Chapter 198 - Loulan Ancient Imperial City

The manor owner's son swiftly completed the map to Loulan Ancient Imperial City and handed it over to Chen Fan.

“Chen Fan, you’re really going there?” Mu Chen asked.

Chen Fan read the map, looked up, and said indifferently, “I’ll go take a look. Many disciples from various sects have gathered in the northwestern lands to eliminate these bandits. There are bound to be people with high cultivation among them. Although I won’t raise any big waves with my cultivation level, I can certainly capitalize on the opportunity to hunt down more first-level Yuanfu realm blood demons.”

Mu Chen and the others’ eyes lit up, stirred by his words.

The base camp of the blood demons was fraught with dangers and had many blood-sucking bandits with high cultivation levels. However, many people from various major sects had come here to eradicate the bandits. Surely, there will be third or even fourth-level Yuanfu realm experts among them.

To obtain more contribution points, these people naturally wouldn’t be satisfied with the smaller groups of blood-sucking bandits in the outskirts of the northwest region. They would also aim for the bandits’ base camp.

Considering the countless towns and cities stained with blood by the marauding bandits, the wealth they had amassed probably lay in Loulan Ancient Imperial City. Would these experts ignore it?

Consequently, clashes between blood demon experts like Xue Chongtian and sect representatives were inevitable. They could fight at the fringe area and pick up some easy killings. It didn’t seem too dangerous.

“Alright, since that is the case, I’ll also go to Loulan Ancient Imperial City to check things out!” said Mu Chen, his gaze narrowing.

Surviving this campaign could potentially yield a wealth of contribution points for Mu Chen. he could exchange them for resources and use them to advance to the Yuanfu realm.

“I’m going too!”

“I want to come too!”

𝘧𝘳𝘦ℯ𝓌𝘦𝒷𝘯𝑜𝑣𝘦𝓁.𝒸𝘰𝓂

Lu Yun, Li He, and the others also realized this key point and immediately expressed their willingness to go.

Chen Fan didn’t try to stop them.

Life and death were fated. He would help his fellow disciples in dangerous situations when possible, but he couldn't be held responsible if circumstances prevented him from doing so.

“Let’s go, we’ll set off right away to Loulan Ancient Imperial City. Given the snowy weather, it’ll take us at least a day to cover the three-thousand-mile journey. It's still morning, so we should be close to the ancient city by evening. The cover of the night and the heavy snowfall will hide us from the bandits.”

Chen Fan stood up.

Mu Chen and the others naturally followed his lead.

The group donned snow-white clothing and thick fur cloaks made from polar bear fur provided by the manor owner.

These cloaks kept them warm and blended seamlessly with the snowy surroundings, concealing their presence effectively. Even ordinary individuals could endure a night in these snowy lands without succumbing to the cold when wrapped in polar bear fur.

With the polar bear fur cloak, they could also save on using their primeval qi to ward off the cold.

Six white silhouettes moved in the snow. With a few jumps, they sped through the lands.

After reaching the Qi Grandmaster realm, one was capable of not leaving any footsteps in the snow. They could move as lightly as a swallow, not leaving any traces.

They followed the map; sure enough, the stench of blood in the cold air assaulted their noses by the evening.

Suddenly, Chen Fan extended his hand into the air, catching a snowflake that revealed a subtle red tint—a manifestation of a blood-colored primeval force.

“What a strong bloody aura. How many have they killed for the blood qi to saturate the skies and even taint the snowflakes!!”

An icy cold light flashed in Chen Fan’s eyes.

These evil beings truly deserved to die. Their ruthless pursuit of strength led them to commit atrocities, annihilating cities and villages without a second thought.

According to the manor owner's son, Loulan Ancient Imperial City was a thriving metropolis with a population of tens of millions—perhaps even a hundred million, including numerous martial artists. However, they had all fallen prey to the blood-sucking bandits.

The snow, now tainted with blood, bore witness to the city's massacre.

The harsh climate of the northwestern region and its sparse population resulted in a decline in the martial arts path. Martial clans settled here were weaker, with fewer experts than other regions.

The manor owner’s son had said that the strongest in Loulan Ancient Imperial City was a third-level Yuanfu realm expert. Naturally, they were no match for Xue Chongtian.

“This ancient city ahead should be the imperial city of the former Loulan Ancient Kingdom.”

Mu Chen pointed to the distance. There, an imposing city stood, surrounded by many smaller cities.

However, it appeared ruined and decayed, seemingly having gone through a baptism from the flames of war.

However, it was fortunate that the former splendor and prosperity of the Loulan Ancient Imperial City could still be seen from the tall city walls, the huge stone pillars, and the domed temples.

Despite the current desolation, nothing could change the fact that Loulan Ancient Imperial City used to be a huge city in these northwestern lands with a population of tens of millions, close to a hundred million.

However, the entire ancient city was eerily tranquil now, as if not one breathing creature lived here.

It stood as a ghost town, a grim testament to the blood-sucking bandits who had massacred its inhabitants and turned it into their base camp.

Crawling through the snow, Chen Fan and his companions observed squads of blood-sucking bandits patrolling the surroundings. The surrounding air pulsated with blood qi while blood clouds loomed above their heads.

These bandits all wore crimson garbs, which were eye-catching in these snowy lands.

They moved with agility, seemingly impervious to the freezing cold due to their inherent Yin constitutions.

According to rumors, after practicing the Blood Demon Cultivation Technique and absorbing large amounts of blood, the practitioners would become blood demons with great strength and cruel personalities, specializing in absorbing the fresh blood of their victims.

“There are so many blood-sucking bandits!”

Chen Fan’s eyesight was the sharpest, looking into the distance.

He could see close to ten thousand Qi Grandmasters patrolling the peripheral small and large cities. Qi Grandmasters were everywhere; those with first-level Yuanfu realm cultivation were as common as dogs, and second-level Yuanfu realm weren’t few, either.

The Loulan Ancient Imperial City, designed in concentric circles with buildings forming nearly a thousand layers toward the center, reflected its past prosperity.

If there were so many blood-sucking bandits on the periphery alone, one could only imagine what the depths of Loulan Ancient Imperial City held.

“What do we do now?”

Mu Chen and the others crept on the snowy ground, suppressing their auras to the limit, not daring to breathe heavily.

They knew they’d quickly be met with death if they were to alarm these blood-sucking bandits. There were simply too many experts here.

“No hurries. The various major sects of the empire must have mobilized much manpower. Take our Spring Autumn Sect, for example. Surely, the six of us aren’t the only ones to have come. This Loulan Ancient Imperial City is bound to be the place where the forces clash. I’m sure it won’t only be the few of us who found our way here.

“Those people are most likely waiting in the dark and will charge into the ancient city once more people gather. So, let’s wait and see.”

As soon as Chen Fan finished speaking, long whistling sounds suddenly came from all directions.