Chapter 338: Chapter 338
Ding Fan's Divine Sense locked on, and he quickly arrived at the source of the Spiritual Energy.
As Ding Fan approached, he suddenly discovered a Crystal Stone.
The Crystal Stone contained a vast amount of Spiritual Energy. In the Cultivation World, Crystal Stones also served as a form of currency. The one Ding Fan found was not large, merely the size of a fist.
Ding Fan did not believe that this Crystal Stone was simply scattered about; on one side of the stone, the character for 'escape' had been carved with a sharp tool.
Perhaps the owner of the Crystal Stone had encountered some danger and used this stone to alert their companions.
Ding Fan slowly picked up the Crystal Stone, his expression also carrying a degree of solemnity. Clearly, this excursion into the forbidden land would not be easy.
At that moment, Ding Fan took off his GPS watch and tossed it into his storage ring, as this gadget was of no use to him.
After putting away the watch, Ding Fan dashed toward the direction of the forbidden land.
By then, the night had deepened, with a full moon overhead, and the time for the opening of the forbidden land was drawing closer. Beforehand, Ding Fan had already arrived at the entrance of the forbidden land.
However, Ding Fan was a bit surprised to find a few people already waiting there. These individuals were all Ancient Martial Warriors. Judging by their cultivation, their cultivation levels were all above Earth Level. It seemed that these people were also adventurers heading into the forbidden land.
The higher the cultivation, the greater the resources required. These people seemed to be hoping to try their luck in the forbidden land.
Isn't there a saying in the Secular World? "Fortune favors the bold." This saying is indeed quite fitting for cultivators.
"Young brother, you are also going to the forbidden land, aren't you…"
While Ding Fan was lost in thought, a middle-aged man in white robes gracefully approached him.
Ding Fan was stunned for a moment, as he had not expected someone to initiate conversation with him.
Ding Fan took a moment to observe the newcomer, who was in his fifties and dressed in white robes, giving off a somewhat ethereal and sage-like air. Upon probing with his Divine Sense, the newcomer's cultivation was also not weak, impressively at First Grade Earth Level.
In the Secular World, reaching Earth Level cultivation at the age of fifty was considered extremely talented. Ding Fan did not dare underestimate the man. He nodded. "Yes."
"My name is Zhang Kaizhi. I also wish to try my luck in the forbidden land. I usually don't have many friends and wonder if you would like to team up with me to enter the forbidden land together."
Ding Fan was startled. They were strangers, and yet the man had proposed teaming up right away.
Seeing Ding Fan's astonishment, Zhang Kaizhi hurriedly explained, "To be honest, I have accidentally obtained a map of this forbidden land. I am absolutely confident that we can enter and exit safely. If you would like to join me, we might be able to obtain more treasures."
Ding Fan pondered for a moment.
If he has a map of the forbidden land, then why does he need to team up with me? I have a Magic Artifact that hides my cultivation level on me; could it be that he can see through my cultivation level?
Ding Fan considered all perspectives, but he still couldn't figure out why Zhang Kaizhi wanted to team up with him.
In the end, Ding Fan nodded his head.
The dangers in the forbidden land were vast and unknown. If he outright rejected Zhang Kaizhi now, it might offend someone, which could add to the difficulties inside the forbidden land—a risk.
"Let me introduce you to a few other friends,"
Zhang Kaizhi seemed very pleased and led Ding Fan behind a large rock.
Behind the boulder, there were three other people.
When they saw Zhang Kaizhi, they all gathered around.
"I've brought another friend," said Zhang Kaizhi as he led Ding Fan before the group.
Ding Fan glanced over the other three individuals—two men and one woman. Through Zhang Kaizhi's introduction, Ding Fan learned that the tall man was called Sun Qiang, and the other burly man was named Wu Gang. Both men were around sixty years old, and their cultivations were also above Earth Level.
The woman, who was much younger, appeared to be about thirty. She was pretty, with a full figure and exuded charm. Her full name was not shared with everyone; Zhang Kaizhi merely referred to her as Lady Fang.
"Friend, it was a rush earlier, and I didn't get a chance to introduce you. Why don't you introduce yourself to everyone?" said Zhang Kaizhi.
"Ding Fan." Ding Fan simply introduced himself.
"Brother Ding Fan, welcome to our team..." Zhang Kaizhi smiled at Ding Fan. Then he turned to the others and said, "As you all know, I was fortunate enough to obtain a map of the forbidden territory, so as long as we all work together, we can surely make it out safely."
Having said this, Zhang Kaizhi took out a leather pouch from his chest. He then took out several runes.
"However, we need to be cautious first, gentlemen second. After all, there are too many treasures within the forbidden territory, and it would be problematic if anyone harbors ill intentions. I have several Death Oath Talismans here. We just need to swear not to betray each other... If anyone breaks the oath, they will suffer and die from the torment of these Death Oath Talismans..."
After Zhang Kaizhi took out these runes, Ding Fan frowned. Zhang Kaizhi seemed to have many tricks up his sleeve.
On Earth, Ding Fan was considered a master of Talisman Crafting. He used his Divine Sense to investigate and discovered that these runes were a type of Cursed Rune. As long as one took an oath and failed to fulfill it, they would be cursed.
Ding Fan looked at Zhang Kaizhi, who had taken out these runes. Was he really just trying to bind everyone with these runes?!
Zhang Kaizhi appeared calm and saintly, but there was a faint trace of evil emanating from him. In Ding Fan's view, the purpose of giving them the runes to restrict everyone was probably not significant. There certainly were other deeper meanings.
"Okay, without the map, it would be hard to get out. I am willing to use the Death Oath Talisman!" At that moment, Sun Qiang directly took a rune from Zhang Kaizhi's hand.
"Entering the forbidden territory, I am willing to live and die with my brothers. If my heart is not true and I desire to harm my companions or monopolize the treasures, then I shall not die a good death! Never to transcend!" Sun Qiang held the rune and made a venomous oath.
After the oath, the rune in Sun Qiang's hand turned to flying ash. This signified that the oath had been successfully taken.
After Sun Qiang had sworn an oath, Wu Gang and Lady Fang no longer hesitated. Both of them also took a Death Oath Talisman and made their oaths.
"Brother Ding, it's just you left." Finally, Zhang Kaizhi looked towards Ding Fan.
Ding Fan did not hesitate much, and he also took a rune.
"Entering the forbidden territory, I am willing to live and die with my brothers. If my heart is not true, and I desire to harm my companions or monopolize the treasures, then I shall not die a good death! Never to transcend!" Ding Fan then, following the example of the other three, made the oath.
The reason Ding Fan dared to hold the Death Oath Talisman and make an oath was because he had absolute confidence. As a Sixth Level Qi Cultivator, if he couldn't break such a rune, he might as well smash himself to death with tofu.
Even if Zhang Kaizhi intended to manipulate the rune in some way, Ding Fan would not be afraid.
As the Death Oath Talisman in Ding Fan's hand turned into flying ash, Zhang Kaizhi finally took out a parchment from a storage bag.
The parchment unfolded to reveal a map.
"The entrance is over a small mountain, but there is a formation on the mountain and most importantly, there is a Dragon-Elephant Beast on the mountain! We need to deal with the Dragon-Elephant Beast to get past there."
Dragon-Elephant Beast!
As Zhang Kaizhi finished speaking, a solemn look flashed through everyone's eyes.
The Dragon-Elephant Beast was only known from mythological stories, and it was unexpected that such a creature truly existed. Apart from being surprised, Ding Fan was more puzzled. Content orıginally comes from 𝓷𝓸𝓿𝓮𝓵✦𝓯𝓲𝓻𝓮✦𝓷𝓮𝓽
In the Cultivation World, the Dragon-Elephant Beast ranked as a Seventh Grade Yuan Beast. Yuan Beasts above the Sixth Grade were considered High-Level Yuan Beasts, and a Seventh Grade Yuan Beast was beyond the capabilities of even an Emergence Stage Cultivator; how could such a powerful Yuan Beast exist on Earth?
"If all of us charge at it together and chop down the Dragon-Elephant Beast, won't that solve it?" Sun Qiang said from the side.
Zhang Kaizhi slightly shook his head.
"The Dragon-Elephant Beast is extremely formidable. It's not just us; even ten teams like ours wouldn't be able to kill it."
"If we can't kill the Dragon-Elephant Beast, how can we enter the deeper parts of the forbidden territory?" Lady Fang asked, her brows tightly furrowed.
"Above the small mountain where the Dragon-Elephant resides, there is a formation. As long as the five of us can drive the Dragon-Elephant Beast into the formation, it will pose no threat." Zhang Kaizhi said.
Ding Fan glanced at the map and the small mountain where the Dragon-Elephant Beast resided. The mountain did indeed align with the Five Desolations Formation. It seemed Zhang Kaizhi was not lying.
It appeared that Zhang Kaizhi had indeed deliberately chosen five people in order to drive the Dragon-Elephant Beast into the formation.
"Brother Ding, after we enter the forbidden territory, since your cultivation is the weakest, you will use your movement technique to attract the Dragon-Elephant Beast. We four will first repair the formation on the mountain, and then together we will have the opportunity to drive the Dragon-Elephant Beast into the formation," Zhang Kaizhi said, turning his head to look at Ding Fan.
Zhang Kaizhi truly had no good intentions, making Ding Fan attract the giant but extremely agile Dragon-Elephant Beast was clearly pushing him into a fire pit.
Ding Fan couldn't help but laugh internally.
The other side wanted to scheme against him, but they truly picked the wrong person. Although Ding Fan himself couldn't contend with the Dragon-Elephant Beast, he was carrying Pingan with him.
Pingan was the King of Longevity. Just revealing a bit of Pingan's aura would change which creature the Yuan Beast pursued.
"Alright..." Ding Fan nodded and said.