The path to Ifre

Sheng Zhen whistled absentmindedly as the horsecart left the village behind, slowly moving towards the city. The shallow hills filled covered with forests surrounded the village and its fields of rice. These hills surrounded the village and fields in a perfect circle, the most optimal configuration for protective array formations. Earlier he used to believe it to be a mere coincidence, but now he was sure a cultivator of the Sheng clan laid an array here sometime in the past.

As the horsecart made way out from the singular trail leading out of the village, the image of the village behind him started to get foggy, before vanishing completely. All that was visible was the forests.

Sheng Zhen smiled, the bebufflement formation was working fine. No one who does not belong to the Sheng clan will find it difficult to reach the village, especially the Demonic Beasts.

Even if he used up nearly all his Spirits Stones to make it, it was well worth it. At least now he can leave with peace of mind.

The forest gave way to large swats of grass plains without a single tree for miles. The grassland stretched for miles and miles with nothing else growing in it.

"See the plains, nothing grows here, nothing except grass", Uncle Zihao pointed at the side, "People say that when the Beast tide comes, billions of wild beasts are killed here. All the blood that was spilled here cursed the land."

Sheng Zhen looked to the side, "Beast blood is not poisonous, at least not poisonous enough to curse land for thousand years."

Zihao just shrugged, "I just heard people in the city saying that, who knows what is the reason."

Sheng Zhen did not say anything more, opting to close his eyes and get a feel of the Essence Qi around him. Then he ran incomplete Eternal Scripture, pulling in a strand of Essence Qi from the world and analyzing it. He detected nothing unusual, 'No presence of poison Qi or anything like that in air, even Demonic Qi is barely present.'

But then why it seems like a cursed land?

"Uncle, how long till we reach the city?", he asked.

"Just a few hours more."

"Then I will be laying back to rest", Sheng Zhen faux yawned, "Just tell me if you get tired and want me to man the cart."

"Haha, don't worry Zhen'er, your uncle is no slouch."

"Just saying", Sheng Zhen smiled and laid back, leaning against the sacks of grains.

He has time right now to kill, and the barren plains intrigued him.

He summoned Sykword.

'Give me outstanding sources on the creation of cursed lands.', he mentally commands. Beside him, Uncle Zihao remains oblivious to everything.

Skyword briefly glows and splits into five books. Sheng Zhen absently reached for a thick tome bound in pale white leather before he stops himself.

'Is that...human skin?', suppressing the bile rising in his throat, he pulls back his hand and just mentally commands it to open.

The rest of the way, Sheng Zhen remained focused on reading.

Slowly, the cart crossed the endless seas of grass, and in few hours, a wall spanning the entire horizon came into view.

"We will reach soon", Zihao shouted, turning to pale-faced Sheng Zhen.

"Are you alright? You look a little pale"

"Ah..hmm I am fine", Sheng Zhen said absently, closing the book. The ways of Corpse Demons, a truly terrifying book; and a part of the inheritance of Corpse Demon, a truly terrifying existence that was once feared for his necrotic powers and arts. The vile arts and cultivation techniques written in it were as repulsive as they were terrifying.

Shaking his head, he banished the thoughts about creating elder lich abominations and cursed lands filled with death and undeath.

The traffic had started to appear around them, beasts of all sizes and shapes pulling carts or carrying people on their back. Some looked like horses, other large lizards. Sheng Zhen even spotted a large bluebird flying overhead, carrying few people in white robes on its back.

"That is an aerial beast, very expensive. In the entire city, only the city lord has one, a large flame eagle."

Soon they reached the large doors of the Ifre, wide enough to fit half his village through them. But instead of going through a wide door, Zihao turned right, following most of the traffic into a smaller door in mighty walls.

"That door is only for real cultivators, people from the sect and like...", Zihao explained, "Well folks like me go through here, pay a hefty tax, sometimes even butter the guards but we don't go through the main entrance."

"I am also a cultivator."

"Yes, but you are also just twelve, it would not be prudent to show everyone you have such a cultivation at your age."

Sheng Zhen nodded, he was not oblivious to this fact. His cultivation, even at just the peak of Foundation establishment, is beyond what most achieve in their entire life, much less at the age of twelve. Other cultivators would be quick to assume he might have some pearless artifact or some lucky encounter, and most would not hesitate to kill him to gain his secrets.

His goal here was to remain lowkey and learn alchemy, earn spirit stones, and get the Five Elements pill. He can easily hide his cultivation with concealment techniques but his age is going to be a problem, especially if he has to trade with Alchemist Hall.

After Zihao paid a silver coin to guards, their Horsecart was allowed in the city.