Divine Wilderness Dragon Emperor

A pattern of light flashed and sank into Ling Fei's mind.

A moment later, Ling Fei's eyes lit up.

An image of light and shadow flickered within his mind.

The figure of Elder Ling had appeared.

"Heh, Fei'er, there's no need to worry. I haven't truly passed away," Elder Ling said with a laugh. "This grave is just a ruse to deceive others."

'Adoptive Father, you're still alive?' Ling Fei's heart leaped with joy as he immediately asked with his Heart Spirit.

"Yes." The figure in Ling Fei's mind nodded. "You're about to join a Southern Wilderness Major Sect, and I am happy for you. I hope you can rely on your own efforts to become a true expert and make a place for yourself in this world. After all, I'm getting old and can't protect you forever."

"Furthermore, I've already taken Xue Xi to the Divine Wilderness to settle some old matters, so I can no longer watch over you. From now on, you must rely on yourself for everything. As for me, don't worry. Just focus on taking care of yourself."

"Rest assured, Adoptive Father. I will rely on my own efforts to become an expert," Ling Fei said with a solemn expression.

Hearing that Xue Xi had left with his adoptive father, Ling Fei breathed a sigh of relief.

Otherwise, if his adoptive father had truly passed away and Xue Xi was left to wander alone, Ling Fei would not have been able to rest easy.

"Excellent." Elder Ling nodded slightly. "Remember, if you ever go to the Divine Wilderness, you must never reveal your identity unless you are strong enough."

"I will remember." Ling Fei nodded, his expression turning grave.

'My adoptive father reminded me before, and now he's reminding me again. It must mean he has powerful enemies in the Divine Wilderness.'

Ling Fei now understood what caliber of experts he would have to face in the future.

'Right now, I have to focus on cultivating diligently.'

"Good. I hope we'll have the chance to meet again as father and son. How wonderful that day would be." Elder Ling's gaze sharpened, a look of heartfelt anticipation filling his eyes.

"I will work hard." Ling Fei's expression was resolute. 'No matter what, I must become an expert while my adoptive father is still alive.'

Elder Ling nodded slightly and reached out his hand, as if to gently caress Ling Fei's Heart Spirit.

However, just as he extended his hand, the figure dissipated into nothingness.

Clearly, this was merely a Dharma Aspect manifested from a wisp of Elder Ling's willpower and Heart Spirit; it could not exist for long.

'Adoptive Father!' As the figure dissipated, Ling Fei's Heart Spirit cried out, his own heart filled with sorrow at their parting.

'Even though my adoptive father isn't dead, we're still separated. Who knows how long it will be until we can meet again.'

With a lingering sense of sorrow, Ling Fei withdrew his Heart Spirit from his mind.

Steward Fang, standing beside him, simply assumed that Ling Fei was still lost in grief over his adoptive father's death.

"Young Master Ling, the dead cannot be brought back to life. One must always look forward; only then can you go far," Steward Fang said. "That is how your adoptive father will be able to rest in peace."

"Rest assured, Elder Fang. I will hold fast to my convictions. If I fail to become an expert in this lifetime, I will have let down my adoptive father's expectations," Ling Fei said.

"Excellent." Seeing this, Steward Fang let out a slight sigh of relief.

'I was honestly afraid the boy would be consumed by his grief and fall into despair.'

A short while later, Ling Fei composed himself and stood up.

"Young Master Ling, do you still wish to learn Alchemy now?" Steward Fang couldn't help but ask as Ling Fei rose to his feet.

'He knew Ling Fei wanted to learn Alchemy for his adoptive father. Now that the man had passed away, perhaps things would change.'

"I do!" Ling Fei said resolutely.

'Even with my adoptive father gone to the Divine Wilderness, I still have to learn Alchemy.'

'Only then will I not be helpless when my loved ones are injured.'

'Martial Arts, I will master!'

'And Alchemy, I will practice!'

Seeing this, Steward Fang's brow furrowed.

"Elder Fang, rest assured. Even while learning Alchemy, I will not neglect my Martial Arts training. I will still surpass everyone else when it comes to Martial Arts," Ling Fei said with a determined look.

He was filled with confidence. 'With the True Dragon Bone, I can absorb Heaven and Earth Essence Qi dozens of times faster than an ordinary person.'

'As long as I have enough resources, I'm confident I won't fall behind anyone.'

Seeing his determination, Steward Fang didn't press the matter.

After a day's delay, Ling Fei and Huang Xiaoman followed Steward Fang out of Longtan Town.

"The Southern Wilderness is vast. Even the Great Tang Empire is just a part of it…" Aboard the Flying Boat, Steward Fang began to explain matters of the Southern Wilderness to Ling Fei. "Our Lingyun Sect has a profound heritage, with over a hundred thousand disciples. Among them are seventy thousand Outer Disciples, over twenty thousand Inner Sect Disciples, and countless more utility disciples."

"Within the Lingyun Sect, we have not only Alchemists but also Artifact Refiners. Outstanding disciples all have the chance to obtain fine weapons and elixirs."

...

Listening to Steward Fang's explanations, Ling Fei found himself filled with anticipation for the Southern Wilderness Martial Arts World.

In the Great Tang Empire, power was centered around academies and the imperial court. While Martial Arts Cultivators existed, they were not a prominent force.

But things were different in the Southern Wilderness Martial Arts World.

There, Major Clans and Sects were the dominant powers.

The Sects were like empires, the true leaders of the Southern Wilderness Martial Arts World.

They were notably led by the Four Major Sects.

As for the smaller sects, they lacked the profound heritage and simply could not compare.

The Lingyun Sect was located in the southeastern region of the Southern Wilderness Domain.

It was situated in the region northeast of the Great Tang Empire, so the distance between them was relatively short.

Upon arriving in this part of the Southern Wilderness, they saw a landscape covered in mountain ranges and dotted with major clans. From time to time, they could even spot Primordial Pill Realm Cultivators flying through the air on spiritual artifacts.

Compared to this place, the Great Tang Empire seemed rather provincial.

This was because in the Empire, only the Celestial Emperor possessed Heaven-Reaching abilities; powerful experts were exceedingly rare.

The Southern Wilderness Martial Arts World, however, teemed with experts, a place where all kinds of talent flourished.

The Lingyun Sect had Teleportation Arrays set up throughout the Southern Wilderness.

A Teleportation Array could instantly transport someone thousands of miles, or even hundreds of thousands or millions of miles. For Cultivators, they were the ultimate shortcut for travel.

After entering the Southern Wilderness, Steward Fang took Ling Fei through a Teleportation Array, arriving just outside the Lingyun Sect.

"This is the Lingyun Sect!" Steward Fang announced.

'So we've finally arrived?' With a glint in his eye, Ling Fei couldn't help but gaze ahead.

He saw a massive curtain of light ahead, enveloping a range of mountains.

WHOOSH, WHOOSH!

He could even see Cultivators occasionally streaking through the sky, one after another entering the Lingyun Sect ahead.

Steward Fang led Ling Fei to the edge of the sealing barrier of light.

He took out a Waist Token. Light Patterns flickered across its surface and connected with the barrier, which immediately split open to form a gap.

And just like that, with a flash, Steward Fang's Flying Boat shot through the opening, carrying Ling Fei and Huang Xiaoman inside the Lingyun Sect.

'We're in, just like that?' Ling Fei was slightly taken aback.

"Heh, the Lingyun Sect is protected by a Sealing Array. To enter, you must be one of our disciples," Steward Fang said with a laugh.

"When the time comes, you will all receive a Sect Waist Token. However, Outer Disciples have a limit on how many times they can leave," Steward Fang explained simply.

Ling Fei nodded slightly.

'The Martial Arts World is incredibly complex; it's only natural for a major sect to have its own rules.'

He could understand that.

Inside the Lingyun Sect, rolling mountains were wreathed in clouds and mist, creating a majestic and magnificent vista.

From their vantage point, all they could see was an endless sea of mountain peaks stretching to the horizon.

Nestled among the mountains were numerous pavilions, terraces, and grand halls.

"Young Master Ling, we have already reported your wish to study Alchemy to the Sect," Steward Fang said with a smile. "However, learning Alchemy requires a certain innate talent. Whether or not you can enter the Medicine Peak will depend on if you possess that talent. Of course, don't feel pressured. Even if you can't learn Alchemy, you can still join one of the other peaks."