Chapter 15 The Valley Bottom

• In the eastern expanse of the Great River Dynasty stretches a vast primeval forest, where ancient trees as girthy as water vats tower toward the heavens. Their dense canopies interlace to fragment the sunlight, casting a dappled twilight over the forest floor, even in the full light of day. This primordial wilderness harbors countless ferocious fiendbeasts. Many have roamed here for millennia, their primal instincts unshaped by enlightenment or cultivation. Among them lurk ancient beings of noble bloodlines, their might rivaling that of demigods—aye, even immortals. For any wayfarer, an encounter with such creatures is nigh certain death. Yet on this day, the forest thrums with unprecedented activity. The clash of cultivators against fiendbeasts resounds through the trees, as the entirety of the eastern realm converges upon a mysterious valley. Tan Xuan, Li Yue'er, and the disciples of the Luo Shui Sect stand upon a cliff overlooking the chasm. All around, the surrounding peaks are dotted with figures from the Eight Great Sects and Four Great Academies. The disciples of the Fire Cloud Sect regard them with undisguised animosity.
• "Below lies the ancient tomb," Li Yue'er declares, her gaze sweeping the valley. The eyes of every Luo Shui disciple ignite with eager anticipation. "Gagaga! This tomb shall be my fated opportunity!" A harsh, grating laugh rings out, growing ever louder as a hunched figure materializes upon an ancient pine. Frigid mist billows from the figure, instantly frosting the tree in a delicate layer of ice. "Old Demon of Cold Mountain—Yin Jiuxie!" a freelance cultivator exclaims in alarm. The countenances of core disciples such as Ye Qinghe and Ephyra grow grave, for they know well the menace before them. Yin Jiuxie is a storied master of the Celestial Being realm, infamous for his icy, toxin-laden true essence. With a mere wave of his hand, he conjures a house-sized claw of ice that freezes the hapless cultivator solid, wisps of black qi seeping from the lifeless statue. "Thus perishes a life," Tan Xuan murmurs, inwardly shaken by the casual brutality. "His command of power is peerless—surely at the zenith of the Celestial Being realm," Ye Qinghe observes, her voice taut with tension. The assembled cultivators draw back, their eyes fixed warily upon the ancient demon. A warm, sonorous laugh cuts through the tension.
• "Yin Jiuxie, still skulking in the shadows?" An elderly man strides through the air, surrounded by a swirling tempest of bamboo leaves. "Li Shitai, the Green Bamboo Elder," Li Yue'er whispers to her companions. Another Celestial Being has arrived—now two ancient powers stand before them. "Since time immemorial, treasures have belonged to those worthy," Li Shitai proclaims, unflinching under Yin Jiuxie's glacial stare. The old demon emits a derisive snort and turns away, lapsing into sullen silence. With two Celestial Being masters in their midst—and who knows how many other powers lurking in the shadows—the atmosphere grows increasingly oppressive. Not a soul dares break the silence until— Rumble! The valley shudders as earth and stone cascade from the cliffs. "The tomb is emerging!" A thrill runs through the crowd. But while others ready themselves to charge, Tan Xuan studies the lay of the land. He knows full well that Li Yue'er cannot shield him in the fray, and that the Fire Cloud Sect will seize any opportunity to strike. As he plots his escape routes, a column of fiery light bursts forth from the valley floor, piercing the very heavens.