Becoming an immortal against the will of heaven

The Eastern Li Desert is located directly east of the Qian Yuan Continent, a vast expanse of Gobi sands stretching for tens of thousands of miles.

Here, aside from a few cacti, there is no other greenery to be seen. Everywhere you look, there is golden sand, shimmering under the scorching sun.

Right in the heart of this Eastern Li Desert, a group of fifty people dressed in various colored robes are gathered.

Some are sitting, some standing, some floating in mid-air. The desert's vicious heat has no effect on them; each person is surrounded by a cool aura that dispels the heat and leaves them feeling refreshed.

Clearly, these individuals are all cultivators with extraordinary abilities.

However, they don't seem to be very familiar with each other, each choosing a spot to be alone and deliberately keeping their distance from others.

It seems that this area is their safe zone. If anyone dares to approach, they immediately become defensive, secretly activating their magical treasures, concealed within their sleeves, ready to attack at any moment.

Fortunately, most approaches are unintentional. The 'intruder' quickly realizes their mistake, nods to the owner of the territory as a sign of apology, and tactfully retreats.

Seeing this, the owner of the territory breathes a sigh of relief, puts away the magical treasure they were about to launch, wipes the cold sweat from their face, and continues to quietly stare ahead.

Anxiety stirs in everyone's hearts, and as time passes, their faces become increasingly filled with worry.

Strangely, however, no one is willing to leave voluntarily, but continues to wait quietly, their eyes fixed firmly ahead.

About twenty yards in front of the group stands a huge wind gate.

This wind gate is a hundred yards long and fifty yards wide, standing in the Eastern Li Desert like a giant beast.

Powerful gusts of wind surge out of the wind gate, but they bring no coolness, for these winds are hot, blowing on the people and making their already agitated hearts even more uneasy.

As if finally unable to wait any longer, a slightly plump mid-Gathering Spirit cultivator left his 'territory' and walked towards a tall, thin man beside him.

This tall, thin man was a late-Gathering Spirit cultivator. Seeing the plump man approaching, he tensed up, and just as he was about to adopt a defensive posture, the plump man immediately raised both hands, spun around in place, and laughed, "Brother Han, don't panic, I mean no harm!"

Seeing the plump man's actions, the man surnamed Han's eyes flickered. After quickly calculating in his mind for a moment, he finally lowered his guard, raised his hand, clasped his fist, and said, "Brother Lin, the passage to the Fallen Immortal Valley is about to open. Why aren't you preparing and instead coming here?"

This cultivator surnamed Han had met this plump man once at an exchange meeting. Although they couldn't be considered close friends, compared to others, this relationship was already valuable. That's why he didn't choose to attack the plump man just now.

Even so, the cultivator surnamed Han was still constantly vigilant in his heart. If he discovered that the plump man had any malicious intentions, he would definitely kill him before he could make a move!

The plump man naturally knew the vigilance in the heart of the cultivator surnamed Han, so he dared not get too close, but stopped five yards away from him.

Firstly, speaking here was clear enough, and secondly, this distance was acceptable to both parties.

Sure enough, seeing the plump man stop five yards away, the cultivator surnamed Han breathed a sigh of relief in his heart, and the intense vigilance in his heart also relaxed a bit, because he could see the other party's sincerity.

Feeling the sharp decrease in the killing intent from the cultivator surnamed Han, the plump man also felt a sense of relief. Then, with a smile on his face, he shook his head and said, "Alas, Brother Han, I am extremely depressed, so I wanted to find someone to chat with. You are the only one here that I'm somewhat familiar with, so I came to bother you. Please forgive me if I have offended you."

The plump man's tone was very respectful, further indicating that he had no malicious intent.

Hearing this, the cultivator surnamed Han's solemn expression further relaxed, and he said, "Hey, Brother Lin, you're being too polite. Just say whatever you want, we're practically family."

The plump man sneered in his heart after hearing this. 'This guy is too good at pretending, isn't he? 'Practically family,' my foot! He was clearly full of murderous intent just now!'

Of course, the plump man would not say these words. He paused, looked back at the huge wind gate, and said with a hint of suspicion on his face, "Brother Han, did you know that the gate to the Fallen Immortal Valley didn't close on time last time either, but was early by half a day!"

"What? There was actually such a thing?" The cultivator surnamed Han was greatly shocked after hearing this. This was truly the first time he had heard of such a thing.

The plump man smiled and said, "That's right, it's true. Connecting it with the present situation, I always feel that something strange has happened in this Fallen Immortal Valley?"