In a huge canyon, a team is slowly making its way forward.
"Be careful, everyone. After we cross this valley, we will enter the Stormy Plains."
The Gale Plains are swept by strong winds year-round.
The sky above was filled with fierce winds, making it difficult for even a Golden Core Realm expert to fly; they could only walk.
In the Stormy Plains, wind beasts and sand bandits often roam.
If you encounter wind beasts or sand bandits, please work together to defend against them and do not panic or run around aimlessly.
Otherwise, if anything goes wrong, our carrier won't offer any extra assistance.
Just as they were about to leave the valley, a burly man in armor, riding a spirit horse with red scales, shouted loudly.
After giving his instructions, he went to a carriage and said very politely:
"Gentlemen, if any unexpected situations arise after entering the Gale Plains, we would appreciate your assistance as agreed beforehand."
"Of course, it's rare that Commander Wang has allowed us to set off together, so we should look after each other."
Inside the carriage, an elderly man with two children, a boy and a girl of about seven or eight years old, smiled.
"Then I'll have to trouble you all."
After receiving the old man's affirmative reply, the armored giant returned to his original position with peace of mind.
The reason he agreed to let those people travel with the merchant guild was because he valued their cultivation levels.
Although they had traversed the Gale Plains many times, they couldn't guarantee that everything would be foolproof.
Having a few more skilled people to look after you provides an extra layer of protection.
"This guy is really good at scheming. He doesn't want to pay any reward, he just wants us to be his bodyguards."
After the burly man in armor left, a thin young man on the carriage snorted coldly.
"We've all been traveling together, so let's not be too concerned about such things," the old man advised. "I've heard that sand bandits have become even more rampant in the Gale Plains lately."
If we were to walk alone, it would be quite dangerous. It's only because we're looking out for each other that we're safe.
"Hmph, old man Qiao, I've made it clear that you were the one who agreed to take action just now, I didn't agree to it!"
If anything goes wrong, I won't waste my energy helping these useless people.
"I'll leave alone then. I refuse to believe this Gale Plains is really that terrifying!"
The skinny young man said coldly.
Upon hearing this, the old man, referred to as Old Man Qiao, opened his mouth, but for a moment he didn't know what to say.
He glanced at the remaining people and saw that they also seemed indifferent, so he could only sigh.
Holding the two timid children beside her, she felt a little worried.
For some reason, he had a feeling that something unsettling was about to happen.
Thinking of this, he couldn't help but look towards the corner of the carriage at a young man of ordinary appearance who was holding a gray raccoon.
Although this young man looked ordinary, his cultivation level was only at the first stage of the low-grade Golden Core realm.
But for some reason, he always felt that the other person seemed a bit unusual.
The reason for this was probably that a few days ago, their team was suddenly attacked by a demonic beast at the fifth level of the Golden Core stage, which caused many casualties.
Even the people in the carriage were quite intimidated by the monster.
However, the old man inadvertently noticed that although the young man's face showed panic, there was a calmness deep in his eyes.
From that moment on, he felt that this young man was somewhat unusual.
However, the monster behind them was dealt with by the people from the transport company, so they didn't have a chance to make a move.
Moreover, although he had been secretly observing for the past few days, he had not been able to find any clues.
This made it impossible for him to determine whether the young man's panic at the time was genuine or not.
"That old man Qiao is spying in the shadows again. Did he really slip up during the attack by that Golden Core Realm demon beast a few days ago?"
Lu Qing, who was resting with his eyes closed in a corner of the carriage, felt a faint sense of being watched from somewhere, and felt somewhat helpless.
At this point, he had changed completely.
Even the aura of their souls has changed drastically.
Now, even if Nangong Yuanwu and Mo Hongyun stood in front of him, they might not be able to recognize his identity.
However, Lu Qing did not expect that his ability to conceal the changes in the Nascent Soul Realm would be seen through by an old man at the third stage of the Golden Core Realm.
The attack a few days ago came rather suddenly; he was meditating and practicing spiritual cultivation with his eyes closed at the time.
However, when the Golden Core demonic beast attacked, he still cooperated by showing panic.
But who would have thought that this old man Qiao, being so shrewd, would still notice his unusual behavior?
"His acting skills are still lacking." Lu Qing shook his head to himself.
As the saying goes, old people become shrewd and experienced, and this old man Qiao is clearly a seasoned veteran.
He only gave a perfunctory answer, and his flaws were immediately noticed.
After sighing, Lu Qing ignored it and continued to close his eyes to rest.
Even if Old Man Qiao noticed something amiss, he was fine as long as the other party didn't bother him.
He concealed his cultivation level and infiltrated this group not only to gain experience but also to disguise his identity, not wanting to cause any unnecessary trouble.
"However, I never expected that such a big thing would happen outside while I was in seclusion for only two or three years."
Lu Qing recalled the information he had heard from a certain city a few days ago.
Originally, he wanted to experience the lively atmosphere of the city after being in seclusion for a long time.
However, he overheard some diners in a restaurant discussing the conflict between the Gongshu family and the Nangong family.
It turns out that ever since Gongshu Yu died at the hands of Nangong Yuanwu...
The relationship between the Gongshu family and the Nangong family became quite tense.
However, Nangong Yuanwu still held the lives of two Gongshu family members at the Yuan Shen realm in his hands.
Fearing the consequences, the Gongshu family temporarily restrained their anger.
They chose to negotiate with the Nangong family instead of going to war directly.
However, not long after, the situation changed because of something.
The cause was that Gongshu Yu's mother, the direct descendant of the Gongshu family, could not bear the pain of losing her son.
They spent a large sum of money to put a bounty on Nangong Yuanwu's head in the Netherworld Palace.
The Netherworld Palace is a mysterious and eerie, yet incredibly powerful, dark force.
It is said that this force exists not only in the Tianyuan Great World, but also in other Great Worlds.
It is a terrifying force with a very wide distribution, not limited to a certain great world or even a certain immortal realm.
The Netherworld Palace never participates in the internal conflicts of the various great worlds.
They operate in the shadows, engaging only in shady businesses such as selling intelligence and assassinations.
Such a terrifying force naturally acts without any restraint.
The price of hiring the Netherworld Palace to carry out an assassination is extremely high, but once they are mobilized, very few people can withstand their assassination attempts.
Even those with powerful primordial spirits might not be able to escape.
In fact, as long as you can afford the price, they can assassinate even the sect leader of a top sect, the patriarch of one of the thirty-six upper clans, or even the various demon lords of the demon race without fail.
However, the price required to assassinate someone of that level of strength is also incredibly high.
Even powerful clans like the Thirty-Six Upper Clans, who control vast amounts of wealth, might not be able to afford such a price.
However, she couldn't afford to assassinate the patriarch, but she could barely afford to assassinate a Nascent Soul Realm cultivator if she gritted her teeth.
So, less than three days after she issued the bounty in the Netherworld Palace, Nangong Yuanwu was assassinated and nearly died.
If it weren't for the fact that one of the elders of the Nangong family happened to be nearby and intervened in time...
He has probably long since perished, both physically and spiritually.
Even so, it is said that Nangong Yuanwu's primordial spirit has collapsed, making him a cripple.
The assassination attempt immediately enraged the entire Nangong family.
They could not tolerate the fact that an important member of their clan had been put up for assassination in the Netherworld Palace.
If they don't retaliate, others might think the Nangong family is weak and easily bullied.
Therefore, after the incident, the Nangong family immediately responded with the strongest possible measures.
Not only did they declare war on the Gongshu family, but they also beheaded the two Nascent Soul Realm cultivators who had originally followed Gongshu Yu and sent their heads to the Gongshu family.
As for the Gongshu family, they were also in a terrible predicament because of this matter.
There has always been a tacit understanding among the thirty-six clans.
That means that no matter how fierce the competition is, neither side may offer a bounty to the Netherworld Palace for the assassination of an important member of the other's clan.
Doing so could easily lead to an irreversible situation.
Therefore, Gongshu Yu's mother's actions directly turned their right into wrong.
Not only did they lose two Nascent Soul Realm experts, but they also found themselves in a very passive position regarding their reputation.
However, faced with the Nangong family's attack, they had no choice but to fight back.
Otherwise, it might discourage the clansmen, greatly reduce their cohesion, and it's uncertain whether they can maintain their status as one of the thirty-six superior clans in the future.
Thus, the clash between the two powerful clans intensified.
Ultimately, even the Holy Alliance had to step in to mediate.
It is said that the heads of the two clans and many elders are currently negotiating and wrangling within the Holy Alliance.
However, no one knows what the final outcome will be for the time being.
When Lu Qing heard this news in that city, he was quite surprised.
He never expected that there would be such a terrifying force as the Netherworld Palace hidden in the shadows in this Tianyuan Great World.
Its power is so great that neither the demons nor the righteous can do anything about it.
They also follow the path of assassination, like the Seven Killings Tower and the Infinity Tower in their home world.
Compared to that, it's like babies playing house, utterly insignificant.
However, this also made Lu Qing feel a sense of crisis.
This Netherworld Palace is too terrifying; it is a terrifying force that spans many great worlds and even the Immortal Realm.
Its profound cultural heritage is beyond imagination.
It's hard to say whether there's some terrifying secret technique that can predict his existence.
So he left the city immediately.
Then, using the formless and shapeless transformation method of the perfect golden core, he completely changed his physical form, aura, and even the fluctuations of his soul.
Finally, he changed several identities and traveled far away from the territory where the Nangong family was located.
As for Nangong Yuanwu, although he sympathized with the other party's plight.
However, they would not reveal their identity simply because of a temporary friendship.
After all, he didn't know whether that crazy woman from the Gongshu family had put a bounty on him as well when she put a bounty on Nangong Yuanwu.
If there were such a thing, then his appearance at this time would be like fish being delivered to one's doorstep.
It was for these reasons that Lu Qing disguised himself as an ordinary rogue cultivator at the Golden Core stage, infiltrated a merchant caravan, and began his travels.
The convoy proceeded at a leisurely pace and finally arrived at the end of the valley.
Even before they officially went out, everyone could vaguely hear a strong wind coming from ahead.
It sounded like the wailing of ghosts and the howling of monsters, sending chills down one's spine.
"This is the Stormy Plains?"
Standing at the valley's exit, I looked out at the howling wind and the endless yellow sand.
Everyone felt a chill run down their spines.
Even the Golden Core Realm experts on the carriage had a change in expression.
Under such overwhelming power of heaven and earth, even those with high cultivation levels would feel a sense of dread.
Lu Qing sensed the howling wind ahead and was somewhat amazed.
This Tianyuan Great World is indeed wondrous; the gale-force winds blowing above the Gale Plains alone are incredibly powerful.
Weaker Golden Core cultivators would be afraid to enter it rashly.
Even they might not be able to withstand it, their bodies would crack and their blood would spill into the sky.
No wonder the Golden Core cultivators on the carriages didn't choose to fly, but instead followed the caravan.
It turned out that there was such a natural barrier blocking the way.
"Everyone, please wait patiently. In about half an hour, the gale will subside, and then we can enter the Gale Plains."
At the front of the convoy, the burly man in armor held a Bagua-shaped magical artifact, seemingly calculating something.
After a while, he called out to the people behind him.
Naturally, no one had any objections to this.
Looking at the terrifying scene ahead, they dared not go in now and could only wait patiently.
However, the armored giant's prediction was quite accurate.
An hour later, the strong winds ahead did indeed gradually subside.
After half an hour, the swirling yellow sand gradually settled down.
The plain, which had previously been almost impossible to see ten feet ahead, began to become much clearer.
"Alright, everyone can go in now, but the strong winds have only subsided temporarily."
It won't be long before it starts shaving again.
"You must not wander off, otherwise, if you get lost, it will be very difficult to rejoin the group."
The burly man in armor shouted his instructions.
Upon hearing this, the small caravans behind them all felt a chill run down their spines.
I immediately focused my attention, reminding myself that I must not fall behind.
The convoy gradually entered the plains.
Although it's called a plain, it's actually more like a desert.
The ground was covered with thick layers of yellow sand, so thick that it could reach up to your ankles when you stepped on it.
If it weren't for the faint vegetation around it, it would really look like a desolate desert.
Fortunately, the carriages in the caravan were all engraved with magic arrays, so they would not easily sink into the yellow sand.
Led by the armored giant and others, the convoy slowly moved forward.
As the convoy slowly entered the depths of the Stormy Plains, about two hours later, the wind began to blow.
And the wind grew stronger, causing the yellow sand on the ground to swirl around again.
In the distance, one could even faintly hear the roars of beasts.
The burly man in armor at the front of the convoy changed his expression upon hearing the beast's roar.
