Shadow Valley!

Two days later.

In a wasteland within the Star Luo Empire.

Two figures walked beneath the blazing sun.

Though there were two figures, only one of them was walking on the ground.

The other—more precisely, the other Soul Beast—was floating in midair.

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

Her gaze swept over the surroundings, her expression calm.

Bai Lan could have ridden on her back and flown.

But considering she had already taken human form, it would have been rather improper, so he hadn't.

As for having her change back into her butterfly Soul Beast form, there was no need unless it became absolutely necessary.

"Master," she said suddenly.

Bai Lan looked at her. "Hm?"

"There are Soul Beast traces three li ahead."

Bai Lan stopped. "What level?"

Yinxing was silent for a second, as if sensing the area.

Then she said, "Around two thousand years old. A pack of Gale Wolves, maybe a dozen or so."

Bai Lan raised an eyebrow.

Two-thousand-year-old Gale Wolves.

In the past, he would have run if he saw them.

But now—

He turned to look at Mu En.

Mu En walked ahead as if he hadn't heard, his pace unbroken.

Bai Lan smiled.

He stopped.

"Yinxing."

Yinxing looked at him.

Bai Lan gazed ahead, his expression calm.

"Leave them to you."

Yinxing was slightly taken aback.

Then she nodded.

"Yes, Master."

The next moment, she vanished from where she stood.

Space Folding.

Bai Lan remained where he was, looking ahead.

Mu En also stopped and glanced back at him.

There was a hint of approval in his eyes.

"You're not going to handle them yourself?"

Bai Lan shook his head. "Let's see what she can do first. She's a Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast, after all."

"Fair enough. Let's see."

"I'm curious, too."

Mu En nodded and said nothing more.

The two of them stood there, looking ahead.

Three li away.

A dozen gray figures raced across the wasteland.

Gale Wolves, around two thousand years old. Fast, skilled at Wind Blade attacks, and pack hunters.

They were the rulers of this wasteland.

Any creature that trespassed on their territory became their prey.

But today—

Silver light flashed.

A silver-white figure appeared above the pack.

Yinxing hovered in midair, looking down at the Gale Wolves racing below.

Her eyes were as calm as still water.

"Two thousand years..." she murmured.

The next moment, she raised a hand.

Space Imprisonment.

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

They remained in mid-stride, all four paws suspended in the air, their eyes filled with terror.

Yinxing looked at them without making any unnecessary movements.

She simply waved her hand.

Dimensional Slash: Extreme.

Silver light flashed.

Dozens of space rifts, thin as strands of hair, appeared at the throats of the Gale Wolves all at once.

Then—

They vanished.

Yinxing lowered her hand.

She turned around.

Space Folding.

Her figure disappeared from where she stood.

Behind her, a dozen wolf carcasses fell to the ground at once.

Blood stained the wasteland red.

Bai Lan stood where he was, gazing ahead.

A flash of silver light, and Yinxing appeared before him.

"Master, it's done."

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

Bai Lan was silent for a second.

Then he asked, "How long?"

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

Bai Lan drew a deep breath.

Three seconds.

More than a dozen two-thousand-year-old Gale Wolves.

All wiped out.

Was this the strength of a Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast?

He turned to look at Mu En.

Mu En was looking at him, too.

There was a hint of amusement in his eyes.

"What, scared?"

Bai Lan shook his head. "No."

He paused, then added:

"I'm just a little surprised."

Mu En laughed.

"What surprised you?"

Bai Lan considered it, then said, "I didn't expect her to be this strong."

Mu En looked at him, his gaze profound.

"Kid, among human Soul Masters, a Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast is equivalent to a Titled Douluo."

"How many seconds would a Titled Douluo need to deal with two-thousand-year-old Soul Beasts?"

Bai Lan fell silent.

Mu En turned and continued walking.

His voice drifted back from ahead.

"Come on. We've still got a long way to go."

"You'll have plenty of chances to handle things yourself later."

Bai Lan looked at his back and suddenly smiled.

He turned to Yinxing.

"Good work."

Yinxing was slightly taken aback.

Then the corners of her mouth lifted a little.

"Thank you, Master."

Bai Lan nodded and walked after Mu En.

Yinxing hovered beside him, her butterfly wings trembling lightly.

Across the wasteland, the three figures gradually disappeared into the distance.

Behind them, blood glinted a harsh red beneath the sunlight.

The fourth day.

At dusk.

The three arrived at the entrance to Shadow Valley.

Bai Lan stood at the mouth of the valley, gazing at the canyon shrouded in shadow.

It was called a canyon, but it looked more like a massive rift.

Cliffs towered on either side, blocking out the sunlight.

The bottom of the valley was unfathomably deep; all they could see was darkness so thick it seemed impossible to dispel.

The strangest thing was that the darkness was moving.

As if it were alive.

Or perhaps... a shadow.

"Is this Shadow Valley?" Bai Lan asked.

Mu En nodded. "Once we're inside, stay close to me."

He paused, then looked at Bai Lan.

"There are many Shadow Space Rifts here. One careless step, and you'll be pulled into one."

"Once you're dragged in, you'll never get out."

"But you're the Butterfly Emperor, a space-type Soul Beast. Getting out shouldn't be a problem."

Bai Lan's heart tightened.

He turned to Yinxing.

She was also looking at the darkness, her expression unusually grave.

"Master," she said. "There's... something in there."

Bai Lan asked, "What is it?"

Yinxing was silent for a second, then said:

"Something very powerful."

Bai Lan fell silent.

Something powerful enough for the Hundred-Thousand-Year Void Butterfly Empress to call it "very powerful"...

It had to be at least a Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast.

Maybe even stronger.

He looked at Mu En.

Mu En was looking at him, too.

There was a hint of a challenge in his eyes.

As if he were asking: do you dare to go in?

Bai Lan smiled.

"Let's go."

He stepped forward and entered the darkness first.

Mu En watched his back, the corners of his mouth lifting slightly.

"This kid..."

He followed.

Yinxing came close behind him.

The three figures were swallowed by darkness.

The valley floor was deeper than they had imagined.

Bai Lan walked across the pitch-black rocky ground. Rough stones lay beneath his feet, and towering cliffs stretched above him, their tops lost from sight.

There was no light around them.

Only darkness.

Endless darkness.

But Yinxing was by his side. Her body gave off a faint silver glow, illuminating a few meters around them.

Mu En walked ahead, his steps steady, as if he had been here countless times.

"Elder Mu," Bai Lan said. "Where is that Void Shadow Beast?"

Mu En didn't turn around. "Deeper in."

"How much deeper?"

Mu En was silent for a second, then said:

"The last time I came here, it took me a day and a night to get there."

Bai Lan froze for a moment.

A day and a night?

Just how vast was this canyon?

He didn't ask anything else, only followed Mu En in silence.

Time passed, second by second.

After an unknown stretch of walking, Mu En suddenly stopped.

Bai Lan stopped too, and followed his gaze.

Ahead, a massive rift appeared in the darkness.

It wasn't a crack in the rock. Space itself had been torn open.

Endless darkness surged from within.

The darkness flowed, twisted, and... breathed.

"The Shadow Space Rift," Mu En said. "Be careful. Don't go near it."

Bai Lan nodded, about to say something.

Suddenly—

Yinxing stepped in front of him.

"Master."

Her voice was unusually grave.

"Something's coming."

Bai Lan's heart tightened.

The next second, the darkness around them began to surge.

One shadow after another emerged from every direction.