Chapter 299: Exploring Hell Valley

The old urchin Yinxiu smiled at Tong Xin:

"Little Tong Xin, you finally remembered; you have worried this old man to death."

Tong Xin hugged Yinxiu and sighed:

"Yinxiu, I missed you all too."

After Tong Xin and Yinxiu embraced, the group followed Yin Tianxue toward the main hall.

Inside the hall, Yin Tianqi and Yin Hao were pacing back and forth, and Yin Hao muttered:

"Why hasn't Tianxue arrived yet? The food will be cold soon!"

Yin Tianqi looked at Yin Tianxue and the others walking toward them and said:

"Father, stop pacing; Tianxue is here."

Seeing Yin Tianxue walk into the hall with a smile on her face, Yin Hao teased:

"What is it, my dear daughter? What happy thing has happened? Share it with your father!"

Yin Tianxue shook her head and said:

"It's nothing, nothing at all!"

Tong Zhan and the other three walked in just then, and seeing that everyone had arrived, Yin Tianqi spoke up:

"Everyone is here now, we can eat.

Tianxue, Father knew you were back and specifically had me tell the kitchen to prepare your favorite dishes; you must eat plenty later!"

Amidst laughter and joy, the family had a lively lunch.

After lunch and a short rest, Tong Zhan proposed that they leave.

He and Yin Tianxue had originally planned to stay outside for a few more days, but after Tong Xin regained his memories, he suggested returning to Shuiyue Dongtian to pay respects to their father.

Tong Zhan and Yin Tianxue naturally understood Tong Xin's feelings; having been reborn and now understanding familial affection, Tong Xin naturally wanted to go home and see.

Yin Hao smiled:

"I know you are all busy!

You are welcome here anytime; my Yujian Villa certainly has the capacity to add a few more pairs of chopsticks."

After bidding farewell to Yin Tianqi and Yin Hao, the group mounted their horses and hurried toward Shuiyue Dongtian.

When they reached the barrier of Shuiyue Dongtian, however, Dou Dou suggested going to Hell Valley to take a look first.

Thus, the group turned their horses around and arrived at Hell Valley.

Hell Valley, once a deathly Forbidden Land filled with Zhurong Fire, had long since lost its flames and had become a valley of nothing but steep cliffs and precipices.

As the group continued forward through Hell Valley, by a stroke of luck, they arrived at the Mangchang Xiaodao that Duan Fengyun and Yueya had once used to exit the valley.

Initially, seeing the rugged path ahead, the group considered giving up on moving forward, but Yinxiu, ever the old urchin, looked ahead with a heavy expression and said:

"I must go ahead and take a look.

In the depths of my heart, I have a premonition that there is someone I know ahead; I must go and see.

If you don't want to go, that is fine; just let this old man go in alone."

Since Yinxiu had proposed such an idea, how could Tong Zhan and the others refuse?

Tong Bo took the less agile Dou Dou, Tong Xin took Yinxiu, and Yin Tianxue and Tong Zhan went as a couple; the six of them split into three teams, walking one after another toward the place where Yueya and Xuan Zhanglao had once stayed.

Without the scorching heat of the Zhurong Fire, and given their skills, they spent some time and successfully navigated the Mangchang Xiaodao, arriving at Yueya's former dwelling.

Upon seeing the tombstone ahead, Yinxiu ran toward it like a madman.

Yinxiu muttered the words on the tombstone:

"Tomb of Xuan Zhanglao of the Tong Clan!"

After reading it, Yinxiu hugged the tombstone and wept bitterly.

"Grandpa Xuan, I have finally found you.

I never expected that after you went missing for so long, you would have died here in Hell Valley; I have searched for you for so long, Grandpa Xuan."

By this time, Tong Zhan and the others had all gathered around, and looking at the name on the tombstone, Dou Dou asked in confusion:

"What is the relationship between this Xuan Zhanglao and Yinxiu?

I have never seen Yinxiu so heartbroken!"

Tong Zhan replied:

"This Xuan Zhanglao must be the Elder who raised Yinxiu from childhood.

Back then, Yinxiu's parents passed away due to circumstances when he was young.

It was Xuan Zhanglao who raised the orphaned Yinxiu and taught him medicine.

Later, Xuan Zhanglao mysteriously disappeared, and for this reason, Yinxiu searched for him for decades without success.

I never expected to find Xuan Zhanglao's grave in Hell Valley today; it seems he spent all these years of his disappearance here in Hell Valley."

Tong Zhan patted Yinxiu on the shoulder and said:

"Yinxiu, please accept my condolences!"

Tong Xin, Tong Bo, and Dou Dou then followed into the cave behind the tombstone.

What met their eyes were various utensils, tables, and chairs, and Tong Xin said:

"It seems Xuan Zhanglao lived here for a long time.

And look, there are women's clothes in the cabinet, which means that besides Xuan Zhanglao, there must have been a woman living here.

The inscription on the tombstone outside is vigorous and powerful; one can tell at a glance it was done by a strong, middle-aged man with high martial arts skills.

This suggests that at the time, besides Xuan Zhanglao and the woman who lived with him, there must have been a young man."

Tong Xin analyzed the situation in an orderly fashion, and Tong Bo gave a thumbs up in praise:

"Tong Xin, you are truly clever."

"Why didn't I notice any of the things you mentioned? If only I were as clever as you."

Tong Xin replied with a look of shame:

"Big Brother, you used to be just like this—witty, sharp, and meticulous.

The wisdom I have now was all given to me by you!"

Seeing the atmosphere turn awkward, Dou Dou hurriedly stepped forward to ease the tension:

"Oh, stop discussing it.

Since so many people once lived here, let's look around quickly to see if anyone is still living here."

After Dou Dou spoke, the two brothers, Tong Bo and Tong Xin, stopped their conversation and continued searching.

Dou Dou looked at the clothes inside the cabinet, always feeling the aura on them was very familiar, but she couldn't remember who it belonged to.

These were the clothes Yueya had worn back then, and there was indeed still an aura left behind by Yueya on them.

But now that Yueya had already experienced five years of changes in the Human Realm, the aura on her had also changed quite a bit, leaving only a tiny trace of the original.

Therefore, Dou Dou only felt it was familiar, but did not recall the source of this aura.

After Tong Bo and Tong Xin walked into the depths of the cave, they saw the stone slab that Duan Fengyun had shattered in the past.

Tong Xin looked at the stone slab and exclaimed in admiration:

"Such profound cultivation! This person's cultivation is on par with Big Brother's in the past, perhaps even stronger.

I never expected there to be such a powerful expert in this world."

At this moment, Tong Zhan, Yin Tianxue, and Yinxiu followed them in.

After some comforting from Yin Tianxue, Yinxiu, that old urchin, finally returned to his true self.

After all, birth, aging, sickness, and death are common occurrences in the Human Realm; even their Tong Clan must follow this principle.

Seeing the stone slab, Yin Tianxue also voiced her speculation:

"The people who lived here are not simple.

The stone tablet outside and the stone slab here both tell us that the people who lived here possessed profound power. I don't know if they are friends or foes."

Tong Zhan nodded and said:

"Those who could live with Elder Xuan must not be bad people, and it looks like no one has been here for a long time.

Perhaps after Elder Xuan left, these two people left through the small path we just came from."

Dou Dou also voiced her own thoughts:

"I always feel the aura left by these two people is very familiar, as if I've seen them somewhere before.

But for a moment, I just can't remember.

Do you all have this feeling?"

Everyone shook their heads; none of them had discovered any connection between the people around them and this place.

Dou Dou thought she was just being suspicious, so she said no more.

Tong Zhan spoke up:

"Yinxiu, should we move Elder Xuan's grave to Shuiyue Dongtian?

After all, Elder Xuan is also a member of the Tong Clan; he should enter Shuiyue Dongtian and enter the Tong Clan Ancestral Hall."

Yinxiu nodded and said:

"You are the Clan Leader, so let it be as you wish!"

After hearing this, Tong Zhan took Tong Xin and Tong Bo to the stone tablet outside. After the three brothers looked at each other, Tong Xin directly removed the stone tablet.

Tong Bo and Tong Zhan picked up the tools at the side and began to dig. Soon, the Ice Coffin burying Elder Xuan appeared before them.

Seeing that Elder Xuan inside the Ice Coffin was still the same as in his memory, Yinxiu, whose mood had originally calmed down, became sorrowful again.

"Grandpa Xuan, Grandpa Xuan, I have finally seen you again!"

Unfortunately, no matter how sorrowfully Yinxiu cried, Elder Xuan inside the Ice Coffin could not hear him.

Seeing Elder Xuan, who had not changed at all inside the Ice Coffin, and the magical aura coming from the Ice Coffin, Tong Xin sighed:

"Based on the weathering of the stone tablet on this grave mound, it has been at least five years.

Yet five years have passed, and Elder Xuan's remains haven't changed in the slightest.

Moreover, there are traces of magic left by a Tong Clan member on this Ice Coffin, and the person who cast this magic is someone we all know!"

"Yin Zhong?"

Tong Zhan, Dou Dou, and Yin Tianxue said in unison.

Tong Xin nodded and said:

"Correct, I can feel Yin Zhong's magical traces on this Ice Coffin.

Yin Zhong must have performed magic on this Ice Coffin before, and this might be the reason why Elder Xuan's remains have not decayed.

It's just that I can't figure out why Yin Zhong, five years ago, should have been with us in the Spirit Mirror Space.

Even going further back, as far as Yin Zhong is concerned, he wouldn't have come to Hell Valley.

So, could this Ice Coffin have been left by Yin Zhong a long time ago, and this Ice Coffin was also modified by someone?

Look, it's very obvious that this part was connected to the original Ice Coffin by someone using Frost True Qi.

Who on earth was this Elder Xuan living down here with?"

It must be said that Tong Xin, now possessing Tong Bo's wisdom, had a mind like a demon, deducing everything in a logical and orderly fashion.

Tong Zhan smiled:

"It's not complicated at all.

After we bring Elder Xuan's remains back to Shuiyue Dongtian for burial, we will go to Longze Villa to get the Spirit Mirror, and let the Spirit Mirror reveal everything to us, then we will know."

Only then did the few of them realize the existence of the Spirit Mirror.

Thus, the group carried the Ice Coffin of Xuan Zhanglao and walked toward the barrier of Shuiyue Dongtian.

Hell Valley had long since been torn apart because Tong Bo sealed Yin Zhong, so the group found another path leading to Shuiyue Dongtian.