Chapter 948 - 672: Divine Land Observations

Divine Land Continent, vast and boundless, the sky high and the earth far, its realm unknown.

On this day.

A ripple suddenly appeared in the void, and a trace of barely perceptible spatial fluctuation silently spread out.

A figure as tall and straight as an ancient pine walked out slowly, black clothes fluttering, a golden sword pattern hidden deep in his brow, appearing and disappearing in a flash.

It was none other than Red Wood crossing from the realm channel.

He stood between desolate mountains and wilds, looking up, the sky was lofty, clouds rolled and unrolled, vast enough to make one’s heart quiver.

Red Wood slowly closed his eyes, his Dao Foundation slightly trembling, the golden Dao Pattern flowing within, causing the feedback of the world’s vital energy.

Just a moment.

He suddenly opened his eyes, a look of bewilderment flashing between his eyebrows.

"Is this... Divine Land?"

"The Spiritual Qi is actually this thin?"

The small realm he came from was drained of spiritual mechanism by the Great Feather Grotto Heaven, the world withered, the spirit veins dried up.

But the vast and boundless supreme realm before him, where True Monarch Golden Cores were said to appear one after another, had spiritual mechanism density in heaven and earth not much higher than his small realm.

Red Wood gently shook his head, taking a deep breath to suppress the surprise in his heart.

This was not the time for doubt.

The urgent task was to understand the power structure and cultivation patterns of the Divine Land Continent.

It would be best to find a secluded, stable place with decent Spiritual Qi as a foothold for subsequent family members to relocate here gradually, paving the way.

"Hmm?"

He had just restrained his aura, operated his Dao Foundation to conceal his figure, his Divine Sense lightly sweeping, his gaze instantly falling ten miles away.

On a dusty official road, a convoy of cart guards was slowly advancing, flags fluttering with the sound, embroidered with the four characters "Powerful Distant Escort Agency."

The guards wielding steel knives at their waists, clad in thin armor, stepped steadily like mountains, their eyes vigilant like eagles, scanning the surrounding mountains and forests, typical of mercenary groups that walked the mortal realm, licking blood off the blade.

"Mortals?"

Red Wood slightly nodded: "Just perfect for a little exploration."

With mortal-life forms as mediums, the causal lines can slowly unfold, allowing him to truly touch the pulse of this world.

He lightly pinched his fingers, and within moments, understood everything.

This land, named Liang, is indeed the territory of a mortal dynasty.

Cultivation seeking the Dao, flying in the sky and evading on the earth, to mortal people, only exist in street stories, teahouse tales, and countryside legends.

Even those escort masters who have traveled far and wide and seen much, have only heard tales of immortals soaring in clouds and commanding armies with beans, potentially never seeing a true cultivator in their lives.

"No wonder the spiritual mechanism is so thin, mortal territory is not a place for cultivators to reside."

Red Wood withdrew his Divine Sense, having already made up his mind:

"I must first find a place where cultivators gather before considering long-term planning."

His eyes suddenly flickered:

"Right, Inner Heaven and Earth, Great Void."

The inner heaven and earth of his small realm had long been completely occupied and forcibly sealed by the Grotto Heaven, with no one allowed to enter.

But in this vast realm, there shouldn’t be such domineering restrictive monopolization.

Thinking of this, Red Wood’s Dao Foundation quietly operated along with the Power of Space.

His figure slightly shimmered, disappearing into the void like ink dissolving into water.

Upon reopening his eyes.

He found himself in a boundless dark space.

"This is the Great Void, Inner Heaven and Earth?"

Red Wood slowly raised his hand, lightly touching the void with his fingertips.

He could clearly perceive that beneath him was the surface world.

Only now, the vast land of the outside world, the continuous mountains, lakes, seas, and galloping rivers and great streams, in his eyes had all shrunk down by billions of times as if a reduced sand table model.

The towering mountains and peaks separated by tens of thousands of li in the surface world, within the Great Void Inner Heaven and Earth are merely distances of needle tips and barley awns.

"What a vast world..."

Red Wood couldn’t help but silently sigh.

Just this Inner Heaven and Earth was already boundlessly expansive, let alone the real world below.

The Great Feather Grotto Heaven, if placed in this Divine Land, would probably be just a speck of faint flickering firefly in the dark night, completely insignificant.

He scanned around and soon discovered, in the dark void scattered were countless spirit light points flickering bright or dim, like stars in the night’s sky, distributed erratically in the boundless void.

Some were brilliant like the sun, some as faint as candlelight, separated from each other without interference.

Red Wood’s lips slightly curled, showing a knowing smile:

"Very good!"

No need to think much, these light points must be where the Divine Land cultivators’ mountain gates, grottos, and markets are located.

These spirit lights were areas the surface world’s cultivators used their mountain gate grand arrays to seal, isolating themselves from external probing and preventing surprise attacks.

The principle of this method is exactly the same as that of Master Great Feather using fire technique barriers and obliterating the entire small realm’s Inner Heaven and Earth for exclusivity.

Just one glance and Red Wood thoroughly understood the underlying secrets.

He pondered: When wandering within the Great Void Inner Heaven and Earth, it’s essential to avoid these spirit light points.

Once a reckless intrusion occurs, it would immediately crash against the opposing mountain gate’s protective array, tantamount to a life-and-death provocation, earning needless enemies.

"However, with a general direction, visiting a few Tao Foundation-level forces wouldn’t be bad either."

His gaze swept slightly, quickly locking onto the nearest moderately bright light point, his figure flickering, gold Dao Pattern flashing, proceeding calmly.

...

"Truly, missing by a tiny margin becomes a vast difference."

Void rippling, Red Wood stepped out slowly, feeling helpless.

A slight deviation within the Inner Heaven and Earth translated to distances of tens of thousands of li upon returning to the surface world.

Red Wood’s initial traversal of Divine Land’s Great Void was far from smooth.

Several deviations and backtracks consumed nearly half a day’s effort.

"However, there’s an advantage, more room for maneuver when same-level cultivators fight."

"Even if unable to win, one can escape using Great Void traversal..."

At this moment.

Red Wood stopped his figure above a mist-filled valley.

At the entrance of the valley floated a plaque inscribed with the four ancient characters - Black Feather Market.

"Finally found it."

Red Wood breathed a sigh of relief, having already followed the spirit light and visited three noble families of loose Tao Foundation cultivators before arriving here.

After several exchanges and probes, he had a clearer understanding of the cultivation realm of the Divine Land Continent.

The Divine Land, vast and boundless, across Four Seas and wilderness, no one has ever been able to describe its true boundaries.

The world’s powers, severe as a pyramid:

At the top are the Golden Core Grand Sects, governed by True Monarch Golden Cores, holding the powers of heaven and earth, the highest sovereigns of this realm.

Only True Monarchs mostly closed themselves off for enlightenment, rarely concerning themselves with worldly matters, seldom appearing among the people.

The highest combatants one may see belong to the Purple Mansion True Masters, ruling over regions, dominating them, dictating life and death.

Beneath the Purple Mansion, Tao Foundation Cultivators are the main force, capable of establishing noble families and forces in regions living carefree.

This Black Feather Market was precisely founded by Black Feather Daoist, an old late-stage Tao Foundation loose cultivator, as a neutral market not affiliated with any major sect or noble family, serving as a core place for surrounding loose cultivators and small noble families for transactions and information exchange.

At the entrance of the market, the two cultivators guarding the mountain gate were only at the Qi Refining Realm, their cultivation weak.

Seeing Red Wood approaching from afar, they could only feel the depth of his aura, panicking internally, hastily bowing in salute, their tone extremely respectful:

"Greetings, Senior! With Senior’s visit, our Black Feather Market is greatly honored, please enter!"

Red Wood slightly nodded, his expression calm, not a hint of arrogance, walking leisurely, stepping into the market.

This was his first time entering a market truly owned by cultivators.

Streets crisscrossed, paved with green stones, shops lined the sides, plaques inscribed with spirit grass, elixir pills, magical artifacts, talismans, or faint with array patterns flickering.

The cultivators coming and going bore varied auras, the voices of street vendors and haggling echoing incessantly, filled with the vitality of the world.

"Excellent Qi Condensing Grass, three spirit stones per stalk, discount for ten stalks!"

"Magical Artifact Clear Edge Sword, incredibly sharp, essential for demon extermination, exchange for equivalent spirit grass!"

"Exchange information, exchange information, signs of demon generals appearing in Western Wilderness mountains, exchange for a Qi Gathering Pill!"

Red Wood walked leisurely, silently noting the rules, customs, and power distribution of the market...