Chapter 560: Deep in the Nether, A Choice Between Life and Death

Yunyou Zhenren stroked his beard and pondered for a moment, then said, "Little Friend Lin's Taiji True Power can handle various demonic beasts, Little Friend Muerxiu's Void Path can deal with spatial dangers, and Fellow Daoist Qingfengzi's Wind-Control Art can assist in rapid movement. The three of you each have your own strengths; by coordinating with one another, the chances of success will be much greater."

"But... will there be enough time?" Lin Xuan looked at Xiao Yuan with worry.

"That is also the biggest problem," Yunyou Zhenren said heavily, "The toxicity of the Soul-Severing Bone-Eroding Powder follows a process. Based on Fairy Xiao Yuan's current condition, she can hold on for at most three more days. If the Nine-Turn Soul-Returning Grass cannot be found within three days, then..."

He did not finish, but everyone understood that if there was no antidote after three days, Xiao Yuan would truly be beyond saving.

"Three days to travel to and from the Valley of Death, and to find the Nine-Turn Soul-Returning Grass within it," Qingfengzi frowned as he calculated, "The time is indeed extremely tight."

"Then let us set off now!" Lin Xuan stood up, "We cannot delay even for a moment!"

"Wait," Shuiyun Xianzi suddenly said, "I have a method that can buy everyone some time."

Everyone looked at her.

Shuiyun Xianzi took a deep breath: "I can use the secret art of the Azure Water Sect, 'Life Resonance,' to temporarily transfer my life force to Xiao Yuan, delaying the onset of the poison. Although it cannot cure the root cause, it should be able to buy an extra half-day to a full day."

"Life Resonance?" Yunyou Zhenren said in surprise, "Doesn't that require consuming your own source life force? This is too dangerous!"

"It is no matter," Shuiyun Xianzi smiled calmly, "Junior Sister Xiao Yuan is my good friend; for her sake, I am willing to bear this risk. Furthermore, with an extra day, the chances of success will be much higher."

Lin Xuan looked at Shuiyun Xianzi with gratitude: "Lin Xuan will never forget the Fairy's kindness!"

"No need to say more, let us begin," Shuiyun Xianzi walked to Xiao Yuan's bedside and began to form seals with her hands.

As her incantations sounded, a soft blue light emanated from her body and flowed slowly toward Xiao Yuan. Miraculously, the spread of the black poison veins on Xiao Yuan's face slowed down significantly, and her breathing became steadier.

But everyone could see that after performing this secret art, Shuiyun Xianzi's complexion had become somewhat pale; it was clearly a great drain on her.

"Alright," Shuiyun Xianzi withdrew her hands, "I have bought her one day of time. You must return within four days, otherwise, even I will be powerless."

"Many thanks, Fairy!" Lin Xuan bowed deeply, then turned to Muerxiu and Qingfengzi, "Let us set off now!"

Just as the three were preparing to leave, Qian Laotou suddenly remembered something: "Wait, this old man has a few bottles of healing pills and antidote pills here. Although they are ineffective against the Soul-Severing Bone-Eroding Powder, they might be able to deal with other poisonous creatures in the Valley of Death."

Muerxiu took the pills: "Many thanks, Elder Qian!"

At the same time, Xiao Yuan's consciousness, while in a coma, was wandering through a peculiar space.

This was a spiritual world composed of memories and thoughts, where the scenery around her constantly shifted. Sometimes it was the scene of her playing in a mountain village during her childhood, sometimes the nervousness and excitement of first stepping onto the path of cultivation, and sometimes the focus and hard work while studying at the Star Moon Sect.

But the clearest of all was the moment she proposed the concept of "Accepting Imperfection."

In the spiritual world, Xiao Yuan re-experienced that moment. She saw the stirring in her heart when facing those rogue cultivators who were rejected due to insufficient talent, saw her own determination when she decided to help them, and saw the hope and change this concept brought to countless people.

"So that is how it is..." Xiao Yuan in the spiritual world suddenly realized, "'Accepting Imperfection' is not just about accepting the imperfections of others; more importantly, it is about accepting one's own imperfections. Everyone has flaws, but everyone also has their own unique value. The goal of cultivation is not to pursue perfection, but to find one's own path amidst imperfection."

This realization made her spiritual power become purer and stronger. Although her physical body was still struggling against the poison, her Dao heart was firmer than ever before.

The entrance to the Valley of Death is located on the southwestern edge of the Cultivation World, where it is shrouded in thick black fog year-round, preventing even sunlight from penetrating. Looking from afar, the entire valley is like a giant demonic maw, ready at any moment to swallow any living creature that dares to approach.

Lin Xuan, Muerxiu, and Qingfengzi stood at the valley entrance, all able to feel the eerie chill emanating from the depths. Even during the day, the temperature here was more than ten degrees lower than the outside world.

"Fellow Little Friends, after entering the Valley of Death, we must remain vigilant at all times," Qingfengzi said solemnly, "According to ancient records, there is an area in the deepest part of the valley called the 'Youming Gu.' That is the most dangerous place in the entire Valley of Death, but it is also the most likely place to find the Nine-Turn Soul-Returning Grass."

Muerxiu carefully probed the spatial stability ahead: "Senior Brother, the space within three miles ahead is still relatively stable; we can enter the shallow area first."

"Then let us not waste any more time," Lin Xuan said firmly, "Xiao Yuan is still waiting for us."

The moment the three stepped into the Valley of Death, they immediately felt the horror of this place. The ground beneath their feet appeared an unnatural grayish-black, emitting a foul, rotting odor. The air was filled with various toxic miasmas; even cultivators had to circulate their spiritual power to resist them.

"The miasma here is indeed poisonous," Qingfengzi said while circulating his Wind-Control Art to clear away the surrounding toxic gas, "Everyone, take the antidote pills given by Elder Qian, just in case."

The further they went into the depths, the more treacherous the environment became. There had originally been some withered trees, but later, even the plants disappeared entirely, leaving only bare rocks and deep pits that occasionally spewed toxic smoke.

"Careful!" Muerxiu suddenly shouted, and the three immediately scattered.

Right where they had been standing just moments before, the ground suddenly split open, revealing a bottomless black hole. From the hole came bursts of stench and eerie hissing sounds.

"The ground here is extremely unstable," Muerxiu wiped away cold sweat, "Everyone, try not to gather together to avoid falling into traps simultaneously."

As they continued to go deeper, all sorts of bizarre poisonous insects began to appear. There were black centipedes as thick as an arm, poisonous spiders the size of a fist, and some strange creatures that could not be named. The attack power of these poisonous insects might not be strong, but their toxicity was extremely fierce.

Qingfengzi's Wind-Control Art played a huge role in this environment; the wind walls he created could not only blow away the toxic gas but also block the attacks of most poisonous insects.

"Although these little things are annoying, they are not yet a cause for concern," Qingfengzi said, "The real danger is ahead."

Sure enough, when they entered the core area of the Valley of Death—the Youming Gu—the level of danger rose sharply.