Chapter 31: The Stone Forest

Following the resonance, Ji Ning and Su Youji advanced continuously.

That bugbeast had already stopped, which made Ji Ning feel increasingly uneasy. Although bugbeasts were generally stupid, those at the World level were strong enough that they couldn't be too foolish. It knew Ji Ning had a way to track it, so since it dared to stop, it must have considered this place 'safe'.

"Whoosh." "Whoosh."

Ji Ning and Su Youji moved through the spreading mist, sometimes treading on mountain ridges, sometimes darting through forests, sometimes following ravines. It took them nearly half an hour to finally reach their destination. Ji Ning had taken so long because he was advancing cautiously; after all, since the bugbeast had already stopped, there was no rush.

"It's just ahead." Ji Ning trod on uneven rocks and sent a mental message to Su Youji, who was in fiery red robes beside him.

"Let's go slowly." Ji Ning instructed via mental message.

He led the way, with Su Youji following close by.

The two advanced with increasing caution. Due to the mist, Ji Ning could only see a few hundred li ahead. As they drew closer, a terrifying aura emanated from afar, causing both Ji Ning and Su Youji's expressions to change.

"This place is...?" Ji Ning finally saw it.

A few hundred li away, under the faint mist, a massive boulder about a hundred zhang tall stood on the ground.

"The Stone Forest?" Su Youji's face changed. She sent a mental message, "Master, this seems to be the Stone Forest."

"Let's get a bit closer to see."

Ji Ning's heart tightened. They gradually approached, and soon, about ten li from the first boulder, another boulder of similar height jutted out of the ground.

On this boulder perched a flying beast with dark red wings, its fierce aura spreading out.

Frowning, Ji Ning continued circling forward. One boulder after another appeared in his view, each about a hundred zhang tall and embedded in the ground. Some boulders had terrifying bugbeasts coiled on them, while beside others lay various magic treasures and weapons, which also emitted powerful auras, most at the Dao weapon level.

"Master..." Su Youji was extremely nervous. This was the truly dangerous and fearsome 'Stone Forest' within the Mist Sea.

"Retreat." Ji Ning finally gave the order.

The two cautiously and quietly withdrew quickly, soon putting distance between them and the area.

...

In a forest, Ji Ning and Su Youji stopped.

"It actually hid in the Stone Forest." Ji Ning frowned.

"If only that World God Huqiao and Chaos Immortal Hujie hadn't delayed us at the critical moment, we would have caught up to that severely wounded bugbeast." Fire Fairy Su Youji was also anxious and angry. She knew very well that her master desperately wanted that sword-intent painting, but now it seemed he wouldn't get it.

Ji Ning was not in a good mood.

Earlier, killing World God Huqiao and Chaos Immortal Hujie had given Ji Ning a moment of satisfaction—after all, it was his first time killing World-level cultivators, and he had taken out two at once. But now, Ji Ning felt unwilling.

"They ruined my plans!" Ji Ning gritted his teeth.

"What to do? What should I do now?" Ji Ning pondered.

The Ten Thousand Mountains was the outermost region.

The Mist Sea was the inner region.

Within the Mist Sea were many dangerous places, and the 'Stone Forest' was definitely among the most perilous. According to the experiences of cultivators who had ventured here before, the Stone Forest covered an area of about ten thousand li, filled with massive boulders embedded in the ground.

For some unknown reason, these boulders attracted bugbeasts, so bugbeasts often rested in the Stone Forest. At any given time, there were dozens to over a hundred bugbeasts there, all at the World level. Since bugbeasts were generally unintelligent and didn't understand the mysteries of the Dao, relying only on their bodies and innate abilities, most were of average World-level strength; a few were top-tier World-level, and rarely, some could match a perfected World-level cultivator.

But the sheer numbers were overwhelming—typically around a hundred bugbeasts in the Stone Forest. Anyone who dared to enter would immediately be attacked by all the bugbeasts. Moreover, as time passed, more bugbeasts from other areas would come to reinforce, making it more dangerous the longer one stayed!

The Stone Forest was an absolute danger zone. Only those with peak World God strength had a chance to escape, and even then, if they encountered some especially monstrous bugbeasts, they might lose their lives!

"The Stone Forest is too dangerous." Su Youji looked at Ji Ning. "Master, according to the information we bought about the Ten Thousand Gods Residence, only peak World Gods have a chance to survive in the Stone Forest. If we go in, we'll surely die."

"Mm." Ji Ning nodded. "Indeed, we have no hope of entering."

"I knew that gray mist bugbeast would choose a troublesome place." Ji Ning racked his brains but couldn't think of a solution.

It was too dangerous.

Bugbeasts had a hobby of collecting treasures. Although they couldn't use them, they considered them trophies. Thus, the hundred or so terrifying bugbeasts in the Stone Forest had amassed a vast number of treasures, an astonishing fortune.

But no one dared to come.

Even peak World Gods only had a slim chance of escape; who would dare enter?

"It seems that after I break through and become a World-level cultivator, I might have a chance." Ji Ning thought to himself. He could already match a perfected World-level cultivator now; after breaking through, his strength would definitely increase significantly.

How much he would improve, Ji Ning wasn't sure. His greatest trump card was the 'Blueflower Space,' which had been immensely helpful. How much more help would it be after he became a World-level cultivator? He wouldn't know until he broke through.

"Let's go." Ji Ning spoke.

"Go?" Su Youji looked at him.

"Mm, we have to give up for now." Ji Ning turned to look in the direction of the Stone Forest. "The Stone Forest is beyond my ability to challenge now. Let's go elsewhere. Maybe after some time, that bugbeast will come out on its own."

Come out on its own? Ji Ning knew he was daydreaming. That gray mist bugbeast had nearly lost its life; it would probably hide in the Stone Forest for a long time, perhaps tens of thousands or even millions of years.

"Right, maybe it will come out again." Su Youji also hoped.

...

Time passed.

It had been over five months since killing World God Huqiao and Chaos Immortal Hujie. Inside the core area of the Ten Thousand Gods Residence, the 'Residence' itself.

"Whoosh whoosh whoosh~~~"

The majestic Residence was dazzling, emitting billions of zhang of light. Although the Dao Lord's relic occupied nearly half a chaos world, the Residence was so tall that it could be clearly seen from the edge of the relic.

This was an immensely vast Residence covering billions of li!

It was a death trap for life-and-death Dao Lords. No one dared to trespass!

"Just one last step."

"The final step."

In front of the towering Residence was a huge plaza, before which lay a staircase of 108,000 steps.

At that moment, two teams of cultivators were walking up the steps. One team consisted of four World-level cultivators, led by a thin, short youth in blood-red robes. This youth had blood-red hair and eyebrows, and his gaze was like an endless sea of blood.

He was an existence that inspired fear at first sight.

The blood-robed youth walked ahead, followed by three World Gods with powerful auras, who followed respectfully.

"Fu Kai! Hahaha, you only have two of your ten World-level servants left!" The blood-robed youth let out a piercing laugh. "I think you should just kill yourself and admit defeat."

"You?"

The other team was led by a youth in splendid gold robes, followed by two World-level cultivators with powerful auras.

The gold-robed youth sneered and glanced over. "A Luoyi, you only have three of your ten servants left. You're not much better off than me."

"At least I have one more than you. One more is an advantage." The blood-robed youth sneered, his gaze like an endless sea of blood filled with murderous intent. He made no secret of his desire to kill the gold-robed youth.

The two teams, one on the left and one on the right, continued walking up the steps.

Soon they finished the 108,000 steps and arrived at the enormous plaza.

Both teams looked up at the towering palace, so vast it was hard to see clearly with the naked eye.