159: Chapter 159 Before the Valley of the Burial King, Three Parties Gather

After leaving the Corpse Whisperer's lair, the team's marching speed significantly increased.

Lin Fan no longer arranged to collect opportunities along the way, nor did he let the War Guards take turns to Cultivate. He simply walked at the very front without saying a word, each step firm and steady.

Three hundred War Guards followed closely behind; no one questioned, and no one fell behind.

They sensed a certain change in their Young Lord, a kind of certainty that comes after finally confirming one's direction.

Xia Qingyue walked by his side, occasionally glancing at him sideways.

Since emerging from Qin Yue's lair, another strand of grayish-white had appeared at Lin Fan's temples. That strand was deeper than before, faintly shimmering with pale golden specks, as if something had been left permanently within his body.

She did not ask what it was.

But she could feel that an additional aura had entered Lin Fan's body.

It wasn't power, nor was it a Legacy, but something even more ancient and profound.

It was as if some existence from ten thousand years ago had left an imprint upon him.

The team traveled through the gray mist for three hours before the landscape of the White Bone Wasteland began to change.

The skeletons beneath their feet grew fewer, replaced by jagged black rocks. The surfaces of those rocks were covered in marks from blades and axes, and some even bore dried bloodstains that had not faded after ten thousand years.

The gray mist permeating the air also changed color, shifting from grayish-white to light red, then gradually to deep crimson.

That was not the glow of fire, but a mist saturated with blood.

“Young Lord, there is a situation ahead.” The scout returned quickly, his expression solemn. “A large number of battle traces were discovered thirty miles away, occurring no more than six hours ago.”

Lin Fan did not stop his pace. “What scale of battle?”

“At least World Lord level.” The scout swallowed hard. “There are dozens of craters several zhang deep in the ground, suspected to be palm prints. There is also a sword scar a hundred zhang long; the remaining Sword Intent is so strong that we cannot approach.”

Xia Qingyue’s expression changed slightly. “A World Lord level battle... Is it that group from the Shadow Kill Tower?”

“Unlikely.” Lin Fan shook his head. “Shadow Kill Tower specializes in assassination; they wouldn't leave such obvious traces. This was left by a direct, head-on clash.”

He paused, gray light swirling in his eyes. “A third-party force has entered.”

Thirty miles away, at the battle scene.

Lin Fan hovered in mid-air, looking down at the devastated earth below.

The scout's description was no exaggeration. There were indeed dozens of deep pits on the ground, each in the shape of a massive palm, with five fingers and clear palm lines. Those palm prints were over three zhang deep, and the surrounding rock was glazed, clearly formed after being melted by extreme heat and then cooled. And that hundred-zhang-long sword scar was even more shocking.

The sword scar ran from north to south, forcibly splitting the ground into a rift about three zhang wide and bottomless. The rocks on both sides of the rift were as smooth as mirrors, and sharp Sword Intent still lingered, condensing into a faint white halo in the air.

Lin Fan landed at the edge of the sword scar and reached out toward the lingering Sword Intent.

The moment his fingertips touched it, he frowned slightly.

“Such pure Sword Dao.”

This Sword Intent was sharp but not overbearing, possessing a hint of compassion within its keenness. The person who struck was clearly a Sword Dao Grandmaster, yet they had left a margin during the fight, unwilling to drive the enemy to total extinction.

“Not an assassin.” Xia Qingyue also landed beside him. “When an assassin strikes with a sword, they must take a life. Although this sword scar is terrifyingly powerful, the position it struck avoided all vital points.”

She pointed toward the palm prints. “The one who struck there should be from the Demon Race, as the palm technique carries thick Devilish Qi. But the other party is from the Human Race.”

Lin Fan nodded.

He crouched down and pinched a bit of soil from the edge of the sword scar.

A very faint aura remained in the soil.

Clear as ice, stern as snow.

A name flashed through his mind.

“Is it her?”

“Who?” Xia Qingyue asked.

Lin Fan did not answer.

He stood up and looked toward the south.

There, the gray mist was already too thick to disperse, but within the perception of the Eternal Annihilation Body, the outline of a massive valley was vaguely visible.

Burial King Valley.

“Let's go.” He turned to look at the team. “Speed up. If I'm not mistaken, there will be an old acquaintance there.”

Burial King Valley, at the entrance.

A white figure stood alone within the gray mist.

It was a young woman dressed in a moon-white robe, her black hair flowing like a waterfall, her face as cold as frost. In her hand, she held a long sword that was entirely translucent white; the blade was vibrating slightly, as if sensing something.

Behind the woman lay four corpses.

Three were from the Human Race, all dressed in blood-colored robes and wearing different masks: a fox, a hawk, and a jackal.

Assassins from the Shadow Kill Tower.

The fourth was from the Demon Race, burly in stature with a vertical mark on his forehead, but he had been pierced through by a single sword strike, and black demon blood stained the rocks beneath him.

“Young Miss, you were too reckless.” An old man stepped out from the mist, his face filled with worry. “The simultaneous appearance of people from the Shadow Kill Tower and the Black Demon Abyss indicates this place has become a den of trouble. This old servant suggests—”

“No rush.” The woman spoke, her voice as cold as an ice spring. “I am waiting for someone.”

“Waiting for someone?” The old man was startled. “Does Young Miss know someone here?”

The woman did not answer.

She merely looked in the direction they had come from, a very faint ripple appearing in her cold eyes.

After a long while, she said softly, “He’s here.”

In the gray mist, a gray figure approached from afar.

Lin Fan landed ten zhang away, his gaze falling upon the woman, his expression calm. “Su Zhiqing, long time no see.”

Su Zhiqing. Saintess of the Immortal Realm, the sole successor of the Glazed Immortal Domain, her Sword Dao reaching divine heights, cold and transcendent. She was also an “old acquaintance” of Lin Fan’s before the Tongtian Ancient Road opened. But now, she had appeared here ahead of time.

“Lin Fan.” Su Zhiqing nodded slightly, her gaze falling on the strand of grayish-white at his temple, a flash of complexity in her eyes. “You’ve completed it?”

“Completed what?”

“The Eternal Annihilation Body.” She paused. “I read related records in the ancient books of the Immortal Realm; I thought it was just a legend.”

Lin Fan did not deny it.

He looked at the four corpses on the ground. “You killed them?”

“They wanted to ambush you.” Su Zhiqing’s tone was flat. “I cleaned them up in passing.”

“And that demon?”

“He wanted to kill you, so I cleaned him up as well.”

Lin Fan was silent for a moment.

“How did you know I was here?”

“The Immortal Realm has eyes.” Su Zhiqing sheathed her long sword. “The Huangfu Family has spread the news everywhere that you possess the Annihilation Inheritance; the entire Six Realms know. I happened to be in the Human Realm on business, so I came to take a look.”

She paused, her gaze looking directly at Lin Fan:

“The Tongtian Ancient Road opens in three months. At that time, the Prodigies of the Six Realms will gather, and there will only be more people who want to take your life.”

“I know.”

“Then what do you plan to do?”

Lin Fan looked toward the Burial King Valley behind her, where the gray mist surged and low sobs could be vaguely heard.

“Enter the valley, take an Opportunity, and then—”

He turned back to look at Su Zhiqing. “Come out alive and keep the appointment of the Tongtian Ancient Road.”

Su Zhiqing watched him quietly.

After a long while, she nodded slightly:

“I will accompany you inside.”

“Young Miss!” The old man grew anxious. “Burial King Valley is an ancient Forbidden Ground, you—”

“No matter.” Su Zhiqing raised her hand to stop him. “The assassins from the Shadow Kill Tower are dead, and the Black Demon Abyss has lost a demon general; there won't be any more pursuers in the short term. There is no longer any danger here; take the men and wait outside the valley.”

The old man wanted to persuade her further, but meeting Su Zhiqing's cold gaze, he could only sigh and retreat as ordered.

Lin Fan looked at her and did not refuse.

He knew Su Zhiqing's temperament; once she decided on something, nine oxen couldn't pull her back.

Besides... her appearance here was a signal in itself.

The Immortal Realm had also set its sights on this battlefield.

Fifty miles away, on another cliff.

Xue Sha looked at the blood-colored talisman before him with a livid face.

The talisman was burning, turning into a wisp of green smoke.

Those were the life plaques of the Fox, Hawk, and Jackal.

“Dead...” He gnashed his teeth. “All dead!”

“Boss, could it be Lin Fan's doing?” the remaining Snake-faced Assassin asked tremulously.

“No.” Xue Sha shook his head. “The time the life plaques shattered was half an hour ago; at that time, Lin Fan was still thirty miles away. The one who acted was someone else—”

He looked toward Burial King Valley, blood-light flickering in his eyes:

“A third-party force has arrived there.”

“Then what should we do? Do we still wait for the Blood Kill Envoy?”

“Wait.” Xue Sha took a deep breath. “But not here. Let's go, take a detour into the valley. Since Lin Fan is going in, we'll follow him. The terrain of Burial King Valley is complex, perfect for fishing in troubled waters.”

He turned and was the first to vanish into the mist.

The Snake-faced Assassin hesitated for a moment, then also gnashed his teeth and followed.

Burial King Valley entrance.

Lin Fan, Su Zhiqing, and Xia Qingyue stood side by side.

Behind them were the three hundred War Guards and the Great Xia Imperial Guard, all prepared for battle.

“There are three paths in Burial King Valley.” Lin Fan unfolded a map. “The East Route is the shortest but most dangerous, with ancient Restrictions and un-dissipated killing formations. The West Route is the longest but relatively safe, though it requires a hundred-mile detour. The Middle Route—”

He paused and looked ahead. “The Middle Route is the path the Emperor led the Eternal Battle Group along back then; their aura still lingers to this day. Taking this road is the easiest way to find the Emperor's burial ground, but it's also the easiest to attract—” Before he could finish, a low roar came from the valley.

The sound was desolate and ancient, as if a giant beast that had slept for ten thousand years was awakening.

“Attract what?” Xia Qingyue asked.

Lin Fan was silent for a moment.

“Attract those existences who are unwilling to let the Emperor be disturbed.”

He turned to look at the three hundred War Guards:

“East Route, West Route, Middle Route—you choose one.”

“Which one will the Young Lord take?” Lin Pojun asked.

“I will take the Middle Route.”

Lin Pojun did not hesitate and knelt on one knee. “This subordinate is willing to follow the Young Lord on the Middle Route!”

The three hundred War Guards knelt in unison. “We are willing to follow the Young Lord!”

Lin Fan looked at them, silent for a long time.

“The Middle Route is the most dangerous; many people might die.”

“What is there to fear in death!” Lin Pojun raised his head. “The Young Lord established our foundations and passed on techniques to us, a debt as great as being reborn. Even if we die in this valley, it's better than living a wretched life!”

“Right! What is there to fear in death!”

The roar of three hundred people made the gray mist surge.

Xia Qingyue looked at Lin Fan and said softly, “Their hearts are with you.”

Su Zhiqing did not speak, merely standing quietly by Lin Fan's side.

Lin Fan withdrew his gaze and looked at the surging gray mist in the valley.

Deep within that gray mist, something was awakening, something was waiting.

Waiting for the person who would finally step onto this path after ten thousand years.

“Let's go.” He stepped forward, his voice calm yet reaching everyone present. “Go in alive, come out alive.”

“I will take you home.”

The three hundred War Guards followed closely behind, stepping into the gray mist stained red with blood.

Xia Qingyue and Su Zhiqing exchanged a glance and also followed.

Outside the valley entrance, only the Great Xia Imperial Guard and the old man's party from the Immortal Realm remained, silently watching the group of figures as they gradually disappeared.

The gray mist surged, swallowing everything.

Burial King Valley finally welcomed its first batch of visitors after ten thousand years. And in the distant sky, a third demonic eye slowly closed.

The voice of the Three-Eyed Demon Lord echoed in the void: “They've all entered... the good show has finally begun.”