Chapter 222: Why Not Attack You!

The early morning Qinling was shrouded in a thin mist, and the air was permeated with the fresh fragrance of grass and trees. The mountain breeze swept through the ancient forest, bringing with it bursts of rustling sounds. Lin Xuan stood with Xiao Qing and Xiao Bai at the edge of a protruding cliff, overlooking the vast valley below.

The emerald forest was like a rolling sea of green in the morning light, and the swirling mist added a touch of mystery to this ancient land.

"This is the entrance to the Twenty-Four Solar Terms Valley," Lin Xuan said, pointing ahead, his voice calm yet carrying a hint of profound meaning. "Since ancient times, no one knows how many Practitioners have come here seeking opportunities, nor how many have vanished without a trace. This land is both an opportunity and a crisis."

Xiao Qing lay on a moss-covered boulder, her eyes sparkling with excitement: "Benefactor, the feng shui here is truly superb! Look at how the mountain ranges coil like dragons and crouch like tigers, how the water veins are like swimming dragons, and the circulation of the Heaven and Earth Yuan Qi..." She jumped off the boulder as she spoke, spinning around lightly. "Just standing here, one can feel the dense Spirit Qi. No wonder it is a treasure land for cultivation!"

Lin Xuan nodded slightly: "Indeed. Located in the heart of the Qinling, this is an important node of the Nine Provinces Dragon Vein, and a place where the Heaven and Earth Yuan Qi converges. However..." His gaze looked into the distance, his eyes suddenly becoming deep. "Precisely because of this, it has also become a focal point for the contention of numerous factions."

Xiao Bai stood to the side, elegantly smoothing her long white dress: "Benefactor, someone is coming." Her voice remained soft, but her eyes became vigilant. "And they are not ordinary people."

Lin Xuan did not answer, but simply stepped forward toward the dense forest in the valley. Xiao Qing and Xiao Bai understood and followed behind him. The three of them walked with light, silent steps, as if they had perfectly merged into this mountain forest. The dense mist swirled around them, adding a sense of etherealness.

Not long after, a team of well-equipped foreigners appeared in a clearing in the forest ahead. They wore professional mountaineering gear and carried various modern instruments and weapons, looking like both an expedition team and some kind of special forces unit.

"Stop!" a tall, blond man shouted in Chinese with a heavy foreign accent. He strode forward, exuding an aura of someone battle-hardened. "May I ask what you are doing here?"

The three of Lin Xuan stopped, but none of them spoke. The blond man wore a professional smile, but his eyes were exceptionally sharp: "I am Ilya, and this is my expedition team. We are here for scientific research." His gaze swept over the three of them, clearly assessing potential threats.

Just then, a strange commotion came from the surrounding woods. Branches shook, accompanied by increasingly dense cries. Suddenly, dozens of Golden Silk Monkeys jumped down from the trees, surrounding the two groups of people. These monkeys had golden fur that shimmered with an unusual luster in the morning light.

"Beautiful," Ilya remarked, observing these Golden Silk Monkeys with interest; his professional training caused him to temporarily ignore the potential danger. "These should be the Golden Silk Monkeys unique to the Qinling, a first-class state-protected animal." He said, taking out his camera to prepare for a photo.

However, a sudden change occurred; the eyes of those Golden Silk Monkeys suddenly turned blood-red, and they let out hair-raising shrieks, unexpectedly beginning to attack Ilya's team frantically. Their movements were agile, unlike ordinary animals, and they were extremely aggressive, with strange red light flickering in their eyes.

"Damn it!" Ilya agilely dodged a monkey's pounce while loudly ordering, "Everyone, get your weapons! These are not ordinary wild animals!"

The expedition members quickly drew their pistols and submachine guns. Dense gunfire echoed in the valley, startling countless birds. Bullets tore through the air, but the movements of those Golden Silk Monkeys were incredibly fast, and most of the bullets missed. Although they were retreating in the face of modern weapons, they had already caused significant casualties. Several members were scratched or bitten, falling to the ground and groaning in pain.

"Retreat! Everyone retreat!" Ilya commanded while firing, directing his team to withdraw. But soon, he discovered an extremely abnormal phenomenon—these crazed Golden Silk Monkeys completely ignored the presence of Lin Xuan and his two companions, attacking only them, the foreigners.

"Wait!" After the Golden Silk Monkeys retreated, Ilya blocked Lin Xuan, who was preparing to leave, his eyes full of doubt and vigilance. "Why did those monkeys only attack us? Who exactly are you people? What secret is in this valley?"

Lin Xuan remained silent, turning to leave with Xiao Qing and Xiao Bai. Sunlight spilled onto them through the gaps in the forest, casting a mysterious halo over the three. Their backs exuded a transcendent quality, exceptionally harmonious with this mysterious valley.

"Ilya," an injured team member climbed up with difficulty, his voice trembling slightly, "those three people are definitely not ordinary. Did you notice? Those monkeys didn't even dare to approach them."

Ilya looked in the direction where Lin Xuan and his companions had disappeared, a complex look flashing in his eyes. As a professional who had carried out countless missions around the world, he had never encountered such a bizarre situation.

The abnormal behavior of those Golden Silk Monkeys, the appearance of those three mysterious people, and this unknown-filled valley—everything indicated that they might have been drawn into an event far beyond their imagination.

"Pack up the equipment, treat the wounded," he finally gave the order, his voice carrying a hint of heaviness, "and then continue forward. Since we've come, there is no reason to back down. Besides..." His gaze became firm, "I want to find out what secrets are here and those collections."

Meanwhile, Lin Xuan and his companions had already gone deep into the valley. Xiao Qing looked back and asked, somewhat puzzled: "Benefactor, why were those Golden Silk Monkeys like that? Their eyes, that blood-red color, it felt wrong."

"The living beings in this valley can all perceive the aura of those who enter," Lin Xuan explained, his voice carrying deep insight. "Those foreigners carry too much of the aura of modern civilization, which is incompatible with this ancient land. But we Practitioners are in harmony with Heaven and Earth. More importantly..."

He paused, "These Golden Silk Monkeys have been influenced by some kind of power."

Xiao Bai was thoughtful: "Some kind of power? What do you mean?"

"I do not know yet." Lin Xuan's voice became deep. "This is just the beginning. There are more secrets in this valley waiting to be uncovered. And those secrets..." His gaze looked toward the depths of the valley, "I fear they will exceed everyone's imagination."

Sunlight filtered through the canopy, casting mottled light and shadows on the ground. The figures of the three gradually disappeared into the deep mountain forest. And behind them, the cries of the Golden Silk Monkeys still echoed, as if sounding an alarm for the coming storm.