In the heart of the shadows, countless eyes were now fixated on the three figures within the glow. Zhang Xiaofan, for reasons unknown, felt a creeping sense of unease. He glanced towards Biyao and Shitou, only to find their expressions mirroring his own apprehension; clearly, they too had never faced such a situation before.
Despite this, the myriad creatures around them did not make any aggressive moves. Apart from a few fierce tigers and leopards that roared in anger, there was little disturbance, as if they were merely observing in silence.
They continued their slow descent, and after dropping another four or five zhang, Zhang Xiaofan noticed that the number of glowing eyes began to decrease. However, the eyes that remained were much larger than those he had seen before.
He frowned, moving closer to the stone wall. Indeed, with the light from the firestaff, he could see that the number of dark holes in the wall had significantly reduced, but each hole was at least twice as large, nearly tall enough for a person to stand in. And the creatures within these holes were noticeably more ferocious and hideous, with large bodies, sharp fangs, and grotesque faces that made one’s heart race with fear.
Among them, a particularly menacing beast, resembling a wild boar but with the head of a giant bear, snarled and swung its massive claw, nearly striking Zhang Xiaofan.
Startled, Zhang Xiaofan quickly summoned his magical weapon and retreated several feet. At the sound, Biyao and Shitou turned to look at him. “These seem to be much more dangerous beasts,” Zhang Xiaofan whispered. “We need to be careful.”
Biyao and Shitou nodded, each becoming more alert.
Apart from the threat posed by the creatures near the walls, they were not harassed further. It seemed that although the beasts were fierce, they lacked the ability to fly, confining them to the caves. As Zhang Xiaofan carefully controlled his flight, he wondered how these beasts managed to hunt on this sheer cliff face.
Thus, the trio descended several more zhang. Now, from the black stone cliff, they had penetrated nearly a hundred zhang into the depths. Looking down, the vast, deep chasm was still shrouded in darkness, with only the occasional gleam of the strange creatures’ eyes breaking the gloom.
Unlike their previous expectations, the deeper they went, the temperature rose, and Zhang Xiaofan even felt beads of sweat forming. The surrounding darkness remained absolute, with no sign of any flame, making the atmosphere eerily unsettling.
As Shitou descended slowly, guided by his magic staff, he suddenly cursed, “Damn it, that fox has chosen such a bizarre place to make its lair.”
Zhang Xiaofan barely reacted, but he heard a soft, melodic laugh from Biyao nearby. Her laughter, clear and sweet, echoed through the silent space, seeming to travel far.
Zhang Xiaofan looked at her, seeing Biyao’s face illuminated by the gentle white light of her Heartbreak Flower. She smiled like a blossoming flower, her eyes filled with tenderness. She seemed to feel his gaze and turned to look back at him. Their eyes met, and Zhang Xiaofan’s heart skipped a beat. He quickly averted his gaze.
Further down, the conditions changed again. The cave entrances continued to grow larger, and the creatures within were even more massive, towering over ordinary humans. Yet, strangely, nearly half of the caves were empty. The previously fresh air now carried a faint, unsettling scent of blood.
The trio exchanged wary glances, yet they did not slow their descent.
In the boundless darkness below, something like a star or a flame flickered briefly.
* * *
Above, Zhou Yixian and his granddaughter, Xiao Huan, cautiously approached the cliff edge where Zhang Xiaofan and the others had jumped. Gazing at the endless abyss, Zhou Yixian was speechless.
Xiao Huan, though young and accustomed to traveling with her grandfather, still felt a deep, instinctive fear in the dark, silent Black Stone Cave. She peered over the edge and quickly drew back, whispering, “Grandpa, do you have a way down?”
Zhou Yixian’s eyes darted around, then he slumped, “We don’t know any spells, and we have no ropes. This is a real predicament.”
Xiao Huan sighed in relief, patting her chest, “Thank goodness.”
Zhou Yixian glared at her, “Good? There might be gold, silver, and precious stones waiting for us down there! This is a huge loss!”
Xiao Huan snorted, taking a bite of her sugar-coated hawthorns, “Gold and silver? I bet it’s a pile of bones and skulls! Let’s go. If we run into a few minor demons, you, the famous thirteenth-generation disciple of the Qingyun Sect, will disgrace our ancestors again.”
Zhou Yixian bristled, “Nonsense, I—”
Suddenly, from the darkness, two flashes of light streaked towards them. Zhou Yixian shouted, grabbing Xiao Huan and reaching for his talisman. But before he could cast a spell, a sharp sound rang out, and a cold object pressed against his neck. His whole body froze in fear.
After a moment, Zhou Yixian realized they were not being harmed. Mustering his courage, he saw a handsome man and a beautiful woman, both young and formidable.
The man, holding a jade ruler, kept his distance while the woman, controlling a blue sword, restrained Xiao Huan. The frightened girl, pale and clutching her sweets, cried, “Monster brother, monster sister, don’t eat me! I’m small and not tasty. Eat my grandpa instead.”
Zhou Yixian almost fell, furious, “You ungrateful brat! Is this how you repay me?!”
Xiao Huan sobbed, “Grandpa, please don’t blame me. After you die, I’ll bring you candy every few days…”
Zhou Yixian raged, “Nonsense! I hate sweet things. Bring me some Beggar’s Chicken or steamed fish instead!”
Xiao Huan nodded, “I’ll remember, Grandpa. Rest in peace.”
Zhou Yixian sighed, “At least that’s better. I can go more peacefully… Wait, wait!” He suddenly realized, “What am I saying, rest in peace? Ungrateful brat, I—”
As Zhou Yixian continued to scold Xiao Huan, the two captors frowned, exchanging glances, and withdrew their weapons.
The woman said, “Senior Brother, they don’t seem to have any demonic aura.”
The man agreed, turning to Zhou Yixian, “Who are you?”
Zhou Yixian, recovering, calmly replied, “We are here to rid the world of demons and protect the people.”
Xiao Huan stared, incredulous, as Zhou Yixian maintained a composed demeanor.
The man examined them, sneering, “Your cultivation is too shallow. You’re no match for even minor demons. Go back before it’s too late.”
Zhou Yixian blushed, nodding, “Yes, yes.” He pulled Xiao Huan and turned to leave.
As they disappeared into the darkness, the man looked at the cliff, “Sister, it seems we must go down.”
The woman nodded, “This is fortunate. We learned from the town that the demon foxes are hiding here. If we succeed, the Valley Master will be pleased.”
The man smiled, “Let’s go.”
With a flash, the pair dove into the abyss.
But in the darkness, a light flickered, and Zhou Yixian and Xiao Huan reappeared.
Zhou Yixian, frowning, mused, “These two have exceptional talent and high cultivation. I saw a flame pattern on their sleeves. They must be disciples of the Incense Valley.”
Xiao Huan gasped, “Incense Valley?”
Zhou Yixian nodded, “The Incense Valley is a major sect, alongside the Qingyun Sect and Tianyin Temple. They have many powerful cultivators. Recently, two outstanding disciples, Li Xun and Yan Hong, have emerged. From their magical items, it’s likely them.”
Xiao Huan, looking down, worried, “What about the three who went down earlier?”
Zhou Yixian shrugged, “Not our concern. Tonight, we won’t gain much. A pity.”
Xiao Huan smiled, following him out.
Below, the darkness swallowed the figures of Li Xun and Yan Hong, and the cliff remained as dark as ever.
* * *
In the abyss, Zhang Xiaofan, surrounded by increasing heat and the glowing eyes of beasts, felt like he was back in the Ghostly Abyss.
The caves grew larger, and the creatures within became more ferocious, though many were empty. The scent of blood grew stronger.
In the midst of tension, Zhang Xiaofan felt a strong gust of wind. Instinctively, he used his firestaff to move aside.
A loud crack reverberated, and a massive, tentacle-like appendage lashed out, striking the stone wall. The entire cliff shook, and debris rained down. Horrible shrieks echoed from the abyss as the tentacle dragged a large, five-eyed, saber-toothed tiger out of a cave. Despite its size and ferocity, the tiger was powerless against the tentacle, which quickly retreated into the darkness, leaving the tiger’s desperate cries.
The trio froze, especially Biyao, who paled.
Below, the darkness was deep and filled with terrors.
After a moment, Shitou coughed, about to speak, when Biyao cried, “Look out, below!”
Zhang Xiaofan and Shitou saw a sudden flash of fire, and the heat surged. A fire dragon, similar to the one summoned by the Three-Tailed Fox, roared up from the abyss, but now it was even more fearsome.
The trio, facing the overwhelming dragon, split and used their magical items to defend themselves. But the fire dragon’s power was immense, pushing them back. Zhang Xiaofan, slammed into the wall, felt pain, but he was luckier than Shitou, who was flung into a cave and soon heard the roars of a creature.
Zhang Xiaofan, relieved, thought, *This man is indeed as tough as a rock!*
The fire dragon, now overhead, turned and dove down again. Zhang Xiaofan dodged, and the dragon’s claws met his firestaff. The heat was intense, and Zhang Xiaofan gritted his teeth, holding on.
Biyao, descending, used her Heartbreak Flower to attack the dragon, but it retaliated, pushing her back. Zhang Xiaofan and Biyao, combining their powers, managed to lower the dragon’s height, but it was still a formidable foe.
Shitou, in midair, sat cross-legged, his hands gripping the Bane Staff. Golden light enveloped the staff, and with a shout, he plunged it into the stone wall. The impact created a depression in the hard stone. Shitou, veins bulging and blood trickling from his mouth, shot a golden beam at the dragon’s head.
The force was incredible, and with the combined efforts, the dragon, despite its might, was forced down, disappearing into the darkness.
Shitou, wobbling, was steadied by Zhang Xiaofan. But before they could catch their breath, Biyao cried out again. The massive tentacle returned, targeting them. As it descended, Biyao intercepted it, using her Heartbreak Flower to form a protective barrier. Despite the blow, she held firm, but the pressure was immense.
Zhang Xiaofan, without thinking, lunged, his firestaff glowing, and struck the tentacle. The tentacle, wounded, retracted, releasing Biyao. But another tentacle, silent and swift, grabbed Zhang Xiaofan and dragged him into the darkness.
Biyao and Shitou, horrified, flew after him.
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