Chapter 502: Soul-Falling Valley

Zi Yan stood aside, watching the scene of Xiao Ling and Xiao Yixian hugging each other tightly. The scene was beautiful and affectionate, but somehow, she inexplicably felt a little sour in her heart.

She was originally full of excitement, but now she felt like an outsider, standing here all alone and seemed particularly redundant.

She couldn't help but snort softly, her pink little mouth pouted slightly, with a hint of annoyance, mixed with some small emotions that she couldn't explain. She just stood there angrily, but her eyes unconsciously glanced at the two people hugging each other.

Based on Zi Yan's impetuous and straightforward personality, she would have been unable to hold back and would have rushed forward to pull the two people apart.

But today is different. She knows in her heart that Xiao Ling and Xiao Yixian have not seen each other for a long time. The intimate hug at this moment is just to express the longing accumulated during the days of separation.

So, even though she still felt a little awkward in her heart, Zi Yan finally suppressed her impulse and did not act as usual.

Xiao Ling and Xiao Yixiang hugged each other for a long time, and then whispered a few sweet words in each other's ears before slowly releasing their arms.

After all, Medusa and the others had already walked out of the house, and it would be inappropriate to continue hugging each other tightly like this. This was not a suitable occasion to freely express their deep affection.

Although the two were filled with affection, they also knew they had to restrain themselves at this moment.

But even though they loosened their embrace, the affection between them seemed to have an invisible pulling force, causing them to naturally hold each other's hands when they separated. The action was extremely natural and smooth, as if it was done subconsciously without any need for thought...

Seeing Zi Yan's slightly dissatisfied expression, Xiao Ling couldn't help but smile. He immediately freed his other hand, gently took Zi Yan's hand, and said softly:

"Zi Yan, why are you like this? Now that we're back, go to the medicine garden and pick some herbs you like. I'll help you make them into pills. I guess you've finished the ones I prepared for you before. I'll prepare some more for you later..."

When Zi Yan heard about the matter related to medicinal herbs, her eyes instantly lit up, and the slight dissatisfaction that was originally on her face was like a dark cloud that instantly dissipated, and she became excited in an instant.

She said crisply, "You said it, I've been eyeing those thousand-year-old herbs in the herb garden for a long time. I was reluctant to pick them before, but I won't be polite to you this time!"

"Haha, as long as it's what you like, I'll give it to you..." Xiao Ling smiled dotingly. After saying this, he slowly retracted his gaze and looked at Medusa and the other two who were walking out of the main hall.

His eyes first lightly swept over Medusa and Qinglin, and after a slight gesture, they naturally fell on Feng Qing'er behind the two.

Xiao Ling took a quick look and found that Feng Qing'er's cultivation had improved a little compared to when he left. He thought that she had made use of the resources he had given her and had not neglected her cultivation over the past few days, which was why her cultivation had improved.

When Feng Qing'er saw Xiao Ling looking at her, she subconsciously lowered her eyes slightly, and for a moment she was a little at a loss, and her cheeks were quietly stained with a blush. However, she quickly came to her senses, and hurriedly bowed slightly, bowing very respectfully.

This kind of polite and proper manner was developed after Feng Qing'er came to Xingyun Pavilion and was carefully trained by Xiao Ling. In the past, the arrogant Feng Qing'er would never have such an attitude. It was simply a fantasy to see her so respectful and polite.

Seeing that Feng Qing'er's demeanor was even more proper and appropriate than when he left, Xiao Ling couldn't help but nod secretly in his heart.

It seems that my previous training was indeed effective. Even during the time I was away, Feng Qing'er showed no signs of developing her previous personality. Instead, she became more obedient and behaved more appropriately.

Originally, Xiao Ling was thinking that after he came back, if he found out that Feng Qing'er had any other thoughts, he would just keep her by his side as a maid, and it would not be bad to just treat her as a vase.

But if she could truly submit, Xiao Ling might as well make some long-term plans for her in the future.

But these are all things of the past. At the moment, Xiao Ling didn't have much time to think about that. He quickly collected his thoughts and focused his attention back on the people in front of him.

"It's rare for us to get together, so I will cook dinner for you tonight. I'm afraid you haven't tasted the food I made for a long time." Xiao Ling said with a smile on his face and a cheerful tone.

When the girls heard this, they all showed expectant looks on their faces.

"Master is actually going to cook for me today? It has been a long time since I have tasted the food cooked by Master himself."

Qing Lin's eyes were full of expectation. She said crisply that most of her cooking skills were taught by Xiao Ling. She knew that his cooking skills were also unique. Some of his cooking methods were very novel and had never appeared on the Douqi Continent.
"I want to eat cake, and it must be made from at least a seventh-level flying beast egg! Oh, and I also want to drink Coke."

Zi Yan's face was full of excitement, her expression was full of anticipation, her eyes were shining, as if she had already seen the delicious cake in front of her.

She really likes the food Xiao Ling makes. She feels it is a pleasure every time she tastes it. Naturally, she is very happy at this moment and is just waiting to feast on it.

Although Medusa and Xiao Yixian did not speak, they both showed anticipation. After all, it was a rare opportunity to taste the food cooked by Xiao Ling himself. Just thinking about it made them full of longing.

"Okay, okay, I will definitely do it for you and serve you well, okay?" Xiao Ling chuckled helplessly and reached out to gently ruffle Zi Yan's hair.

Only Zi Yan could come up with such a condition as a cake made from the eggs of a seventh-level flying monster. If her family was not wealthy enough to have these rare ingredients, and if she were not a Dou Zun-level warrior, she might not be able to afford such luxurious ingredients.

After briefly greeting a few people, Xiao Ling walked towards the kitchen in the courtyard. Qing Lin wanted to help, and just as he was about to leave, he was rejected by Xiao Ling with a smile.

After all, they had just rushed back from the Beast Territory, and Xiao Ling knew everything that happened along the way. No one had rested for long. Xiao Ling only hoped that Qinglin could have a good rest and enjoy herself. It would be enough for him to take care of the cooking chores by himself.

"Oh, by the way, Feng Qing'er, come over and help me. Don't just stand there doing nothing." After approaching the kitchen, Xiao Ling suddenly stopped, turned his head and said in the direction of Feng Qing'er. Although his words were calm and casual, they carried a tone that could not be refused.

"Yes, sir, Qing'er will be here soon." Feng Qing'er, who was originally feeling a little at a loss, was stunned at first when she heard Xiao Ling's words, but soon came to her senses and quickly responded.

Afterwards, she took light and graceful steps and walked slowly and gracefully towards Xiao Ling's direction. Her appearance showed that she was well-behaved and docile.

The other girls were all acquaintances of each other, so they naturally talked and laughed when they got together and had a lively conversation.

But Feng Qing'er wasn't particularly familiar with them, and she stood aside, unable to say anything. She seemed a little at a loss from before, and seemed a little out of place in the atmosphere.

Xiao Ling's words were like a timely rain, which helped her out of the predicament and prevented her from being too embarrassed and at a loss.

Not long after, Feng Qing'er came to the kitchen and started preparing ingredients with Xiao Ling. For a while, there were only two busy figures in the kitchen, and a few whispered conversations occasionally heard.

On the other side, Medusa, Xiao Yixian, Zi Yan and Zi Ying were sitting at the stone table in the courtyard, enjoying the moonlight above their heads and chatting casually. Bursts of laughter could be heard from time to time. The atmosphere was relaxed and pleasant, as if time had slowed down at this moment, and they were quietly waiting for the birth of a delicious meal.

……

In the vast land of Zhongzhou, there is an extremely secret and little-known place called the Soul-Falling Valley. The name of the Soul-Falling Valley alone exudes a chilling and eerie feeling.

It is hidden among the heavy fog and towering mountains in the northern part of Zhongzhou. Even on the most detailed map of Zhongzhou, it is difficult to detect its trace, as if it should not exist in this world.

The valley is shrouded in strange thick fog all year round. The fog seems to have life, twisting and entwining in strands, and sometimes transforming into a ferocious appearance with bared fangs and claws, as if to drag all intruders into the endless dark abyss.

The surrounding mountain walls are covered with strange rocks of various shapes. Some of the rocks look like roaring evil spirits, and some look like crying skeletons. Against the backdrop of the fog, they look even more eerie and terrifying.

From time to time, gusts of cold wind blew, carrying faint shrill screams. The sound seemed far and near, echoing in the valley, making it difficult to tell whether it was real or illusion. One only felt his scalp tingling and his heart chilled.

The wind howled, and the diffuse fog was blown violently. As the fog surged, suddenly, several dazzling scarlet pupils lit up, like strange ghost fires burning in the dark night, revealing a frightening and murderous aura.

Immediately afterwards, several figures leaped out like ghosts from the majestic yet extremely eerie black stone palace in the valley.

On the outskirts of the Soul-Falling Valley, a group of people suddenly appeared like ghosts, but stopped in an instant.

The man in the lead had his face hidden under his hood, revealing only a pair of eyes like black holes, which narrowed slightly at this moment.

After a moment, a hoarse voice like sandpaper rubbed out from his throat slowly: "It seems that someone has discovered us."

"Hehe, I'm finally back here. It's been a long time since I left here."

Next to the person who spoke earlier, Venerable Qinghai let out a creepy laugh, and the corners of his mouth slowly curled up into a strange smile, which seemed even more eerie and terrifying in this gloomy environment.

"From now on, all our actions must be carried out according to the master's previous instructions. Qinghai, you must not reveal any flaws, lest you affect the master's plan."

On the other side, Qin Tian had a calm expression, without any disturbance, but his tone was serious as he spoke word by word.

"Okay, both of you stop talking. Those people are already here. It's up to you two to negotiate."

The old demon who spoke first slowly put on his wide robe again while speaking, covering his face tightly, leaving only a pair of eyes that were sinister and cunning exposed.

After these words fell, Qin Tian and Qinghai Reverend did not say anything more, but just looked at each other, and then nodded slightly. But deep in their eyes, there was a look of dissatisfaction.

In their minds, what's so great about this old demon? He just relies on the fact that he has followed his master for a longer time, which makes him slightly stronger than them. After all, he was just a Dou Zong ant when he was alive.

However, due to the master's previous instructions, he could only swallow his anger for the time being.

A moment later, several Soul Palace guardians appeared like ghosts and came up to the group in the blink of an eye.

"Hmm? This is...!" The Soul Palace guardian in the lead originally had a sharp gaze, sweeping over here like a substance, but when his gaze touched the somewhat familiar faces of the leading Venerable Qinghai and Venerable Qintian, his eyes shrank slightly in an instant, his pupils suddenly tightened, and an expression of disbelief immediately emerged on his face, as if he had seen something extremely shocking, someone who shouldn't be here at all, that expression froze on his face, and he was unable to recover for a long time.

"What are you guys standing there for? Why don't you bow down to me when you see me? Are you scared silly?"

Reverend Qinghai took a step forward, his brows slightly furrowed, his tone full of displeasure, and his words revealed an unquestionable majesty.

As he spoke, a powerful and overbearing aura suddenly spread out from him and swept towards the Soul Palace guardians in front of him like a surging wave, instantly making their faces pale. They felt as if their chests were being pressed down by a huge rock. They couldn't breathe and their bodies trembled slightly uncontrollably.

"Greetings, Venerable Qinghai and Venerable Qintian. Because you two have not returned to the Soul Palace for a long time, everyone in the palace thought that you two had died while performing your mission, so they were unable to recognize you for a while. I hope you two will forgive me."

The Soul Palace guardian who was the leader earlier hurriedly bowed and saluted, his head almost lowered to the ground, his tone full of respect, and he did not dare to slack off in the slightest.

Upon seeing this, the Soul Palace guardians behind him did not dare to delay at all, and followed suit to salute one by one. Their bowing postures showed their humility, as if they were afraid of angering the two suddenly appearing venerables and bringing disaster upon themselves.

"Ignorance is not a crime. In this case, I will not bother about it anymore." Venerable Qinghai snorted coldly, then slowly withdrew the terrifying aura from his body, and then walked towards the valley.

Seeing this, the old demon and his entourage behind him also stepped forward and followed closely.

A Soul Palace guardian first secretly breathed a sigh of relief, and his tense nerves relaxed a little. But then he raised his eyes to look at the leading Heavenly Guardian, frowned slightly, and said in a confused tone:
"It seems that the two venerables have brought some other people with them. Shouldn't we ask them? After all, this Soul-Falling Valley has always been secretive, and we can't let outsiders in casually."

"Are you an idiot? Why are you so stupid?" The Soul Palace guardian suddenly lost his good expression and glared at the person who spoke, his eyes full of disgust and impatience.

However, he quickly restrained his expression, put on a serious look, and said in a serious tone:

"I couldn't even sense the auras of those people before. They must be Dou Zun level masters. If that's the case, we can't afford to offend them. Besides, since they were brought back by the two masters, Qinghai Zun and Qin Tian Zun, we don't need to ask too much. We should just do our own thing and don't ask for trouble. If we get into trouble, it will be bad."

"Dou Zun is a strong man?"

Hearing what the Soul Palace Heavenly Master said, the other Soul Palace guardians were all shocked. Their faces were instantly filled with shock, their eyes widened, and their mouths unconsciously opened slightly.

They had never imagined that the people brought back by the two venerables were all so powerful. When they thought of the pressure emanating from those strong men, everyone's hearts began to beat fast, fearing that if they had acted rashly just now, the consequences would be disastrous.

"There are at least 16 or 17 people in this group, and they are all Dou Zun masters. But I seem to have never heard of their origins."

A Soul Palace guardian could hardly hide the confusion in his heart. He could not help but frown and speak, his words full of curiosity and confusion.

"Never mind. Anyway, it shouldn't be a bad thing for us. Not only have the two venerables returned, but judging from the appearance of those others, they are most likely friends rather than enemies. Besides, even if they are Dou Zun masters, they can't shake the majesty of our Soul Palace."

Tianji Protector said this nonchalantly, then waved his hand and said loudly:

"Let's go. Now that we are all out, let's go out and collect some souls. This quarter's tasks have been assigned, and it will be time to submit them to the main hall soon. We must not make any mistakes, otherwise we will be in trouble."

After saying this, he took the lead and flew up. After hearing this, the other Soul Palace guardians quickly collected their thoughts and followed him out of the valley... (End of this chapter)