Chapter 63 — Whispers in the Darkness
The Western Region had a different kind of darkness.
It was not simply the absence of sunlight.
The mountains themselves seemed to absorb light.
Han Feng moved silently across the dry earth, his black cloak blending with the night. His footsteps barely disturbed the dust beneath him.
The Art of the Celestial Veil had become considerably more refined after his recent training.
His aura was no longer simply suppressed.
It was scattered.
A small portion merged with the wind.
Another disappeared into the surrounding spiritual fluctuations.
To ordinary perception, there was almost nothing to notice.
Almost.
Han Feng knew better than to believe himself invisible.
There were always traces.
A change in the air.
A disturbed patch of dust.
A footprint too shallow to be natural.
A cultivator who understood tracking could still find him.
That was why he never traveled in a straight line.
Every few hours, Han Feng changed direction.
Sometimes he crossed streams.
Sometimes he walked over exposed rocks.
Sometimes he deliberately left traces in one direction before quietly moving in another.
The Western Region was dangerous.
But it was also vast.
And Han Feng intended to make use of that fact.
His destination was the Valley of Soul Devourers.
Few cultivators spoke about that place openly.
Those who did usually lowered their voices.
According to the rumors, cultivators had entered the valley and returned with damaged spiritual senses.
Others had lost pieces of their memories.
Some had never returned at all.
The most frightening stories claimed that something inside the valley could consume the soul directly.
Han Feng didn't believe every rumor.
But one name had appeared repeatedly.
Soul Devourer Gu.
A Gu said to possess the ability to consume spiritual essence from living beings.
If the legends were even partially true, it would be an extremely dangerous Gu.
And precisely because it was dangerous—
Han Feng wanted to understand it.
Not necessarily obtain it.
Understanding came first.
Three days later, the mountains finally changed.
The vegetation became sparse.
The ground turned gray.
Even the wind seemed colder.
Han Feng stopped on a rocky slope.
Ahead of him lay a vast valley.
Dark mist gathered between its cliffs.
No birds flew above it.
No insects could be heard.
Even the spiritual beasts that normally occupied the mountains seemed to avoid the region.
Han Feng stared into the darkness.
"This place..."
A faint chill ran down his spine.
"...is wrong."
He slowly extended his spiritual sense.
The moment it entered the valley—
It weakened.
Han Feng immediately withdrew it.
His expression became serious.
"Something interferes with spiritual perception."
That alone made the valley dangerous.
But there was something else.
A faint pressure.
Not coming from the front.
Not from behind.
From everywhere.
Han Feng's eyes narrowed.
Someone was watching him.
He didn't move.
Neither did the presence.
For several breaths, the two sides remained motionless.
Then Han Feng took one step forward.
The instant his foot touched the ground—
He vanished.
Three dark figures appeared where he had been standing.
Their robes were covered in strange gray patterns resembling distorted human faces.
One of them looked around.
"He saw us."
The voice was rough.
Another cultivator crouched down and touched the ground.
"The traces are still warm."
Han Feng watched from a nearby rock.
His breathing was slow.
His aura completely hidden.
He recognized the robes.
They were similar to the clothing worn by the Celestial Corpse Sect expedition he had encountered before.
But these three were different.
They carried specialized soul lamps around their waists.
Their movements were coordinated.
Hunters.
Han Feng's eyes narrowed.
"So they followed me."
He had expected the Celestial Corpse Sect to continue searching.
He hadn't expected them to reach the valley this quickly.
One of the three cultivators suddenly turned.
"He's nearby."
The moment those words were spoken—
Han Feng moved.
His body appeared behind the nearest cultivator.
A short blade flashed.
The cultivator reacted quickly.
He twisted his body.
The blade pierced his shoulder instead of his throat.
"Enemy!"
The other two immediately turned.
Han Feng kicked the wounded cultivator away and retreated.
Three gray shadows rushed toward him.
A corpse-shaped phantom appeared behind one of them.
Another released a thin thread of soul energy.
Han Feng's pupils contracted.
He didn't attempt to block it directly.
His Celestial Veil shifted.
His aura split into three faint traces.
The soul thread passed between them.
The cultivator froze.
"What—?"
Han Feng appeared at his side.
His palm struck the man's chest.
The force sent him crashing into the rocks.
The second cultivator attacked immediately.
A black claw formed from condensed corpse energy.
Han Feng raised his arm.
The Dual Chaos Larva activated.
Chaotic energy spread through his meridians.
The claw struck.
Boom!
Han Feng was pushed several meters backward.
Pain spread through his arm.
He frowned.
"Rank 2 Gu Master."
Not weak.
But manageable.
The third cultivator attacked from behind.
Han Feng sensed him.
He turned.
His palm met the man's fist.
The impact shook the surrounding dust.
For an instant, both sides were locked.
Han Feng's eyes became cold.
The Celestial Transmutation Gu activated.
A small amount of Qi entered the Dual Chaos Larva.
The chaotic energy changed.
It became sharper.
Han Feng twisted his wrist.
The opponent's balance collapsed.
A knee struck his abdomen.
Then Han Feng released a controlled burst of spiritual force.
The cultivator was thrown backward.
He landed heavily.
Han Feng didn't pursue.
Something was wrong.
The three cultivators had been too easy to separate.
And the valley had become completely silent.
No insects.
No wind.
Nothing.
Han Feng immediately retreated.
The wounded cultivator struggled to stand.
"You..."
His eyes were filled with anger.
"You dare interfere with the Celestial Corpse Sect—"
He never finished.
His body suddenly stiffened.
A black line appeared across his neck.
His expression froze.
Then his body collapsed.
Han Feng's eyes narrowed.
He hadn't attacked.
The other two cultivators froze as well.
Then—
Crack.
The sound of something breaking echoed through the valley.
A terrifying pressure descended.
The surrounding mist exploded outward.
Han Feng's expression changed.
The air itself seemed heavier.
The remaining two cultivators dropped to their knees.
A voice came from the darkness.
"Interesting."
Deep.
Calm.
Almost amused.
Han Feng immediately activated the Art of the Celestial Veil to its limit.
His body became indistinct.
His spiritual sense stretched outward.
He felt it.
Someone was approaching.
And that person was far beyond the three cultivators.
A figure slowly emerged from the mist.
Silver hair.
Black robes.
Purple eyes.
Ancient runes covered the man's sleeves.
He didn't walk like someone searching for an enemy.
He walked like someone who already knew the outcome.
Han Feng's muscles tightened.
Danger.
Absolute danger.
This man was on another level.
The silver-haired cultivator stopped several dozen meters away.
His eyes moved toward the dead disciple.
Then toward Han Feng.
A faint smile appeared.
"So you're the one they've been chasing."
Han Feng remained silent.
The man looked amused.
"Your concealment technique is interesting."
Han Feng's heart sank.
He had seen through it.
Not completely.
But enough.
The man introduced himself calmly.
"You may call me Elder Li."
His voice carried through the valley.
"I am an Elder of the Celestial Corpse Sect."
Han Feng's gaze sharpened.
An Elder.
That explained the pressure.
Elder Li looked at the two surviving disciples.
"Leave."
The two cultivators hesitated.
"But Elder—"
"Leave."
They immediately obeyed.
Han Feng watched them disappear into the mist.
He didn't attack.
That would be foolish.
His attention remained on Elder Li.
"You came personally."
Elder Li smiled.
"I became interested after hearing the reports."
"What reports?"
"The ruined formation."
"The missing vessel."
"The strange resonance."
"And a cultivator who appeared at the center of all three."
Han Feng's expression didn't change.
Inside, however, his thoughts moved rapidly.
So they knew about the urn.
Perhaps more than he expected.
Elder Li continued.
"You are not a disciple of the Celestial Corpse Sect."
"No."
"You aren't from the nearby clans either."
Han Feng said nothing.
Elder Li laughed softly.
"Good."
He seemed genuinely pleased.
"I dislike people who reveal everything too quickly."
Han Feng's hand rested near his storage ring.
"If you already know so much, why are we talking?"
"Because killing you would be wasteful."
The pressure around Elder Li increased slightly.
Han Feng's pupils contracted.
His body instinctively prepared to move.
Elder Li noticed.
"Relax."
Han Feng almost smiled.
"That advice doesn't sound very convincing."
Elder Li laughed.
"You have survived several situations that should have killed you."
His purple eyes narrowed.
"That means one of two things."
"Luck?"
"No."
Elder Li shook his head.
"Preparation."
Han Feng's expression became colder.
The elder had understood too much from too little information.
That alone made him dangerous.
Elder Li took another step.
"Tell me about the Black Urn."
Han Feng's eyes narrowed.
So that was the real reason.
"I don't know what you're talking about."
"Of course you don't."
Elder Li's smile widened.
"But you will."
The instant he finished speaking—
He raised one finger.
Han Feng's instincts screamed.
He moved.
A black line appeared where his head had been.
The rock behind him split open.
Han Feng's body rolled across the ground.
He immediately activated Spectral Shadows.
His figure blurred.
For two breaths, his presence disappeared.
Elder Li's expression finally changed.
"That technique..."
Han Feng didn't wait.
He turned and fled toward the deepest part of the valley.
Elder Li didn't chase immediately.
Instead, he stared at the darkness where Han Feng had disappeared.
A faint smile returned to his face.
"Interesting."
He had expected Han Feng to run.
He hadn't expected him to choose the valley.
Elder Li looked toward the depths.
"The Valley of Soul Devourers..."
His eyes narrowed.
"Then let us see what you're trying to find."
Han Feng moved through the darkness at full speed.
His spiritual sense was partially suppressed by the valley.
His breathing was controlled.
His footsteps were silent.
But his mind was racing.
Elder Li was too strong.
Even after reaching Qi Cultivation Rank 3 Early, Han Feng had no confidence in fighting him directly.
The man's control over spiritual pressure alone was enough to prove the gap.
Han Feng needed another advantage.
Terrain.
Formation.
Anything.
He suddenly stopped.
Ahead of him—
Something was moving.
A faint whisper reached his ears.
Not from behind.
Not from the sides.
From beneath his feet.
Han Feng slowly lowered his head.
The ground was covered with ancient markings.
Six connected points.
His heart tightened.
The Celestial Diagram pulsed inside his consciousness.
Once.
Twice.
Then the markings beneath him began to glow.
Han Feng stared.
"The same resonance..."
Behind him, Elder Li's footsteps echoed through the darkness.
Slow.
Unhurried.
Certain.
Han Feng looked down at the six-point formation.
Then toward the darkness ahead.
A whisper entered his consciousness.
"The hungry remember."
Han Feng's eyes narrowed.
Another voice followed.
"The dead remember."
The markings brightened.
Then—
A final whisper.
"And the one who should not return..."
The ground beneath Han Feng cracked.
His expression changed.
Something enormous moved beneath the valley.
Elder Li stopped.
For the first time since appearing—
His expression lost its amusement.
He looked toward the ground.
"...What did you awaken?"
Han Feng didn't answer.
Because he didn't know.
The valley trembled.
The ancient markings spread across the earth.
Six points.
Six paths.
And somewhere beneath them—
Something opened its eyes.
The hunt had changed.
It was no longer simply Han Feng being hunted.
Now—
Something inside the Valley of Soul Devourers had noticed them both.