"The Secluded Valley spans a vast expanse, stretching very far inward, and its terrain isn't entirely uniform gobi..."
Ning Wuhui produced a jade vial and handed it to Qin Sang.
"The poison within the Secluded Valley is colorless and odorless, making it difficult to detect. By the time one realizes it, they've already fallen prey. This vial contains Snow Clam Pills, which can neutralize the venom."
Qin Sang voiced his thanks and uncapped the jade vial.
The pill was snow-white, yet he caught a pungent, spicy scent.
"The deeper we go into the Secluded Valley, the fiercer the toxins become. At first, one can still circulate true essence to resist them, but further in, one must rely on poison-warding treasures, or else taking even a single step becomes impossible. You should be prepared for this, Fellow Daoist, correct?" Ning Wuhui asked.
Qin Sang nodded.
Ever since their conversation back then and Ning Wuhui's warning, he had been making preparations. Though he possessed the fat silkworm's Poison-Warding Armor, he had still bought several poison-warding treasures and spirit pills when passing through Tianxing City, just in case.
However, the detoxifying pills he had purchased certainly could not match the quality of the Snow Clam Pills.
Ning Wuhui nodded slightly and brought out a magic treasure capable of repelling lethal poisons to protect himself, adding with a hint of concern, "If you sense anything amiss or find yourself invaded by the lethal poison, swallow a Snow Clam Pill immediately. I also have several poison-warding treasures here that can cope..."
"Many thanks for the reminder, Fellow Daoist. I understand."
Qin Sang woke the fat silkworm and stowed it inside the inner armor against his chest.
Clutching a poison algae fruit, the fat silkworm was happily gnawing away, letting Qin Sang place it as he wished.
The might of the Poison-Warding Armor was plain for all to see. To keep the fat silkworm from exhausting itself, Qin Sang did not plan on having it deploy the Poison-Warding Armor during the early stretch; he could handle it on his own.
Next, he took out a purchased poison-warding pearl and held it in his mouth. Once activated, a transparent, watery shroud enveloped his body, invisible to the naked eye.
With their preparations complete, the two entered the Secluded Valley.
At first, there was no noticeable sensation. But after walking for a while, the potency of the poison gradually began to manifest, and the poison-warding pearl started to take effect.
Qin Sang had thought that since the night owl had fled the valley severely wounded, some upheaval might have occurred within. To his surprise, after entering the Secluded Valley, they found no signs of turmoil.
Perhaps the route they had chosen was simply too remote.
In any case, staying out of trouble was always a good thing.
Even though Ning Wuhui had formed an external Nascent Soul, he did not dare act rashly in the Secluded Valley. Those who could reach this place were almost all Nascent Soul Patriarchs; between the two of them, their strength was the weakest.
Every time they covered a certain distance, Ning Wuhui would release his external Nascent Soul to scout ahead.
Even if there were the slightest, most negligible anomaly, he would spare no effort to take a detour. Qin Sang followed closely behind Ning Wuhui, covertly channeling his Heavenly Eye divine ability to stay vigilant.
With every leg of the journey, the poison in the air grew fiercer by a notch.
The poison-warding pearl gradually reached its limit. A faint grayish-black hue crept over the watery shroud on Qin Sang's skin, signaling that the lethal poison was about to breach the barrier, and the luster of the pearl itself grew dimmer and dimmer.
Having prepared spare poison-warding treasures well in advance, Qin Sang replaced the pearl the moment he felt it was about to give out.
Stopping and starting like this, they pushed deeper and deeper into the Secluded Valley.
Ning Wuhui showed no sign of stopping.
Qin Sang noticed that as they pressed forward, the terrain of the Secluded Valley actually rose continuously and gradually, like a colossal, gentle slope.
The ground, which had originally been gobi nearly resembling a desert strewn with gravel, gradually hardened. One could see jagged, sharp-edged slabs of exposed rock.
"Fellow Daoist Ning, how much longer until we arrive?" Qin Sang could not help asking.
Having traveled this far, they had covered enough distance to cross the entire Purple Mist Deathland, yet the end of the Secluded Valley remained nowhere in sight.
Ning Wuhui kept his lips tight. Back then, he had only said they would enter the Secluded Valley and told Qin Sang to prepare poison-warding items; beyond that, all other secrets remained undisclosed.
Although Qin Sang had sought out Ning Wuhui under Senior Qingzhu's guidance, he carried no token of trust. The fact that Ning Wuhui had been willing to bring him along was already no small feat.
Qin Sang suspected Ning Wuhui might be a contingency left behind by Senior Qingzhu to suppress his clone's demonic soul. Given how grave the matter was, Qin Sang had refrained from pressing him persistently.
Ning Wuhui came to a stop and looked around in all directions. After a moment, he said, "This can only be considered the middle stretch of the Secluded Valley. We must go to its deepest depths."
"The deepest depths?"
Qin Sang was secretly startled. That was the farthest point that the human cultivation world could currently explore, yet they were actually going there.
What was Senior Qingzhu plotting? Did it have anything to do with the ancient teleportation formation?
"Indeed," Ning Wuhui nodded, then shifted the conversation. "In the innermost reaches of the Secluded Valley lies a region called the Spirit-Suppressing Domain. Have you heard of it, Fellow Daoist?"
Qin Sang pondered briefly, then said helplessly, "Never. I can only make inquiries among fellow Daoists at the Core Formation stage. Very few Core Formation cultivators have ever set foot in the Secluded Valley, let alone the Spirit-Suppressing Domain at its deepest depths."
Ning Wuhui was not surprised, explaining, "The Spirit-Suppressing Domain is an unusual region. Whether due to a concealed ancient grand formation or some other cause, any cultivator who enters will feel an inexplicable suppression. It is said that only Great Cultivators or those at the peak of the Mid-Nascent Soul stage can withstand it and step inside. Everyone else can only turn back in dismay."
"There's actually such a place?" Qin Sang suddenly realized something. "Are you planning to enter the Spirit-Suppressing Domain, Fellow Daoist Ning?"
Ning Wuhui nodded. "You needn't worry, Fellow Daoist. I know another path that can keep us from being affected by the Spirit-Suppressing Domain."
"Another path..."
Qin Sang was taken aback, realizing this path had undoubtedly been shown to Ning Wuhui by Senior Qingzhu.
A secret unknown to so many Nascent Soul Patriarchs across the Canglang Ocean had been uncovered by Senior Qingzhu. It seemed Senior Qingzhu understood the Hall of Seven Kills far better than imagined.
Having offered that brief explanation, Ning Wuhui fell silent once more.
Qin Sang could only rein in his curiosity and follow Ning Wuhui forward.
After traveling an unknown distance further, Ning Wuhui suddenly changed directions. Instead of continuing straight along the edge, he cut diagonally toward the exact center of the Secluded Valley. After walking for a while longer, Qin Sang noticed the terrain of the valley beginning to change.
The undulating hills turned into small mountains, though they were equally barren and stony.
The silhouettes of the mountains ahead grew denser and loftier.
From time to time, the roars and howls of ferocious beasts echoed through the ranges.
They crossed mountain range after mountain range.
Now, they stood atop a mountain that was no lower than the ranges flanking either side of the Secluded Valley.
Peaks stood around them in close ranks. Some mountains appeared to bear oceans of forest, yet the vegetation had long since petrified into stone.
"At last, I see Yitian Peak!" Ning Wuhui said, pointing toward a distant mountain silhouette.
Qin Sang looked out in the direction he indicated, only to behold a towering, wondrous peak unlike anything he had ever seen before. Rising head and shoulders above the surrounding ranges like a crane among chickens, it pierced straight into the depths of the glowing clouds, with no telling how much more of it was submerged within the immortal restrictions.
Judging by height alone, Yitian Peak was likely not one bit inferior to the Heaven Tower of the Outer Hall!
"Yitian Peak is located right at the center of the Spirit-Suppressing Domain. Seeing Yitian Peak means the Spirit-Suppressing Domain isn't far!" Ning Wuhui could not help letting out a breath of relief. Over the course of their journey, he had been under tremendous pressure.
"Which way do we go now?" Qin Sang pressed.
"Follow me," Ning Wuhui said, flickering as he swept down the mountain.
Chapter 1056