Kevin maintained a smile throughout the journey, showing no displeasure towards Chen Nan despite the conflict between Chen Nan and Dongfang Fenghuang. The others initially had a poor impression of Chen Nan, given his notorious reputation at Shenfeng Academy, but they discovered he wasn't as bad as they had imagined and gradually changed their opinions of him.
During their casual conversation, everyone gained a better understanding of each other. Kevin and Chen Nan were the strongest, both having reached the third tier. Guan Hao was the weakest, his cultivation only at the first tier. Apart from Long Wu, who was rather mysterious and difficult to assess, the rest had all reached the second tier.
It wasn't until this moment that Guan Hao realized his role was merely that of "cannon fodder." In reality, everyone understood that in the warm-up matches, the team's third-tier experts would ultimately decide the outcome.
The group didn't know Chen Nan's given name, only that his surname was Chen. Shenfeng Academy had many students with special identities, and they were used to students who concealed their identities, so they didn't ask any questions along the way.
In the eastern part of the Tianyuan Continent, three great powers occupy three-quarters of the entire eastern territory: the Chu Kingdom in the west, the Baiyue Kingdom in the north, and the Anping Kingdom in the southeast. These three great powers do not border each other, but are separated by countless smaller countries, most of which are vassal states of these three superpowers.
After a day's flight, the group passed over the Chu state and arrived at the Jin state, located between the three states of Chu, Baiyue, and Anping. Although the Jin state had limited territory and could not compare with the three superpowers, it still had a certain reputation in the east.
This small country has many ancient cultivation sects, and over the past thousand years, many extraordinary figures have emerged from these sects.
Legend has it that some have ventured alone into mysterious Western magical lands and emerged unscathed; others have ridden Eastern dragons to roam the four seas; still others have achieved immortality but remained in the mortal realm…
Unbeknownst to many, the Jin Kingdom has become a sacred place for cultivation in the East, and the Immortal Martial Academy was founded in such a country, so its strength is self-evident.
Looking down at the land below, Chen Nan was utterly shocked, his heart filled with a surging wave of emotion.
Mountains upon mountains, plains upon plains, great rivers upon rivers...
Thousands of years have passed, and the world has changed dramatically, but when Chen Nan looked down upon the land of Jin, he still felt a familiar presence. The endless Taihang Mountains, the vast plains of the Nine Provinces, the boundless expanse of West Lake…
Everything points to this as his homeland—the ancient land of China.
"Is it really...is it really China?!" Chen Nan muttered to himself, his vision gradually blurring.
When he was browsing through various ancient books in the Chu Kingdom's palace, he tried to find out exactly where the ancient Huaxia Kingdom was located ten thousand years ago. However, he found no clues in the vast sea of ancient books, not even the words "Huaxia".
According to his memory, he knew that the ancient country of China was located in the central part of the Immortal Fantasy Continent, but after tens of thousands of years, he did not know whether the landscape had undergone earth-shattering changes, nor did he know whether he could still find that familiar place from the past.
It seemed as if it were preordained. During his trip to the State of Jin, he unexpectedly discovered the former land of China. The landscape had indeed changed considerably, but he still recognized it.
Chen Nan didn't miss his homeland that much. The reason he sought out the relics of China was because there was always a trace of regret in his heart. He wanted to go to a place to find out the truth and seek some solace.
Thinking back to his last farewell to Yuxin ten thousand years ago, he will never forget it in this lifetime.
Under the gloomy sky, a light rain slanted down with the wind, and the colorful flowers withered in an instant, petals scattering in all directions...
After the peerless master Chen Zhan reversed her fate, Yu Xin, whose meridians were severed, walked deeper into the Valley of a Hundred Flowers with every step she took, looking back again and again. Her haggard face, her poignant figure, and her sorrowful final glance...
At that moment, Chen Nan had a thousand words in his heart. He opened his mouth, but no words came out. He reached out and grabbed hard, as if trying to hold onto the departing figure, but what could he grasp besides air? His fingernails pierced his palm, and drops of blood dripped to the ground.
He was in pain, he was in real pain, but it wasn't his hands that were hurting; it was his heart that was bleeding at that moment!
The most heartbreaking thing is separation by death. At that moment, Chen Nan experienced the dual feelings of separation by death.
Even though Chen Zhan's divine skills were extraordinary and he managed to save Yu Xin's life against all odds, it was only a temporary respite. Whether she could recover her vitality depended on herself. At the last moment, Yu Xin entered the Hundred Flowers Valley, the ancient immortal ruins.
The mournful whisper still seemed to echo in Chen Nan's ears: "Don't be sad, don't be upset. Hundred Flowers Valley is filled with spiritual energy; I will surely be resurrected... Goodbye, until we meet again!"
A deafening thunderclap resounded above Hundred Flowers Valley, and a bolt of lightning shot down from the gray sky. Chen Zhan flew through the air, striking Hundred Flowers Valley with one hundred and eight palm strikes, fully activating the restrictions left behind by the ancient immortals and completely sealing off Hundred Flowers Valley.
...
The world changes, time passes, but Chen Nan's heart seems to remain in that moment ten thousand years ago.
He couldn't forget, he just couldn't forget! Tears blurred his vision.
As the dragon soared at breakneck speed, Chen Nan suddenly shouted, "I can't forget!"
A thunderous roar echoed through the sky, startling the three-headed dragon, which trembled involuntarily, causing everyone riding on it to sway.
After everyone screamed in surprise, they all glared angrily at Chen Nan, only to find that his face was covered in tears as he stared blankly at the vast land.