Meng Hao wandered for six months, pondering the events leading up to his journey to the Southern Domain. He kept searching for an appropriate place to reach Foundation Establishment. Not any place would do. This was a critical time in his cultivation!

Meng Hao worried about running into other experts that had already reached Foundation Establishment. The difference between Qi Condensation and Foundation Establishment experts was simply too great. Even his 13th level Qi Condensation would be lacking in a duel with a Foundation Establishment expert.

He was able to hold his own before unreliable Patriarch Reliance made his escape, but he could not count on such good fortune again. Besides, he still almost didn't survive. He had to hope he wouldn't run into any bullies in the Foundation Establishment stage of cultivation or higher!

Luckily, he knew that the Southern Domain was enormous. As long as he stayed vigilant he didn't intend to cross paths with any major sects or senior Daoists. Finding a location rich in spiritual energy to begin his next step in cultivation was the highest priority. His struggles with the experts from the Cold Wind Sect and Upright Evening Sect made him truly understand his current limitations.

After the first month of wandering, Meng Hao was traveling on a flying sword and saw a village in the distance. He hopped to the ground and walked the rest of the way to the location on foot. He was feeling a sense of nostalgia for the villages in the State of Zhao, locations that Patriarch Reliance took with him on his back.

Meng Hao changed his clothing to long scholar robes. He wanted to explore the village ahead as a scholar, not as an immortal. Besides, this land was still new to him and it could be wise to be cautious.

He felt a sense of peace as he walked along a cart path, remembering his days before he was taken to the Reliance Sect. It had only been a few years, but it seemed like a lifetime ago when Elder Sister Xu transported him. He felt like a completely different person now than he was when he began his life as a servant, practicing cultivation at night.

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Trees covered the path, providing shade and the filtered sunlight made shadows dance in the bushes by the trail. Eventually, the forest opened up, the trail turning into a road as Meng Hao entered the village. The central street was lined with stores which he examined.

Meng Hao was in no hurry. The distances in the Southern Domain were vast. He doubted that spending a day or two exploring villages would impact his journey very much. As he browsed the merchants' wares, he discovered that one covered cart even sold immortal treasures and pills! Of course, everything for sale was very low value and quality, otherwise the merchant would have probably been robbed long ago.

Meng Hao shook his head. The Southern Domain was truly mysterious!

As he walked toward the other side of the town, three men stepped out of an alley in his path. The leading man had a long mustache and he played with one end of it while he looked at Meng Hao with a glin in his eye. The other two men carried well-worn clubs.

Meng Hao was amused. He was suppressing his cultivation base, but he never imagined that mortal bullies would try to pick on him! The whole situation was too funny. He was no longer the small, thin would-be scholar he once was.

The lead man demanded, "You look like you have some money on you. Give it to us with any valuables you have or we'll beat you up!"

One of the men holding a club smiled, showing gaps in his teeth. "Nobody will see you here! You should not be so careless while walking around a city! You should listen to Zao Bo!"

The man with the mustache whirled and slapped the big man who was talking, "Don't say my name, fool! We can't let random people know about our Zao clan!"

Then the other man said, "That's right! Zao Bo told me to never tell anyone our secret bases isn't very far out of town! I say it to myself 1000 times a day so I don't forget!" The man with the mustache, Zao bo, started hitting the other man too.

Meng Hao got a strange look on his face. He had a feeling this comedy scene might become even more silly and he didn't want to hurt mortals. He let some of his cultivation base surge out of his body and all three would-be robbers collapsed on the road, unconscious.

With a sigh, he began walking towards the edge of the town again when a scholarly looking youth suddenly stepped out from behind a crate and bowed low. "Senior, please take me with you!"

What was this new development? Meng Hao narrowed his eyes.