The flying boat drifted silently amidst the clouds, suspended hundreds of feet in the air. Hundreds of miles ahead lay a massive mountain range, winding and sprawling like an ancient, majestic divine dragon. While perhaps not as grand as the Hengduan Mountains of Kangzhou, it was still an incredibly spectacular sight. It was this very range that blocked the savage sandstorms of the Great Desert, known as the Desert of Death, preventing its utterly arid climate from sweeping across. It formed a natural, verdant barrier, ensuring the interior lands maintained a relatively normal climate, safe from the relentless expansion of the desert.

Nature, at times, proved so marvelous. Varied terrains carved the world into distinct, naturally isolated regions, each possessing its own unique style—a feat of divine artistry.

To pilot the flying boat straight across this colossal mountain range was not a safe undertaking. These gargantuan mountains were not merely a thin spine, as the average person might imagine, which one could simply soar over. In reality, their width and topographical complexity far exceeded expectation. Bottomless chasms and ravines were ubiquitous within them, interspersed with countless peaks that stabbed the sky, rising over a thousand li.

In his previous life, the highest peak Lei Dong remembered, Mount Everest, was but a small, unremarkable mound here. While cultivators, or indeed flying boats, could indeed soar through the air, there were inherent altitude limitations. The higher one ascended, the more brutal the environment became. Above a hundred li, the temperature plummeted to extreme lows, and gales lashed out like cutting blades, making survival impossible for ordinary folk.

Cultivators at the Foundation Establishment stage possessed greatly enhanced fortitude and vitality. Nevertheless, surviving several hundred li aloft became exceedingly strenuous.

The higher one climbed, the stronger an invisible current of air, known as Gang Feng (Gale Force), became. For instance, a Foundation Establishment cultivator might temporarily survive venturing several hundred li up. However, should a Gang Feng storm erupt, it could easily tear him to shreds, rendering spiritual artifacts and defensive shields useless.

The flying boat fared no better. Consequently, flying boats generally maxed out at altitudes of a few dozen li, perhaps nearing a hundred. Ascending higher subjected them to severe Gang Feng attacks, capable of shredding the vessel into powder. Thus, if a flying boat needed to cross this giant mountain range, it had no choice but to navigate constantly within it, searching for lower depressions and valleys to traverse. Attempting to cross boldly from high altitude in one sweep was pure suicidal folly.

This necessity, however, introduced its own problems. A mountain range spanning perhaps ten thousand li in a straight line, if one constantly had to weave through lower terrain, meant the journey would increase by at least tenfold. Moreover, these immense ranges were renowned deadly zones in this world. Within the bottomless abysses, canyons, lakes, peaks, and dense forests—who knew what lurked there?

Of course, one might pass through without incident, encountering nothing more than a couple of Golden Core demonic beasts. But it was equally possible, shortly after entry, to run into a Nascent Soul level demonic beast capable of wiping out Lei Dong’s entire party. This was precisely why the journey was deemed perilous. It was also why people preferred traveling to the Boundless Seas to hunt Golden Core demonic beasts rather than risk entering these massive ranges.

The dangers within the great mountain ranges were not limited to demonic beasts; various bizarre terrains and climatic conditions served as killers too. Countless noxious energies, miasmas, and malevolent fires plagued the interior.

Therefore, anyone wishing to pass through this giant range would ideally use one of the narrow passes where the canyons were only a few hundred li wide, taking the form of a corridor or a narrow mountain gap. But these strategic choke points were heavily garrisoned, controlled respectively by the top-tier powers of the surrounding Zhaozhou region. It wasn't that they gained any benefit from controlling these passages; rather, it was a burden and a responsibility.

The Great Desert was an exceedingly barren land, scarce in natural resources, yet rife with peril. Exploring the Great Desert was generally a losing proposition. The top sects stationed forces at these canyon fortresses primarily to defend against incursions from the foreign races of the Great Desert, preventing them from breaching Zhaozhou and causing widespread devastation.

This responsibility did not fall solely upon the top sects. Should a foreign race attack, the cultivators of the top sects manning the passes had the authority to summon any sect within Zhaozhou to join the battle. However, all this was irrelevant to Lei Dong and his companions. They merely intended to enter the Great Desert. Their current target for flight was a pass known as Beisai Pass (North Fortress Gate). The sole reason for selecting Beisai Pass among the available gaps was that the primary power defending it was a top-tier sect called Beilan Mountain.

And Beilan Mountain was precisely the faction to which the Shangguan family was affiliated. Unlike typical dependents who held low status, the Shangguan family was considered a leader among those subservient to Beilan Mountain—a local powerhouse. Furthermore, an ancestor of the Shangguan family had once served as a Supreme Elder of Beilan Mountain. Consequently, the relationship between the two was deeply intertwined and quite close. Beilan Mountain held the Shangguan family in high regard and offered them considerable support, especially since the Supreme Elder of Shangguan had only passed away a few hundred years prior.

Given this connection, it was natural to utilize it fully. Shangguan Hong, despite currently being only at the tenth layer of the Foundation Establishment stage, enjoyed a considerable reputation and standing within Beilan Mountain.

The flying boat halted high in the cloud layer, a thousand li from the canyon entrance. Lei Dong and Shangguan Hong quietly left the boat, using their escape techniques to arrive discreetly outside Beisai Pass. Lei Dong’s wish was to fly the flying boat directly over Beisai Pass without stopping. Firstly, everything necessary was prepared, precluding any need to linger. Secondly, it was to maintain a low profile, drawing as little attention as possible, especially since the White Bone Old Demon might still be lurking behind them, eyeing their movements.

Shangguan Hong, dressed like an affluent young master out for leisure, strolled about. Lei Dong kept close behind him, acting as an attendant. They had arrived outside the pass, and someone had already been dispatched to announce their presence to the City Lord of Beisai Pass. Lei Dong had previously observed the city from high altitude.

Beisai Pass was built at the narrowest point of the mountain passage, situated on high ground with low valleys sloping away on either side. Yet, even at its narrowest, the passage was nearly a hundred li wide. The imposing city walls, reaching a hundred zhang high, stood before them like an insurmountable wall of bronze. These walls were not constructed from ordinary brick and wood, but forged entirely from metal.

Not only that, but the base of the walls was lined with vicious, long spikes, and various strange arrays hummed with a chilling aura of slaughter. However, what puzzled Lei Dong was that the walls were only a hundred zhang high. While sufficient to block ground-based enemies, how could such powerful foreign races, capable of threatening Zhaozhou cultivators, be unable to fly?

Through casual conversation, Shangguan provided the answer. To prevent foreign incursions, Beilan Mountain had spent millennia and vast resources constructing a massive Anti-Air Formation covering several thousand li around Beisai Pass. When this formation was active, not even a bird could fly over the head of Beisai Pass. Lei Dong had only vaguely heard of such an Anti-Air Formation; it was said to be enormous and required terrifying amounts of energy to sustain. Kangzhou seemed to have no such formation deployed, not because they couldn't afford it, but because there was simply no necessity.

Soon, Shangguan’s visit yielded results. Upon hearing Shangguan Hong’s identity, the City Lord treated him with great respect, asking no questions about their reason for crossing the barrier. He readily agreed to their request, offering only a few words of caution for Shangguan to be careful. The reason was simple: this City Lord, surnamed Li, had ancestors who were extremely close martial brothers to the Shangguan lineage, making them kin of sorts across generations.

With the potentially malevolent White Bone Old Demon looming somewhere in the distance, Lei Dong dared not delay. Seeing the matter successfully resolved, he immediately returned with Shangguan. They steered the flying boat toward the formidable Beisai Pass. Since prior arrangements had been made, the guards promptly deactivated the Anti-Air Formation to allow them passage.

The City Lord granting such a favor demonstrated profound trust in Shangguan Hong, yielding to his request. Under ordinary circumstances, no such courtesy would be extended. However, before the flying boat was halfway across, an unexpected event transpired.

Far in the distance, a plume of thick smoke, mingled with intense red light, shot straight into the sky, dyeing nearly half the heavens a scarlet hue. Simultaneously, sharp, ear-piercing alarms began to sound in quick succession. The previously quiet Beisai Pass erupted into chaos. From the bow of the boat high in the air, the occupants could hear shouts rising from the cultivators below: "Foreign race invasion!"

The Anti-Air Formation, just deactivated, began to slowly reactivate. A massive downward drag violently pulled the flying boat, causing it to wobble and creak alarmingly, nearly forcing it into a crash. Fortunately, the formation was only just starting up, its full anti-air power not yet engaged. Lei Dong hurriedly instructed Old Zhao, who was piloting, to descend rapidly toward the city.

Concurrently, the voice of City Lord Li, who hailed from Beilan Mountain, rang out: "Nephew Shangguan, my apologies, but with the foreign race invasion, the Anti-Air Formation must be reactivated immediately. Furthermore, I request you and your companions come to the main hall for a discussion; I have urgent matters to confer with you about."

Lei Dong felt a mixture of relief and vexation. Relief because they had delayed their crossing slightly, preventing them from plowing straight into the invading foreign race army—a situation that would have been extremely perilous. Vexation stemmed from the fact that this incident necessitated a delay.

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