The Grand Tutor's residence.
Long Yu was doing push-ups alone in his room.
"Long Yu, didn't I tell you to rest properly? Why are you still doing push-ups?" Ye Ling appeared in Long Yu's room and asked the exercising Long Yu.
"I'm just bored!" Long Yu quickly got up, scratched his head, and smiled at Ye Ling.
"By the way, Master, why are you here?"
"I've already arranged a cultivation plan for you. Come with me, we're leaving the city." Ye Ling got straight to the point.
"Now?" Long Yu was stunned, not reacting for a moment.
"Yes, right now." Ye Ling nodded slightly, opened the entrance to his small world, and said, "Go in."
"Master, this is too sudden. Should I inform my father, the Emperor, and the Grand Preceptor?"
Long Yu was still a bit unaccustomed to this sudden arrangement and asked Ye Ling again.
This was his first time leaving the royal city, and his heart was filled with an inexplicable surge of emotion.
"What nonsense are you spouting? I told you to go in, so go in!"
Ye Ling didn't have time to bicker with Long Yu here. He instantly appeared behind Long Yu, kicked him in the backside, sending him into his small world, and then sealed his small world.
After doing all this, Ye Ling did not linger in Wan Beast City and fled westward towards Beast Continent.
...
On the western border of Beast Continent, the Forest of Death.
This was a paradise for death. For a million miles around, it was a desolate wasteland, with only scorched earth and trees turned to charcoal.
In fact, a thousand years ago, this was a vibrant place. There was even a sacred spring in the forest, a sacred resting place for spirit beasts for a million years.
However, after the battle between the Heavenly Lord of Curses and the Dragon Emperor a thousand years ago, this place was reduced to scorched earth. The entire land was cursed by the Heavenly Lord of Curses, and all life was extinguished.
For a thousand years, no living creature had ever been born here, nor had any living creature ever set foot here.
Ye Ling arrived at the edge of the Forest of Death, looking at the endless expanse of scorched black land before him. His eyes narrowed slightly, and he said softly, "Once we cross this forest, we will reach the territory of the Heavenly Lord of Curses."
The space behind Ye Ling distorted slightly, and Tian Xing walked out, asking Ye Ling, "Ye Ling, what are your plans now? Are you going to find the Heavenly Lord of Curses directly?"
"No rush..."
Ye Ling shook his head slightly, took out the Heaven-Gazing Mirror, and used it to locate the Heavenly Lord of Curses and Ji Ning's positions. At the same time, he released Long Yu from his small world.
"Master? Where is this place?"
Long Yu saw the scorched black land ahead and was stunned, asking Ye Ling.
"This is the Forest of Death," Ye Ling explained.
"Forest of Death? I think the Grand Preceptor mentioned it. This is where my father and the Heavenly Lord of Curses fought, but why are we here?" Long Yu asked in confusion.
"This is where you will be cultivating."
With that, Ye Ling used his Devouring Domain to extract all of Long Yu's cultivation.
Long Yu felt all his cultivation vanish and panicked. He quickly asked Ye Ling, "Mas- Master... what happened? Where did my cultivation go?"
"I've temporarily sealed it for you."
Ye Ling said, then handed Long Yu a bag of rations and said, "Your foundation is unstable. I need to help you solidify your foundation, so you have to cross the Forest of Death on foot."
"On foot... through the Forest of Death?" Long Yu took the rations, looking at Ye Ling in disbelief, thinking he had misheard.
Even with his cultivation intact, crossing the Forest of Death would be extremely difficult. Now that he had lost all his cultivation, how could he possibly do it?
Moreover, all Ye Ling gave him was a bag of rations.
He would probably starve to death halfway there!
"Cultivation is about defying fate. If you can't do this, then don't call me Master. Go back to the royal city and live under the protection of your father, the Emperor, and the Grand Preceptor." Ye Ling said indifferently, showing no mercy to Long Yu.
"I... I'll show you!"
Long Yu was provoked by Ye Ling's words. He immediately picked up his pack and stepped into the Forest of Death without hesitation.
Seeing Long Yu's retreating figure, the World-Destroying Spirit Fire asked Ye Ling, "Kid, what exactly are you planning? With the rations you gave Long Yu, he can last at most a week."
"And you took away all his cultivation. Aren't you afraid he'll die in there?"
Ye Ling said, "I want the Heavenly Lord of Curses to believe that Long Yu died in here. That way, we can transfer the Heavenly Lord of Curses's curse."
The World-Destroying Spirit Fire pouted and said, "Looking at how serious Long Yu is, he probably really thinks this is a cultivation plan you specifically arranged for him."
"If that kid knew you sent him to his death, I wonder what his expression would be."
"There's no other way. With the Heavenly Lord of Curses's curse, no matter how he cultivates, it will be useless. All the suffering and deception he experiences now will be considered trials in his cultivation."
Ye Ling sighed softly, looked deeply at Long Yu's retreating back, and then said to Tian Xing, "Tian Xing, please go and find Ji Ning next. Arrange a private meeting with her. Don't alert the Dragon Emperor."
Tian Xing asked, "You've already tricked her several times. If I ask her to meet, will she still come?"
"She definitely will." Ye Ling said confidently, "Just tell Ji Ning that the Book of Origin and the Heaven-Gazing Mirror are both in my hands. I am the only one in this world who can break her symbiotic contract. The Dragon Emperor cannot help her."
"Given Ji Ning's personality, even if she knows I'll trick her, she'll still come to take a gamble."
Tian Xing nodded slightly, "Alright... I'll contact Ji Ning. When and where should you meet?"
"Well... Long Yu should be able to last half a month in the Forest of Death. Let's arrange for Ji Ning to meet in half a month, in the Forest of Death. I'll have time to make arrangements during this period."
"Okay!"
Tian Xing nodded slightly, did not linger, and once again turned into a beam of light, fleeing towards Wan Beast City.
After Tian Xing left, the World-Destroying Spirit Fire asked Ye Ling again, "Kid, Tian Xing is going to ask Ji Ning to meet. What should we do now?"
"Of course, we're going to find the Heavenly Lord of Curses!"
Ye Ling smiled slightly, then looked at the World-Destroying Spirit Fire with ill intent and said, "However, before we go find the Heavenly Lord of Curses, I need you to make a sacrifice."
"Sacrifice... a sacrifice?"
Seeing Ye Ling's smile, the World-Destroying Spirit Fire's heart sank. It immediately flew out of Ye Ling's wrist and asked in shock, "Kid, what... what do you want to do to me?"
Ye Ling smiled, "I think your disguise as the Primordial Spirit Fire is quite successful. How about playing another trick with me?"
"You want me to pretend to be the Primordial Spirit Fire?"
Hearing Ye Ling's words, the World-Destroying Spirit Fire's face turned green. It quickly said, "No! I absolutely refuse!"
"I am the World-Destroying Spirit Fire, not some Primordial Spirit Fire. This is a matter of principle! No matter what you say, I will not agree!"
Ye Ling smiled, "After killing the Heavenly Lord of Curses and Ji Ning, I will use my Devouring Domain to convert their primordial inheritances into creation power and store them. Then, I will help you create the Seed of Origin."
"Principles can be bent slightly. It's mainly because I feel too sorry for that kid Long Yu and can't help but want to help him." The World-Destroying Spirit Fire immediately changed its tune, decisively!
Ye Ling narrowed his eyes and smiled, "It's settled then. Let's go, Primordial Spirit Fire."