would reveal the difference. So, Guo Yulin had no qualms about selling saplings and actually profited handsomely from it.
Yi Tianxing's request was quickly fulfilled.
A variety of fruit trees were brought over—two of each: apple, pear, plum, banana, orange, mandarin, kiwi, peach, cherry, grape, yangmei, longan, lychee, lemon, kumquat, loquat, mango, pineapple, pomegranate, sugarcane, and more.
Once delivered, Yi Tianxing nodded in satisfaction. With a wave of his hand, he instantly stored them all into his Dantian Life Orifice and planted them within the spiritual fields through his will.
Although the trees looked slightly wilted from being uprooted, the moment they took root in the spiritual fields and were bathed in rich spiritual energy, they perked up and grew vibrant again.
Under this constant spiritual nourishment, the trees began to undergo subtle transformations. In time, they might even become true spiritual fruit trees, though that would require a fated opportunity and plenty of time.
In the short term, however, their flavor would remain just as exquisite—possibly even better. A remarkable transformation.
The new life force radiating from these trees also enhanced the vitality of the Dantian Life Orifice, accelerating the growth and expansion of the spiritual fields.
The more medicinal and botanical lifeforms within the Life Orifice, the greater the feedback and enhancement to the Orifice's essence. They mutually nurtured each other.
"Excellent. Thank you. Here's payment for the trees—please accept it," Yi Tianxing said. With a wave of his hand, a pouch of eternal coins appeared—easily numbering in the thousands. He didn't bother counting—considered it a reward.
"Let's go—march!"
With a single command, the army moved forward again. This time, without teleportation. As they left Yuguo Village, they officially stepped into the wilderness.
And the wilderness was exactly that—untamed. Under the influence of abundant heaven-and-earth energy, grasses and trees grew as if on steroids. If a region wasn't inhabited, even if it had been cleared the day before, it would regrow by the next. Forests and grasslands thrived everywhere.
However, grasslands were often kept in check by grazing animals, maintaining a balance between growth and destruction.
Snap!
As soon as they left Yuguo, they entered the wilderness. Whether grasslands or forests, the army advanced by swinging their blades, clearing all obstructing vegetation—branches, vines, trees—to forcibly carve a path forward.
The murderous aura radiating from the army was so intense that it deterred nearby wild beasts, forcing them to flee instinctively. None dared approach.
Their marching speed was quite fast.
Before long, they had traveled over a hundred li—crossing meadows, passing through forests, and climbing mountains.
"Something's wrong."
No one knew how long they had been traveling when suddenly, an odd feeling settled over the group. The surroundings grew unnaturally quiet.
It was then that Ye Zhiqiu cried out in alarm.
The entire army came to a halt in an instant.
All eyes turned to Ye Zhiqiu.