Back atop the two wooden steps, beneath the small flat portico supported with two rotten wooden beams, Wu Tian gently knocked on the wooden door. From the small holes into it, not big enough to spy on much, warm air was wafting across his body, conflicting with the chilling night.

A creak later, the door was opened halfway, a very dark skinned man peeking out. "Yes?" His slightly widened eyes gave a clear idea to Wu Tian. He immediately cupped his fist, softly speaking. "Excuse me sir, could I enter your establishment? I don't mean any harm, what happened was uncalled for, but I had no real choice. I'm here with money." Slowly patting his pouch, it made quite a loud sound.

Glancing for a moment at the pouch filled with coins, the black man slowly nodded, opening the door fully as he gestured for him to enter. It may have been naïve, but Wu Tian knew this place to be more than a hideout for weak and frail people. As expected, once he stepped inside, drowned with a gentle heat from a fireplace far away, he was immediately scrutinized by multiple people in black suits. The dark skinned man who opened the door was not wearing such a suit, but still looked important with his black belt and fancy folded cuffs. He appeared weak minded, but did not hesitate when a customer began to ask for something.

Judging by the black suits all over the open house, vast and warm, the dark skinned man had indeed not opened the door without a guarantee. Wu Tian could feel some pressure from some of the staff members. I expected no less...

Why do I... Feeling his heartbeat growing stronger, Wu Tian began to sweat. The pressure of these staff members was not to be underestimated, however, none of them should be able to make him so nervous.

Dismissing the idea, Wu Tian went over to a counter and asked for something to write. A few drawings later, he was prepared to ask for some ingredients.

The night fully out, the wooden door opened gently. From it, a haggard Wu Tian walked out. His face was pale and his heart on the verge of exploding. Be it an ingredient or a piece of information, he was given none. Not because of a lack of something on his part.

Simply put, nobody truly knew how to help him.

He felt like his muscles had evaporated, weakness creeping onto him. Guizou did not look too happy either. Wu Tian had been feeling his lifespan draining constantly. This town was almost his last hope.

But after asking for directions, he realized himself to be in trouble. He thought this region to be full of settlements, towns, cities and the likes. But it could not be further from the truth.

Due to the nearby forest's expanding danger zone, many human settlements had been either razed to the ground or simply abandoned. Towns like these would not hold much. As for fortified ones, Wu Tian learned that the nearest one was quite far.

Counting in his head, it did not look too good. More importantly, he was unwilling to bet once more on something so uncertain.

Walking down the street, he absentmindedly questioned. "Master... is there a way for me to breakthrough faster? I... I don't think that attainting the Divine Realm will be possible..." No ingredients available for pills, no materials worthy of an array. Not even artifacts worth his time.

He was nearing his mid-thirties and would be unable to go past sixty for certain. Most likely, fifty would be his hard limit. To breakthrough, even with absurd skill, it would still take him a couple years per stage. That would be a minimum of twelve years for the Great Warrior level. As for the Star Realm, he was not sure.

As for the worst case scenario, it could very well take him thirty years and some more for the Great Warrior title. He began to doubt whether or not the Life Prolonging Pill could help him at this juncture. After all, each breakthrough would further decrease his lifespan as well.

"The next place is... far." Due to the icy cave's influence, finding another shop would be really troublesome. "Just ask the staff for one of their own. They must know, otherwise how would they receive and expediate merchandise?" At the mention from Guizou, Wu Tian turned his head toward the closed door. A frown later, remembering a similar situation in the past, he pushed it open.

A few glares and questioning looks later, he arrived back to the counter. A man in a black suit was surprised to see him again. "Yes?" Wu Tian did not spend time dilly dallying. "Can I get a map with the nearest shop that might have the ingredients I asked for earlier?"

The man scratched his cheek with a look of pity. "Unfortunately mister customer, this is a difficult task. I do know some of our shops, not all. As for the ingredients... the mushroom is very annoying. Though I believe a shop north-east of here might have one or two within ten years? The Cleansing Water Beads are unfortunately a seasonal thing for us. We only get one or more during spring if we're lucky. Generally, only high end shops of our groups might have more of them. The next shipment will arrive in a bit therefore. The Essence Sap is also troublesome. I don't recall a single shop having it either. And like I said earlier, we don't have anything in stock nor the means to receive any of these."

Shut back down as he expected. Bu this time, the man had let some more information slip by. This information was barebone and not worth much, but maybe it could put them in the right direction.

"Alright, thank you." Nodding at the man who humored him, Wu Tian exited the shop and then the town. He passed by the fresh corpses and ignored the tightly shut bindings.

Somewhat aimlessly walking around the Land, Wu Tian now only hoped for a bit of luck. Arriving back to the dark ominous forest, Wu Tian ignored the shattered Principles, brazenly adventure forward, hoping to cross it in its entirety.

Due to the miasma and overall size, another day passed by. The night sky was attempting to peek through the crowns above, but could only sparsely illuminate the leaves. But its light was not needed, a flaming mess of warmth embracing the world beneath. Wu Tian was casually seated, playing around with Qi. He was facing a campfire, warming his freezing flesh.

White ethereal threads interwove between his fingers, forming shapes and patterns. Playing around as he may, practicing Qi control would never betray him. Or so he thought since long ago.

Making Qi webs, he tried to make it stay afloat even after he moved.

Guizou was still in the pendant, yawning from time to time. He however did not slack on his training, cultivating his soul just as often.

The peace of midnight somewhat surprised Wu Tian. He had been left alone, possibly due to his previous endeavors in the area. He himself was also tired. Because of the panic he had not too long ago, he ended up missing some sleep.

Some crackling from the fire and a faint breeze to accompany it, Wu Tian felt his eyelids falling. Keeping his eyes open seemed much arduous than he remembered. The rustling of leaves became a melody to his ears. The dampness of the earth beneath a cushion for his tired flesh.

Guess I'll take a nap... Crossing his arms, he used a fallen trunk as support before slumping on it, his head resting.

Guizou took notice of it, mindlessly ignoring it.

Hours fleeting by, Wu Tian's eyelids twitched. Some of his vision recovering, the faint darkness of prior was being casted aside as he opened his sore eyes.

Yawning and stretching, he looked up and around, the fire long since extinguished. But daylight had yet to arrive. Still night? Wondering why he suddenly woke up, he blamed the uncomfortable and innocent trunk.

About to slump back, his heart suddenly erupted, forcing him awake. Adrenaline was coursing through his veins, the sudden spike in blood pressure birthing a migraine. Carefully looking around with newfound lucidity, he stealthily crawled to a nearby bush. It was thick and voluminous, perfect for hiding.

Still confused, he then heard passing sounds. Perking his ears, mostly picking up rustling, he caught onto something else.

"...s stu..."

"...al..."

"...wea..."

Two manly voices were spread around. They were not too far, but clearly not near either. After some time, he could make out some sort of conversation.

"...ut it... "

"...nt..."

"...d then..."

"...I... old he... ...r..."

"...that it was stupid, seriously..."

"I know right? You should've just asked for her senior at the sect. I think he's not too low on the ranking." A younger, softer and more elegant voice discussed with a rougher one, clearly remembering something unpleasant. "You think I didn't? But she just ignored me! I can't believe I wasted three years with her. She dumped me for that slithery bastard... I swear I'll punch his nose until its flat!"

The softer voice chuckled audibly, clearly very close to Wu Tian for it to be so sound. "I don't think you could. Aren't you only in the top three hundred? That guy was almost an inner disciple if I recall?" A few seconds later, Wu Tian saw two men walk a few meters in front of him. They suddenly stopped, having seen the campfire. The softer voice belonging to a man of pale blue hair reaching the back of his knees, it was heard again, with more surprise this time around. "Was there smoke on the way here?" The other man was a bit more burly with no facial hair and messy brown hair. Both wore brown colored robes with a pin near the heart. "No? I can't see shit in this damned forest anyway."

Pondering on the matter, they suspiciously looked around, but did not find anything. The thinner but taller man softly questioned. "Who would even camp in here? It's so chilly and depressing. By the way, isn't it something worth reporting about?" Seeing through his friend, the brown haired man nodded. "You're right, we need to report something, don't we?" It was their chance to get out of this creepy and nauseating forest. Their cultivations were very weak for the area, forcing upon them nefarious feelings.

"Then let's go back now. I heard that a wolf with three heads and twenty tails is lurking in this place... Huff! I definitely don't want to mess with that!"

With a newfound excuse to leave, they chatted away as they left. "Isn't that perfect too?"

"Right? We found a campfire clearly manmade when we searched for someone!"

Their voices fading, Wu Tian narrowed his eyes at the rest.

"...ho could even..."

"...ill two inner dis..."

Having understood some parts, Wu Tian only took a moment to put two and two together. They know about me!