Legend has it that the Boundary River divided the chaotic world into three realms: the Human Realm, the Immortal Realm, and the Demon Mountain. Over time, this convergence of the three realms gradually gathered people, immortals, and demons. Most of them chose to live here to escape their original realms. Over time, this intersection of the three realms formed an independent realm.
The Extending Land, due to its special location, is centered on the Human Realm, with the ancient Mo Zhi Mountain to the north, the Vast Glass Valley and the Wuming Demon Mountain to the northwest, where generations of demon tribes have resided. In the center lies the Extending Land, with Jiuling representing the Three Realms, while to the east are the Liao Yin Immortal Realm and the Peach Blossom Forest, and to the northeast is the Ice Bamboo Forest.
According to the rules of the Three Realms, anyone who sets foot on the Extending Land can gain freedom from the constraints of the Human, Immortal, and Demon Realms, regardless of the reason or the person's identity. Therefore, for hundreds of years, the Extending Land has become a place of mixed races, where monsters and evils thrive, and dark trades abound. But it is also because of this that there are often many rare treasures here that are hard to find elsewhere.
Hua Ruoying, who set out from the Vast Glass Valley, wanted to reach the Ice Bamboo Forest faster, and the shortest way was to pass through the Extending Land. She could also search for some herbs she needed in the black market here.
In the black market of the Extending Land, people of all kinds gather—humans, demons, and immortals—all wearing strange clothes and with eerie expressions. Hua Ruoying's attention was on the stalls by the road, trying to find the few herbs she needed, while she played with a black flower hairpin she had just bought.
A boy behind her seemed to have been following her for a long time. Seeing Hua Ruoying lost in thought, he suddenly ran up unexpectedly, snatched the hairpin, and ran off.
"Hey, you little rascal! Robbing right in front of your auntie! I just bought that and haven't even warmed it up yet." Hua Ruoying instinctively chased after him.
The boy didn't expect Hua Ruoying, who seemed petite, to run so fast. Perhaps it was his first time stealing something. In a panic, he ran into someone ahead, a thin figure who remained unmoved, but the item in their hand fell to the ground.
Dressed in a dark purple robe with sporadic smoky-colored flower patterns, and wearing a silver mask on the face, the person turned around slowly, looking down at the boy with disdain, then glanced at the scattered items on the ground, flicked off the dust on their body with disgust.
Hua Ruoying also caught up and saw the boy lying on the ground, looking at the person in front with fear.
"Lord Nanzhe!" The boy on the ground obviously knew this person, his eyes full of fear, his voice trembling.
Hearing the commotion, people and demons gathered around to watch the excitement. Every day in the Extending Land, there were many incidents of bullying the weak, fighting, and looting. The people here were enthusiastic about such events, as there were no laws, and killing and evil were always the most popular activities.
Not wanting to attract attention, Hua Ruoying did not immediately rush forward, but stood in the crowd watching the scene unfold.
"Hey, who's that guy?" Hua Ruoying whispered to the people around her. She naturally understood that, as a woman traveling alone, she needed to assess the situation first to avoid putting herself in danger.
"You don't know him? This kid just accidentally bumped into Lord Nanzhe. He's probably going to end up dead soon," someone nearby said excitedly.
"Lord Nanzhe?" Hua Ruoying repeated. Although she had never been to the Extending Land, she still knew some information about it. However, the name "Lord Nanzhe" was somewhat unfamiliar to her.
"You mean Lord Nanzhe, don't you? Haven't you heard? This Lord Nanzhe is notorious in the Extending Land for his brutality. Anyone who offends him, be it human or demon, ends up in a miserable state. That's why everyone secretly calls him Lord Nanzhe. No one knows where he comes from or what he looks like under that mask. He occasionally shows up in the Extending Land and has his own mansion, but apparently, he's not there most of the time. This kid just bumped into Lord Nanzhe, so he's about to meet his doom," another woman, resembling a middle-aged demon, said excitedly.
"The people in the Extending Land really live up to their reputation, treating slaughter as entertainment. But, according to what he said, this Lord Nanzhe only recently arrived here in the Extending Land. His actions have been so ruthless that he's gained the admiration of the locals," Hua Ruoying sighed inwardly as she watched the crowd enthusiastically observing the scene unfolding before them.
The man slowly extended his hand, clad in dark purple gloves shimmering with a faint cold light. He grabbed the boy by the neck with a surge of power, lifting him straight off the ground. The boy's face gradually contorted in pain, struggling frantically in the air, while the man's eyes showed no emotion, instead revealing a slight sense of enjoyment in the slow movements of his fingers.
As the boy's struggles grew weaker, the surrounding crowd became increasingly excited, even starting to count down.
"How long do you think this kid can hold on?"
"I bet no more than ten counts."
"Look at his skinny body. I doubt he can even last ten counts. Remember that black bear demon last time? He only struggled for five counts in Lord Nanzhe's hands."
Unable to bear witnessing the boy's suffering any longer, Hua Ruoying stepped forward.
"Stop!"
Emerging from the crowd, Hua Ruoying shouted sternly. The previously excited crowd suddenly quieted down, and both demons and humans turned to look at her.
Sensing the commotion, Lord Nanzhe halted his actions and, behind his mask, one could sense his cold expression. His eyebrows slightly raised, he curiously followed the direction of the voice, spotting the girl who had just emerged from the crowd.
Having been in the Extending Land for so long, Lord Nanzhe rarely encountered anyone daring to speak to him in such a manner. He wondered who this reckless girl was. Nevertheless, seeing Hua Ruoying stepping out from the crowd and standing before him, Lord Nanzhe surprisingly found himself patient.
"Isn't it just an accident that he bumped into and broke your stuff? There's no need to be so ruthless," Hua Ruoying said again when she saw that Lord Nanzhe had no intention of releasing the boy.
Lord Nanzhe found it quite interesting. After all, no one had ever spoken to him in such a fearless manner before. This young girl, despite her appearance, had quite the courage.
The corners of Lord Nanzhe's lips under the mask slightly lifted, and he sized up the girl who was shouting at him. He glanced at the item on Hua Ruoying's wrist.
"A resident of the Wuming Demon Mountain, daring to meddle in others' affairs?" Lord Nanzhe's voice was low and cold.
"Yes... yes, I'm a resident of the Wuming Demon Mountain. What about it? Are you scared now?" Hua Ruoying didn't expect this person to deduce her origin with just a glance.
But revealing one's origin in the Extending Land was actually quite dangerous. However, Hua Ruoying couldn't care less at the moment and replied calmly.
"A demon with a heart of compassion?" Lord Nanzhe's voice was mocking.
Seeing the boy's life hanging by a thread in Lord Nanzhe's hands, Hua Ruoying didn't bother with further words. She reached out and flung several poisoned needles at Lord Nanzhe.
Lord Nanzhe released the boy, effortlessly catching the needles and sniffing them in front of his mask with a hint of enjoyment in his eyes.
"Stone bile?" Lord Nanzhe accurately identified the poison on Hua Ruoying's needles, his tone eerie.
Ignoring Lord Nanzhe, Hua Ruoying hurriedly helped the boy up from the ground. "Are you okay?"
The boy shook his head, cowering behind Hua Ruoying like he had found a lifesaver, staring at Lord Nanzhe with fear written all over his face.
Lord Nanzhe tossed the needles aside, crossing one arm over his chest while supporting himself with the other. His fingers gently traced his chin, his eyes filled with curiosity as he leaned closer to Hua Ruoying.
"Do you know what he just broke? It's my Zixuan Yingqing. Even if I kill him a hundred times, it won't be enough," Lord Nanzhe's voice contained a hint of anger, icy and threatening.
"Zi... Zixuan Yingqing?" Hua Ruoying couldn't help but gasp. Zixuan Yingqing was indeed a famous treasure in the Three Realms. Many people would even resort to bloodshed to obtain it. Lord Nanzhe's strength was not to be underestimated if he possessed such a valuable item.
"No, it's just a zither, isn't it? There's no need to use people's or demons' lives as compensation. Name your price, and I'll compensate you," Hua Ruoying said, instantly regretting what she had said. What on earth had she blurted out without thinking? That Zixuan Yingqing was rumored to be made from the thousand-year-old trees on the Mo Zhi Mountain, a rare treasure in both the mortal and immortal realms. What could she possibly offer as compensation?
Oh no, she had really dug herself into a hole this time. Not only had she failed to save the person, but she had also implicated herself.
Hua Ruoying's reaction thoroughly piqued Nanzhe's interest. Despite her obvious fear, she showed no signs of backing down for the sake of someone unrelated to her.
"Oh? You want to compensate me? What will you use to compensate me?" Nanzhe's mask came even closer, and Hua Ruoying could feel his rapid breath.
The pressure emanating from this person made Hua Ruoying close her eyes, thinking it was worth a shot. After all, she couldn't afford to compensate him anyway, so she might as well take a gamble.
"Well, I... I'll use this to compensate you." Hua Ruoying closed her eyes tightly and removed the crystal-clear pearl bracelet from her wrist.
Seeing the bracelet extended towards him, Nanzhe reached out and took it.
In terms of quality, the bracelet was indeed a top-notch piece of agate. Some of the beads seemed to contain sealed objects, which was why his eyes had lingered on the bracelet earlier.
However, there was almost no comparison between this bracelet and his Zixuan Yingqing in terms of value.
"Do you really think such a cheap bracelet can compare to my broken Zixuan Yingqing?" Nanzhe looked at the bracelet in his hand with some disdain.
"This is a rare lotus agate. How can it be inferior to your broken Zixuan Yingqing?" Hua Ruoying saw the interest in Nanzhe's eyes earlier, so she thought of using this bracelet as a way to settle the debt.
This young girl in front of him truly aroused Nanzhe's interest. Accustomed to the fear others showed him, encountering such a girl who dared to confront him was somewhat intriguing.
"Consider this bracelet as interest for now. If you manage to find the zither string within a month and repair it, I won't pursue this matter any further," Nanzhe said casually, his hand gently stroking the zither strings as he looked at Hua Ruoying with a calm demeanor.
"Alright, it's a deal! One month, just one month. I'm afraid one month might be too much," Hua Ruoying agreed as she saw a glimmer of hope.
Without saying much, Nanzhe turned to leave.
"Hey, where do I find you in a month?" Hua Ruoying asked.
Without looking back, Nanzhe simply replied, "You'll know when the time comes."
Seeing that there was no more excitement to be had, the onlookers began to disperse.
Hua Ruoying watched Nanzhe walk away before finally exhaling a sigh of relief, dropping her tense posture and turning to check on the person she had just rescued.
"Are you alright?" she asked with concern, examining the boy who appeared to be a few years younger than her.
Despite his still lingering fear, the boy's face lit up with gratitude as he looked at Hua Ruoying, who had shown no ill intentions towards him. He instinctively grabbed the hairpin he had just snatched from her, holding it tightly in his hand.
"Don't be nervous. I mean you no harm. Are you injured?" Hua Ruoying asked softly.
The boy shook his head in silence, but he looked at Hua Ruoying with curiosity.
Hua Ruoying smiled friendly at the boy. "Since you're alright, I'll be on my way."
Just as Hua Ruoying turned around, she felt the boy tug at her sleeve.
"Sister, thank you for earlier," the boy said, his eyes suddenly lighting up as if he had realized that Hua Ruoying meant him no harm. He then humbly grabbed her sleeve, expressing his gratitude.
"It's nothing. What's your name?" Hua Ruoying brushed off the dirt from his clothes and asked.