307: Chapter 305 Following

Yun Ming put away his Magic Treasure, preparing to leave.

Several streaks of Escape Light flew out from the dilapidated Sect below, landing before Yun Ming.

The leader was the Sect Head at the Early Golden Core Stage, followed by several Elders at the Foundation Establishment Stage.

They were covered in wounds, their robes tattered, but their eyes were filled with the relief and gratitude of having survived a disaster.

The Sect Head bowed deeply, his voice hoarse: "Senior, your grace in saving our lives is something this Junior will never forget. May I ask for your honorable name?"

Yun Ming waved his hand. "Just a passing Loose Cultivator. I could not bear to watch Human Race Cultivators being slaughtered by the Yao Race. No need to thank me." Having said that, he turned, ready to continue his journey.

The Sect Head grew anxious and fell to his knees with a thud. The Elders behind him also knelt in unison. The Sect Head pressed his forehead against the Void Realm, his voice trembling: "Senior! I beg you to take us in! In these chaotic times, we are willing to serve you as our master, seeking only your protection!"

Yun Ming stopped and turned to look at them. "You don't even know who I am, yet you are willing to serve me as your master?"

The Sect Head knelt on the ground, raising his head, his eyes red. "Senior, we do not know who you are, but you killed that Nascent Soul Yao Cultivator and saved our entire Sect. In these chaotic times, small Sects like ours have no backing, no protection; sooner or later, we will be slaughtered by the Yao Race. If you are willing to take us in, we are willing to serve as your servants for generations, with no second thoughts."

Yun Ming was silent for a moment. "What happened? To make you willing to abandon your Sect and serve a total stranger as your master?"

The Sect Head knelt on the ground and began to recount. His voice was hoarse, his speaking speed fast, as if pouring out his bitterness.

"A few years ago, the Yao Race appeared from nowhere, endless, impossible to kill or drive away. They slaughtered the Human Race everywhere, sparing not even the Mortal elderly or children. At first, we small Sects organized our Disciples to resist, but we simply could not win. The Yao Race army surged in like a tide; our fellow Disciples fell one by one, and our Mountain Guardian Array was broken again and again."

"We sent requests for aid to nearby Nascent Soul Sects; we sent dozens of letters, but not a single one received a reply. Instead, we received many requests for aid from other Sects; they were also under siege, also waiting for reinforcements. Later, we realized that the Nascent Soul Sects above were barely able to protect themselves. Even those Soul Transformation Sects had retreated within their own mountain gates, fully activating their Mountain Guardian Arrays, not daring to come out."

His voice lowered further. "Small Sects like ours are like a single leaf boat tossed into the ocean, ready to be capsized by the waves at any moment. If not for your intervention today, Senior, we would all be dead. The Yao Race Cultivators are becoming increasingly powerful; those who came before were just lackeys, but now, it is their true army. We cannot hold on; we truly cannot hold on any longer."

Having finished, he prostrated himself on the ground, speaking no more. The Elders behind him also lowered their heads, waiting for Yun Ming's answer.

Yun Ming was silent for a long time. He recalled the conversation between the two Void Refining powerhouses on the ruins of Tianyuan City. The Zifu Immortal Dynasty was finished; the Xuanhuang Small World was being devoured by the Vast Monster Realm. This was not a disaster for a single Sect, but a disaster for the entire world. As a mere Early Nascent Soul Stage Cultivator, he could not do much. But at least, he could save these people before him. Saving even a few was better than nothing.

"Very well," Yun Ming said. "I agree."

The Sect Head suddenly raised his head, his eyes full of disbelief. The Elders behind him also raised their heads one after another; some had already started crying.

"I will allow you to enter my spatial Magic Treasure, but inside, your fate and life are completely under my control."

"And there is one more condition," Yun Ming said. "After you enter my map of mountains and rivers, you may only live in the area I designate and cannot move about freely. The Laws of the world within the map are incomplete; you will be unable to break through your Realm and can only maintain your current status. Think it over before you decide."

The Sect Head did not hesitate. "Senior, we have thought it over. Being able to survive is enough. As for Realms or whatever—if our lives are gone, what is there to talk about regarding Realms?"

Yun Ming nodded. He summoned the map of mountains and rivers, and the scroll unfurled, transforming into a cyan light gate suspended in mid-air. Inside the light gate, clouds and mist swirled, and the outlines of mountains and rivers were vaguely visible.

The Sect Head was the first to stand up, bowing deeply to Yun Ming, then stepped into the light gate. The Elders behind him followed inside. The remaining hundreds of Cultivators within the array also flew out one after another, entering in a single file. Some looked back at the Sect where they had lived for many years before turning their heads and walking into the light gate.

A moment later, the area in front of the mountain gate was empty, with only Yun Ming remaining. He put away the map of mountains and rivers and probed into the map with his Divine Sense. He designated an area at the edge of the world within the map, far from the fusang divine tree and far from that blazing golden light. That area had thin Spiritual Qi, spring-like weather all year round, mountains and water; it was enough for these hundreds of people to live. The Sect Head, leading his Disciples, landed on that land, looked at the unfamiliar environment around them, was silent for a moment, and then knelt toward the direction of the sky. They could not see Yun Ming, but they knew he could see them.

Yun Ming withdrew his Divine Sense, transformed into a five-colored Escape Light, and continued flying north.

In the following days, he encountered many Human Race Cultivators besieged by the Yao Race. Some were small Sects, some were Loose Cultivators, and some were Mortal villages. He intervened to save a portion of them. Those willing to follow him were taken into the map of mountains and rivers; those unwilling, he did not force, letting them leave. He had no time to stop and persuade anyone, nor did he have that obligation. He was simply doing what he could while on his journey.

Flying for another two days, he encountered a group of Loose Cultivators being hunted by the Yao Race on a barren plain. There were seven or eight of them, the highest cultivation being only at the Foundation Establishment Late Stage, being chased and beaten by two Yao Cultivators at the Early Golden Core Stage. Yun Ming casually killed those two Yao Cultivators, and the group of Loose Cultivators knelt on the ground, weeping and begging him to take them in. Yun Ming did not say much and took them into the map of mountains and rivers. Another day passed, and by a dried-up riverbed, he discovered a village that had been mostly slaughtered by the Yao Race. The remaining dozens of Mortals were curled up in a cellar, shivering. Yun Ming took those Mortals into the map of mountains and rivers, having the Cultivators inside help settle them.

There were more and more people in the map of mountains and rivers. There were Cultivators, Mortals, the elderly, and children. Yun Ming designated a larger territory at the edge of the world within the map, allowing them to settle down respectively.

The golden light of the fusang divine tree was kept far away; that area had no scorching sun, no bitter cold, only eternal twilight. The Laws were incomplete; one could not Cultivate or break through, but it was safe enough. Although those Cultivators could not improve their Realm, at least they did not need to worry about being hunted by the Yao Race anymore. The Mortals were even more grateful, working from sunrise to sunset in the world within the map, living quite peacefully.

Yun Ming continued flying north.

The border of the Zifu Immortal Dynasty was already visible in the distance; in another day or two of flying, he would reach the Great Liang Kingdom. Just as he was preparing to accelerate and fly over a continuous mountain range, his Divine Sense suddenly captured a familiar aura.