Shadow Valley!

Two days later.

Within the borders of the Star Luo Empire, on a desolate plain.

Two figures walked under the scorching sun.

To say two figures, in truth, only one person was walking on the ground.

The other—to be precise, the other spirit beast—was floating in mid-air.

Yinxing hovered beside Bai Lan, her butterfly wings fluttering slightly, her long, silvery-white hair drifting gently in the wind.

Her gaze swept across the surroundings, her expression calm.

Bai Lan could have ridden her to fly.

However, considering she had already transformed into human form, it would have been somewhat improper, so he did not ride her.

As for making her revert to her butterfly spirit beast form, there was no need unless absolutely necessary.

"Master," she suddenly spoke.

Bai Lan looked at her: "Hm?"

"Three miles ahead, there is the presence of spirit beasts."

Bai Lan's footsteps paused: "What level?"

Yinxing was silent for a second, as if sensing them.

Then she said: "Around two thousand years, a pack of Gale Wolf, about a dozen or so."

Bai Lan raised an eyebrow.

Two thousand years, Gale Wolf.

In the past, he would have had to run upon seeing them.

But now—

He turned his head to look at Elder Mu.

Elder Mu was walking in front, as if he hadn't heard anything, his footsteps not stopping.

Bai Lan smiled.

He stopped walking.

"Yinxing."

Yinxing looked at him.

Bai Lan looked ahead, his gaze calm:

"I leave them to you."

Yinxing was slightly stunned.

Then, she nodded.

"Yes, Master."

The next second, her figure vanished from where she stood.

Space Folding.

Bai Lan stood in place, gazing ahead.

Elder Mu also stopped walking and turned to look at him.

There was a hint of approval in those eyes.

"Not going yourself?"

Bai Lan shook his head: "Let's see her strength first; this is a hundred-thousand-year spirit beast, after all."

"That works, let's take a look then."

"I am also quite curious."

Elder Mu nodded and said nothing more.

The two just stood there, gazing ahead.

Three miles away.

A dozen gray figures were galloping across the desolate plain.

Gale Wolf, around two thousand years old, fast, skilled at Wind Blade attacks, and pack-dwelling.

They were the overlords of this desolate plain.

Any creature that intruded into their territory would become their prey.

But today—

Silver light flickered.

A silvery-white human figure appeared above the wolf pack.

Yinxing hovered in mid-air, looking down at the pack of wolves galloping below.

Her eyes were as calm as still water.

"Two thousand years..." she murmured.

The next second, she raised her hand.

Space Imprisonment.

In an instant, over a dozen Gale Wolves froze in place simultaneously.

They remained in their running postures, limbs suspended in the air, their eyes filled with terror.

Yinxing watched them without any superfluous movement.

She merely flicked her hand gently.

Dimensional Slash: Extreme.

A silver light flashed.

Over a dozen hair-thin spatial rifts appeared simultaneously at the necks of every Gale Wolf.

And then—

They vanished.

Yinxing withdrew her hand.

She turned around.

Space Folding.

Her figure disappeared from the spot.

Behind her, over a dozen wolf corpses collapsed at the same time.

Blood stained the wilderness red.

Bai Lan stood where he was, gazing ahead.

With a flash of silver light, Yinxing appeared before him.

"Master, it is resolved."

Her voice was calm, as if she had just done something trivial.

Bai Lan was silent for a second.

Then he asked, "How long?"

Yinxing thought for a moment: "From the strike to the end, about... three seconds?"

Bai Lan took a deep breath.

Three seconds.

Over a dozen two-thousand-year Gale Wolves.

Completely wiped out.

Is this the strength of a hundred-thousand-year Soul Beast?

He turned his head to look at Elder Mu.

Elder Mu was also looking at him.

There was a hint of a smile in those eyes.

"What, are you scared?"

Bai Lan shook his head: "No."

He paused, then added:

"Just a little surprised."

Elder Mu laughed.

"Surprised by what?"

Bai Lan thought for a moment and said: "Surprised that she is this strong."

Elder Mu looked at him, his gaze profound:

"Kid, a hundred-thousand-year Soul Beast, among human Soul Masters, is equivalent to a Title Douluo."

"How many seconds does a Title Douluo need to defeat two-thousand-year Soul Beasts?"

Bai Lan fell silent.

Elder Mu turned around and continued walking forward.

His voice drifted back from the front:

"Let's go, the road is still long."

"There will be plenty of opportunities for you to handle it yourself later."

Bai Lan watched his back and suddenly smiled.

He turned his head to look at Yinxing.

"Well done."

Yinxing was slightly taken aback.

Then, the corners of her mouth curled up slightly.

"Thank you, Master."

Bai Lan nodded and stepped forward to follow Elder Mu.

Yinxing hovered by his side, her butterfly wings trembling slightly.

On the wasteland, the three figures gradually drifted into the distance.

Behind them, blood shimmered with a blinding red light under the sun.

The fourth day.

At dusk.

The trio arrived at the entrance of the Shadow Valley.

Bai Lan stood at the mouth of the valley, gazing at the canyon ahead, which was shrouded in shadows.

Though called a valley, it looked more like a massive fissure.

The cliffs on both sides soared into the clouds, blocking out the sunlight.

The bottom of the valley was bottomless, revealing only a darkness so thick it could not be dispersed.

The strangest part was that the darkness was flowing.

It looked like a living creature.

Or perhaps... a shadow.

"Is this the Shadow Valley?" Bai Lan asked.

Elder Mu nodded: "Once we go in, stay close to me."

He paused and looked at Bai Lan:

"There are many Shadow Space Rifts here; one wrong step and you will be sucked into them."

"Once you are sucked in, you will never come out."

"However, since you are a Butterfly Emperor and of the space element, coming out shouldn't be much of a problem."

Bai Lan felt a chill in his heart.

He turned to look at Yinxing.

Yinxing was also staring at that darkness, her expression rarely grave.

"Master," she spoke up, "there is... something inside."

Bai Lan asked: "What kind of thing?"

Yinxing was silent for a second, then said:

"Something very strong."

Bai Lan fell silent.

Something that could make a hundred-thousand-year Void Butterfly Emperor say it was "very strong"...

It was at least at the hundred-thousand-year level.

Or perhaps even higher.

He looked at Elder Mu.

Elder Mu was also looking at him.

There was a hint of testing in those eyes.

As if asking: Do you dare to enter?

Bai Lan smiled.

"Let's go."

He took a step and was the first to walk into the darkness.

Elder Mu watched his back, the corners of his mouth curling up slightly.

"This kid..."

He followed after him.

Yinxing followed closely behind.

The figures of the three were swallowed by the darkness.

The bottom of the valley was deeper than imagined.

Bai Lan walked across a pitch-black rocky terrain, his feet treading on rough stones, with cliffs reaching heights that could not be seen overhead.

There was no light in the surroundings.

Only darkness.

Endless darkness.

But Yinxing was by his side, her body emitting a faint silver glow that illuminated the area for a few meters around them.

Elder Mu walked in front, his pace steady, as if he had been here countless times.

"Elder Mu." Bai Lan spoke up: "Where is that Void Shadow Beast?"

Elder Mu did not turn his head: "Deep inside."

Bai Lan asked: "How deep?"

Elder Mu was silent for a second, then said:

"The last time I came here, I walked for a day and a night."

Bai Lan was stunned for a moment.

A day and a night?

Just how big was this canyon?

He did not ask again, simply following Elder Mu forward in silence.

Time passed second by second.

After walking for an unknown amount of time, Elder Mu suddenly stopped.

Bai Lan stopped as well, looking in the direction of his gaze.

Ahead, a massive rift appeared in the darkness.

The rift was not a crack in the mountain rock, but a gash torn into space itself.

Endless darkness surged within it.

That darkness was flowing, twisting, and... breathing.

"Shadow Space Rift." Elder Mu said: "Be careful, don't get close."

Bai Lan nodded, just about to say something.

Suddenly--

Yinxing blocked his path.

"Master."

Her voice was uncharacteristically grave:

"Something is coming."

Bai Lan felt a chill in his heart.

The next second, the surrounding darkness began to surge.

Black shadows emerged from every direction.