Daojun, start from Penglai foundation building

Xuanhuang Realm, Western Regions.

The Xuanhuang Realm consists of only one landmass, stretching across the center, surrounded by vast oceans on all sides.

At this time, the once prosperous and densely populated Central Region had long since become dilapidated and desolate.

In fact, it's not just the central region of the Xuanhuang Realm; the four regions—east, west, south, and north—are not much better off than the central region. However, there are still quite a few people living among the mountains and ravines of the Xuanhuang Realm, and in the forests and valleys.

Since the beginning of the first year of the Heavenly Shattering, the human race in the Xuanhuang Realm has been forced to leave their homes after experiencing the ravages of the Heavenly Demons, the chaos caused by demonic cultivators, and the invasion of monsters. They either fled to distant seas, hid in large and fortified cities, or eke out a living in remote and desolate places.

The human race throughout the Xuanhuang Realm is barely surviving. The Xuanhuang Realm is already largely desolate. Where there are inhabited places, it's just that some places have more people and some places have fewer people, with little difference between them.

Outside Xihai City, an exhausted Jiang Huan, supported by Li Shu and Wang Yuan, entered the heavily guarded city.

Ignoring the city gate guards' deadpan expressions, Jiang Huan and his companions entered the West Sea City's steward's office and handed over their spoils. They then heard the steward coldly say, "Three days from now, your objective is to explore the Bone Forest."

Upon hearing this, Wang Yuan angrily retorted, "Having completed our mission, shouldn't we have at least seven days of rest? How come we only have three days?"

The person in charge remained expressionless: "Under normal circumstances, your rest period would naturally be seven days."

"But what time is it now?"

“During this period, the movements of evil spirits and demons have become increasingly large. With the month of filth approaching, you, as the guardian cultivators for this season, will naturally have three days of rest.”

Li Shu bit her lip hard. She wanted to explain that the other guards on duty this season had a seven-day rest period, but seeing the indifferent expression of the person in charge and the subtle mockery from the onlookers, she held back.

After Li Shu and Wang Yuan helped Jiang Huan leave, someone sighed, "Alas, they've offended the Zhang family, one of the seven great families of Xihai City. They probably won't survive this conscription season."

At this moment, another person sneered, "Can't make it through the conscription season? They're lucky they even made it through this month!"

"In three months, they will have to leave the city at least six times. Each time they return from the city, they can only rest for three days. Let alone recuperate, they can't even recover much of their energy. How long can they last?"

Upon hearing this, some people watched coldly, while others sighed, but no one dared to say anything on behalf of Jiang Huan and the others.

They weren't even acquaintances, and besides, who would dare offend the seven great families of Xihai City for the sake of an acquaintance?
Those are the seven great families that have Nascent Soul cultivators!

Even in Xishan City, which is known as the most formidable pass in the Western Regions and is guarded by the Dharma Master, the seven major families are still first-rate forces!

Jiang Huan and his two companions, who had already left the Hall of Deacons, silently returned to their home in Xihai City, a small courtyard.

Upon returning, Wang Yuan couldn't help but angrily exclaim, "It must be Zhang Hao who's behind this!"

"Last time the monster attacked, we were the first to discover and warn it, but it tried to steal the credit, not only taking our resources but also trying to kill us!"

Li Shu was also extremely angry: "Brother Huan, Zhang Hao is clearly trying to kill us!"

"Should we just leave Xihai City?"

Wang Yuan echoed, "That's right, that's right! At worst, we can go to Xishan City, where the Dharma Image Immortal is protecting us!"

Jiang Huan looked at his two fellow Daoists who had shared life and death with him and said calmly, "The Moon of Iniquity is coming soon. Without Xihai City, how can we survive in the wilderness?"

Upon hearing this, even Wang Yuan, who had the most explosive temper, fell silent.

Since the beginning of the Heavenly Shattering Year, the human race has struggled to survive after being invaded by the Heavenly Demons and plagued by monsters. The number of evil spirits in the world has decreased. Although there are still many demonic cultivators and monsters, the human race can at least survive.

However, after less than two years of peace, the moon overhead began to change. The originally bright and clear moon was gradually tainted by some force, becoming murky and dim.

Since then, for one or two months every year, the moon becomes murky and murky. At that time, not only do monsters on earth run rampant, but evil spirits also fall from the sky to wreak havoc on the human world.

If you're not in a city with powerful defenses, you're doomed in the wilderness.

West Sea City was built by seven Nascent Soul cultivators after the first year of the Heavenly Shattering Era. For more than twenty years, it has remained as stable as Mount Tai. Even when evil spirits descend, they are all killed by the Nascent Soul cultivators.

Therefore, even though the Nascent Soul families oppressed rogue cultivators, and even though the seven major families levied exorbitant taxes, countless people still flocked to Xihai City. At least they could survive once they entered, but outside they would truly face certain death.

Looking at the silent Wang Yuan, and then at Li Shu, Jiang Huan sighed softly and said, "Once this month of filth has passed, we will leave Xihai City."

"Stay close to me during this time, and I'll make sure you survive!"

Upon hearing this, both Wang Yuan and Li Shu nodded: they believed in Jiang Huan.

No matter what dangers she encounters, Jiang Huan always manages to turn misfortune into good fortune; no matter what difficulties she faces, she always manages to overcome them.

From the first year of the Heavenly Shattering to now, in just over twenty years, Jiang Huan has gone from a farm boy who knew nothing about cultivation to a Foundation Establishment cultivator, and even obtained some kind of opportunity to become a Purple Mansion Feathered Warrior. This made Wang Yuan and Li Shu trust Jiang Huan very much, and this time was no exception.

Jiang Huan will surely lead them out of danger as before!

Three days later, Jiang Huan led Wang Yuan and Li Shu out of the city to explore the dangerous Bone Forest outside Xihai City. Upon receiving this news, Zhang Hao sneered, "The Filthy Moon is about to descend. If they go out at this time, they will either die in the Bone Forest or be unable to enter the city upon their return."

"A few rogue cultivators, daring to try and turn the tables?"

"It was impossible before the sky broke, and it's even less possible after the sky breaks!"

Indeed, just as Zhang Hao said.

Before the shattering of the heavens, the Xuanhuang Realm was the orthodox Xuanhuang Realm of Yin and Yang. What cultivation families or immortal sects were there? Only those with talent who entered the orthodox Yin and Yang Realm were considered talents; those who did not were just dust.

After the shattering of the heavens, the clans that control cultivation techniques and resources become the heavens of the Xuanhuang Realm. Without relying on aristocratic families and clans, how can one achieve success in cultivation?

Unless you find the cave where a true immortal passed away, or discover some secret realms that existed before the heavens collapsed.

But once you discover that kind of opportunity, can you hold onto it?

Outside West Sea City, in the Forest of Dead Bones.

The Forest of Dead Bones was originally a mountain forest that stretched for tens of thousands of miles. After the sky shattered, the earth began to dry up, the rivers began to dry up, and the once lush and verdant forest gradually withered, turning into a forest of dead bones.

Later, for reasons unknown, the dead trees in the Dead Forest were replaced by skeletons. Every time the moon was gloomy, the entire forest would turn into countless skeletons dancing and struggling, and no one who entered the Dead Bone Forest could survive.

After the establishment of Xihai City, in order to ensure the safety of the city, people would be sent to explore the Bone Forest every time the Filthy Moon arrived to check if there were any changes in the Bone Forest.

If monsters or evil spirits appear in the Bone Forest, or if the area of ​​the Bone Forest expands, then Xihai City must send people to clear it out to prevent the Bone Forest from affecting the safety of Xihai City after the arrival of the Dirty Moon.

Logically, such matters should be investigated by sinners or cultivators who have committed serious crimes in Westsea City.

This time, however, the task fell to Jiang Huan and his two companions, clearly indicating that they were not intended to return alive.

After all, it was just three rogue cultivators who died.

Standing before the Forest of Withered Bones, Jiang Huan gazed at the withered branches and trees swaying in the howling evil wind. He glanced at Li Shu and Wang Yuan beside him, then clutched a jade slip hidden in his sleeve: "The immortal slip clearly indicates whether there are dangers in entering the Forest of Withered Bones?"

Several words slowly appeared on the jade slip. Jiang Huan glanced at it and saw that it read: "Nine deaths and one life".

This immortal scroll was Jiang Huan's destiny.

Without this immortal scroll, Jiang Huan could not have repeatedly escaped danger and overcome difficulties.

Without this immortal scroll, Jiang Huan would never have been able to grow from an ignorant farm boy into a Purple Mansion Taoist!
It can be said that this immortal scroll is Jiang Huan's greatest source of confidence and trump card!
But it was precisely because of this immortal scroll that Jiang Huan's younger brother, Jiang Ming, was trapped in that secret realm and has not been found since.

Jiang Huan is working so hard now partly because she is searching for Jiang Ming's whereabouts, since the immortal document pointed out that her younger brother is in the West!
Looking at the four words "nine deaths and one life" on the jade slip, Jiang Huan fell silent.

If the divination result given by the immortal slip were even slightly favorable, Jiang Huan would have dared to lead Li Shu and Wang Yuan to explore this Forest of Withered Bones.

With a slim chance of survival, it's better to leave Xihai City now!
"Brother Huan, shall we go in?"

Li Shu's voice rang in Jiang Huan's ears.

Jiang Huan looked at the forest of withered bones in front of him and was about to shake his head when he caught sight of demonic traces in the distance. In that instant, Jiang Huan felt a chill run down his spine!
That hideous, six-eyed demon with bone spurs all over its body and three arms and four legs was none other than the Chaotic Bone Demon, which only a Golden Core cultivator could deal with!

Without hesitation, Jiang Huan grabbed Li Shu and Wang Yuan, then channeled all her spiritual energy and ran into the Bone Forest: "Run!"

The Bone Demon also noticed the presence of Jiang Huan and his companions, but when it reached the edge of the Bone Forest and sensed the aura within, it fled in panic like a howling wild dog.

After running through the Bone Forest with Wang Yuan and Li Shu for a quarter of an hour without seeing the Chaotic Bone Demon follow, Jiang Huan stopped. The fact that the Chaotic Bone Demon, which only Golden Core cultivators could deal with, didn't catch up meant that Jiang Huan naturally didn't think he was strong enough or lucky enough.

This can only mean one thing: in this Forest of Dead Bones, there is something that even the Demon of Chaotic Bones fears!
Realizing this, Jiang Huan became increasingly panicked. Looking at the desolate forest of withered bones, surrounded by grotesque and twisted trees, Jiang Huan felt as if something was watching them, as if they were three ants. This feeling made Jiang Huan's heart sink to the bottom.

After sensing the silence in the Forest of Dead Bones, Wang Yuan and Li Shu realized that something was wrong.

The three of them cautiously looked around, sensing that danger lurked everywhere and ominous signs were everywhere!
Activating the jade slip, Jiang Huan obtained the latest divination: Ten deaths without hope of survival!
"Withdraw! Quickly withdraw!"

Jiang Huan didn't have time to say much. She quickly led Wang Yuan and Li Shu back the way they came. As the three of them moved, the once desolate forest of withered bones suddenly came to life. The withered branches on the dead trees turned into bone claws and grabbed at the three of them from all directions.

In an instant, the entire forest of withered bones was in an uproar. Countless withered claws swung wildly, and withered trees rose from the ground one after another, their gnarled and twisted roots chasing after Jiang Huan and his companions like giant pythons.

Deep within the withered bone forest, a pair of eyes watched the movements of Jiang Huan and his companions. Whenever the three were about to escape, a withered tree demon would block their path, forcing them to take another route to flee.

From beginning to end, Jiang Huan and the other two were under its control. What it wanted was for Jiang Huan and the other two to desperately flee for their lives, only to find that they had no way out.

Watching Jiang Huan and the other two flee endlessly, their disappointment escalating into despair, it felt immense joy.

However, it did not discover that
In the once dim and desolate starry sea of ​​the Xuanhuang Realm, several stars suddenly emitted bright light. (End of Chapter)