Martial Peak

Chapter 2531 – Guide

When Yang Kai activated the Mountains and Rivers Bell, its power surged forth and suppressed the Wild Force contained within the Wild Wine, which was indeed very similar but countless times weaker.

After figuring out the secret behind the Wild Wine, Yang Kai urged his Emperor Qi to dissolve its effects.

Pi San, who had returned to his end of the table, was already wolfing down the food like a starved ghost. He seemed to be aware that neither Yang Kai nor Zhang Ruo Xi were interested in the food, so he didn’t say anything and simply focused on stuffing his face.

Normally, he would never be able to afford to eat at a restaurant like this, but since Yang Kai said that this table of food and wine was a reward, he would not be polite.

After some time, he finally sat back, rubbed his protruding stomach in satisfaction, and let out a sound burp.

Meanwhile, Yang Kai and Zhang Ruo Xi had only consumed half of the jar of Wild Wine. Yang Kai only drank one glass, while Zhang Ruo Xi drank the rest. At this point, her cheeks were already flushed, and her expression slightly dazed.

She was in the Third-Order Dao Source Realm, so the fact that a little under half a jar of Wild Wine could intoxicate her showed that the wine was indeed potent; however, part of the reason was probably also because she’d never drank wine before.

“Since you’ve had your fill, I will ask you my questions,” Yang Kai said indifferently, turning his gaze to the man lying relaxed in the chair.

Pi San shuddered and immediately sat up with a solemn expression on his face, “Please do, Sir! This lowly one will tell you everything he knows!”

“En,” Yang Kai was quite satisfied with his attitude and continued, “I am here for the first time and know nothing about the Ancient Lands, so tell me everything you know.”

Pi San fell silent as he organized his thoughts. After a while, he opened his mouth and said passionately, “Sir, since you’ve come to this city by word of mouth, this lowly one believes you are not absolutely ignorant about the Ancient Lands. It is a region that has never been occupied by man, for a legion of powerful Monster Beasts reside within it. There are countless natural dangers as well, so much that not even an Emperor Realm Master would be able to guarantee his own safety inside. In other words, cultivators who enter the Ancient Lands must be prepared to leave their lives there, for they may fall at any time. But of course, the greater the danger, the greater the benefits. All sorts of rare herbs grow inside, and there is no lack of other precious treasures. Thus, despite the dangers, countless Masters from across the entire Star Boundary are eager to explore this region. Countless people have met with fortune in the Ancient Land, including the famous Yuan Ding Great Emperor. It is said that his signature Mountain and Rivers Bell was found within the Ancient Lands, and it was that very bell that allowed him to rise to seize the title of Great Emperor!”

Although everything Pi San had said so far was common knowledge that Yang Kai was already aware of, he didn’t interrupt him and continued to listen attentively.

“The Ancient Lands is not a place that can be entered at will. The minimum cultivation level for those who wish to enter is the Dao Source Realm. Any lower, and they would lack the qualifications to even set foot inside.”

“There is only one path leading to the Ancient Lands, a colossal canyon that is shrouded in a thick and strange fog year-round. The fog is so thick that one would not be able to see their own five fingers stretched out before them, and it also interferes with one’s Divine Sense. This alone doesn’t pose much of a threat, but there’s more… a deadly, invisible Astral Wind that blows from time to time. Any cultivator in the Dao Source Realm who encounters this wind… heh, heh… would be left on the verge of death. Yet, there is something even more dangerous than the gale, and that is… the Falling Thunder. It is as strong as an attack from an Emperor Realm Master and thus very difficult to resist. Several years ago, there was an Emperor Realm Master who ventured into the Ancient Lands for the first time. He was confident in his strength and didn’t bother to gather information about the Ancient Lands, and as a result… he never returned. It was only three years ago that someone found his body just fifty kilometres from the entrance.”

“Masters from countless influential Sects have investigated the Ancient Lands and determined that the canyon entrance is filled with Natural Spirit Arrays. The mysterious fog, the Astral Wind, and the Falling Thunder are all produced by those very Natural Spirit Arrays. They appear sporadically, ungoverned by any discernible law. Therefore, in order to enter the Ancient Lands, luck is more important than strength. If you are lucky, you will be able to pass safely, but if you’re not… only death awaits you.”

“But that’s not all! ‘What other dangers could there be?’, you may ask. Of course, it’s the danger of our own kind! There are people who lurk in the canyon and target lone cultivators, killing and then looting them. Such people are very familiar with the environment because it is essentially their home. Encountering them would prove more troublesome than any of the canyon’s natural dangers. Therefore, you must never let your guard down while you’re there, Sir.”

“Needless to say, beyond the canyon, the Ancient Lands themself are also filled with danger at every turn. The entire region is covered in its natural aura, the Wild Force. No one knows exactly what this power is, but according to the people who returned alive, it can suppress your power by as little as less than a quarter percent to an entire half. Several Masters have fallen because of this.”

“That is also the reason I insisted that you and the Young Lady drink the Wild Wine, Sir. Although the Wild Force contained within it is much weaker than in the Ancient Lands, it will greatly familiarize you with the strange power.

“The most prevalent dangers are the ones you will face in the canyon, as well as the Wild Force. As for what dangers you may encounter once you enter the Ancient Land... Need I say more? Monster Beasts reign there amidst countless other Natural Restrictions and Spirit Arrays. It is even said that a number of Divine Spirits reside within the Ancient Land. I believe that there is truly no place in the Star Boundary more dangerous than the Ancient Lands.”

As he listened to Pi San’s explanation, Yang Kai’s expression became slightly tense.

According to what he said, the entrance alone was already extremely dangerous, let alone the land inside.

He wasn’t worried about whether he would encounter any danger after entering, but rather about Xiao Xiao whose cultivation didn’t even reach the peak of the Origin King Realm when they separated. Could he have survived in such a perilous place?

As for the Wild Force, he didn’t pay it much heed as he was already very familiar with it.

After all, the Primitive Aura from his Mountains and Rivers Bell was far stronger than the so-called Wild Force. Moreover, as the owner of the bell, Yang Kai believed that the Wild Force would not affect him much.

Pi San, on the other hand, interpreted Yang Kai’s solemn expression as wariness.

This was the normal reaction. People would hear rumours and travel to this desolate city without knowing what dangers lay within the Ancient Lands and leave in dismay once they learned. Pi San had lived in this city for over thirty years and was no stranger to the occurrence.

He pondered for a while and then said, “Sir, although the Ancient Lands are filled with opportunities, if you wish to enter merely for the sake of treasures, you should leave. It would be better to take the Young Lady elsewhere.”

The table of food had cost Yang Kai 530,000 Low-Rank Source Crystals, yet he didn’t even bat an eye, thus Pi San was very grateful and couldn’t help warning him earnestly.

“I have other reasons for entering the Ancient Lands, ones that cannot be ignored,” Yang Kai responded.

He had to find Xiao Xiao.

“I see...” Seeing Yang Kai’s determination, it would be inappropriate for Pi San to continue dissuading him. Realizing this, he pondered some more, grit his teeth, and retrieved a jade slip from his own Space Ring. “In that case, Sir, I will give you this.”

“What is this?”

Pi San grinned meaningfully, “A map of the Ancient Lands.”

“There is such a thing? Yang Kai suddenly became interested and quickly accepted the jade slip. He poured his Divine Sense into it and saw that it was indeed something like a map, and it was very easy to read.

“This is just a map of the outskirts. No one knows how vast the Ancient Lands truly are, but after so many years of exploration, some information of the outskirts has naturally been revealed. Some have combined all of the information to produce this map which marks the known dangerous regions. You should try to avoid as many of these places as possible, Sir.”

“What do the black dots on this map represent?” Yang Kai asked after studying the map for a while.

“Natural Arrays. The darker the colour, the more formidable the restriction or array.”

“What about the red dots? Are they for Monster Beasts?” Yang Kai asked again.

“Indeed, the red dots signify Monster Beasts. Similarly, the brighter the colour, the stronger the Monster Beast.”

Yang Kai nodded slightly. He looked at the map again and saw areas with densely packed red dots, clearly symbolizing areas where Monster Beasts gathered. Those were the areas that even he would have to avoid.

Pi San laughed, “If it were anyone else, this lowly one would’ve sold them a simplified jade slip, but this one is the newest and most detailed, so you can use it with confidence, Sir!”

He’d finished an entire table of food and knew how to return a favour with a favour, making Yang Kai feel that he had not spent 530,000 Low-Rank Source Crystals in vain!

“Many thanks, then!” Yang Kai nodded.

“You are too polite, Sir,” Pi San can’t help being flattered, for he had never been treated so courteously by an Emperor Realm Master before. Despite his strength, normally, people would show a look of disgust at the sight of his face and try to stay far, far away.

Yet, Yang Kai brought him to the best restaurant in this desolate city and fed him an entire table of good food and wine.

“Sir, there is one more thing I would like to tell you.”

“Go ahead. “

“If you must enter the Ancient Lands, it would be best for Sir to find Old Ban!”

“Old Ban?” Yang Kai raised his brows.

Pi San nodded, “No one knows his true name, so everyone just calls him Old Ban. He’s lived in this place for far longer than me and is very familiar with the canyon. Sir, if you can get him to be your guide, your safe entry into the Ancient Lands will be guaranteed.”