Having made his decision, Qin Mu immediately set off, leaving Ice and Snow City with resolve and certainty.
For the next several days, he traversed the vast lands of the Eastern Wasteland Domain. He observed the changes of the world with a cold, detached gaze, all the while contemplating how to arrange the next secret realm.
The Eastern Wasteland Domain was immense, stretching endlessly across the horizon.
Yet, the areas Qin Mu passed through in the past few days were mostly barren and desolate.
The land was vast and empty, with no signs of life—only a cold, bleak, and desolate atmosphere.
After traveling for several days, Qin Mu had gained some understanding of the situation in the Eastern Wasteland Domain.
He couldn't help but feel that the human race in the present age was truly enduring immense hardships.
Although humans occupied the largest territories on this land and were the most numerous race,
The territories of the ancient clans were far fewer in number, but the disparity in land quality was immense.
The ancient clans inhabited areas rich in spiritual energy, blessed with beautiful, fertile lands.
In contrast, the human territories were mostly barren, with scarce spiritual energy, making them seem like hell compared to the ancient clans' lush and vibrant domains.
Without spiritual energy, how could one cultivate?
Though the human race had many people, there were very few powerful cultivators—this was likely due to the lack of true cultivation resources.
A good cook cannot make a meal without ingredients.
Without fertile lands rich in spiritual energy, how could the human race produce powerful individuals?
Rather than saying the human territories were vast, it was more accurate to say that the ancient clans had left these barren lands to humans, while they themselves occupied the truly valuable territories.
"Give me time, and I will definitely change this situation."
Qin Mu muttered to himself.
He continued forward and eventually came upon a small human town, where he decided to stop and rest for a while.
The town was dilapidated and lacked vitality. What struck him as odd was that the residents were mostly elderly or children still learning to speak.
There were hardly any adults in sight.
Though Qin Mu walked silently through the town, his imposing figure and exceptional aura immediately caught the attention of the townsfolk.
An elderly man, supported by a cane and likely the head of the town, trembled as he approached Qin Mu amidst the gazes of others.
"Honorable sir, is there something I can help you with in our Pingyang Town?"
The old man's voice trembled, carrying a hint of fear.
"I'm just passing through. No particular business, just taking a stroll," Qin Mu casually replied.
"Ah, that's good... that's good..."
The old man seemed to relax upon hearing Qin Mu's answer.
However, after a moment of hesitation, he seemed to think of something and cautiously added,
"If you have no other matters, it would be best to leave quickly. The situation here is dangerous, and things may get out of hand."
"Oh? What danger? I'm just taking a walk. What could possibly happen?"
Qin Mu asked, intrigued.
From the moment he entered the town, he had sensed that something wasn't right.
Where had all the young and able-bodied adults gone? Why were the streets filled only with the elderly and children?
The old man appeared conflicted, unsure whether to speak further.
But before he could respond, a young boy, barely over ten years old, spoke up with a trembling voice,
"It's the Illusionary Demise Palace... they've been forcing people to mine for Source Ore to give to those terrifying evil spirits. The adults from nearby towns have all been captured. The people from the Illusionary Demise Palace said that if we don't comply, they'll kill us all. My parents were taken too, and they haven't come back yet. Once I grow up, I'll definitely kill those bad people!"
"Tiger, stop talking!"
The old man's face turned pale as he quickly silenced the child, clearly worried about what else might be revealed.
Slaves, forced to mine Source Ore for the ancient clans?
Hearing this, a flicker of anger appeared in Qin Mu's eyes.
Though he had heard about such things happening within the human race, this was the first time he had witnessed it firsthand.
"Sir, please leave quickly," the old man pleaded, his voice filled with sorrow. "You seem to be a cultivator, and those from the Illusionary Demise Palace are ruthless. They even capture our own cultivators. If they see you, they'll shackle you with restraints and force you to work in the mines as a slave."
In the past, Pingyang Town had produced a few cultivators, but when faced with the formidable Illusionary Demise Palace, they were no match at all. All had been subdued, their cultivation sealed with restrictive shackles, and sent to mine.
It was said that the Illusionary Demise Palace especially favored cultivator slaves because of their abundant physical strength—one cultivator could mine as much as several hundred regular humans.
Boom…
At that moment, the sound of heavy iron hooves echoed in the distance, causing the ground to tremble.
"It's too late, they're here."
Upon hearing the sound of the hooves, the old man's face went pale as he whispered in despair.
The other townsfolk also wore expressions of hopelessness.
Boom…
The thunderous sound of hooves grew louder as a group of several dozen knights charged into the town.
They weren't numerous, but each knight rode a fierce beast, clad in sharp armor, their beasts roaring with an aura of bloodthirst and killing intent.
These were powerful cultivators, their bodies surrounded by a blood-red aura, and their hands stained with blood.
Under the oppressive killing intent, some of the townsfolk collapsed to the ground, unable to withstand the pressure.
"The palace master has ordered the Source Ore extraction to be increased. All of you will come with me—none are to be left behind. Anyone who tries to run will be killed!"
At the center, a middle-aged man, around forty, clad in iron armor, rode his beast forward, his voice cold and commanding.
What? Everyone was to mine for Source Ore?
The people of the town were filled with despair.
Mining Source Ore was extremely dangerous. Even the able-bodied adults were often gravely injured or killed in the process, and new slaves were always needed.
For the elderly and weak like them, it was almost certain death.
"Even the old and infirm are not spared? Heh... you're no better than beasts, pretending to be human."
Qin Mu shook his head. His voice was calm, but rage simmered within him.
Under the oppression of the ancient clans, the survival of the human race was already unbearably hard.
Yet, even in such dire conditions, there were still traitors among the human race who worked for the ancient clans, enslaving their own people.
These wretches were unworthy of being called humans!
This book comes from：m.funovel.com。