I am in Yellow Maple Valley, and I have a demonic beast clone!

At the border between the Yuanwu Kingdom and the Yue Kingdom, there lies a desolate wasteland.

Located on the border between the two countries, this area is sparsely populated for hundreds of miles, with only a few hunters occasionally seen.

The wasteland was overgrown with weeds and littered with jagged rocks. A few crooked trees stood alone, swaying in the wind, adding to the desolate atmosphere. In the distance, several barren hills, devoid of any vegetation, further enhanced the sense of desolation.

But Zhou Ding, who had been here before, knew that beneath this seemingly ordinary wasteland lay a shocking secret.

The entrance to the Crimson Forbidden Land is right here.

A bright streak of light flew swiftly through the sky.

Zhou Ding, accompanied by Zhou Jin, arrived in the skies above this desolate wasteland aboard the Divine Wind Boat.

The Divine Wind Boat slowly descended from the sky and landed on a flat open space.

Zhou Ding leaped off the flying boat, put away his magical artifact, and scanned his surroundings.

His divine sense surged forth like a tide, instantly covering an area of ​​dozens of miles in radius.

Every inch of land, every rock, every blade of grass and tree is laid bare in his perception.

He could "see" a rabbit digging a hole behind a distant hill, he could "see" a stream flowing deep in the wilderness, and he could "see" an eagle circling in the sky.

Xiao Jin also emerged from underground, shook off the mud, and stood at Zhou Ding's feet.

It closed its eyes, activated its Earth Hearing Technique to its fullest extent, and unseen waves spread in all directions, penetrating the soil, penetrating the rocks, and penetrating all obstacles.

A moment later, Zhou Ding withdrew his divine sense and nodded in satisfaction.

There were no high-level cultivators within a radius of several dozen miles.

Only a few rogue cultivators at the Qi Refining stage were active dozens of miles away, so they wouldn't affect him at all.

The nearest town is over a hundred miles away, and it's impossible for ordinary people to come here.

He originally thought that the seven factions of Yue would send people to guard this place.

It turns out I was overthinking it.

That makes sense. This place is remote and sparsely populated. Sending people to guard it would only expose its secrets.

Furthermore, it takes seven Core Formation cultivators to open a single passage in this ancient forbidden area.

If it were a single person, it would probably take a Nascent Soul cultivator to create a passage.

Therefore, there is no need to send cultivators to guard this place.

Zhou Ding raised his head and looked up at the sky above the wasteland.

That is the entrance to the Crimson Forbidden Land.

To the average person, there was nothing there, just an empty sky.

However, in Zhou Ding's divine sense, there was an extremely powerful ancient forbidden fluctuation there.

The fluctuation was as vast as the sea and as deep as an abyss, exuding a chilling aura.

It was like an invisible giant hand, completely isolating the entire Crimson Forbidden Land from the outside world.

Even standing here, he could feel the oppressive force, as if a mountain was pressing down on his heart.

This is the ancient restriction of the wind attribute.

It was the existence of this ancient restriction that isolated the entire Crimson Forbidden Land from the outside world for thousands of years.

Previously, the seven sects of Yue Kingdom could only take advantage of the period of weakness that occurred once every five years, relying on the joint efforts of seven Core Formation stage cultivators to forcibly create a temporary passage to send their disciples in.

Moreover, that passage is extremely unstable and can only be entered by cultivators below the Foundation Establishment stage.

Any cultivator above the Foundation Establishment stage who gets too close will trigger the ancient restriction's counterattack and will undoubtedly die.

Zhou Ding guessed that the owner of this blood-red forbidden land must be skilled in formations.

Whether it's the ancient wind-attribute forbidden area outside this blood-red forbidden land.

Both the ancient restrictions outside the Tianyuan Pagoda and the other restrictions are extremely powerful.

Even after so many years, it remains stable.

Even that ancient cultivator from the Heavenly Talisman Sect, a dignified Nascent Soul stage cultivator, despite having passed through the outer wind-attribute ancient restriction, ultimately perished inside because he forcibly broke through the ancient restriction outside the Heavenly Yuan Treasure Pagoda.

Zhou Ding's eyes flickered.

With his strength, he naturally wouldn't try to force his way into this ancient forbidden area.

His plan was to use Xiao Jin's light of breaking the barrier to bring his avatar Zhou Jin inside.

Zhou Jin is currently only at the fifth level of Qi Refining, which fully meets the requirements for entry.

As long as Xiao Jin can lead him through the ancient forbidden area, they can enter the Crimson Forbidden Land without anyone noticing.

Then Zhou Ding took out more than a dozen talismans in one go, some for attack, some for defense, some for support, you name it.

The Vajra Talisman, once activated, forms a golden light shield with astonishing defensive power, capable of withstanding a full-force attack from a Foundation Establishment cultivator.

The Swiftness Talisman greatly increases speed, making it useful for escaping. Use it to flee from overwhelming monsters.

The Concealment Talisman can hide one's presence and evade detection by monsters and enemies. It can be a lifesaver in critical moments.

There are also Firebird Talisman, Ice Arrow Talisman, Earth Shield Talisman, and various other attack and defense talismans.

Zhou Ding prepared everything for Zhou Jin.

He then took out several top-tier magical artifacts and handed them to Zhou Jin.

A cyan flying sword, with a smooth blade and a sharp edge, emitting a faint cyan light.

This is a fine product he crafted using materials from a black dragon, and it possesses considerable power.

A small white shield, about the size of a palm, pure white with clearly defined scales.

This is the White Scale Shield, which offers excellent defense and extra resistance to water and ice spells.

He wore a pair of cloud-stepping boots, cyan in color and embroidered with cloud patterns. These were valuable items he had obtained from Feng Yue, designed to enhance his speed.

These were all his familiar magical artifacts, of superior quality.

Finally, he took out the golden token.

Tianyuan Order.

The token is palm-sized, gold in color, with the words "Tian Yuan" engraved on the front and intricate runes on the back.

It felt heavy in my hand and had a faint warmth to it. The surface of the token faintly shimmered with spiritual light, making it clear at a glance that it was no ordinary object.

This is the only key to enter the Tianyuan Pagoda.

Zhou Ding also handed the Tianyuan Token to Zhou Jin.

Zhou Jin took it, carefully put it in his pocket, and placed it close to his body.

Then Zhou Jin came to Xiao Jin's side, rode on its back, and hugged its body tightly.

The next moment, under Zhou Ding's control, a purple light suddenly shone on Xiao Jin's body!

Light that breaks the seal!

The purple light surged out of Xiao Jin's body like a thin mist, instantly enveloping Zhou Jin and Xiao Jin's entire bodies.

The purple light was soft and mysterious, radiating a strange power.

The light flowed over them like water, enveloping them completely.

Xiao Jin carried Zhou Jin on his back and slowly rose into the air, flying towards the ancient forbidden area.

Zhou Ding stood still, his eyes fixed on them, silently praying in his heart.

We must succeed.

His fists clenched unconsciously, his knuckles turning white.

Although it's just an external avatar, it's still a part of him, so it would be a lie to say I'm not worried.

A moment later, Xiao Jin and Zhou Jin arrived at the edge of the ancient forbidden area.

That ancient barrier was formless and intangible, yet it truly existed.

Zhou Jin reached out and could feel a gentle yet resilient force keeping them outside.

The force, though gentle, was unshakeable, as if warning anyone who dared to approach.

The purple light on Xiao Jin's body grew stronger and stronger, and it came into contact with that ancient restriction.

"Buzz—"

A soft buzzing sound rang out.

Where the purple light touched the ancient barrier, the barrier rippled like water, and then... a crack appeared!

The opening wasn't large, just enough for Xiao Jin and Zhou Jin to pass through.

At the edge of the opening, purple light intertwined with the golden light of the ancient forbidden area, emitting a hissing sound as if they were fiercely clashing.

Without hesitation, Xiao Jin carried Zhou Jin on his back and crawled through the opening!

Amidst a flash of purple light, their figures vanished into the sky above the wasteland.

The opening slowly closed, and the ancient barrier returned to its original state, as if nothing had ever happened.

Zhou Ding withdrew his gaze and let out a long breath.

Successful.

Once we can get in, things will be much easier.

He turned and left, found a secluded spot nearby, set up the Inverted Five Elements Formation, and hid himself.

……

at the same time.

Inside the Crimson Forbidden Zone.

A flash of light appeared before their eyes, and Xiao Jin and Zhou Jin found themselves in an unfamiliar world.

Zhou Jin felt a blur before his eyes, and then his feet touched solid ground.

He steadied himself and scanned his surroundings.

The sky was gray and hazy, without the sun, yet there was light.

The light, seemingly from nowhere, fell evenly on every inch of land, enveloping the entire forbidden area in a soft glow.

The surrounding area was a wasteland, overgrown with weeds and littered with jagged rocks, much like the wasteland outside. But the air was filled with a spiritual energy so dense it was almost tangible, more than ten times denser than outside.

With each breath, you can feel the spiritual energy flowing through your body, making you feel completely comfortable.

Little Gold sniffed, took a deep breath, and the spiritual energy entered its body through its breath, nourishing its demon core.

Feeling the rich spiritual energy, Zhou Jin (Zhou Ding) sighed inwardly.

One day of cultivation here is equivalent to several days outside.

Not to mention there are so many rare and precious medicinal herbs.

He knew that now was not the time for lamentation.

According to the original text, the entire Crimson Forbidden Land was divided into an outer area and a central area.

In the outer areas, the medicinal herbs are scattered and not very old.

In the past, the core objective of the seven sects' disciples was to focus on the central region.

The central area is further divided into three layers, like the skin, flesh, and pit of a fruit.

The outermost area, about a mile wide, has few rare and precious flowers, plants, and trees, but most are ornamental. Very few spiritual herbs are actually of great use to cultivators.

It is speculated that the area was the "garden" of the owner of the forbidden land, where only ornamental plants were planted, and they had no real value.

The true source of top-grade spiritual herbs is the second level of the central area—that ring-shaped mountain range shrouded in mist year-round!

The mountains contain both natural sacred sites and man-made structures, where various medicinal herbs grow.

Those medicinal herbs are extremely old, often hundreds of years old, and some are even over a thousand years old.

However, the fog is thick, making it easy to get lost, and it is guarded by countless level-one demonic beasts.

In the past, most of the disciples from the seven sects who entered the area died there.

Successfully entered Chapter 79 of the Immersive Reading section! The Heavenly Yuan Pagoda! Please click here.

Although those monsters were only level one, their numbers were numerous and they were extremely difficult to deal with.

The Tianyuan Pagoda is located on the third floor in the center.

There are ancient fortifications protecting that place, and none of the seven sects of Yue have ever dared to set foot inside.

That ancient cultivator from the Heavenly Talisman Sect perished there after forcibly breaking in.

Zhou Jin's eyes flickered.

His goal is the Tianyuan Pagoda.

However, before that...

The next moment, Xiao Jin instantly burrowed underground, activating his Earth Listening Technique at full power.

Every blade of grass, every tree, every insect, and every beast in the entire Crimson Forbidden Land was clearly presented in Zhou Ding's perception.

He could "see" a group of demonic beasts foraging in the distance, he could "see" a spiritual herb growing in a mountain stream, and he could "see" a spiritual vein flowing deep underground.

A moment later, Zhou Jin's lips curled up slightly.

found it.

……

Xiao Jin carried Zhou Jin on his back and quickly traversed the blood-red forbidden area.

It moves extremely fast, traversing underground like a fish swimming in water, without any hindrance.

Wherever it goes, the soil automatically separates, allowing it to pass unimpeded.

The purple light that broke the barrier still enveloped them, rendering all the restrictions ineffective.

In just one hour, they crossed the outer area and arrived at the central area.

Before us lay a ring-shaped mountain range shrouded in perpetual mist.

The fog was so thick it was almost tangible; you couldn't see your hand in front of your face.

Even divine sense is greatly suppressed in the mist, only able to probe within a few feet. The mist is grayish-white, flowing slowly, as if it were alive.

The mountain range stretches endlessly as far as the eye can see.

The roars of demonic beasts could be faintly heard in the mountains, rising and falling, their number unknown.

Some roars were as loud as thunder, some as sharp as whistles, and some as deep as drums, weaving together into a strange symphony.

Little Gold Earth Hearing Technique activated, instantly locking onto the route in the fog.

It carried Zhou Jin on its back, disappeared underground, and traveled beneath the mist.

Although the mist could block divine sense, it could not block the probing of the earth-listening technique.

Xiao Jin traveled underground, completely unaffected by the fog.

It can clearly "see" everything on the ground, where there are monsters, where there are spiritual herbs, and where there are traps.

Along the way, they encountered countless monsters.

There was a first-class, top-tier rock snake coiled at the entrance of the cave, its body yellowish-brown and as thick as an arm.

Its scales are like rocks, blending into the mountainside and making them extremely difficult to spot.

But with Xiao Jin's ability to hear the earth, it had nowhere to hide.

Little Gold suddenly emerged from underground, its dark claws instantly tearing apart its vital spot.

The rock serpent didn't even have time to scream before it was killed on the spot.

Zhou Jin stepped forward, took out a dagger, peeled off the snake's skin, removed the snake's gall, and put it into his bag.

There are packs of high-ranking Crimson Flame Wolves, numbering at least twenty or thirty, roaming the mountains and forests.

They were fiery red all over, with bloodshot eyes, radiating a scorching aura.

The alpha wolf, the leader, was enormous and possessed the most powerful aura.

Instead of fighting head-on, Xiao Jin led Zhou Jin to quietly bypass the area underground.

The Crimson Flame Wolves remained oblivious and continued to roam the mountains and forests.

There is a mid-level Ironback Centipede, hidden in the crevices of rocks. It is over ten feet long, pitch black, with a bluish-black stripe on its back.

Its fangs are incredibly sharp and its venom is extremely potent; a bite from it is certain death.

Little Gold tore through the rock with one claw, its dark claws instantly severing the iron-backed centipede's body. The centipede struggled a few times before losing its breath.

Zhou Jin put away its fangs and shell, as these were excellent materials for crafting magical artifacts.

There were thousands of low-level poisonous bees, densely packed on the tree. Each one was the size of a fist, and its stinger gleamed with a ghostly blue light.

Their nests are in the trees, and they contain royal jelly, which is a good ingredient for making elixirs.

Xiao Jin dared not disturb them, and quietly left underground with Zhou Jin.

And so they continued on their journey, looting as they went.

Xiao Jin was in charge of killing enemies, while Zhou Jin was in charge of collecting supplies.

In less than two days, they harvested hundreds of medicinal herbs that were hundreds of years old.

The 300-year-old purple cloud grass has purple leaves, intact roots, and emits a faint fragrance.

The 400-year-old Jade Lingzhi is pure white like jade, with a faint spiritual light flowing through it, making it an excellent material for refining Foundation Establishment stage pills.

Two 500-year-old blood ginseng plants, entirely blood red with thick roots, containing a rich energy of blood and qi.

An 800-year-old He Shou Wu (Polygonum multiflorum) plant has grown into a human shape, complete with a head, hands, and feet, resembling a miniature ginseng doll. This is a top-grade medicinal herb, extremely rare and hard to come by.

There were also various kinds of medicinal herbs whose names I didn't know, which I collected one after another.

Some grow on cliffs, some are hidden deep in caves, and some are guarded by monsters.

But none of them escaped Xiao Jin's detection, and they were all looted.

Zhou Ding sensed Zhou Jin's gains through telepathic connection and was overjoyed.

These medicinal herbs are enough for him to refine countless pills.

Some of them can even be saved for use after reaching the Core Formation stage, making their value immeasurable.

……

Two days later.

Zhou Jin and Xiao Jin arrived at the deepest part of the ring mountain.

Suddenly, everything became clear.

The fog dissipated, revealing a vast, open plain.

The flat area was about several hundred feet square, and the ground was paved with blue stone slabs, as smooth as a mirror.

It is surrounded by ancient, verdant trees, their branches and leaves so thick they block out the sun.

In the center of the flat land, a huge pagoda stands.

The pagoda was a hundred feet tall, with three stories, and was entirely golden, radiating a dazzling light.

The tower is covered with intricate runes, which are layered and interlocked, exuding a chilling aura.

The tower is covered with intricate runes, which are layered and interlocked, exuding a chilling aura.

Each rune seemed to have a life of its own, flowing slowly across the tower and shimmering with golden light.

Golden bells hang from each eave of the tower, swaying gently in the wind and making a pleasant tinkling sound.

The sound was clear and melodious, as if it came from beyond the heavens, making people feel refreshed and happy.

At the top of the tower, there is a huge golden jewel that slowly rotates, emitting a soft light that illuminates the entire flat area.

The jewel was about the size of a head, and its entire body... The surface has faint cloud patterns flowing around it, as if it contains a world within it.

Tianyuan Pagoda!

Standing in front of the pagoda, Zhou Jin (Zhou Ding) looked up at the magnificent building and felt an indescribable sense of awe.

This is the place where the Tianyuan Sect Master passed on his legacy.

The last sect leader of the Tianyuan Sect perished here, carrying the sect's last legacy.

He hid all his life's learning and collection in this pagoda, waiting for the right person to come along.

Outside the tower, there is a powerful ancient barrier.

The ancient barrier, like a golden curtain of light, enveloped the entire pagoda.

Runes flowed across the light screen, radiating an unshakeable aura.

Its aura was as vast as the sea and as deep as an abyss, inspiring awe and fear.

Zhou Jin could sense the immense power of that aura. If one were to force their way in, even a Nascent Soul cultivator would perish within it.

Each rune on that light screen contained earth-shattering power; once triggered, certain death was certain.

He took a deep breath and took out the Heavenly Origin Token from his pocket.

The golden token felt slightly warm in his hand.

The runes on the token began to light up slowly, as if sensing something.

He infused the token with magic.

The token immediately emitted a dazzling golden light!

The golden light shone brightly alongside the golden light of the pagoda, as if they were resonating with each other.

The runes on the token lit up one by one, as if they had come to life, and moved across the surface of the token.

The runes moved faster and brighter, eventually transforming into a dazzling golden light.

A moment later, the token emitted a golden beam of light, which shot straight toward the ancient barrier outside the pagoda.

When the ancient barrier came into contact with the golden light, ripples immediately spread.

Golden ripples spread outwards, like a pebble being thrown into a calm lake.

The runes on the light screen began to flicker violently, as if resisting something.

But the golden light grew stronger and brighter, until finally...

A passage slowly took shape.

The passageway was narrow, just wide enough for one person to pass through. Golden light shimmered within, and the interior of the pagoda could be vaguely seen.

The golden light was soft and warm, as if welcoming his arrival.

Zhou Jin headed straight for the passage.

Xiao Jin lay on the ground and didn't follow.

This was Zhou Ding's personal motive.

Zhou Jin is merely an avatar; if something goes wrong and he perishes here, then he will perish.

It's a pity, but it won't damage the fundamentals.

Although that one-tenth of divine consciousness is precious, it can be slowly recovered.

Xiao Jin is different.

Xiao Jin is his alter ego, who has been with him for many years and they have a deep bond.

More importantly, Xiao Jin is the source of his confidence in seeking immortality.

Whether it's providing feedback, exploring for treasure, fighting, or escaping, Xiao Jin is indispensable.

Without Xiao Jin, his strength will be greatly reduced, and his future path of cultivation will become more difficult.

Xiao Jin must not have any accidents.

Zhou Jin took a deep breath and stepped into the passageway.

Behind them, the passage slowly closed.

The golden light gradually dissipated, and the ancient barrier returned to its original state, as if nothing had ever happened.

Before me lay a completely different world.