To get to Devil's Valley, you must first go to Guangling Town.
Guangling Town is less than 100 li from Lishui City. When the group arrived, it was almost dusk.
Guangling Town is small and has hardly changed compared to ten years ago. Several veterans looked at the large open spaces near Guangling Town and were filled with emotion.
"General Li, the open space ahead is where the army camp used to be. When General Li Ru disappeared, he went southeast, and that's where Devil's Valley is located."
Li Xue stood to the side, listening quietly without saying a word, her eyes filled with tears.
Following the direction the old soldier pointed, Li Guang saw that the area ahead was overgrown with weeds, unlike the grass in the northern grasslands. Instead, the weeds grew in clumps and thickets, very tall, making it an excellent hiding place for rabbits.
If Li Ru had ridden his horse through these grasses, he would likely have startled a large number of rabbits. With so many rabbits running around, it would have been easy to disturb the warhorse.
Seeing that it was getting late, Li Guang spoke up:
"We'll stay in Guangling Town tonight and set off for Devil's Valley early tomorrow morning."
After entering the town, the group stayed in several different inns. For safety reasons, to avoid giving Wang Ling any opportunity to make a move, they tried to avoid having Wang Ling stay in the same inn as Li Guang and Zhao Xian.
Li Guang knew that Wang Ling would not make a move at this time. Li Guang would create an opportunity for Wang Ling, lure him into a trap, and obtain important evidence.
Nothing happened that night. The next morning, the group was ready and had to set off as early as possible because they had a long journey ahead.
Zhao Xian rode on his horse, curiously looking around at everything. This was the southwestern region more than a thousand years ago, a wild and untamed land unlike the Central Plains.
The area they were traveling through was relatively flat, and the road was inconspicuous due to the scarcity of pedestrians, with weeds growing along it.
Further afield, there are rolling hills and endless primeval forests.
The climate here is complex and changeable. Just a moment ago it was sunny and clear, but in the blink of an eye, dark clouds have gathered, and a heavy rain is about to fall.
Li Guang was prepared and immediately ordered his men to set up tents in higher ground to take shelter from the rain.
These tents were all made by Zhao Xian. They are very common in modern times, but they were definitely rare items in those days.
These tents are easy to carry and can accommodate multiple people. They are perfectly suitable for sheltering from the wind and rain or for rest.
The tents had just been set up when a torrential downpour began; had they been even a little later, the group would have been soaked to the bone.
Li Xue looked out through the gaps in the tent. Outside, the sky and water blended into one, and countless streams quickly formed on the ground. Since their tent was placed on high ground, they didn't have to worry about water accumulating below.
Incredibly, the sudden downpour startled the rabbits in the grass, and the frightened rabbits scattered and fled, creating a spectacular sight.
The veteran was right; these rabbits running around could easily startle the warhorses.
The heavy rain came quickly and went even faster; soon the clouds dispersed and the sky cleared.
The sun was now even hotter, and the temperature was higher than before, so the group quickly packed their belongings and continued on their way.
Generally, the weather cools down after it rains, but that's not the case here. It's incredibly hot and humid, making people feel extremely uncomfortable.
The group traveled non-stop and finally arrived near Devil's Valley at dusk.
At this moment, a guide spoke up: "The closest village to Devil's Valley is called Yunjiazhuang. We'll stay there for the night. There are many hunters in Yunjiazhuang who frequently go to Devil's Valley and know the area very well."
Upon hearing this, Li Guang said, "Then let's head to Yun Family Village and stay there for the night."
The guide nodded and led the group to Yun Family Village.
Yunjiazhuang is a small mountain village with only a few dozen households, most of whom are hunters.
Even before they reached Zhuangzi, the group sensed something different. The air was no longer stifling; instead, it was very cool, as if they had stepped into autumn.
What exactly happened? Everyone suddenly perked up; this feeling was just too good to pass up.
The guide told everyone that this area was a geomantically auspicious place, where the climate was mild in winter and cool in summer.
There are several villages nearby with similar environments, making them very suitable for living.
But once you leave this area, it's a different story; it's still hot and humid.
Soon we arrived at Yunjiazhuang, a place of beautiful scenery, filled with flowers and unique plants, like stepping into a fairyland.
Li Xue had always thought Narcissus Village was beautiful, but after arriving at Yunjiazhuang, she felt that this place was even more beautiful.
This is a natural village with simple and honest folk customs and kind neighbors, giving people a sense of peace and tranquility.
In Yunjiazhuang, there lived an old hunter who was highly respected in the village. People would consult him about various matters, and he was always happy to help the villagers solve their problems.
The guide knew the old hunter and had a certain relationship with him. After entering the village, the group went directly to see the old hunter.
The old hunter was stunned when so many people came to the village. The guide then explained the purpose of their visit.
So that's what happened. These people came to the village to search for the whereabouts of a person who went missing ten years ago.
Since the guide brought them, all guests are welcome, and the old hunter warmly greeted them.
In order not to disturb the villagers, Li Guang ordered his men to set up a camp next to the village, since they would be staying there for several days.
After settling into their lodgings, it grew dark. Li Guang then instructed the guide to make arrangements, as he planned to visit the old hunter that evening to learn more about Devil's Valley.
After dinner, Li Guang, along with Zhao Xian, Li Xue, and others, followed the guide to the old hunter's house.
The old hunter's house was a wooden cabin with a thatched roof. This thatch was different from rice straw; it was very tough and did not easily rot. Once the house was covered with this thatch, it could last for several years without needing to be replaced.
In the Central Plains region, people use straw to cover their roofs, which basically needs to be replaced once a year, which is very troublesome.
At this moment, the old hunter was smoking a pipe inside the house, and the whole house was filled with smoke under the dim light.
Seeing everyone enter the house, the old hunter stood up. After a few polite words, Li Guang spoke:
"Old man, the main reason we came here this time is to think about the situation in Devil's Valley. Ten years ago, one of our generals went missing, and we suspected that his warhorse was startled and wandered into Devil's Valley by mistake."
The old hunter took a few deep drags on his pipe, then tapped it a few times on the corner of the table to knock out the ash. He placed the pipe back on the table and said:
"You've probably already heard about the dangers of Devil's Valley, so I won't go into details."
You just said you came here to find a general who went missing ten years ago. If that's the case, perhaps I can provide you with some clues.
Upon hearing this, everyone immediately became excited, but also a little nervous, wondering what kind of clues the old hunter would provide.
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