Chapter One Hundred and Fifteen

  The storm raged throughout the night, and when morning came, the world was quiet. The soft sunlight of dawn shone down on the vast earth, where Qing Xia stood wearing a white cloak, her beauty radiant as she gazed up at the towering cliff. Her bright black eyes sparkled like stars. Suddenly, from the bulging pouch on her hat, a small creature emerged, its entire body snow-white and no larger than a palm. The little beast was round and plump, resembling a small dog, with green eyes and only a pair of ears standing upright, like a white rabbit. The creature placed its two front paws on Qing Xia's shoulders, tilting its tiny head as it too gazed up at the sky, completely absorbed in the sight.

  "Let's go." A man in a white fur coat suddenly passed by, carrying a silver long gun with a small package made of animal skin on the end.

  Qing Xia was taken aback for a moment, then quickly ran to catch up, walking far away, and frequently turned her head back to look at the snow-white ice house behind her. Da Huang was perched on her shoulder, chirping and seemingly reluctant to leave.

  The weather is strange and unpredictable in this area. The temperature now is only around minus twenty degrees Celsius, which feels like a warm spring compared to last night.

  "Turmeric." Qing Xia grasped the small beast's neck fur and lifted it into mid-air, saying in a clear voice: "No slacking off, lead the way! If you're still like yesterday, there'll be no dinner tonight."

  The little beast suddenly sniveled and rubbed its nose with its paws, then spread out its four small legs and ran across the snowy ground.

  After walking for half a day, strange things happened again. The thick ice on both sides gradually disappeared, and the temperature also warmed up gradually. The cold wind no longer gathered in mid-air, but instead, there was a faint mist rising. Qing Xia and Chu Li were shocked at the same time, and they became even more vigilant. This deep valley had strange and complex weather conditions, so it's better to be careful.

  The temperature gradually rose, and the animal skin clothes could no longer be worn. The two of them took off their clothes, wrapped them in a bundle, and walked forward cautiously.

  A flash of green suddenly appeared before her eyes, Qing Xia's spirit shook, after walking on the vast snowy plain for so long, her eyes were almost snow-blind, at this moment she suddenly saw the green color and couldn't help but let out a soft cry.

  The snow on both sides has completely melted, and the steep cliffs are rugged with red soil mixed in between. Some dark green moss grows along the cliff walls, emitting a faintly damp fresh fragrance. As we walk, the terrain gradually lowers, extending northward, and Qing Xia's eyebrows are tightly furrowed, wondering if this is indeed a path leading to the northern plain?

  Just as I was thinking about it, the entire terrain suddenly became narrow, as if it had been pinched to pieces by the palm of a heavenly hand, only allowing one person to enter sideways.

  Qing Xia and Chu Li exchanged a glance, secretly on guard. Da Huang stood at the entrance, facing the two of them, yelling loudly with his head raised, then turned around and walked into the narrow gap, stopping again to beckon the two to follow him.

  Qing Xia pulled out a dagger and grasped it in his hand, saying in a low voice: "Follow me."

  Chu's eyebrow arched, and the long spear in his hand instantly appeared in front of Qing Xia, effortlessly sweeping Qing Xia aside with a light step.

  Qing Xia looked at Chu Li's straight back, just thinking of following him, when a lean and tall figure suddenly flashed in her mind. Two days without seeing him, she thought he would be buried in the valley, how could he be? His body was so weak, with such severe injuries, would something happen to him? Thinking of this, it felt like thousands of sharp needles pierced her heart at once, painful to the point where she almost couldn't breathe.

  "What's wrong?" A low voice sounded from the front, Chu Li turned his head back, looking at Qing Xia's pale face, furrowed his brow and said in a deep voice.

  Qing Xia was interrupted by him, gave a weak smile and said in a low voice: "It's okay, let's go."

  Underfoot was a fine, flowing sand, as soft as the golden beaches by the sea. Qing Xia's eyebrows were furrowed in concern, and she felt that this place was unfathomable. The crevices were dimly lit, with only a faint glow from above casting a weak light, and after just a few steps, they realized that the path behind them had become increasingly distant and hazy, while the front was shrouded in thick fog, completely enveloping the two figures.

  Qing Xia reached into his waist and lit a fire starter, handing it to Chu Li. The thick fog around them grew even more intense, the faint light of the flame barely penetrating through. Both of them opened their eyes wide like blind people, becoming even more cautious.

  Suddenly, Chu's body hesitated and he let out a stifled groan, stopping in his tracks. Qing Xia immediately sensed that something was amiss and hastily grabbed his shoulder, saying in a low voice, "What's wrong?"

  Chu Li seemed to have shaken his head slightly, the dense fog was overwhelming, even with a lit fire, it was impossible to see clearly. After a while, Chu Li spoke in a low voice: "Follow me, step on the ground."

  Qing Xia only heard the rustling sound, and suddenly it started ringing in her ears. She slightly lifted her feet and took off those thick animal hides, feeling more agile. Suddenly, she found that they were all sharp thorns, Chu Li walked ahead, with his feet close to the ground, kicking down all the thorns, clearing a path for Qing Xia.

  "Chu Li," Qing Xia was slightly startled and called out loudly. Chu Li stopped in his tracks and turned around, although his face couldn't be seen through the white mist, Qing Xia could still imagine the outline of his features and his calm expression. She wanted to ask if he was injured, but the words got stuck in her throat, she only took a deep breath and said in a low voice: "Be careful."

  "En." Chu Li responded with a sound, suddenly stretched out his hand and said: "Come."

  Qing Xia was taken aback for a moment, and Qin Zhiyan's gentle and calm face suddenly appeared in front of her, like a refreshing stream that swept away the anxiety and panic she had been feeling for days. She unconsciously took a step back, her palms gradually clenched into fists.

  Chu Li saw that she didn't move, and said the fog was too big for her to see her own movements. He bent down and grabbed Qing Xia's hand, wanting to pull her forward.

  However, in an instant, the man's eyebrows furrowed slightly, because in the center of his palm, there was a fist that was as cold as snow but tightly clenched.

  The warm wind blew through the gap, also blowing on the two people. Chu Li's eyes gradually narrowed, and on that day, on the sandy ground, on the White Deer Plain, outside the Nan Chu Great Camp, the figure of the man in silver-white armor appeared again in front of his eyes. A thread of intense hatred and unbearable pain flashed across his eyes under the cover of white mist. Almost ferociously, he pried open Qing Xia's fingers one by one, then grasped them tightly in his hand, saying in a low voice: "Follow me!"

  A gloomy man walked ahead, with Qing Xia being dragged by him, slowly following behind.

  However, in this silent journey, the big yellow suddenly shouted loudly, with a clear sense of panic and warning. Qing Xia and Chu Li were both seasoned warriors, instantly picking up their weapons and rushing forward fiercely.

  Two loud explosions, green light bursting forth, air waves surging, white gleaming icy blades suddenly rose from a patch of white fog, almost at the same instant, Qing Xia and Chu Li simultaneously flashed up, flashing into it in an instant.

  Lightning flashed, force burst, white fog opened eyes like blind, only felt breathing suddenly stagnated, huge power came rushing in like a tsunami, narrow gap, for a moment even couldn't see the enemy's figure. The widest part of this gap allowed only two people to walk shoulder to shoulder, three people struggled and fought here, every clash was almost imperceptible, danger lurked everywhere, thrilling and treacherous.

  Qing Xia's slender fingers snapped, and a handful of willow-leaf flying knives shot out from her hand. Three flying knives broke through the air, dancing wildly, each one aiming straight for the vital points of the enemy in front of her. However, all that could be heard was the sound of "peng peng" echoing in her ears, without even a single sound of flesh being pierced. Qing Xia was shocked - could it be that the opponent was wearing an extreme-grade armor made of sharp iron? At such close range, even if it were Chu Li's extreme-grade ink armor, it should have been penetrated by now.

  "Chu Li, attack his throat!" Qing Xia's dagger was like a blooming flower in her hand, and with her petite figure, she instantly jumped to Chu Li's front. Chu Li's long spear couldn't be fully utilized here, and instead became cumbersome. Qing Xia suddenly spun around and swung her knife downwards, then slapped backhandedly, only to hear a loud "thud" sound. Her palm felt like it had hit stone, hard as iron, and the pain was unbearable.

  "Who comes here? Report your name!" Qing Xia shouted loudly in a startled tone.

  But the person opposite seemed to be deaf, with a poisonous and swift hand, each move bringing a huge gust of wind, with boundless strength.

  Qing Xia's heart was filled with hatred, and he thought to himself that the two of them had not provoked him. He hid in the shadows and suddenly struck out with his sharp hand, not holding back at all. The opponent was wearing a hard armor, so a fierce battle was not the way to go. At this moment, he put the dagger in his mouth, and his hands stretched out to both sides. Suddenly, a wild horse split its mane, and he grabbed the opponent's arm as hard as iron with one hand. He borrowed force from the momentum, swung his whip, and instantly cut off the opponent's elbow. All that could be heard was a crisp cracking sound, and the opponent's elbow broke instantly.

  But that person was also very stubborn, and didn't even let out a cry, instantly spinning up with a kick. Qing Xia snorted coldly, flashing behind him to meet the kick with a backhand strike, his knee sinking down. From the Tai Chi fist's coiling character technique, he suddenly switched to the powerful and fierce Intercepting Fist Way, and another crisp sound rang out. The opponent's leg bone snapped, and their entire body tilted to one side.

  Qing Xia grasped the dagger and said in a low voice, "Who are you? We didn't intend to bring you to death's door. If you step aside and let us pass, we can spare your life."

  Who would have thought that the man didn't even hum a sound and came charging again.

  "You dare to be reckless!" Chu Li angrily shouted, suddenly flashing from behind Qing Xia's body, a long spear held horizontally, a dragon rising from the sea, with a "whoosh" sound, directly hitting the opponent's throat.

  "Got it!" Qing Xia had just shouted, but at this moment, a strange phenomenon suddenly occurred. The person was stabbed in the throat, but he only paused for a moment before charging forward again. Qing Xia was shocked and swung his dagger horizontally, cutting off the opponent's wrist. But what he felt with his hand was not flesh, but a hard stone!

  "Chu Li, it's not human, chop it!" The dagger chopped down in anger and cut off one of his arms. Chu Li's long spear thrust out, and suddenly a loud cracking sound was heard. In an instant, the man made no more noise, and was actually slashed open by Chu Li, spilling out a large pile of things.

  Qing Xia's eyebrows were tightly locked, and she was panting violently. She exchanged a glance with Chu Yu, then slowly crouched down, holding the fire starter against the ground. What caught her eye was astonishing - a pile of bronze and iron scraps. The thing that had been entwined with them for half a day, it turned out, was a fake person made of stone and metal, connected by mechanical hooks and locks!

  "Chu Li, this place is not simple, we must be careful in our actions."

  "En," Chu Li nodded, and at this time, the big yellow dog that had disappeared during the fight suddenly ran out from somewhere, biting Qing Xia's pants leg, barking excitedly.

  Qing Xia looked at it with a bad temper and said, "Alright, since you've done a good job warning us, I'll reward you." He took out a piece of roasted meat from his bag and threw it to Da Huang, then said, "Scout ahead!"

  Chu Li naturally took Qing Xia's hand and slowly followed up front.

  The air was getting hotter and more stifling, the temperature rising, and the flames dancing wildly. Suddenly, a bright light appeared in front of them, and the two people's spirits lifted, quickening their pace.

  Finally walked to the end, and suddenly walked out of the gap, only to feel the fresh air rushing towards me in an instant. The sunlight was dazzling, my eyes were sore, and it took a while to open my eyes to see the magnificent scenery in front of me.

  Although both of them were worldly people, looking at everything in front of them, they still looked bewildered and couldn't return their eyes to their original shape for a long time.

  All that could be seen was that the two were on a high cliff, with only about a foot of space in front of them. If they took another step forward, it seemed as if they would fall into an abyss thousands of feet deep. Behind them, the long crevice was actually on top of a precipice, and below the precipice, there was another world.

  Two people stood at a high place, looking down, and saw that below was an even deeper and larger canyon. The canyon was vast and majestic, stretching north-south for over 20 miles, with no end in sight, and east-west for over 1,000 meters wide, with steep cliffs on both sides, as if cut by a giant axe, deep and unfathomable, with a bright red color, like the bloody mouth of a ferocious beast, as if it wanted to swallow people.

  What meets the eye is a vast expanse of clouds and mist, with white fog surging upwards. In the midst of this, a towering cloud peak rises, majestic and magnificent. Strange peaks and rocks appear and disappear within it, layered clouds pile up, and the misty haze does not disperse, making it seem like an immortal realm.

  Near the foot of this precipice, an elliptical crater hundreds of feet deep was filled with splintered rocks and boulders, surrounded by enormous fissures that crisscrossed like a spider's web, as if it had just undergone a massive explosion.

  At the easternmost part of the loess plateau, countless yellow sand and soil accumulated in one place, forming a towering slope over 100 zhang high, just like a collapsed skyscraper after an explosion, with giant rocks and wooden stakes inside, extremely impressive.

  The two of them were stunned, and for a long time they couldn't come back to their senses. After a while, Da Huang still let out two loud barks, and only then did the two of them exchange a glance, both seeing in each other's eyes an indelible shock.

  The world is vast, and there's nothing strange that doesn't exist. Who would have thought that in such a deep and secluded valley, there was hidden such a magical place, surrounded by an aura of immortals, just like a fairyland.

  "Can't go down?" Qing Xia turned her head and looked at Chu Li, asking in a low voice.

  There is no way back, and there is no door to go up. Although the front is unpredictable, it is the only way out. Chu Li nodded and said in a low voice: "Down."

  Two people stood on the precipice, which was over a hundred feet high and level with the yellow earth slope in the east. Qing Xia looked around and didn't see any ropes or other climbing equipment, furrowed his brow slightly and said: "You know how to climb rocks, this place is too high, it's not something to be taken lightly."

  Chu Li's eyes were impatiently waiting for her, seemingly extremely annoyed that she underestimated herself. With a flick of her sleeve, she climbed down first.

  Qing Xia pouted at his back, squatted down and patted the little white beast's head, which was staring at her with big round eyes. She chuckled and said: "Big Yellow, can you fly? You're a spiritual beast, aren't you? All spiritual beasts can fly. I'll just throw you down and see if you can grow a pair of wings."

  The big yellow eyes stared, and the two long ears stood up instantly. With a sharp cry, it rushed towards Chuli.

  Qing Xia swiftly grabbed the short tail, saying in a low voice: "If you don't want to fall and die, be obedient later." After binding its four limbs and waist, he hung it from his own waist, patted its head, and smiled as he said: "Let's go, I'll take you to become an airman."

  Like this rocky wall full of corners, for Qing Xia it was a piece of cake, the whole process went extremely smoothly, in the midst of Da Huang's endless screams, Qing Xia landed instantly. Standing on solid ground, the petite woman looked up and saw that the man above was still in mid-air, trying to find his next foothold, although agile, but at first glance it was clear he was a novice at rock climbing, completely relying on his own strength and agility.

  Qing Xia finally caught the opportunity to laugh at Chu Li, and burst into a loud, shapeless laughter. Suddenly, a whizzing sound appeared in her ear, Qing Xia was startled, and saw that Chu Li was standing on high ground, holding a clod of earth and throwing it at her. Qing Xia immediately became furious, just about to counterattack, when she suddenly heard a sharp, strange cry from afar, a group of brightly colored, multicolored birds suddenly flew in from the sky above, swooping down towards Chu Li who was still suspended in mid-air!

  Qing Xia was shocked and pale, shouting loudly. Chu Li also saw the strange bird in mid-air and stopped playing, quickly climbing down with agile movements.

  That strange bird flew at an extremely fast speed, its body was enormous, and it was as big as a 7 or 8 year old child. It didn't seem to be afraid of people at all, with a sharp beak and mouth, and eyes that shone with a fierce light, it had obviously already considered Chu Li, who was still in mid-air, as its next meal.

  Qing Xia's heart was greatly shocked, and she rolled up her sleeves to climb up and help Chu Li. At this time, she suddenly saw that a patch of green bamboo had grown at the foot of the cliff. The clever woman's eyes turned, and she ran to the side of the bamboo, picked up a handful of stones and put them in her arms, and swiftly climbed up along the slender bamboo. Qing Xia's hands were extremely agile, and although the bamboo was thin and smooth, she still managed to climb to the top in just a few movements. Just as Chu Li had not yet climbed halfway, the giant bird was already pressing down on him, its sharp beak pecking fiercely at his eyes!

  Chu Li had one hand grasping the rock wall and the other holding a long spear, engaging in a fierce battle with the giant bird. However, more and more birds gathered, with over ten of them attacking him. Since he was suspended in mid-air without any support, his arm was instantly pecked at, covered in blood.

  "Chu Li!" Qing Xia shrieked, one hand embracing the thin bamboo, the other grasping a stone and hurling it violently at the giant bird.

  Qing Xia's flying knife technique was divine and magical, even throwing stones could hit the target with 100% accuracy. With a loud "thud", he hit the giant bird's head right on target. The big bird was caught off guard and was suddenly struck by Qing Xia, although they were quite far apart, but Qing Xia's strength was powerful, and in one strike, the bird was dazed and fell down, only regaining consciousness after falling over 30 zhang (a unit of length) before flapping its wings to fly up again. However, this attracted the attention of many other flying birds, which all swooped towards Qing Xia with a loud whoosh.

  "Green summer!" Chu Li's eyes were bloodshot and about to split open. He shouted loudly.

  Qing Xia continued to throw stones while shouting, "Don't mind me! Come down quickly!" As soon as the words left his mouth, the stone in his hand was already gone. Seeing the giant bird flying closer and closer, the stench assailing his face, Qing Xia suddenly reached for the hook lock hanging from his waist and swung it at the big bird.

  With a fierce and menacing momentum, more than ten ferocious birds circled above her head, but none could get close to Qing Xia. In mid-air, feathers fell in profusion, and those that were injured by the hook on Qing Xia's front hook were all covered in blood, severely wounded, shrieking and howling, a vast expanse of bloody mist filling the sky, with an unbearable stench.

  Before long, the birds seemed to be afraid of Qing Xia's ferocity and flew in a circle for a while before suddenly turning their spears around and attacking Chu Li again.

  Just as Chu Li was about to land, he was suddenly surrounded by a flock of large birds. The wound on his arm burst open, and fresh blood gushed out. With a sudden "whoosh", the long spear in his hand was knocked down by the fierce bird's wings. This time, he was unable to move up or down, and there were no more handy weapons in his hand. He was instantly isolated and helpless, at a disadvantage. Qing Xia's heart was burning with anxiety, but unfortunately, no matter how she shouted, the birds didn't care, launching a full-scale attack on Chu Li, surrounding him and crying out loudly around the cliff wall.

  In an instant, a giant bird grasped Chu Li's waistband and let out a sharp cry, flapping its wings to take off. Several other large birds swarmed around, calling out in unison as they prepared to fly away.

  Qing Xia's eyes turned red with desire to split, if it was caught by them like this, where would there be a way out? In anxiety, sweating profusely, shouting loudly, the attached emerald bamboo could not hold on, slowly tilting towards one side.

  Qing Xia took a look, and suddenly an idea flashed in his mind. The fierce bird's body was not big, and it was already struggling to fly with Chu Li, let alone the fact that Chu Li was constantly struggling, making it even harder for the bird to fly. It seemed that if they waited any longer, Chu Li would definitely be injured and exhausted, leaving him at the mercy of the birds.

  Qing Xia swiftly climbed to the top of the bamboo, embracing the tip and suddenly exerted force, causing the bamboo to bend downwards. Qing Xia took advantage of the momentum to fling out the hook, which hooked onto a large stone on the ground with a loud clang. Qing Xia seized the opportunity to pull the hook, causing the bamboo to bend further, almost touching the ground. At this moment, the ferocious bird had taken flight, and Qing Xia looked in its direction, not having time to think twice, suddenly flinging the hook again. The bamboo instantly sprang back, propelling Qing Xia upwards with tremendous force. In an instant, white clouds and colorful auroras whizzed past before her eyes, and Qing Xia's body suddenly soared above the giant bird, shooting towards the azure sky in a flash.

  "Qīng Xià!" Chǔ Lí roared, and as soon as his voice fell, Qīng Xià suddenly dived down, coming with a fierce momentum that was unstoppable!

  Qing Xia didn't know how many times he had experienced high-altitude parachuting before, and now he wasn't panicked either. In a flash of lightning, the pale and delicate woman's lips were tightly pursed, her eyes deep and solemn. Suddenly, she flung open her shoulders, and the hook shot out with a whistling sound. All that could be heard was a loud scream, as the iron hook flashing with cold light instantly pierced into the wing of a giant bird.

  Qing Xia seized the rope in an instant, and climbed towards the flock of birds. The huge downward force caused the bird to drop suddenly, and it was actually parallel to the fierce bird that had grasped Chu Li.

  "Chu Li! Catch me!"

  Qing Xia let out a loud roar, dodged and jumped, grabbing Chu Li's arm with one hand, and with a flick of the hook lock in his other hand, he tore off a large piece of flesh and blood from the fierce bird that had been perched on him earlier, almost tearing its wing apart. The big bird let out a mournful cry and fell to the ground immediately.

  A flock of birds cried out in unison, but unfortunately, they were afraid of Qing Xia's bravery. They surrounded the two people, but no one dared to get close. Qing Xia tightly grasped Chu Li's arm and suddenly stood up straight, her dagger flashing as she slashed at the bird's claws that had grabbed onto Chu Li's waist!

  In an instant, blood splattered everywhere, a mournful cry pierced the air, and Qing Xia and Chu Li suddenly fell like two kites with broken strings!

  With a splash, the sound of water burst forth, countless streams surged into their mouths and noses, clear shadows flickered, fish swam around them in the water, and the two bodies sank downward. Under the immense force, they reached the bottom in an instant, their feet stepping on soft fine sand. The two gazed at each other through layers of waves, their eyes colliding with a huge joy of rebirth.

  Qing Xia made a gesture upwards with her hand, Chu Li nodded, and the two of them loosened their tightly clasped arms, exerted themselves to paddle, and swam desperately towards the surface.

  With a splash, they broke through the water's surface and were met with a blast of fresh air. The two of them scrambled ashore, where they saw a brilliant blue sky with white clouds, a lake that shone like jade, and lush green grass. A flock of birds in the distance chirped and chattered as they fled in disarray, while distant mountains rose up like a screen of indigo and the nearby scenery was like a painting. Everything seemed unreal and dreamlike.

  A loud, hacking cough suddenly rang out, and Qing Xia looked down in surprise to see the small white beast tied around his waist, its fur completely wet, its ears drooping as it desperately coughed loudly.

  Qing Xia and Chu Li exchanged a glance, the joy of being alive after the ordeal floated on both their faces, and their smiles gradually warmed up.

  "Are you okay?" Qing Xia got up on one knee, examining the wound on Chu Li's arm. Just now she didn't have time to think, but now that she thought about it carefully, she realized how crazy her actions had been. If they hadn't been careful, both of them would have died.

  "It's nothing." Chu Li's voice was low and husky, with a hint of inexplicable hoarseness. Qing Xia raised her head in concern, wanting to see where he was hurt, but as soon as she did, she found herself trapped in an embrace as strong as steel.

  "Chu Li?" Qing Xia cried out in surprise, struggling slightly as she looked at the blood-soaked arm pinned under her own and exclaimed: "You're bleeding!"

  "It doesn't matter." Chu Li's voice was low and husky, his arms tightly wrapped around Qing Xia's body, as if he feared she would suddenly vanish into thin air. Intense emotions churned in his chest, those dense, almost heart-bursting words nearly bursting forth, yet his mouth seemed sealed shut, unable to utter a single word.

  How to say it? How to express his gratitude and apology to her? After a few days of getting along, all the doubts and suspicions finally dissipated, but how could he face those cold words, those disgusted eyes, and those repeated suspicions again?

  Qīng xià, jiù ràng wǒ bào nǐ yī huì ba! Wǒ shén me huà dōu shuō bù chū kǒu, yīn wèi zhěng shì wǒ zài yī cì yòu yī cì de shāng hài nǐ, huái yí nǐ, jiàng nǐ tuī chū huái bào, shì wǒ zài yī cì yòu yī cì de zài zì miè cháng chéng.

  Translation:

  Summer of youth, just let me hold you for a while! I couldn't say anything because it's always been me hurting you time and time again, doubting you, pushing you out of my arms, and it's always been me destroying the Great Wall time and time again.

  The strong wind is stirring, the thousand mountains are condensed with a blue color, the colorful clouds are flowing and overflowing with colors, majestic and magnificent.

  Qing Xia and Chu Li washed up by the small lake that saved their lives, carrying Da Huang who was sneezing, and slowly headed north.

  The clouds and mist dispersed, the blue sky was washed clean, and the view inside the valley suddenly became clear and distinct. Looking around, the mountains in the valley were steep and majestic, with strange peaks standing upright, bright colors, and strange rocks. All kinds of tropical plants were present, and even with my experience and knowledge, I couldn't recognize seven or eight out of ten. The dense forests, flowers, and grasses seemed to be a lush green, like a jade-like mist. Various rare flowers and weeds were scattered among them, their beauty was like the color of rouge, and the red flowers were like fire, as if woven into a brocade of smoke and clouds. The sunlight shone on each mountain top, magnificent and colorful.

  Two men followed behind Da Huang, walking in the flat valley, looking at the majestic mountain peaks on both sides, and sighing in their hearts as if they were like thousands of giant waves, surging and rolling.

  Just across a mountain range, the climate temperature is so different that one side is howling with cold wind and the other side is as hot as summer. At this moment, even Qing Xia cannot find a reasonable explanation for all this with her common sense.

  "Woof woof! Just as they were walking, Da Huang suddenly let out a loud bark and darted into the nearby bushes. Qing Xia and Chu Li were taken aback for a moment, but soon saw a small white beast dragging out a western domesticated deer that was more than ten times its size. The little beast ran to Qing Xia's side, panting with its tongue hanging out and wagging its tail, looking like it wanted food."

  However, Qing Xia and Chu Li were both taken aback at the same time, looking at the thick-furred reindeer with furrowed brows.

  This reindeer is a gregarious animal on the White Deer Plain, cold-resistant and good at running. In winter, it was often used by the Western Army to transport grain. This time, in the hunting of the White Deer Plain, almost every country's army had such an animal. But how can this subarctic animal survive in this scorching heat?

  Qing Xia furrowed her brow and said: "Chu Li, something doesn't feel right."

  Chu Li nodded and said in a low voice: "Be careful."

  The three of them continued on their way, and along the road there were all sorts of strange and wondrous sights. Flying birds and running beasts that they had never seen before appeared everywhere. Fortunately, both of them were skilled in martial arts, so whenever some fierce creature suddenly attacked them, it would slink away with its tail between its legs.

  After walking for nearly two hours, a sea of flowers suddenly appeared in front of them. Qing Xia and Chu Li's eyes widened in surprise. They walked around the winding path for a while, and suddenly saw a lake, with a pale blue stone bridge spanning across it. The bluestone was smooth and shiny, reflecting the light like a mirror.

  It wasn't until now that the two finally confirmed that this place was indeed inhabited. So, the iron-armed copper man in the mountain pass earlier must have been created by the master of this place to guard against evil people.

  The two of them suddenly felt a glimmer of joy. If someone really lived here, then there was hope for escaping this place.

  They couldn't help but quicken their pace, and Da Huang led several people in a winding path. Suddenly, they turned around a mountain pass, and a huge building suddenly appeared before their eyes.

  The ancient and desolate Tianmu Spring, a hundred years of wind and rain in Penglai Valley.

  On the top of two giant trees that were one hundred zhang high, two rows of bold and unrestrained calligraphy danced in the air, with a majestic aura and bold strokes. Two people stood in the corner, looking up at the gigantic couplet, and suddenly felt a sharp gust of wind blowing towards them.

  A giant blue bird hovers in the sky, surrounded by an aura of immortality, with misty light swirling around it. The horizon is a brilliant cerulean blue, reflecting the endless layers of emerald green trees, and the surging waves of foliage, displaying boundless radiance and the sacred atmosphere of the immortal realm.

  It turned out that this strange flower-filled deep valley was actually called Penglai Valley?

  Qing Xia and Chu Li suppressed the astonishment in their hearts, proceeding slowly. The gentle breeze caressed their faces as they walked through a sea of blooming flowers, with lush green mountains towering above them. All around, they saw flying creatures and divine birds, many of which had become extinct on the mainland but thrived here. It seemed as though all the birds in the world had gathered to build their nests, filling the air with their cheerful chirping.

  The scenery was breathtakingly beautiful, with rare and exotic animals roaming freely among the trees and grass. Farming tools were scattered everywhere, and all sorts of strange and intricate wooden crafts seemed to be endless. The two people looked at each other, both seeing huge shock and deep worry in each other's eyes.

  All things are silent, with only the sharp cries of birds remaining, but there is no human figure.

  After walking for a while, a magnificent and majestic main hall suddenly appeared before her eyes. Qing Xia raised her head to look at it, and what she saw was dazzlingly resplendent, with gold and jade sparkling brightly, shining piercingly into her eyes.

  The golden characters on the huge Nanhai Huanghuali wooden carving door plaque read: "Yu Dai Chao Bin Qi Huan Suo, Bai Niao Qi Ming Feng Ming Gong"

  Pushing open the main gate of the Forbidden City, a wide jade belt road leads directly to the main hall. The bright green jade stone pavement is paved with emerald light, dazzling and confusing people. Everywhere shines with a kind of fantastic light. At this moment, the sky has slightly darkened, and countless lights in the palace are shining, magnificent, giant eastern pearls as decorations, bright night pearls as lamps, strange flowers and grasses, fragrance assails people, everywhere shows a piece of brocade luxury and ethereal fairy spirit.

  All that can be seen is the flashing lights, the fragrance of cars, and in the huge hall, only a large round carpet is placed in the center, with flowers and brocade, golden and jade, painted with the pattern of hundreds of birds paying homage to the phoenix. The surroundings of the carpet are a circle of small tables for placing food, which are now filled with food, as if waiting for someone to come and eat.

  A strong fragrance suddenly wafted out, and with a loud "Ah" cry, she rushed forward.

  Just then, a sudden muffled sound came abruptly, Qing Xia and Chu Li heard it at the same time, turned their heads to look, and saw a young man bound all over, wearing a plain white cotton robe, with his face covered by a black cloth, lying in the corner of the hall, apparently having heard the noise, struggling desperately.

  Qing Xia and Chu Li hastily stepped forward, stretched out their hands, and with one swift motion, removed the man's face cloth.

  In the blink of an eye, all three were shocked at the same time.

  "Lin Mu Bai?" Qing Xia's mouth opened wide in shock as she exclaimed: "How did you end up here?"