Chapter 192: What is This Place?

Chapter 192: Chapter 192: What is This Place?

Fueled by the boundless Spiritual Qi from the Spirit Gathering Array, the Magical Power in Jiang Xu’s body became an endless fountain, continuously converting into Healing Power.

Yet even so, the severity of Zong Ziqi’s injuries far surpassed his imagination.

Time seemed to slow to a crawl. Sweat soaked through Jiang Xu’s robes, but he maintained his intense output of Magical Power, refusing to give up on even the slightest chance.

During this near-endless output, Jiang Xu cast aside all distracting thoughts. His only goal was to make his Magical Power flow faster, and then faster still.

Suddenly, a faint beat sounded, startling Jiang Xu and snapping him out of his intense concentration. He froze for a moment before a wave of elation washed over him. He pushed himself again, increasing the speed of his Magical Power output.

With Jiang Xu’s continued effort, the once-imperceptible heartbeat grew steadily clearer. What started as a faint, ghost-like flutter slowly strengthened into the rhythm of a distant drum. Though still weak, its beat was gradually becoming steady.

That sound was Zong Ziqi’s heartbeat.

He wasn’t sure how much more time had passed.

The eight Middle Grade Spirit Stones surrounding Jiang Xu had gone from being crystal clear to looking like ordinary, commonplace rocks. He had consumed all the Spiritual Qi within them.

The Spirit Gathering Array was activated using these Spirit Stones as a power source. The Array acted like a water pump, the Spirit Stones were the energy driving it, and the Spiritual Qi was the water.

Once the Array was active, it would continuously draw in Spiritual Qi from the surroundings, causing the concentration of Spiritual Qi in the user’s vicinity to rise rapidly.

After all, Spiritual Qi followed the same principle as anything else: it diffused from areas of high concentration to areas of low concentration.

This was why Grotto Heaven Blessed Lands with extremely high Spiritual Qi concentrations existed.

It was either because they contained an exceptional Spirit Vein that constantly leaked Spiritual Qi, or they were situated in a natural spirit-gathering location.

Take the Profound Origin Sect’s headquarters, for example. It had both a Spirit Vein and a massive, dedicated Spirit Gathering Array that was always active. This was how the concentration of Spiritual Qi was increased severalfold over a vast area.

Therefore, a behemoth like the Profound Origin Sect consumed a terrifying number of Spirit Stones every single day.

This wasn’t just to cover the disciples’ monthly stipends and cultivation resources. They also had to replenish the endless supply of Spirit Stones needed for the insatiable Spirit Gathering Arrays.

The Profound Origin Sect was like any other sect. On the surface, it was a majestic, towering ancient tree, but its prosperity relied on the countless roots hidden beneath it.

These roots were the various Cultivation Clans, like the Gongsun Family.

Jiang Xu’s thoughts returned to the present. He saw that although Zong Ziqi was still unconscious, his face was no longer contorted in pain. He was breathing steadily again, looking almost as if he were simply asleep.

Only then did Jiang Xu finally breathe a sigh of relief.

’Given that he’s recovered this much,’ Jiang Xu thought, ’and with his constitution as a Foundation Establishment Body Cultivator, it shouldn’t be too long before he wakes up.’

"Where on earth did I end up?"

Jiang Xu stood in an unfamiliar forest clearing, a sense of confusion washing over him as he surveyed the towering ancient trees and rolling hills all around.

He had been so focused on running, and his Perfect Level Light Body Spell was more than twice as fast as before, so he hadn’t paid any attention to his surroundings.

Jiang Xu took a scroll from his Storage Bag, laid it flat on the ground, and carefully unrolled it.

It was the map of Dinghai State that Shen Ji had given him.

It meticulously detailed the topography and key locations of Dinghai State. While not perfectly precise, it could at least offer a general sense of direction.

The map was incredibly precious. If he lost or damaged it, not even Shen Ji could procure another one.

’Which direction was I running in, again?’

Qian Jianjun had previously taken him to the southern region of Dinghai State, which was where he had found Zong Ziqi not far away.

But now, as Jiang Xu stared at the dense web of lines and symbols on the map, he couldn’t quickly find any features that matched his current surroundings.

The surrounding trees and rock formations seemed completely different from the map’s illustrations, and there were no obvious landmarks for him to reference.

’Looks like the only way to figure out where I am is to leave this spot and find a proper landmark.’

Jiang Xu glanced at Zong Ziqi. He first set up an Array, then used his Ten Thousand Laws Gourd to conceal him, and finally dispatched some of his Sub-Insects to stand guard.

With that done, Jiang Xu took one last look at the map before putting it away.

...

Jiang Xu flew high into the sky and used his Spiritual Eye Technique to gaze into the far distance, trying to determine his location.

After some effort, Jiang Xu had managed to memorize the surrounding terrain and could faintly make out several villages and cities in the distance.

’This place... Don’t tell me it’s...?’

Jiang Xu stroked his chin. The surrounding terrain felt familiar, as if he had seen it before.

He immediately took the map out again, along with a book. He spread the map open and began flipping through the book’s pages.

Before long, it dawned on him.

Shen Ji had once told Jiang Xu that if one wanted to leave Dinghai State, there were two or three suitable adjacent State Domains.

To reach them, there were eight or nine relatively safe and stable routes.

Now, Jiang Xu had stumbled right onto one of those very routes.

His finger hovered over the map, tracing a line.

’Not far from my current location is the starting point of a path out of Dinghai State.’

’As for the destination...’

Jiang Xu’s finger traced the path upward until it finally stopped on a blue landmark.

’The Youxian Sea... Only by crossing this vast expanse of water can I reach my final destination—the Demon Spirit State.’

Jiang Xu felt a headache coming on.

The Youxian Sea.

Its name meant that only a true Immortal could cross its waters by their own power.

This stretch of sea was only slightly smaller than Dinghai State itself.

To cross it, one had to rely on outside help—namely, by taking a ship.

This was because the skies above this sea were home to innumerable flying Demon Beasts.

As soon as a Cultivator took to the air, whether Flying with a Magical Artifact or using a Flying Spiritual Artifact, they would be assaulted by an endless swarm of these flying Demon Beasts.

Even with Jiang Xu’s Concealing Ability, it would be extremely unsafe.

After all, the Youxian Sea was also home to a fair number of Golden Core Realm Demon Beasts.

Jiang Xu had no confidence he could fool them.

If one traveled on a ship-type Magical Artifact, however, most of the flying Demon Beasts in the sky wouldn’t actively attack. But the Water Element Demon Beasts in the sea were another matter entirely.

This danger was far less severe than the threat from the skies, however, which was why so many people chose to travel by sea.

But traveling by sea posed yet another problem.