The Kunlun Annex was indeed hard to find. After leaving Baka Village and heading northwest, we entered a mountain range, considered an offshoot of the Yuzhu Snow Peak.
After meandering for a full three hours on an unpaved mountain path, and with constant guidance from the old village chief, we finally reached the outskirts of a mountain valley.
This valley was narrow, with no road access, and required a hike.
"The old village chief said that from here inwards, through this gorge, lies the Kunlun Annex, situated on a sheer cliff where immortals often appear," Lin Zilan explained after communicating with the old village chief.
Chen Fan nodded and said, "You should go back too. Help escort the old village chief."
"Ah?"
Lin Zilan blinked, then asked, "Can I go with you to take a look?"
"There's nothing much to see," Chen Fan replied. "Drive my car to the village and park it there."
"And you?" Lin Zilan inquired. "Will you be inside for a long time?"
"It's hard to say," Chen Fan responded. "If I come out, I'll return to the village on my own."
"On foot?" Lin Zilan sounded surprised, but then, considering Chen Fan's formidable strength and abilities, she relaxed. Her dark, lustrous eyes darted around. "Alright, I'll park the car in the village. Be careful."
Chen Fan nodded, saying no more. With a backpack filled with food and water slung over his shoulders, he strode into the valley. Even martial arts grandmasters couldn't abstain from food indefinitely. While they could go a day or two without eating, hunger and fatigue would eventually set in, so he had to bring provisions.
Lin Zilan pulled out her phone and took a picture of Chen Fan's retreating figure. Watching him quickly disappear into the valley entrance, she smiled and waved to the old village chief, beckoning him into the car to return to the village.
The valley was narrow, and the path quite rugged. However, it wasn't as deep or as far as Chen Fan had imagined. After entering for about four to five kilometers, the valley widened, giving a sense of sudden openness.
It was winter, yet the climate here was quite warm, with the grass in the valley surprisingly green. To the northwest of the valley, there seemed to be a pool of water emitting mist.
Within the valley, there were a few thatched huts and several vegetable patches on the cleared ground, resembling a hidden paradise, which was astonishing. On the northern cliff face, a Taoist temple was situated.
The temple was not large, perhaps only three to five rooms. Its design was simple and ancient, appearing to have stood for many years. Above the temple's main entrance hung a plaque. Although quite far away, Chen Fan could clearly see the four archaic clerical script characters for "Kunlun Annex."
However, the temple door was tightly shut, secured by a lock, suggesting no one resided there. The valley was silent, with no sign of inhabitants, which caused Chen Fan to frown. If he couldn't find anyone, he wouldn't be able to find the way into the Kunlun Secret Realm. He searched the valley, confirming no one was present.
Following a steep path along the cliff face, Chen Fan arrived at the temple entrance. Without ceremony, he broke the lock and entered the Taoist temple.
In the main hall of the temple, statues of the Three Pure Ones were enshrined. Though small in scale, they were clearly the work of a master sculptor, with the three statues of the Three Pure Ones appearing lifelike. Remarkably, they also possessed an ethereal, transcendent aura.
There were two rooms on each side, neither large. One contained a stove and some pots and pans, serving as the kitchen. Opposite the kitchen was an empty room with only a meditation cushion, likely a practice room. The other two rooms appeared to be bedrooms. The conditions were extremely simple, yet very tidy. Judging by the dust, the owner had not departed too long ago. Living in such a place clearly required a detached state of mind.
Setting down his backpack, Chen Fan sat on a bamboo chair in the main hall. After pondering for a while, he decided to wait here. He then sat on the meditation cushion in the practice room, took a Zhenqi Pill, and began to cultivate.
He practiced for half a day. As darkness fell, no one appeared. After considering various possibilities, Chen Fan decided that starting tomorrow, he would search the surrounding areas with the Kunlun Annex as his central point. The owner of this temple must have gone somewhere, but it was unlikely they had fled intentionally upon knowing he was coming. He would simply wait here.
In the quiet environment, after resting until midnight, Chen Fan, the uninvited guest, slept soundly in the bedroom. The next morning, he woke up, ate a little, closed the temple gate, slung his backpack over his shoulder, and set off along a small path within the valley, heading deeper into the mountains. His pace was naturally swift, and after walking for an entire day, he encountered no one. The path wound through the mountains, rugged and difficult, truly isolated from the world. However, Chen Fan noticed that this small path was frequently traveled, otherwise, it would have long since fallen into disrepair. Furthermore, in many places, he found traces of human footprints. Having come this far, Chen Fan was curious to see where this path led. That night, he found a sheltered spot by the roadside and spent the night there. The next morning, he continued along the path, venturing deeper into the mountains.
This continued for the next two days. The path was more complex than expected, with numerous branching trails often appearing at the foot of snow-capped mountains. However, this did not deter Chen Fan. He examined the footprints and other traces, continuously making judgments as he pressed onward.
On the fifth day, he arrived at the foot of a snow-capped mountain. The footprints he had been following led here, ascending the mountain. Gazing into the distance, white clouds drifted, obscuring the upper reaches of the mountain. This snow-capped mountain was peculiar. Like other snow-capped mountains, its base was barren, but looking upwards, one could see considerable greenery, suggesting the presence of many plants.
Without further hesitation, Chen Fan activated his movement technique and began to ascend the mountain along the path. His speed increased, and the mountain path turned out to be less difficult than anticipated. The higher he climbed, the more he noticed that the mountain was indeed covered with vegetation, and many species did not appear to be cold-hardy crops.
After rounding a bend, Chen Fan's eyes beheld a flat expanse of land. A large bamboo grove stood outside the clearing. It wasn't ordinary green bamboo; it was vibrant, as if dyed with green ink, its brilliance unlike anything earthly. Mist permeated the bamboo forest, obscuring sight beyond a few steps.
As Chen Fan stepped inside, the mist seemed to surge towards him, making it impossible to see clearly more than a few paces ahead. This mist was rather peculiar. With a shift in his thoughts, Chen Fan extended his hand, releasing his internal energy to stir the mist, pushing aside the thick vapor. However, the mist seemed to possess a will of its own, and the more he tried to disperse it, the more it swirled around him.
Focusing his attention, Chen Fan examined each emerald bamboo stalk. Then, he suddenly reached out and grabbed one of the stalks. With a slight exertion, *crack*, the bamboo stalk was uprooted. He pressed it against the ground and broke it in two. A wisp of smoke rose from the interior of the bamboo stalk and dissipated into the air. The mist around Chen Fan immediately thinned somewhat.
Chen Fan swiftly moved forward, his gaze sweeping across the area as he drew the Tian Cong Yun Sword from his backpack. With a single stroke, another bamboo stalk was split open. As before, a wisp of smoke rose and vanished into the air. This time, because the stalk was more completely split, Chen Fan could see several runes emanating a mysterious aura on the inner wall of the bamboo. He didn't pause for long, striding forward, destroying bamboo stalk after bamboo stalk. The mist grew progressively fainter, and a Taoist temple appeared in his line of sight ahead.