Chapter 6: The Tianluo Ruins (Part 1)

Guo Shier said, “This is Qi Wu Zhen, a top expert from the Spellcraft Clan, a true master of spells.” He glanced at the crowd and then at Bo Long, adding, “Well, you should introduce yourself too.”
Bo Long stole a glance at Qi Wu Zhen. He was a bit afraid of this woman. Though he had only fought her a few times and hadn’t suffered serious losses, those few encounters had already filled him with a deep sense of powerlessness. Every time Qi Wu Zhen attacked, he had to use all his strength to defend himself, as if struggling between life and death. It had been a very long time since he had felt such fear. As the saying goes, the older one gets, the more timid they become—now he truly understood why.
No longer daring to engage in a life-or-death struggle, Bo Long simply admitted his defeat. Even if Qi Wu Zhen despised and mocked him, he wouldn’t dare continue fighting. With his extensive combat experience, he could tell at first glance that the other party was just playing around and not fighting seriously. If he persisted, it would be seeking death. He certainly wouldn’t do that on his own.
“Sword Clan, Bo Long.”
With just that brief statement, Bo Long remained silent. He didn’t want to say more. His face had been utterly humiliated by Qi Wu Zhen; he had no face left to speak. Even though Guo Shier had politely asked him to stay earlier, he still felt terrible, as it wasn’t his choice but rather a result of being forced to follow under the immense pressure.
Guo Shier still wore a smiling face and said, “I have a few things I’d like to ask.”
Bo Long was stunned. He raised his head and asked in confusion, “What?” He found it baffling. With Stan here, what was there to ask him about? But after thinking for a moment, he said, “Okay, ask. I’ll tell you anything I know.”
Guo Shier inquired about the local experts, and Bo Long didn’t hide anything, explaining everything in detail. He even asked Lord Stan of Stan City to add more, showing a serious and respectful attitude. Li Ran and the others began to feel a bit of goodwill toward him. Though he had been arrogant at first, he was able to recognize the situation promptly.
Soon, Bo Long relaxed, as both Guo Shier and Li Ran were gentle in their demeanor, without any aggressive attitude. As for Qi Wu Zhen, she said not a word, her expression cold, completely ignoring Bo Long’s presence. Gradually, Bo Long realized that this woman was naturally indifferent—not just toward him. He resigned himself to his misfortune for attracting such a formidable woman.
As the atmosphere eased, communication became smoother.

Stan said, “Lord Boron, the supplies you requested are ready. Is there anything else needed? Just give orders, and I’ll have them handle it.” He smiled bitterly inwardly—even though Boron had been defeated by Qi Wuzhen, he still didn’t dare show disrespect toward him. Though Boron had lost, to the Mechanical Clan, he was not someone to mess with; whatever he ordered had to be carried out no matter what.

A dozen or so people pushed carts similar to hand carts in, each loaded with goods—mainly various foods, as well as clothes and daily necessities.

Boron glanced at them briefly and nodded. “Put them aside for now. I’ll collect them later. Thank you, Stan.” He was quite satisfied with Stan’s efficiency. After thanking him, he continued talking with Guo Shier.

Guo Shier asked curiously, “Why were so many supplies prepared?” There were a dozen carts filled to the brim with supplies—enough, in his estimation, for Boron to use for a year or two.

Boron replied, “It’s a rare opportunity, so we usually prepare more supplies. Hehe, there are very few cities here, and even fewer large ones. Goods are relatively scarce. Besides producing various items, the Mechanical Clan is also one of the major merchants in this world. They possess large spaceships capable of transporting bulk goods. Coming here to buy supplies is the best place.”

Guo Shier remembered the merchants they had tricked before—they were from the Mechanical Clan. He couldn’t help but laugh. “So the major merchants here are all from the Mechanical Clan… Hehe, hehehe…”

Stan and Boron found it strange—was it really that funny for the Mechanical Clan to do business? They didn’t know that Guo Shier had once tricked a Mechanical Clan merchant severely, which was why he couldn’t stop laughing. However, they both feared Guo Shier greatly and didn’t dare ask what was so funny.

Boron added, “As for this time… the reason for so many supplies is that I’m going on a long journey—to Tianluo…”

Stan was surprised. “Tianluo? Good heavens, that’s the ruins of the Ancient Tianling Clan. It’s a death zone! What are you going there to do?”

Boron said, “To try my luck… Don’t you know the news? Some time ago, there was a rumor that a lost land of the Tianling Clan had appeared in Tianluo. It’s said to contain treasures of the Tianling Clan—possibly the Tianling Beads and other valuables. Many experts have already gone there.”

Guo Shier asked curiously, “What are the Tianling Beads?”

Bo Long said, “The Tianling Pearl is a special item—a pearl formed after the death of top experts from the Tianling clan. It comes in five colors, with black being the best, followed by purple, then red, yellow, and white being the worst…”
Li Ran asked, “What’s the use of the Tianling Pearl?”
Bo Long was a bit surprised and thought, “They don’t even know this? Could they be newcomers?” But his expression remained unchanged as he buried his doubts and replied, “The Tianling Pearl… also known as the Wisdom Pearl, can rapidly enhance intelligence. Whether used by oneself or to cultivate the next generation, it’s an extremely precious treasure. It’s hard to come by because the Tianling clan never sells the pearls left by their predecessors.”
He hadn’t mentioned another characteristic of the Tianling Pearl—that it could pass on certain specific knowledge. This was somewhat similar to how the Spellcraft clan passed on knowledge, but there were also significant differences. The Spellcraft clan passed on entire knowledge systems, while the Tianling Pearl often conveyed a specific type of knowledge.
Guo Shier was also shocked. If it could boost intelligence, this thing was simply incredible.
Li Ran asked, “Lord Bo Long, do you have any information about Tianluo?”
Bo Long felt a stir in his heart, followed by joy. He had planned to buy supplies first and then seek out some experts to enter Tianluo together. He wasn’t sure he could invite true top experts, so he would have to settle for those of similar strength. The three people before him were definitely top experts. If they were interested in joining, it would be a huge advantage for him.
“I don’t have much information, but I’ve gathered some. Well, are you two interested too?”
Li Ran and Guo Shier exchanged a glance; both were tempted. Anything that could increase intelligence was undoubtedly a treasure. Although they didn’t know much about the Tianling clan, who would turn down a treasure? Moreover, this opportunity allowed them to explore more places and look for a way to enter the greater world.
As for the projected world of Sacrificial Stars, neither Li Ran nor Guo Shier was familiar with it. Though they had been there for some time, aside from spending time advancing, they had been wandering around. So having something to focus on would be good. If lucky, they might find a way out of Sacrificial Stars.
Guo Shier nodded and said, “Of course we want to take a look. But first, please introduce Tianluo. Lord Stan said it’s a death trap—what’s that about?”

Borong said, “Tianluo is a very hidden place, far from here… If one flies by themselves, it might take nearly two months at high speed or maybe five months at slow speed. Well, the best way is to take a ship of the Mechanical Clan—it only takes a month to get there. Of course, it’s not to Tianluo itself, but to a city nearby, which is also a major city of the Mechanical Clan. I estimate that in a month or two, many experts will gather there.”
“Tianluo is extremely dangerous. It’s a peculiar place where the entire land is shattered. If you can’t fly, it’s impossible to enter. There are many dangers we can’t understand, and one might die there easily, which is why it’s called a death zone. Hehe, for experts, this description isn’t entirely accurate—many skilled experts explore Tianluo regularly.”
Guo Shier nodded and said, “The more dangerous a place, the better things there are. What do you think, Brother Li Ran?”
Li Ran replied, “Let’s go and take a look. We can also get to know the local experts; they probably know a lot about it.”
Guo Shier asked, “Hmm, Sister Zhen, will you come with us?”
Qi Wuzhen replied without hesitation, “Sure.” Her goal was to get familiar with this world. Exploring alone was one thing, and exploring with Li Ran and Guo Shier was just as good, so she agreed readily.
Guo Shier also needed to prepare some supplies. He handed a talisman jade to Stan. Although his altar had achieved self-sufficiency, even if he were trapped in a desperate situation for hundreds of years, he wouldn’t lack food or clothing. There was a small secret realm inside the altar, along with the altar’s space and the large amount of supplies he had deliberately collected, so he never ran out of resources. But his hobby was collecting, and how could he pass up the unique products of the Mechanical Clan?
Not only did he need Stan to provide various foods and items unique to the Mechanical Clan, but he also needed their weapons—purely for fun and a bit of nostalgia. The weapons of the Mechanical Clan had similarities to those from his past life, so he wanted to collect some as his collection. As for using them, he hadn’t considered it yet—given his strength, he wouldn’t need those weapons at all.
Stan curiously fiddled with the talisman jade and asked, “Is this the talisman jade unique to your Spellcraft Clan?”
Guo Shier replied, “Yes. The list of supplies I prepared is recorded inside it… Uh…” Only then did he remember that the other person wasn’t a professional of the Spellcraft Clan and wondered if they could use the talisman jade.