“We can’t keep going like this,” Hu Mazi said, panting, “There are too many forces in Jiupan Mountain. At this rate, we’ll be worn down to death sooner or later.”
Chen Ping was also pondering a strategy.
He knew they needed a place to lie low temporarily, or they’d never uncover the truth behind the Hu Clan’s destruction.
Just then, a massive valley appeared ahead.
The valley’s entrance was shrouded in swirling mist, with faint outlines of ancient ruins visible.
“Is that… Luoxian Valley?” Hu Mazi’s eyes flashed with surprise. “They say it was a battlefield for ancient cultivators, filled with restrictions and traps. Even the major forces of Jiupan Mountain dare not enter lightly.”
Chen Ping’s eyes lit up, “This is exactly what we need!”
The two exchanged a glance and rushed into Luoxian Valley without hesitation.
The pursuers trailing them halted at the sight of them entering, none daring to follow.
Inside Luoxian Valley, the air grew heavy.
Ancient ruins loomed faintly through the mist, rusted weapons and bones scattered across the ground, exuding an eerie, ominous aura.
“This place is no ordinary site,” Chen Ping said, cautiously scanning the surroundings. “We need to tread carefully and avoid triggering any restrictions.”
Hu Mazi nodded, gripping his long blade tightly.
He could sense a terrifying power lurking in the valley, as if it could awaken at any moment.
The two navigated the valley with difficulty, steering clear of obvious traps and restrictions.
Along the way, they found skeletons of ancient cultivators, their forms suggesting a cataclysmic battle had taken place long ago.
“Chen Ping, look at that!” Hu Mazi suddenly pointed at a dilapidated stone tablet.
Chen Ping approached and saw faint, blurred inscriptions on it.
After studying it closely, he barely made out a few words: “Fifth Heaven… passage… open…”
“A passage to the Fifth Heaven?” Chen Ping’s heart surged with shock. Could Luoxian Valley be hiding a pathway to the Fifth Heaven?
At that moment, a violent energy fluctuation came from the distance, indicating someone had entered the valley.
Chen Ping’s expression shifted, and he pulled Hu Mazi behind a massive rock.
A group of cultivators approached cautiously, led by the Black Fiend Demon Palace’s Youyue Witch and the Crimson Fairy.
Dozens of Earth Immortal Realm cultivators followed, clearly a joint force of the two factions.
“How dare they come in?” Hu Mazi whispered, astonished.
Chen Ping frowned, “It seems they’re willing to risk everything to kill us.”
He noticed that both Youyue Witch and the Crimson Fairy held jade pendants emitting a faint glow, seemingly capable of warding off the valley’s restrictions.
“Sister Youyue, are you sure they entered Luoxian Valley?” the Crimson Fairy asked, visibly uneasy about the environment.
Youyue Witch sneered, “My tracking talisman doesn’t lie. Killing that pest Chen Ping and the Hu Clan remnant will earn us the reward from that great figure in the Fifth Heaven. What’s this little risk compared to that?”
The Crimson Fairy’s eyes gleamed with greed, “I hope you’re right.”
The combined forces of the two factions ventured deeper into Luoxian Valley, soon disappearing into the mist.
Chen Ping and Hu Mazi emerged from behind the rock, their faces grim.
“We’re in serious trouble,” Chen Ping said gravely. “They know about the Fifth Heaven and seem to have the backing of some powerful figure there.”
Hu Mazi’s expression darkened, “Does that mean the Hu Clan’s destruction might be linked to a force in the Fifth Heaven?”
