Chen Ping patted Hu Mazi on the shoulder, signalling him to calm down, then turned to the elder, “Does the ancient text mention anything about the distinctive traits of those men in black? Or perhaps any unique techniques they used?”
The elder shook his head, “The records are brief, only stating that those men in black were immensely powerful, ruthless in their actions, and extremely secretive, leaving no traces behind. At the time, the major forces of the Fourth Heaven investigated the matter, but found no answers.”
Chen Ping frowned slightly, sinking into thought.
An unknown force? Men in black? A vendetta against an entire clan?
There seemed to be some hidden secret behind it all.
You Yue glanced at the anguished Hu Mazi, then at the contemplative Chen Ping, and said softly, “It seems what you said is true. Nine Spiral Mountain was indeed once the ancestral land of your Hu clan.”
She paused, then continued, “In that case, as per our previous agreement, my Black Demon Palace is willing to offer your Hu clan some recompense. If you wish to rebuild the Hu clan, I can allocate a portion of land to you. If you want to investigate the truth behind your clan’s annihilation, my Black Demon Palace can also provide some assistance.”
Hu Mazi raised his head, his eyes bloodshot, his voice hoarse as he said, “I only want to know who destroyed my Hu clan back then! If I don’t avenge this, I, Hu Mazi, am not fit to be a man!”
His voice was low, yet carried a resolute hatred that echoed through the vast hall, drawing sidelong glances.
You Yue gave a faint smile, “However, what I’ve offered comes with a condition, you must help me with something.”
“What is it?”
“Help me retrieve an item,” You Yue’s gaze deepened, “Deep within Nine Spiral Mountain lies an ancient ruin called the ‘Demon Burial Abyss’. There’s a treasure there vital to my demon clan, but the place is riddled with restrictions, making it difficult for my people to enter. If you can retrieve it for me, I’ll not only return your land but also grant you one additional condition.”
Hu Mazi frowned and looked at Chen Ping, who said calmly, “Demon Burial Abyss? Doesn’t sound like a pleasant place.”
You Yue chuckled lightly, “To others, it may be a deathtrap, but for you, it might be an opportunity.”
Chen Ping and Hu Mazi exchanged a glance, each weighing their thoughts.
Chen Ping’s fingers tapped lightly on the stone table, his gaze settling on You Yue’s faintly smiling face. This demoness seemed forthright, but every word hid calculation. If the Demon Burial Abyss was so easy to enter, why hadn’t the demon clan succeeded?
“You Yue, you certainly know how to pick your people,” Chen Ping suddenly chuckled, “Are you so sure we can get in?”
You Yue set down her teacup, a glint of intrigue flashing in her eyes, “I’ve seen your skills, Chen Daoyou, and since Nine Spiral Mountain was the ancestral land of the Hu clan, Hu Xiong may carry some mark left by his ancestors, enough to bypass the outer restrictions.”
Hu Mazi clenched his fists, his mind consumed with the truth behind his clan’s destruction. For a lead, he’d brave not just the Demon Burial Abyss, but a mountain of blades or a sea of fire.
“Chen Ping, I agree to her terms!”
Chen Ping glanced at Hu Mazi, seeing his resolute expression, and nodded without further hesitation, “Fine. But we’ll need a map of the Demon Burial Abyss and all the records your clan has about it. Also, if we encounter insurmountable dangers, we can withdraw at any time, you can’t force us to continue.”
“Naturally,” You Yue immediately had someone fetch a beast-hide map and a few thin booklets, “The map marks the general area of the Demon Burial Abyss, though the inner restrictions are ever-changing, so you’ll need to explore the specifics yourselves. These booklets contain scattered records left by our ancestors, they might prove useful.”
Chen Ping took the map and unfurled it, revealing the terrain of Nine Spiral Mountain outlined in dark red ink. Deep within was an area shrouded in black mist, marked with the words “Demon Burial Abyss”.
