Cultivation: I Can Traverse Otherworlds

The house was dilapidated, its mud tiles broken and cobwebs thick.

This was an abandoned little mountain village.

Judging by the linen clothes, worn straw mats, and decaying grain jars inside, people had lived here just over a month ago.

Quite a few of them, in fact.

The lingering Yin Qi and residual Evil Qi in the area explained what had befallen this small village.

Cultivators from the Celestial Corpse Sect had been here.

Mortals often said that bandits were like a coarse comb and soldiers like a fine one, but they had no idea that wherever Cultivators of the Celestial Corpse Sect passed, all life was extinguished.

Not even corpses were left behind!

BANG!

A figure burst through the wooden door, stretching her limbs with a look of satisfaction on her face:

"Finally recovered."

Not far away, Zhu Ju, who was sitting cross-legged on a straw mat, slowly opened his eyes at the sound.

"The Demonic Cultivators' methods are indeed impressive. To think they chased us for half a month even while we were concealing our auras."

"Good thing we finally shook them off."

"That's all thanks to Junior Brother Zhu." Dong Yuelan turned her head, her beautiful eyes sparkling. "Without you, I'm afraid I would have been doomed."

"You're too kind, Senior Sister." Zhu Ju stood up and tossed out two storage bags.

"One for each of us."

The two had been fleeing in a panic for the past half-month and hadn't had the leisure to divide the spoils. Now was the perfect time.

"No!" Dong Yuelan shook her head.

"You were the one who killed the Celestial Corpse Sect's Dao Foundation Cultivator. Without you, I couldn't have taken down Lian Junhe either. You should keep it all."

"Well..." Zhu Ju hesitated for a moment, then took out the Garrison Wind and Thunder Banner, the Magical Treasure that Lian Junhe had wielded.

"But I couldn't have killed Lian Junhe without you, Senior Sister. I'll take this treasure, you can have the rest."

"Hmm..." Dong Yuelan mulled it over for a moment, then nodded.

"Alright!"

To deal with Lian Junhe, she had used a Secret Technique to stimulate her potential, which had taken a significant toll. She needed the resources to recuperate.

"I really underestimated you, Junior Brother Zhu. With your skills, I'm afraid you're no weaker than a Late-Stage Dao Foundation Cultivator."

Putting away the storage bag, Dong Yuelan said with a sigh:

"No wonder Sister Pei sent you."

"What are you thinking about?"

"Oh!" Zhu Ju came back to his senses and sighed.

"I was thinking about that Golden Core Grandmaster from the Celestial Corpse Sect, Tan Shouli. The Might of the Golden Core... it's truly terrifying!"

Although his Cultivation was low, his strength was not.

His Physical Body, at the Body Refining Fourth Realm, had nearly reached the limit for a Dao Foundation Cultivator.

He possessed two Middle Grade Magical Treasures—the Mutated Left Hand and the Ten Directions Cross Sword—as well as an Outer Body Incarnation he had yet to reveal.

He had assumed Golden Core Grandmasters weren't that big of a deal; after all, he'd killed a Tier Three Demon Beast before.

But he never imagined.

That day, Tan Shouli had shattered their array with a single sword strike that transformed into a mountain of white bone, completely extinguishing his will to fight.

That one sword strike, landing in the Grand Array, had effortlessly suppressed and annihilated two Late-Stage Dao Foundation Cultivators.

'If it had been me...'

'I would have met the same fate!'

"A single Golden Core swallowed, and my fate is my own, not heaven's to decide," Dong Yuelan said, clapping her hands together with a sigh.

"Dao Foundation, Dao Foundation... it's merely laying the foundation of the Great Dao. Only when you form a Golden Core can you be considered truly accomplished in your cultivation."

"Junior Brother, there's no need to be so shocked. Golden Core is an amazing realm to begin with, and besides, that Tan Shouli is no ordinary Golden Core..."

"We should be content just to have escaped with our lives."

Zhu Ju nodded slowly.

SWOOSH!

Dong Yuelan waved her long sleeve, and a curtain of Spiritual Light formed before her, displaying several points of light.

"We've deviated from the rendezvous route. It looks like it will take us some time to get there."

"The front line is getting more and more dangerous. We need to hurry!"

Zhu Ju's brows furrowed.

For some reason, the retreat speed of the Bright Void Sect and the Hundred Flowers Sect was slowing, and their route had changed several times.

'I'm afraid things aren't going smoothly for them either.'

...

A nameless mountain peak.

Her face deathly pale, Liuu Huang'er sat cross-legged on a round stone, silently regulating her breathing. Beside her were a dozen or so disciples from the Bright Void Sect.

Zhai Qingfeng stood nearby, Longsword in hand, acting as her Guardian.

Soon,

Liuu Huang'er opened her eyes, a glint in their beautiful depths.

"Qingfeng, something's not right!"

"I know."

Zhai Qingfeng nodded. "The person we encountered two days ago had a Late-Stage Dao Foundation Cultivation. I was already in despair."

"But then..."

"Not only did we escape, but we did so without any major injuries. This can't be explained away as just good luck."

Liuu Huang'er slowly nodded.

They had encountered many dangers along the way.

They had suffered heavy losses at first. The further they went, the more dangerous it became, yet strangely, there were few casualties. Only she and Zhai Qingfeng were seriously injured, but every time they faced the most perilous moments, they always managed to escape.

"They're letting us live on purpose!"

Liuu Huang'er spoke slowly, "They separated us from our friends from the Hundred Flowers Sect and trapped us here, preventing us from gathering our strength. And then..."

"They're using us as bait!"

They looked at each other, and both of their hearts sank.

***

「One month later.」

Two figures appeared near the front line.

Dong Yuelan opened a map and marked the latest location transmitted by the Hundred Flowers Sect disciples.

"Ten Thousand Flowers Valley?"

Her expression shifted slightly, a complex mix of sorrow, nostalgia, and regret crossing her face.

"Senior Sister," Zhu Ju said, "What's wrong with this place?"

"The Ten Thousand Flowers Valley was once an outpost for the Hundred Flowers Sect for a while, but it was later abandoned due to its location," Dong Yuelan sighed and explained.

"But after years of being tended to by our seniors, many Spiritual Plants were cultivated inside. Flowers bloomed there all year round, so the disciples in the sect loved to go there to relax."

"Now..."

"There's still a damaged Array there that can hold back the Demonic Cultivators for a while. I need to get there as soon as possible to provide support."

"Senior Sister, you're going alone?" Zhu Ju's brow furrowed slightly.

"We're heading in different directions. Going to one place and then the other would be too much of a delay," Dong Yuelan said, shaking her head.

"Junior Brother!"

"We'll regroup here after we've picked up our people. If the other party hasn't arrived after one month, we leave on our own."

"How does that sound?"

"Alright." Zhu Ju thought for a moment, then cupped his fist in his hand.

"Senior Sister Dong, take care!"

"You too!"

Dong Yuelan gave a radiant smile, then headed into the dense forest with her spear in hand, disappearing after a few flashes.

Watching her figure recede into the distance, Zhu Ju unfolded his map and looked at the last coordinates sent by Liuu Huang'er.

'Twenty days...'

A full twenty days had passed since the last coordinates were sent.

'Did Liuu Huang'er and the others meet with disaster, or was there some other reason they couldn't transmit their coordinates?'

The Immortal Alliance's front line had now completely collapsed, and countless Cultivators who had been stationed there were retreating.

No matter how numerous the Demonic Cultivators were, they couldn't possibly hunt down everyone.

Therefore, meeting up with fellow sect members shouldn't have been difficult or particularly dangerous, but the situation had now changed.

Liuu Huang'er had stopped transmitting her coordinates.

It was highly likely they were being hunted by Demonic Cultivators, or perhaps had already met with disaster.

Looking at the coordinates on the map, a puzzled look appeared in Zhu Ju's eyes, and then, as if realizing something, he tapped it lightly.

'I can't delay any longer.'

'Once the rout starts, things will only get more chaotic. I need to get our people and leave before the Demon Dao launches a full-scale invasion. We can decide what to do next once we're back at the Sect.'

'I hope...'

'...you're still alive!'

...

WHOOSH...

A cold wind blew as snow filled the sky.

Overnight, the land was blanketed in white, the mountains blending into a single color as a chill condensed in the air.

SWISH!

In the snow-covered land,

a figure flickered and teleported like a phantom, covering a hundred zhang with every move.

In the blink of an eye, he covered several miles, leaving not a single trace on the soft, fresh snow.

At a certain moment,

the figure came to an abrupt halt, appearing before a cluster of caves.

This had once been a mine. After its veins were fully excavated, it was abandoned.

As far as the eye could see,

the entire mountainside was riddled with all sorts of mine tunnels.

"The inside of the mine is as complex as a labyrinth, a good place to hide," Zhu Ju muttered, looking at the mountain before him. "'Are you hiding in here?'"

Since Liuu Huang'er was no longer transmitting coordinates, he had no idea how to find them.

Logically, even if Zhu Ju returned to the Sect now, Pei Jingque wouldn't blame him.

But since he was already here, he had to at least take a look. Besides, he had a feeling Liuu Huang'er and the others were still alive.

'As for the danger...'

'As long as no Golden Core Grandmaster of the Demon Dao showed up nearby, the danger to him was not high.'

And the twelve Demonic Golden Core cultivators were not currently in this area.

SWISH!

Following the coordinates, Zhu Ju arrived at the entrance to a mine tunnel. He swept his Divine Thought inside, then stepped in.

The interior of the mine had countless tunnels, and because the Qi of the Earth Vein was chaotic, it restricted the range of Divine Thought. Even a Dao Foundation Cultivator would have difficulty perceiving things from a distance, making it a perfect place to hide from pursuers.

But this also proved that Liuu Huang'er and the others were being hunted, and their current situation was likely dire.

TAP...

Zhu Ju stopped in his tracks.

Before him was an intersection of several tunnels. Some debris was piled in a corner, along with a few white bones.

WHOOSH...

He raised one hand, and a ball of light emerged from his palm, illuminating the area as if it were day.

Certain markings on the cavern wall came into view.

'The Sect's symbol. Junior Sister Liuu was indeed here.'

Muttering softly, Zhu Ju nodded, and his figure vanished from the spot like a phantom.

Shortly after,

a furtive, Black-Clothed Man crawled out from a lower passage and took out a mirror, shining it around.

A blurry figure flickered in the mirror.

"Someone else actually came."

He muttered, taking out a Spirit Talisman and making a gesture with it.

"Quickly report to the Sect. Have the seniors take action to capture the reinforcements."

"Besieging a point to wipe out reinforcements?" Suddenly, an unfamiliar voice sounded by his ear as Zhu Ju's figure appeared without a sound. "Shouldn't cultivators be focused on their Cultivation? Since when did you start studying military tactics?"

The so-called 'besieging a point to wipe out reinforcements' is a battlefield tactic. It involves trapping a group of enemies, surrounding them without killing them, to lure in their support. The reinforcements are then annihilated, causing the enemy to continuously bleed troops until they either lose all ability to resist or abandon the trapped group.

The Black-Clothed Man's eyes narrowed at the words. Without the slightest intention of fighting back, he lunged downward.

Earth Escape Skill!

A faint yellow light enveloped him, and as his body touched the rock, he sank into it as naturally as if diving into water.

"A decent Escape Technique."

Zhu Ju raised an eyebrow and extended a single hand. "But now that I've seen you, you're not getting away. Get out here!"

BOOM!

The stone trembled violently, and a figure that had already sunk into the ground was forcefully dragged out by an Invisible Power.

"Look at me!"

Zhu Ju's voice was low, and a strange light shone in his eyes.

"Where are the people from the Bright Void Sect?"

Soul-Capturing and Soul-Seizing!

With his Divine Soul Power, which was comparable to that of a Late-Stage Dao Foundation cultivator, a mere Innate Qi Refiner stood no chance of resisting.

The Black-Clothed Man's eyes struggled for a moment before turning vacant. Like a puppet on a string, he answered every question put to him.

A moment later,

a glint appeared in Zhu Ju's eyes.

'Junior Sister Liuu is indeed still alive, but... Yin Yang Elder!'

'You're here too?'

A cold light flashed in his eyes, and killing intent surged in his heart.

It was because of the Yin Yang Elder that he had been trapped in Wind Moon Valley for years, narrowly escaping death several times.

Even after luckily escaping from Wind Moon Valley, he had drifted in the East Sea for decades before finally returning to the Sect.

It could be said,

if not for the Yin Yang Elder, Zhu Ju would not have suffered so many years of hardship.

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