Two days later, Yuanbei Valley officially opened.
Qing and his group got up early and rushed to the valley, accompanied by many other cultivators.
Standing at the foot of the valley, looking up, the majestic mountains are imposing. The mountains are lush and green, with the morning sun and dew creating a refreshing and pleasant atmosphere.
The massive mountain is shaped like a long, narrow stone tablet, towering high and mysterious, hence the name "Yuanbei" (meaning "Abyss Tablet").
As the gaze moved from afar to near, Qinghe looked ahead and saw someone clapping their hands on a large rock at the entrance of the valley. If the palm left a mark on the rock, it was as if they had received approval, and they strode confidently into the valley.
Looking at the faint scratch left on the rock by the person just now, Qinghe raised an eyebrow and said, "This way of entering the valley is quite special. Who decided it?"
As soon as she finished speaking, a young man in front of her turned around and glanced at her. Seeing that she was a beauty, he kindly replied, "This Yuanbei Valley has a long history. The mountain spirit was born where spiritual energy gathers, protecting all life in the valley. The mountain spirit is compassionate and opens the valley to cultivators from all over the world every year to obtain rare and precious materials for cultivation. However, the valley is dangerous, and only those with strong cultivation can enter. That big rock is placed there by the mountain spirit to distinguish between those who are not qualified."
"I see."
Step by step, they moved forward until it was the young man's turn. He walked towards the large rock, raised his palm, and struck out with all his might. The powerful blow struck the rock, but it left no mark. The young man seemed unconvinced and struck out again, but the result was the same.
He shook his head and sighed, leaving in disappointment, but before he left, he turned back and gazed deeply into the valley.
Qinghe wasn't worried about not being able to get in. With her cultivation level, she was already among the best of her peers, and dealing with a rock was more than enough for her. However, it was best not to reveal her strength too early when traveling.
So when she raised her palm and slammed it into the stone, only a very shallow mark was left on it.
Next, Qi Rong, Li Jiang, Mu Dong, and Zhuge Changdeng were all recognized and were about to enter the valley when they heard a commotion behind them.
Everyone looked back and saw a handsome man in a moon-white robe walking forward, flanked by two men on either side of him. They were respectful and courteous, exuding a subtle aura of power that protected the man. They appeared to be a young master and his subordinates.
The cultivators who had been quietly queuing began to change their expressions and whisper among themselves as soon as they saw the man.
One of the male cultivators whispered, "Liu Yuntai has indeed arrived. It seems the rumors are true."
"I originally thought the Liu family would just send a few experts, but who knew they would send the Liu family's successor. It seems the Liu family head was seriously injured this time."
"That's right. Legend has it that Liu Yuntai has innate jade bones, amazing talent, and his cultivation has reached the late stage of Void Refinement. His spiritual root is also an extremely rare mutated wind spiritual root. Whether it is speed or attack, he is outstanding. Even he has made a move, which shows the situation of the Liu family."
One female cultivator said without any hesitation, "He has the demeanor of a gentleman, gentle and refined like jade, and is as handsome as Pan An. He is the best candidate to be a husband."
"I wonder if he has someone he likes. If not, he might consider me."
Seeing her delicate demeanor, someone scoffed, "With your looks, no one would even give you a second glance. Stop daydreaming!"
"You dare to humiliate me? Do you dare to fight me one-on-one?"
"Bring it on! Who's afraid of who!"
The two women started fighting after a disagreement, and the bystanders just watched as it was a show, with no one intervening.
"You see another woman fighting for you, don't you feel like doing anything in return?"
Someone nudged Liu Yuntai on the shoulder and teased him.
Liu Yuntai said helplessly, "Cousin, you're joking. I'm not in the mood to think about these things right now."
His father's injury felt like a sharp thorn piercing his heart, causing him great pain. All he wanted to do was get the Heavenly Cicada to heal his father as soon as possible; he didn't want to do anything else.
"Sigh, what a pity to waste such an interesting scene. If the girls knew what you were thinking, they would definitely be heartbroken and cry."
Looking at his unruly cousin, Liu Yuntai couldn't help but chuckle as he imagined the scene he described.
Seeing him smile, his cousin said with relief, "You're finally smiling! I've been so worried about you these past few days, seeing you all frowning. It's good that you're smiling now. Don't worry, we will definitely get the Heavenly Cicada to heal Uncle. Uncle will be fine."
Liu Yuntai said gratefully, "Thank you, cousin."
The fight between the two female cultivators in the distance ended in a draw. Their previous positions had already been taken, so they had no choice but to start queuing again. The two of them ended up at the back of the line, looking at each other with mutual dislike.
Upon entering the valley, all that can be seen is a deep, dense forest, shady and towering with ancient trees, stretching as far as the eye can see, a sea of green.
Once they reached a secluded spot, they took out the jade pendant's spatial storage and released Shen Xun.
As soon as he came out, he said unhappily, "Why did you let me into the space?"
Qinghe explained earnestly, "I don't want others to misunderstand that you are my son, which would damage my... your dignity."
Shen Xun asked suspiciously, "Really? For my own good?"
Qinghe nodded: "Of course." His eyes were very sincere.
After a long pause, Shen Xun said, "Alright, I'll believe you for now." He looked around at the lush and damp environment. "This is the Valley of the Abyss Stele? It doesn't seem particularly special."
Qinghe looked around and said, "I also find it strange. Isn't it said that this place is full of treasures? How come there are only withered branches and rotten leaves, not even a single herb?"
"Perhaps we're too close. Let's take a closer look," Li Jiang said as she walked forward.
Zhuge Changdeng followed closely behind, carrying a long sword on his back. "I'm not interested in this treasure. If we encounter a ferocious beast or something, I can use it to practice my sword skills."
Mu Dong was unusually quiet this time, walking forward in silence. Qing He found it strange and asked him, "Why aren't you saying anything? You're usually quite talkative."
Mu Dong hesitated for a moment before saying, "I have a bad feeling, and my premonitions are usually very accurate. Something terrible is going to happen in this valley."
How bad is it?
"It's not good." Mu Dong repeated this sentence with an air of seriousness, and walked forward on his own.
A sound rang out, and Qinghe looked up to see an ordinary cicada chirping. The sudden sound in the quiet forest was like a pre-battle song, creating an atmosphere of tension and unease.
Her brow furrowed, and she raised her hand to end the little creature's life, but before she could do it, someone else did it for her.
Looking at the cicada that was motionless in her palm, Qinghe looked up at Qirong.
Just as Qi Rong thought she was about to say something about whether Mu Dong's premonition was accurate, and he had already thought of how to answer her, he heard her say the next moment: "It's dirty. I have my OCD. Remember to wash your hands. Don't touch me before you wash them."
After saying that, she turned around and left without hesitation, taking with her the look of disdain in her eyes.
Qi Rong: "..."
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