Xiao Long returned along the same path, and as Chen Nan had predicted, the jade ruyi grew increasingly hot, once again radiating a holy light. After the black clouds appeared, this ancient god's relic became scorching hot, emitting a strong, sacred light.
"Just as I thought, it really is related to that dark cloud," Chen Nan muttered to himself.
"Brother, why is this happening? Is there something in that dark cloud that echoes this jade ruyi?"
Chen Nan's heart skipped a beat. He thought carefully for a moment and said, "There does seem to be some kind of unknown mystery there, but we can't be sure yet." He patted the little dragon's back and said, "Baby dragon, I want you to take me there to see it. You fly as fast as lightning, so if there's any danger later, you can escape immediately, right?"
The little dragon was the king of dragons, almost invincible in normal times. It was very dissatisfied to hear the word "escape," but it still nodded, which was considered its answer to Chen Nan.
"Alright, let's go take a look and see what's so strange about that place."
At first, Xiaolong didn't care about the dark cloud dozens of miles away, but later it seemed to sense something and gradually became cautious, rapidly descending its flight altitude and carefully heading towards it, hugging the mountains and forests.
When they were less than ten miles from the mountain surrounded by dark clouds, Chen Nan felt a strong unease. A strange fluctuation emanated from ahead, causing a tremor that went straight to his soul, and a chill rose from the bottom of his heart.
Little Chenxi snuggled closer to Chen Nan and whispered, "Brother, I'm scared..."
"Don't be afraid, Chenxi, your brother will protect you."
After sensing the strange fluctuations ahead, the little dragon became restless, its large eyes constantly showing vigilance, and its flight speed gradually slowed down.
When we were about five miles away from the mountain, the view ahead was clearly visible. At the foot of the mountain was a valley, from which thick black clouds rose. The black clouds enveloping the entire mountain actually originated from the ground, not from high above!
Upon arriving here, Chen Nan clearly felt a powerful sense of oppression. An immense pressure made his heart pound and caused him to feel a tremor from the depths of his soul.
"Brother, I'm so scared. There seems to be a powerful demon there..." Little Dawn whispered.
Chen Nan had complete faith in her intuition; Xiao Chenxi's constitution was extraordinary, and her senses couldn't be wrong. Furthermore, he himself sensed the terrifying fluctuations ahead; there truly seemed to be an unusual presence there!
At this moment, the little dragon had already sensed the immense pressure ahead. It became unusually quiet, though a hint of unease appeared in its eyes. It stopped advancing and remained suspended in the air, quietly observing.
At this moment, the light emanating from the jade ruyi grew stronger and stronger, and accompanied by a blazing holy light, it even began to tremble slightly, as if it had come to life. Chen Nan was startled, not knowing what would happen next.
The dazzling light lasted for half an hour, but the jade ruyi did not undergo any further unusual changes. The light it emitted gradually became calmer, and it stopped pulsating.
However, the light it emitted was even more sacred, its water-like holy radiance enveloping Chen Nan, Chen Xi, and the little dragon. The faint holy light no longer spread outwards, and the two people and the dragon seemed to be draped in a layer of divine armor.
Enveloped in this holy light, Xiao Chenxi seemed to no longer feel the fear she had before, and she gradually relaxed. Xiao Long also seemed much calmer; the unease in his eyes gradually disappeared, and he returned to his original state.
Chen Nan felt it most deeply. The jade ruyi hung on his chest, and its soft light seemed to neutralize the terrifying fluctuations. At the same time, a warm current spread throughout his body, completely eliminating his fear.
"This..." He was somewhat surprised. The fluctuations emanating from the jade ruyi seemed to be the opposite in nature to the terrifying fluctuations emanating from the valley in front of him.
The fluctuations emanating from ancient divine artifacts are mostly the power of immortals and gods, while the terrifying fluctuations ahead clearly lean towards the power of demons. From this perspective, it seems that a powerful demon truly resides ahead, or perhaps a demonic artifact of immense power is stored there.
If Chenxi weren't by his side, Chen Nan would definitely go and investigate to clear up his doubts. But he wasn't alone now, and he couldn't take little Chenxi into danger.
Just as he was deciding whether to retreat, a faint, sweet fragrance wafted from ahead, like orchids and musk, refreshing and delightful. The little dragon's eyes lit up instantly, seemingly forgetting its earlier intense unease. It licked its lips, its expression full of excitement.
Chen Nan was also intrigued. The fragrant aroma wafting from ahead made the little dragon swallow hard. For a fellow who loves rare and precious materials to react like this, it was enough to show that there must be some immortal treasures such as celestial mushrooms and ginseng fruits being unearthed ahead.
Little Dawn is otherworldly, which is exactly what she needs. In this mysterious and unpredictable dangerous place, it's not surprising that rare and precious materials appear; these kinds of rare treasures mostly grow in strange places.
Seeing that the little dragon baby was about to drool, Xiao Chenxi couldn't help but laugh and said, "Little gluttonous dragon, don't just think about eating. It's dangerous ahead, we can't go any further."
Xiao Long licked his lips, turned to look at Chen Nan, seemingly seeking his opinion on whether or not to go over. Chen Nan considered for a moment, then said, "Go over and check carefully. If there's any danger, we must retreat in a flash."
Little Dragon nodded, then carefully flew forward, skimming close to the ground. As they got closer to the valley, the terrifying fluctuations within it grew stronger.
When they were less than half a mile from the valley entrance, Chen Nan finally understood the true nature of the black clouds. It was definitely not clouds at all! It was pure demonic energy! The terrifying fluctuations were the emanating demonic energy!
This is unbelievable! The clouds and mist swirling around the entire mountain are actually a monstrous demonic aura!
The facts overturned Chen Nan's original conjecture. He had thought that the valley was a low volcanic crater, and that a powerful monster or a terrifying magical treasure was hidden nearby, with the black mist drifting out of the volcano.
But upon closer inspection, he realized he was completely wrong. Through his aura sensing, he discovered that it wasn't mist at all, but pure demonic energy! What kind of place is this? Could it be the entrance to hell? Could the exceptionally powerful and terrifying energy be emanating from hell itself?
Chen Nan felt a chill run down his spine. He truly didn't want to go any further. This wasn't cowardice, but rather a matter of knowing when to advance and when to retreat. However, the little dragon didn't see it that way. Before Chen Nan could give the order, it suddenly accelerated, flying into the valley like lightning. Although the little dragon knew this place was undoubtedly fraught with danger, it intended to use its lightning speed to rush in and then retreat just as quickly.
In the blink of an eye, the little dragon rushed to the valley entrance. Chen Nan patted the little dragon's back helplessly, telling it to be careful. The little dragon seemed to realize that it had been too reckless, and it slowed down and carefully flew inward.
The valley was shrouded in darkness, filled with surging demonic energy. The light filtering through the billowing demonic energy above was extremely dim, barely enough to make out the scene inside. The valley was a horrific sight, with bones scattered everywhere and phosphorescent flames flickering, exuding a heavy aura of death.
Chen Nan felt a chill run down his spine; this place truly felt like the entrance to hell. Xiao Chenxi said in a trembling voice, "Brother, let's go. This place is too terrifying. I feel a destructive power here..."
Chen Nan covered her eyes with his hands and said, "Chenxi, don't be afraid. We'll leave here right away."
A faint fragrance was the only sign of life in the valley, and at Chen Nan's signal, the little dragon continued its journey toward the source of the fragrance. However, at this moment, it became unusually cautious, its large eyes constantly and vigilantly observing the surrounding movements.
At first, Chen Nan was worried about whether he could withstand the erosion of the demonic energy, but he found that with the holy radiance of the jade ruyi protecting them, the demonic energy could not have any effect on them at all.
The valley was vast; the little dragon had already flown over a mile, yet still hadn't reached the source of the fragrance. Within this expansive valley, every inch of ground was covered in bones. Chen Nan grew increasingly shocked. The ground was littered not only with the remains of many enormous, unseen monsters, but also with the skulls of giants and the stark white bones of dragons—a terrifying scene, a truly horrifying sight!
The giant skulls were mostly piled up in heaps, each skull larger than a house. A dozen or so giant skulls piled together formed a small mountain; Chen Nan had already discovered no fewer than ten such skull mountains. In addition, there were many dragon bone mountains formed from the withered bones of giant dragons. This place was truly a place of great danger and peril!
After advancing another half mile, a few specks of light emanated from among the thousands of withered bones on the ground. Chen Nan's pupils contracted; he had discovered the remains of several gods, their bones torn to pieces and scattered across the ground. He could hardly believe it!
If he hadn't previously come into contact with the remains of ancient gods, he would never have known that the white bones radiating a faint, holy glow were divine bones. There were probably four or five sets of divine remains scattered among the pile of bones, emitting a weak light, making this place of death appear exceptionally eerie.
A tremendous wave of emotion surged within Chen Nan. Not only were there the skulls of ferocious giants and the bones of powerful dragons here, but there were even the remains of gods! Just what kind of place was this?
The fearless and proud little dragon seemed to sense unease, for it had discovered the remains of a sacred dragon among countless skeletons. Chen Nan noticed the little dragon's growing restlessness and gently patted it, signaling it not to be afraid.
At this moment, Chen Nan gradually calmed down and began to observe carefully.
He had been searching for a shocking secret from ten thousand years ago, seeking to understand why so many powerful deities had died and why he had been able to resurrect from the ancient tomb of gods and demons. But he had found no clues whatsoever; the truth of the past seemed to have been long since vanished into history, leaving not a trace.
However, right here today, in this land of death, he discovered the remains of several gods. Chen Nan had a vague feeling that he could find some clues and get some hints from this place.
Just then, Xiaolong flew to the Source of Fragrance. On a mountain of white bones, a strange flower, entirely blood-red, took root in the shimmering bone powder. Its blood-red stem, blood-red leaves, and blood-red blossoms looked particularly eerie against the backdrop of the bleak white bone mountain.
The blood-red flowers were incredibly alluring, emitting a delicate fragrance and radiating a red glow. A faint red hue filled the area within a three-zhang radius around them.
Chen Nan frowned deeply. He recalled a legendary evil creature—the Flower of Death. Legend has it that this rare evil creature often grows in mass graves, specifically feeding on the life force of the dead. Although it emits a strong fragrance after it matures, it is the most evil and malevolent thing in the world. Anyone who touches it, whether human, animal, or plant, will die instantly. It is truly wicked beyond measure.
Chen Nan wasn't surprised at all that the Flower of Death could appear here. Endless white bones, a dense aura of death—what place could be more suitable for its growth? He was just somewhat disheartened. He had originally thought there were some rare treasures like "Immortal Milk" or "Sacred Fruit," but instead, he had encountered the most evil thing in the world.
The baby dragon had long been spiritually aware, and it sensed that the Flower of Death was not a good omen. It showed a look of resentment.
Comparatively speaking, Chen Nan was more concerned about the secrets of this deathly wasteland. What kind of place was this? Some of the withered bones on the ground had long since turned into bone powder, while others remained incredibly hard. Judging from the bone powder, this wasteland had existed for at least several thousand years.
What Chen Nan needs to investigate is the truth of what happened ten thousand years ago. He cannot be sure for the time being whether this forbidden land has existed for ten thousand years.
The terrifying fluctuations within the valley reminded the two, along with the dragon, that this was no place of peace, with dark demonic energy constantly surging. The appearance of several divine remains changed Chen Nan's initial plan to leave. Now that he was already inside and had discovered such a significant secret, he wanted to investigate thoroughly.
He gestured for the little dragon to continue deeper into the valley. Although the little dragon showed signs of fear, it still flew forward as Chen Nan instructed. Throughout this process, Chen Nan covered Xiao Chenxi's eyes to prevent her from seeing the scenery inside the valley, for fear of frightening her.
Along the short distance, Chen Nan discovered countless enormous and strange skeletons, the remains of which he had no idea what kind of creature they belonged to. Some were even completely black, easily mistaken for black granite without close inspection. During this time, he also discovered several divine skeletons, and this time he made an astonishing discovery.
The divine skeletons discovered last time were dismantled into pieces, making it difficult to find any useful clues. This time, two of the three divine skeletons were relatively well-preserved, and Chen Nan discovered the reason for their deaths from these two skeletons.
One of the deities' skulls had five shocking finger-like holes, indicating that the deity had been killed by having its brain ripped out! Another deity's sternum had a fist-sized hole, suggesting that the deity's heart had been ripped out.
Chen Nan felt a chill run through him from head to toe, a coldness rising from the depths of his heart. The two gods died so gruesomely, seemingly not even on the same level as their opponent, which sent shivers down his spine.
Suddenly, a tremendous sense of crisis surged through Chen Nan's heart, and an indescribable fear filled his soul. At this moment, a heavy aura of death permeated the surroundings, and the little dragon even trembled slightly. If it hadn't already landed on the bone ground, it would definitely have been affected in its flight.
Chenxi said in a trembling voice, "Brother..."
"Shh," Chen Nan whispered, "Don't speak."
Only then did he realize that the baby dragon had led him to the deepest part of the valley, where a sheer cliff blocked their way.
Demonic energy surged, and a huge opening appeared beneath the cliff, from which billowing demonic energy intermittently spewed forth. Chen Nan was utterly horrified; the source of the demonic energy was here!
The dark entrance seemed to possess immense magical power. The more Chen Nan looked, the more terrified he became. His soul seemed to be drawn inside, and he felt himself sinking and being destroyed. He tried to look away, but found that his body was paralyzed. He was filled with horror.
Chen Nan struggled incessantly, but to no avail. In this death trap, he was unable to move an inch, and cold sweat soaked his clothes. Finally, he realized that a faint spiritual pressure was enveloping him from within the cave. He was even more terrified, and a shiver ran through him from head to toe.
Little Dragon seemed to be locked onto by that faint mental pressure as well. It struggled desperately, but couldn't move an inch. Only Little Chenxi in Chen Nan's arms could move. Although she couldn't see anything, she still felt the increasingly powerful and terrifying fluctuations. She was terrified and pressed her head tightly against Chen Nan's chest.
Chen Nan's heart skipped a beat. Why were the weakest children unaffected? He stopped struggling, slowly relaxed his body, and the internal energy within him ceased circulating. In an instant, he was able to move again. Just as he had guessed, that faint spiritual pressure only restrained the powerful forces that resisted it.
He whispered to the baby dragon, "Don't resist. Try to relax, and you'll be able to move again slowly."
At this moment, despite his immense fear, Chen Nan was still thinking rapidly. Without a doubt, at the source of the overwhelming demonic energy, within the black hole, lay an exceptionally powerful and terrifying being. He could clearly sense that the faint, elusive spiritual pressure emanating from that supreme being. Although the spiritual fluctuations were subtle, he had no doubt about the immense power and terror of that being.
In an instant, Chen Nan considered all sorts of possibilities. The terrifying being in the cave was very likely the creator of this land of death, responsible for the countless skeletons throughout the valley—a demon king of destruction. If this conjecture was true, one could imagine how terrifying this demon king of destruction was; countless giants, dragons, holy dragons, and gods had perished at his hands.
Just as Chen Nan was lost in thought, he suddenly heard a faint whisper: "Quickly... escape from here..." He was terrified; it was a woman's voice, seemingly echoing in his mind. At that moment, the jade ruyi trembled slightly, and the radiance it emitted dimmed considerably.
Chen Nan understood: the Jade Ruyi, a relic from an ancient god, was issuing a warning!
Just then, a large amount of demonic energy suddenly surged out from the dark cave ahead, and a tragic blood-red light flashed inside the cave.
With the help of the dim and eerie light, Chen Nan vaguely saw the scene inside. His head felt like it was going to explode. He felt extreme fear, and every hair on his body stood on end.
A tall, demonic figure stood at an angle inside the cave, its right eye closed, and the left half of its head, including the left eye, was shattered. On the intact half of the head were waist-length, blood-red hair, and one could see white brain matter smeared on the blood-stained hair.
The remaining eye, two ears, one nose, and one mouth on his head would have been perfect if not for the bloodstains and brain matter. If this person hadn't been missing half a head, he would have been an exceptionally handsome man.
His tattered clothes were covered in blood, their original color unrecognizable, and their style appeared very ancient. Even Chen Nan, who was well-versed in the history of the continent and lived ten thousand years ago, couldn't tell which era the man's clothing belonged to.
None of the above were the reasons that Chen Nan felt fear and shock. The reason he was so terrified was that the man had several pairs of wings growing from his back, which were the symbols of Western gods, demons and angels! The man with the missing head had two pure white wings on his left side and a gray-black wing on his right side. The two wings were different colors!
Gods and demons! In an instant, these two words flashed through Chen Nan's mind. In Western mythology, none of the angels have two-colored wings; only the most ancient gods and demons possess this unfathomable anomaly.
The headless demon had two shockingly large wounds on its abdomen, one on the left and one on the right, extending all the way back, presumably connected to the base of its wings. It could be further inferred that these wounds were caused when its wings were forcibly torn off; the exact number of pairs of wings it originally possessed was impossible to determine!
The nameless demon's chest was riddled with a gaping, bloody hole; his heart had been ripped out. Yet, his chest was rising and falling—he was still alive! The red light emanating from the hole was from the glow of the demon's blood gushing from the gaping wound in his heart!
The blood of gods and demons spilled onto the ground, plunging the cave into darkness once more, its interior swirling with demonic energy. At this moment, Chen Nan was nearly exhausted. He had actually seen the legendary gods and demons! This severely wounded god and demon was still alive. His intuition told him that immense danger was slowly approaching, and he had to leave this place as soon as possible!