Chapter 120: Toss and Turn

Yanyang City is located at the northernmost tip of the Southern Prefecture, a massive metropolis bordering the sea. Despite its vast scale, there are no major sects in its vicinity.

The northern region of the Southern Prefecture faces the ocean, plagued year-round by hurricanes and tsunamis. Because of the presence of Yuan energy in the environment, the natural forces of the Tianfeng Continent are many times more potent than those on Earth; even those with heaven-defying cultivation dare not claim they can withstand all of nature's might.

This situation results in a volatile and inconsistent concentration of Yuan energy throughout the atmosphere. To put it plainly, across a vast expanse of the coastal land, the density of Yuan energy is dictated by the winds, making it nearly impossible to find a location where the energy remains stable enough for long-term cultivation. A valley that appears rich in energy today might become a "barren" wasteland tomorrow once the winds shift. Those with lower cultivation can relocate every few days, but for the powerful, spending time trekking to find pockets of energy for only a day or two is far less efficient than simply traveling to the south, where the air is consistently rich in energy.

In reality, even with these "harsh" conditions, some sects have attempted to establish themselves here. However, due to the influence of the Burning Heaven Sect, only sects ranked below the fifth tier exist north of their domain. As for Yanyang City, although it is quite far from the Burning Heaven Sect, the administrative control of the city actually remains firmly in their hands.

Yanyang City is a uniquely special town. It serves as a vital hub connecting the Southern Prefecture to the outside world, providing passage to the Central Plains and several other regions. It is the only such hub in the Southern Prefecture, and its operations are overseen by figures from the upper echelons of the Tianfeng Continent.

The Central Plains are also known as the Central State. In fact, the Southern Prefecture was once called the Southern State, the Northern Plains the Northern State, and the eastern and western regions had their own respective state names as well. However, this dates back countless millennia. The Tianfeng Continent once enjoyed a period of immense glory. According to ancient records, a powerhouse of peerless means once ruled over the entire world, after which every state was given a secondary name, symbolizing submission and vassalage. Ultimately, the current Southern Prefecture remains a vassal state, jointly controlled by two "supreme" families from the Central State. Given the strategic importance of Yanyang City, its control naturally fell to the Burning Heaven Sect.

Seven days later, Li Tu and Liu Pan arrived in Yanyang City. Without pausing to explore, they went straight to a merchant guild named "Four Seas" located on the waterfront. After paying a hefty fee, they boarded an airship bound for the Central Plains at noon the following day.

Liu Pan finally understood why Li Tu had rushed to bring him here while his cultivation was still stabilizing, before he had even made a breakthrough. The airship to the Central Plains departed only once every three months; missing this one would mean another three-month wait.

Liu Pan was somewhat dazed to learn that their destination was the Central Plains. The pace of the journey had been far too fast; he never imagined he would be heading to the heart of the world while still only at the Martial Master stage. He knew that while he was merely an ant in the Southern Prefecture, he would be nothing more than dust in the Central Plains, a land teeming with experts. At the same time, he felt a sense of clarity: if the airship was heading to the Central Plains, it meant the hidden trail of the "Extreme Cold Physique" was buried there.

The Central Plains were a place where dragons and tigers hid; it was no surprise that such secrets would be concealed there. What piqued Liu Pan's curiosity was who—or what kind of force—was manipulating the secrets behind the Extreme Cold Physique. From Li Tu's interactions with the Four Seas Merchant Guild, it was clear they were unaware of it. This implied that the two "supreme" powers controlling the Southern Prefecture were likely in the dark as well. The idea of something existing right under the noses of such supreme powers without them knowing was chilling. For a moment, Liu Pan even suspected other "supreme" factions, but he would only know the truth once he reached the Central Plains.

The ocean is the most mysterious and dangerous of places. Without a top-tier airship, even a Martial Ancestor would think twice before attempting to cross the vast expanse. This was Liu Pan’s first time witnessing the terror of the ocean he had once written about.

Towering waves, terrifying storms capable of shredding everything in their path, and swarms of sea beasts with the ability to hover in the air surged from the depths to strike the ship. Though they were nearly a thousand meters in the air, the ship felt like a solitary leaf, constantly on the verge of capsizing. Liu Pan lost count of how many times he had brushed with death. In his perception, the swarms of sea beasts were the least of their worries; the waves and storms were cataclysms capable of destroying the world. Had it not been for the ship's top-tier surveillance and defensive arrays, which allowed them to predict and evade the worst of it, Liu Pan had no doubt he would have been long dead.

As for Li Tu, this was clearly not his first time crossing the ocean, yet his expression remained grim. It seemed that no matter how many times one witnessed such world-ending scenes, it was impossible to remain unmoved.

After three months of travel, guided by the compass through the chaotic seas, the airship finally arrived at the Central Plains without incident. It touched down at South Flame City, located on the southern coastline of the Central Plains.

Upon disembarking, most of the passengers were desperate to kiss the ground, and Liu Pan was no exception. That sense of stability was something one could never feel on an airship. More importantly, he was relieved to no longer be witnessing those cataclysmic scenes, a weight lifted from his mind.

After regaining his composure, Li Tu sent out a message via a flying sword and then, with practiced familiarity, led Liu Pan to an inn not far from the landing site. About a quarter of an hour later, Liu Pan suddenly felt an incredibly powerful divine sense lock onto him.

Feigning ignorance, Liu Pan naturally turned his gaze toward Li Tu, a flicker of something unreadable deep in his eyes. At a glance, Li Tu appeared as usual, but upon closer inspection, one could see his posture had stiffened slightly, revealing a hint of reverence.

A moment later, Li Tu looked at Liu Pan, and seemingly remembering something, he placed the cage containing the Fire Sun Sparrow onto the table before him. "Try it again," he said.

Liu Pan understood his intent. After a brief pause, he channeled his cultivation technique and released his suppressed aura. Almost immediately, the Fire Sun Sparrow collapsed in the cage, covered in blood and unable to move. At the same time, Liu Pan felt that divine sense sweep over him "forcefully" several times.

After a while, Li Tu took some healing powder from his storage ring, applied it to the sparrow, and stabilized its condition. "Prepare to leave," Li Tu said, looking at Liu Pan once more.

Leaving the inn, Liu Pan expected them to head deeper into the Central State. In fact, they did—using long-distance teleportation arrays—though he had no idea where they were headed. All he knew was that in addition to the Four Seas Merchant Guild, there was another massive organization called the "Tenghong" Merchant Guild.

Without lingering, they exited the Four Seas guild, entered the Tenghong Merchant Guild, and underwent another long-distance teleportation.

"North Demise City." Liu Pan could hardly believe his ears. Even more bewildering was that, two days later, they boarded yet another airship, once again tossed about upon the vast, treacherous sea.