Among the three great danger zones of the Extreme West, Wind-Sand City lay furthest to the west, requiring a deep journey into the desert; Langtu Mountain was in the southwest, perpetually shrouded in ghostly mist; and the Abyss of Fallen Gods was in the north, a bottomless chasm.
These three perilous locations were places that even the rogue cultivators of the Extreme West avoided like the plague; even high-level cultivators from Kunwu were reluctant to venture there.
If these three danger zones each contained treasures, then no matter how hazardous, there would always be cultivators willing to go. Unfortunately, no news of any opportunities had ever emerged from these places, which was why they had become forgotten corners of the Tianji Region.
After hearing Tang Zimu's words, Qin Xi pondered for a moment before retrieving a map and placing it before him. "Take a look. Does the oasis marked on this map still exist? Even if it's just ruins."
He had taken out the ancient map the Affairs Hall had found at the Xuanji Sect's former stronghold. After inquiries by the hall, Xiao Zilan's last known whereabouts were the oasis marked on this map, not far into the Extreme West. After that, no further information could be found.
Tang Zimu examined it carefully and shook his head. "Senior, this junior has never heard of this oasis. This map must be several hundred years old, right?"
This answer was not unexpected. In the desert, conditions changed in the blink of an eye. Not to mention a gap of thousands of years, even a few years could drastically alter the landscape. Even the map they had obtained before entering the desert contained many errors, let alone this ancient one.
Qin Xi asked no further. He took out a jade vial and tossed it to him. "Thank you."
Tang Zimu caught the vial, weighed it in his hand, and beamed with delight. "Thank you for the reward, Senior!" Living in the Extreme West, although he was held in high esteem by the Xirong people, cultivation resources were far too scarce. Spiritual herbs for refining pills were simply not to be found. Priests like them in the Extreme West could only rely on an extremely limited number of spiritual objects for cultivation. He hadn't seen a pill in many years, and this jade vial felt quite heavy—it must contain at least a dozen.
Having received a benefit, Tang Zimu asked enthusiastically, "Do you two Seniors have any other instructions? If there's anything this junior can do to help, I will certainly tell you everything I know."
"Oh, right," Mo Tiange asked, "why do the Xirong people call us 'Heavenly Gods' when they see us? Does this have some special meaning in the Extreme West?"
Tang Zimu replied, "It's part of the Xirong people's beliefs. Legend says they were able to establish themselves in the Extreme West because Heavenly Gods bestowed oases upon them. Later, when they saw flying cultivators, they began calling them Heavenly Gods."
"So that's how it is."
Tang Zimu was perceptive. Seeing they had no more to say, he stated, "If the two Seniors have no further business, please rest here peacefully. This junior guarantees no one will come to disturb you."
Mo Tiange smiled and nodded. "Then we'll trouble you."
"Not at all, not at all. This junior takes his leave."
Once Tang Zimu was gone, Qin Xi tapped his fingers on the table. "The three great danger zones—none have rumors of treasures. What did that Senior Xiao come to the Extreme West for, then?"
The Extreme West desert was so vast that finding someone who had been here five thousand years ago was exceedingly difficult. Unless they could deduce her purpose, it would be like searching for a needle in a haystack.
Mo Tiange looked at the ancient map on the table. Its markings were similarly sparse, not even including the three great danger zones. And the oasis Xiao Zilan had visited had long since vanished into the desert. Even if they went there, they would find no clues. Just looking at this map, it was impossible to guess where Xiao Zilan might have gone.
After a moment's thought, Mo Tiange said, "For a Nascent Soul cultivator to come to the Extreme West, it likely boils down to one of a few purposes."
Qin Xi looked up at her.
She continued, "First, the unique environment of the Extreme West is suitable for cultivating a particular special technique."
Qin Xi thought for a moment and nodded. "That's right. If one cultivated an extreme Yang technique, this place would indeed yield twice the result with half the effort." For example, if he had a suitable spirit vein, the Extreme West desert would be an excellent place for cultivation.
"However, according to the jade slip given by Ziwei Sanren, this Senior Xiao practiced a wood-attribute technique, so that reason probably doesn't apply," Mo Tiange went on. "Second, to hide from enemies or something else, deliberately concealing herself here."
Qin Xi shook his head. "The Xuanji Sect doesn't seem to have had any powerful enemies. And Ziwei Sanren also said that Senior Xiao was amiable, well-liked, and never made enemies with others."
"Then there's only the third reason: to search for treasure."
Typically, when a Nascent Soul cultivator met their end before their lifespan was exhausted, this was the most common cause. Having cultivated to the Nascent Soul stage, cultivators treasured their lives greatly. Unless it was a life-or-death vendetta, they generally wouldn't risk their lives. But when facing an opportunity or treasure, sometimes they couldn't help but take risks.
"Then the question circles back: what in the Lands of the Extreme West was worth a Nascent Soul cultivator taking such a risk, even at the cost of her life?"
This question plunged both of them into contemplation.
After a long while, Mo Tiange said, "I think we still need to investigate the three great danger zones. Regardless of whether they hold treasures, a place dangerous enough for a Nascent Soul cultivator to never return is undoubtedly a perilous location. In the Lands of the Extreme West, besides these three danger zones, what other places are so hazardous?"
"Mm," Qin Xi agreed. Since they couldn't deduce from the cause, they could only work backward from the result. "Let's rest here for now. We'll set out tomorrow."
The next day, they summoned Tang Zimu again to learn some specific information about the three great danger zones from him.
Tang Zimu was only a low-level cultivator and didn't know much about the three great danger zones. He only gave them general directions and, in addition, recommended they seek guides from the Xirong tribes near the danger zones. These Xirong people, having lived near the perilous locations for generations, knew a fair bit about them.
The two gave Tang Zimu some spirit stones and pills as payment, then left the oasis.
The first danger zone they headed for was the Abyss of Fallen Gods.
The Abyss of Fallen Gods was located in the northern part of the Extreme West desert—a thousand-mile-long fissure in the earth, howling with Gang Wind and bottomless. The Xirong people said that even a Heavenly God would fall into the Abyss of Fallen Gods, hence its name.
Judging by the name, it seemed related to cultivators, so the two held high hopes for the Abyss of Fallen Gods.
Near the Abyss of Fallen Gods, they found a tribe and learned from an elder a legend passed down through generations about the abyss.
According to the tale, long ago, there was no Abyss of Fallen Gods in the Lands of the Extreme West. Later, two Heavenly Gods fought here. One of them struck down with his sword, cleaving a long fissure that became the Abyss of Fallen Gods. The abyss was bottomless; if one accidentally fell in, not even a Heavenly God could save them.
The tribes living nearby all strictly forbade their members from approaching the Abyss of Fallen Gods. Hearing they intended to go there, the tribe's elder was greatly alarmed and repeatedly warned them that even Heavenly Gods would never return if they entered the Abyss of Fallen Gods.
Hearing this, Mo Tiange became very interested and asked if any Heavenly Gods had indeed been there. The elder replied he had never seen one, but according to tribal legends, a long time ago, a Heavenly God had entered the Abyss of Fallen Gods and never returned.
Upon hearing this news, the two became even more interested in the Abyss of Fallen Gods. After thanking the elder, they headed straight for it.
Despite having heard descriptions of the Abyss of Fallen Gods from both Tang Zimu and the Xirong elder, Mo Tiange still drew a sharp breath when she saw the long fissure in the earth.
"It's actually this huge!" Not only was this earth fissure a thousand miles long, it was also several miles wide. Standing at the edge and looking down, it was pitch black, with no end in sight. Even the Gang Wind inside the fissure was a murky gray. The area around the fissure was barren yellow rock, devoid of any vegetation. From time to time, yellow rocks would tumble down, swept away by the Gang Wind.
Standing at the edge of the Abyss of Fallen Gods, listening to the howling Gang Wind carrying immense force, they thought, No wonder this earth fissure is called the Abyss of Fallen Gods. Not to mention mortals, even ordinary cultivators couldn't withstand such Gang Wind.
"Shall we go down?" Mo Tiange asked. She probed slightly with her Divine Sense; the power of this Gang Wind was something even a Core Formation cultivator would have difficulty dealing with. Who knew if it would grow even stronger the deeper they went?
"Let's go down," Qin Xi said. "If we can't handle it, we'll turn back."
"Mm." With no clues, the only way for them to find Xiao Zilan was to visit all three great danger zones one by one.
Qin Xi raised his arm. The Three Yang True Fire Sword emerged from within his body, transforming into sword energy that enveloped them both.
Meanwhile, Mo Tiange summoned the Heaven Earth Fan and also brought out her White Silk Kerchief. During the Heavenly Tribulation, the kerchief had been half-destroyed. Over the past few years, she had found some materials and barely managed to repair it; at least it was usable again.
Subsequently, the two leaped down into the Abyss of Fallen Gods.
The wind whistled past their ears; the surrounding energy was chaotic.
Mo Tiange frowned, touched her Qiankun Ring, and took out the Taiji Eight Trigrams Diagram.
The Taiji Eight Trigrams Diagram unfurled beside them, immediately stabilizing the surrounding energy.
The two continued their descent as Gang Wind swept toward them.
The "whooshing" sound of the wind carried numerous particles of shattered yellow rock, hurling them at the pair.
These particles were incinerated by the Vermilion Bird Flames carried by the Three Yang True Fire Sword before they could even get close, producing a continuous "sizzling" sound.
The two continued to descend amid the Gang Wind.
"This wind…" Mo Tiange frowned and said, "It seems to disrupt Divine Sense."
She extended her Divine Sense but could never reach the bottom of the Abyss of Fallen Gods.
"Mm, we need to be careful," Qin Xi said.
The Gang Wind grew increasingly violent, the whistling in their ears almost piercing their eardrums. Later, Mo Tiange was certain that even a Core Formation cultivator couldn't withstand this level of Gang Wind.
No wonder so few cultivators came to the Lands of the Extreme West. Just descending into the Abyss of Fallen Gods was already so dangerous, and with no rumors of treasures, which Nascent Soul cultivator would have so much time on their hands?
Come to think of it, could it be that Senior Xiao Zilan was simply bored, searching for treasures everywhere, thinking such a dangerous place must hold treasures, and thus came to the Extreme West?
This speculation wasn't impossible. The problem was, according to Ziwei Sanren, Xiao Zilan didn't seem like such an idle person.
After descending for a quarter of an hour, the two felt an immense pulling force. Mo Tiange looked down and saw a vortex had appeared within the Gang Wind below.
Her expression changed slightly. Qin Xi had already cried out, "Avoid it!"
The appearance of a vortex indicated a powerful force at that location. The Gang Wind around them was already at the Nascent Soul level; who knew if they could withstand the force inside the vortex?
The two changed direction, trying to steer clear of the vortex, but their downward momentum couldn't be halted. The further they fell, the stronger the vortex's pull became. Despite their utmost efforts to avoid it, they were still inevitably dragged bit by bit toward the vortex.
They could only tightly clasp each other's hands, protecting one another.