"This is the Ancient Ruins!"
Lu Song took out the map, verified it, and spoke.
Then he pointed with his right hand, turning toward another direction.
"That is Ghost Cry Valley!"
Everyone looked over and saw a massive, savage rift stretching across the mountains to the northeast of the basin.
Even from this distance, they could see dense gray-black yin energy swirling above the rift. The wind wailed, shrill and mournful, like ten thousand ghosts crying as one.
On either side of the rift stood nearly vertical cliffs rising ten thousand zhang high. Only a narrow, winding path along the valley floor allowed passage.
"Look. If we had chosen Ghost Cry Valley back then, we would have crossed the mountains from there and entered the basin directly..."
"That route was the shortest, but we would have had to face the Soul-Eating Beasts and the treacherous environment in the valley!"
"The route we chose took us through the southern mountain range, around the southern end of Ghost Cry Valley, then northwest, entering the ruins through the western valley..."
"Though that route added three days to our journey, and we encountered places like Misty Marsh, Rocky Stone Forest, and Blackwater River, at least we avoided the most terrifying region..."
Listening to Lu Song's explanation and sensing from afar the unsettling aura drifting from Ghost Cry Valley, everyone deeply agreed.
At the same time, they felt fortunate.
"Good thing we listened to Brother Jiang back then and made the most correct choice! Otherwise, I truly dare not imagine what it would have been like inside Ghost Cry Valley!"
"Exactly. Though circling around took time and effort, nothing is more important than safety!"
"..."
Heard this, Jiang Fan shook his head.
"Everyone, this was a decision we made together!"
"That we were able to