Chapter 1, The Eastern Wasteland

Suddenly, his grip tightened around her wrist, and Tang Miao instantly resembled a cat whose fur had been ruffled. She raised her leg and kicked out, screaming and cursing as she struggled. She had already been unfortunate enough; could it be that she was to be subjected to an assault on her dignity as well

The man was gnawing on a Sanlan fruit, curiously observing Tang Miao. When the last Sanlan fruit was brought to his mouth, he hesitated for a moment and handed it to Tang Miao, saying, "Since you happened to arrive here just as the Sanlan fruit was ripe, it must be fate. I'll let you have this last one!"

Tang Miao woke up at a most inopportune moment. When she opened her eyes, she saw a clear blue sky, with herself lying atop a white cloud. A gentle breeze brushed the mist across her face, feeling refreshingly pleasant.

Tang Miao's performance in physics is mediocre, but she also understands that no cloud formed by natural causes can be a physical object. In other words, what is truly beneath her feet is indeed a mass of air

The speaker stands on a rock above, silhouetted against the backdrop of the large moon, draped in a dark cloak, striking a pose reminiscent of Batman's appearance in the poster. With his back to the moonlight, Tang Miao cannot see his face, only his glowing eyes. They are green and resemble the wild wolves of the prairie at night.

The man turned his head. His face was clearly exposed to the moonlight

The Eastern Wasteland is adjacent to the Southern Edge Sea, not only situated in the lowest tier of the Northern Central Yuan Immortal Realm, but also the most desolate place in the Northern Region. Those with any means in the Immortal Realm have left this place to seek other locations for cultivation. The remaining individuals, although possessing immortal bodies, gradually perish due to their lack of spiritual roots. Over time, the Eastern Wasteland has become a deserted land. Those who violate the rules of the Immortal Realm in the Northern Region are often exiled here, left to fend for themselves.

She spent the entire day chewing on mint candies to stave off hunger and thirst, climbing up and down until she was utterly exhausted. A strong sense of hunger drove her to approach the bush. She hesitated for a moment, wondering what kind of fruit it was and whether it was poisonous. Wasn't everything she had encountered today extraordinary? It was already a miracle that she hadn't fallen to her death; dying of hunger would be even more regrettable! With a determined heart, Tang Miao reached out to pick the fruit.

The scorching sun flowed over the rocks, and Tang Miao, feeling the heat, took off the down jacket she had rented from the Golden Summit, wearing only a short-sleeved shirt and shorts as she checked her belongings. She rummaged through all the pockets of her clothes and found a bottle of mint candies, as well as over 500 yuan. Her backpack was nowhere to be found after the fall off the cliff

The shrubs stood quietly, while the sparse blades of grass in the crevices of the rocks gently swayed in the wind. Tang Miao heard the grass emit sounds of enjoyment and satisfaction, akin to the comfort one feels when stepping into an air-conditioned room after wilting under the scorching sun in the height of summer.

Tang Miao awkwardly retracted his hand

Tang Miao is considered bold among girls. While other girls are afraid of snakes and mice, she is not. While other girls fear walking alone at night and are scared of ghosts, she is also unafraid. However, Tang Miao is afraid of two things: heights and water

The cloud carrying Tang Miao headed straight for the Eastern Wilderness.

At that moment, a wisp of fragrance wafted past her nose. She turned her head and saw something peculiar. Not far from her side, a half-foot tall shrub was growing in the crevice of a rock. She had not noticed it during the day, but now this leafless shrub revealed its uniqueness compared to the others. Its bare branches shone silvery white under the moonlight, and three egg-sized fruits hung from the tips, emitting a beautiful luster akin to that of sapphires

Time gradually fades away, the sun is submerged in the vast colorful clouds. The rocks are cast in a deep reddish-brown hue, mysterious and desolate

The mountain she was on was also suspended in mid-air. However, beneath the mountain she was on, there was a vast expanse of gray-brown land. Yet, the red and blue down jacket shrank to the size of a pinhead and ultimately disappeared from her sight, and Tang Miao did not see any signs of it landing on the land.

In the Eastern Wilderness, there are ninety-nine desolate mountains and ninety-nine thousand miles of wasteland. She just happened to be sent to this stone mountain, which could be considered a connection with him. Was it really just a coincidence? Huang Yu felt a stir in her heart, hesitated for a moment, and said: "Perhaps there are others; in the past five years, I have only seen you. My name is Huang Yu"

Tang Miao looked at him, her mind gradually clearing. She thought in a panic, dressed and adorned like an ancient person, yet the place was so strange. Where on earth had she come to? She mustered her courage and asked hesitantly, "Is there anyone else in this place..."

She lay in a vast valley, surrounded by jagged rocks, with a flat area in the middle. There were no trees on the mountain, and a few patches of grass grew in the crevices of the rocks where there was occasional soil. In the slightly flatter area at the center of the valley, there were some brown thickets of brambles. Looking up, the mountain was very high, and the top was not visible. Looking out, the rocky cliffs obstructed her view.

Falling from over 3,000 meters high on the Golden Summit, not a scratch on her body, her arms and legs perfectly fine. The only one Tang Miao could thank was the Bodhisattva. She even superstitiously wondered if it was the rare Buddha light of Emei Mountain that had protected her

The cloud, diligently carrying Tang Miao, descended upon a desolate mountain in the Eastern Wilderness, having been enchanted by the Immortal Hall, and quietly dispersed.

During the summer vacation of her junior year, she and her university roommates planned to go to the Golden Summit of Mount Emei to watch the sunrise. The three wonders of the Golden Summit of Mount Emei are: the sea of clouds, the sunrise, and the Buddha's light. In order to see the sunrise, everyone got up at 3:30 AM and took the cable car to the summit. Upon arriving at the summit, it was only 4:30 AM, and Tang Miao sat by the cliff, leaning against the railing, dozing off. While she was in a daze, she was awakened by the cheers around her, and when she opened her eyes, she saw the Buddha's light appearing above the sea of clouds.

She stood on a white, misty mass, yet there was a force supporting her. Tang Miao suddenly crouched down, closed her eyes, and instinctively engaged in self-deception—she was still grounded. Then she extended her small, dimpled hand to feel around beneath her feet.

The man waved at the three Saint Lan fruits, and they floated gently down from the branches into his hands. He brought the fruits to his nose and took a deep sniff before biting into them.

When she was born, the fortune teller said that she lacked water in her destiny, so her parents named her Miao. Later, the family discovered that Tang Miao was not named for lacking water, but for fearing water. Tang Miao has quite developed athletic abilities. She once won first place in the girls' 3000-meter race at the school sports meet. However, she simply cannot swim. In a children's swimming pool with a depth of 0.8 meters, she could choke on water to the point of needing the lifeguard's assistance. In a shallow hot spring pool, her fingers would turn white from gripping the edge of the pool, yet she still dared not let go. In a children's swimming pool with a depth of 0.8 meters, she could choke on water to the point of needing the lifeguard's assistance. In a shallow hot spring pool, her fingers would turn white from gripping the edge of the pool, yet she still dared not let go

Her arms were sore, yet she still had not touched any physical object

This time she was relatively lucky; her hand touched the lovely ground. Tang Miao let out a moan from her throat, and she patted her head, wondering what had just happened. Was it a hallucination? A dream? She easily dismissed the experience from earlier as a dream she had, happily freeing herself from doubts and palpitations, and began to examine her surroundings.

She instinctively curled herself into a ball, resting her chin on her knees as she stared blankly outside. Apart from the sound of the passing wind, the surroundings were terrifyingly quiet. ... She could not deceive herself; let alone Mount Emei, there are no mountains floating in the air on Earth ... . ... Nor is there such a fantastical moon.

She calmly thought that she had probably fallen into the remote area beneath the She Shen Cliff. She rationally decided to first attempt to save herself, and then wait for rescue

However, her struggles were utterly futile, as the man effortlessly raised her hand and tapped on her clenched fist. The white jade ring that Yin Song had placed in her palm emerged. He glanced at it and said, "So it turns out to be a mere mortal who has just ascended to the celestial realm. Not a trace of spiritual power at all."

She smiled wryly, thinking that this place must be too strange, causing her thoughts to become peculiar as well. How could grass possibly have thoughts

Tang Miao, in disbelief, felt her legs go weak and sat down on the ground. She sat in a daze at the mountain top for a while before scrambling down the mountain. As she walked, feeling dizzy and out of breath, she helplessly released her grip on the down jacket she was holding, which floated down like a feather.

Who is he? How long has he been here? How long has he been secretly watching her? Why did he not speak when she shouted for help? Is he a good person or a bad person? Why was he able to simply wave his hand and take the fruit? Tang Miao's heart was filled with questions and fear

The sky gradually darkened, and a large, round bright moon rose abruptly from behind the mountain peaks. Tang Miao glanced at it and was momentarily stunned; she had only seen such a large moon in special effects in movies or in animated films, so close that it seemed she could reach out and touch it.

Huang Yu cast her a glance, equally astonished. Why was she still wearing mortal clothes upon arriving in the Immortal Realm? Did the two palace officials of the Northern Divine Palace think that she lacked spiritual power and a path to immortality, which is why they sent her to the Eastern Wasteland to fend for herself? Thus, they did not even provide her with a single immortal robe?

Apart from him, she has not even seen a single bird until now. Tang Miao absolutely did not want to be alone. Seeing him introduce himself, she thought there was an opportunity for conversation! She generously extended her hand and said: "My name is Tang Miao. I fell from the Golden Summit of Emei Mountain and ended up here. Since we are both in this desolate mountain, how about we become friends?"

She shouted until her voice became hoarse, yet no one responded to her. No matter how bold Tang Miao was, she was still frightened to tears. After crying for a while, Tang Miao began to space out and then threw a mint candy into her mouth. She sadly thought, would she really rely on this to prolong her life

The ground beneath her was as small as a sand table, the rivers as thin as lines, and the lakes like small mirrors. Tang Miao wondered, only by flying could one have such a perspective. She slapped herself hard, the stinging sensation completely jolting her awake. She jumped up and screamed, "Oh my, I'm still in mid-air!"

The mountain wind blows gently, and the visitor's long hair flows gracefully, with the cloak billowing. If it were not for the strangeness of the place, Tang Miao would have shouted out in excitement.

Tang Miao desperately wanted to find a lighter to start a fire. At night, it would protect her from wild animals and also help the rescue team locate her more quickly. However, she could not find one. The technique of making fire by friction is a skilled task, and she did not possess that ability

What is this place? Is it a dream that she is experiencing in mid-air? Tang Miao mechanically turned around and crawled up the mountain using her hands and feet. After much effort, she returned to the valley halfway up the mountain, collapsed on the ground, looked up at the sky, and cried out: "Is there anyone? Someone, please! Help!"

The heat of the day was dispelled by the mountain breeze of the night. Large rock formations cast shadows that resembled fierce wild beasts. Tang Miao sat curled up in the hollow of the rock, at a loss and bewildered.

She forced a smile, one that carried a deliberate attempt to please. Her demeanor was bold, yet her eyes revealed an unrelenting fear.

Speaking of acrophobia, she gets weak in the legs just walking on the suspended stairs of the second floor. At this moment, she suddenly realizes that she is standing on a cloud at an altitude of 10,000 meters. Not to mention that she is someone with a fear of heights; even a normal person would be scared silly.

It seemed that she hit something during her fall. The impact caused a dull pain in her chest, and she couldn't catch her breath. She didn't even have time to call out for her mother before she elegantly fainted.

The fairyland is further divided into three realms and nine levels. These are the Nine Extreme Heavens, the Upper Yuan Heaven, and the Middle Yuan Heaven, with each realm consisting of three levels. The Four Earthly Immortal Courts are all established in the Nine Extreme Heavens. In the nine levels of immortality, the higher one ascends, the denser the spiritual energy becomes, which is favored by cultivators. Conversely, the lower one descends, the more barren and desolate it becomes, rarely seeing human traces

The sudden sound of voices in the quiet desolate mountains was indeed more terrifying than silence itself. Tang Miao was so startled that her scalp tingled, her blood raced, and the veins beside her temples throbbed violently. It took her a while to regain her composure as she lifted her head to look in the direction from which the sound had come.

His voice sounded quite normal, and he appeared to be human... It seemed as though he was expressing friendliness towards her... Tang Miao finally regained her composure. She mustered her courage and, trembling, reached out to take it.

A faint sense of melancholy surged within Huang Yu, and she turned her head away

"Whatever! Surviving a great disaster surely brings future blessings!" Tang Miao clenched her fists and stood up excitedly. She cupped her hands around her mouth like a trumpet and shouted loudly: "Is anyone there! Help!"

That cloud is not a tangible object; the mist slips away from her ten fingers, and no matter how she reaches out, she only grasps a handful of air. Tang Miao was momentarily taken aback before she expanded the range of her search with both hands. In the end, she struck a desperate paddling pose, and from a distance, she resembled a duck squatting on a cloud

As the man walked down the rock while gnawing, Tang Miao gasped in shock. ... He ...! ... was actually floating down. ! Various terrifying stories related to ghosts and zombies flashed through Tang Miao's mind. Her legs trembled uncontrollably, and she wanted to scream but could not make a sound, momentarily frozen in place.

Recalling the events, Tang Miao clasped her hands together and recited: "Amitabha, may the Buddha's light protect us"

A man's indifferent voice suddenly sounded from above: "I have waited three years for the Saint Orchid fruit to ripen, expending all my spiritual energy to nurture it. What right do you have to pick the fruit when you have done nothing?"

The sensation of dizziness struck again, and Tang Miao's head became heavy. Instinctively, she turned around and leaned against the rock behind her, fearing that if she let go, she would tumble down.

Tang Miao had pinched herself countless times, each time causing her to frown in pain. She did not know where she had fallen, but she could be certain that she was not dreaming. She was still alive, her pulse was still beating, and now she felt weak in her legs, thirsty, and hungry.

The Buddha's light on Mount Emei had not appeared for many years. Tang Miao, a native of Chengdu, had visited Mount Emei countless times, yet this was the first time she had witnessed it. Stunned, she did not notice that she was leaning against the railing. The Golden Summit seemed to boil over, as excited tourists erupted like a pot, desperately squeezing to the edge of the cliff to take photos. There were too many people, and Tang Miao, pressed tightly against the railing, made several attempts to stand up but failed. She decided to nimbly squeeze out from the railing. Unfortunately, as she stood up while holding onto the railing, she caught sight of the bottomless cliff below, triggering her acrophobia. In fact, there was still some distance between the railing and the edge of the cliff, but when Tang Miao fainted, she turned into a rolling gourd, tumbling down the cliff.

Her voice echoed faintly and traveled far, with a distant echo still audible. Tang Miao waited for a while and called out a few more times, but there was not a single sound in the surroundings

The celestial realm is divided into four parts, each governed by the Northern Emperor, the Western Emperor, the Southern Sea Emperor, and the Eastern Supreme Emperor

He wore a long tunic in a purplish-red color, loosely tied with a belt of the same color. Over it, he draped a wide robe in dark green. It was evident that he had been wearing this outfit for a long time, as the hem of the garment was torn in several places, and the cuffs were also frayed. Despite wearing tattered clothing, he exuded an air of elegance and refinement.

Wild fruit! The aroma of this fruit lured Tang Miao into salivating.

He is probably in his early twenties, with a very thin face, slender eyebrows, and long eyes, his skin appearing somewhat pale. It is often said that single-lidded boys look innocent, yet he has a pair of deep green eyes, which immediately made Tang Miao exclaim inwardly that he is a prodigy.

Because there were no points of reference, Tang Miao did not realize that she was being carried swiftly by a cloud. As she stared at the azure sky, clear as glass, still not fully awake, the clouds around her suddenly thinned, and the scenery below abruptly came into view before Tang Miao's eyes

Isn't it a robbery? A professional magician? Tang Miao, emboldened, shouted at the man's back: "Hey, don't go! You tell me, what is going on? I can't understand what you are saying!"

The man did not respond, and finally, the last Saint Lan fruit was placed in her hand as he lowered his head and walked out of the valley.

His gaze swept over her outstretched arm outside. The slenderness of her arm and hand reminded him of the thousand strands vine in the rain from many years ago

A strong sense of fear pierced into Tang Miao's mind. Her heart raced wildly, and with each beat, she could feel the blood surging to her forehead

Standing at the top of the mountain, the chances of being discovered are higher. Tang Miao pondered for a moment and then headed towards the summit. The sun shone brightly, and Tang Miao felt that the temperature of the rocks was sufficient to fry an egg. She held her down jacket over her head as a makeshift umbrella, which alleviated her feeling of distress somewhat

When Tang Miao woke up again, she saw the clear blue sky once more, and her heart raced again, fearing that she would see herself floating in the air again

The bold Tang Miao decided to double-check whether there was an issue with her eyesight. She bravely opened her eyes a crack, took a quick glance, and the color drained from her face, leaving her pale as she fainted again

Tang Miao's mind finally returned to normal, and she recalled that prior to this, she was on the Golden Summit of Mount Emei

The desolate stone mountain illuminated by the moonlight is exceedingly beautiful. Large blocks of iron-blue rocks reflect the moonlight, emitting a silvery glow

After several hours, she finally reached the summit. The summit was vast, measuring at least the size of four football fields. Countless dark blue boulders were piled up, with not a blade of grass in sight. With no obstructions around, the view was exceptionally expansive. Tang Miao focused her gaze and nearly dropped her jaw: "My goodness, is this Avatar?!"

Her gaze fell upon a dozen or so peaks, all of which were the same iron-blue color, starkly devoid of any greenery. They resembled large chunks of coal, lifelessly floating in mid-air. Below the rocky mountains was an empty, white expanse that seemed bottomless, occasionally disturbed by thin wisps of mist being blown up from the valley below.

He disdainfully released her hand. Tang Miao looked at her palm in shock. The white jade ring appeared and disappeared in her palm like magic. She instinctively rubbed her palm and stammered, "What is this thing?"