Having bid farewell to that fierce and grueling battle with the Armored Rhinoceros, the group took a brief rest before continuing their journey into the unknown. Following a winding path, they arrived before a mysterious valley. The cliffs flanking the entrance towered into the clouds like two towering giants guarding this secret realm. The steep, sheer rock faces looked as though they had been carved by a giant axe, straight and precipitous, draped with emerald-green vines. Intertwined, these vines cascaded down like a waterfall of green or ancient, mystical runes that inspired awe and dread.
A thin layer of mist drifted through the valley, flowing like a wisp of light gauze and investing the entire place with an air of inscrutable mystery. Through the haze, jagged rocks and exotic flowers could be vaguely discerned everywhere, accompanied from time to time by the cries of unknown birds that sounded exceptionally clear in the stillness.
Zhang Yue walked at the front of the formation, his posture athletic and his stride steady and powerful. A blue scholarly robe fluttered in the wind, accentuating his carefree and extraordinary bearing. His facial features were resolute and firm, and his sword-like brows tilted upward slightly, radiating an innate heroism. At present, his deep eyes were filled with vigilance and caution. "Everyone be careful, this place feels sinister. Keep your wits about you," he said in a low, forceful voice that echoed through the valley like a declarat…
Chapter 123