Mortals: Take Mo Juren at the start

A flash of white light appeared, and two figures instantly materialized—Fairy Phoenix Feather and Mo Juren.

The former remained expressionless and stepped directly out of the teleportation array, with Mo Juren following closely behind, their eyes simultaneously scanning their surroundings.

This was actually a nearly sealed stone chamber with only one exit. The chamber was extremely simple, with nothing else besides a small teleportation array in the center.

Behind the exit is a spiral staircase leading upwards. It is extremely narrow, just enough for two or three people to pass through, but any more would be a bit crowded.

The two slowly ascended the steps until they reached the bottom, where they found themselves in a lush, dense forest.

Looking around, all around were towering trees whose names I didn't know, and the ground was covered with a thick layer of dead leaves. In addition, the exit was narrow, so it was hard to notice unless you looked carefully.

Not only here, but in Mo Juren's perception, other places in the dense forest were also in a similar situation. The demons in the underground city emerged from different exits and then transformed into streaks of light, heading in all directions.

Upon seeing this scene, Mo Juren felt a strange sensation instinctively arise in his heart for some reason. Whether it was the underground city or the layout of these countless exits, it always gave him a peculiar feeling.

Just as he was pondering, suddenly, Fairy Phoenix Feather raised her eyebrows, then looked in a certain direction and said in a deep voice:
"Now that you have arrived, why not show yourself?"

These words immediately made Mo Juren's heart tremble. Then he saw a golden light flash in front of him, and a burly man with a strange appearance and a thick beard appeared.

"Who do we have here? It's Fairy Feng Yu! What brings you to the Jade Rat King City today?" The burly man smiled slightly, his gaze sweeping quickly over the two of them, but he showed no surprise.

"Fellow Daoist of the Cave Heaven, it's been a long time."

Upon seeing who it was, Fairy Phoenix Feather couldn't help but sigh softly.

She had planned to come and go quietly, without disturbing the higher-ups of the Qiongshu clan, thus avoiding the need for pleasantries and social interactions, which was something she detested most.

Unexpectedly, she still alerted the other party, so she could only helplessly cup her hands in greeting and then take the initiative to explain.

"We two are on our way to the far north, so we are passing through the royal city. We hope you will forgive us for any inconvenience we may cause."

"The far north!" Upon hearing this, the burly man couldn't help but be somewhat surprised.

"That's no safe place. What are you going there for, fairy?"

"To handle some personal matters." Fairy Phoenix Feather clearly didn't intend to elaborate, and upon hearing this, the Cave Heaven Rat King immediately realized what was going on and chuckled.

"Since it's a private matter, I won't ask any further. But since the fairy has come all this way, why not stay for a few days and let me, the king, show her some hospitality?"

"Time is of the essence, we can't delay, let's do it another time." Fairy Phoenix Feather refused without hesitation, and the burly man seemed to have expected this, showing no anger whatsoever.

"That's a real pity. In that case, take care on your journey, fairy. If you need any help, please feel free to ask. There's no need to be polite with me."

As he spoke, he took out a token and handed it to the other party.

"Thank you! Then we shall meet again!" Fairy Fengyu did not refuse. After accepting the token, she cupped her hands again, then waved her sleeves, and a white light swept up Mo Juren and flew away.

Watching the two figures gradually disappear into the distance, the burly man narrowed his eyes, lost in thought.

Just as he said, the far north is a very complicated place. Why would the other party go there for no reason?
Unless absolutely necessary, no one would be willing to venture to the far north. Could there really be some kind of fortuitous opportunity? The benefits that could tempt a mid-stage Nascent Soul cultivator must be extraordinary.

He was also somewhat tempted. He had been stuck in the late stage of the Integration Realm for countless years, yet he was unable to advance any further. Naturally, he was extremely sensitive to opportunities.

But that's only one reason. He had calculated that he would face a life-threatening calamity many years later, so he made a backup plan.

He thought he had succeeded, but unexpectedly, something went wrong, and to this day he still doesn't know what happened.

However, the disappearance of his backup plan left him with no way out, so it's understandable that he was anxious.

There is only one path to take now: to reach even greater heights. Only by becoming stronger can we have the confidence to face the unknown calamities ahead.

Having thought this through, he no longer hesitated. He looked ahead, then transformed into a beam of yellow light and vanished...

……

There is a vast area north of the royal city, but the environment is too harsh for even the demon race to live in, so no more teleportation points have been set up there.

Therefore, the only way to cross this area and reach the far north is to fly.

Considering that there was still nearly half a month's journey ahead, in order to conserve their magical energy, the two decided to stop using teleportation techniques and instead travel by flying boat.

Mo Juren offered to use his 'Star Radiance', and Fairy Phoenix Feather not only had no objection to this, but also gave it a very high evaluation after examining it.

Inside the cabin, the two sat facing each other by the window. As Mo Juren busied himself taking out his treasured spirit tea, he asked in a low voice:

"It is said that among the seven demon kings, the Cave Heaven Rat King is the most mysterious and acts with extreme discretion. Senior seems to be quite familiar with him?"

"We've only crossed paths a few times by chance in the past; I wouldn't call ourselves familiar with each other." Fairy Fengyu shook her head slightly, then asked in return,
"You suddenly brought up that person; there must be a reason, right?"

"No, I was just thinking that if we go to the far north unnoticed, that's fine, but since they already know, it's hard to guarantee that they won't have some suspicions."

"Doubt?" Fairy Phoenix Feather was slightly taken aback, then her expression darkened.

"You mean, he'll secretly follow us?"

"It's just a guess, not certain. Perhaps you could investigate further, senior..." Mo Juren offered his suggestion. Upon hearing this, Fairy Phoenix Feather did not hesitate and immediately released a wisp of her divine sense.

After a short while, the other party withdrew their divine sense and then shook their head slightly:
"I didn't find anything on the surface, but the other party's cultivation and spiritual sense are both above mine. If they are deliberately hiding, there's nothing I can do about it."

"This..." Upon hearing this, Mo Juren couldn't help but sigh.

That's true. The Cave Heaven Rat King is a powerful expert who has been in the late stage of the Integration Realm for many years. His cultivation and divine sense are far superior to those of Fairy Phoenix Feather. It's perfectly normal that he couldn't detect her.

"Actually, there's no need to worry about it. Anyway, we're not on a trip to explore any treasure lands, so we're not afraid of anyone following us. If he really does follow us, let him be. Once we reach the Forbidden Land of No Life, he'll probably back off on his own."

"Senior is absolutely right; I was overthinking it." Mo Juren smiled, no longer dwelling on the matter, and then handed the brewed spiritual tea forward.
“Miss Xiao mentioned before that you have no other hobbies but a deep love for tea. Therefore, I specially prepared some before my departure. It tastes quite good; why don't you try some?” “That girl really is 'completely open' with you…” Fairy Fengyu said meaningfully, without refusing. She picked up the teacup, took a small sip, and immediately showed a satisfied expression.

"It is indeed good tea; you've put your heart into it."

"I'm glad you like it, senior..."

"..."

……

The flying boat sped along at high speed, and after about half a month, it finally arrived at the northern edge of the Qiongshu clan's territory.

Here, a massive east-west mountain range blocks the way; once you cross it, you truly enter the so-called far north.

Unlike the desolate northern region of the Qiongshu clan, this massive mountain range, while also having a harsh environment, possesses many excellent spiritual veins deep within, and even some relatively scarce cultivation resources, making it a rare place for cultivators to cultivate.

Of course, the premise is that you must have sufficient strength.

Those who venture into the far north are all extraordinary; their cultivation is at least at the Refinement of Emptiness realm. The so-called harsh environment, such as gales and extreme cold, has absolutely no effect on them.

It is precisely for this reason that some of the 'fugitives' from both the human and demon races chose to stay after arriving here.

As time went by, the number of these practitioners gradually increased, and they even communicated with each other frequently, subtly forming some small circles.

If it weren't for other important matters, Mo Juren would definitely have gone to see it. However, now is clearly not the time. Su Zier's fate is still unknown, and there is no time to waste. He must hurry to the Forbidden Land of No Life.

Under its control, Xingyao flew rapidly over the mountains without any pause. Along the way, it sensed some faint auras, which were probably those of the cultivators who lived there.

However, due to the addition of the Hidden Void Pattern, these cultivators with the Void Refinement stage cultivation were completely unaware of it.

This matter also piqued the interest of Fairy Phoenix Feather, who stated directly that such ancient spiritual rune techniques had long been lost. Although similar things exist in the modern era, their effects are vastly different.

Mo Juren was incredibly astute; he instantly discerned the other party's thoughts and, without any hesitation, immediately explained the method for drawing the 'Hidden Void Pattern'.

His generosity immediately surprised Fairy Phoenix Feather. The value of such a secret technique was self-evident, and she was truly surprised that he was willing to reveal it to her.

Suddenly, she felt a surge of goodwill towards him. If she had only agreed to help him out of respect for Xiao Yunhuang before, she was now somewhat willing to do so.

"This secret technique is indeed excellent, but as a senior, I cannot accept your gift for nothing. Tell me, what do you need? We can exchange it for something of equal value." Gathering her thoughts, Fairy Phoenix Feather immediately stated her position. Unexpectedly, upon hearing this, Mo Juren shook his head directly.

"Senior, you are mistaken. Your willingness to accompany me to this far north is already an immense favor, one that I cannot repay. How could I possibly ask for anything more from you?"

Ultimately, this is just an incomplete secret technique. Giving it to you doesn't mean I can't use it anymore, so there's no loss involved. Please accept it with peace of mind.

Of course, if you truly feel bad about it, there's no need for any exchange. Life is long, and I'll inevitably encounter some cultivation problems in the future. I hope you'll be willing to offer your guidance then.

"You really have a good plan. You want to exchange a mere incomplete secret technique for a cheap master who is at the Integration Realm and can give you guidance at any time. You're not losing out at all!" Hearing Mo Juren say this, even the aloof Fairy Phoenix Feather couldn't help but chuckle.

Since their first meeting, this is the first time Mo Juren has seen the other person smile.

The other person was already beautiful and elegant, like a poem or a painting. At this moment, she suddenly revealed a smile, and even Mo Juren was momentarily stunned by her unparalleled beauty.

Fortunately, he possessed exceptional composure and reacted instantly, quickly and respectfully replying again:
"This is just a request from a junior. Whether you agree or not is your decision. Even if you disagree, it won't affect the matter of the secret technique being given to you."

"You really are..." Fairy Phoenix Feather shook her head slightly, then replied with a hint of helplessness.
"Now that things have come to this point, it would seem unreasonable of me not to agree. Very well, if you ever encounter any difficulties in your cultivation in the future, just come to my cave to find me."

As he spoke, he took out a token and handed it forward.

"This is your pass to enter my cave dwelling. Please accept it."

"I will never forget your great kindness, senior!" Mo Juren did not hesitate at all, immediately put away the token, and sincerely thanked you with a joyful expression.

He was genuinely happy, but asking for advice was just an excuse. After all, he was never short of experts to guide him. His real purpose was to curry favor with them and strengthen their relationship.

Of course, that's not the case right now. They've only developed some goodwill towards each other, and it's mostly because of Xiao Yunhuang's influence. If they really run into big trouble, the other party might say a few words in their defense, but if things become uncontrollable, they'll most likely just stand by and watch.

This is only natural. Why should people give their all when it's just an incomplete secret technique?
But that's alright, once you've taken the first step, things will be much easier afterwards.

Given her pure "homebody" personality, she's not actually that difficult to get along with once you develop feelings for her. With your abilities, you can deepen those feelings until she truly becomes an asset to you.

After flying for more than half a month, the airship finally crossed the mountains and reached the so-called far north. Without the mountains blocking the way, the scene before them was a completely different world.

The temperature plummeted to an unimaginable level, and the fierce winds never stopped, sweeping across the sky and earth like sharp blades.

Mo Juren truly hadn't expected that the environment in the far north would be so harsh; the gales and extreme cold alone were enough to deter many people from venturing there.

The fierce winds and extreme cold are equivalent to a continuous attack; without sufficient strength and treasures, one cannot withstand them for long.

No wonder only cultivators at the Refinement Realm or above can survive here; those weaker would find it impossible to move an inch.

Mo Juren's Starry Divine Ship is a top-tier flying treasure, and a genuine ancient artifact. Its power is self-evident, and the gale and extreme cold have no effect on it at all.

Under his control, the Starry Divine Ship headed towards the Forbidden Land of No Life at top speed.

It is located deep in the far north, quite a distance away. According to the map, even without any unexpected events along the way, it would take about two months to reach it.

This is because Starshine's speed is fast enough and it is not affected by harsh environments; otherwise, it would take much longer.

The far north is vast, but there are not many cultivators. Unless you are extremely unlucky, you may not encounter a single one even after you reach your destination.

Unfortunately, his luck seemed to be turning sour again. After only about ten days of rapid flight, an accident occurred. (End of Chapter)