Chapter 275: Searching for the Ten Thousand Miles Gra.s.sland
“Have you heard? The Black Wind Canyon in the west has been in the limelight recently. I heard that there are good treasures inside!”
“Don’t listen to those people’s nonsense. There’s nothing inside to begin with. I think someone is probably spreading some rumors or traps there again. Those demons are guarding outside covetously. If you dare to walk around casually, I’m afraid your corpse will be gone.”
“What knowledge?” A rogue cultivator who came in from outside said disdainfully, “That day, I saw with my own eyes the dark clouds above the Black Wind Canyon. The sound of thunder was deafening. This is clearly the news of a great treasure’s arrival. However, almost half of it was s.n.a.t.c.hed away by someone. Therefore, none of the people there benefited. Instead, they lost many people.”
“So you went that day?” Someone asked.
That person held the gourd and took a sip of the spirit herb juice inside.
“I didn’t go.”
“Then what are you saying? You make it sound like it’s true.”
“You sounded so serious just now that we thought you were there. In the end, you didn’t even go. Why are you wasting everyone’s time?”
“That’s right. People from outside like to brag. They can’t change this bad habit.”
After he replied, before he could continue, the people beside him started mocking him.
The itinerant cultivator from outside continued to say to everyone, “However, although I wasn’t there that day, a good friend of mine who had known me for many years was there. Guess what happened?”
“What about it?”
“What else could it be? I’ve already made it clear just now. He ended up with nothing left of him. This is because he’s always thinking about beautiful things, but in the end, he doesn’t have that kind of strength. He’s only going to be cannon fodder.”
After he finished speaking, everyone present sighed again. The few people who had been clamoring just now stopped talking. After all, if that was really the case, they would most likely die this time.
Everyone was silent for a long time before someone who was unconvinced muttered stubbornly, “That’s not necessarily the case. There is always good and bad luck in this world. Even though there are many people who die, there should be many people who have obtained benefits. Only then can we know the advantages.”
“That’s true.”
They were discussing enthusiastically in the teahouse and did not notice a silent young man in the corner. This young man only drank his tea with his head lowered, as if he was completely uninterested in what was happening in the outside world. No matter how others muttered and argued, only this young man still sat motionless in front of the window and silently looked out of the window at the endless black rain.
“Shopkeeper.” The young man greeted a pa.s.sing shopkeeper on his back.
“Fellow Daoist, what can I do for you?”
The young man took out a very simple and old map and placed it in front of the shopkeeper. “I wonder if you know how to get to this place?”
The shopkeeper took the map from him and took a careful look. Then, he looked up at the young man in front of him in confusion and asked, “Young man, why would you want to go to the Ten Thousand Mile Gra.s.sland for no reason? This place is not a good place to cultivate. I’m afraid you will turn into dust before you reach there.”
The young man smiled and replied casually, “It’s just that my meridians were injured from recent cultivation, so I need the Three Blue Gra.s.s to treat me. If I don’t have it, I’m afraid I’ll die soon. There’s no use in keeping my life. I might as well take a walk on the gra.s.sland. I might be lucky.”
When the shopkeeper heard Li Yuanqing’s reason, he immediately laughed out loud. “Young man, you’re wrong to think that way. At least you still have a life here and can live freely. Although you might have injured your meridians and your cultivation in the future will be a huge problem, living is better than dying. Your soul might be destroyed. At that time, you won’t be able to return no matter what.”
After the shopkeeper raised his voice, the people nearby noticed the commotion and turned to look over. They had not noticed that such a fellow was sitting here, but after hearing their conversation, they became curious.
“Why are you going to the Ten Thousand Miles Gra.s.sland at such a young age? It’s been many years since anyone went to the gra.s.sland.”
“That’s right. In the past, the periphery of the gra.s.sland was considered a safe place. We could also find many treasures out of thin air. However, the danger level of the periphery has increased greatly now. There’s nothing good to find at all. Who would be willing to run there and die after taking two steps?”
They were chatting enthusiastically and wanted to persuade Li Yuanqing not to go to that troublesome place. That place was too dangerous and was not a place for humans.
However, Li Yuanqing was very stubborn. Moreover, his expression did not change after hearing so many disadvantages.
“Cultivators originally put life and death aside. If we can’t find a breakthrough, what’s the point of keeping our lives? We might as well find that opportunity and the path to immortality. I think it’s quite good.”
“Little brother, you’re right. However, this journey is too dangerous. I’m afraid you won’t be able to withstand it no matter what. I think it’s better to forget about it. Give up this thought as soon as possible and go to Rong City or Ping City to seek help from two famous doctors. Perhaps your illness can still be treated.”
However, someone stood up and said, “I say, shopkeeper, since this little brother is not afraid of death and wants to go, it’s fine for you to give him some pointers. Anyway, there are no secrets in that place. There’s no need to hide it. Just let him judge for himself.”
The shopkeeper muttered in his heart when he heard this. He thought that this kid had no relationship with him. Since he was going to die, there was no need to stop him. In any case, that d.a.m.n place was not a place for humans. If this kid died there, it had nothing to do with anyone.
“If you really want to go, it’s fine to tell you.”
“Thank you, shopkeeper.”
The shopkeeper hurriedly stopped Li Yuanqing.
“Don’t be in a hurry to thank me. It’s hard to say if it’s good or bad to tell you this. Perhaps you’ll lose your life for no reason and blame it on us before you die. We will be wronged then.”
Li Yuanqing smiled and did not argue too much with his words. He just listened quietly.
The shopkeeper brewed his emotions for a moment and looked at Li Yuanqing very seriously. “Young man, let me make it clear. That Ten Thousand Mile Gra.s.sland has been a forbidden land for thousands of years. Very few people who enter can survive. I’m sure you know your limits.
“The most unique thing about this Ten Thousand Miles Gra.s.sland is that it’s not in a specific place, but there are many changes. It’s very difficult for ordinary people to find this entrance. You have to have an extremely special method to find it.”
Li Yuanqing followed the clues of the Three Blue Gra.s.s north and arrived at this town. This town was very remote, and the living environment here was very harsh. There were very few resources, so there was a town that had been guarded by humans for a long time.
Some time ago, the demons had set up sentries here and came to patrol. However, after such a thing happened in Ping City and Rong City, the young masters of the demons fled in all directions. This place became completely independent.
The humans who lived here often ran to the nearby wilderness to find some materials, even though they were spa.r.s.e. Originally, they had a natural hunting ground to go to. However, in recent years, the natural hunting environment has become increasingly harsh, making them have no resources to obtain. In the long run, their strength would become weaker and weaker, and they would no longer be able to compete. Just like that, the vicious cycle continued until now.
And this Ten Thousand Mile Gra.s.sland that they used to rely on had now become a place they never mentioned. It was actually so magical.
When Li Yuanqing heard the shopkeeper say this, he tried to ask, “Then how do I find the entrance to the Ten Thousand Mile Gra.s.sland?”
Before the shopkeeper could speak, someone beside him said, “The point is not how you find the entrance, but how you can pa.s.s the test of the gra.s.sland. Those who can’t pa.s.s the test can’t enter.”
Li Yuanqing smiled and said very humbly, “I’m not talented, but I have some confidence in this test.”
“Heh, what an arrogant kid.” The shopkeeper shook his head slightly and continued without looking at him, “You just have to walk all the way north. Don’t look back or look in any other direction. Just walk north. When the gra.s.sland finds you, it will naturally appear.”
“That simple?”
Li Yuanqing looked at the shopkeeper in confusion.
At this moment, almost everyone’s gaze shifted to Li Yuanqing.
“Kid, don’t be too arrogant. This matter might not be as simple as you think. You have to know that many people will never see the appearance of the gra.s.sland in their lives. If you can’t be chosen by the gra.s.sland, go back to where you came from obediently. Don’t think about those good things.”
Through his conversation with these people, Li Yuanqing understood some of the problems with the gra.s.sland. It seemed like there was no big problem now. He placed a spirit stone on the table and left quietly.
When someone looked over at the place where he had sat, they indeed saw the empty table. There was nothing on it, as if no one had ever existed here. It was as if the bragging just now was just air.
“Where is he? Where did he go?”
“Where was that kid just now? Did he eat for free? He left just like that?”
“Hurry up and find him. Such an arrogant kid!”
The shopkeeper hurriedly walked to the table and saw a spirit stone in the corner. He took a look and saw that the purity was actually a medium-grade spirit stone. One had to know that this meal was not even worth a low-grade spirit stone, but this young man had actually left behind a medium-grade spirit stone.
The shopkeeper hurriedly stuffed the spirit stone into his sleeve to prevent others from seeing it.
“Everyone, disperse. Don’t think too much. Perhaps this guest has his own way. Even if you really can’t find him, he’ll be back soon. It’s not a big deal.”
“I hope this brat dies on the gra.s.sland. He doesn’t know the immensity of heaven and earth!”
Of course, Li Yuanqing did not know what the people behind him were talking about. He had already headed north on foot and did not stop for a moment. According to the shopkeeper’s instructions, he hoped to reach the gra.s.sland as soon as possible at this speed.
That Ten Thousand Miles Gra.s.sland seemed to be even more mysterious than what he had heard. The news he had received today was that that place was deserted and dangerous. However, from the looks of it, it seemed like it had been very difficult to take a step in for the past few years, let alone take something out.
In that case, it seemed to be getting more and more dangerous. He could not be so relaxed on this trip.
After walking dozens of miles away from the town, the wilderness outside gradually became desolate. The temperature here was very low. If people wanted to walk here, they had to wear a thick shield to protect themselves from the cold.
Moreover, the further north he went, the faster the temperature dropped. It vaguely felt like it was isolating him from the Northern Region.
Li Yuanqing strolled through the wilderness like a visitor from outer s.p.a.ce. He did not belong to the Northern Region at all. As he walked, he suddenly felt that the scene around him had changed a little. However, on closer look, it didn’t change. It slowly made him wary.
Just now, there was clearly a trace of weak power that produced some indescribable changes. However, it was hidden very well, like a spiritual body that understood humans and was silently controlling all of this.
Li Yuanqing pretended to move forward as if nothing had happened, but he was already on guard.
He walked another ten miles and suddenly turned around. This place was exactly the same as when he had just left. It was as if the ten miles he had just walked were on the spot and he had not moved.
When he turned around and looked ahead, a large lush gra.s.sland suddenly appeared in front of him. There were b.u.t.terflies dancing among the flowers on the gra.s.sland. This scene was as beautiful as heaven in the Catacombs.
However, there was naturally danger in this beauty. This danger was quietly subdued, making one’s mind numb and difficult to sense.
After Li Yuanqing saw such a beautiful scene, he took a step forward without hesitation and stepped into the beautiful gra.s.sland.