pappabearbooks Chapter 1096 - 492: The Human Race’s Enterprising Spirit
Chapter 1096 - 492: The Human Race’s Enterprising Spirit
"Warrior, do you know what dangers lie in that valley? Why do people who enter it never return?"Li Yunjing stepped forward and asked.
"Immortal, we mortals wouldn’t dare approach that valley, so we really don’t know the specifics."
The strong man shook his head, "It’s what the elders have passed down, that’s how it is said, so we just believe it."
"Hmph, a bunch of mortals, naturally, they’re scared by the dangers inside."
Fu Chao sneered scornfully, "It might be some powerful Demon Beast, but for us, it’s not necessarily impassable."
"Don’t speak so arrogantly, since this valley is so mysterious, there must be dangers within it. We should be cautious."
Yu Yunyi rolled her eyes at Fu Chao.
Lv Ruoxi nodded in agreement.
"Thank you, warrior, for informing us of this news."
Li Yunjing pondered for a moment and said to the strong man, "It’s getting late; may the four of us stay in your village for the night? Tomorrow morning, we shall explore that mysterious valley."
"It is an honor for immortals to stay in our village."
The strong man nodded quickly, "Immortals, please follow me, and I will take you to the best accommodation in the village."
Led by the strong man, Li Yunjing and the others arrived at a spacious courtyard in the village.
There were three thatched huts, a small yard, and a few chickens and ducks, which constituted the strong man’s home.
Though the courtyard was simple, it was kept very clean.
The strong man warmly brought some food and fresh water and then took his leave.
Li Yunjing and the others had no interest in the mortals’ food and left it untouched.
As night fell, the four sat in the courtyard, discussing the plan for the next day.
A middle-aged woman and a seven or eight-year-old boy with a brave demeanor were the strong man’s family.
Through conversation, Li Yunjing and the others learned that this strong man was the village chief and the best fighter in the village. He often led the strong men in the village deep into the mountains to hunt.
He could be considered an experienced hunter.
The villagers were very kind, and Li Yunjing learned a lot about this small village called "Ma Clan Village" through observation.
The current mountain range branch was called "Cuihua Mountain."
"Cuihua Mountain" range stretched for thousands of miles, and the valley in question was called "Wanhua Valley," which was full of vibrant colors, extremely beautiful.
Legend has it that immortals and demons once clashed in these deep mountains, flattening the towering mountains, resulting in today’s unending hills.
This is why the nearby peaks are lower than other parts of the "Endless Mountain Range."
Yu Yunyi, Lv Ruoxi, and Fu Chao were all from big clans, and they were somewhat arrogant when dealing with mortals, even Yu Yunyi, the young lady, was no exception.
They were unwilling to engage with the villagers, so naturally, this task fell on Li Yunjing.
Having come from a mortal background, Li Yunjing had gone through many hardships to embark on the path of cultivation, and held no prejudice against mortals.
Moreover, interacting with these people felt like a nostalgic return to a decade ago.
He quickly became familiar with the villagers, borrowing various miscellanea and ancient scrolls from their homes, and from the records, he generally understood the nearby situation.
"Ah! Books are truly wonderful! What the villagers know can’t compare to the detailed accounts here."
Li Yunjing was delighted and, understanding this, he finally felt relieved.
He had already planned the future path and knew what to do.
Late at night, Li Yunjing returned to the courtyard, and held a small meeting with Yu Yunyi, Lv Ruoxi, and Fu Chao, conveying the information he had gathered.
The next morning, Li Yunjing and his companions departed.
When they stood outside the valley, the four of them were stunned by the endless sea of flowers; the faint fragrance changed their complexions, indicating this was no ordinary place.
Those were the blood-red and eerie "Manjushaka" flowers!
The petals of the "Manjushaka," like blood-stained silk, were long and curled, emitting a dim glow in the shadows, as if tempered by the "Hellfire," shocking red yet harrowingly beautiful in its decay.
The stamens protruded like slender tongues of flame, exuding an almost sickly sweet, putrid scent that tempted wandering souls to linger.
"The other shore flower!"
Yu Yunyi and Lv Ruoxi paled and instinctively stepped back a few paces.
When the flower blooms, the leaves fall; when the leaves flourish, the flower withers!
Never to meet!
The fame of the "other shore flower" was immense; within the Immortal Cultivation Realm, almost everyone knew of it.
Cultivators longed for immortality, yet the "other shore flower," often found among graves, by the Forgotten River, or in the crevices of the Underworld, with roots entwined with unresolved obsessions, represented ominous portents to cultivators!
No one wished to engage with these ghostly things.
Now, here emerged a vast sea of blood-like flowers, reminiscent of a world of the dead.
How could Li Yunjing and his companions not be astounded?
"There must be a secret here!"
After a long time, Li Yunjing muttered, yet given his current strength, he naturally dared not venture into the sea of "Manjushaka" to uncover its hidden secrets.
"Damn it! Could this place lead to the rumored ’Land of the Nine Netherworld’?"
Fu Chao glanced fearfully at the sea of flowers, cursing to bolster his courage.
Li Yunjing’s eyes were solemn as he paced back and forth along the edge of the flower sea, attempting to find a clue from the vast expanse of "Manjushaka."
"Rumor has it that ’Manjushaka’ is related to life and death, and reincarnation. Such a vast flower sea is no coincidence; there must be an astonishing secret hidden within!"
Li Yunjing said slowly, his eyes showing a hint of complicated determination.