Two days later, Heaven Dou City.
A luxurious black car, its windows and partitions completely covered, slowly drove out of the gates of the Spirit Pagoda's Heaven Dou City branch.
Inside the car, Luo Yang, Yuanen Yehui, and the other Spirit Pagoda members sat side by side. Leng Yaozhu sat in the front passenger seat, her gaze drifting toward the road ahead.
Yuanen Yehui looked at the pitch-black windows, through which nothing outside could be seen, then at the equally covered partitions. She couldn't help frowning.
"Why all the secrecy? We're just going to a secret realm, aren't we?"
Luo Yang didn't know either, but his gaze settled on the driver's seat.
The figure wore an ordinary driver's uniform and a peaked cap.
His presence was well concealed.
But Luo Yang was sensitive to the presence of the powerful. He could clearly sense that the seemingly ordinary driver harbored a profound and unfathomable fluctuation of Soul Power.
A Limit Douluo.
And one from the Tang Sect headquarters, no less.
Luo Yang's gaze flickered slightly. He already had a guess about the identity of this "driver."
Leng Yaozhu had clearly noticed long ago as well.
"Affection Douluo, have things really gotten so bad that you have to drive yourself? Has the Tang Sect run out of drivers?"
The figure in the driver's seat stiffened slightly, then let out a soft laugh.
He raised a hand and removed his cap, revealing a refined, elegant middle-aged face.
It was none other than Zang Xin, one of the Tang Sect's current leaders, hailed as Affection Douluo.
"With Heavenly Phoenix here in person, of course I had to drive you myself," Affection Douluo said with a smile. "Otherwise, it would make the Tang Sect look terribly discourteous."
"How very flattering," Leng Yaozhu replied with a faint, knowing smile.
"To be honest, I'm genuinely surprised by your Spirit Pagoda," Affection Douluo said, changing the subject. His gaze swept over the three young people in the back seat through the rearview mirror, lingering a moment longer on Luo Yang. "I thought Shrek would be coming again this time. I never expected your Spirit Pagoda to win."
Leng Yaozhu smiled slightly but didn't answer.
The car continued in silence for about half an hour before finally stopping in front of a huge wall made entirely of Soul Guidance alloy.
The wall stood about ten zhang tall, silver-white from end to end. Complex defensive arrays were engraved across its surface, which reflected a cold metallic gleam under the sunlight. It stretched across the entrance to the valley like an insurmountable chasm.
Everyone got out of the car, and Affection Douluo led the way. He raised a hand and gently pressed a spot on the wall. A flash of light passed over it, and a doorway soundlessly split open in the center.
Beyond the doorway, the view suddenly opened up.
A winding path led into the distance, with thick clouds of seven-colored mist billowing along both sides.
But Yuanen Yehui quickly noticed something was wrong.
She saw the Soul Power barrier surrounding Affection Douluo being slowly but steadily eaten away by the seemingly harmless seven-colored mist.
Ripples repeatedly spread across the barrier's surface, accompanied by a faint sizzling sound, as though something were corroding it.
Yuanen Yehui drew in a sharp breath.
This was a Limit Douluo! His Soul Power barrier should, in theory, be able to withstand almost any attack. Yet this mist was eating away at it with ease?
"This is the Seven-Colored Poisonous Miasma." Affection Douluo noticed her shock and explained without turning around. "It's one of the most dangerous poisons in the world, said to corrode anything. Even a Titled Douluo would have only the slimmest chance of surviving in here without adequate protection. You need to be at least a Super Douluo to withstand it, and even then, barely."
He paused, then added, "And this is only the outer edge. The farther in you go, the thicker the miasma and the more potent the poison."
Yuanen Yehui fell silent, looking at the seven-colored mist with added reverence.
Leng Yaozhu swept out her slender hand. A scarlet barrier instantly spread around her, enclosing Luo Yang and Yuanen Yehui.
The group continued forward.
The poisonous mist gradually thinned. After several dozen steps, the view suddenly opened up.
A hidden valley, encircled by mountains, unfolded before them like a paradise secluded from the world.
Once their eyes had fully adjusted, everyone held their breath, stunned by the extraordinary sight.
The most eye-catching feature was the wondrous lake at the center of the valley.
Its waters displayed two sharply divided colors.
One half was a clear, icy blue, like the frozen poles, and exuded a bone-deep chill. The other half was a fiery red, like molten lava, and sent up waves of scorching heat.
The Ice and Fire Yin-Yang Well!
Luo Yang's gaze sharpened, and irrepressible excitement welled up inside him.
This was it!
A legendary treasure of heaven and earth formed from the remains of the Ice and Fire Dragon Kings—a blessed paradise that nurtured countless Immortal Herbs and spirit medicines!
He turned his gaze from the lake and swept it across the surrounding shores—
There grew countless strange plants he had never heard of.
Some were crystal-clear all over, refracting seven-colored light beneath the sun. Real flames danced across the petals of others, yet they didn't singe the surrounding vegetation at all. And between the winding vines, specks of light glittered like stars, as though someone had plucked the night sky from above.
Immortal Herbs! They were all Immortal Herbs!
Luo Yang took a deep breath, doing his best to suppress his excitement.
He knew that nearly every one of these Immortal Herbs had become a Ferocious Beast. Getting his hands on any of them would be no easy task.
While everyone was still immersed in the shock of what they were seeing, Affection Douluo walked alone toward the depths of the valley.
His figure disappeared behind several towering ancient trees. No one knew what he said, but right after—
"RUMBLE—!!!"
The ground shook violently! It was as if some enormous creature had been awakened!
"Who let you in here?! Get out!!!"
A young woman's voice, sweet yet furious, rang out from deep within the valley. The sound rolled across the area, shaking leaves loose from the trees!
The pressure contained in her voice made Yuanen Yehui's expression shift. Na Nali even took an instinctive step backward.
Leng Yaozhu's expression didn't change. She merely narrowed her eyes slightly and looked toward the depths of the valley.
A moment later, the shaking subsided, and the furious woman's voice fell silent.
Affection Douluo reappeared, his expression somewhat peculiar.
He walked up to everyone and cleared his throat.
"I discussed things with the senior inside..."
He put particular emphasis on the word "discussed," as though the discussion hadn't been easy. "Only one person may enter at a time. Whether the Immortal Herbs accept you will depend on your own luck."
He looked at the young people, his expression turning serious.
"Pay attention, and I'll say it three times: line up and go in one at a time. Nobody is to cause trouble!"
"The senior inside has a bad temper. If anyone breaks the rules, I won't be able to save you."
He paused, his gaze sweeping over everyone before finally landing on Luo Yang.
"You go last."
Luo Yang nodded, his expression calm.
The first to enter was another young Soul Master accompanying the Spirit Pagoda's group. He took a deep breath and stepped toward the depths of the valley.
Everyone watched him disappear among the ancient trees, each lost in their own thoughts.
Yuanen Yehui clenched her fist.
Luo Yang remained calm, but his thoughts raced as he made his plans.
When his turn came, he would take everything he could get his hands on.
Not a single plant left behind.