Chapter 12: The First Stop – Black Horn Region

Gu Fei and Gu Xun'er were among the most talented youths of the Gu Clan, admired and pursued by many of their peers.

When news spread that Gu Fei was leaving, countless young women who admired him longed to follow, hoping to win his affection. If they could accompany him on his journey, perhaps they might even capture his heart.

For a time, many young women in the Gu Domain grew restless, their emotions in turmoil. No longer content with cultivation, they yearned to venture into the outside world.

However, when Gu Yuan, Gu Lie, and the other elders learned of this, their expressions darkened.

Naturally, they had been the first to notice Gu Fei and Xun'er's departure. Given their immense power, nothing within the Gu Domain could escape their notice.

The reason they had allowed Gu Fei to leave was simple—he possessed the strength to protect himself. But among the remaining members of the Gu Clan, none could match his power.

Fearing that these impulsive youths might meet with disaster outside, the elders firmly opposed their departure. Moreover, the Gu Clan had always believed that the Gu Domain, with its rich and abundant energy, provided everything they needed. There was no reason to seek fortune elsewhere.

A meeting was called in the grand hall, with Patriarch Gu Yuan presiding from the highest seat.

Unanimously, the elders rejected the idea of letting the younger generation wander beyond the Gu Domain. When the youths attempted to leave, several high-ranking officials intervened, stopping them in their tracks.

Soon after, Gu Yuan issued a formal decree—no one was permitted to leave the Gu Domain without authorization.

Thus, peace returned to the Gu Clan… though no one could say how long it would last.Meanwhile, on Gu Fei's Journey…

Gu Fei traveled through the spatial tunnels, the vast distance between the Eastern Region and the Northwestern Continent requiring months of continuous jumps.

The journey was neither smooth nor straightforward.

Unlike many cultivators, Gu Fei rarely flaunted his Dou Qi or used it to intimidate others. Since childhood, Gu Lie had taught him to conceal his strength, making it difficult for others to gauge his true power.

The same principle applied to Gu Lie himself.

Outwardly, he appeared to be an ordinary man, devoid of any detectable Dou Qi. Yet anyone foolish enough to attack him would live to regret it—if they lived at all.

Gu Lie firmly believed that no matter how strong one became, there would always be someone stronger. Though he stood at the pinnacle of the Gu Domain, he knew he was not invincible.

Concealing his strength was a lesson born from bitter experience.

In his youth, Gu Lie had been arrogant, convinced of his own invincibility. He never restrained his Dou Qi, never considering that a stronger opponent could easily discern his cultivation level.

Back then, his nemesis—though weaker—had called upon an ancestor from his clan for aid.

That ancestor appeared unremarkable, and Gu Lie, underestimating him, had attacked with overwhelming force.

Yet the ancestor had defeated him with a single move.

Though Gu Lie survived, the humiliation taught him the value of humility and restraint. From then on, he sought ways to suppress his Dou Qi, keeping it hidden within his body.

He later passed this technique to Gu Fei.

Gu Fei, sharp as ever, immediately grasped the concept.

Isn't this just playing the fool to catch the wise?

With that understanding, he diligently mastered the art of concealing his Dou Qi. Once learned, he never again revealed his full strength.

At times, even Gu Yuan and Gu Lie were fooled, genuinely believing his power had stagnated.

But Gu Fei's admirers thought otherwise.

Though weaker than him, they could still sense the fluctuations of his Dou Qi.

If his aura had once been like a crushing abyss, it was now a tranquil sea—calm on the surface, yet hiding unfathomable depths.

To them, this only proved that Gu Fei had grown even stronger, his power now beyond their perception.

Their admiration for him deepened.

Gu Fei, amused, basked in the modest emotional satisfaction their admiration brought.

Because Gu Fei concealed his strength and suppressed his Dou Qi fluctuations, he drew unwanted attention in the spatial tunnel.

His attire, though seemingly plain, was crafted from rare and precious materials. His cloud-patterned boots alone—made from the hide of a Cloud Beast—were a treasure beyond measure. Cloud Beasts were nearly extinct in the Northwestern Continent, and each one possessed terrifying power.

Yet here was a young man, appearing unremarkable in strength, flaunting such riches. To the desperate and ruthless lurking in the spatial tunnels, he was nothing more than a fat lamb wandering into a den of wolves.

These criminals cared little for background or consequences. If their prey seemed weak and carried valuables, they struck without hesitation.

For days, Gu Fei found no peace.

At any moment, a blade might flash from the darkness, or a hand lunge from the void, seeking to end his life and claim his treasures.

Gu Fei smirked.

Did they truly think he was an easy mark?

He showed no mercy.

One attacker fell. Then another.

Each time, the assailants charged in with bloodlust—only to flee in terror moments later.

None had expected such monstrous strength to dwell within this seemingly unassuming youth.

After a few brutal lessons, the tunnel fell silent. No one dared trouble him again.

Finally, Gu Fei could focus on his destination, his first destination was the infamous Black Horn Region.

His cultivation technique required the absorption of a Heavenly Flame, and he had set his sights on one in particular—Han Feng's Sea Heart Flame.

After two and a half months of travel, he arrived.

The Black Horn Region was a land of lawlessness, renowned across the Northwestern Continent for its brutality. Its unique geography made it a haven for the desperate—exiles, fugitives, and power-hungry renegades all gathered here, forging a society where only the strong survived.

There were no laws.

No justice.

Only the primal rule of the jungle—the weak were prey, and the strong did as they pleased.

If a man desired something, he took it. If he wished to kill, he killed. Even the most depraved acts went unchallenged—so long as the perpetrator had the strength to back their actions.

Of course, those who misjudged their targets often met gruesome ends.

In the Black Horn Region, women could be far deadlier than men. After all, those who survived here did so for a reason.

Beyond its infamy, the region was also a nexus of information. Countless secrets flowed in and out daily, traded like currency in the shadows.