Reborn Medicine King

"To the esteemed ones, I was born in this city and will likely spend my whole life here. The other city is just too far, and the journey is dangerous with wild animals. I wouldn't dare move there."    

Wan Chengfeng asked, "Are there any particularly powerful beasts?"    

The guard thought for a moment, then replied, "I'm not sure if it counts as powerful, but there are tigers and other fierce animals in the woods outside the city. I've heard that in the northern plains, there used to be a monster, and no one who went there ever came back. It seems like they all perished."    

Fang Xiang communicated to Wan Chengfeng, "Why are you asking this?"    

"They can't cultivate because of their environment, but that doesn't mean they lack potential. The same goes for beasts. If a holy beast were to emerge here, how strong do you think it would be?"    

Fang Xiang's eyes lit up, realizing Wan Chengfeng had thought further ahead.    

"That makes sense!"    

He directly asked, "Among the beasts or monsters you mentioned, are there any that have lived for a very long time?"    

The guard pondered, "The tigers and leopards don't seem to live that long, but the monster in the northern plains is said to have been around for ages. However, it's not a place we can go, and the city lord forbids us from going there. So, I'm not really sure what it's like. But when you meet the city lord, you can ask him directly."    

The townspeople were busy with their tasks, but as the three passed by, they glanced over with curiosity, clearly intrigued by the strangers.    

Jiang Fann and his companions didn't say much as they followed the guard to the City Lord's Mansion. The elder they had met before was already at the door to greet them. Seeing the three of them pass through the barrier that had previously stopped them, he was visibly excited. He and his entourage immediately knelt before the trio.    

"Welcome, esteemed guests!"    

Jiang Fann used his spiritual strength to lift them to their feet, astonishing everyone, as it was their first time witnessing such a feat.    

"No need for formalities, sir."    

The elder quickly responded, "I've already arranged for food and drink. Please, come in."    

Following the elder to the reception hall, they exchanged a few pleasantries before Wan Chengfeng suggested they look at the city's ancient collection of books. The elder agreed without hesitation and went to retrieve them himself, leaving Jiang Fann and his friends to relax for a moment.    

Surveying the building, Jiang Fann remarked to the others, "This house is equipped with formations, and there are quite a few spiritual stones embedded in the walls. It seems it was originally built by practitioners. Unfortunately, without spiritual energy here, none of it functions. Some of the stones still have energy, but without training, they can't harness it."    

Wan Chengfeng added, "Later, let's ask the City Lord about the northern region the guard mentioned. There might be something valuable there."    

The elder soon returned with several people carrying a dozen books, which they placed on the table in front of Wan Chengfeng.    

The elderly man spoke, "Our ancestors' skills were truly remarkable. These books have remained unchanged and undamaged over the years. It's just a shame that there are no words on the pages. Maybe we're just too dull to understand our ancestors' intentions."    

Wan Chengfeng took the book in his hands and applied his spiritual strength to it, using a technique he had learned before. The book began to emit a faint glow, which took the old man by surprise. He clearly hadn't expected such a transformation.    

"Truly, the work of the divine! A miracle!" he exclaimed, dropping to his knees before Wan Chengfeng and bowing repeatedly with deep reverence.    

Meanwhile, Jiang Fann and Fang Xiang had joined Wan Chengfeng. Fang Xiang was about to examine the books when Wan Chengfeng spoke up.    

"Don't waste your energy. I'll tell you what it says in a bit."    

Wan Chengfeng studied the book intently, flipping through the pages with a furrowed brow, remaining silent. Jiang Fann and Fang Xiang sensed he had discovered something but chose not to press him.    

They helped the old city lord to his feet. Jiang Fann channeled a thread of natural aura into the old man, who looked astonished at first but then broke into a smile. He felt lighter and more invigorated, no longer burdened by fatigue, and full of vitality.    

"Master! This is..."    

Jiang Fann replied, "This is the Natural Aura, a type of power I possess. It will gradually restore your body's functions, adding at least ten more years to your life. Consider it a gift for our first meeting."    

Hearing this, the old city lord was visibly moved, almost in disbelief. He was well aware that his days were numbered, and gaining an extra decade was incredibly significant to him.    

"Thank you for your generosity, Master!"    

Jiang Fann said, "No need to thank us, sir. Since it's our first time here, we hope you can share some information with us. We'd like to explore the area."    

"Please, ask anything, and I'll tell you all I know."    

Jiang Fann got straight to the point, "I've heard there are fierce beasts in the northern plains. Do you know what they are exactly?"    

The old man's expression turned serious as he explained, "Those are very formidable beasts, unlike any you've seen before. Some are said to have lived for a thousand years. They usually stay in the northern plains and rarely venture into human territories. The last time was hundreds of years ago when a white-furred wolf emerged. We sent three hundred warriors from two cities, and half of them perished before it was finally defeated. It was a brutal battle."    

Jiang Fann continued, "Where exactly are the northern plains? Is there a map we can use to get there?"    

"No map needed. Just follow the invisible wall northward, and you'll reach a wasteland that marks the northern plains. It's extremely dangerous, so unless it's necessary, it's best not to go."    

"We have our own plans, so there's no need to worry."    

As they were speaking, Wan Chengfeng had already skimmed through the books at lightning speed and neatly stacked them on the table.    

"Sir, you should take these books back and keep them safe. If anyone else comes down from the mountains, you can show them."    

Although the old man didn't know what was in the books, he nodded immediately and had someone return them to their place. He was about to invite the three for a welcome feast, but Jiang Fann politely declined, as they didn't want to linger too long. Jiang Fann had also extended the old man's life by ten years, as a token of gratitude for his help.    

The old man understood their intentions and didn't insist on them staying, only hoping they might visit the town again sometime.    

As for Jiang Fann and his companions, they headed straight for the city gates after leaving the City Lord's Mansion, planning to check out the northern plains the old man mentioned. They were curious about what it would be like if there really were demonic beasts living there.    

Once outside the city, the three of them went directly to the barrier. The invisible wall the old man mentioned was this very barrier. Following it northward, they weren't worried about losing their way and continued on their journey.    

On the road, Fang Xiang couldn't wait to ask Wan Chengfeng, "Brother Wan, what was in those books? Any useful information? Is it about the lost history of the Upper Heavens?"    

Wan Chengfeng shook his head. "That part of history seems to have vanished after the disappearance of the Gan Lei Sect. The books recorded some secrets about the sect's seclusion and the state of this space, which was quite unexpected for me."    

Jiang Fann spoke up, "Judging by your expression, you seem a bit shocked, right?"    

Wan Chengfeng replied, "Indeed, I initially thought the disappearance of the Gan Lei Sect was linked to the rise of the current dynasty, but that's not the case. In fact, the current dynasty has some connections with the Gan Lei Sect and similar powers. Unfortunately, the records aren't detailed enough. I wonder if there are more comprehensive accounts within the Gan Lei Sect itself."    

"No connection with the later rising dynasty? How could such a powerful sect like Gan Lei be threatened?"    

"According to the books, it was due to a group of cultivators, or more accurately, a community. Sadly, there's no detailed description of these cultivators, only that they were exceptionally gifted. They rose rapidly in the upper realms and were suppressed by the three major powers. Then, something significant happened, leading these cultivators to fight back, throwing the upper realms into chaos. The result was the collapse of the three major powers, and the cultivators were banished, forbidden to return freely. It seems there was some agreement between the two sides. After the collapse of the three powers, the sects went into seclusion."    

Wan Chengfeng continued, "Based on the documents I found in our valley, after that event, the upper realms gradually stabilized. However, the influence of the natural order was profound, as if it was on a decline. It wasn't until the remaining experts from the three major sects and leaders from other sects joined forces to establish various regions, eventually forming the current nine dynasties, which have lasted to this day."    

Wan Chengfeng said, "So, the hidden history of the Upper Nine Heavens is likely connected to that group of people. The ones who were exiled from the Upper Nine Heavens. It's hard to imagine how powerful they must be."    

Jiang Fann pondered, feeling like Wan Chengfeng's explanation was missing something crucial, but he couldn't quite put his finger on it at the moment.    

One thing was certain, though: there was a secret in the Upper Nine Heavens, a secret about a group of cultivators.    

Due to the lack of spiritual energy around them, the three of them didn't dare use it to travel. They were unsure about the situation in the northern plains, so conserving their energy was the smart move, ensuring they could protect themselves if needed.    

Sticking close to the barrier gave Jiang Fann a sense of security. If anything went wrong, he could lead the others through it to safety.    

As they traveled, they kept an eye on the other side of the barrier, knowing that was their ultimate destination.    

Traveling day and night without rest, they finally saw a change in the landscape on the third day. It was the wasteland the city lord had mentioned, marking the northern plains they had heard about.    

Once there, Jiang Fann was quick to sense the surrounding energy, checking for any differences from before.    

Unfortunately, the spiritual energy was still absent, not even a trace of it.    

The barrier separated two worlds: one side was like a celestial mountain, and the other, the mortal realm...