Volume 1 Volume 6 Chapter 67

Volume 6 Chapter 67: The Shadows Appear in the World, a Three-Year Promise

The Battle of Blood Valley was truly breathtaking and full of twists. Although Xu Qingfan had experienced countless fierce battles in his life, none were as dangerous and strange as this Battle of Blood Valley.

Returning to this familiar place, memories of that time flooded back to him. He couldn’t help but feel a sense of nostalgia.

In fact, the Battle of Blood Valley was only three to four years ago, not enough to make Xu Qingfan feel wistful about the past, but so much had happened in those years that he felt as if many years had already passed.

The place agreed upon with Zhang Yi is not in the Blood-Red Valley, but at the spot where Xu Qingfan and Zhang Yi first met long ago, after Xu Qingfan had just killed Zhang San and Zhang Si, and then ran away after encountering Zhang Yi.

This battle indeed happened a hundred years ago; it was a fierce fight, but now, looking back, it seems so ordinary, and I have even started to forget it a little.

To reach the agreed place, I must pass through the Blood-Red Valley, and the sights along the way can be seen as a review of the past grievances with Zhang Yi.

"We agreed to meet three years later, but I thought I had removed the poison, so I forgot about it. Now more than half a year has passed since our agreed time, and I don’t know if Zhang Yi is still waiting for me. I just hope my journey is not in vain."

Xu Qingfan thought silently to himself.

"Also, the place agreed upon with Zhang Yi is three hundred miles west, close to the Western Desert. There seems to be a place called ‘Black Glory Valley.’ According to Bai Qingfu’s descriptions of what happened before I entered Jiuhua at Zhang Xusheng’s secret base, the rock formations, terrain, and plant life are very similar. After I meet Zhang Yi, should I also take the opportunity to explore there?"

At this thought, Xu Qingfan frowned.

"Zhang Xusheng is incredibly powerful; he is truly one of the top cultivators among humans in thousands of years. It would be one thing if that was not his main base, but if it truly is, with my current level of cultivation, I fear I would be easily discovered."

Just as Xu Qingfan shook his head in denial, he thought, "But if it is dangerous, it may not be so. The ‘Four Spirit Sky Map’ is a divine artifact. Even for Zhang Xusheng, it would take several years, or even more than ten years, to refine it successfully. After all, even the masters of the Righteous Alliance planned to combine their power for two years to refine it. In that case, if Zhang Xusheng is focused on refining the ‘Four Spirit Sky Map,’ those monsters under him probably won’t be able to deal with me."

Thinking this way, Xu Qingfan’s original idea of not taking risks was shaken.

On one hand, less than a year had passed since the Shura Clan resurfaced, and finding Zhang Xusheng was the key. If they waited for Bai Qingfu to clarify things with the Righteous Alliance before taking action, Bai Qingfu would first need to persuade the sect leaders and then summon the masters searching in various places of Shenzhou Continent. The higher-ups of Righteous Alliance would debate the truth of what Bai Qingfu said, and by the time they really began to investigate, one or two months would have already passed. If Xu Qingfan explored along the way, he could save a lot of time. Besides, Xu Qingfan indeed wanted to do his part to prevent the Shura Clan from resurfacing.

On the other hand, although Xu Qingfan had only seen Zhang Xusheng from afar during the Jiuhua catastrophe years ago, he was well aware of the many stories about Zhang Xusheng. Through Zhang Hualing, Mr. Liu, and others, he understood how dangerous Zhang Xusheng was. Although he felt an impulse to investigate, he was afraid to take such a big risk.

While Xu Qingfan was lost in his thoughts, he gradually approached the location of the Blood Valley and suddenly noticed something, causing him to freeze in surprise.

Xu Qingfan discovered that within the Blood Valley, there were more than ten strong fluctuations of Spirit Qi, clearly coming from more than ten Condensed Core Stage cultivators, both good and evil, gathered there, doing who knows what.

Xu Qingfan hesitated for a moment but ultimately could not resist his curiosity. He concealed his presence and flew towards the Blood Valley.

Stealthily flying into the Blood Valley, Xu Qingfan hid in a concealed spot and looked towards where the cultivators were.

He saw more than ten black-clad cultivators; even though their cultivation methods varied between good and evil, they all wore the same clothing and acted in unison, clearly part of the same organization.

At that moment, each person held a golden bowl, and as they cast their spells, the golden bowls emitted beams of golden light. Wherever the golden light reached, the blood-colored soil and stones in the Blood Valley were drawn into the golden bowls. Although the golden bowls were only the size of an adult’s hand, each one contained no less than an area of ten Zhang of blood-colored soil and stones, and they continued to fill, seemingly with boundless space inside.

These cultivators did not know how long they had been gathering this blood-colored soil and stone here. At this moment, looking around, the blood-colored soil and stones in the valley had been reduced by more than half, the layer of soil had become much thinner, and in some places, the dark gray rock layer inside was exposed.

Speaking of which, the reason this blood-colored valley left such a deep impression on Xu Qingfan was not only because he had narrowly escaped death here several times but also because this valley completely hid one’s presence and the fluctuations of Spirit Qi within the body. At that time, the Righteous Alliance suffered greatly because of it. Xu Qingfan had thought about studying this blood-colored soil and stone, but unfortunately, a fierce demon beast attack occurred, and he had to organize a rescue for the Righteous Alliance, leading to a series of events that made him forget about it.

Obviously, there is now an unknown organization or cultivator interested in these stones and soil. However, Xu Qingfan had roughly tested these stones and soil back then and found that although they effectively concealed one’s presence, they could not be refined into magical tools. This was also the reason Xu Qingfan quickly overlooked this matter, not knowing why these cultivators were now collecting so much blood-colored stone and soil.

"Huh?"

At that moment, Xu Qingfan noticed the leader among the mysterious cultivators, and he couldn’t help but let out a quiet sound of surprise.

The person stood quietly behind the busy mysterious cultivators, not moving like the others, but instead watching everyone gather the blood-colored soil and stones. This person’s cultivation was far above the other cultivators, having already reached the peak of the Golden Core Stage. They emitted a hidden and dangerous aura, clearly more than just an ordinary peak Golden Core Stage cultivator. It was likely they possessed some powerful magical ability, and their strength was at least on par with Scholar Qing Song and Monk Wan Shi from the Righteous Alliance.

This was nothing unusual; after the catastrophe began, the once reclusive experts from both good and evil had started to emerge, and such peak Golden Core Stage masters were becoming less valuable.

What truly surprised Xu Qingfan was that this leader, although dressed in black like the other cultivators, was wearing a half-rotten wooden mask.

Xu Qingfan had once accidentally obtained a similar wooden mask, and before the fall of the "Treasure Pavilion," he had seen three cultivators wearing half-rotten wooden masks and dressed in black there.

"Could it be that these black-clothed cultivators, like the ‘Ming’ organization, also belong to a group? I wonder what the purpose of this group is. As the disaster continues, all kinds of strange creatures have indeed appeared. If these cultivators really do belong to a group, then the Righteous Alliance has not noticed anything for so many years. Their mystery is no less than that of the ‘Ming’ organization."

Xu Qingfan stared at the cultivators in front of him, thinking to himself.

Just as Xu Qingfan was deep in thought, the leader seemed to notice the gaze directed at him. He suddenly turned around, and his eyes sparkled with colorful light as he fixed his gaze on Xu Qingfan’s position.

Seeing that this person could sense his presence just by looking, Xu Qingfan was secretly startled, realizing that this person’s strength was likely greater than his own.

Not wanting to cause any trouble and wary of this black-clothed cultivator, Xu Qingfan didn’t hesitate when the cultivator began to exude a powerful aura and walked step by step toward him. He quickly activated "Flying Satin," turning into a beam of yellow light that flew away into the distance.

After using "Flying Satin," Xu Qingfan’s speed instantly doubled. The black-clothed man couldn’t catch up, and after chasing for a moment in mid-air, he realized the distance between them was growing. With no other option, he stopped flying, hovering in the air while closely watching Xu Qingfan’s figure. In the end, he seemed to realize something, a mysterious smile appearing on his face.

"It’s him, the person the boss values. We can’t act recklessly against him. But since he has discovered these things, we can’t just let him go. Perhaps we should capture him first and ask the boss for guidance when he comes out?"

This black-clothed man was a member of the ‘An’ organization founded by Zhang Xusheng, but he did not know that Zhang Xusheng had left during his retreat to the Southern Wasteland to collect Kylin blood.

As he spoke, a thoughtful look appeared in the black-clothed man’s eyes. After a moment, he flicked his hand towards the sky, causing a colorful light bullet to explode above, which quickly vanished.

The colorful light, though fleeting, caught the attention of those who were watching within a thousand miles. Once they understood what the colorful light represented, they began to take action.

The "An" organization, which had always hidden deep within, finally revealed its power as the true disaster approached!

The black-clothed cultivator snorted coldly in the direction where Xu Qingfan had gone and then turned to fly towards the Blood Valley, continuing to watch the other black-clothed cultivators gather the crimson mountain rocks and soil.

About an hour later, the group of black-clothed people finally finished their collection. Looking around, the once bloody valley was almost completely stripped of its crimson soil and rocks. What was once a red valley had turned into an ordinary dark-brown color, with only a few patches of red remaining.

"Let’s go."

The leader of the black-clothed people nodded in satisfaction and said coldly.

Saying this, the black-clothed leader quickly flew westward, and the other black-clothed people hurriedly followed.

After all the black-clothed people had left, a long while passed, and a light breeze blew through, stirring up the dust of black and red. With the crimson soil and rocks collected, the Blood Valley appeared less eerie but much more desolate.

Suddenly, at the spot where Xu Qingfan had been hidden, the space rippled, and Xu Qingfan’s figure unexpectedly appeared in the empty valley. He looked at the backs of the black-clothed people, his eyes filled with thought.

It turned out that it was not Xu Qingfan who suddenly appeared and then fled, but his double, Xu Zhiyuan. Xu Qingfan controlled "Flying Satin" to help him escape. He did this to divert the attention of the leading man in black, to prepare for a possible ambush, and to fly in the opposite direction so that the men in black or their partners would search in the wrong direction, reducing his troubles in the future.

"What are these men in black planning to do by collecting this dirt and stone that can hide the aura of cultivators and the fluctuations of Spirit Qi?"

Xu Qingfan murmured, feeling a sense of unease in his heart.

After a moment, Xu Zhiyuan and "Flying Satin" flew back, and with a flash of spiritual light, they both entered Xu Qingfan’s body.

Without hesitation, Xu Qingfan flew toward his destination.

Although Xu Qingfan did not want to cause more trouble, the direction the men in black were heading was the same as the place he had agreed upon with Zhang Yi. Helpless, Xu Qingfan could only suppress his aura and quietly follow behind those mysterious black-clothed cultivators.

So they flew one after the other, and three days later, Xu Qingfan finally arrived not far from the meeting point with Zhang Yi; he only needed to turn and fly for dozens of miles to reach it. However, the men in black still had not reached their destination and continued to fly quickly westward.

"If they go further west, it seems to lead to the location of the ‘Black Glory Valley,’ which is one of the possible sites for Zhang Xusheng’s secret base. Could it be…?"

As Xu Qingfan thought this, he felt a stir in his heart. Although he had decided not to take any more risks, all the things combined made his curiosity grow stronger. After a moment of hesitation, Xu Qingfan bit his lip and temporarily set aside the three-year promise, continuing to pursue the men in black as they flew westward.

As they got closer to the Western Desert, the wind and sand grew stronger, and the sky and earth were covered in a yellow haze.

Over the years, Xu Qingfan had visited the Southern Wasteland, the East Sea, and North Iceland, but he had never been to the Western Desert.

Of course, the Western Desert was as desolate and dangerous as the Southern Wasteland, so Xu Qingfan felt no regret for not going there.

One day later, they neared the "Black Glory Valley," but the black-clothed cultivators suddenly disappeared after flying near it.

As its name suggests, the "Black Glory Valley" was filled with deep black rocks and soil, reflecting a shiny black light in the sunlight, giving off a strange feeling. However, Xu Qingfan flew around the "Black Glory Valley" three times and still could not find its entrance.

It was an undeniable fact that those mysterious black-clothed cultivators vanished near the "Black Glory Valley."

This meant that the main base of these black-clothed cultivators was likely located within the "Black Glory Valley," and at the same time, it could very well be Zhang Xusheng’s base. In other words…

Thinking of this, Xu Qingfan felt his heart grow heavier. Then, he suddenly took out a charm that was emitting a mysterious energy wave; it was the "World-wide Communication Symbol"!

The "communication charm" was the simplest kind of charm, but it was also one of the hardest to create. For instance, a charm that could send messages over ten miles could easily be made by a cultivator with some knowledge of charm-making. However, a "hundred-mile communication charm" had ten times the distance but was a hundred times harder to create. The "World-wide Communication Symbol" in Xu Qingfan’s hand could send messages over three hundred thousand miles, making the difficulty of its creation astonishingly high. Plus, with added abilities for speed and stealth, each of these charms was worth as much as an ordinary heavenly-level artifact.

In fact, these charms were painfully given by Mr. Liu to the Righteous Alliance, each decision-maker in the Righteous Alliance received one. After giving these "World-wide Communication Symbols" to Immortal Zizhen, Mr. Liu felt unhappy for six whole months and complained to Xu Qingfan for a long time.

After recording all his discoveries in the "World-wide Communication Symbol", the symbol suddenly ignited and turned to ashes in an instant. However, amidst the flames, a hidden rainbow light appeared, quickly flying high into the sky towards the direction of "Ronghua Mountain," moving even faster than when Xu Qingfan used "Flying Satin."

"If this is truly the stronghold of Zhang Xusheng and his followers, then this message symbol will spark a great battle between Zhang Xusheng and the Righteous Alliance."

Xu Qingfan silently thought as he watched the rainbow light vanish at the edge of the sky.

Perhaps Zhang Xusheng was rumored too much; although he found Zhang Xusheng’s location, the battle between them was unavoidable. Zhang Xusheng was the key to the Righteous Alliance’s "Shura Clan" comeback. Yet, Xu Qingfan felt a strange sense of unease in his heart.

"In any case, this battle must begin."

Xu Qingfan shook his head, dispelling the uneasy feeling in his heart. He tried hard to resist the urge to scout the "Black Glory Valley" first and instead flew toward the location he had agreed upon with Zhang Yi.

…

"It has been half a year since the agreed time. Are you sure Xu Qingfan will come? Under the ‘Poison of Ice Love,’ he may have already turned into a skeleton."

The place Xu Qingfan and Zhang Yi agreed to meet was a lush forest. At this moment, Zhang Yi was sitting cross-legged on the highest tree, its top swaying in the wind, and so was Zhang Yi, but her position was very steady.

After closing her eyes and thinking for a long time, Zhang Yi suddenly opened her eyes and asked.

However, Zhang Yi was surrounded by emptiness, and she did not know who she was speaking to.

"He will come."

Strangely, a gentle and elegant voice suddenly echoed from the empty forest above, comforting Zhang Yi.

Zhang Yi frowned and said, "It has been more than half a year. We have so much to do, yet we have wasted nearly half a year here. Each time I ask you, you say that Xu Qingfan will definitely come. What makes you so sure?"

"For the ‘World Defying Sword’, isn’t it worth waiting another half year? With your help, my cultivation method has reached a great level, and even Zhang Xusheng won’t be able to harm me at all. But likewise, I cannot harm Zhang Xusheng either. The ‘World Defying Sword’ is the key to breaking this balance between us." The soft and elegant voice explained, "As for why I am certain Xu Qingfan will come, it’s because I have absolute confidence in the ‘Poison of Ice Lotus.’ You think that the ‘Poison of Ice Lotus’ is so weak and acts so slowly, but why is it considered the world’s most incredible poison? It is because once a cultivator is poisoned, no matter how powerful their cultivation method or detoxifying medicine, they cannot completely remove it. Even if they do, after a while, it will grow strong again within the cultivator. I believe that Xu Qingfan must have used some means to remove most of the ‘Poison of Ice Lotus’ before. Thinking it was completely eradicated, he did not pay attention to the antidote, but when he realizes that the ‘Poison of Ice Lotus’ is growing strong within him again, he will definitely come."

"Why don’t you mention that the ‘World Defying Sword’ is also the only thing that can harm you?"

"That’s why we need to wait even more patiently for Xu Qingfan."

The elegant and gentle voice laughed and said.

Zhang Yi let out a cold snort, but she finally calmed down and slowly closed her eyes.

However, at that moment, the gentle and elegant voice sounded again, this time carrying a hint of laughter.

"He is coming. I told you it wouldn’t be a waste of time waiting."

…

With the memories that were slowly fading in his heart, Xu Qingfan finally found the place where he first met Zhang Yi.

As he flew closer, he saw Zhang Yi sitting quietly at the top of the tallest tree in the forest.

Sensing Xu Qingfan’s arrival, Zhang Yi slowly opened her eyes, her body floating up as she flew towards Xu Qingfan.

The two met at the edge of the forest, staring at each other without yielding, both silent for a moment.

As they looked at each other, both were shocked and amazed by each other’s fast progress in their skills. Xu Qingfan had reached the late stage of the Golden Core Stage, which was rare in the cultivation world. Meanwhile, Zhang Yi, in just these three or four years, had somehow managed to reach the peak of the Golden Core Stage, even higher than Xu Qingfan.

"You’re late." After waiting for half a year, anyone would feel quite angry. "More than half a year."

Xu Qingfan smiled and said, "There have been many things to take care of, I got delayed, but I’m here now."

"Did you bring the ‘World Defying Sword’?" Zhang Yi asked coldly.

Xu Qingfan did not answer and instead asked, "What about the antidote?"

"It’s with me."

Suddenly, a refined and gentle figure appeared in the empty forest sky.