Just then, the little dragon regained its mobility. It was terrified and, without waiting for Chen Nan's command, spread its wings and soared into the sky, flying out of the valley like lightning.
After Xiaolong carried Chennan and Xiaochenxi for more than ten miles away from the Deathly Desolation Land, a red light appeared in the huge black hole under the cliff at the deepest part of Death Valley. The red light swept across the valley and then slowly dimmed, leaving the valley in deathly silence.
After the little dragon had flown a hundred miles away, Chen Nan let out a long breath. He felt the immense sense of crisis had vanished. Just now, he had truly felt the threat of death; perhaps if he had been a step slower, disaster would have befallen him. Although it was only for a brief moment, Chen Nan truly felt as if he had been reborn.
Xiao Chenxi also seemed shaken. Although Chen Nan had covered her eyes and she couldn't see anything, she still felt an indescribable fear.
"Brother, I was so scared just now! I felt like there was a destructive force there, like it could destroy the world. It was so terrifying!"
Chen Nan gently patted her back, comforting her, "We'll never go there again..."
The little dragon seemed to have just recovered from its fear. After hearing Chen Nan's words, it looked back with lingering fear and then nodded.
The little dragon flew like lightning, covering hundreds of miles in an instant, and the City of Sin came into view in the distance. Chen Nan didn't have much affection for this city, but having survived the ordeal, he felt a sense of returning home. He said to Xiao Chenxi, "Look, that beautiful city surrounded by green mountains and winding through clear waters is our destination. We'll live there from now on."
Little Dawn nodded sweetly and said, "It's different from the towns we saw on the road. This place is beautiful, and Dawn likes it very much."
"I'm glad you like it." Chen Nan smiled.
He didn't want to attract too much attention. As he approached the City of Sin, he planned to order the little dragon to land outside the city so he and Chenxi could enter. But just then, two flying dragons shot up from the direction of the Divine Wind Academy and flew rapidly toward him, arriving before him in the blink of an eye.
Chen Nan was no stranger to these two people. Not long ago, he had ridden on their flying dragon and traveled with them to the Immortal Martial Academy to participate in a warm-up match.
The two dragons trembled in fear before the little dragon, their bodies shaking in the air. Both dragon knights wore expressions of joy, one of them saying, "Brother Chen, you're finally back! The vice-dean has been talking about you every day."
"Him?" Chen Nan was taken aback and asked, "Why is that treacherous, shameless old man talking about me?"
Another dragon knight said, "The vice dean is very worried about you, fearing that you may have encountered danger. He has already sent out many people to search for you recently."
"What mischief is that old geezer up to now?"
"Alright, we won't take up any more of Brother Chen's time. The dean said that if anyone finds you, you must immediately return to Shenfeng Academy."
After considering it for a moment, Chen Nan agreed, "Okay."
Upon arriving at Shenfeng Academy, Xiao Chenxi looked around curiously. She found this famous academy, which covered a vast area and resembled a palace, very novel.
Many students from the Divine Wind Academy on the road were talking about Chen Nan after seeing him, but this time they did not talk about the various bad rumors about the "scoundrel" as before. Everyone looked at him with complicated eyes.
News of Chen Nan's great battle in the capital of Jin had already reached Freedom City with the few who participated in the warm-up matches, and the students of the academy were naturally already aware of it. No one in the academy had imagined that the infamous scoundrel had an even more illustrious identity: he was actually the legendary warrior of Chu who shot down the dragon with a bow.
With his arrow that shot down a fourth-tier dragon and his sword that cleaved a fifth-tier master, Chen Nan has caused such a stir that he has become a legendary figure among the younger generation. Most students at Shenfeng Academy have changed their opinion of him drastically, although many still have mixed feelings about him due to their preconceived notions of him being a "scoundrel."
Chen Nan noticed the strange looks from people on the street. He smiled helplessly and carried Xiao Chenxi toward the vice dean's office.
The beautiful and adorable Xiao Chenxi possesses an astonishing charm. Chen Nan can now be considered a legendary figure, but she still steals much of his thunder. Almost everyone on the street can't help but sincerely praise her, calling her a "little angel." If it weren't for Chen Nan's extraordinary status, many girls would have wanted to go up and hug Xiao Chenxi.
Chen Nan pushed open the vice dean's door, smiled, and said, "Hello, Dean. Is there something you need?" Xiao Chenxi also sweetly replied, "Hello, Uncle."
The vice-dean looked at Xiao Chenxi in surprise, affectionately stroked her little face, and said to Chen Nan, "Is it because of this child that you went on a killing spree in the capital of Jin?"
Chen Nan replied, "Yes." Then he put Xiao Chenxi down and said to her, "Chenxi, why don't you go to the courtyard and play with the older sisters first?" He knew that the vice dean had something to say to him, which might involve some topics that Chenxi shouldn't hear.
"Okay." Xiao Chenxi skipped and hopped outside. At the vice dean's signal, two girls in the courtyard smiled and went to greet Xiao Chenxi.
"Sigh," the vice-president sighed, "Do you know how much trouble you've caused? To confront an army in the capital of a country and wreak havoc—you're truly audacious! Don't be fooled by the fact that Chu is protecting you now; you should know the true nature of your relationship with them. Who knows, one day they might turn on you and issue a warrant for your arrest?"
Chen Nan nodded and said, "I know, but I had no other choice at the time."
The vice dean sighed, "With the Chu Kingdom protecting you, you won't be in trouble for the time being. But do you know that you are still in danger? The brother of the dragon knight you killed in the capital of Jin is definitely one of the top experts among the students of the War God Academy. He has already declared that he will tear you to pieces in the Youth Strongest Competition held at the Divine Wind Academy in three months."
Chen Nan sneered, "Hmph, just because I don't like causing trouble doesn't mean I'm afraid of it. If he really comes knocking, he'll end up like his brother!"
The vice dean stroked his beard and shook his head, saying, "He has a certain influence among the students of the War God Academy, and many experts are his close friends. When you fight him to the death, there's no guarantee that someone else won't interfere."
With Chen Nan's current cultivation level, even if he were surrounded, he could easily break through. But now that he has Xiao Chenxi by his side, he can no longer be as carefree as before.
The vice-dean continued, "This isn't your biggest threat. Your biggest threat comes from the Immortal Martial Academy. You killed Tao Ran, a senior master who was about to become a peerless expert. His friends, disciples, and followers will never let you off the hook. Furthermore, your swaggering in front of over a hundred experts from the Immortal Martial Academy greatly dampened their spirits. When this news reached the academy, many felt that the Immortal Martial Academy had lost face. You've already offended half of the Immortal Martial Academy!"
Chen Nan frowned slightly and said, "Sometimes people really don't have a choice. I think if I could do it all over again, I would still do the same thing!"
Next, the vice dean inquired in detail about what had happened that day from Chen Nan. Upon learning that the Seven Demon Blades of Heaven-Defying Technique was a technique with a nine-out-of-ten chance of death, he nodded and said, "I knew there was no free lunch in this world. It's impossible to truly create an external avatar without reaching the pinnacle of cultivation. However, you must be careful from now on. Some old fogies in the cultivation world are extremely impressed by your technique, and some are eager to find out more about it. Perhaps someone will come looking for you soon."
Chen Nan felt a headache coming on. He hadn't expected the Battle of Kaiyuan City in Jin State to cause so much trouble. Its influence not only shook the two countries but also alarmed many old monsters in the cultivation world.
After nearly half an hour of conversation, the vice dean assured Chen Nan that as long as he did not leave the City of Sin, the Divine Wind Academy would be able to protect his safety. Although other forces were powerful, they would find it difficult to run rampant in the City of Freedom.
Chen Nan knew he was telling the truth. The City of Sin had a unique geographical location, serving as a pivotal city connecting the eastern and western continents. Unless the two continents went to war, no country would dare to invade it. After all, it was a sensitive area, and no country on either continent dared to be the first to set foot there.
Shenfeng Academy holds a special position in the City of Sin, effectively acting as its protector; its will represents the will of the entire city. If they decide to protect Chen Nan, it will be difficult for external forces to extend their reach here. Even non-state forces like Xianwu and Zhanshen wouldn't dare to challenge them, as even a powerful dragon can't suppress a local snake, let alone Shenfeng Academy, which is itself a formidable force!
Of course, the vice dean's painstaking protection of Chen Nan came at a price: he had to fully cooperate with the academy's research project. Only after Chen Nan repeatedly pressed him for details, and after he swore he would never tell a third party, did the vice dean reveal that this significant and mysterious research was actually about—deifying—human beings!
Over a hundred years ago, a peerless master within the academy found the corpse of an ancient god in the mountains of central China and brought it back to the academy. For nearly a century, some geniuses at the Divine Wind Academy have been studying the ancient god's bone structure, trying to uncover the differences between the bones of gods and humans.
After a century of research, several generations of brilliant minds still hadn't found the answer they expected. Finally, someone proposed using powerful life magic to revitalize the divine bones and implant them into mortal bodies to see what effects would be achieved. While this research has yielded some initial successes in recent years, the results have remained unsatisfactory.
Chen Nan was dumbfounded. The prodigies and geniuses of Shenfeng Academy were too crazy! They actually wanted to create a god! He asked in surprise, "I don't know what this has to do with me, and how can I help?"
The vice dean stared intently at him and said seriously, "Because we suspect you are a descendant of God, and this research requires the blood of God."
"Damn it, you old geezer, are you crazy! Even if I had absolutely no connection to God, and even if I were a descendant of God, I wouldn't be your blood-producing machine!"
"Don't get excited, let me explain slowly. Legend has it that Hou Yi's bow once shot down a god from the heavens. Terrified by its immense power, the god took it back to the divine realm. But for some reason, the divine bow was passed down to the mortal realm several times and came into the hands of mortals. Finally, an ancient god sealed the divine bow, and only those with divine power could easily draw it. Although a peerless master later broke part of the seal, mortals can only use it once a year. Your cultivation is not at its peak, yet you are completely unrestricted and able to draw the divine bow several times. If you are not a god, then there is only one possibility: divine blood flows in your veins, you are a descendant of the gods!"
Chen Nan listened in a daze. The Houyi Bow hadn't been sealed away ten thousand years ago, so this must have happened within the last ten thousand years. According to the vice-dean, he really seemed to be related to a god, but that was too absurd! Suddenly, a possibility occurred to him: he had been resurrected from an ancient divine tomb…
Chen Nan was shocked and could no longer calm down. He thought to himself: Could it be that... during the ten thousand years that I slept in the ancient tomb of gods, my physique changed and was tainted by the aura of gods and demons?
In an instant, many things came to mind: the ancient god's relic, the jade ruyi, could resonate with him remotely; the fifth-tier holy dragon, who favored sacred artifacts, was affectionate and friendly towards him—this seemed to…
The vice president said, "We'll only need a small amount of your blood then, so you don't need to worry about anything."
Chen Nan nodded blankly.
Just then, Xiao Chenxi ran in from outside and said happily, "Brother, will we stay here from now on? There are lots of pretty older sisters here, and they really like Chenxi. Chenxi also likes to play with them..." It was clear that Xiao Chenxi was very popular outside.
Chen Nan was delighted; this cheerful environment might help her forget the trauma of Kaiyuan City. The vice-dean smiled and said to her, "From now on, you and your brother will live here. Do you like it?"
"like----"
Chen Nan picked up Xiao Chenxi and said to the vice dean, "Arrange a room for me. There are some things I need to think about. Maybe I can tell you some shocking news." He was referring to the terrifying scene in the Deathly Desolation Land, hundreds of miles away from the City of Sin.
The vice-dean, unaware of what he was referring to, said, "Are you referring to this child's background? I have a feeling this little girl is quite extraordinary. Can't you tell me where you were during the warm-up matches?"
Chen Nan didn't reveal a word to him about the trip to the Ancient Immortal Ruins. It was not only a paradise on earth, but also a sacred place in his heart. He didn't want anyone to know about Hundred Flowers Valley.
Chen Nan shook his head and said, "It's not about that, it's other news."
While sending someone to arrange and prepare a room for Chen Nan, the vice dean said, "I'm still angry about your absence from the warm-up match. Do you know that you caused Shenfeng Academy to lose 500,000 gold coins!"
Chen Nan looked at him with confusion and surprise. The vice-dean was somewhat embarrassed, but even more so, he was furious. He said angrily, "I bet 500,000 gold coins on Shenfeng Academy, making a bet with the old guys from several other academies that our academy would definitely win, but who knew..."
Chen Nan was somewhat surprised after hearing this, not expecting the deans of the four academies to act so recklessly. Then he felt a surge of satisfaction, after all, the vice-dean had once swindled him out of 50,000 gold coins, and this time, because of him, he had lost 500,000 gold coins. He couldn't help but laugh out loud, "You old geezer...you deserved it!"
After the business was finished, the vice-dean reverted to his cunning and stingy self. He said angrily, "If you hadn't run away at the last minute, our academy would have had two third-tier experts, and we definitely wouldn't have lost the match! By the way, where's the magical weapon I gave you? Give it back!"
"I've used them all up."
"Nonsense, stop denying it. As far as I know, you only used the magic throwing knife in Kaiyuan City. Give me back the magic longsword and magic bow and arrows; these precious magical weapons are worth a lot of money!"
"I already told you I used it all, but you still didn't believe me! You old codger, you're so stingy!"
Xiao Chenxi spoke up to defend Chen Nan, saying, "Brother really used it."
"Oh, what did he use it for? How did he use that magic bow and arrow?" The vice-dean looked at Xiao Chenxi's innocent and carefree nature and wanted to find out about Chen Nan's past whereabouts from her.
"I shot the little bird." Little Morning Light was very childish, but she answered very seriously.
"What?! Those powerful magic arrows could shatter an elephant, and you... you shot a bird?!" The vice-dean's mustache twitched, nearly exploding in anger. He continued, unwilling to give up, "What about that magic-enhanced longsword?"
Little Morning Light answered meticulously and earnestly, "Chop the little pig."
The stingy vice-dean was about to explode. Two incredibly powerful magical weapons had been wasted like this! He grabbed Chen Nan's shoulder fiercely and shook him violently, saying, "You're so cool, kid! Taking magical weapons hunting! I... I really want to strangle you!"
Chen Nan really couldn't explain it; he couldn't very well tell him he'd encountered several monsters. The vice-dean's iron hands gripped his shoulders like steel clamps, causing him to frown and let out a groan.
Xiao Chenxi thought Chen Nan was in great pain and seemed unable to resist the vice-dean. She suddenly panicked, broke free from Chen Nan's embrace, and grabbed the vice-dean's beard tightly with her small hands.
"Uncle, please let go of my brother! Don't bully him!" Little Chenxi grabbed the vice dean's beard and hung on his chest like a swing, her innocent and cute face full of pleading.
The vice-dean grimaced, his face turning green with pain, and hurriedly released Chen Nan, then cried out in agony, "My little darling... let go... ouch... it hurts so much... my little darling..."
Chen Nan laughed wildly and leisurely picked up Xiao Chenxi. Xiao Chenxi dropped the large clump of broken beard she was holding and innocently said, "Uncle, you should shave! It's too long, and it's unhygienic!"
The vice-dean was almost in tears, stroking his unkempt beard with a pained expression, utterly helpless. Last time, the unruly little princess had torn off a large section, and it had only just begun to grow back; now, Xiao Chenxi had torn it off again. He was truly on the verge of tears; he couldn't very well argue with a child. The old man, his voice trembling with sobs, waved his hand helplessly and called someone in from outside, instructing him to lead Chen Nan to the room.
Deep within the Kamikaze Academy, in the northwest corner, lies a very quiet place with few houses, only a dozen or so scattered courtyards, all separated by groves of bamboo. Important guests of the academy are accommodated here.
This time, the vice president treated Chen Nan differently, and specially arranged for him to stay in this quiet VIP reception area.
Exhausted from the frights and frights along the way, Xiao Chenxi slowly drifted off to sleep. Only after seeing her sleeping soundly did Chen Nan get up and leave the room.
There was a bamboo grove in the courtyard, and in the grove was an elegant rattan chair. Chen Nan lay back on it to relax his body and began to carefully recall the various phenomena of the Deathly Abyss.
Without a doubt, the Deathly Desolation hides a shocking secret. The vast valley is littered with bones, including not only the remains of ferocious and powerful giants and dragons, but also the skeletons of gods—it's simply too awe-inspiring!
Furthermore, the unheard-of and unseen monster skeletons left Chen Nan feeling utterly bewildered. What kind of ferocious beasts were they, and why were they never recorded in ancient books?
The deaths of the two ancient gods left a deep impression on him. One god's skull had five horrifying finger holes, and the other god's heart had been pierced by a human. One can imagine how terrifying the murderer must have been!
The terrifying Death Wasteland was deathly silent. Apart from the Death Flower that survived by absorbing the energy of the dead, there seemed to be only a faint pulse of life in the huge cave at the bottom of the cliff in the deepest part of the valley.
The thought of that nameless demon with its mangled head and tattered wings sent a chill down Chen Nan's spine. It was simply unbelievable that such a severely injured demon, its body in such a broken state, could still survive!
Even now, Chen Nan could still seem to feel that terrifying, world-destroying power, as well as the immense, mountain-like spiritual pressure that filled the heavens and earth.
According to Chen Nan's understanding, gods and demons were merely advanced life forms. Even if they were said to be immortal, that was relative. If their bodies suffered severe damage, they would inevitably suffer the cycle of reincarnation. However, his journey to the Deathly Abyss overturned his thinking. He truly couldn't understand why that god or demon was still alive.
In short, Chen Nan was utterly shocked to witness the legendary god and demon. This god and demon, with its brain mutilated and heart ripped out, was definitely someone of great importance, certainly not an ordinary deity who had just entered the realm of gods; otherwise, it would be impossible for it to possess such great supernatural powers!
Judging from his ancient attire, he was definitely a supreme being who had lived through countless ages, perhaps even an ancient god or demon!
Before the enormous cave at the foot of the cliff, both Chen Nan and Xiao Long were locked in by a faint mental pressure, rendering them unable to move an inch. One thing puzzled Chen Nan: the mental power of a god or demon could not be intermittent unless... unless he was asleep or not in his right mind.
Reflecting on the situation, the nameless demon's chest rose and fell gently and rhythmically, seemingly indicating he was truly asleep. If this conjecture is correct, one can imagine how astonishing his power was! Even in a deep sleep, he could still subconsciously locate external life forms!
But even such a powerful being was injured so badly. What terrifying being could possibly harm this ancient god-demon?!
Chen Nan initially believed that the thousands of withered bones in the Deathly Desolation were caused by the nameless god and demon, but when he thought about how he was also injured in that state, he rejected this idea.
There seems to be a terrifying being of unimaginable power in the darkness! Giants, holy dragons, and gods are all no match for him. He destroys all powerful beings; he could be called the Destroyer!
Chen Nan's heart trembled. Since the Destroyer could destroy gods and demons, were the countless gods and demons who disappeared ten thousand years ago also related to him? A huge wave surged in Chen Nan's heart, and he could no longer calm down. The truth from ten thousand years ago seemed to be hidden in the Deathly Abyss!
But then another question came to his mind: if the Destroyer could destroy powerful giants, holy dragons, and gods and demons, why didn't it completely eliminate the nameless ancient god and demon in the cave?
Could it be that he guessed wrong, and there was no Destroyer at all? Was that nameless god-demon the creator of the Deathly Abyss? Could it be that the severe injuries on his body were left from countless rounds of battle?
Mystery! Everything is a mystery! Chaos! Utter chaos! It's impossible to guess what's going on. Chen Nan felt his mind was in turmoil, finding it hard to make sense of things.
He closed his eyes to relax for a moment, then began to speculate again. The most mysterious place in the entire Deathly Desolation was the huge cave at the foot of the cliff, from which the raging demonic flames emanated. He didn't know if the demonic energy was emitted by the nameless god or demon. He might have thought so before, but since he had just guessed that there was a Destroyer, he was no longer sure.
Several possibilities surfaced in his mind at that moment:
The first possibility is that the overwhelming demonic energy was emitted by the nameless god-demon, whose power was earth-shattering. He killed countless supreme beings, causing the current tragic situation in the Deathly Abyss.
The second possibility is that the overwhelming demonic energy emanated from the Destroyer, who dwells in the deepest part of the cave. The nameless demon was deliberately left behind to guard the cave entrance.
The third possibility is that the cave contains a hidden world, an extremely mysterious and terrifying place, perhaps connected to a hellish world, or perhaps connected to a strange space...
...
The more Chen Nan speculated, the more terrifying it became. Although he sometimes found these speculations absurd, upon closer examination, they all seemed to have a certain degree of possibility.
Countless imaginings filled his mind, which became increasingly chaotic until he finally drifted off to sleep.
Chen Nan had a strange dream. In it, a towering, godlike figure stood before him, speaking in a low, slow voice: "Old friend, have you returned? I sense your presence. I know that even the heavens cannot completely destroy you… I hope my intuition is correct, I hope you have truly returned. I am too weary; I don't know if I can still fight alongside you. If I perish, please do not forget your comrade-in-arms—the Great Demon King!"
The words, tinged with sorrow and fading into the distance, finally disappeared completely. In his dream, Chen Nan felt an overwhelming grief, and tears streamed down his face uncontrollably…
He didn't know how much time had passed when he felt a pair of soft, warm hands gently stroking his cheeks. He opened his eyes.
"Brother, you're crying..." Xiao Chenxi said, standing next to the rattan chair with red eyes.
Chen Nan picked her up and said, "Silly girl, people often shed tears unconsciously in their sleep; it's a normal physiological phenomenon."
"Really? I thought something sad or upsetting happened to you, brother." Xiao Chenxi smiled and regained her cheerful demeanor.