Chapter 14: The Battle had begun!
Before long, John reached the outermost boundary of the Nine Sky Clan’s territory.
Beyond the last watchtower and weather-worn stone markers, the land sloped downward into an endless expanse of wild, unclaimed earth.
A heavy silence hung in the air, broken only by the whisper of wind rustling through the tall grass.
In front of him stretched a vast and foreboding wilderness, far more expansive than the one he had crossed during his escape from the Blue Sapphire Clan.
Trees rose like ancient sentinels in the distance, and dense fog clung to the underbrush, giving the entire region a ghostly, forgotten air.
This is it, he thought. The Deep Havoc Wilderness.
He had heard the name whispered in passing by locals and traveling cultivators.
They spoke of it with awe, fear, and respect.
Unlike the scattered forests or borderlands he had seen before, this wilderness was known for its sheer size and untamed danger.
Even from the outskirts, the energy in the air felt different, thicker, more primal.
John narrowed his eyes and scanned the treeline.
It would be best for me to nestle deep within a forest for now.