The Alchemy Conference that would commence after two years would not be held in the Wasteland. The venue was in the Barren Land that was located adjacent to the Wasteland. Even with the help from the Eight Trigrams Celestial Duke of the Tai Yi Celestial Sect, they would need to start their journey three months prior.
Duan Ling Tian learned all of this from Bai Ping, the Sect Leader of the Tai Yi Celestial Sect, and Situ Ming, a prominent Celestial Alchemist of the sect.
