Chapter Ten: Peril in the Valley

Crane Crest Ridge, a towering mountain range. For the past two days, Liu Junhuai had lost count of how many peaks he had crossed, only pausing to gather the occasional medicinal herb that had grown undisturbed for decades. The hardships of cultivation were ceaseless—a complaint that had lingered on his lips all day.

This mist-shrouded valley was known as Azure Cloud Hollow, the nearest location recorded in the "Compendium of Marvelous Phenomena." At the very bottom of the valley grew the Seven-Star Grass, essential for refining Essence-Nurturing Pills. These pills, the most practical and gentle of the yellow-grade auxiliaries, were easily absorbed by cultivators—one grade-one Essence-Nurturing Pill contained more spiritual energy than several pieces of low-grade spirit stones.

At the valley’s floor, a silver waterfall thundered down the cliff, crashing into a deep pool with the force of a thousand tons, sending up countless crystalline droplets. It was in the damp hollow beside this deep pool that the Seven-Star Grass thrived, guarded by a third-rank monster—a burrowing rat.

Carefully, Liu Junhuai slipped into the mist-laden hollow, the moist air tinged with a faint earthy scent. At last, he glimpsed a subtle white glow a dozen yards away: the Seven-Star Grass. But in that instant, a wave of black, murderous intent bore down on him. A four-foot-long, black, sharp-gilled adult burrowing rat, its eyes glinting with a vicious light, shot toward him like lightning. By the time Liu Junhuai reacted, its slender, pointed claws, trailing gusts of wind, were already upon him.

He swung his Shadow Blade, not retreating but advancing, bringing the blade down toward the rat’s head. The burrowing rat arched its body, flicked its thin tail, and twisted nimbly in midair to evade the strike. Its sharp claws slashed toward the back of his head. Liu Junhuai crouched and sidestepped with lightning speed, slicing his blade at its forepaws.

With a piercing screech, the rat’s claws deflected the blade, its body springing aside as it lunged to bite Liu Junhuai’s shoulder. Twisting his wrist, Liu Junhuai brought the flat of his blade down on the rat’s waist. With a dull thud, the creature was knocked aside. He sprang forward, pinning its tail with his foot; a flash of cold steel, and the rat’s head flew free.

Stowing away the Seven-Star Grass, Liu Junhuai turned, but from the thickets behind him, a chorus of squeaks erupted—the rat’s kin had arrived. Without hesitation, he rushed toward the deep pool and dove in, disappearing beneath the surface.

Guided by prior observation, he swam dozens of yards underwater, emerging at last beneath the waterfall. Settling onto a moss-covered boulder, he looked back to see more than a dozen burrowing rats on the opposite bank, baring their teeth and shrieking at him.

After a brief rest, Liu Junhuai noticed a fissure behind the waterfall, wide enough for a man to pass. Rising, he went to investigate. Beyond the crevice lay a sizeable dry space—night was falling, and he decided to spend the night there.

As dawn broke, a faint halo of sunlight crept over the eastern sky, the morning mist not yet fully dispersed. The air was damp and fresh. Liu Junhuai emerged from the crevice, tilted his head back, expanded his chest, and took a deep breath.

He had cultivated all night without a hint of fatigue and considered catching a fish for breakfast. Suddenly, faint voices echoed from afar. He frowned and decided to retreat into the fissure once more.

The voices drew nearer. Through the veil of the waterfall, he saw three young men in dark blue martial jackets approaching.

“This time Third Senior Brother has truly made a name for himself—not everyone is blessed with such luck. Eldest Brother, do you think the Xuantian Dragon Fish really exists? That’s true ancient dragon blood!” said the shortest of the youths.

“The news should be reliable—twelve transmission jade talismans! Each one’s worth a hundred top-grade spirit stones. If the news wasn’t true, he wouldn’t be so extravagant. So what if the master is his own father?” replied the eldest.

“Master said all disciples outside must reach Dragon Sacrifice Pool within three days. This is the third day—they shouldn’t be here yet. We three came through the night,” added the third.

“It’s still early. Let’s scout around first. Once Master arrives, he’ll summon us.” After a brief wash by the pool, the three departed together.

Shortly after, another figure arrived, riding a flying sword, and alighted before the deep pool. He uncorked a jade gourd, took a swig, and muttered, “Interesting—the Northern Chu Clan is here too.”

Suddenly, he paused, smiled faintly, and looked back. “Is that you, Qili?”

A tall, gaunt cultivator in a gray robe materialized in midair, four others trailing behind.

“Third Elder, forgive our tardiness. We suspect Haitian Pavilion—”

The gray-robed elder laughed heartily and waved his hand. “Not just Haitian Pavilion—the Celestial Secrets Sect, Yama Hall, Great Whale Island, and even the Tianlian Mountains have arrived. All the Fengling Kingdom clans are on their way; the Northern Chu Clan is just ahead.”

The continent of Starry Sky was divided into five domains and one border: east, south, west, north, and central, with the Han Border as the sixth. Each land was governed by a domain lord. Every domain contained over a hundred vassal states—Liu Junhuai’s Fengling Kingdom fell under the Western Domain, as recorded in the "Compendium of Marvelous Phenomena."

Liu Qili’s stern face grew grave with surprise.

“They’re all small fry. The real powers have yet to appear,” the elder said, amused. “If the dragon fish rumor is true, it’s only natural these sects would show up. Your intelligence division is not at fault.”

“Then we’ll continue our investigation. The other branches of Sea God Hall are already on their way; they’ll arrive today or tomorrow.”

With a wave, the third elder sent the group away, but his gaze darted—perhaps unintentionally—toward the waterfall.

A cold sweat broke out on Liu Junhuai’s back. The roar of the waterfall made their words indistinct, so he extended his spiritual sense. As the third elder looked his way, Liu Junhuai realized he had been detected. Quickly, he withdrew his sense and activated his Celestial Eye to observe, already seeking an escape route.

The third elder did not look back, but Liu Junhuai dared not be careless. He was nestled within the spacious area behind the fissure, which extended for over a hundred yards, though the passage grew ever narrower—soon barely enough for his body to squeeze through.

To be safe, Liu Junhuai wasted no time, inching deeper into the crevice, careful to make no sound. With the Celestial Eye surveying in all directions, he feared no detection by spiritual sense; his own aura was concealed, and he felt reassured.

Advancing another few dozen yards, the fissure narrowed further, forcing him to move sideways. The Celestial Eye revealed the third elder flitting toward the waterfall. As the elder tried to cross, Liu Junhuai slipped past a jutting rock, his figure hidden from view.

The crevice was too narrow for an adult to pass. The third elder lingered briefly in the open space, then turned and left. Only once he had flown beyond the waterfall did Liu Junhuai dare to proceed.

After this perilous encounter, Liu Junhuai marveled at the wonders of the Celestial Eye. Spiritual sense could be detected by those of higher cultivation, but the Celestial Eye was immune to such scrutiny and revealed all within its range as if seen firsthand—a source of secret delight.

He continued forward, abandoning any greed for the treasures to come. All those he had just seen were at least at the Foundation Establishment stage; the treasures may be precious, but his life was worth more. Moreover, he felt a vague premonition that the desires drawing so many here were tinged with strangeness, and the story’s end would not unfold as they wished.

He pressed on through the fissure, which now twisted and narrowed, the air growing tight and his chest constricted.

After nearly a hundred yards more, suddenly, the ground vanished beneath his feet—Liu Junhuai plummeted straight down.