Mist Death Valley

Although the Golden-Haired Pig had been taken down by Zhou Heng and the others, most of the spoils had to be brought back to the sect, but skimming a bit off the top to eat wouldn't draw any complaints.

Zhou Heng and his group lit a fire and picked a pig leg to roast.

This was a highly nourishing item—once it was brought back to the sect, it wouldn't be theirs anymore, so naturally they had to enjoy it fresh while they could.

Even though a single pig leg weighed over a hundred jin, Zhou Heng and the others were all cultivators with enormous appetites. In less than half an hour, the entire leg had vanished into the stomachs of the seven of them.

None of them wasted such fine resources. They immediately sat cross-legged, circulating their techniques to refine the benefits from the demon beast's meat.

So-called superiority and inferiority could only be revealed through comparison. When Zhou Heng finished his cultivation and rose, the others were still diligently training—Han Yulian and Qi Guangyao were no exception.

A technique capable of bringing down a Spirit Gathering Realm expert was truly extraordinary!

It was a full half hour before Qi Guangyao finished and stood up, followed five minutes later by Han Yulian, and then over twenty more minutes before the others gradually stopped.

That was the gap.

Zhou Heng didn't want to expose the secret of the Moon Shadow Heart Art, so he put on an act, sitting idly for a long time before getting up. No one could tell whether he was faking it or not anyway.

After the previous battle, the bonds within the five-person team had grown tighter. Han Yulian's enchanting beauty stirred the hearts of the hot-blooded young men, but Qi Guangyao was too annoying, constantly pestering her without letup.

The next day, the team continued hunting. They were lucky, making gains almost every day.

Zhou Heng still refused to cooperate with the team, charging ahead on his own. Yet this turned out to be a viable strategy—the other four coordinated around him, and they were unstoppable every time. Though it irritated Han Yulian, she had nothing to say.

Five days later, Han Yulian finally couldn't stand Qi Guangyao's harassment anymore and proposed splitting the team, with her and Qi Guangyao each leading half the group to hunt separately.

Qi Guangyao had come under the pretense of helping Han Yulian, but after she pinned that big hat on him, he couldn't find a way to refuse and had to agree with a dark face.

After some discussion, Qi Guangyao would lead two people, while Han Yulian would take three.

No one wanted to be with the arrogant Qi Guangyao, so they had to draw lots to decide, turning his face green with anger.

In the end, Zhou Heng, Mao Xianzhi, and Lu Qing drew Han Yulian's group, while the other two unlucky ones ended up with Qi Guangyao.

They agreed to meet back in five days and return to the Nine Spirits Sect together, then went their separate ways. Watching Qi Guangyao's iron-gray expression, Zhou Heng and the other two silently mourned for the other pair.

Even with two fewer people, as long as Zhou Heng was there, the efficiency of hunting demon beasts barely changed, earning him even more admiration from Mao Xianzhi and Lu Qing.

Three days later, they arrived at a valley. Not far in, the weather suddenly turned bizarre—hail began to fall. Zhou Heng's group had to stop and take shelter under a large protruding rock.

Before long, the ground was covered in ice, some chunks as big as half a palm, leaving them stunned.

The temperature plummeted. Even though Zhou Heng and the other two were at the Bone Refining Realm, they shivered from the cold. Only Han Yulian, at the Blood Refining Realm with her vigorous blood energy, was impervious to heat and cold, unfazed by the bitter chill.

The hail lasted over half an hour before stopping, leaving a layer of ice covering everything outside.

"We've never been to this valley before. Since we're here, let's explore it!" Han Yulian quickly made the decision.

The four ventured deeper, where thick fog filled the canyon, visibility growing worse and worse, with an eerie, chilling wind. Just as they were walking, a flash of lightning streaked across the sky, and suddenly a torrential rain poured down!

This time, they had nowhere to hide. Darkness surrounded them on all sides, the path invisible—where could they take shelter?

The rain came abruptly and stopped just as suddenly, soon returning to its previous state of dense fog. Yet less than ten minutes after the rain stopped, a fierce gale suddenly howled through, roaring without end.

"What kind of place is this? Why is it so strange?"

All four couldn't hide their confusion, feeling that this place was bizarre to the extreme.

"Could this be the Mist Death Valley?" Han Yulian's pretty face suddenly changed color.

"What's the Mist Death Valley?" Zhou Heng asked.

"The Mist Death Valley is a dangerous area in the Heaven-Leveling Mountain Range, perpetually shrouded in fog. Nine out of ten people who enter never come out! But legend says the fog used to cover the entire valley—why has it suddenly shrunk so far inside?" Han Yulian looked puzzled. Otherwise, she would never have led Zhou Heng and the others in.

So perilous!

Zhou Heng frowned, while Mao Xianzhi and Lu Qing began to tremble.

"Turn back immediately!" Han Yulian made a decisive call.

The four retraced their steps, but after walking for a long time, they all stopped in dismay—they couldn't get out!

They hadn't gone that deep into the valley. Logically, walking back for ten-odd minutes should have gotten them out, but after so long without success, something was clearly wrong.

A ghostly maze?

Otherwise, how could they not find their way out? This wasn't a labyrinth!

"It's the fog!" Zhou Heng suddenly spoke up. "It has a mind-confusing effect!"

Han Yulian and the other two suddenly understood. Mao Xianzhi said, "Then let's hold our breath!"

They tried it, but it didn't work. Even though martial artists could hold their breath for a long time, it wasn't enough to get them out of the valley. After half an hour, they were still wandering in circles.

By then, evening had arrived. The fog made everything even darker, to the point where they could barely see their hands in front of their faces.

"What do we do? Are we going to be trapped here and die?" Lu Qing's voice trembled. Hadn't Han Yulian said earlier that nine out of ten who entered never came out?

"Let's rest for a bit, eat something to fill our stomachs, and recharge our energy. I will definitely lead you all out!" Han Yulian said solemnly, though even she didn't quite believe it herself.

Zhou Heng sat cross-legged on the ground and tried to communicate with the black broken sword in his Dantian. It was a divine object; perhaps it could work wonders.

Hum!

After more than ten minutes, the Black Sword suddenly reacted, releasing a wave of divine, penetrating clarity.

Like a stone thrown into a calm lake, the entire sea of fog erupted into great turmoil, stirring up a vast storm of wind and clouds.

"What's happening?"

"I don't want to die!"

Lu Qing and Mao Xianzhi both couldn't help crying out in alarm. The Mist Death Valley had a fearsome reputation, and this sudden, eerie change was enough to chill anyone's heart.

Han Yulian was a bit calmer, but she still couldn't hide her panic—after all, this far exceeded anything she could understand.

"Follow me!" Zhou Heng stood up abruptly, his eyes incredibly clear. The mist could no longer block his vision.

His steady voice gave the other three an inexplicable courage. In their moment of utter terror, having someone step forward made them instinctively cling to him.

Zhou Heng strode ahead, with Han Yulian and the other two following closely behind. In truth, they had no idea whether Zhou Heng could actually lead them out—they were simply infected by his confidence.

After walking about two li, the mist suddenly dispersed. Starlight scattered down, and the view opened up.

—They had really made it out!

Mao Xianzhi and Lu Qing both cheered, embracing each other uncontrollably, filled with the joy of surviving a disaster.

"You... how did you do it?" Han Yulian found herself increasingly unable to see through this youth at the Seventh Layer of Body Refining—wait, wasn't this guy at the late stage of the Seventh Layer just a few days ago? How had he reached the peak so quickly? Had he eaten some immortal pill?

Mao Xianzhi and Lu Qing only then remembered that it was Zhou Heng who had led them out. They both looked at him with astonishment, knowing full well how many lives the Mist Death Valley had devoured!

Zhou Heng smiled faintly and said, "Maybe my eyes are a bit special—I can see things others can't."

"Ghosts... ghosts?" Lu Qing said, his voice trembling.

Legend spoke of yin-yang eyes that could see spirits of the dead. Had Zhou Heng been guided out of the valley by such ghosts?

At that thought, Han Yulian and the other two couldn't help shivering. Nothing was more terrifying than the unknown.

A mischievous streak rose in Zhou Heng. He nodded with a straight face, making Han Yulian's face turn pale, while Lu Qing and Mao Xianzhi hugged each other even tighter.

"You all wait here. I'm going to go in and take a look!" Zhou Heng had suddenly taken an interest in this valley.

"No!" Han Yulian immediately shook her head. "You made it out once, but next time... those unclean things might not help you again!"

Unclean things?

Zhou Heng was stunned for a moment before realizing she meant "ghosts." He couldn't help but smile and said, "It's fine—I'm good friends with them!"

Good friends with ghosts? That was just creepy to hear! Han Yulian and the other two's faces turned even paler.

"Then... I'll go in with you!" Han Yulian suddenly said.

"What?" Zhou Heng turned to look at her.

"I'm your team leader. I'm responsible for everyone's safety!"

"Sister Han isn't afraid you won't make it out?"

"Didn't you say you're... familiar with them?"

Zhou Heng was momentarily speechless. He'd talked himself into a corner. He nodded and said, "Fine!"

"Lu Qing, Mao Xianzhi, you two stay here and wait for us!" Han Yulian turned back to instruct the two youths still locked in an embrace.

Lu Qing and the other had no desire to re-enter the valley and had been dreading that Han Yulian might ask them to come along. Hearing this, they couldn't have been more relieved and nodded frantically.

Zhou Heng strode ahead, and Han Yulian followed. But after a few steps, she stopped and looked back.

Just as Lu Qing and the other were worrying she might change her mind and demand they come too, she said, "Have you two hugged enough?" Only then did they realize they were still holding each other. They quickly let go, both hit by a wave of intense nausea.

When they looked up again, Zhou Heng and Han Yulian had already vanished into the mist. A cold wind blew, and a fresh chill crept up from the depths of their hearts.