Transmigration: The Peerless Immortal Husband

Gu Yao used a simple illusion to make the few Qi Refinement cultivators lose track of them. Those cultivators even forgot why they had come out in the first place. Little did they know that by sheer coincidence, they had encountered the right people. Unfortunately, Gu Yao and his companions had no intention of being disturbed.

The farther they traveled from the center of the Tianlin Continent, the less information they could gather. Even after covering vast areas, it was rare to encounter cultivators. The most useful news they received was that Tianfu Academy had seemingly reached some agreement with various factions, prompting those forces to leave the academy one by one. The Valley Master Hu was personally escorted out by Dean Yu and was seen boarding a flying artifact as he departed.

As they headed south, the terrain became increasingly desolate. Eventually, it reached a point where ordinary people could no longer survive. Occasionally, they encountered figures, all of whom were cultivators, as no one without cultivation could endure the harsh environment.

The group had long abandoned their large flying artifact, slowing down their pace to gradually adapt their bodies to the environment. They had now entered a region known by local cultivators as the “Desert of Death.”

After entering this deadly desert, only Tian Feirong seemed to adapt well. The others, including Chi Changye, struggled due to the poor spiritual energy in the area. The air was filled with scorching heat laced with fiery toxins, and the spiritual energy was thin. Without a sufficient supply of spirit-restoring pills, even Chi Changye wouldn’t last long here.

These fiery toxins had no effect on Tian Feirong, as he possessed the Flame Inheritor’s physique. Moreover, his Azure Flame had grown to a level far stronger than the scattered fiery toxins in the environment and could even harness them. This made him the most energetic among the group.

Gu Yao wiped the sweat from his forehead, unwilling to waste spiritual energy resisting the external heat. “We haven’t encountered any cultivators for several days. Are we getting close to our destination?”

Chi Changye pulled out a map and compared it to the path they had taken. “We should be close. However, the map is useless beyond this point. We’ll have to find the old site ourselves. If Tian Feirong can sense anything, it will make things easier.”

This was precisely why they had brought Tian Feirong along. Otherwise, Chi Changye believed that traveling alone with Gu Yao would have been faster. But here they were, with two additional companions between them.

The two had discussed this before. Since Tian Feirong hadn’t cultivated techniques specifically for developing the Azure Flame, his usefulness here might be limited. However, because he had trained in specialized Yan family techniques, he was still the most likely person to locate the old Yan family site.

When Dean Yu mentioned the ruins of Yanyun City, both immediately thought of Tian Feirong. It felt like destiny.

Tian Feirong scratched his head awkwardly. “I don’t feel anything.”

Gu Yao chuckled. “No worries. Take your time. We’re in the right area. If necessary, we can search every inch of the land. We’ll find a clue eventually.”

The little fat man’s crystal snake looked limp, curled lifelessly around his wrist, nearly becoming a roasted snake.

“Let’s move on,” Chi Changye commanded. The group pulled themselves together and continued across the vast, lifeless desert, seeing neither humans nor trees in sight.

After sunset, the temperature dropped, and they set up camp for rest, waiting for daylight to resume their search.

Except for Tian Feirong, the other three, including the crystal snake, consumed antidote pills to counteract the fiery toxins. The black cat cub adapted surprisingly well to the environment.

After pitching the tents, Gu Yao scattered medicinal powder around the campsite. Although no vegetation grew in the desert, countless creatures and venomous plants lurked beneath the yellow sands. They rarely emerged during the day but ruled the nights.

With an additional formation set up, the group sat together, enjoying spirit fruits and tea to replenish the day’s lost moisture.

“Why don’t you all rest? I’ll keep watch while cultivating,” Tian Feirong offered after finishing his tea.

Chi Changye didn’t refuse. “Alert us if there’s any disturbance.”

They pitched two tents, one for each pair. Chi Changye and Gu Yao entered theirs, where a Spirit Gathering Array had already been set up. Resting essentially meant meditating to restore the day’s spent spiritual energy—a form of cultivation itself.

Chi Changye released his Purple Thunder Sword, which had grown more spirited than ever, darting joyfully around the two of them. Gu Yao observed it with curiosity. “Brother Ye, can the Purple Thunder Sword absorb the fiery energy here?”

Chi Changye nodded. “Thanks to the Purple Thunder Bamboo you brought from the secret realm. It significantly enhanced the sword’s quality. Otherwise, my battle with Yan Yuanjing wouldn’t have gone so smoothly.”

While his swordsmanship had improved greatly with the help of the Sword Pavilion, the sword’s quality played a significant role. Before forming his Golden Core, Chi Changye had infused the Purple Thunder Bamboo into the blade. After being tempered by lightning tribulations, even though he wasn’t an artisan, the sword’s quality had soared, reaching the peak of spiritual weapons. One more step and it would transcend that category altogether.

The quality of the Purple Thunder Sword was exceptional, and in Chi Changye’s hands, it reached its full potential. One of its greatest advantages was that it had become his life-bound sword. Even if others managed to steal it, they would be unable to wield half its power, making it practically useless to them.

“That’s because your swordsmanship is unparalleled, Brother Ye. No one else could reach your level even with the same sword!” Gu Yao asserted confidently. He believed the Purple Thunder Bamboo was merely a supportive factor, and only Chi Changye could truly unlock its full potential.

Seeing Gu Yao’s unwavering trust, Chi Changye felt a deep determination not to disappoint him. He was resolved to find a way forward and break the current deadlock in Tianlin Continent.

As Chi Changye prepared to speak, Gu Yao interjected, “I should seize every moment to cultivate and catch up to you.” With that, he delved into his training, drawing spiritual energy from the Spirit Gathering Array to refine within his body. His sole task during the night was cultivation, unless an emergency arose.

Chi Changye shifted his gaze to the little black cat cub nearby, noticing its odd expression. Without hesitation, he flicked it onto its back. If he couldn’t bring himself to be tough on Gu Yao, dealing with this mischievous creature was no problem.

Through the night, venomous insects and strange plants emerged, but Tian Feirong handled them swiftly. Chi Changye merely observed through his divine sense without intervening. Such battles were beneficial for Tian Feirong’s growth, especially in an environment that suited his abilities. Frequent use of the Azure Flame here might yield unexpected gains.

Days passed as they roamed the desert without finding any clues. Along the way, they spotted another group of cultivators. Instead of revealing themselves, Chi Changye and Gu Yao monitored them using divine sense.

After a while, Gu Yao gave Tian Feirong a peculiar look. “It turns out they’re after a strange flame. They claim it’s hidden in this desert and is the reason for the harsh environment.”

Tian Feirong frowned. “I haven’t sensed any Azure Flame presence. Maybe those people just heard stories about Yanyun City and jumped to conclusions.”

Gu Yao nodded. “That’s possible. I’ve left a trace of my divine sense following them. If anything happens, I’ll know.”

Although survival in the Death Desert was nearly impossible, some cultivators persisted, believing that others weren’t destined but they might be lucky enough to succeed.

Half a day later, Gu Yao suddenly furrowed his brow. “That group seems to be in trouble… Wait, they’re heading our way. Should we hide?”

“Yes, hide,” Chi Changye agreed.

The four quickly concealed themselves, suppressing their auras completely. After a long silence, a rustling noise grew louder, setting their nerves on edge. As the source came into view, their tension spiked even further.

From a distance, it looked like a storm of flying sand. Upon closer inspection, the sandstorm was teeming with countless insects. Black, writhing shapes—hidden venomous plants—lurked beneath the sand. Four fleeing cultivators ran desperately, one screaming for help, hoping another group of cultivators might descend from the sky to rescue them.

Gu Yao’s jaw dropped. “There were seven of them earlier—where did the other three go? That fast?”

Just as Gu Yao finished speaking, a piercing scream echoed through the air. One of the cultivators tripped, his pace faltering for just a moment before being swallowed by the shifting sands. In mere seconds, the four could see his corpse, already stripped of flesh, with even parts of the bones gnawed away. The remaining skeleton was still being devoured by swarming insects, ensuring that not even fragments would be left behind.

The little fat man gasped sharply at the gruesome sight, shivering as he swallowed hard. “That trip looked intentional—someone set him up, right?”

Otherwise, how else would his movement suddenly falter just long enough to cost him his life? Even if his chances of escape had been slim, this sealed his fate.

Chi Changye pointed to one of the cultivators. “It was him. He shot a blast of spiritual energy that hit the man’s foot.”

Though the move was discreet, both Chi Changye and Gu Yao caught it. In the chaos of a desperate escape, small betrayals like this were easier to spot. However, the other two cultivators remained unaware, too focused on fleeing to notice what had happened.

None of the four stepped in to help. After all, Chi Changye had already pointed out that the man was deliberately sacrificed by his own companion. So they simply watched in silence as the group rushed past. A swarm of insects circled near the four for a few moments before being drawn back to the fleeing cultivators ahead, their warm flesh proving a stronger lure.

Tian Feirong, however, wore a look of shock on his face.

When the insect tide finally passed, they lifted their concealment spell. Tian Feirong spoke urgently, his voice filled with both excitement and disbelief. “Those insects just now—they carried traces of Azure Flame. It was faint, and if they hadn’t stopped, I might not have sensed it at all.”