My Arts Evolve When Perfected

By the time Jiang Qiu returned, skyscrapers had already been erected in the Initial Land. Although some details still needed to be perfected, the external framework was strikingly well-designed, gradually taking on the flavor of a modern world.

Furthermore, with the rise of the Outer City, many powerful individuals had moved there, so its development wasn’t far behind. What was somewhat surprising, however, was the discovery that the major tribes had already come into contact with the refugees from Gao Yuan City.

After returning to Northern Boundary Mountain, Jiang Qiu opened up access to Dragon Lake for advanced training. Anyone who had made great contributions could go to Dragon Lake to cultivate. The Spirit Charm concentration and absorption efficiency there were a hundred times greater than normal, and it even contained a trace of the Dragon Race’s unique Dao rhythm, making it conducive to Enlightenment.

In the month that followed, the Northern Boundary Human Clan, led by Tian Ming, and the Martial Artists from Gao Yuan City slaughtered the Demon Race forces stationed near Northern Boundary Mountain, seizing all their strongholds.

A total of 1,008 strongholds were established, each fitted with a simple Teleportation Array. A chain of teleportation connected the closest strongholds, and they were then divided up to be managed by representatives of the various Human Race factions.

Among them, the Initial Land remained the primary stronghold, followed by the Outer City. Two of the three Main Vein Tribes, whose special Witch Priests could not be ignored, each took control of a stronghold. The North Snow Tribe, which had lost its Witch Priest and had an extremely small population, appointed Tian Ming as its Leader under Jiang Qiu’s influence and likewise took charge of a stronghold.

On average, each stronghold housed eighty thousand people, solving the problem of overcrowding.

Those who had performed great deeds went to Dragon Lake to cultivate, and everything flourished.

"Jiang Qiu, if it weren’t for you, I can’t imagine how the refugees from Gao Yuan City would have survived in this land."

At the Northern Boundary Peak, by the shore of Dragon Lake, Lin Yu stood beside Jiang Qiu. A mist swirled in his eyes as his gaze seemed to pierce through the thick clouds to look down upon the entire Northern Boundary.

Over ten years of recuperation, his Realm had gradually recovered, and his body was much fuller and healthier than its previously gaunt, skeletal state.

Moreover, to be able to witness the settlement and revival of the entire Gao Yuan City population gave him an indescribable sense of emotion and wonder. It was like a grand dream he never wanted to wake from.

"The Northern Boundary holds no real threats. I haven’t actually done much since coming here."

Jiang Qiu replied honestly. From his perspective, the greatest combat power in the Northern Boundary was just the auras of some Great Demons he had encountered in the South Mountain Range, none of whom had even reached the Peeping Dao Realm. They weren’t worth mentioning.

But Lin Yu sighed. "No. Without your reputation, those three Main Vein Tribes wouldn’t have integrated with us so easily."

"They might have even treated us as heretics or invaders when we first made contact. We nearly came to blows."

Hearing this, Jiang Qiu’s expression turned odd.

’When we first made contact, the strongest members of the tribes were only at the Jade Sinew Realm, right? Whereas our Martial Artists were all at the Spirit Body Realm, a whole level higher.’

’How could they possibly fight...?’

"The Witch Priests of the Main Vein Tribes are truly a miraculous profession. They cultivate a power within them that’s beyond comprehension. If a conflict had broken out back then, I think a great many people would have died." Sighing with emotion, Lin Yu shook his head. "But that’s all in the past. It’s good that everything is harmonious now."

Witch Priests.

’A profession that relies on Ancestral Power to ensure the tribe’s survival. They don’t mobilize their own power, but the power of their ancestors.’

’And Ancestral Power requires Spirit Charm to be used. Previously, when the Spirit Charm in the Northern Boundary was depleted, they had to rely on pockets of Spirit Charm hidden underground by their ancestors to activate their power. Furthermore, they were constrained by the distorted World Law of that time, so the power they could wield might not have even reached the Spirit Body Realm.’

’Now that Spirit Charm has been restored, their bodies could indeed be hiding a surging power. After all, their ancestors were the ones who sealed the True Dragon Skeleton...’

Thinking of this, Jiang Qiu finally understood Lin Yu’s worries. However, he had no idea how much power a Witch Priest could command now; after all, they would only unleash their full strength when facing certain death.

"Jiang Qiu, what do you think has become of Xia Country?"

Suddenly, Lin Yu’s voice deepened. He looked up at the vast, deep sky. This world had seemingly become an inescapable cage. During the days spent searching for the Secret Realm’s exit, they had made almost no progress.

Even now, they still hadn’t found a way to connect to Blue Star.

The citizens rarely even spoke of returning to their country anymore. They knew they might be trapped here for the rest of their lives and were gradually beginning to adapt, treating this place as their new home.

After all, their true home, Gao Yuan City, had already been destroyed.

But in reality, a deep longing was suppressed in their hearts. The yearning for their homeland and the bond connecting them to their motherland could not be severed.

Many of them hadn’t even been residents of Gao Yuan City in the first place; they had just been staying there by chance, only to be swept up into this world. They still had families they truly missed.

Unfortunately, there was no going back.

"Xia Country..." Jiang Qiu murmured the name, then slowly raised his head. "I don’t know."

’I haven’t been back to check in ten years. I still don’t know what the great crisis Dragon Lake foresaw was, what disaster Xia Country encountered, or for that matter, what happened to all of Blue Star.’

"But... we can go back and see."

"Huh???"

Lin Yu froze, staring blankly at Jiang Qiu. "We can go back?"

"We can."

With that, Jiang Qiu stopped concealing his aura. He flew high into the sky and traced a line in the air with one hand, causing a spatial ripple to spread. A swirling, vortex-like exit from the Secret Realm then appeared, emanating an unspoken allure.

"Elder Lin, shall we go out together?"

"...." Lin Yu was dumbfounded. "This..."

Without a moment’s hesitation, he flew toward Jiang Qiu. The closer he got, the more he felt the research bottleneck that had plagued him for ten years become as thin as a cicada’s wing, ready to shatter at the slightest touch.

The breakthrough he had been utterly unable to perceive before was now materializing right in front of him.

It was like a hole had been poked in a cardboard box, letting the light of the sky stream in.

"How did you do it?"

"I’m not sure myself. Over the ten years I spent exploring the Northern Boundary, I just naturally discovered I had the ability to open the entrance and exit of the Northern Boundary Secret Realm."

Jiang Qiu smiled relaxedly and led Lin Yu through the passage.

The opening of the Secret Realm this time wasn’t a grand affair. The main purpose was reconnaissance. If Blue Star had met with a cataclysmic disaster, that news absolutely could not be leaked to the Human Race surviving on Northern Boundary Mountain.

However, after the two of them emerged from the Northern Boundary, exiting through North Ice Valley in the Northern Wilderness, they eagerly rushed toward North Border City. They planned to first contact the resident Grandmaster, Zhu Weiyi, then get in touch with the rest of the country to discuss the resettlement of the refugees and the development of the Northern Boundary’s resources.

But the result...

The two of them hovered directly above North Border City, looking down. Their pupils constricted. On the streets below, red snow mixed with white. Large swathes of buildings had collapsed, and the streets and city walls were shattered.

Neither human nor demon, but a mixture of both. Though life still clearly existed in the massive city, it was already like a living Purgatory.

Upon closer inspection, there was no longer a Grandmaster in the city, nor could they sense the aura of any other Grandmaster. Instead, several Dharma Realm Great Demons were entrenched within the city, in a standoff with the territories of the humans who had been mixed with Demon Blood.

There were almost no pure-blooded humans left.

’Ten years in the Northern Boundary is a month and a half on Blue Star. Just what happened during that time...’