Upon arriving here, the ten people clearly felt a powerful sense of oppression. An immense pressure made their hearts tremble and caused them to feel a tremor from the depths of their souls.
Chen Nan had already experienced this before, so he was no longer as shocked as the first time. However, the other nine people felt this terrifying sense of oppression for the first time, and each of them was extremely terrified.
The nine of them looked at Chen Nan, hoping he could explain in detail. Chen Nan shrugged and said, "Don't look at me. I don't know much more than you. After arriving here, I didn't stop and just barged in."
The nine masters looked at him strangely. He had actually barged into such a terrifying place. They didn't know whether to say he was highly skilled and daring or that he was too reckless.
Meng Ke'er gathered her flowing hair and said, "We're only here to pave the way for the top experts who will come later. We should try our best to gather all the valuable clues to provide to those seniors. I think we should first find out what's going on outside the valley. Let's see if there's anything strange about it before we consider whether to go into the valley to investigate."
Everyone nodded in agreement and finally divided into three groups: Xiao Feng, Wang Tian, and Kerella formed one group; the female Tyrannosaurus Knight siblings and the female mage Alice formed another group; and Qianlong, Lingyun, Meng Ke'er, and Chen Nan formed a third group. The three groups began to carefully explore the area outside the valley.
Although there was some lingering tension between Chen Nan and Meng Ke'er, they had no choice but to cooperate in this situation. Chen Nan appeared completely unconcerned, and Meng Ke'er wore a beaming smile, but who knew what they were really thinking?
The three groups searched outside the valley for most of the day but found no particularly valuable clues. Apart from the absence of birds and beasts and the eerie silence, the valley was no different from any other desolate wilderness.
The group gathered again at the valley entrance. The ten of them looked at each other, and Meng Ke'er sighed, saying, "It seems we really have no choice but to go into the valley. We can't find anything from the outside. But according to Brother Chen, there is a terrifying being inside the valley, like a god or a demon. Entering the valley is undoubtedly fraught with danger. I suggest we split into two groups, one in front and one behind. If something unfortunate happens, at least we can ensure that the people in the back carry the message out, so that we don't all perish."
Seeing everyone nod in agreement, Chen Nan immediately sensed something was wrong. He had been here before and was the only one who knew anything about the place; he was certain he would be chosen for the first group. He thought to himself, "As expected of Tantai Xuan's successor, she even played a little trick on me at this time."
Chen Nan immediately chimed in, "Fairy Meng is indeed meticulous. This suggestion is excellent. I am willing to join the first group and explore ahead." Seeing the respect on everyone's faces, he continued, "However, it's not really an adventure. Fairy Meng possesses the Taoist treasure, the Jade Lotus Platform, which allows her to fly at incredible speeds. If we do encounter danger, we should be able to escape immediately."
Chen Nan's implication was clear: he wanted Meng Ke'er to join him on the adventure ahead. Knowing he couldn't avoid becoming a member of the first group, he made up his mind to take Meng Ke'er with him and face the same danger.
A glint of light flashed in Meng Ke'er's eyes, unseen by others, but it did not escape Chen Nan's notice, for he had been watching her intently.
Before Meng Ke'er could express her opinion, someone stepped forward first. Ling Yun, the young master of the Ling family, one of the ten great cultivation families of the Eastern Continent, said, "This seems a bit inappropriate. Fairy Meng possesses a Taoist treasure and should be in the second group. That way, if an accident occurs, she can immediately escape from here by riding the Jade Lotus Platform and tell the outside world everything that happened here."
Ling Yun's words were reasonable and flawless, but Chen Nan had already noticed that Ling Yun's eyes often revealed a strange look when he looked at Meng Ke'er. He must have been captivated by Meng Ke'er's unparalleled beauty, and what he was saying now was mostly out of personal motives.
Qianlong said lazily, "I'd like to explore ahead with Brother Chen."
The most mysterious masked female magician, Alice, also said, "I also want to join the first group and explore ahead."
The others also stepped forward, wanting to join the first group. At this moment, Meng Ke'er smiled and said, "Everyone, don't fight. Let Brother Chen and I scout ahead. Brother Chen is right, I have the Jade Lotus Platform. If there is any danger, I can guarantee that Brother Chen and I can escape immediately."
Seeing that no one objected, Ling Yun laughed and said, "I was overthinking it. Hehe, Fairy Meng is right."
As soon as everyone stepped into the valley, except for Chen Nan, the other nine people gasped. The valley was a horrific scene, with bones scattered everywhere and phosphorescent flames flickering, exuding a heavy aura of death.
Everyone felt a chill run down their spines; this place truly felt like the entrance to hell. The endless expanse of white bones stood out starkly in the dimly lit valley. A gentle breeze stirred, and bone dust, accumulated over countless years, drifted in the air, appearing like a pale mist under the flickering phosphorescent light.
Apart from the skeletons, there was nothing else in the dark valley. The eerie and terrifying scene caused goosebumps to rise on the bodies of these young experts, and a chill instantly ran from their heads to their feet.
As you enter the valley, the fragrance of the death flower grows stronger, making it seem particularly eerie in the death-filled valley.
Demonic energy surged towards the crowd, and the martial artists quickly unleashed their inner energy and battle qi to protect themselves, causing various colored lights to flash within the valley. The mysterious female mage Alice quickly chanted a spell, and a pale blue, water-like light instantly enveloped her.
With a playful smile, Chen Nan said to Meng Ke'er, "Fairy Meng, let's go."
Meng Ke'er smiled, her smile as radiant as a spring flower, instantly brightening the dark, desolate wasteland. She turned to the other eight and said, "We're only here to gather useful information for the top expert; there's no need to venture into the deepest part of the valley. To avoid alerting the god-like, demonic being within, we'll start from the valley entrance and carefully search within a two-hundred-foot radius to see if we can find any valuable clues. Also, please maintain a distance of at least one hundred feet from us. If we sense anything amiss, we'll warn you."
Everyone nodded in agreement.
Chen Nan and Meng Ke'er walked side by side into the depths of the valley. After walking about a hundred feet, Chen Nan chuckled and said, "What are you thinking, Fairy Meng? You don't intend to kill me here, do you? I know you are among the top ten young masters on the continent. Perhaps you can kill me, but to do it without anyone noticing will be quite difficult. You should think carefully before you make your move."
Meng Ke'er had already put away her smile. She said coldly, "We'll have a battle sooner or later. I hope you can escape from my sword then!"
"I'm really looking forward to it, but I hope you can always keep a calm and peaceful mind, and not let worldly matters disturb your inner peace, and especially not get caught up in romantic feelings, haha..."
Meng Ke'er's beautiful face was covered with frost, and two cold beams of lightning shot out from her eyes. The killing intent filled the air. She said coldly, "You really are disturbing my cultivation. You know quite a lot about my sect's techniques. But I advise you not to have such pointless thoughts. I will definitely take your life after we return to the City of Sin."
Chen Nan smiled and said, "Taking my life won't be that easy. I have a feeling that something wonderful will happen between us in the future."
Meng Ke'er stared coldly at Chen Nan. To resist the demonic energy within the valley, her body radiated a faint, cool glow, making her appear like a fairy standing amidst a misty, ethereal aura. Now, truly enraged, her voice icy, she said, "You've really made me want to kill you. Don't push me!"
Seeing that she was already showing murderous intent, Chen Nan said, "It's truly unimaginable that the peerless Dream Fairy could have such a cold side. Your emotional fluctuations are so intense, it seems to go against the cultivation methods of the Tantai School!"
Meng Ke'er suddenly laughed, gazing into the depths of the valley, and said, "If you think that disturbing the peace in my heart will disrupt my cultivation, you are sorely mistaken. Everyone has seven emotions and six desires; it is impossible for a person to be completely devoid of emotions and desires, and impossible to abandon all selfish desires. In the process of cultivation, excessively emphasizing the absence of desires in one's heart can only lead to a lower level. Our sect's founder once specifically mentioned in the sect's secret texts that only by living in the world, experiencing all aspects of life, and understanding the various aspects of human nature can one comprehend the ultimate principles of heaven and earth and reach the state of oneness with heaven and man."
Chen Nan couldn't help but sigh, "Tantai Xuan, you are indeed remarkable..." He was filled with emotion. Although Tantai Xuan had almost ruined his cultivation, it was undeniable that this mysterious woman possessed extraordinary talent, a rarity in the world.
Then he said to Meng Ke'er, "Experiencing all aspects of life, comprehending the ultimate truths of heaven and earth, and achieving harmony between heaven and man ultimately depends on cultivating the mind. With your current level of cultivation, you are probably still in the stage of guarding inner peace."
Meng Ke'er looked at him with surprise and said, "You really do know something about our sect's techniques, but don't waste your time on me. I have long since transcended that realm of seeking inner peace."
"Haha, really? There's no point in saying more now. Let's hurry up and investigate the situation inside the valley."
The icy expression on Meng Ke'er's face gradually faded, but she didn't smile. Her expression became calm and still. She and Chen Nan first searched within a hundred feet of the valley entrance, and then extended their search to a region two hundred feet away. The eight people behind them always kept a hundred feet distance from the two of them.
The ten men searched the area thoroughly, leaving no corner unchecked. Among the piles of monster bones, there were many human skeletons. They had hoped to find broken weapons or personal belongings of the deceased. However, they were disappointed; there were absolutely no relics to be found. Apart from bones, there was truly nothing else in the valley.
Having gained nothing, the ten people gathered together again. They finally agreed that Chen Nan and Meng Ke'er would continue for another two hundred zhang, while the other eight would maintain a distance and follow behind.
Within the desolate wasteland, countless withered bones covered the ground, turning the entire valley into a vast expanse of white. Chen Nan and Meng Ke'er walked on the bones, their feet occasionally making strange noises like "crack" and "creak," which, combined with the flickering will-o'-the-wisps in the distance, made the scene all the more terrifying.
The two were now four hundred feet away from the valley entrance. Upon reaching this point, the demonic energy surged more and more violently, forcing them to further activate their internal energy to resist its onslaught. The immense pressure emanating from the depths of the valley grew heavier and heavier, almost suffocating them.
After searching the area repeatedly, the ten people finally made a discovery. Chen Nan found half of a rusty and broken iron shield at the foot of a giant skull mountain that was ten feet high. This was the first relic of the dead that the group had found.
The group gathered together, carefully removing the rust from the shield, which was engraved with ancient patterns, but due to its age, the patterns had become blurred.
Turning the iron shield over and cleaning off the rust on its back, a line of small characters, carved with finger strength, came into view. Everyone was excited; there were words on the iron shield! This was the most valuable clue they had found!
However, the complex characters were clearly from thousands of years ago, leaving everyone looking at each other in bewilderment.
Chen Nan sighed and said, "I recognize it, but the meaning above is too puzzling."
Everyone stared at him in astonishment. Ling Yun asked impatiently, "What exactly did they say up there?"
"It's him...he's still alive..." Chen Nan read it aloud as it was written.
Everyone was shocked and fell silent.
Judging from the inscription on the iron shield, "he" is very likely to refer to the god-like and demon-like being deep in the valley. In this case, his identity is extraordinary. In the distant past, "he" may have had an earth-shattering identity!
Chen Nan's mind was in turmoil. No one wanted to know more about the secrets hidden here than he did. This was an excellent entry point for him to explore the truth behind the disappearance of the gods ten thousand years ago.
He stood up and said, "If we explore further, we're sure to make even greater discoveries. Fairy Meng and I will go ahead first, and you will follow behind."
Upon venturing deeper, the group felt immense pressure—a mental oppression. They knew it emanated from the terrifying being deep within the Deathly Abyss, causing them to hesitate upon reaching this point. However, they ultimately nodded in unison, agreeing to continue exploring.
After Chen Nan and Meng Ke'er walked a hundred feet into the valley, they clearly sensed an unusual aura. The spiritual pressure emanating from the depths of the valley was rapidly increasing, and they felt a tremor from their very souls. A tremendous fear filled their hearts.
Chen Nan shouted, "Oh no! The nameless demon god has awakened..."