Chapter 99: Following the Map
The trek through the forest took a toll on Li Lang’s young teenage body. The uneven surface and the dense foliage made every step many times more tiring.
It would’ve been even more strenuous if Li Lang had to worry about the Qi beasts lurking about as well. His Qi arts were either straightforward attacks or relied on tricks. The veiling shroud technique was more effective against humans than it was against beasts. That was because they had sharp senses, and didn’t rely on sight nearly as much. Thankfully, that wasn’t something Li Lang had to be worried about.
It took him a whole hour to cut across all the foliage. He regretted not having a sharp saber by his side to hack a path open.
By the time he got to the other end of the forest, he found a steep incline before him. Climbing up onto the hill, he was instantly assaulted by a wave of hot air. Before him lay an orange sandy desert. Behind him lay the verdant forest he had just traveled through.
The contrast was stark, but he didn’t waste any time gawking. Being on the hill left him too exposed. He didn’t just have to guard against Qi beasts, but other cultivators with ill intentions as well.
He swiftly dove into the desert after getting his bearings straight. He had a map, and he planned to follow it. He judged the pocket realm would unlikely provide him with a fake that led to a trap.
The deeper he got into the desert, the fiercer the winds grew. It didn’t take long to lose sight of the forest behind him. Thankfully, it wasn’t impossible to navigate. He could still see the sun. Using that as a marker, Li Lang soon arrived inside a derelict ruin.
The half-collapsed sandstone buildings still did their best to resist the elements. Li Lang took shelter behind the rubble to get out of the wind. He then checked the map, rested, and replenished himself.
It only took a few minutes to read the map, take a Nourishment Pill, and employ a water talisman to wash away the sand stuck to his face.
He found that his destination wasn’t far, likely within the ruins, which was a good start.
After his break, he went house to house, searching for any clues. It would’ve been a lot harder if these houses were still whole. Many walls were missing, saving him from having to search from room to room. The disrepair worked out in his favor.
That was because he managed to discover a stairway leading down inside a plain-looking house. The stone used to construct the stairs was completely different from the rest of the house, which was composed of sandstone. It was light grey in color, and Li Lang could feel the sturdiness of the material.