Volume 1 Volume 6 Chapter 15

Volume 6 Chapter 15: Observations of the Southern Wasteland (Part 2)

Xu Qingfan grew up in the Southern Wasteland, but that was only on the edge; deep in the Southern Wasteland, there are countless powerful demon beasts, places where mere mortals cannot stay.

Later, Xu Qingfan sought revenge on the Blue-eyed Cloud-hoofed Beast and became involved in the changes in the Southern Wasteland, but he still did not delve too deeply into it. So while he often called himself a person from the Southern Wasteland, he could not truly say he understood its depths.

The journey was safe and smooth, and they reached the depths of the Southern Wasteland.

In the depths of the Southern Wasteland, it looked no different from the edge, just even more barren and vast, stretching endlessly, with rolling hills and sparse vegetation, and a faint Spirit Qi.

Sometimes, Xu Qingfan really wondered how such a barren and Spirit Qi-scarce environment could raise so many powerful demon beasts.

Or, because it is desolate, does it become strong?

Or perhaps all the demon beasts left with the nine-tailed demon fox, so on the way, Xu Qingfan and the others did not encounter any very powerful demon beasts. When a demon beast did appear, the strongest was only at the Human Level advanced, which the group easily dealt with.

With no words exchanged along the way, after flying for several days deeper into the Southern Wasteland, Xu Qingfan finally led the group to stop in the air.

Seeing Xu Qingfan stop flying, the nine people behind him also quickly halted, silently watching Xu Qingfan in front of them.

During the journey, due to recent experiences and the certain transformation into a demon under Heavenly Way, in order to return Little Gold and getting the other nine into danger, Xu Qingfan was filled with worries, quietly contemplating various possibilities and strategies for the future. He appeared extremely silent, and the other nine were also affected by Xu Qingfan’s quietness, speaking little during the journey. In this situation, even though Xu Qingfan stopped flying, everyone just instinctively looked at him, but did not seem inclined to speak.

Among them, Dongfang Qingling and Jin Qinghan, who were familiar with Xu Qingfan’s character, looked at Xu Qingfan with a hint of worry in their eyes. Xu Qingfan was not someone who talked much, but for him to say nothing at all during the journey felt very strange.

The atmosphere was somewhat heavy, which was not beneficial for the upcoming battle. Li Yuhan was no longer as attentive as before in handling these small matters for Xu Qingfan, but Xu Qingfan was not skilled at lightening the mood, so although he sensed something was off, he did not make any changes.

Although the oppressive atmosphere might prevent everyone from fully utilizing their strength in future battles, at least it could keep everyone calm.

Quietly looking at each of the nine people before him, Xu Qingfan suddenly smiled lightly and asked, "Have you all kept the ‘Sky Escaping Talisman’ I gave you earlier safe?"

The nine people nodded silently.

Xu Qingfan slowly said, "Now it’s time for me to tell you why I brought you all to the Southern Wasteland."

Upon hearing Xu Qingfan say this, the nine people straightened up, their faces showing focus. They followed Xu Qingfan to the Southern Wasteland out of trust, gratitude, or simple admiration for him. Although they trusted Xu Qingfan deeply, each of them secretly wondered about his purpose for bringing them here. However, since Xu Qingfan did not speak, they did not dare to ask and only listened quietly as he made plans.

These nine people were all individuals whom Xu Qingfan had observed closely and trusted greatly, so he decided not to hide anything. He waved his hand to bring Little Gold from Dongfang Qingling’s arms into his own, then shared the strange details about Little Gold and his plan with Mr. Liu. However, he made some changes to the details, like saying that he found Little Gold and took it to "Ronghua Mountain" because of a scheme by the enemies of the Righteous Alliance, and he described his plan with Mr. Liu as a plan made with all the masters, knowing that these nine people would not have a chance to meet the masters of the Righteous Alliance.

In summary, while Xu Qingfan explained everything clearly, he also cleared himself of any responsibility. Although these were people he trusted greatly, human hearts can be unpredictable, and no one knows what will happen in the future, so Xu Qingfan kept a little to himself.

"Taoist Friend Xu, are you saying that this time the demon beast from the Southern Wasteland attacked the Shenzhou Continent, was completely caused by this little beast?"

Wang Zegang stared at Little Gold in Xu Qingfan’s arms and asked in disbelief.

A rare disaster, a great battle between humans and demon beasts, was sparked by such an inconspicuous little creature, which seemed unbelievable to anyone.

Xu Qingfan nodded and slowly explained, "While I can’t be certain yet, considering the qualities of this little beast and the timing of the Southern Wasteland demon beast attack, before any other possibilities arise, this is the only possibility."

Although Xu Qingfan said this, everyone still looked at him with disbelief, especially Jin Qinghan, Dongfang Qingling, Lv Qingshang, and Li Yuhan. It was the first time they heard Xu Qingfan mention this matter, and they never expected that Little Gold, who had been playing around them all day, could have such magic that it drove all the demon beasts of the Southern Wasteland crazy. Seeing the look in Xu Qingfan’s eyes while holding Little Gold, their expressions became very complicated.

Little Gold, in Xu Qingfan’s arms, ignored the astonished looks from everyone and stared directly at Little Black on Xu Qingfan’s shoulder. Little Black, not backing down, glared back at Little Gold. Neither would give in; Little Gold usually looked like an innocent young creature, but when facing Little Black, who once feasted on its flesh and blood, it showed a demeanor of waiting for revenge like a gentleman.

Xu Qingfan looked down at the standoff between Little Gold and Little Black, a faint bitter smile passing his lips. He then raised his head and said to everyone, "Now a month has passed, and I believe the final battle between my Righteous Alliance and the Southern Wasteland demon beasts is about to end. With the strength of my Righteous Alliance, we are sure to win the battle. Our goal this time is to take advantage of our victory over the Southern Wasteland demon beasts and return Little Gold to the Southern Wasteland, so that the Southern Wasteland demon beasts lose their will to fight and won’t disturb the Shenzhou Continent for a while."

"But there are two extremely dangerous aspects to this plan for us. First, because of Little Gold’s special nature, once I unlock this ‘Sealing Ring’ and release its aura, many Southern Wasteland demon beasts will surely come to snatch it away. They seek to devour Little Gold’s flesh and blood to evolve into kings. However, if Little Gold truly belongs to the Southern Wasteland and has survived for such a long time, it must be under the protection of those heavenly-level demon beasts. Therefore, we cannot let anything happen to Little Gold before the heavenly-level demon beasts arrive. We will certainly need to withstand the attacks of the remaining demon beasts in the Southern Wasteland in the next few days. Although the remaining demon beasts in the Southern Wasteland are few, they still pose a great challenge for us, and it will definitely be a tough battle."

"The second danger is that if we hold on until those heavenly-level demon beasts return, they will be furious after their initial defeat, and since we possess Little Gold, which they cannot find, they might attack us in anger. Although I gave each of you a ‘Sky Escaping Talisman’ to handle such situations, we cannot say for sure what powers those heavenly-level demon beasts have. It’s very possible that before we can even activate the ‘Sky Escaping Talisman,’ we might already be killed by them."

After hearing Xu Qingfan’s words, everyone’s expression grew heavier.

"I have now clarified the situation and the dangers. This matter, while not a life-or-death situation, is still very dangerous. If any of you wish to leave, I will not force you, nor will I blame you. This matter should be resolved by me alone, after all, it is I who brought Little Gold to ‘Ronghua Mountain.’"

After a moment of silence, Jin Qinghan, Dongfang Qingling, and Lv Qingshang walked to Xu Qingfan’s side in turn. Lv Qingshang even smiled and said, "Have we not faced life and death so many times over the years? Junior Brother Xu, you are just too stubborn. With our friendship, why say such things?"

Li Yuhan’s eyes flashed with a complicated expression, seeming a bit hesitant, but moments later, he also walked over to Xu Qingfan’s side with Lv Qingshang and the others.

Standing in front of Xu Qingfan were five skilled warriors from small sects and rogue cultivators. When Xu Qingfan turned his gaze towards them, Wang Zegang suddenly smiled and said, "Taoist Friend Xu, you have saved us twice. For us to fight for you this time is just returning a small favor. Besides, you are doing this entirely for my Righteous Alliance."

Saying this, Wang Zegang walked to Xu Qingfan’s side, just like Jin Qinghan and the others, and the remaining four silently followed, their eyes filled with trust as they looked at Xu Qingfan.

Normally, Xu Qingfan should feel touched at this moment, but in fact, he remained calm inside. He had expected this outcome. Compared to feeling moved, Xu Qingfan felt more guilt in his heart.

Just giving a grateful smile to the nine people beside him, Xu Qingfan turned his gaze to Little Gold in his arms.

Little Gold seemed to understand what was about to happen. Instead of looking at Little Black, it turned its gaze to Xu Qingfan, and in its eyes, a hint of sadness, which Xu Qingfan had seen the first time he met it, flickered.

To be honest, Xu Qingfan really liked Little Gold. He liked its wisdom, its innocence, and even the traces of sadness and fatigue that sometimes flashed in its innocent eyes. This little creature must have gone through many things since its birth until Xu Qingfan took it in, which explained its gaze.

For a long time, Xu Qingfan had considered training Little Gold to be his second spirit pet, but at this moment, he had to give up Little Gold. He knew that if Little Gold was really protected by those heavenly-level demon beasts, their attitude towards Little Gold would not be simple. It’s possible that those heavenly-level demon beasts were waiting to devour Little Gold once it grew up. By doing this, Xu Qingfan would essentially be pushing Little Gold back into danger.

However, the chaos in the Shenzhou Continent had lasted too long. The Righteous Alliance still had to deal with the formidable ‘Ming’ organization, and the Southern Wasteland demon beast crisis needed to be resolved immediately. Only then could the Righteous Alliance conserve its strength and focus on facing the "Ming" organization.

In this situation, Xu Qingfan could only ignore the potential danger to Little Gold and let it go. Otherwise, even if the Righteous Alliance defeated the Southern Wasteland demon beasts in the decisive battle, as long as there were still heavenly-level demon beasts escaping, they could regroup and return to fight again, leading to an endless battle.

And it is very difficult for demon beasts with power like the nine-tailed demon fox and Kui to kill them.

With a quiet sigh, Xu Qingfan spoke a soft "I’m sorry" that only he and Little Gold could hear. Little Gold seemed to understand his words, slightly retracting its neck to hide the "Sealing Ring," its eyes filled with sadness and a plea.

When Xu Qingfan saw Little Gold’s look, his heart softened, but in the end, he steeled himself and forcefully removed the Sealing Ring from Little Gold’s neck.

The moment the Sealing Ring was taken off, a strange energy began to emanate from Little Gold, one that human cultivators could not perceive. However, within a radius of several thousand miles, the demon beasts around Xu Qingfan and the others all trembled and turned their necks to look in their direction.

After a long period of suppression, this strange energy suddenly grew immensely stronger.

Moments later, endless roars from demon beasts echoed across the Southern Wasteland, and soon after, many demon beasts appeared in the sight of Xu Qingfan and the others— a chaotic battle was about to begin.

But things are never as simple as they seem.

Just like a river, the surface currents are far less fierce than the hidden flows beneath the water.

※※※※

At this moment, just as Xu Qingfan had expected, the final battle between the Righteous Alliance and the Southern Wasteland demon beasts, which had lasted nearly a month, was coming to an end. Although many participants were involved, the true outcome still relied on the strongest beings among them.

The Righteous Alliance sent eleven masters to fight, while there were only nine heavenly-level demon beasts from the Southern Wasteland. Before the final battle, two heavenly-level demon beasts had already been killed during the Righteous Alliance’s siege. Among the Southern Wasteland demon beasts, there were top beings like the nine-tailed demon fox and Kui, while the Righteous Alliance had Immortal Zizhen and Li Fulu to challenge them.

In battles between other demon beasts and cultivators, the cultivators, armed with various magical tools and mysterious cultivation methods, were also in control.

When Mr. Liu arrived with Scholar Buxing and Master Tianhan, the victory in this decisive battle finally tipped completely in favor of the Righteous Alliance.

Within just one hour, three heavenly-level demon beasts were killed, and many other Earth-level and Human-level demon beasts suffered countless casualties.

Although they seemed on the verge of defeat, the Southern Wasteland demon beasts, filled with fury during the battle, dared to fight for their lives despite being weaker. For a moment, the Righteous Alliance became flustered, and to achieve total victory, they would have to pay a great price.

But just then, Xu Qingfan happened to remove the Sealing Ring from Little Gold’s neck. A moment later, the Southern Wasteland demon beasts, who were desperately fighting, seemed to sense something. They paused slightly, and during that distraction, many were struck down by the cultivators of the Righteous Alliance. Yet, the Southern Wasteland demon beasts ignored this and quickly rushed towards the Southern Wasteland.

The heavenly-level demon beasts, led by the nine-tailed demon fox and Kui, completely disregarded the lives of the other demon beasts. They cast aside the lower-level demon beasts and maximized their speed, flying swiftly towards the Southern Wasteland, while the masters couldn’t keep up.

Although they did not know exactly what was happening, seeing this scene brought joy to the Righteous Alliance’s cultivators. They chased after them, leaving a path from the bustling Middle-earth to the edge of the Southern Wasteland filled with demon beast corpses. The Righteous Alliance officially achieved a great victory in this battle.

However, while the cultivators of the Righteous Alliance were cleaning the battlefield, they were surprised to find that none of the spirit pets belonging to the cultivators were present. It seemed that in the chaos, they had run towards the Southern Wasteland along with the Southern Wasteland demon beasts.

※※※※

At the deepest part of the Southern Wasteland, under an incredibly tall and steep desolate mountain, there was an extremely deep cave. The cave was so large and deep that it seemed easy to fit the entire Southern Wasteland’s demon beasts inside it.

When Xu Qingfan unfastened the "Sealing Ring" from Little Gold’s neck, three earth-shaking roars came from deep within the cave. Among them, two of the roars carried great authority but sounded weak, as if they had been starved for countless years and were badly injured. The third roar, while not as imposing as the other two, was full of energy and contained a strong, fierce aura.

Moments later, a gigantic red human head suddenly emerged from the dark cave. But when this head completely left the cave, the body it was connected to turned out to be a snake several hundred feet long, its overwhelming presence was incredibly powerful, even rivaling that of the nine-tailed demon fox and Kui, yet it did not follow the other demon beasts to wreak havoc on the Shenzhou Continent for some unknown reason.

After the monster left the cave, it let out another roar and swiftly charged towards Xu Qingfan and the others.

However, although three roars had echoed from the cave a moment ago, it was unclear why the owners of the other two roars had not appeared and remained hidden in the dark, mysterious cave.

※※※※

But just as numerous terrifying demon beasts rushed towards Xu Qingfan’s location, the first ones they encountered were the lower-level demon beasts that remained in the Southern Wasteland.

The low-level demon beasts are still low-level demon beasts. Although their numbers far exceeded Xu Qingfan and the others’ expectations, they were not difficult to handle.

But just as Xu Qingfan was dealing with the endless low-level demon beasts, another unexpected crisis arose before the heavenly level demon beasts arrived.

The one who created this crisis was not a demon beast but a fellow human cultivator like Xu Qingfan.

This cultivator was none other than Zhong Ling, the Zhong family master, who had been chasing Xu Qingfan for several years in the Shenzhou Continent without success!