Chapter 133: An Invitation from the Lord of the Boundless City

Humans are defined by their physical forms; even immortals remain human in essence. Without a body, one cannot be considered a complete human being. This man, known as Senior Brother Xuanyi, existed in a state between the two. The fact that he could still bleed indicated that a physical form remained, yet the methods he employed far exceeded the capabilities of a human.

Mu Baiyun eventually yielded to Ji Yao’s persuasion, but he insisted on three conditions: he would determine the route, any action required his prior approval, and they would only skirt the periphery of the Demon-Forbidden Lands. If circumstances exceeded his ability, they were to retreat immediately to reconsider their options. As for the other location Ji Yao had mentioned, the Abyss of Desolation, Mu Baiyun simply chose to ignore it. Since Ji Yao had previously stated she could skip it this time, they would wait until their cultivation levels had improved before finding another way to investigate it.

"We will change our direction now. We shall travel from Borderless City toward the Western Ridge, and after entering the Western Ridge, we will divert to the northwest to scout the perimeter of the Demon-Forbidden Lands."

Since Ji Yao had already agreed, she offered unconditional support for Mu Baiyun’s route planning. Besides, she was truly unfamiliar with this territory! Mu Baiyun took the lead, piloting the spiritual gourd, while Ji Yao sat behind him, taking in the scenery. Maintaining a distance from the Forest of Gloom, they flew toward the center of the western border of the Central Province.

Upon arriving at Borderless City, Ji Yao marveled at its wonder. The Forest of Gloom stretched across the border, yet it narrowed at the center, creating a gap exactly the size of a city. Borderless City was embedded directly into the heart of the Forest of Gloom, yet the surrounding forest did not leak a single trace of its atmosphere, as if the city and the woods were two distinct worlds with a clear boundary. Isolated from the forest, the city was immune to attacks from its demonic beasts and unaffected by the chaotic spiritual and demonic energies within. For those inside, it was nothing short of a paradise.

The two disembarked from the flying gourd early and walked toward the city gate. Upon arrival, they noticed several individuals stationed there—not guards, but collectors charging an entry fee. They sat behind a table, eyeing those entering with cold indifference. Each person was required to pay one mid-grade spirit stone; there was no bargaining and no room for leniency.

The only other path was to traverse the Forest of Gloom that spanned the border between the Central Province and the Western Ridge. Only those with extreme confidence in their abilities would choose this route. For cultivators below the Nascent Soul stage, entering meant certain death, and even those at the Nascent Soul stage often emerged with their temperaments drastically altered, their bodies riddled with a mixture of spiritual and demonic energies. They would often spend a long time purging the demonic aura from their systems, or their cultivation would cease to progress.

"Senior Brother Yun?" Ji Yao watched as Mu Baiyun gazed pensively at the Forest of Gloom, fearing that if he were in the wrong frame of mind, he might decide to walk straight through the forest.

Previously, Ji Yao had only heard the name of the Forest of Gloom without understanding it in detail. In her view, no legend could compare to seeing things for oneself; one had to witness them to form an accurate judgment. Now that she saw it, she understood why those with low cultivation dared not enter, and why even Nascent Soul cultivators were affected. The forest was filled with a dense, swirling mixture of spiritual and demonic energies. These energies did not merge into the "demonic-spiritual" essence used by demonic cultivators; rather, they remained distinct, like yin and yang, coexisting yet separated.

The beasts and plants within the forest thrived in this environment, entirely unaffected. However, the demonic beasts within could only reach the tenth rank, equivalent to the mid-Nascent Soul stage. Therefore, as long as a human was below the Spirit Severing stage, entering the forest would attract these beasts. Nascent Soul cultivators could enter because they could handle the beasts, but they could not continue their journey without recovery after a fight. If they meditated in the woods, they could not avoid absorbing the ambient spiritual and demonic energies. Those at the Spirit Severing stage, however, would not attract the beasts, and even if they encountered one, dispatching a tenth-rank beast was a mere flick of the wrist. Naturally, they had no need to recover spent energy and could pass through the forest safely.

Whether Mu Baiyun sensed Ji Yao’s inner thoughts or was simply observing, he finally asked for her opinion after half an hour. "Junior Sister, the place you want to go—it shouldn't be inside this forest, right?"

*Darn!* So that was what he was worried about. Ji Yao realized that keeping her destination a secret hadn't been such a good idea after all. Since they had already reached the border of the Central Province, he had likely guessed most of it anyway, so she might as well confess. Having Mu Baiyun, a native who traveled frequently, help her plan the route was better than fumbling in the dark.

Ji Yao took a deep breath, looked into Mu Baiyun’s eyes, and said earnestly, "Senior Brother Yun, my destinations are the Demon-Forbidden Lands and the Abyss of Desolation."

"The Demon-Forbidden Lands? The Abyss of Desolation?" Mu Baiyun didn't know whether to call the girl naive or incredibly daring. Either of these places was far more dangerous than the Forest of Gloom. At least the forest could be braved after reaching the Nascent Soul stage and conquered after reaching the Spirit Severing stage. He had assumed she only wanted to visit the territory of the demonic cultivators in the Western Ridge; if that were the case, he could have handled it and at least ensured her safe return. But going to the places she mentioned? He had no confidence at all. Even without interference from powerful demonic cultivators, he could not guarantee he could bring her out unscathed. Not to mention the Abyss of Desolation, a place even the ancestors at the Tribulation stage were unwilling to speak of, let alone seek out.

As for the Demon-Forbidden Lands, the closer one got, the more high-level demonic cultivators gathered. Though called "Forbidden," it was a sacred site for demonic cultivation, long since partitioned by various demonic factions. Apart from the true center, which no one could enter, the surrounding area contained abundant demonic spiritual energy—the very foundation of a demonic cultivator’s practice. How could they not guard it strictly?

After Ji Yao finished speaking, she kept her gaze fixed on Mu Baiyun. She could see the emotions in his eyes and knew he disapproved.

"Senior Brother Yun, I can put off the Abyss of Desolation for now. Even if I go, I will only observe from afar and won't attempt to go deep inside. As for the Demon-Forbidden Lands, I must go this time. Even if I only circle the periphery, I have to make the trip. It is the key to solving the problem I carry within me!"

Mu Baiyun had never looked into Ji Yao's eyes like this, nor had he ever been stared at so directly. In her eyes, he saw a reflection of himself—a face both strange and familiar—but he saw only the firm resolve she wished to convey, with no other emotions hidden within.

Mu Baiyun closed his eyes for a moment, his tone finally softening. "Let me think about it."

Ji Yao decided to add a little more weight to her case. "Senior Brother Yun, you must have heard the Second Senior Brother talk about what happened when Xuanyi and his senior brother encountered us, right?"

Mu Baiyun opened his half-closed eyelids and nodded. "His senior brother—that would be the man I captured in Fuling City, I presume?"

"Yes, that’s him!" Ji Yao confirmed. "Senior Brother, you must know his cultivation level and the extent of his injuries at the time. He is now completely recovered and has reached the mid-stage of the Golden Core."

Mu Baiyun nodded again.

"That is only one of his bizarre methods. There is another point: I wonder if you noticed how he escaped your pursuit back then?"

"Escape isn't the word, but his evasion technique is something I remember vividly," Mu Baiyun narrowed his eyes in recollection. "He used a technique similar to mist-shifting, but it wasn't mist—it was demonic energy."

That was the first time since he began his cultivation that he had encountered a peer at the same level whose speed was not inferior to his own. He relied on his Wind Spirit Root, while the other man had benefited from that strange, sinister technique.