The Quest for Immortality

”Ten years ago, on July tenth, a ’distinguished guest’ approached me with a delivery order. I transported a crate of Monster Beasts’ ’skins and bones’ from Elder Ji of the Canglang Sect, meant as Formation reserve materials, to the south of Li State, north of the Sand Sea...”

Manager Wang flipped through the files, appearing somewhat respectful, and said, ”...Great Desert City.”

These records are confidential to the posthouse and are generally not allowed for outsiders to access.

However, due to the pressing situation, he had no choice but to break the taboo.

Nonetheless, over the years, he had broken many taboos, so one more wouldn’t make much difference.

The name of this Immortal City, however, was what genuinely made his expression grave.

”Great Desert City...”

Mo Hua asked, ”What kind of place is this?”

Elder Ji replied, ”It’s a Fourth Grade Immortal City at the border of Li State and the Great Wilderness, situated within the Sand Sea.”

”Fourth Grade...” Mo Hua’s expression slightly tensed.

In the Second-Grade State Boundary within Li State, with his cultivation at the Foundation Establishment Late Stage, he could walk horizontally, kill whoever he wanted to, or walk away if he couldn’t kill them.

However, in a Third-Grade State Boundary, actions needed to be much more cautious.

Encountering an Early-stage Golden Core Cultivator was manageable. But running into Late-stage Golden Core cultivators would be quite troublesome.

In a Fourth-Grade State Boundary, where many Late-stage Golden Core cultivators gathered, and even higher-realm Feather Transformation beings roamed, the level of danger was much higher.

After all, he was only at the Foundation Establishment Realm, vastly different from the Feather Transformation realm.

If he became ”the target of many arrows,” besieged by many Late-stage Golden Core Great cultivators, or genuinely hunted down by a Feather Transformation True Man, the situation would be exceedingly perilous, and Mo Hua was not entirely confident of survival.

After all, this was Li State, not comparable to the Qian Learning State Boundary.

In the Qian Learning State Boundary, where aristocratic families and sects were numerous, rules were generally adhered to, and everyone cared about their reputation, at least openly following the Taoist Court laws and sect regulations.

Moreover, Elder Master Xun of the Heaven Void Realm was secretly protecting him.

Feather Transformation and Heaven Void ones who wanted to kill him existed, but they dared not actually make a move.

But outside the Qian Learning State Boundary, the sky was high, and the road was distant. The Taixu Gate could not provide him with actual support, nor could Elder Master Xun protect him anymore.

He could only rely on himself.

And the Great Wilderness was in rebellion, betraying the Taoist Court. Now the Li State was a place of ”war and chaos,” filled with killing intent.

If he truly offended certain powerful forces, it would surely result in numerous Golden Core cultivators, even Feathered Immortal cultivators, pursuing his life.

Mo Hua understood, although many Golden Cores have died at his hands, he doesn’t truly disregard them.

Because, up till now, no Golden Core or cultivator above Feather Transformation has tried to kill him with full cultivation and means without the restrictions of the Heavenly Dao.

Especially the Feather Transformation.

A Feathered Immortal True Man, able to traverse the sky and ground with full exertion, how terrifying their cultivation could be, Mo Hua had never truly experienced.

Therefore, he would never take chances.

The Qian Learning State Boundary and the Taixu Gate were like a ”greenhouse” where he, as a sect disciple, had cultivated for nine years. Now leaving the ”greenhouse,” without protection, he wouldn’t naively think that the Nine States, in this stormy world, were somewhere he could run amok without fear.

He wouldn’t really believe that every Heaven Void and Feather Transformation cultivator in the world dared not to kill him.

Therefore, in everything, caution is paramount.

Especially in a Fourth-Grade State Boundary, where the danger is too great, far beyond what his current Foundation Establishment Realm can control.

But...

That Big Tiger, after all, was raised by me with small fish snacks, so I couldn’t really just ignore it...

Mo Hua slightly furrowed his brow and asked Manager Wang, ”How do we get to Great Desert City?”

Manager Wang replied, ”To go to Great Desert City, the journey is long, and the mountain paths are intricate. If you truly wish to go, I can find a Map for you, but the most troublesome part is still the Sand Sea...”

”Sand Sea?”

Manager Wang nodded and said, ”The Great Wilderness is an extremely barren place. There’s a saying in the Cultivation World that the Great Wilderness is actually the true body of Li State, the real land of Li Fire, with scorching heat during the day and bone-chilling winds at night, continuous Gobi deserts, deserts everywhere, and three thousand Desolate Mountains filled with dangers.”

”The current Li State is actually just the fringe of the Great Wilderness, separated from the true Great Wilderness by the vast Sand Sea.”

”The Sand Sea of the Great Wilderness is a vast, expansive sand and swamp region, sunbaked for tens of thousands of years, extremely hot. Birds can’t fly, and beasts meet treacherous ends.”

”Only Feathered Immortal True Men can, relying on their cultivation, fly over effortlessly.”

”Ordinary cultivators, falling into the Sand Sea, face almost certain death. If one truly wants to cross the Sand Sea, they can only take a sand boat.”

”But this sand boat, especially large ones, requires the skeletal remains of a Flying Sand Beast as the hull and its hides as sails, making them extremely costly. A ’boat transport’ Jade Slip is equally rare...”

Mo Hua asked Manager Wang, ”Can you get ’boat transport’?”

Manager Wang chuckled awkwardly, ”Sir, you overestimate me.”

Mo Hua turned his gaze to Elder Ji.

Elder Ji also chuckled dryly, ”This...is a bit difficult...”

Mo Hua glanced at him lightly, not insisting, merely instructing Manager Wang:

”Please, Steward, provide me with a map to Great Desert City.”

After speaking, he handed Manager Wang twenty Spirit Stones.

Manager Wang was overjoyed, repeatedly saying, ”Sir, you are too kind. Leave the map task to me. However...”

Mo Hua said, ”Speak.”

Manager Wang added, ”It’s just... these maps are only found in the posthouse. I don’t have one readily available; I need to use some connections and spend a few days to acquire one. You know, it’s too chaotic outside now, people are dying everywhere, and maps that can dictate direction are in high demand...”

Mo Hua pondered for a moment and nodded.

Given the current situation outside, he could understand.