Time flowed, and by noon, the leader Yuan Gaowu led a group out of the mountains, walking in a barren mountain range. Following the direction indicated on the map, they passed through a gobi desert canyon ahead, and behind it lay the Death Valley.
Zhou Ruoxi, in a snow-white dress and cloak, holding a long sword, followed closely behind the Wudang Sect's Left Banner Elder, Senior Brother Qi Xiu, and Senior Sister Zi Qing, accompanied by Senior Sister Lu and Junior Sister He...
Zhang Xian'er also followed. Originally, she was supposed to protect Wan Yunting as agreed, but after learning that Wan Yunting was not in the capital, she came to Kunlun Mountain to celebrate the birthday of their old sect leader. Zhang Xian'er planned to go to the Wuliang Taoist Temple to find Wan Yunting after the event.
Because she still had to repay a debt of gratitude, she didn't care that Wan Yunting was labeled as an unorthodox path and a traitor to the righteous path by various sects. Longhu Mountain also couldn't control her. Therefore, after entering Kunlun Mountain this time to hunt the snake demon that was close to becoming a flood dragon, Zhang Xian'er would go to find Wan Yunting.
As evening approached, watching the sun slowly set, the leader Yuan Gaowu's eyes suddenly lit up. He stopped and looked at two straight mountains standing in the gobi desert, with a natural canyon gateway between them, facing west.
Just as the sun set, the magnificent sunset glow shone through the gateway, illuminating the faces of Yuan Gaowu, Elder Liao, Elder Feng, and the others...
"Master, this might be the Gate of Hell. If we walk through it, we'll be in Death Valley..." Geng Hong, holding the map, said excitedly, pointing to the canyon gateway ahead.
Upon hearing "Gate of Hell," the people behind them also quickened their pace to look at the gateway ahead. Qi Xiu said, "What Gate of Hell is this? It's simply a unique scenic line."
Zhang Xingyue beside him said, "It's just exaggeration by the elders."
However, the next moment, as the sun set, darkness engulfed the land. In an instant, darkness covered everyone. The wind in the gobi desert canyon roared like tormented spirits, causing the expressions of those in the canyon to change dramatically!
The evening breeze carried a sinister chill, making Zhou Ruoxi, Lu Shuang, He Shanyue, Chong Linger, and some young female disciples from other sects appear flustered and feel an eerie chill...
"Just as we said it, it's getting a bit sinister."
Qi Xiu and Zhang Xingyue also looked panicked, feeling as if countless vengeful spirits were wailing around them, making their hearts creep.
"This is due to the canyon's terrain, causing the wind that blows in to produce sound. Everyone need not worry or be afraid," Elder Liao said with a smile, comforting the nervous female disciples.
Elder Feng asked, "Sect Leader Yuan, are we entering Death Valley now?"
Yuan Gaowu checked the time and said, "Why don't we all spend the night here and enter tomorrow?"
"That's fine too. Everyone is tired from traveling. It's better to rest first. After all, we don't know what's in Death Valley, so it's best to be careful," said the Left Banner Elder.
Thus, everyone found places to set up tents for the night. Since they were in a barren gobi desert with no trees to make a fire, everyone had to eat the dry rations they carried and use small lamps for the night...
Listening to the howling wind on the gobi desert all night, at dawn the next day, after the sun rose, everyone got up and packed their belongings. After a simple breakfast, Yuan Gaowu led the group to officially pass through the Gate of Hell and enter Death Valley...
However, the scene before them surprised and astonished everyone. They looked at the barren mountains and hills, devoid of any greenery, not even a single blade of grass. At the same time, even under the sunlight, they could clearly feel a deathly stillness emanating towards them, making their hearts inexplicably uneasy...
"Is this the legendary Death Valley, a forbidden zone for humans...!"
Qi Xiu, Chong Linger, He Shanyue, Lu Shuang, Zhao Xuyan, Zhang Xingyue, Jin Xuan, Xu Hai, and other young disciples from various sects widened their eyes, gazing at the desolate Death Valley, the lifeless gobi desert. A sense of unease lingered in their hearts.
"Sect Leader Yuan, how should we proceed?"
Elder Liao looked at the boundless Death Valley. No one knew how vast Death Valley was, nor where the snake demon that was close to becoming a flood dragon was hidden.
"Everyone, no need to rush. Let me take a look first..."
As he spoke, Yuan Gaowu took out a round Bagua disc from his bag. Lin Yiping, who was beside him, exclaimed in surprise, "The Qimen Bagua Disc!"
"Wow, this is a good item..."
Lu Chenzi, Zhang Boyun, and others exclaimed as they looked at the Qimen Bagua Disc.
The Qimen Bagua Disc was a magical artifact. By injecting spiritual energy, it could activate the disc to search for the demonic energy of a refined spirit!
This Qimen Bagua Disc was also a famous magical artifact of the Kunlun Sect, and everyone knew about it but had never seen it in person, so they all gathered to take a look. Yuan Gaowu used his spiritual energy to drive the disc, muttering incantations and constantly looking up at Death Valley. After five minutes, he pointed to a barren gobi desert area in front of them and said, "Forward!"
Yan Changjian, Lu Chenzi, Zhang Boyun, and Liao Haikuo, among others, followed the direction Yuan Gaowu pointed. Carrying their respective belongings, they walked towards the gobi desert area, which was close at hand but still a few kilometers away, led by Yuan Gaowu...
"I'm so thirsty, Senior Sister Lu, do you still have water?"
As the group walked on the barren gobi desert, He Shanyue was parched. Lu Shuang also had a tired look on her face. She shook her water flask, and it was empty. Zhou Ruoxi gave her remaining few sips of water to Junior Sister He. Everyone was exhausted, and some even had complaints and didn't want to continue walking. In the end, the sect leaders and elders forced them to follow...
Rumble...
Suddenly, as they approached the gobi desert hills, dark clouds gathered in the otherwise clear sky, rolling in turbulently. The muffled thunder echoed throughout Death Valley...
"It's about to rain, that's great..."
He Shanyue, Lu Shuang, and Chong Linger, seeing that it was about to rain, were all excited.
"Tsk, this weather is not good!"
However, Lin Yiping and the Left Banner Elder frowned and looked up at the sudden change in the sky. Their already uneasy hearts grew more unsettled.
"Master, come here quickly! There's a cave entrance here!" Geng Hong, who had run ahead to scout the gobi hills, turned and shouted.
"Everyone, let's go and take a look..." Yuan Gaowu turned to Yan Changjian and Lu Chenzi and said.
Upon hearing that there was a cave entrance ahead, everyone quickly moved forward. Only the Left Banner Elder and Celestial Master Lin Yiping felt uneasy in their hearts. Jin Xuan and Xu Hai followed along...
As everyone arrived in front of the gobi desert hills, a huge cave entrance appeared before them. It was pitch black inside, and nothing could be seen. Geng Hong and the others shone their flashlights inside for a long time and then turned to say, "Master, this should lead to an underground river!"
Yuan Gaowu, holding the Qimen Bagua Disc, nodded and said, "It's an underground river. Everyone go in and take a look. Stay together and don't fall behind. Be careful..."
Lu Chenzi, Zhang Boyun, Liao Haikuo, and Feng Yimin, each leading their sect's disciples, followed Yuan Gaowu and the others into the cave entrance with trepidation. This was a path underground...
"Watch your step..."
Zhou Ruoxi, the Left Banner Elder, and others followed, cautiously entering the pitch-black cave...
The sky was overcast with flashes of lightning and rumbling thunder, as if it were about to rain, but it just wouldn't.
Meanwhile, in a valley in the northwest, Wan Yunting sat on the body of a giant flood dragon. Looking at the desolate, lifeless Death Valley, the flood dragon Liu Xiaohei, with its keen sense of smell, detected the aura of a fellow creature.
It looked towards the gobi desert hills with its glowing green eyes, and a girlish voice transmitted into Wan Yunting's ear, "The old snake's aura is just ahead!"
Rumble...
Wan Yunting raised an eyebrow and looked at the localized phenomenon of dark clouds and lightning above the gobi desert hills. The ominous feeling surged within him. He said, "I've led the way; my part is done. I'm leaving now."
After speaking, Wan Yunting turned to leave. However, the giant flood dragon raised its large tail and blocked him. The girlish voice said faintly, "Human slave, you promised me you'd accompany me to find the old snake!"
Wan Yunting turned back and looked up, staring directly into the flood dragon's glowing green eyes, and said speechlessly, "My dear madam, what's the use of you bringing me along? I don't have the strength to help you avenge yourself. Going with you would be like walking into my own death?"
"Besides, this is your grievance, and it has nothing to do with me. With your abilities, you can avenge yourself. Why drag me along to die..."
"Stop right there, you ugly human! Who are you calling to die?"
The flood dragon raised its large head, blocking Wan Yunting, and opened its mouth, revealing two long fangs. It hissed and puffed out its breath, and the girlish voice threatened in his ear, "If you dare to leave, I'll swallow you whole, to avenge you sucking my blood back then, you ugly human!"
Seeing that it wouldn't let him leave, Wan Yunting's temper flared. He drew his Gentleman's Sword and pointed it at the flood dragon, glaring and cursing, "Didn't we agree that I bringing you to Death Valley would settle our score? Why are you still threatening me with this?"
"Hmph, it's because you're weak."
The flood dragon raised its head proudly, looking down at Wan Yunting with contempt in its glowing green eyes, and the girlish voice scoffed, "If you're incompetent, you should obediently listen to me, or I'll swallow you whole."
"You..."
Wan Yunting glared in anger, pointing his Gentleman's Sword at the flood dragon, but its girlish voice, displeased, huffed, "Take your sword away! Try pointing at me again!"
Facing this enormous flood dragon with two white horns on its head and terrifying strength, Wan Yunting was helpless. He had no choice but to put down his Gentleman's Sword and sigh in frustration, saying, "Why must you insist on taking me with you?"
The flood dragon ignored him, raised its head, and sniffed intently towards the gobi desert hills. Immediately, its glowing green lantern-like eyes showed anger, and the girlish voice said furiously, "I smell other humans! They've already gone in!"
Upon hearing that there were others, Wan Yunting's expression changed, and his heart sank. Could it be that the team of searchers for demonic creatures formed by the various sects, including Zhou Ruoxi, were here?
Could it be that the troublesome demon mentioned by the Kunlun Sect was indeed that old snake the flood dragon spoke of?
"Go, quickly..."
Wan Yunting had a premonition that the "others" the flood dragon mentioned were very likely Zhou Ruoxi and her companions. Worried about the safety of the woman, he could no longer afford to care about anything else.
The flood dragon's massive body crawled rapidly across the barren sandy ground of Death Valley, while Wan Yunting, holding his Gentleman's Sword, also ran swiftly. The man and the snake soon arrived beneath the localized area of turbulent dark clouds and flashing lightning. The dark, oppressive clouds created a suffocating atmosphere, and the rumbling thunder exploded in their ears, causing even the flood dragon to show a fearful expression...
However, Zhou Ruoxi, the Left Banner Elder, and Celestial Master Lin Yiping, who were ahead of Wan Yunting and the flood dragon, along with their disciples, followed Elder Liao of the Huashan Sect, Elder Feng of the Qingcheng Sect, Sect Leader Tan of the Eagle Claw Sect, Sect Leader Li of the Xingyi Sect...
And Jin Xuan's team from Shaolin. They were walking underground the hills, inside the cave leading to the underground river.