Chapter 4, The People of Blasphemy

Yanyun Zhongshan, also known as Tiandu Mountain. A range of mountains cannot accommodate two hundred-year-old purple lions. The purple lion's forehead bears a dim purple crescent mark, resembling a small tuft of slightly darker fur, unlike a purple lion that has endured hundreds of years.

Su Mingyan glanced at the bone arrow in her hand, the arrowhead made from the tusks of some unknown wild beast. She cast a sidelong glance at the purple beast; while this wild beast might not be as ferocious as the purple beast, its size was no less than hers.

The Path of Exile originates from the region of Xiu Tu, which is precisely where the influence of the Mogul family resides

Su Mingyan was momentarily taken aback, nearly lost in the bright gaze of the young girl

All of this made the impact on Su Mingyan from Lu Di less intense than that from Wu Mingsheng, and it was even inferior to that from Mo Jiebo.

Crossing the Yan Yun Wilderness ... ... Lu Qingling pressed her lips together, suppressing her impolite exclamation into a faint whimper; she had originally thought that the masked person before her had only practiced in the outskirts of the wilderness for three months

Lu Di glanced at the purple beast and hesitantly said, "Two years ago, when I passed through Tiandu Mountain, I encountered a century-old purple beast. At that time, I overestimated my abilities and had a piece of flesh torn from my shoulder, fleeing in panic."

At the southernmost tip of the Yan Yu Plateau, Yu Jia City lies beneath the towering stone cliffs. Su Mingyan gently embraced the soft neck of Zi Suan, and suddenly, a wave of attachment surged within him. Perhaps this emotion had been suppressed in his heart since Su Mingge left the Institute, and Su Mingyan nearly succumbed to tears in front of Lu Di and the others.

In the past three months, Zi Sang and Su Mingyan have worked together in perfect harmony, sharing a deep understanding. They immediately ceased their more intimidating low growls, yet Xiao Zi Sang stood by the mother beast's ear, its entire body bristling with purple fur, uncertain whether it was out of anger or fear

Lu Di felt a layer of fine sweat beads forming on his forehead due to his earlier blunder

Although the Wu family, under the auspices of Mo Jie Bo Cen, dispatched merchant caravans to and from the Black Gravel Plain, such scale is far from sufficient; if the influence of the papacy once again gains dominance in the internal affairs of the empire, the newly opened gap will close once more

The dual cultivation of martial and mystical arts is not something that just anyone can attempt

Among the martial artists that Su Mingyan currently encounters, Wu Mishi possesses the highest cultivation level. The person before her is not much inferior to Wu Mishi. When Zisuan was at its peak, it was able to force Lu Pudi to flee in disarray. It seems that during her battle with the Canglang, she has already expended a considerable amount of strength in nurturing her young.

The environment in the Black Gravel region is harsh, but I have not heard of any forces that have become a significant presence there

The three men put away their bows and stepped forward, removing the masks and hoods that concealed their faces. The middle-aged man on the left had a stern expression; his rough skin indicated that he had endured hardships beyond what most could imagine. The young man on the right bore a striking resemblance to the middle-aged man, and was of a similar age to Su Mingyan. His dark skin was also quite rough, and his face appeared as if it had been torn by a fierce wind, with some fine cracks scattered across it. Standing before Su Mingyan, his peripheral gaze fell upon Zisuan, suggesting that this formidable beast king posed a significant threat to him.

Are you letting Xiao Zi follow me

The connection between Yujia and the heartland of the empire has always relied on large caravans

As Yu Jia approaches the fringes of human life, the enormous wild beasts tend to avoid this area. Ordinary hunters lack the courage to venture into the depths of the wilderness to hunt these beasts. If a noble, who has come out for a hunt, manages to capture such a large wild beast, the tusks removed will surely be displayed above the fireplace or perhaps placed on the writing desk, serving as a decoration as splendid as the armor they wear, reflecting their vanity.

The strength of the purple beast has not yet recovered, and it will be even more dangerous for the young beast to follow her

The hunters near Yujia have not yet been able to afford the luxury of using the fangs of such fierce wild beasts to make arrowheads

The piercing power of these bone arrows is still inferior to that of the standard armor-piercing arrows, yet the quivers at the waists of the three men are filled with these bone arrows. Su Mingyan felt a chill in his heart as he wondered: how many ferocious wild beasts must have perished under their arrows

The Moja family will not publicly oppose the Holy See; they can only secretly instruct the Wu family to enter the Black Gravel Plains and engage in trade with the Blasphemous people

The young man before me possesses a distinct aura of martial prowess and the elemental force of a sorcerer. Could he be a descendant of the divine bloodline awakened by innate talent

If it were not for Su Ming's upbringing in the academy, where he became extremely familiar with the wilderness, then with his abilities, merely being able to safely venture a hundred miles into the depths of the wilderness would be a noteworthy achievement, let alone living alone there for three months

Continuing south along the Chubu River, the land becomes increasingly flat, and one can see the estates of the nobility as well as the commoners who are forced to toil on the farms, clad in tattered clothing and looking emaciated.

In recent years, the confinement of the people of the God of Defilement has not been as severe as it was during the initial century. The Wu clan has even privately dispatched merchant caravans to trade with those who have sinned across the Yan Yun Mountains. It is not uncommon for the people of sin, who struggle on the brink of life and death in the Black Gravel Plains, to occasionally cross the Yan Yun Mountains and infiltrate the empire. The Beijialuo people have established the Beijia Empire, and the empire has even exchanged envoys with them.

On both sides of the waterway extending nearly 100 miles north from Yujia City, low hills undulate, marking the edge of the hunting team's activity area, where a well-equipped hunting team keeps the wild beasts at bay beyond the Yujia Plain

Lu Qingling turned her head, her clear gaze fixed on Su Mingyan, and asked him: "Are you from Yujia?"

Lu Pudidi and the three others were about to head to Yujia; if Zisuan enters Yujia City, it will undoubtedly cause turmoil. If the nobles in the city become greedy, Su Mingyan does not have confidence in being able to intimidate everyone, especially since there are troops stationed in the city

Walking along the northern slope of Yujia Mountain, there are not many perilous areas

In the first century following the establishment of the Empire, the power of the Papacy reached its zenith, rejecting the faith of the populace in other deities. Not only did it artificially diminish the divine status of the seven celestial deities, including the God of Stellar Light, but it also regarded the God of Stellar Flux and four other celestial deities as evil gods. Furthermore, five ancient deities, including Adonai, were demoted to the status of false gods. Millions of commoners were exiled to the Black Gravel Plain west of the Yanyun Mountains. The God of Stellar Flux and four other celestial deities were regarded as evil gods, and five ancient deities, including Adonai, were demoted to the status of false gods. Millions of commoners were exiled to the Black Gravel Plain west of the Yanyun Mountains

When Su Mingyan invited him to share the steamed tuber, Lu Di did not consider refusing. He casually placed the horn bow made from some kind of animal spine and sinew on the ground, sat down beside Su Mingyan, and imitated him by picking up a tuber, blowing away the steam, peeling off the slightly charred skin, and releasing a unique fragrance.

Lu Qingling exclaimed in astonishment: "Second Uncle's scale armor technique has long reached the ninth level, his flesh and skin are as tough as black iron, and even standard penetrating arrows cannot pierce through. How could he be injured by the purple beast?"

The middle-aged man then noticed the mask worn by Su Mingyan, and his vigilance increased slightly. From about ten steps away, with his hand placed on his chest and slightly bowing, he said: "Even the winged wind birds of Yanyun Mountain can make mistakes. Lu Di apologizes to you for the earlier indiscretion."

Encountering the King of Beasts does not merely require courage to avoid it

Su Mingyan reached out to scratch the neck fur of the purple beast and said with a smile, "I have been cultivating in the wilderness for three months, and I found her to keep me company along the way, so I haven't felt too lonely; as for Yan Yun Mountain, I was just thinking of going there."

Su Mingyan nodded slightly, placing the young beast into the pocket at the front of his garment; watching the figure of the purple beast vanish like a ghostly flame into the forest, Su Mingyan suddenly felt a deep pain in his heart: once he descended from here, perhaps no one could provide him with the genuine attachment that the purple beast had.

Families on the mainland known to possess the bloodline of the divine are endowed with immense power

This purple beast does not appear to be a monster that has survived in the wilderness for hundreds of years, yet its strength is not too far off, as it has actually been subdued by this person alone

Lu Di smiled and said, "Having visited Yu Jia a few times, I did not have the courage to traverse the Yan Yun Wilderness at your age."

The purple beast is now merely a facade, its strength far inferior to its peak. The dark purple crescent mark on its forehead has also lost its luster. Su Mingyan decided it would be better not to express the anger in his heart. Releasing his energy, the azure shield seemed to retract into his body and disappeared, as he clasped his hands behind his back to indicate that he bore no hostility

Located at the northern end of the Yujia Gorge Plain, Yujia County has only one main city and four military outposts. The significance of the garrison in Yujia is nothing less than to assert that the Yan Yun Wilderness to the north belongs to the territory of the Empire

Perhaps the Mo family seeks to leverage the advantages of the Wu family's monopoly and the Black Gravel Plain

The purple beast let out a low growl, its soft neck fur brushing against Su Mingyan's face as it tilted its head, allowing the young creature nestled between its ears to slide down and land at Su Mingyan's feet

The Yu Jia solitary empire is located in the southwest, nearly six hundred li of rugged roads separate it from the nearest Xiu Tu County. This road, nestled between the Yan Yun wilderness and the Jun Heng mountain range, is fraught with numerous dangers, not only inhabited by various bandits and marauders, but also occasionally crossed by formidable wild beasts.

Lu Hu seems to be reminiscing about the Chubu River a thousand years ago: "My second uncle once said that the Chubu River was a thousand zhang wide, yet the current water level is less than one hundred and one. No wonder Yujia City is only ten miles away, before it disappears into the quicksand."

The three of them regard me as a Siamese cat, presumably intending to first shoot this "Siamese cat" before jointly dealing with the purple monkey.

In comparison, the journey from the heart of the empire, bypassing the southeastern edge of the Yan-Yun wasteland to reach Yu-Jia, is arduous and distant; however, it is much more convenient than the routes from the Black Gravel Plain to Yu-Jia and from the northern borders of Canaan to Yu-Jia.

Su Mingyan observed Lu Pudi's cold and stern profile. They had been together for three days, yet the vigilance and wariness in Lu Di's eyes had not diminished much. It was certain that even while he was conversing with Lu Hu, a third of his attention was still focused here.

The mask, perfectly aligned with his face, reflected a faint metallic sheen. Su Mingyan bowed in return, recalling that Mo Jiebo had instructed him not to reveal his true appearance or identity in front of anyone. Looking into Lu Qingling's clear eyes, he felt that fabricating a name would be a most disrespectful act. He loosened the Siamese raccoon fur wrapped around him and smiled, saying, "It's all due to this skin. " He peeled back the withered vines emitting wisps of smoke, revealing the stifled plant tuber, and continued, "My name is Su Mingyan. If you don't mind, shall we share a meal?"

The purple fox lay behind Su Mingyan, eyes half-closed

Su Mingyan could not discern Lu Di's strength, which instilled in him a calm and composed demeanor, making it difficult for Lu Pu Di to gauge his depth as well

Do the inhabitants of the Black Gravel Plain not seek to exploit this immense wealth

From behind the dark brown stone cliff, three individuals leaned out, dressed in coarse blackish-green linen shirts, their faces mostly obscured by hoods with masks. Among them, one person's eyes displayed a hint of awkwardness and apology, her brows and eyes resembling the moon, her figure petite; it was her voice that had let out the startled cry. The other two maintained their vigilant gaze, their eyes burning with intensity, akin to solitary wild beasts in the wilderness. They held drawn horn bows, taut like the full moon after the first harvest day, with arrowheads made from the sharp fangs of wild beasts, glinting with a chilling white light. It was her voice that had let out the startled cry. The other two maintained their vigilant gaze, their eyes burning with intensity, akin to solitary wild beasts in the wilderness. They held drawn horn bows, taut like the full moon after the first harvest day, with arrowheads made from the sharp fangs of wild beasts, glinting with a chilling white light

Lu Di chuckled and said, "The diamonds revealed from the cracked boulders are merely the tip of the iceberg; within the black gravel lies astonishing diamond and gold mines. However, as long as the Church's restrictions remain in place, no one dares to boldly undertake large-scale mining."

Recalling the teachings of Su Mingge, one should never let others know one's true self. Perhaps others' sharp gazes can see through the depth of your cultivation, but a person's mind is like the vast ocean, which others can never fully comprehend.

The purple beast let out a low growl, and there was a hint of worry in the watery eyes of the creature.

Su Mingyan and Zi Suan have been facing each other for nearly three months, and have long become familiar with the aura of the Dominator of Heaven and Earth; during these three months, although he has only practiced the Fire Talisman Technique, the simplest of spells, it has elevated Su Mingyan's understanding of the forces of heaven and earth to a new realm

The Yujia Valley Plain was once the most important passage between Yanyun and Canaan. To the west, one must traverse the towering Yujia Mountain, and to the east, the Junheng Mountain range. However, the current significance of the Yujia Valley Plain is quite limited, as the Chubu River completely runs dry ten miles out of Yujia City. The Yujia Plain, extending three to four hundred miles to the south, is entirely desert, with no water sources to be found. Yujia is also far from the heartland of the Qinglan Empire. In the ten campaigns launched by Qinglan against Canaan, only one or two were initiated from Yujia; traversing the mountain pass in the central part of the Junheng Mountains seems to be more convenient than crossing the Yujia Desert.

Looking at Yujia City nearby, it is still a two-day journey to descend from here. First, one must descend from the southern cliff of the Yanyu Plateau to the banks of the Chubu River. Following the swift Chubu River, which is nearly thirty zhang wide, one travels downstream for almost a hundred li to reach Yujia City

The former path of exile, circumventing the southeastern edge of the Yan-Yun wasteland, passes through Yu-Jia, enters the Yan-Yu highlands, follows the northern slope of Yu-Jia Mountain, traverses the rift in the southern part of Yan-Yun Mountain, and can reach the Black Gravel Plain

In terms of sheer strength, Wu Mingsheng is still inferior to Lu Pudi; however, during their time at the academy, the exquisite martial skills of Wu Mingsheng left a profound impression on Su Mingyan

Although he has only been to Yujia City once, Sumingyan is quite familiar with the wilderness of this place; every time Suminge comes to Yujia to purchase goods, Sumingyan always accompanies him and waits for him in the wilderness outside the city

The Wu family's convoy often travels that route, which is no longer considered a secret within the empire. It is said that precious diamonds roll out from the rocks torn apart by the fierce winds on the Black Gravel Plain. According to Wu Mishi, there are often brave civilians who follow the Wu family's convoy to the Black Gravel Plain to pan for gold. Mr. Lu has just returned from striking it rich on the Black Gravel Plain

Su Mingyan shook his head and said, "Three months ago, I left home to cultivate, crossing the Yunyih River from its source and traversing the Yan Yun wilderness. This is my first time in Yujia. Mr. Lu seems to be quite familiar with this place, doesn't he?"

The girl's skin may not be as delicate and smooth as that of the noble ladies in the city, but her clear gaze radiates a captivating charm that enchants the soul

Although there is a passage connecting to the Black Gravel Plain on the western side of the Canaan Kingdom, located at the southern foothills of the Yanyun Mountain, the passage on the northern slope of Yujia Mountain is the primary route for exile

The people in the Black Gravel Abyss hope to remove these diamonds to further pry open the increasingly relaxed religious constraints, and Su Ming suddenly realizes that Lu Di regards him as an important figure

Su Mingyan smiled faintly; for someone who had lived in the wilderness for fifteen years, traversing the Yan Yun wilderness was not as terrifying as one might imagine

Lu Di stared into Su Mingyan's eyes, suppressing the sigh in his heart, and said in a tone of indifference: "What is lacking in the Black Gravel Plain is food." He took out a small leather pouch from his pocket, untied the string, revealing the dazzling diamonds inside, and added, "As long as we gain the friendship of the Black Gravel Plain people, these diamonds will be within easy reach."

Lu Di was unexpectedly aware that the purple beast and the * picture * book were indeed the kingly wild beasts residing in the Yanyun Zhongshan. Out of the corner of his eye, he glanced at the small purple beast in Su Mingyan's arms. If it were not for the consideration of the strength of the person before him and the powerful force behind him, the temptation of a still juvenile purple beast would be enough to incite murder and theft.

Lu Di smiled and said: "In the vast Yanyun wilderness spanning five thousand miles, there is more to be revered than just one purple beast. Being creations of heaven and earth, the wild beasts that have lived for a century possess a certain spiritual essence, comprehending the laws of heaven and earth, and are not inferior to ordinary people. The skill of the nine-layered scale armor is hardly worth a laugh."

The blue smoke rises gently from the chimney of the thatched cottage, while the farmer cultivates fertile fields on the gentle slopes of the mountains. Although it is the harsh winter, the cold air from the north has exhausted its energy in the desolate plains of Yan and Yun, and upon entering the Yujia Plain, it loses much of its might

Surrounding or capturing a purple monkey is achievable as long as one is willing to invest resources; however, there are no reports of anyone being able to tame an adult purple monkey. Observing the demeanor of this purple monkey, it does not appear to have been subjected to any restraining spells.

Su Mingyan's frail physique and voice cannot conceal his age, yet the purple flame arrows he shoots with a snap of his fingers do not lead Lu Pudi to underestimate his strength. The flame arrows, condensed to a purple hue close to that of chaotic fire spirits, are nearly capable of breaking through the defenses of the Ninefold Scaled Armor Technique

Perhaps he is a powerful figure on the Heavenly Ranking. Three months ago, there was an anomaly in the energy field at the southern end of Yanyun Zhongshan, which is likely related to him

Su Mingyan was almost certain that the three of them were the nomadic people from the west side of Yanyun Mountain. However, upon observing Lu Qingling's elegant demeanor while eating, Su Mingyan could not believe that such a refined young lady could be nurtured in the harsh environment of the Black Gravel Plain. Perhaps her status in the Black Gravel Plain was quite noble, after all

Lu Di's expression changed slightly, but he quickly regained his composure and smiled, saying: "You are quite familiar with the path of exile, aren't you?"

Given Lu Di's familiarity with Yu Jia, it is likely that he has visited Yu Jia more than once

Although reluctant, Su Mingyan still felt that Zisan should return to the wilderness to live freely and comfortably; although Zisan's strength could not be compared to her peak, after nearly three months together, Su Mingyan did not perceive her as someone who was overly competitive. As long as she avoided the exceptionally powerful king-level beasts, Zisan could survive perfectly well in the wilderness.

The finely crafted bronze mask, shimmering with a pale golden luster, astonished not only with its exquisite and perfect craftsmanship, but also because, upon closer inspection, it was nearly indistinguishable as a mask. What deeply moved Ludi was the overwhelming chaotic elemental power surging from the bronze mask. When Sumin Yan skillfully dodged the bone arrow shot from behind, displaying remarkable agility and the ability to effortlessly deploy a green silk energy shield, Ludi initially believed this person to be a warrior. Approaching closer, he could never have anticipated that this individual was, in fact, a sorcerer

A sorcerer skilled in martial arts, capable of subduing a purple beast, can contend with a powerful figure on the Heavenly Ranking.

Lu Hu and Lu Qingling also bowed and apologized, but there was a hint of shyness in Lu Qingling's gentle voice, as if she were encountering a stranger, which was very pleasant to hear