Qi Condensation reached the Master Realm—achieved!
The innate true qi in Jiang Xuan's body became even more condensed. As he circulated his cultivation method, a three-foot wall of dark purple Beiming true qi formed around him.
"That Sweeping Monk must also be at the Master Realm," someone murmured.
"No wonder it's called the Immortality Pill. Usually, the stronger the elixir, the harsher the conditions to take it. Like the Great Rejuvenation Pill in martial worlds—ordinary people would likely explode if they took it. But this immortality pill allows life energy to be stored inside the body for later refinement. Truly miraculous."
The overwhelming vitality qi pushed Jiang Xuan into the Master Realm, yet this was only the slightest fraction of the divine fruit's power.
To fully refine all the energy contained within the divine fruit required a long time and a far deeper cultivation level, so that the essence stored in the body could be transformed into cultivation strength.
Even so, this mere trickle of energy had already elevated Jiang Xuan to the Master Realm, a level sought after by countless martial artists in the Heavenly Dragon world.
Jiang Xuan ate three of the divine fruits, keeping one in reserve for emergencies.
"Ye Zi, it's confirmed. Brother Jiang might really be the descendant of an ancient martial clan, or maybe even from the Dragon Sect?" someone whispered.
Ye Fan and Pang Bo had also eaten the divine fruits, but aside from a removal of fatigue, they hadn't sensed anything particularly special.
Meanwhile, Jiang Xuan sat quietly with his eyes closed, his hands weaving hand seals continuously over his dantian. The purple three-foot qi wall enveloped his entire body, radiating awe.
"Jiang Xuan has always been mysterious since university. Maybe he really is what you say," Ye Fan remarked.
This seemed to be a cultivation method, but it was Jiang Xuan's private technique, so Ye Fan didn't dare ask further.
"It looks just like the qi walls in TV dramas—so cool!" Pang Bo commented, without any ill intent.
All of them had come from Earth, far from home, and Jiang Xuan was the strongest in their small group. The stronger he was, the better it would be for them.
Jiang Xuan finished circulating his qi and slowly opened his eyes, true qi retracting into his body.
The three-foot qi wall was only one characteristic of the Master Realm. Moreover, as he circulated his true qi, his consciousness sank inward, even able to see his internal organs clearly.
Using the Lingbo Micro-Step technique, he moved swiftly and was already a hundred meters away.
His overall strength had improved—though he hadn't tested his true qi in attack yet, he knew a single blast of his qi could pierce through three elephants.
Now at the Master Realm, Jiang Xuan felt confident he could fight a cultivator at the Sea of Bitterness Realm. With the copper furnace inside his treasure mirror, he might even challenge the Life Spring.
He slowly exhaled a breath of turbid air.
"I once had the chance to obtain some cultivation methods. Once things settle down, I can teach you both," Jiang Xuan said with a smile, seeing their curious and admiring looks.
The three prepared to return. Before leaving, they drank deeply from the spring water to their fill. Jiang Xuan also took out bottled mineral water, storing a few bottles in the space within his treasure mirror.
...
On the return journey, many students paired up to solve their food problems. When climbing Mount Tai, they had prepared some snacks and water. Although it wasn't enough to fill their stomachs, it eased their hunger.
After alleviating their hunger, they discussed which exit to take and unanimously chose one direction.
Thus, the entire group set off.
Everyone was cautious on the way down the mountain, watching their surroundings carefully, fearing a wild beast might suddenly appear.
They had no idea how long they had been walking. Not a single ant or beast appeared, and the group gradually relaxed.
The distance between the mountains was vast. When night fell and the path became unclear, the exhausted group had no choice but to rest where they were.
The night in the forest was eerily silent and terrifying. Everyone huddled together, hoping to draw security from one another.
Jiang Xuan wasn't nervous, though. Sitting cross-legged, he meditated instead of sleeping, contemplating the martial arts he had learned over the years.
As for the countless magical treasures and Dao patterns inscribed in his treasure mirror, he wanted to comprehend them, but at his current level, it was like reading a celestial script—completely incomprehensible.
No doubt, someone would lead them out of this Ancient Forbidden Land tomorrow.
Time slowly passed. Jiang Xuan remained in cultivation, reaching a state of unity between heaven and man.
After a whole night of practice, he felt refreshed. His cultivation hadn't increased much, since reaching the Master Realm made progress more difficult, requiring persistent daily effort.
The Master Realm's strength was enough to help him through the initial difficult period in the Beidou Star Domain.
The rising morning sun cast a ray of light, making Jiang Xuan seem even more extraordinary.
Several female students who had just woken up secretly glanced at Jiang Xuan, regretting they hadn't interacted with him more in university.
"Let's go," Jiang Xuan said.
"Let's move."
The group gathered their gear and continued onward.
By noon, the trees began to thin, revealing a wide open area ahead.
Birds flew past, cicadas chirped, and butterflies fluttered.
"We're finally out."
"Look, there's a deer!"
Everyone's mood lifted, the long-suppressed tension eased.
"Be careful!" someone suddenly warned.
At that moment, a flash of purple light streaked by, followed by the heavy thud of a falling object.
A headless, white-foreheaded tiger landed beside a student. The tiger's head rolled away while its body remained in attack posture, blood gushing from its severed neck.
"Jiang Xuan, thank… thank you!" the student was drenched in cold sweat.
If Jiang Xuan had acted a second later, he would have been instantly killed by the giant tiger.
Everyone realized Jiang Xuan held no Buddhist treasures at the moment. Besides, the Buddhist treasures had lost their power when absorbed by the giant coffin at the Great Thunder Sound Temple.
"Maybe this student began cultivating back on Earth," someone guessed, recalling Jiang Xuan's many mysterious feats, their excitement for his future cultivation path growing.
"We must have left the boundaries of the Forbidden Land. Everyone, stay alert and observe your surroundings," Jiang Xuan said.
The group continued onward.
"I feel awful… my body's burning up!"
At that moment, a female student suddenly cried out.
"Me too! It's so painful!"
"Ah, I can't take this!"
One after another, people began feeling strange sensations—redness spreading across their skin, their bodies burning hot as if their blood was aflame.
Everyone sensed something was terribly wrong. Some rolled on the ground, trying to ease the pain, but it was useless. Eventually, everyone except Jiang Xuan collapsed into unconsciousness from the unbearable agony.
Jiang Xuan remained awake, but the pain didn't lessen—if anything, being fully conscious made it even more intense.
After an unknown length of time, the dull, knife-like pain slowly receded like a retreating tide.
Jiang Xuan felt his body's age revert to that of a fifteen- or sixteen-year-old—full of youthful vigor and boundless energy.
He glanced at Ye Fan and Pang Bo, who looked like boys of twelve or thirteen.
Liuyiyi, who had eaten only one divine fruit, appeared to be in her thirties, shedding youthful awkwardness and gaining a mature charm.
The others, however, looked as if they had aged fifty or sixty years, appearing frail and withered.
Decades of lifespan had passed in the blink of an eye.
Ye Fan and Pang Bo gradually woke and were stunned by their current states. When they saw the others, they were even more shocked.
"Brother Jiang, what's going on?" Pang Bo asked, bewildered.
"It should be the Ancient Forbidden Land. There might be a power there that strips away one's life essence. Since we ate that unknown fruit…" Jiang Xuan didn't continue.
Ye Fan and Pang Bo understood immediately.
All three had eaten the mysterious fruit, which not only resisted the Forbidden Land's power but even caused a reverse aging effect—restoring their youth.
One by one, the others woke as well, only to find themselves transformed into the elderly, walking with trembling steps, swaying unsteadily in the wind, and wailing in despair.
Li Xiaoman and Lin Jia, renowned for their beauty, were especially devastated to see themselves as old women. Their once-proud figures had withered and hunched over; they wanted nothing more than to bang their heads on the ground—it was worse than death.
"Don't come near me! Stay away!"
Seeing Ye Fan look at her, Li Xiaoman screamed and covered her face with her hands.
"Why didn't you guys get old?"
Wang Yan shrieked, pointing at Pang Bo.
The crowd turned to look at Jiang Xuan and the others.
"Oh, Granny Wang, don't get so excited. If you fall, that won't be good," Pang Bo replied, clearly not indulging her.
"What exactly happened? Why did you get younger while we grew old? How can we change back?"
Li Xiaoman stopped crying, her voice almost pleading.
"We picked some fruit. That might be the reason," Ye Fan said.
For a moment, no one knew what to do.
Just then, a streak of rainbow light flew from afar and in the blink of an eye landed before Jiang Xuan and the others.
As the light dispersed, a graceful figure appeared.
A girl in blue, like an elf beneath the night moon—ethereal and otherworldly, radiating both spirit and beauty.
Her long dark hair cascaded like a waterfall down her back, lightly dancing in the breeze, with a single strand drifting over her chest. Her face was flawless as jade, her figure slender and curvaceous, dressed in a flowing pale blue gown. Her legs were straight and elegant, resembling a fairy untouched by the mortal world.
This woman, clearly not of the human realm, looked at everyone with curiosity. When her gaze fell on Jiang Xuan, a spark of surprise flashed in her eyes—astonished that among this group was such an extraordinary youth.
She spoke calmly and softly.
Not in the Huaxia language, yet everyone understood her perfectly. Though different, her language was similar enough that the sentences made sense.
"Have you entered the Ancient Forbidden Land?"