bullyxtreme Chapter 162 Shadow Valley
Chapter 162 Shadow Valley
Zhang Yifan carefully stored away the Starshine Grass and then secluded himself in his residence for several days to recuperate. Once his spiritual power was fully restored and his mental state was at its peak, he resolutely embarked on a new journey—to find the Dream Flower in the Shadow Valley to the south. This Dream Flower is also an indispensable key ingredient for refining the Seven Treasures Rejuvenation Pill, and its rarity is no less than that of the Starshine Grass. The Shadow Valley, where it grows, is fraught with danger and full of unknown challenges.
Heading south, Zhang Yifan traveled tirelessly, enduring wind and rain, sleeping in the open as usual. Mountains, rivers, towns, and villages flashed past him like a revolving lantern, but he had no time to appreciate them. At each stop, he would briefly rest and replenish his supplies before immediately setting off again, driven by a single belief: to find the Dream Flower as soon as possible and rescue his loved ones.
Finally, after more than ten days of trekking, Zhang Yifan caught sight of the Shadow Valley shrouded in mysterious mist in the distance. Even before approaching, a chill swept over him, causing him to shiver. Looking up, he saw the valley surrounded by mountains, steep and precipitous, with jagged rocks resembling lurking beasts, watching the intruders with menacing intent. A thick layer of mist hung over the valley, not ordinary mountain fog, but an eerie, dark black, slowly churning and surging as if alive, completely obscuring the valley, making it impenetrable and awe-inspiring.
Zhang Yifan took a deep breath, suppressing his unease, and steadily walked towards the valley entrance. The moment he stepped into the valley, an even more intense and eerie aura enveloped him. This aura was like tangible threads, coiling around his body, attempting to invade his very being. Zhang Yifan's heart tightened; he knew the power of this eerie aura. If he allowed it to erode him, his mind might be disturbed, and he might even become a walking corpse. Fortunately, he had previously cultivated the Chaos Technique, an extremely profound cultivation method capable of absorbing and refining all kinds of chaotic spiritual energy and auras in the world.
At that moment, Zhang Yifan swiftly activated the Chaos Technique, his spiritual energy flowing slowly along specific pathways, forming tiny vortexes. The strange auras clinging to him seemed drawn by a powerful suction force, surging towards these vortexes. As his spiritual energy circulated, the strange auras were gradually absorbed and refined, transforming into Zhang Yifan's own spiritual energy and merging into his meridians. Zhang Yifan felt his spiritual energy becoming increasingly abundant, his spirit invigorated, and he was filled with awe at the power of the Chaos Technique.
However, before he could even catch his breath, a hissing sound came from all directions, breaking the silence of the valley. Zhang Yifan's heart tightened, and he warily looked around. He saw pairs of eerie green eyes flickering like will-o'-the-wisps in the grass and crevices of the rocks. Then, long, slender, jet-black venomous snakes slithered out—the infamous Shadow Snakes of this Shadow Valley. These Shadow Snakes were not only extremely venomous—a single bite could instantly invade the heart and lungs, corroding the meridians and causing excruciating pain—but they were also agile and adept at concealing themselves. In this misty valley, they were like fish in water, making them impossible to guard against.
Zhang Yifan gripped his longsword tightly, the blade humming as if sensing its master's tension and fighting spirit. His gaze turned cold and resolute; he knew that a battle with these Shadow Serpents was inevitable, and only by fighting head-on could he forge a path to the Dream Flower.
With a sharp hiss, a larger shadow serpent launched the first attack, shooting towards Zhang Yifan's neck like an arrow, its speed too fast for anyone to blink. Zhang Yifan dodged to the side, easily avoiding the attack, and swung his longsword in the same motion, unleashing a sharp sword aura towards the shadow serpent. The sword aura whistled past, kicking up a cloud of dust, but the shadow serpent was extremely agile, twisting in mid-air to avoid the sword's edge, then quickly disappearing into the nearby bushes.
Zhang Yifan thought to himself, these Shadow Serpents are indeed troublesome; I can't let my guard down. He turned around and unleashed the Profound Clarity Sword Technique, his body radiating sword energy that formed a defensive barrier around him. At the same time, he activated his divine sense, carefully sensing the surrounding movements, trying to anticipate the Shadow Serpents' attack positions.
Just then, several shadow serpents launched a simultaneous attack from different directions. Some leaped high into the air, while others slithered along the ground, all targeting Zhang Yifan. Zhang Yifan's eyes narrowed, and he wielded his longsword with impenetrable speed, unleashing streaks of sword energy like lightning that clashed with the shadow serpents' attacks. A cacophony of clanging metal echoed through the valley, sparks flying everywhere – quite a spectacle.
In the midst of the fierce battle, a shadow snake seized an opportunity. Taking advantage of a moment when Zhang Yifan was fending off attacks from other snakes, it stealthily approached from behind and suddenly bit his calf. Zhang Yifan sensed the danger but had no time to dodge, and could only take the blow head-on. A sharp pain instantly shot through his leg. He looked down and saw two bloody holes in his calf, with black venom spreading rapidly.
Zhang Yifan was greatly alarmed. He knew the potency of this venom; if it wasn't dealt with promptly, the consequences would be unimaginable. Without hesitation, he circulated his spiritual energy, attempting to expel the venom from his body. However, the venom of the Shadow Serpent was extremely stubborn, seemingly possessing a spirit of its own, clinging tightly to his meridians and resisting his spiritual energy. Fine beads of sweat appeared on Zhang Yifan's forehead, and his face turned pale, but he gritted his teeth, showing no sign of giving up. He increased his output of spiritual energy, engaging in a desperate battle with the venom.
Just as Zhang Yifan was struggling to hold on, a sudden flash of inspiration struck him. He remembered reading in an ancient book that although the Shadow Serpent was extremely venomous, it was inherently afraid of fire. Perhaps a fire attack could subdue it. With this thought, Zhang Yifan endured the excruciating pain in his leg and took out a fire talisman from his storage bag. This fire talisman was something he had obtained by chance years ago and had never used; today it became his lifeline.
Zhang Yifan chanted incantations, and with a flick of his wrist, a fire talisman ignited, instantly sending a raging fire sweeping towards the surrounding Shadow Serpents. Sensing the intense heat of the flames, the Shadow Serpents were terrified and scattered in all directions, instantly dismantling the previously tight encirclement. Seeing this, Zhang Yifan was overjoyed. He seized the opportunity to pursue, wielding his longsword and slaying several Shadow Serpents that couldn't escape in time.
Having resolved the immediate crisis, Zhang Yifan finally breathed a sigh of relief. He quickly sat down, took out some antidote pills from his storage bag, swallowed them, and then circulated his spiritual energy to accelerate the elimination of the venom from his body. After some effort, the venom in his leg was finally completely removed, and the wound began to heal slowly. Zhang Yifan stood up, stretched his body, and felt that his strength had recovered considerably, giving him some confidence for the journey ahead.
However, he did not let his guard down. He knew this was only the first step into Shadow Valley; the road ahead was long, and the dangers would only increase. He gripped his longsword again and headed deeper into the valley. Along the way, he carefully avoided the dangers lurking in the shadows, while keeping a close eye on his surroundings, searching for traces of the Dream Flower.
As they ventured deeper into the valley, the eerie atmosphere grew increasingly intense, forcing Zhang Yifan to constantly circulate the Chaos Technique to resist its corrosive influence. The attacks from the Shadow Serpents were relentless, sometimes alone, sometimes in small groups, constantly striking Zhang Yifan. Relying on his superb swordsmanship, unwavering will, and rich combat experience, Zhang Yifan repeatedly escaped danger and slew many Shadow Serpents.
During a brief pause, Zhang Yifan suddenly noticed a cave not far ahead. The cave entrance was small and obscured by vines, making it difficult to spot without careful observation. A thought struck Zhang Yifan; he felt this cave might be somewhat unusual, perhaps related to the Dream Flower. So, he carefully parted the vines and walked towards the cave.