Chapter 232 Arriving at the Mysterious Valley of Luoyan Empire

After a slight pause, Yao Chen continued, "It's just that we are still short of a few herbs needed to refine this pill. I have a young seedling of the Spiritual Origin Fruit in the main ingredient, and we just need to use the 'Heavenly Bottle' to ripen it. As for the Marrow Cleansing Flower and the Heavenly Spirit Root, although they are not extremely rare seventh-grade herbs, we don't have them in stock at the moment."

Hearing Yao Chen's words, Xiao Ling couldn't help feeling a little disappointed, but he quickly adjusted his mindset. After all, he was currently in a relatively barren area like the northwest continent, and the resources he had were indeed limited.

But once they arrive in Zhongzhou and follow Yao Chen to Xingyun Pavilion, their resource situation will improve rapidly. They will also be able to earn resources and improve their alchemy skills by helping others refine pills.

So, Xiao Ling exhaled lightly, smiled and suggested: "In that case, let's get ready to set off. This exploration of the ruins may allow us to gain something and discover some precious treasures."

Hearing Xiao Ling's words, a light of expectation flickered in everyone's eyes.

Zi Yan hugged Xiao Ling's arm tightly, her voice filled with irrepressible excitement: "Great, let's set off soon!" Her tone was full of longing for the upcoming adventure. Obviously, she had extremely high expectations for this exploration of the ruins.

Afterwards, Yao Chen's soul gradually dissipated and returned to the depths of the Bone Flame Ring. Xiao Ling led Zi Yan, Xiao Yi Xian and Qing Lin to his backyard and rode on the Sky Breaking Seat together.

Under Xiao Ling's command, the Splitting Seat twisted its slender body and shook it violently, carrying them into the sky and flying towards the direction of the Luoyan Empire.

As the speed increased, the wind whistled in their ears, and their figures soon became a small black dot on the horizon, eventually disappearing into the vast sky.

……

Luoyan Empire, Lingfeng Town.

Lingfeng Town is located in the south of Luoyan Empire, surrounded by mountains and beautiful scenery. It has a pleasant climate, distinct four seasons and abundant products.

Most of the townspeople here are hardworking, kind and hospitable. They make a living by farming and hunting, and also have some small business activities. During festivals, the townspeople will hold grand celebrations, with everyone singing and dancing and sharing delicious food.

There are three major forces in Lingfeng Town. One is the "Monster Hunting Mercenary Group", whose leader is Lin Meng, a seven-star master. The members of the mercenary group often go deep into the Monster Mountain Range to hunt monsters and collect precious monster resources in order to obtain generous rewards.

The second is "Lingcaotang", whose owner is Li You, a seven-star master. Lingcaotang is mainly engaged in the buying and selling of various medicinal materials and has extensive trade relations with surrounding areas.

The last and most powerful is the local government of the Luoyan Empire. The person in charge is named Wang Zheng, a six-star master. He is responsible for maintaining public order in Lingfeng Town, enforcing the relevant laws of the Luoyan Empire, and is also responsible for matters such as taxation.

These three major forces each perform their respective duties in Lingfeng Town, are interdependent and restrain each other, and jointly maintain the stability and prosperity of this remote town in the Luoyan Empire.

On this sunny day, Lingfeng Town was still bustling and busy as usual. There was an endless stream of pedestrians on the streets, most of whom were mercenaries wearing leather armor and carrying weapons. They were either in a hurry or in groups of three or five, adding a bit of ruggedness and vitality to this border town.

The sun was shining on the cobblestone streets of Lingfeng Town. Two mercenaries who had just returned from the Warcraft Mountains were sitting outside the town's tavern, enjoying a leisurely afternoon.

Their clothes were covered in dust, and their leather armor was stained with dirt and grass, showing that they had obviously been through a difficult expedition.

One of the mercenaries, who was tall and strong with a rough face, raised his glass and said with a smile, "We had a good harvest today. We hunted a second-level wind antelope. Its horn is a good material for refining medicine."

Another mercenary, who was a bit thinner and had the frost of time on his face, nodded in agreement, with a hint of pride in his eyes: "Yes, this harvest is enough for us to enjoy for a week."

Just as the two were immersed in the joy of harvest, the sound of footsteps approaching from afar broke the tranquility.

A mercenary of medium build with a sly gleam in his eyes came running over. He was panting and his tone was a little excited: "Have you heard? The leader of the Golden Goose Sect, Yan Luotian, went to capture the Purple Flame Wind Wing Snake again this time. But it seems that he failed again and returned empty-handed. Our leader just released the news that anyone who can provide clues about the Purple Flame Wind Wing Snake will receive a generous reward. You must pay attention when you go to the Warcraft Mountain Range next time."

The burly mercenary frowned slightly, and a hint of disapproval was revealed in his voice: "Sect Master Yan has visited us three times, but each time he came back empty-handed. The Purple Flame Wind Winged Snake is the overlord of the Magical Beast Mountain Range. It just broke through to the seventh-level Magical Beast a few years ago. How can it be subdued so easily?"

The skinny mercenary also shook his head and sighed, "Indeed, the Purple Flame Wind Wing Snake is well-known in the Magic Beast Mountain Range. Although Lord Yan Luotian is famous, it is undoubtedly difficult to tame it. As for tracking the Purple Flame Wind Wing Snake, it is well known that it lives deep in the hinterland of the Magic Beast Mountain Range. For ordinary mercenaries like us, rashly going deep into its territory would be courting death."

The conversation between the three attracted the attention of other mercenaries around them, and everyone joined in the discussion, and the atmosphere outside the tavern suddenly became lively. In this small border town, the movements of some big shots are always the most popular topic.

In a quiet corner of the tavern, four unique travelers were sitting at a table. Their clothes were out of tune with the style of this border town and they were obviously not locals of this remote town.

These four people were Xiao Ling and his group from the Jia Ma Empire. Five days had passed since they set out on their journey to the Luo Yan Empire.

They arrived at this small town closest to the Warcraft Mountains, intending to rest first and then head to the Warcraft Mountains to look for the Dou Zun ruins recorded on the map.

Zi Yan suddenly spoke out of curiosity: "I never thought that there was a seventh-level snake monster hidden in the Monster Mountain Range. But why did that Yan Luotian have to attack that snake monster?"

As soon as she finished speaking, Xiao Ling beside her patiently explained: "In the Golden Goose Sect, there is a method for making a flying fighting skill called 'Sky Goose Nine-Line Wings', which involves using the wings of magic beasts. The higher the grade of the wings, the higher the quality of the flying fighting skill produced."

"The Purple Flame Wind Wing Snake is famous for its speed. There are almost no magical beasts of the same level that can match it. Yan Luotian must want to use the wings of the Purple Flame Wind Wing Snake to create a flying fighting skill. However, the Purple Flame Wind Wing Snake is too fast. Even a Dou Zong strongman like Yan Luotian, who is known for his speed, can hardly subdue the Purple Flame Wind Wing Snake easily."

After listening to Xiao Ling's explanation, Zi Yan nodded in sudden enlightenment, with a sly light flashing in her eyes. She suggested, "Since you said that the little snake is so powerful, we might as well catch it and let Qing Lin tame it. Qing Lin's strongest magical beast right now is only the sixth-level Shadow Demon Python. The seventh-level little snake will definitely greatly increase Qing Lin's combat power."

Zi Yan's proposal made Qing Lin curious. She turned her gaze to Xiao Ling, her eyes flashing with interest in the snake-like monster.

Although she was full of expectations, Qinglin knew that everything still needed to be arranged by Xiao Ling. She had full trust in Xiao Ling, and no matter what decision Xiao Ling made, she would follow it without reservation.

Xiao Ling felt everyone's gazes, smiled calmly, stretched out his hand and gently rubbed Qing Lin's hair, and said: "Since we already know the news of this seventh-level snake monster, we will naturally not let it go easily. Let's go explore the Dou Zun ruins first, and then search for resources in the Monster Mountain Range after we come back. By the way, help Qing Lin catch a few more snake monsters."

He paused and continued, "In the inner courtyard of Canaan College and the Magical Beast Mountain Range of the Jia Ma Empire, most of the Magical Beasts above level 5 have been captured by me for Qing Lin to subdue. Now that we have come to the Magical Beast Mountain Range of the Luoyan Empire, we can continue to look for some powerful snake Magical Beasts to help Qing Lin's strength reach a higher level." Xiao Ling's plan was unanimously agreed by everyone. The Little Medical Fairy immediately spoke with some anticipation in her voice, "I can also take this opportunity to explore the Magical Beast Mountain Range. It is said that the Dream Remnant Grass grows there, which is the key material I need to prepare the new poison."

Zi Yan also nodded excitedly, with a gleam in her eyes of having discovered a treasure: "From my perception, there are indeed many precious treasures hidden in the Magic Beast Mountain Range. When the time comes, we must catch them all."

Qing Lin lowered his eyes meekly and said softly, "I will do whatever the young master arranges."

After gaining everyone's unanimous approval, Xiao Ling did not waste any time and quickly finished the food on the table. Afterwards, he led the three women along the route marked on the map and headed straight to the location marked on the map.

……

In the core area of this Warcraft Mountain Range, there is a ravine sandwiched between two steep peaks. It is called "Juehe Valley" by the mercenaries who have luckily arrived here.

The sun sprinkled sparingly from the towering peaks, casting patches of light on the thick layer of dead leaves. The air was filled with the smell of moist soil and the freshness of plants, and occasionally a subtle smell of wildness could be smelled.

Towering old trees rose from the ground, their crowns tightly intertwined, almost covering the entire sky. The tree trunks were covered with mosses and vines, and some unknown wild flowers quietly bloomed under the shade of the trees, adding a touch of bright color to this dark forest.

In the valley, all kinds of strange plants grow, some with huge leaves like fans, others as thin as needles, in various shapes. Some plants are covered with a layer of fluorescence, providing a light source for creatures in the forest at night. And those vines and shrubs, either entwined and climbed, or grew alone, forming a complex and varied ecosystem.

In this forest, various magical beasts lurk among them. They are the real masters of this primeval forest. Occasionally, you can hear low roars from afar, or rustling sounds in the bushes nearby, which remind every creature that steps into this place that this is their territory.

On the ground, a thick layer of fallen leaves covered the soil, which was soft to step on, but also hid unknown risks. Under the fallen leaves, there might be lurking monsters, traps, or precious medicinal herbs.

The streams in the Juehe Valley are crystal clear, flowing through the rocks and making pleasant gurgling sounds. Occasionally, colorful fish can be seen swimming in the streams, as if they have long been accustomed to the noise from the outside world.

In this core area, everything seems so primitive and mysterious. Every corner here is full of vitality, but also lurking danger.

For explorers who dare to go deep into this place, every step must be taken with caution, because here, the forces of nature and the threat of monsters are everywhere.

However, in this core area of the Monster Mountain Range, which is usually considered to be full of dangers, four unusual visitors arrived today. For Xiao Ling and his three companions, the dangerous environment here did not seem to be a threat.

Zi Yan nibbled on the golden fruit in her hand, the sweet juice flowing down the corners of her mouth. She turned to Xiao Ling who was concentrating on checking the map and asked curiously, "Xiao Ling, how far is it to our destination? We have been in this Monster Mountain Range for two days."

Since they set foot in this magical beast mountain range, Xiao Ling and his companions were not in a hurry to travel. Xiao Ling collected all the rare medicinal herbs he encountered along the way, and the snakes he encountered were easily subdued by Qing Lin using the Green Snake Three Flower Pupils, while the others lost their lives under a few punches from Zi Yan, leaving only a few shiny magic cores that Xiao Ling took away in a big bag.

The intelligence of those sixth-level monsters was no less than that of humans. They could keenly sense the powerful aura emanating from Xiao Ling and his group, and realized that these people were not easy to deal with. Therefore, they chose to keep a cautious distance and did not attack rashly.

Xiao Ling could also sense the breath of these sixth-level monsters, but he knew that the primary task of this trip was to explore the ruins, not to engage in a fight with these monsters along the way, so he did not take the initiative to cause trouble for those sixth-level monsters.

Hearing Zi Yan's question, Xiao Ling raised his head from the map, turned his gaze towards her, and replied with a smile: "Don't worry, we are very close to the location marked on the map."

He pointed to the deep canyon between two peaks not far away, his eyes gleaming with anticipation: "Look, it's between those two peaks, in that canyon. We'll go there now. The place marked on the map is right there."

The group then quickened their pace and headed towards the canyon sandwiched between two mountains, their hearts filled with excitement and curiosity about the upcoming adventure.

Hidden between two towering mountains is a deep canyon with a narrow and steep entrance, as if it were a secret passage carefully carved by nature among the mountains.

At first, Xiao Ling and his group had to walk between steep rock walls and sliding rocks. Fortunately, the four of them were all practitioners with profound cultivation, so walking was relatively easy. The light in the canyon was dim, and the air was filled with the smell of moisture and soil. From time to time, water drops dripped from the rock wall, making a crisp echo.

As they went deeper, the environment began to change. The narrow passage became wider, and sunlight shone through the cracks above, illuminating the way forward. Mosses and ferns began to grow on the surrounding rock walls, bringing a touch of life to the dark canyon.

Surrounded by towering cliffs, this meadow seems to be a forgotten corner of the world. Sunlight shines through the cracks in the canyon, forming beams of light that illuminate this deep green world. The meadow is dotted with colorful wild flowers, which sway gently in the breeze and emit bursts of fragrance.

Finally, when they turned a corner and passed through a stone cave more than ten meters long, the view in front of them suddenly opened up. The bottom of the canyon unexpectedly opened up, revealing an unexpected open grassland.

The air here is unusually fresh, with a hint of coolness and a faint sweetness, and every breath makes people feel relaxed and happy. Occasionally, some low-level monsters can be seen shuttling through the grass, and they seem curious and wary of these sudden visitors.

Deep in the meadow, there is a wide lake, the water is clear and calm, reflecting the blue sky and the surrounding mountains. Around the lake, some strange vegetation grows, their leaves sparkle silver under the sunlight, adding a bit of mystery to the meadow.

Looking at the refreshing scenery in front of him, Qinglin couldn't help but exclaimed: "I didn't expect that there is such a beautiful place hidden in this valley."

Little Medical Fairy looked around at the beautiful scenery and agreed, "It is indeed beautiful. It reminds me of the valley I found in the Magical Beast Mountains of the Jia Ma Empire. But this place is wider, safer and more hidden. Moreover, there are many Magical Beasts living here."

The sunshine, grass, wild flowers, and the calm lake form a harmonious and vivid picture, making people almost forget that this is the core area of the Warcraft Mountains, a place usually associated with danger and the unknown.

Zi Yan also joined the discussion, with a hint of excitement in her voice: "From what I sense, there are a lot of good treasures around here. We must explore them carefully."

Xiao Ling gently rubbed Zi Yan's hair and said with a smile, "We can talk about finding treasures later. Behind this lake in front of us is the ruins marked on the map. There may be some means of space power arranged there, so you have to observe carefully."

(End of this chapter)