The grayish-black, decaying ground; murky puddles bubbling incessantly; grotesquely twisted trees; the unknown blood-red grass beneath his feet; the pungent, strange odor permeating the air—this was the scene Han Li encountered the moment he regained consciousness.
He had no time to question this bizarre environment. Instead, Han Li first cautiously scanned his surroundings to see if anyone else was present. After all, the greatest danger likely came from disciples of other sects who had also entered the forbidden land.
Luck seemed to be on his side. Within a radius of several dozen zhang, there was no one else but himself. He let out a soft sigh of relief.
However, he did not let his guard down. With one hand gripping a talisman and the other holding the “Gold Mantis Mother-Child Blades,” he prepared for any eventuality.
Only then could Han Li calm his mind and carefully observe the peculiarities of his surroundings.
He was not surprised to find himself suddenly transported to an unfamiliar place. Long before the journey to the forbidden land, the stewards had provided each disciple with detailed information about it.
The materials mentioned that anyone stepping into the forbidden land would be instantly teleported to various corners of it by some still-active translocation array. Where exactly one ended up depended entirely on luck.
Some might be transported to the very core, where rare spiritual herbs could be collected immediately—a stroke of immense luck. Others might find themselves face-to-face with several demonic beasts, unable to escape without a bloody battle. The most unfortunate might even be sent directly to a deadly trap, meeting their end instantly, though such cases were rare.
Most commonly, like Han Li, people were teleported to the edges of the forbidden land and had to find their way forward on their own.
According to the deductions of senior experts, these occurrences happened because their method of breaking into the forbidden land was not the correct way to enter, inevitably triggering certain minor restrictions and resulting in unexpected outcomes.
As Han Li cautiously paced around the area, he compared the information stored in his memory with the nearby scenery. Finally, he recalled some highly useful details—knowledge accumulated by disciples who had previously survived the forbidden land, now invaluable to newcomers.
“Black Dragon Pond is located in the northeast corner of the forbidden land. Centered around a deep pond spanning several dozen zhang, it spans over ten li in radius. The area is rich in Corpse Bone Flowers and Serpentine Trees, which can be used to make poisons but are of little value.”
“At the center of Black Dragon Pond, by the water’s edge, Frost Mist Grass occasionally appears every dozen years or so. This is a rare herb with extremely wide applications. If possible, try to gather it, as it can be traded to the sect for rewards. However, be aware that a group of low-tier first-grade demonic beasts, Frost Toads, lurk in the depths of the pond. They are docile by nature and pose no threat unless provoked.”
After reviewing the information several times, Han Li felt reassured.
Generally, the closer one got to the center of the forbidden land, the more likely they were to encounter rare spiritual treasures and powerful guardian demonic beasts. The location of Black Dragon Pond was slightly偏向 the periphery but not entirely on the outermost edge. If he hurried, he could reach the central area within a day.
With this in mind, Han Li refrained from using any magical tools. Instead, he leaped onto a densely foliaged tree, scanned the surroundings to confirm his direction, and then jumped back down.
The pond was located to the south of Han Li, right on the path leading to the center of the restricted area, so he decided to take a quick look along the way.
After casting an Invisibility Spell on himself, Han Li set off with light, cautious steps. Whether it was due to his excessive nervousness or not, he encountered no surprises after traveling several li. It seemed as if he were the only person in the entire Black Dragon Pond area.
Only when he heard the sound of flowing water did Han Li allow his tense nerves to relax slightly.
Pushing aside a few bent branches blocking his path, he saw an emerald-green deep pond. Even before getting close, a piercing chill washed over him, sending a shiver down his spine.
So this was Black Dragon Pond? Han Li examined it curiously.
The pond wasn’t particularly large, surrounded by Serpentine Trees. However, visible strands of cold air rose from the water’s surface, and the edges were even coated with a layer of glistening frost, indicating the extreme coldness of the water.
Han Li paid no mind to this. What caught his attention was a low-lying area by the pond where over a dozen small, white, fuzzy plants grew. Each plant had a single stem with five leaves, pure white in color, emitting a faint white mist that enveloped them like smoke, giving them an almost spiritual appearance.
“That’s right, this is indeed Frost Mist Grass, exactly as described in the materials!” Han Li murmured to himself, feeling a hint of delight.
Although this herb had no direct relation to his Foundation Establishment Pill, being able to acquire it so easily right from the start was a good omen.
Out of habit, Han Li glanced around and was about to step forward when his expression suddenly shifted slightly. He crouched down, retreated a few steps quietly, and hid behind the foliage again, his face expressionless as he watched the dense forest to the left.
Before long, a figure emerged cautiously—a man in blue robes. Judging by his attire, he was likely a disciple of Heavenly Fortress. The man was extremely careful, looking back every few steps and constantly scanning his surroundings. His tightly clenched fists suggested he was prepared for an attack. He was heading directly toward the Frost Mist Grass.
Han Li sighed inwardly. It seemed he would have to return empty-handed.
The man was far too cautious for a sneak attack to succeed, and Han Li had no intention of engaging in a direct confrontation. Taking such a risk for a few dispensable plants was simply not worth it.
“Come out! I see you! Stop hiding!” the blue-robed man suddenly halted when he was only a dozen steps away from the Frost Mist Grass, turning around and shouting loudly.
Han Li was startled, thinking he had carelessly revealed himself and been discovered. But he soon chuckled wryly. Although the man’s shouts were loud, his eyes darted around aimlessly, never once glancing toward Han Li’s hiding spot. He was merely bluffing.
Amused and slightly annoyed, Han Li watched as the blue-robed man continued his loud antics for a while before finally feeling secure enough to gather the Frost Mist Grass. The man’s overly clever tactic made Han Li hesitate, wondering if he should take advantage of the man’s carelessness and strike from behind.
Before he could make up his mind, the blue-robed man swiftly plucked three or four of the white plants. It seemed he understood the principle that delays could lead to trouble, as he was about to sweep the area clean in the blink of an eye.
Han Li shook his head inwardly and decided to retreat. His main goal was the three main ingredients for the Foundation Establishment Pill. Until then, preserving his strength was the best strategy.
With this in mind, Han Li quietly withdrew. Once he was several dozen zhang away, he prepared to break into a sprint to ensure the man wouldn’t follow him after finishing his harvest.
But before he could pick up speed, a blood-curdling scream echoed from the direction of the pond. The voice unmistakably belonged to the blue-robed man, now in his dying moments.
A shiver ran down Han Li’s spine. After a moment of hesitation, he gritted his teeth and stealthily made his way back. He needed to find out what had happened to avoid meeting the same fate.
By the time Han Li sneaked back to the vicinity of the pond, two men with fierce expressions had appeared by the water’s edge. Judging by their colorful attire, they were likely disciples of the Spirit Beast Mountain.
They were gleefully rummaging through the storage pouch of the Heavenly Fortress disciple while over a dozen large blue toads lay nearby. The blue-robed man’s body was riddled with more than a dozen large holes, unmistakably dead.
“Senior Brother Yu, this plan was brilliant! The moment we spotted this fool, instead of attacking directly, we rushed ahead to Black Dragon Pond and sprinkled some Beast Repelling Powder into the water. That temporarily controlled this nest of Frost Toads. Hehe! Then we diverted his attention and used the demonic beasts’ power to hit him with a barrage of Ice Spike spells from behind, taking him out in one go. He probably never expected to die at the hands of a group of low-tier demonic beasts. But this guy was quite wealthy! Senior Brother, why don’t we use the same tactic? Let’s stay hidden here and wait for others to take the bait. These Frost Mist Grass plants will be perfect as lure!” The younger of the two men kicked the corpse of the Heavenly Fortress disciple greedily.
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