For two days now, Kai, the child Lu Bu, and the menagerie of spirit beasts had traveled north, moving steadily through the rugged wilderness. They stopped only when necessary—to rest at night, to scavenge for food, or to let the weaker beasts recover their strength. In that time, Lu Bu had grown slightly more comfortable around the spirit beasts, though his trust was fragile, earned only through Kai’s constant reassurances.

  "They won’t hurt you," Kai had told him more than once. "They follow my lead. As long as you’re with me, you’re safe."

  But the memory of the giant boar’s attack still haunted Lu Bu, its tusks gleaming, its breath hot and rancid as it had lunged for him through the tree he had been hiding in. So even now, though he no longer flinched at every rustle of fur or flick of a tail, he clung close to Kai, his small hands gripping the cultivator’s robes like a lifeline.

  The terrain grew rougher as they pressed onward—jagged rocks, steep inclines, and patches of loose gravel that made walking treacherous. The larger spirit beasts, like the quake buffalo Ning, carried the smaller ones who struggled with the uneven ground. It was an unspoken system of cooperation, one that made their journey smoother than it would have been otherwise.

  Still, Lu Bu refused to ride any of them. So Kai carried him, the boy’s weight negligible against his cultivator’s physique. He barely noticed the burden—just the faint warmth against his back, the occasional tug of tiny fingers adjusting their grip.

  As they traveled, Kai felt the qi in the air declining further, the energy growing sparse and brittle. It was like breathing in a place where the air itself was thin. The sensation was unmistakable.

  We’re close, Kai realized. The spiritual wasteland of Zan isn’t far now.

  Zan, a place where cultivation withered like a plant starved of sunlight. They were close now.

  Eventually, the traveling troupe of spirit beasts reached the end of the mountain range, halting at the edge of a sheer cliff that overlooked a vast vista. Below them, the land stretched endlessly—a thick, emerald forest blanketed the base of the mountains, while a mighty river carved through the terrain like a silver serpent, its waters glinting under the sun. Beyond it lay an expanse of lush grassland, swaying gently in the breeze, alive with the distant calls of birds and the rustling of unseen creatures.

  To an ordinary eye, the land would have seemed vibrant, thriving—a paradise untouched by blight. But to a cultivator like Kai, it was something else entirely.

  The moment he stepped forward, the absence struck him like a physical blow. The ambient qi—the vital energy that suffused the world, the very breath of cultivation—was nearly nonexistent. He strained his senses, reaching out with his spiritual awareness, but only the faintest trickle of energy brushed against his perception. It was stifling, like standing in a sealed room after a lifetime of breathing open air.

  A bitter chuckle escaped him. He had thought the Liuhe region lacked ambient qi. But now, compared to this? Liuhe might as well have been a sacred grove.

  The spirit beasts around him shifted uneasily, their instincts bristling at the unnatural stillness. A few let out low, uncertain growls, their eyes darting across the landscape as if searching for something they could not find. Yet despite their unease, none turned back. Their trust in Kai held firm.

  You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.

  Zan—the Spiritual Wasteland. The name had conjured images of cracked earth and lifeless rock, a mirror of the Demonic Lands where only the hardiest could survive. But this… this was different. The land itself was alive, teeming with mortal vitality. Trees grew tall, rivers ran clear, and beasts without a trace of spiritual awareness roamed freely. It was only the qi that was missing—as if the heavens themselves had siphoned it away.

  Kai exhaled slowly, forcing down the creeping doubt. At least they wouldn’t starve. At least there was water, shelter, game.

  A small hand tugged at his sleeve.

  Lu Bu, the mortal child they had temporarily taken in, stared out at the landscape with wide, awestruck eyes. His cheeks were flushed with excitement, his breath quick with wonder. To him, this was not a wasteland—it was a grand new world, vast and unexplored.

  "Wow! Are we in Zan now?" Lu Bu asked, voice bright with innocence.

  Kai looked down at him, then back at the horizon. The weight of their journey settled upon him, but he managed a faint smile. "I believe so," he replied.

  “I thought it would look more strange,” Lu Bu said.

  “Yeah, me as well,” Kai replied, his voice barely above a whisper.

  He continued to gaze out over the vast expanse of land, his eyes scanning the horizon. Thanks to the enhanced vision granted by his cultivation, he spotted something intriguing in the distance—a mortal city nestled near the river, its buildings glinting in the sunlight like jewels scattered across the landscape.

  I think I've found my first destination in Zan, Kai mused, a sense of excitement bubbling within him.

  With a swift motion, he hoisted Lu Bu onto his shoulders. The sudden shift caught Lu Bu off guard, and a flicker of nervousness crossed his face.

  “Be sure to hold on tight, okay?” Kai instructed, his tone light but firm.

  “Um, okay. But where are we—Ahhhh!” Lu Bu's words were cut short as Kai leaped off the edge of the high cliff, the wind rushing past them in a wild embrace. Behind them, a menagerie of spirit beasts followed suit, their various forms soaring through the air with excited energy.

  As they plummeted, Kai felt the thrill of the descent coursing through him. The world below rushed up to meet them, and he could hear the distant roar of the river, a symphony of nature that harmonized with the exhilaration of their flight.

  A surge of excitement welled up within Kai, a feeling he hadn’t experienced in what felt like an eternity. Despite the chaos and uncertainty that had surrounded him, he finally felt free. The burdens of the cultivation world—the endless political maneuvering, the backstabbing betrayals, the constant stream of insults and slights—were all behind him now.

  I’m free from it all, he thought, a smile breaking across his face as the wind whipped through his hair.

  His heart raced with the thrill of liberation, and for the first time in years, he could envision a future untainted by the machinations of others. His only concern now was finding a sanctuary in Zan, a hidden place where he could carve out a peaceful existence alongside his beloved family of spirit beasts.

  He imagined a tranquil glade, surrounded by lush greenery and the gentle sounds of nature, where he could spend his days with his beast companions, exploring the mysteries of the land, and simply enjoying the beauty of life without the weight of expectations pressing down on him.

  No more battles, no more schemes, he thought, his resolve strengthening. Just me and my spirit beast family, living in harmony.

  “Trust me!” he shouted over the rush of wind, a grin spreading across his face. “This is just the beginning!”

  Lu Bu clung tightly, his heart racing, a mix of fear and exhilaration flooding his senses. The spirit beasts, sensing their master’s excitement, let out a chorus of roars and cries, adding to the wild atmosphere of their daring leap into the unknown.

  (Author Notes: If I was doing proper story Arc’s this would probably be the start of the Zan arc ??)