The wind howled across the barren expanse of the Northern Plains, carrying with it the distant cries of scavengers and the haunting echo of desolation. Hui Jian trudged through the snow, his eyes scanning the distant horizon. It had been days since he abandoned the remnants of the camp, and now the towering heavenly wall stood before him—a near-insurmountable barrier separating him from the Central Continent.
He paused, taking stock of his surroundings. The path had been perilous, filled with near-constant danger from the environment, beastmen, and scavengers. But nothing compared to the challenge that lay ahead—the heavenly wall, a massive shimmering barrier that towered over the landscape, stretching endlessly in either direction. It was said to be the natural division between the regions, impervious to Gu masters and their abilities. It rejected powerful Gu and cultivators marked by Dao Marks, and even mortals struggled to cross.
Hui Jian knew all this. But he also knew that where there was a barrier, there was always a way through.
As he scanned the snowy terrain, he spotted a small caravan stationed near the base of the wall. No ordinary traders, these were smugglers. They had the means to cross the heavenly wall. His sharp eyes caught the telltale signs—a formation hidden under layers of snow and rock, faintly glowing with otherworldly light.
His mind calculated swiftly. If they had a method to breach the wall, he could bargain for passage. But nothing came cheap in the Northern Plains. He would need to use the Rank 3 Gu he had claimed—a treasure worth more than its weight in primeval stones.
He approached cautiously, keeping his movements calm and deliberate. Several of the smugglers noticed his approach, their hands twitching toward their weapons. Hui Jian raised a hand in greeting, his face a mask of composure.
"Hold there, stranger," called out one of the traders, a tall man with a scar down his face. He eyed Hui Jian warily. "You've come a long way just to find trouble."
"I'm not looking for trouble," Hui Jian replied smoothly. "Only safe passage."
The leader raised an eyebrow. "And what makes you think we're in the business of helping strangers? Crossing the wall ain't free."
"I expected as much," Hui Jian said, his voice calm as he reached into his pack. "But I have something that might interest you."
He pulled out the ornate box, holding it just long enough for the smuggler to catch sight of its intricate design. The faint pulse of energy from the Gu inside could be felt even through the heavy air, making the man's eyes narrow with interest.
"A Gu?" the leader asked, stepping forward. His companions exchanged greedy glances, clearly intrigued by the idea of such a valuable treasure. "You're offering that for safe passage?"
"Not just any Gu," Hui Jian said, his voice smooth and calculating. "A Rank 3 Gu, more valuable than any coin or rations you could ask for. And it's yours—if you can get me through the wall."
The leader's eyes gleamed with greed, but Hui Jian could see him hesitating. It was a valuable offer, but trust was in short supply out here in the wilderness. Hui Jian pressed his advantage.
"You could sell this Gu for a fortune, or use it yourself to gain an edge out here," he added. "But I need passage first. Let me through the wall, and it's yours."
The sharp-eyed woman beside the leader stepped forward, her gaze flickering to the box. "Why part with something so valuable? What's your angle, stranger?"
Hui Jian met her gaze evenly. "I don't plan to stick around in these parts long enough to use it. My business lies beyond the wall."
He said nothing about the uneasy feeling the Gu had given him, nothing about the sensation of being tracked. That knowledge was his alone—and he wasn't about to weaken his bargaining position. Let them have the Gu and deal with the consequences. He would be long gone by then.
The leader considered for a moment longer before nodding. "Fine. We'll take the Gu after we get you through."
Hui Jian inclined his head in agreement. The deal was struck, but he had no intention of leaving empty-handed. As the smugglers prepared their method for crossing, Hui Jian's mind raced, evaluating the scene.
The heavenly wall loomed ahead, its ethereal glow casting long shadows across the snow. Up close, it was even more imposing—an endless barrier of swirling energies that hummed with an otherworldly resonance. Any object marked by high Dao Marks or Immortal Gu would be repelled, while lower-ranked Gu Masters like Hui Jian could still find ways to slip through.
The smugglers had set up an elaborate formation. Runes and symbols glowed faintly beneath the snow, and the air was thick with a palpable tension as they activated the array. The leader carefully placed a Rank 2 Gu into the formation, and the ground beneath their feet began to vibrate softly.
Hui Jian watched closely as the leader opened the ornate box containing the Rank 3 Gu. Its energy flared, pulsing in time with the formation, and a faint crackle filled the air. The Gu's power seemed to resonate with the wall, temporarily creating a breach in the swirling energies that repelled intruders.
The passage through the heavenly wall was narrow, barely wide enough for a single person to slip through at a time. The swirling energies parted like a curtain, revealing a shimmering pathway that led into the unknown expanse beyond.
Hui Jian's pulse quickened, but his expression remained cold. This was it—his chance to cross. He stepped forward, his eyes scanning the formation for any weaknesses or potential dangers. The smugglers were focused on maintaining the breach, their attention split between the Gu and the wall.
As they guided him toward the shimmering passage, Hui Jian noticed something odd. The ornate box housing the Gu pulsed in a way that felt unnatural. His instincts, finely tuned from years of survival in the Northern Plains, told him something was wrong. The Gu was marked—but he wasn't about to reveal that information now. He kept the knowledge to himself, a calculating glint in his eye.
They passed through the breach in silence, the heavenly wall towering on either side. For a moment, Hui Jian felt the pressure of the wall's energy—an almost suffocating sensation, as if the very air was pressing down on him. Then, with a flicker of light, they emerged on the other side.
The Central Continent stretched out before him, a new landscape filled with opportunities and dangers. The smugglers had held up their end of the deal, but Hui Jian had no intention of making things easy for them.
As they prepared to leave, the leader reached for the ornate box, his eyes gleaming with greed. Hui Jian handed it over, but as the man's hand closed around it, Hui Jian made his move.
While they were distracted with their prize, Hui Jian's other hand darted out, grabbing a small pouch from one of the crates. The smugglers were too focused on the Rank 3 Gu to notice the subtle theft, and Hui Jian slipped the pouch into his coat with practiced ease.
"Pleasure doing business," the leader grinned, inspecting the ornate box with a glint in his eye. But Hui Jian was already turning away, vanishing into the shadows as they celebrated their acquisition.
By the time the smugglers realized something was wrong with the Gu, Hui Jian was long gone. The ornate box pulsed with an unfamiliar energy, a hidden mark left behind by its previous owners. It was only then that the smugglers understood—they had been tracked.