296: Chapter 296 The Great Wilderness True Realm and the Cui Clan of Qinghe

Passing through the Gate of Origin, which radiated an endless chaotic divine glow, Zhou Wannian did not experience the violent spatial tearing sensation of a world-changing shift as he had expected.

The surrounding light felt like layers of warm, flowing water, silently sliding off his Green Robe. When the weightless sensation of crossing dimensions completely vanished, Zhou Wannian slowly opened his eyes.

What met his eyes was neither an endless starry sky nor some ethereal immortal palace or divine temple.

He found himself standing atop an ancient and massive mountain Peak. The rocks beneath his feet were a deep dark-green, their surfaces covered in traces of weathering from the ages, and they were unimaginably hard. Surrounding him were towering giant trees with canopies like massive parasols that obscured nearly half the sky. The bark of these trees naturally bore patterns resembling dragon scales, emitting an ancient and vast essence of vegetation.

Zhou Wannian took a deep breath.

The air was no longer filled with the light and nimble Immortal Qi of the True Immortal Realm, nor the violent and disordered chaotic currents of the Chaos Star Sea, but a heavy, steady, and singular energy that felt as if it could crush through eternity. Inhaling this energy into the body was like swallowing a mouthful of heavy lead and mercury; if an ordinary Taiyi Golden Immortal were to take a sudden breath of it, their Qi Sea would likely be crushed and their Meridians snapped instantly by the weight.

However, as this heavy energy surged into Zhou Wannian's body, it caused his Great Five Elements Illusory World Art—which had formed its own world—to let out an unprecedented roar of joy.

One hundred and eight clusters of time dao patterns flickered like stars within his inner universe. The chaos jianmu seedling rooted in the center of his Qi Sea swayed its emerald leaves greedily, completely devouring and refining the heavy energy pouring into his body, transforming it into the purest inner universe Origin.

Zhou Wannian's expression remained calm, his deep eyes surveying the surroundings as he felt the entirely different structural Laws of this world.

Zhou Wannian murmured softly in a steady tone, "So that's how it is. That so-called Origin Dao Realm was merely an Ascension node for this truly vast world. Those three old fellows were like frogs at the bottom of a well; guarding a withered well connected to the Lower Realm, they presumed themselves the source of all Laws. It is truly laughable. The stability of the Laws and the density of space in this world are more than ten million times stronger than that of the Chaos Star Sea."

He casually raised his right hand and made a light stroke through the void.

Had he been in the True Immortal Realm or the Chaos Star Sea, this single stroke would have been enough to tear open a spatial abyss tens of thousands of miles long. But here and now, his fingertip only stirred a faint, transparent ripple in the air; not even a tiny spatial crack appeared.

The Space Law here was as solid as a piece of flawless primordial divine iron.

Far from feeling disappointed, a relaxed smile curled at the corner of Zhou Wannian's mouth.

Zhou Wannian said unhurriedly, "Interesting. The pond has grown larger, and the water has become deeper. If every world I visited were fragile and shattered with a single blow, this long journey of the Great Dao would be far too boring."

He shook his wide green sleeves.

A streak of dark-golden light darted out from his sleeve and landed on a nearby massive dark-green rock.

The Gold-Devouring Immortal Golden Child had just devoured that cosmic chessboard in the Origin Dao Realm and was currently in a state of high energy. Its bean-sized eyes curiously scanned this new world, instinctively sensing that the rock beneath its feet contained extraordinary mineral essence.

Golden Boy opened its bottomless little mouth and bit down fiercely on that dark-green rock.

With a dull thud, Golden Boy's teeth—sharp enough to crush a Daluo Immortal Artifact—actually only managed to gnaw off a tiny fragment of this ordinary rock. It shook its slightly aching head, its eyes filled with surprise, which then transformed into fanatical excitement as it sprawled on the rock and began to gnaw even more vigorously.

Zhou Wannian watched Golden Boy's competitive display and did not stop it.

Zhou Wannian instructed in a gentle tone, "Every plant and stone in this place has been tempered by endless ages; they are very hard. Return to my sleeve and rest for now. Once I have figured out the situation of this world, there will be plenty of High Grade mineral veins for you to eat to your heart's content."

Hearing this, Golden Boy obediently stopped gnawing and turned into a golden light, burrowing back into the depths of Zhou Wannian's sleeve.

Zhou Wannian turned around and walked unhurriedly down the mountain along a rugged, thorn-covered path.

His pace maintained that innate sense of relaxation, his hands casually clasped behind his back. Although space here could not be easily torn, he could still achieve 'shrinking the earth into an inch' by relying on his Great Perfection of Space Law. He appeared to be taking a leisurely stroll, but in reality, every step he took covered a distance of dozens of miles through the mountain forest.

This ancient mountain range was vast and boundless. Along the way, Zhou Wannian saw many primordial species that had long been extinct in the Lower Realm. There were strange birds with wings that could blot out the sky, their bodies wreathed in green flames; there were one-horned giant pythons lurking in deep pools, emitting the pressure of the Peak Taiyi Realm.

These Vicious Beasts had keen perceptions. They instinctively sensed an aura of absolute danger emanating from the green-robed youth walking through the forest, a danger that made their Souls tremble. Consequently, not a single beast dared to provoke him; they all huddled in their dens, shivering as they watched Zhou Wannian depart.

After walking for about the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, Zhou Wannian's footsteps paused slightly.

His vast and fathomless Divine Sense, though suppressed to a certain extent in this world, could still clearly cover a range of tens of thousands of miles.

In a canyon about three hundred miles from his current position, a fierce battle was breaking out.

Zhou Wannian's expression remained unchanged; he had no impulse to intervene for the sake of justice. However, being a newcomer, he did indeed need to find some local Cultivators to understand the specific situation of this world.

He took steady steps, his figure flickering through the forest several times, and he silently arrived above that canyon.

Zhou Wannian stood on the branch of a massive ancient tree, looking down at the battle below from his high vantage point.

In the center of the canyon were two flying boats, each about a hundred feet long and constructed entirely of a crimson spiritual wood. The surfaces of the boats were inscribed with complex defensive Formation patterns, currently sustaining a thick layer of pale-golden light.

Surrounding the light barrier were hundreds of strange Vicious Beasts, as large as bulls, covered in green scales, and possessing wings. These beasts had crimson eyes and constantly spat out streaks of green wind blades that looked almost physical, frantically battering the defensive barrier of the flying boats.

The power of these wind blades was immense, each equivalent to the full-strength strike of an Early Stage Taiyi Realm Cultivator. Under the dense attacks, the pale-golden barrier of the flying boats flickered like a candle in the wind, shaking violently and already covered in fine cracks.

On the decks of the flying boats stood dozens of Cultivators dressed in identical moon-white robes. They were holding Formation Flags, desperately pouring their magic power into the Formation hubs in an attempt to keep the barrier operational.

The cultivation of most of these Cultivators was at the Golden Immortal Rank, while the leaders emitted the pressure of the Taiyi Realm. Their Magic Treasures and Cultivation Techniques possessed the solidity and rigor of a classical cultivation world. There were no flashy, exaggerated phenomena that destroyed star systems at every turn; instead, there was the steady combat of rainbow-like Sword Qi and flying Talismans.

Standing at the very front managing the Formation was a middle-aged man with a resolute face and slightly graying temples. He had a cultivation at the Peak Late Stage Taiyi Realm and held an ancient longsword that radiated a bone-chilling Sword Intent.

Beside the middle-aged man stood a young woman with delicate features, holding a High Grade Immortal Artifact jade mirror. The woman's face was pale, clearly having exhausted a vast amount of magic power.

The young woman shouted anxiously, "Third Uncle, the attacks from these Green-Scaled Wind Beasts are too fierce. Our Spirit Stone reserves are nearly depleted, and the defensive Formation can only last for half an incense stick at most. Should we abandon the cargo ships and break out?"

The middle-aged man addressed as Third Uncle, the leader of this merchant caravan named Cui Yuanshan, clenched his teeth upon hearing this, a look of determination flashing in his eyes.

Cui Yuanshan said in a deep voice, "Mingyue, this batch of 'Purple Cloud Refined Copper' is a tribute that our Qinghe Cui Clan spent over a hundred years collecting. If it is lost, the Family will be unable to fulfill its obligation to the Xuantian Sword Sect, and the entire Cui Clan will face a catastrophe. Even if we die here, we must not retreat a single step."

After hearing this, Cui Mingyue's eyes reddened slightly, but she also bit her lip and stopped mentioning the breakout. She desperately channeled her jade mirror, shooting out streaks of white light in an attempt to disrupt the beasts' attacks.

However, the gap in strength and the disadvantage in numbers were undeniable.

A Green-Scaled Wind Beast King, the largest of them all and emitting the pressure of the Early Daluo Stage, suddenly let out a deafening roar. It flapped its massive fleshy wings, its huge body turning into a green gale that struck the flying boat's defensive barrier with terrifying, destructive force.

Boom!

A world-shaking explosion echoed through the canyon.

The pale-golden barrier that had struggled to hold on for so long finally reached its limit under the beast king's violent impact. With a tooth-aching sound of shattering, the barrier collapsed like fragile glass, dissolving into a sky full of light specks.

A powerful backlash instantly swept across the deck. Dozens of Cui Clan disciples maintaining the Formation spat out blood simultaneously, flying backward like kites with broken strings and crashing heavily against the cabins.

Although Cui Yuanshan's cultivation was high, he was also forced back more than ten steps by the impact. The webbing between his thumb and index finger on his right hand cracked, and blood dripped down the sword hilt.

As soon as the defensive Formation broke, the hundreds of Green-Scaled Wind Beasts were like hungry wolves that had caught the scent of blood. They let out excited roars and swarmed toward the deck of the flying boat from all directions.

The Early Daluo Stage beast king was at the forefront, opening its bloody maw filled with fangs and biting directly toward Cui Mingyue, who had fallen to the ground.

Cui Yuanshan's eyes nearly split from rage. He wanted to rescue her, but his magic power had fallen into Chaos from the recent backlash, and he couldn't mobilize it in time.

Cui Yuanshan roared in despair, "Mingyue! Get out of the way!"

Looking at the foul wind and fangs right before her, Cui Mingyue's eyes were filled with despair and helplessness. She knew she had no way to dodge and could only close her eyes, waiting for death to arrive.

At this critical moment...

Zhou Wannian, who had been standing on the tree branch watching coldly, finally moved.

He did not summon any world-shaking Peerless Immortal Artifact, nor did he erupt with a Supreme pressure that crushed the heavens. He simply took steady steps and descended from the branch of that towering ancient tree as lightly as a falling leaf.

He took a leisurely step in mid-air.

The Great Perfection of Space Law flowed naturally beneath his feet. This single step crossed hundreds of feet of space, and he silently appeared on the deck of the flying boat, standing right between Cui Mingyue and the rampaging beast king.

A foul wind blew in his face as the mountain-sized beast king opened its massive mouth, seemingly about to swallow this suddenly appearing green-robed youth in one bite.

Zhou Wannian's expression was indifferent, his hands still casually clasped behind his back.

He didn't even look the Daluo Realm Beast King in the eye; he simply and casually withdrew his right hand from behind him, pressing his index and middle fingers together into a sword gesture, and made a plain, effortless stroke toward the massive Vicious Beast ahead.

Zhou Wannian spoke a single word in a steady tone: "Disperse."

There was no blinding light, nor any deafening sound of Law collisions.

A transparent and extremely condensed ripple of space undulated from Zhou Wannian's fingertips. Although the space of this world was incredibly sturdy, it was still sliced open as easily as the surface of water before the Laws of Zhou Wannian's self-contained inner universe.

The Green-Scaled Wind Beast King, which had been exuding overwhelming ferocity and arrogance just a breath ago, suddenly froze in mid-air the moment it touched this transparent ripple.

Immediately following that.

There was no flying flesh or blood, nor any shrill screams.

Starting from the Beast King's head, its incredibly hard azure scales and powerful flesh and bone instantly decomposed into basic dust, as if having weathered billions of years. This power of disintegration followed the Beast King's body like an invisible ripple of death, instantly spreading outward and sweeping through the hundreds of Green-Scaled Wind Beasts pouncing from behind.

In a ten-thousandth of an instant.

The canyon, once clamorous, violent, and filled with the crisis of death, instantly fell into a deathly silence.

Those hundreds of Vicious Beasts, enough to tear the Qinghe Cui Clan caravan to pieces, along with that Early Daluo Stage Beast King, all turned into gray powder dancing in the air simultaneously.

A mountain wind blew past.

The powder drifted down into the dense forest of the canyon, completely turning into nothingness.

An instant kill.

Whether in the True Immortal Realm or this sturdy and heavy Great Desolate True Realm, before Zhou Wannian's absolutely relaxed and crushing strength, the outcome was always this effortless and decisive.

On the deck of the flying boat, there was dead silence.

Cui Mingyue, having escaped death, sat on the ground in a daze, her clear eyes filled with unconcealable shock and disbelief. She hadn't even fully recovered from the shadow of death before that group of terrifying Vicious Beasts had completely evaporated from this world.

Cui Yuanshan also stood frozen in place, his right hand holding the longsword still trembling slightly. He had lived for tens of thousands of years and seen countless experts while traveling far and wide, but he had never seen such a terrifying method of killing demons as if brushing away dust.

Even their Qinghe Cui Clan's Supreme Grand Elder, who remained in seclusion year-round, could absolutely not wipe out hundreds of Vicious Beasts of the same Rank so nonchalantly, especially including a Beast King.

Cui Yuanshan took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing the overwhelming shock in his heart. He sheathed his longsword, walked quickly to a spot three zhang behind Zhou Wannian, and without hesitation, bowed deeply, performing the most solemn rite of a cultivation world Junior.

Cui Yuanshan said with utmost respect and gratitude, "Junior Cui Yuanshan of the Qinghe Cui Clan thanks Senior for your life-saving grace. If not for Senior's righteous intervention, we would surely have perished in the bellies of those beasts today. The Qinghe Cui Clan will never forget Senior's great kindness."

The other Cui Family disciples also snapped out of their daze and struggled to stand up, kneeling down toward Zhou Wannian in unison and shouting their thanks for Senior's life-saving grace.

Zhou Wannian slowly turned around and casually dusted off his Green Robe sleeves.

He looked at the extremely respectful Cui Yuanshan, his expression still as calm and relaxed as before.

Zhou Wannian said in a friendly tone, "There is no need for such ceremony. I was just passing by and happened to clear away a few obstructive flies. Since you are local Cultivators, I happen to have some matters I would like to ask you about."

Upon hearing this, Cui Yuanshan was overjoyed. To be able to serve such an unfathomable Senior was a sought-after Opportunity.

Cui Yuanshan quickly replied submissively, "Whatever questions Senior has, please just give the command. Junior will surely tell everything I know without reservation. This canyon has just seen a bloody battle, and the scent of blood might attract other Vicious Beasts. If Senior does not mind, please move to the cabin of our humble boat to sip tea and rest, and Junior will then provide detailed answers for Senior."

Zhou Wannian nodded slightly, not refusing this kindness.

Zhou Wannian said steadily, "Lead the way."

Under Cui Yuanshan's fearful and reverent guidance, Zhou Wannian entered the elegantly decorated main cabin of the flying boat. Cui Mingyue also forced her weak body to personally bring out the Family's treasured top-grade Spirit Tea, serving him carefully on the side.

Zhou Wannian sat down steadily in the main seat and took a light sip of the tea. Although this tea could not compare to the Chaos Spiritual Spring of the Origin Dao Realm, it contained a unique, heavy Spiritual Qi and had a quite mellow taste.

Zhou Wannian put down the teacup and looked at Cui Yuanshan, who was standing below, with a deep gaze.

Zhou Wannian asked plainly, "I have been in seclusion for too long and have just emerged, so I am somewhat unfamiliar with the current layout of this world. Tell me, what is this place called? And how is this vast world referred to?"

Hearing the words "seclusion for too long," Cui Yuanshan's heart instantly chilled. Such old monsters who live in seclusion and possess such terrifying strength upon emerging are rare in the Great Desolate True Realm, but not unheard of. He bowed his head even more respectfully and began to explain in detail to Zhou Wannian.

Cui Yuanshan replied with a solemn expression, "To answer Senior, the place Senior is currently in is the 'Cangwu Ancient Domain', one of the nine ancient domains of the 'Great Desolate True Realm'. This mountain range of ours is called the Hundred Thousand Great Mountains, a dangerous place on the edge of the Cangwu Ancient Domain."

A flash of understanding crossed Zhou Wannian's eyes. Great Desolate True Realm—this name was quite fitting for the ancient, vast, and heavy aura of the Laws in this world.

Zhou Wannian signaled him to continue and said steadily, "Go on. How are the cultivation forces of this Great Desolate True Realm divided?"

Cui Yuanshan organized his thoughts and spoke in detail.

Cui Yuanshan recounted respectfully, "The Great Desolate True Realm is vast and boundless, with ten thousand races. Cultivation forces are as numerous as the stars, but they are generally controlled by nine 'Immemorial Immortal Families' that have been passed down for countless eons and three 'Supreme Dao Sects'. Our Qinghe Cui Clan is merely a mid-tier Immortal Family in the Cangwu Ancient Domain that can barely be considered significant, surviving as a vassal to one of the three Dao Sects, the 'Xuantian Sword Sect'."

Zhou Wannian lightly tapped his fingers on the table and continued to ask.

Zhou Wannian asked in a casual tone, "Then, what is the highest level the cultivation Realms of this world have reached?"

Cui Yuanshan swallowed hard, a flash of yearning and awe in his eyes.

Cui Yuanshan said in a low voice, "To answer Senior, in the Great Desolate True Realm, the Golden Immortal and Taiyi Realms are only the backbone. Further up are the 'Daluo True Monarchs' who have mastered complete Great Dao Laws. Our Qinghe Cui Clan's Supreme Grand Elder is a Daluo True Monarch. And above the Daluo True Monarchs are the 'Dao Venerable' experts who can establish sects and suppress an entire ancient domain. It is said that the ancestors of the nine Immemorial Immortal Families and the sect masters of the three Dao Sects have even surpassed the Dao Venerable Realm, reaching the legendary 'Great Desolation Saint Ancestor' Realm, which is as long-lived as heaven and earth and indestructible through ten thousand tribulations."

Hearing this division of Realms, a faint trace of interest finally flickered deep within Zhou Wannian's calm eyes.

Daluo True Monarch, Dao Venerable, Great Desolation Saint Ancestor.

It seemed that the foundation of this Great Desolate True Realm indeed far surpassed that so-called Origin Dao Realm. If those self-righteous Lords of the Source were placed in this Great Desolate True Realm, they would probably be at most Dao Venerable level experts.

The water in this pond was indeed deep and clear enough.

Zhou Wannian stopped tapping the table and crossed his hands over his knees.

Zhou Wannian said in a steady tone, "I understand. The local customs of this Great Desolate True Realm are quite interesting. Where is your caravan transporting its goods?"

Cui Yuanshan answered quickly, not daring to hide anything.

Cui Yuanshan said respectfully, "To answer Senior, this batch of 'Purple Cloud Refined Copper' is intended to be transported to 'Qinghe Immortal City', which is a hundred thousand miles away. That is where our Cui Family's ancestral land is located and is also one of the largest immortal cities on the edge of the Cangwu Ancient Domain. Once there, we will use the cross-domain teleportation Formation in the city to send the tributes directly to the Xuantian Sword Sect."

Zhou Wannian nodded slightly, having already made a plan.

Although the Five Elements Laws of his inner universe were already at Perfection, with the chaos jianmu as the stabilizing force of the wood Origin, if he wanted his inner universe to completely transform into a perfect Great Desolation world, he still needed to find four other Immemorial Origin Divine Objects of the same grade for metal, water, fire, and earth.

Since this Great Desolate True Realm had such a deep foundation, it must contain countless undiscovered rare treasures. Going to a prosperous immortal city to gather intelligence and maps was undoubtedly the most reasonable choice at the moment.

Zhou Wannian's expression was composed, his tone carrying a kind of unquestionable casualness.

Zhou Wannian said plainly, "A hundred thousand miles of travel through these deep mountains and old forests would be tedious on foot. I will take your flying boat and head to that Qinghe Immortal City with you. Consider it the reward for answering my questions."

Upon hearing this, Cui Yuanshan was immediately overjoyed.

To have such an unfathomable peerless powerhouse presiding over the flying boat meant that not only would the rest of the journey be as stable as a mountain, but even after reaching Qinghe City, if they could take the Opportunity to let the Family gain some favor with this Senior, it would absolutely be a heavenly stroke of luck for the Qinghe Cui Clan.

Cui Yuanshan quickly knelt on the ground, his voice trembling with excitement.

Cui Yuanshan said loudly, "Senior's presence is the Supreme honor of the Qinghe Cui Clan. Junior will go and arrange the departure now. The Heaven-rank Main Cabin on this flying boat will be reserved for Senior's quiet cultivation. If Senior has any instructions, just say the word, and Junior will go through fire and water without hesitation."

Zhou Wannian waved his hand, signaling him to withdraw.

Zhou Wannian said steadily, "Go and attend to your business. Do not let anyone disturb me."

Cui Yuanshan respectfully backed out of the main cabin and carefully closed the door.

The cabin returned to tranquility.

Zhou Wannian leaned against the comfortable spirit-wood chair, turned his head to look at the vast and ancient Hundred Thousand Great Mountains outside the window, and a faint curve appeared at the corner of his mouth.

He shook his Green Robe sleeves.

The Gold-Devouring Immortal Golden Child turned into a streak of golden light and scurried out, landing on the table, its pea-sized eyes full of longing for the High Grade mineral veins of this new world.

Zhou Wannian extended a slender finger and lightly tapped on Golden Boy's hard carapace.

Zhou Wannian's tone was soothing, carrying an innate sense of relaxation, as he said softly, "Behave. Although the rules of this Great Desolate True Realm are strict, it also means there are more fat sheep. When we get to that Qinghe Immortal City, there will be plenty of opportunities for you to feast to your heart's content. This long journey of the Great Dao has finally gained some fresh amusement."

The flying boat emitted a low rumble and slowly rose into the air. Under the protection of Zhou Wannian, this mysterious powerhouse, the caravan that had once struggled on the edge of life and death set sail again, steadily heading toward the depths of the boundless Great Desolate True Realm.

A new legend of the Green Robe Supreme, continuing his absolute crushing dominance in this even grander and more ancient world, leisurely began its prelude over the vast Hundred Thousand Great Mountains.