Chapter 741: Taian County, A Big Incident

The scope of Wanggu Continent is astonishing. During the Ancient Emperor period, it was recorded that there were a total of 36,075 Great Domains. However, after experiencing numerous catastrophes, crustal shifts, and redivisions among various races, the exact number of domains remaining today is unknown.

Some races estimate that about 30% of Wanggu's Great Domains have already become dead zones, with native life completely extinct. Of the five publicly known Divine Domain races on Wanggu Continent, three are located within these dead zones.

Despite this, even the domains that are not dead zones are incredibly vast, making them places that many cultivators find difficult to traverse completely in their lifetimes. Only with the aid of super-transmissions can a limited number of individuals travel across domains.

However, these domain-level super-transmissions are often difficult to open between different Great Domains due to the established territories of various races. Furthermore, for various reasons, many Great Domains belonging to different racial groups cannot even construct such massive formations. Only within the same race can these be built and used more smoothly.

Therefore, travel within the Great Domains of the same race is relatively smooth. However, for different races attempting such cross-domain travel, it becomes exceedingly difficult.

Yet, relying on their past advantages, humanity has managed to preserve an ancient path that spans multiple Great Domains, connecting Saint Lan and the Imperial Capital. This path still qualifies as a super-transmission route today.

The next stop after Saint Lan Great Domain is the Odon Great Domain.

This name has existed unchanged since the Xuan-You Ancient Emperor era, and it even seems to have existed in more ancient times. There are many theories regarding its origin. One widely circulated theory suggests it's the name of a Heavenly Dao. It is said that Wanggu Continent once had a Heavenly Dao being who sacrificed himself to attain Dao and protect Wanggu. Odon was his name, and this Great Domain was his homeland. However, it is now controlled by three major clans. Each of these three clans considers themselves descendants of Odon and has many affiliated groups. They have been at war for years, viewing each other as outsiders.

Consequently, the continuous warfare has made life difficult for the people, with everything withering. All races can only suppress their struggles and barely survive. It is only because of this situation that humanity's Tai An County has found a respite in the cracks, but at the cost of paying tribute to each of the three major clans.

This is because the three clans possess domain treasures. These domain treasures, however, have flaws; they require bloodline sacrifices to activate, and their authority is divided into three parts, with each clan holding one. Their power is primarily defensive, capable of suppressing everything within Odon Great Domain, but they cannot easily extend their influence to external domains. Regarding the need to pay tribute, the Imperial Capital Great Domain did not explicitly issue an order due to maintaining face, but successive Tai An County governors have always known about it. For Tai An County to survive there, they naturally had to yield.

However, this phenomenon changed after the eruption of humanity's Sun of Dawn.

Humanity's newfound assertiveness was clearly evident in the outer flying lands. Now, Tai An no longer pays the so-called tribute, and the three major clans have tacitly accepted this.

At this moment, within Tai An's Ningyang Prefecture, the previously pitch-black night sky was instantly illuminated by the brilliant light of a formation, turning night into day. The entire area was brightly lit, visible from all directions. From afar, Tai An County was on high alert, with each cultivator gravely observing the formation.

They were not entirely unfamiliar with Fenghai, nor were they particularly well-acquainted, but events in Fenghai had now spread throughout Wanggu like a storm. Therefore, they were particularly concerned about this transmission from Fenghai County.

Now, as light surged like a tide, Li Yunsheng appeared within the formation with 30,000 Sword Holders. The moment they materialized, they experienced varying degrees of eye discomfort, some strong, some weak, but most managed to control it well. Under Li Yunshan's command, they fanned out, forming a military formation, checking their surroundings and guarding all blind spots until confirming it was safe. Zi Xuan, Ning Yan, and others arrived in the second transmission, with Xu Qing being the last to appear.

As soon as they arrived, a dry wind swept over them. For Xu Qing, whether it was Southern Phoenix Continent, Fenghai County, or Saint Lan Great Domain, they were all coastal, and even Sacrifice Moon was generally cold and damp. Having grown accustomed to humid climates, he felt the dryness of this inland Tai An County quite distinctly. As for the discomfort typically caused by super-transmissions, Xu Qing experienced none. His divine body disregarded such effects.

"Tai An!" the Captain exclaimed, spreading his arms as if embracing the void beside Xu Qing. "What a great name! Little Ah Qing, what do you say we rename the Bitter Life Mountain Range to Tai Niu? I think the character 'Tai' sounds more mighty and enduring!" Watching the Captain's spirited demeanor, Xu Qing thoughtfully considered it. "We can try it!"

Hearing this, the Captain's face lit up with a happy smile. Ning Yan, standing nearby, also nodded eagerly and even patted his chest. "Captain, no problem! If I ever gain more power, every Great Domain will have the character 'Niu' in its name." The Captain's eyes gleamed with interest, and he pulled Ning Yan aside to discuss the details.

Xu Qing did not join the discussion. He looked up at the night sky; the moon in this domain was different from that of Saint Lan Great Domain. It was very distant and not round, but triangular, like a heavenly mountain. The light it emitted was bluish, casting a similar blue hue on the ground. This was the third moon Xu Qing had seen. After gazing for a moment, he withdrew his gaze and looked towards the distance, observing the Tai An County human cultivators present. He could sense their vigilance. Fortunately, Li Yunshan had already flown over and was currently establishing contact and communicating with them.

As for Zi Xuan, ever since she arrived via transmission, she had been looking down at the formation beneath their feet, her expression quite peculiar. Now, she walked up to Xu Qing and spoke softly. "Xu Qing, there's something not quite right about this transmission array."

In the moonlight, with the faint glow of the formation, Zi Xuan, dressed in a long white gown beside Xu Qing, appeared like a celestial maiden. Her skin was whiter than snow, her beauty unparalleled. Her clothes danced with the wind, and her wide sleeves billowed. Her clear eyes, like autumn pools, and her delicate, white-as-jade face, with a faint glow, made her exceptionally striking amidst the crowd.

Hearing her words, Xu Qing looked down at the formation. His shadow expanded in the moonlight, and at that moment, emotional fluctuations from Little Shadow were transmitted: "Humans, so tired... living..."

A faint glimmer flickered in Xu Qing's eyes. Li Yunshan's figure flew back from among the distant Tai An County cultivators, quickly arriving in front of Xu Qing. His expression was solemn as he spoke in a low voice, "Xu Qing, I'm afraid we'll have to stay here for a while." "Is it related to the formation here?" Xu Qing asked.

Li Yunshan glanced at Xu Qing and nodded. "There are some things we didn't know about in Fenghai County, secrets specific to Tai An County. This ancient transmission array is one of them. For us to reopen it and leave, it requires a certain arrangement and preparation, about seven days in total." "However, in three days, this array will undergo a transformation, and it will take half a month to recover."

"It... is alive," Zi Xuan suddenly spoke.

Her voice immediately caught the attention of the Captain, Ning Yan, and Wu Jianwu. Kong Xianglong, too, looked surprised and peered down at the formation beneath their feet. But no matter how they looked, it was just a formation. The Captain, however, had a glint in his eyes. He even squatted down and touched it, his face filled with curiosity.

Li Yunshan also took a deep breath. He had been equally shocked when he heard about this from Tai An County just now and spoke in a low voice. "According to Tai An County, this ancient transmission array once experienced a partial awakening years ago, but strangely, it didn't form a forbidden zone." "However, long after that, this ancient transmission array developed its own consciousness, becoming infected and animated. To be precise, it came alive!" "Every half a month, it transforms from its array state into a beast-like entity, roaming the lands of Tai An County. Wherever it passes, people are randomly teleported, though the range does not exceed the county. This animated array also has a childlike disposition with little malice, so the local people mostly treat it as a natural weather phenomenon." "There are also benefits: during the half-month it 'sleeps' after being animated, any transmissions require no cost, so the county hasn't bothered to deal with it." "Therefore, we might have to wait like this for half a month before we can transmit again!" Li Yunshan finished, looking at Xu Qing.

Xu Qing pondered, then discussed the matter with Zi Xuan, the Captain, Li Yunshan, and the others. They ultimately decided to temporarily stay here and transmit after the formation's animation period passed.

They did not go too far, setting up camp about a hundred miles from the ancient array. Tai An County cultivators maintained their distance from Xu Qing and his group, remaining vigilant throughout. In fact, it wasn't just these Tai An cultivators who were vigilant; all forces and races within Tai An County, even those some distance away, were similarly on high alert. All clans strictly warned their members not to approach Ningyang Prefecture during this period.

Xu Qing and his group did not disturb the county. After setting up camp, Xu Qing closed his eyes, as did most of the others. Only the Captain was unusual; he occasionally went out to curiously observe the ancient transmission array in the distance.

Three nights later, a deafening roar erupted from the ancient transmission array, causing the sky and earth to tremble. Xu Qing opened his eyes and walked out of his tent. Zi Xuan, Ning Yan, Li Yunshan, Kong Xianglong, and others also emerged one after another to gaze at it. Gradually, their expressions became strange.

The massive transmission array emitted a deep blue light, and at that moment, the moon dimmed, as if all its light was being absorbed by the ancient array. Under this light, individual blue hairs grew from the formation, becoming more numerous and densely packed. Finally, amidst the resounding roar, the ancient array lifted from the ground, causing the earth to tremble even more and the sky to darken. The ancient array floated in mid-air. Its flat appearance, with swaying hairs, did not look fierce; it resembled a round, hairy pancake. And as two large eyes opened on its surface, it surprisingly gave off an impression of cuteness.

It emitted a joyful sound and whistled into the distance. Birds in the sky scattered in a flurry, but many were too late. The birds covered by the hairy pancake were teleported, their whereabouts unknown. And it, seemingly even happier, swayed again and continued further away!

"The world is vast and full of wonders!" Li Yunshan exclaimed. Zi Xuan, with a trace of recollection in her eyes, watched the distant hairy pancake thoughtfully.

Xu Qing's heart also stirred. As he grew and gained more experience, he had witnessed too many mysteries and oddities of Wanggu Continent, each time different from the last. Wanggu Continent had only shown the tip of its iceberg. While everyone else was astonished by this sight, only the Captain licked his lips, his eyes gleaming with fervor. "This thing seems like a treasure. For me to see it... it must be destined for me!"