The twelfth layer of the Divine Oracle Cave Heaven.
Sky Divine City.
At the entrance of a small tavern, Luo Xiu looked at Luo Xian with guilt in his eyes. "I'm sorry," he said suddenly. "I might have caused you trouble."
"What trouble?" Luo Xian placed her hands behind her back, rising onto her tiptoes to get closer to him. She tilted her head, her large, watery eyes staring unblinkingly at Luo Xiu.
Looking at her playful and cute expression, Luo Xiu felt a sudden urge to pinch her cheek.
"I only waited for you for a little while," she said. "It's no trouble at all."
"That's not what I ant." Luo Xiu shook his head. "As you know, to the cultivators of the Celestial Realm, the na 'Ao Debiao' makes a public enemy."
Luo Xian pouted. "Why would you call yourself a rat? You're more like a big tiger." As she spoke, she held up her hands like little paws, mimicking tiger claws.
Unable to resist any longer, Luo Xiu reached out and gently pinched her cheek.
"Ouch! What are you doing?"
"You're just too cute."
Luo Xian rolled her eyes. "That was just an act. I'm actually very ladylike and quiet."
Luo Xiu's expression turned serious. "Princess Luo, I've been targeted by the people from Shattered Star City. You now have two choices: either leave the Divine Oracle Cave Heaven imdiately and return to the real world, or you'll have to co with ." He glanced around before continuing, "I'm sure soone is already watching , and since you're by my side, you will definitely be targeted as well."
Luo Xian nodded. "They'll probably assu I'm your partner and cause trouble for to threaten you. Is that what you an?"
"More or less."
"But didn't we agree to explore the Unlit Land for opportunities? I don't want to leave the Divine Oracle Cave Heaven so soon."
Luo Xiu smiled. "Then let's go."
"No rush. Let's go buy so things first."
"Buy what?"
Luo Xian gave him a mysterious smile. Before Luo Xiu could react, she grabbed his hand and pulled him away. With a helpless look, Luo Xiu let himself be dragged along. He had assud Luo Xian wanted to buy sothing for their wilderness adventure, but the little foodie just wanted snacks. She bought all sorts of high-end dried fruits and jerky, grabbing anything that caught her eye.
So this is what they an by 'money can buy anything', he thought with a wry sigh.
"I didn't expect you to be so willful. It seems our Princess Luo is quite the little wealthy girl."
"I'm average, I suppose. I have so savings. Treating you to a grand feast would be no problem at all."
"..."
Luo Xian shopped relentlessly through three whole streets, seemingly caught in a frenzy she couldn't stop. It wasn't until Luo Xiu urged her that she finally relented. After packing up, the two left Sky Divine City and flew directly toward the Unlit Land. While Luo Xian had been on her snack-buying spree, Luo Xiu had taken the opportunity to buy a map.
Following the route on the map, it took them a full four days to reach the Unlit Land! In reality, with Luo Xiu's speed, he could have traveled from Sky Divine City to the Unlit Land in a single day. The journey took four days entirely because Luo Xian loved to have fun. Whenever she spotted a place with beautiful scenery, she would insist on going down to play, imrsing herself in nature, eating snacks, and admiring the view.
Luo Xiu, for his part, was happy to oblige. Sotis, when they found a body of water, he would even stop to fish. With fish to catch, beautiful scenery to enjoy, and a pretty fairy for company… who wouldn't be content?
But joyous tis are always fleeting, and the serious work still needed to be done.
「That day.」
The two prepared to officially enter the Unlit Land.
The so-called Unlit Land was a vast Land of Corpse Pile. This Land of Corpse Pile covered an area no smaller than the Immortal Grass Forest of the Ageless Tribe. Many years ago, a world-shaking war had erupted here between the Hundred Clans. Nurous colossal, prehistoric Fierce Beasts t their demise here, and over the long years, their bodies transford into mound-like hills that later generations called "Corpse Mountains."
Corpse Mountains stretched one after another, seemingly without end. The putrid air they emitted gathered and refused to disperse, forming a corpse cloud that obscured the sky, which is how the perpetually dark region earned the na "Unlit Land."
Luo Xiu remained vigilant, releasing his Divine Sense to observe his surroundings as he walked toward the Corpse Mountain ahead, which resembled a giant tomb.
The interior of the Corpse Mountain was vast but dimly lit. Occasionally, a luminescent, strange bird would fly by, its brief light allowing the pair to glimpse the massive skeletal structures overhead. The skeletons had long since petrified, becoming indestructible pillars that supported the entire mountain. Countless bats, as large as calves, hung from them, their blood-red eyes looking especially sinister in the darkness.
Luo Xian followed closely behind Luo Xiu, reaching out with two fingers to gently tug the corner of his sleeve. "Taoist Ao, this place is really spooky. I feel so uneasy."
Luo Xiu spoke softly, "I haven't detected any terrifying beings yet. However, the putrid air here is highly poisonous. You'd better use your protective Spiritual Energy to filter it when you breathe."
"Mhm."
"Don't worry, I'm here."
"Mhm."
A short while later, they erged from the Corpse Mountain and were about to enter the next. After passing through five Corpse Mountains, Luo Xiu still hadn't found anything. With tens of thousands of such mountains here, he had no idea how long it would take to search them all one by one.
His Divine Sense had already covered the entire Unlit Land, but aside from so Fierce Beasts, he had not sensed the presence of any humans. Because of this, he began to doubt whether the Three-Star Clan's Clan Leader that Wei Qingkuang had ntioned was truly imprisoned here.
CLAP!
CLAP, CLAP, CLAP…
Suddenly, the sound of applause echoed from the Corpse Mountain up ahead.
"Ao Debiao, I have been waiting here for you for quite so ti!" a voice called out.
Luo Xiu's brow furrowed slightly. Shielding Luo Xian behind him, he stared at the blurry figure gradually approaching from the cave ahead.
A mont later, as the figure erged, Luo Xiu saw a familiar face.
It was Yang Ju from Shattered Star City!
Yang Ju looked at Luo Xiu with a mocking expression. "I didn't expect you to be slower than I anticipated. It seems having a beauty at your side has made you reluctant to hurry."
"But this also gave plenty of ti to prepare."
Luo Xiu remained expressionless. "Preparing to die?"
Yang Ju's tone turned grave. "I'm preparing to kill you!" Then, he looked at Luo Xian and smiled. "Princess Luo, long ti no see. You are as beautiful and captivating as ever."
Luo Xian's face was impassive as she suddenly asked, "Can your Life-Forfeiture Flower be used twice?"
Yang Ju replied indifferently, "Everyone knows a Life-Forfeiture Flower can only be used once in a lifeti. Don't you think your question is rather foolish?"
Luo Xian chuckled. "What I an is, if you die this ti, you'll be well and truly dead. There's no Life-Forfeiture Flower to save you."
Yang Ju snorted coldly. "Who lives and who dies… you'll find out soon enough!"
As he spoke, figures began to flash among the nearby Corpse Mountains. In just a mont, more than a hundred people appeared, surrounding Luo Xiu and Luo Xian.
Luo Xiu remained composed as his eyes slowly swept around. These people must have used so secret technique to conceal their presence, which is why my Divine Sense failed to detect them. To be able to evade my powerful Divine Soul's search… it seems Shattered Star City has a few tricks up its sleeve after all.
Yang Ju looked at Luo Xiu as if he were already a dead man. He snapped open a folding fan and said casually, "Kill him. Just leave a wisp of his residual soul."
"As for this beautiful Fairy, she will be your reward afterward."
"..."
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