A dull thud echoed as dust particles sprayed into the air.
Fang Zheng slammed heavily onto the ground, landing face-first like a dog eating shit.
He had fallen from a great height, but the descent was short, and he landed on solid earth without being killed.
"Ptui, ptui, ptui!" Fang Zheng spat out the blades of grass and dirt from his mouth as he lay on the ground. His whole body ached and his chest felt tight.
"Where is this?" He caught his breath, stood up ungracefully, and looked around carefully.
Around him was a vast expanse of lush green grass, making Fang Zheng feel as if he was in the middle of a prairie. The grass swayed gently in the breeze, and countless colorful flowers formed a carpet that stretched all the way to the horizon.
In the distance, a tall, steep crystalline mountain rose abruptly.
The mountain was translucent, a dreamy shade of pink.
From where he stood, Fang Zheng could clearly see figures already climbing it. Compared to the entire crystal mountain, these people were as small as ants.
"The first to reach the peak will obtain the Fox Immortal's inheritance!" Fang Zheng suddenly remembered the words of that mysterious little girl.
Who was that mysterious little girl?
Could climbing that mountain really allow him to inherit the Fox Immortal's legacy?
Just as Fang Zheng was hesitating, the anxious voice of the Heavenly Crane Hermit sounded from the depths of his heart.
"Idiot apprentice, what are you hesitating for? Hurry up and climb this Soul-Stirring Mountain!"
"Master!" Fang Zheng was both shocked and delighted. "Who is that little girl? And why can't I use any of my Gu worms?"
"Run over there right now and don't waste any time! I'll explain it to you, so listen carefully!" the Heavenly Crane Hermit hastily explained. "This Fox Immortal's inheritance is no small matter, it's a complete Gu Immortal inheritance. There can only be one inheritor. Whoever gets it will soar to the heavens. Becoming an Immortal and attaining the Dao in the future is highly possible. The rest will gain absolutely nothing. That little girl you saw is the Fox Immortal's inheritance itself. Only by being the first to reach the peak and becoming her master can you obtain the Gu Immortal inheritance."
Fang Zheng ran, keeping his eyes fixed on the mountain.
He had grown up in the Southern Frontier, a region known for its many mountains. Naturally, he understood the principle of "A mountain looks close, but it can run a horse to death."
"Master, I'm still so far away from this crystal mountain. Those people are already climbing it. The gap is too big. I can't even activate my Movement Gu. How can I win?"
The Heavenly Crane Hermit snorted. "Ignorant! This is the Fox Immortal's blessed land, a realm unlike the outside world! Though the Fox Immortal has fallen, her will remains. Your Movement Gu has been sealed by her will, so naturally it can't be used. Everyone else is the same; none of them can use any Gu worms. If you want to reach the mountain peak, you can only rely on your own physical strength to complete this trial."
Hearing this, Fang Zheng couldn't help but feel disheartened. "If I can't use my Movement Gu and the gap is this big, how can I possibly catch up? Strange, we entered the gate one after another, so why is there such a huge difference?"
The Heavenly Crane Hermit answered, "This is a Gu Immortal's blessed land. The flow of time is different. For every day in the outside world, five days have passed here. When you were outside, you entered the gate one after another, so the time gap between each person was very short. But once you enter here, that time gap is suddenly magnified. Otherwise, why would you have held the Grand Competition to decide the rankings? Every rank represents a certain advantage. The last place has practically no hope of winning."
"So that's it." Fang Zheng finally truly understood just how important the rankings in the Grand Competition were.
But unfortunately, he himself lacked the strength; in terms of ability, he truly was inferior to others.
The Ten Great Sects were the leaders of the Central Continent, teeming with hidden dragons and crouching tigers, with incredibly deep foundations. Even the super clans of the Southern Border couldn't compare to them. Among the elite disciples of this generation, Fang Zheng, Bixia Xianzi, Gu Ting, Wei Wushang, and others were only considered to be of the second rank.
The first rank consisted of Feng Jihuang, Ying Shengji, Xiao Qixing, and others. They all had Gu Immortals backing them, with incredibly deep backgrounds and connections. From the very start, they received meticulous training. They never lacked a massive supply of resources. Occasionally, they would even be personally instructed by Gu Immortals themselves.
In comparison, someone like Fang Zheng was nothing more than a country boy. Even if he had encountered some luck, how could it compare to the support of a Gu Immortal?
"My ranking is not high, but there is nothing I can do about it. I gave my all in the Grand Competition, even the flock of Steel-beaked Flying Cranes was almost completely wiped out." Fang Zheng felt regretful and helpless.
But as he thought about it, he suddenly felt that something was wrong.