Loose stones crunched underfoot, and the air was slightly hot and dry, lending everything a stifling feel.
Blackstone Valley's entrance had been carved directly into a massive black cliff a hundred zhang high. Patterns etched into the rock shimmered with a faint, barely visible dark-purple halo.
A black stone statue three zhang tall stood on either side of the valley entrance.
Eight disciples stood guard on either side of the gate, every one of them at least in the muscle refinement realm. These were the elite outer disciples of Blackstone Valley.
Within the valley, tier after tier had been carved into the mountainside. Caves, stone houses, and stone medicine-refining chambers extended upward along the slopes. More than a thousand outer disciples, over three hundred inner disciples, and dozens of core disciples all cultivated amid these black mountains. Deep within the valley lay a series of linked Mountain-Guarding Grand Formations. Once activated, the black rocks could become a lethal formation that trapped and slaughtered invading enemies.
The Ten Thousand Treasures Ancestor stopped and gave the disciples guarding the valley a slight cupped-hand salute.
"Sorry for the trouble, but please inform the Black Baleful Adept that the Ten Thousand Treasures Ancestor of the Ten Thousand Treasures Commerce has come with a friend to discuss a matter of great importance."
The leading black-robed disciple raised his eyes and carefully studied the pair. As his gaze swept over them, an invisible, ponderous aura seemed to descend upon him, sending a sudden chill through his heart. Not daring to delay, he left six disciples to continue guarding the entrance and sent two running inside to announce the visitors.
Before long, steady footsteps sounded from behind the gate.
The Black Baleful Adept came out from the valley to greet them personally. He wore a loose black