“Uncle Han? You mean…” Mu Peiling was taken aback, hesitating slightly.
“Exactly, it was given by Fellow Daoist Ziling, whom I mentioned to you once before. She accompanied Uncle Han into the Inner Valley back then, which is how she knows this safe route,” the Song-clan woman said with a gentle smile.
“I met this Ziling girl once decades ago. She truly is a celestial beauty—even we women couldn’t help but be captivated. I’ve heard that many high-ranking male cultivators have pursued her relentlessly, leading to countless duels and conflicts over her favor. Some even call her the most beautiful woman in the Southern Sky Immortal Realm. However, her origins are quite mysterious, and she’s known our master for a long time, almost like a confidante. Sister Mu, you’d better be careful!” Liu Yu’s eyes sparkled mischievously as she giggled, her tone teasing.
“Why should I be careful?” Mu Peiling’s jade-like cheeks flushed slightly as she scoffed.
“Junior Sister Liu, stop teasing Mu. We have more important matters to attend to. Are you two planning to venture into the Inner Valley?” The Song-clan woman asked seriously.
Mu Peiling and Liu Yu exchanged glances, their smiles fading as hesitation crept into their expressions.
“Senior Sister Song, is the map Ziling gave you really the same route our master took back then? If so, it might be worth a try. After all, the Illusion Spirit Grass is crucial for breaking through our bottlenecks. Returning empty-handed would be too disappointing,” Liu Yu said slowly, her delicate brows furrowing.
“If we only search near the entrance of the Inner Valley, I’m willing to go,” Mu Peiling said after a moment of internal struggle, finally succumbing to the temptation of the medicinal herbs with a sigh.
“Good. Since you’ve both made up your minds, we’ll take the risk. But let’s be clear—we’ll only search within a few hundred miles of the entrance. If we still can’t find the Illusion Spirit Grass, we retreat immediately. No matter how precious the herbs are, our lives come first,” the Song-clan woman warned firmly.
“Of course. Venturing deeper would be suicide, even with the map. I’ve heard that some ancient beasts in the Inner Valley could make even Nascent Soul cultivators flee in terror,” Liu Yu said with a wry smile.
“Those beasts usually lurk deep inside. Near the entrance, we should be safe. Let’s not waste time—let’s go,” Mu Peiling declared decisively.
The other two women nodded, and the trio transformed into streaks of light, soaring into the sky toward their destination.
Five days later, at the edge of the Inner Valley, amidst a frozen wasteland, the three women appeared, braving the biting winds. Behind them lay a massive ice fissure—the same passage Han Li and Ziling had once used to enter the Inner Valley with the Ghost Spirit Sect.
Encased in protective barriers, the women whispered among themselves before flying cautiously forward, barely skimming the ground.
The snowy expanse was small, and within half a day, they emerged into a lush green mountain. Delighted, they split up to search for herbs.
After a full day and night, they regrouped at the mountain’s peak, exchanging bitter smiles.
“This mountain has many rare herbs, but no trace of the Illusion Spirit Grass,” Liu Yu grumbled.
“Same here. No Illusion Spirit Grass, but I did gather the remaining ingredients for another elixir. At least we won’t return empty-handed,” Mu Peiling said with a resigned chuckle.
“It seems fate isn’t on our side. Let’s head back,” Song Yu sighed, her voice tinged with melancholy.
“Shouldn’t we search one more time? Maybe we missed something,” Liu Yu suggested stubbornly.
“No. If it’s not meant to be, forcing it won’t help. The Inner Valley is too dangerous. Even lingering near the entrance is risky. We leave now,” Song Yu said firmly.
Just as Liu Yu opened her mouth to protest, a distant rumble of thunder echoed across the sky.
The women looked up to see a massive dark cloud racing toward them at terrifying speed.
“That’s no ordinary cloud—it might be an ancient beast!” Song Yu gasped.
The trio immediately bolted, but the cloud surged forward, revealing a chilling laugh.
“That’s no beast—it’s a demonic cultivator!” Liu Yu, recognizing the sinister tone from her past in the demonic path, cried out.
“Friend or foe, they’re hostile. We can’t fight them!” Song Yu frantically pulled out a white pearl, chanting as it enveloped them in mist, speeding away.
“Pathetic tricks!” A cold voice sneered from the cloud, which morphed into a colossal black hand, closing the distance in moments.
“It’s a Nascent Soul demonic cultivator! We need to slow him down!” Song Yu shouted.
“I’ll release my spirit insects!” Liu Yu unleashed several white centipedes, but the black hand effortlessly incinerated them.
“Six-Winged Frost Centipedes? Hah! So it’s you, Liu Yu! Did you really think these puny insects could stop me?” The voice mocked.
The black hand seized the fleeing mist, crushing their defenses effortlessly.
With a final burst of energy, the women scattered, but the hand unleashed dark tendrils, ensnaring them all.
A cold snort echoed as black smoke rendered them unconscious.
When Song Yu awoke, she found herself on a cold stone floor, surrounded by glowing stalactites. Panicked, she tried summoning her protective aura but collapsed weakly.
The towering figure looming over her had glowing green eyes, his voice a sinister rasp.
“These three will serve as leverage. Let’s see how much you care for them, Han Li.”
His laughter echoed through the cavern as Song Yu’s vision faded once more.
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