An Accidental Arrival in Suotuo City

"No matter what comes next, the brave have no fear. We should meet the trial head-on. We'll have to face it sooner or later anyway. Speaking of which, what exactly is Death Canyon like, for it to scare you so badly?"

Duanyu Fan and the other three began setting off back toward Spirit City. Duanyu Fan spoke as they walked.

"Death Canyon! Yan and I heard about it from our practical combat teacher. They say the last Continental Elite Tournament ended that way because the seniors from the previous class suffered disastrous losses in Death Canyon—five dead, three injured. The three who came back were already crippled, their hearts for cultivation shattered. In the end, Star Luo Royal Academy took the championship," Xie Yue said, recalling it.

"That's right! Death Canyon was originally called Lost Canyon, but over time, everyone got used to calling it Death Canyon. According to the descriptions, Death Canyon is shrouded in death energy all day long. Inside are brutal soul masters and evil soul beasts. In terms of danger, Death Canyon is no less deadly than Slaughter City," Yan continued after Xie Yue.

"Death Canyon stretches for a hundred kilometers. The air above the canyon is lifeless and oppressive, so even during the day, with death energy swirling everywhere, the valley is incredibly dim. Aside from the heinous criminals thrown in by Spirit Hall, the soul beasts infected by the death energy are also extraordinarily powerful. The Hundred-Year Soul Beasts in Death Canyon are comparable to those over a thousand years old in Star Dou Forest. Death Canyon already existed when Spirit Hall was first established, but after Spirit Hall took control of it, outsiders rarely knew about it," Xie Yue said in one breath.

"A place where nine out of ten people die. Death Canyon has existed for so long that the bottom of the valley has long since become a mountain of bones. And most importantly, Soul Power recovers extremely slowly in Death Canyon, three times slower than in the outside world. Of course, we've only heard about it, but I think what they said should be more or less accurate."

Yan and Xie Yue took turns introducing what they knew about Death Canyon to Duanyu Fan and Hu Liena.

"So that's how it is. Then it really is no ordinary place! From your description, I can imagine how harsh Death Canyon's environment must be." After hearing Xie Yue and Yan's introduction, Duanyu Fan sensed something unusual about it.

"Has that death energy existed for thousands of years without ever dispersing?" Duanyu Fan asked again.

"Seems like it hasn't. From when it appeared until now, it's always been the same," Xie Yue answered uncertainly.

"None of us here have personally experienced Death Canyon. Random guessing here is useless. We might as well hurry on." Hu Liena was clearly fearless, utterly unconcerned about the Death Canyon the three of them were discussing.

After about two hours, around midday, Duanyu Fan and the other three finally walked out of Star Dou Great Forest.

"What place is this? This shouldn't be where we entered Star Dou Forest, right?" Hu Liena looked at the deserted place before her and did not see the inn.

"No big problem. Don't panic! Let me check the map. Mm! We should be roughly to the southeast right now. We drifted off course in the forest." Xie Yue took out the map and looked it over, then glanced at the sun overhead before immediately giving an answer.

"All right, then! Let's keep going. When we meet someone, we'll ask for our approximate location." Duanyu Fan could only say that, clearly believing only thirty percent of Xie Yue's words.

Yan and Hu Liena also looked at Xie Yue with doubtful expressions, then followed Duanyu Fan.

"Hey! What's with those looks? I read it right! I specifically learned how to determine geographic locations." Xie Yue hurriedly chased after them.

The outer area of Star Dou Great Forest was vast. It was common to enter from the south and come out on the north side.

Not to mention that Duanyu Fan and the other three had searched Star Dou Great Forest for half a month. They only remembered the general direction of the outer Star Dou Forest. As for the exact location of the inn, they had lost track of it after spending a few days inside Star Dou Forest.

After leaving Star Dou Forest, they walked for about five hours and finally saw a village. Mainly, they spotted an old man in a golden wheat field.

"We finally saw a person. That was not easy!" Xie Yue sighed with deep feeling.

"I'll go ask the old man. You two look too fierce." After Duanyu Fan finished speaking, he ran over to the old man.

"Uh! What does he mean? I'm clearly cool and handsome. How does my face look fierce?" Yan looked puzzled.

"It's true. Your face is a little fierce. Milk Dad was definitely talking about you, not me. Right, Demon Fox?" Xie Yue said to Hu Liena.

"Hehe! You're both about the same!" After laughing, Hu Liena walked toward Duanyu Fan.

"What's with the two of us? We can't beat them in a fight, and we can't beat them in an argument either. Sigh!" Xie Yue said helplessly.

"Xiao Fan, did you ask? What place is this?" Hu Liena came to Duanyu Fan's side. The old man was already heading back into the village, so Hu Liena only saw his back.

Xie Yue and Yan also followed over.

"I asked. If we keep following this road, we'll reach a city called Suotuo City in about an hour." Duanyu Fan's expression was strange.

"Suotuo City! I told you, we're to the southeast. If we had gone a little farther south before, we'd be at Spirit City by now." Xie Yue looked at Duanyu Fan with a resentful gaze.

"Haha! But it's not a loss. I heard the Great Spirit Arena in Suotuo City is quite famous. We can have some fun tonight. It's almost dark anyway, so let's stay in Suotuo City for the night," Yan remembered something and immediately said.

"True! I heard about it back at the academy. What are we waiting for, then? Let's go, or it really will get dark." Xie Yue also remembered Suotuo City's Great Spirit Arena.

Yan and Xie Yue started walking first. What could Duanyu Fan and Hu Liena do? They could only stay in Suotuo City for the night first.

Then, after hurrying on for nearly another hour, they saw a city—Suotuo City.

Aside from the royal capital, Suotuo City was the second most important city in Balak Kingdom.

Balak Kingdom was one of the four great kingdoms affiliated with Heaven Dou Empire. It was located southeast of Spirit City, and the four great kingdoms lay between Heaven Dou Empire and Spirit City.

When Duanyu Fan and the other three entered the city gate, the sun was about to set, and dawnlike clouds had already appeared.

After entering Suotuo City, Duanyu Fan and the others naturally first found a hotel to stay in and eat.

So they found the largest hotel in Suotuo City, booked four rooms, washed up, changed into clean clothes, gathered at the Dining Hall, and had a big meal.

"Yo-ho! This feels amazing! After half a month in the forest, I almost turned into a savage."

Duanyu Fan and the other three were walking along the street toward Soto Great Spirit Arena. Xie Yue, who had just left the hotel full of food and drink, sighed in appreciation.

Soto Great Spirit Arena occupied a large area in Suotuo City and was also very famous. Just asking anyone in Suotuo City would reveal its location. Once night fell, Soto Great Spirit Arena became extraordinarily lively.

"Mm! It's them." A man wearing glasses had just closed a shop when he saw Duanyu Fan and the other three walking down the street. It was none other than Shrek's dean, Flender, whom they had met once before.

"That direction is the Great Spirit Arena. I'll go take a look. Four children dared to charge into Star Dou Forest—just what kind of strength do they have?" Flender thought as he watched the direction Duanyu Fan and the other three were walking in, toward the Great Spirit Arena.

"Not bad! It's this lively. The rumors really weren't false." Xie Yue looked at the entrance of the Great Spirit Arena and the people coming and going, then said with great delight.

"Let's go!" Yan impatiently pulled Xie Yue through the main doors.

Duanyu Fan and Hu Liena walked side by side behind them. Only a minute after they entered the doors, a tremendous roar of excitement came from inside.

Another padded chapter, but transitions are unavoidable.