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Translator: Fate
Translation Checker: Silavin
For twenty years, when the pawns laid down by the Immortal Gu Family in the Eight Wastelands and Ten Domains made a move, they almost annihilated the Family of Protectors in one night, and only a few of the latter managed to survive.
Hence, Xiao Yang the Fortuitous One’s quest for revenge was born.
After referring to the Gu Family, Gu Changge grew to understand the cause and effects of the incident twenty years ago.
The incident was related to the Wasteland Realm, which was the name given before Eight Wastelands and Ten Domains came into existence. Back then, the Immortal Gu Family owned a powerful subservient clan that was notorious in the entire Upper Realm—the Bone Clan. However, after committing an atrocious mistake, they were exiled to Wasteland Realm.
The Bone Race had been trying to flee from the Wasteland Realm and return to the Upper Realm. Coincidentally, they encountered an opportunity during the previous wars between the Upper Realm and Eight Wastelands and Ten Domains. It was during this opportunity that the Immortal Gu Family came to an agreement with the Bone Clan, to forgive the latter’s sins and allowed them back to the Upper Realm.
With this, the Immortal Gu Family set the entire Bone Clan all over Eight Wastelands and Ten Domains as secret pawns, which could contribute in unimaginable ways at crucial moments.
At this point, the Bone Clan had taken over White Bone Great Domain—one of the Ten Great Domains. Although their number wasn’t big, the irresistible strength of their Ancestor allowed them to survive for a long time, and none dared to defy them.
This time, Gu Changge intended to utilise these secret pawns and determine whether he could thoroughly eliminate whatever was left of the Family of Protectors. [The Bone Clan must be crafty, given how they almost obliterated the Family of Protectors twenty years ago.]
After departing from Sky Deer City, Gu Changge headed to White Bone Domain. He brought along nobody else except Ah Da. Given his current strength, having too many followers with him wouldn’t be of any use.
As for the Sky Deer Goddess, due to her identity, Gu Changge allowed her to remain in Sky Deer City. Thanks to her familiarity with the city, she could swiftly help him deal with the war prisoners.
Altogether, the Eight Wastelands and Ten Domains included Ten Great Domains. Among the Ten, the vastest ones were Great Cloud Domain and Crimson Shack Domain, while the remaining were significantly smaller in size.
On the other hand, the Eight Wastelands were isolated regions engulfed by miasma and Mists of Chaos. Filled with mountains and bodies of water, the Eight Wastelands harboured countless menacing beasts and was home to only a few clans.
As for the Leaders of the Eight Great Wastelands, they were terrifyingly formidable beings whose cultivation level was immeasurable. After all, they had to dominate all living beings of the entire Eight Wastelands, including beasts that were close to Immortal. Those beasts might not be intellectual, but they managed to accumulate frightening cultivation power.
In the current war against the Upper Realm, the Leaders of the Eight Great Wastelands refrained from participating in it. Nonetheless, a number of them visited Sky Deer City and witnessed the terror of the Upper Realm Army. And so, they, too, moved far away from Sky Deer City and returned to their respective bases.
Compared to the Ten Great Domains, the Eight Wastelands received significantly less damage from the war.
In the eyes of the forces from the Upper Realm, the Eight Wastelands’ threat was inferior to that of the Ten Great Domains.
From above the sky, one could perceive that Eight Wastelands and Ten Domains seemed like a complete continent that was separated into lands that were far apart from one another. Nevertheless, the size of each domain exceeded millions and might even reach billions of square kilometres.
And ever since the war broke out, the Upper Realm Army could often be seen marching and charging towards various regions of Eight Wastelands and Ten Domains.
…
“Judging by the message Master sent me, the Supreme Mountain Elder should be somewhere in the Eight Great Wastelands…” At that moment, in one of the infinitely vast Eight Great Wastelands, where ancient trees towered through the sky while dense miasma wafted between giant vines, Xiao Yang, Gu Wudi, and the rest were on their hurried way, seemingly exhausted.
Although the two shared a tremendous amount of feud in the past, after a certain incident, Xiao Yao’s hostility towards Gu Wudi had notably diminished, especially after how Gu Wudi rescued him when they encountered a powerful beast in the Sacred Emperor Realm during their journey.
As such, Xiao Yang felt somewhat complicated, thinking that Gu Wudi had changed.
Following the obliteration of Nine Great Mountains and the death of three Mountain Elders, Xiao Yang had significantly matured as he was no longer as afraid of death and as stubborn as he once was.
Other than the two of them, big clans across the Eight Wastelands and Ten Domains also dispatched quite a number of formidable cultivators to follow them in the search for the Supreme Mountain Elder.
It had been three months since they departed from Sky Deer City.
Having travelled across mountains and along rivers, they scoured everywhere before finally locking on a region where they think the Supreme Mountain Elder should be.
As the Supreme Mountain Elder was ever so enigmatic, he was no longer cultivating within the territories of Nine Great Mountains. After passing down the Celestial Seal of the Nine Mountains, he had claimed to enter retreat, but he was actually living a nomadic life.
Now that Nine Great Mountains and Sky Deer City were destroyed, Xiao Yang was immensely pressured by those two dreadful incidents. Right now, the only solution was to locate the Supreme Mountain Elder and retrieve information about his Family. Or else, Eight Wastelands and Ten Domains’ fall would be inevitable.
“Sky Deer City’s destruction and the Upper Realm Army’s conquest of Eight Wastelands and Ten Domains caused unthinkable calamities. Flames of war scattered everywhere as havoc was wreaked upon the people. Yet, there’s nothing we can do.”
The formidable cultivators behind Xiao Yang and Gu Wudi heaved a sigh of dejection. They never expected following the two in the search for the Supreme Mountain Elder would be a blessing in disguise as the Eight Great Wastelands were much safer regions.
Lately, they had heard that countless had perished in Sky Deer City. Although those who surrendered managed to survive, their fate would by no means be fortunate.
It was also said that the clans had abandoned Sky Deer City and ran for their lives. Even the True Daoists of the Four Powerful War God Clans openly conceded defeat, disgracing their own people.
In the past, they had so complacently claimed to be figures of justice and that death was a natural part of life. Alas, when they were facing their deaths, they dishonourably surrendered, not even daring to resist.
Upon such news, many were exasperated, agonised, and dismayed to discover the true colours of the great ancient War God Clans. If Sky Deer City’s destruction posed no threat to their territories, they probably wouldn’t have cared about it, let alone dispatch their own troops to defend Sky Deer City.
“There’s no point dwelling on that. It’s crucial for us to find Supreme Mountain Elder. Given his overbearing powers, he must be able to help,” Gu Wudi blandly stated as he frowned upon the conversation of the formidable cultivators behind him. He was obviously unhappy.
“You are right, Chosen One. Our only way out is to find Supreme Mountain Elder.”
Hearing that, the formidable cultivators flinched as traces of hope surged in their eyes. Indeed, their final solution was to find the Supreme Mountain Elder of Nine Great Mountains.
The Supreme Mountain Elder was of an extremely ancient origin and was said to have existed longer than Eight Wastelands and Ten Domains. If even he was helpless, then Eight Wastelands and Ten Domains were truly doomed.
Upon those words, Xiao Yang, too, nodded as he revealed an optimistic look.
*Whoosh!*
However, at that moment, he felt something burning in his chest. It was a simple jade pendant without any patterns. The pendant appeared old and natural with a divine light around it.
“Master gave this to me before I left. He claimed that the jade pendant would resonate and glow when we’re near Supreme Mountain Elder.” Xiao Yang’s heart skipped a beat as he revealed a pleasantly surprised expression. He never thought that he would be this fortunate, given how it didn’t take long until the jade pendant shone.
[Does that mean we’re very close to where Supreme Mountain Elder is? We are no longer far from him!] With that in mind, he grew uncontrollably joyful and thrilled.
Upon the sight, a strange sensation flashed across Gu Wudi’s eyes.
The rest were also dazed, asking, “Is Supreme Mountain Elder’s hiding spot really nearby?”
Xiao Yang nodded and answered, “Very likely. Master gave this pendant to me and said that it was marked with Supreme Mountain Elder’s aura, so it would respond when he is nearby.”
Nonetheless, the Eight Great Wastelands were billions of kilometres wide, so he wasn’t certain how close ‘nearby’ was. Thus, he could only rely on the intensity of the glow of the pendant.
With that, they hastened their pace towards the depth of the Wasteland. Even the beasts in the region weren’t able to slow them down.
Half a month later, in the depths of the Great Wasteland, where dense mountains and crystalline lakes beautified the land, a creek that resembled a jade belt flowed amid exuberant, vibrant mists. There were sparkling paddy fields and spectacular residences, with magnificent ravines.
Such a scenery took the breaths out of Xiao Yang, Gu Wudi, and the other formidable cultivators. The place didn’t seem like a big tribe base. However, the Spiritual Energy here was completely different from those they encountered when they were passing by other tribe bases during their journey.
Beside the creek, they encountered delightful women with snowy skin rolling up their sleeves and washing some clothes.
“This must be the place. Supreme Mountain Elder must be here. The people here carry some sort of spiritual energy in them. Although they have never cultivated, their strength and vitality is much more vigorous than that of ordinary people.” Xiao Yang pulled out the jade pendant as he grew excited in his heart, thinking that all his effort for the past days had been worth it.
