Hidden within the vast and mysterious Hidden Valley are countless caves, and no one knows how many people reside here. Every morning, thick fog envelops the valley, only to slowly dissipate by nightfall—this is one of the valley's wonders. Though it is said that Hidden Valley is a large settlement for humans, the valley feels eerily empty. Apart from a few elderly figures at the entrance, who resemble wooden statues and rarely speak, there's scarcely anyone else to be seen. After staying here for over ten days, Feng Yun Wuji has encountered fewer than a thousand people—this is an incredibly small number considering the vast expanse of the valley.
Over ten days ago, a bearded man in a purple robe arrived at Hidden Valley, his expression indifferent as he inquired about the new martial artists who had recently joined. Zhao Wujie answered and was promptly escorted away. Feng Yun Wuji followed and entered a newly constructed cave. The cave was empty, and the fresh earth on the walls indicated it had only recently been dug out.
"This will be your cave from now on. Practice diligently here. The spirit-gathering array etched onto the cave only recently, so it will take a little while to function properly. If there are any issues, you can find me at cave number 123561," the purple-robed man said before hastily leaving, as though he had pressing matters to attend to. Feng Yun Wuji understood that martial artists of this era were eager to strengthen their powers. The man, likely eager to continue his cultivation, would not have interrupted his meditation unless asked by the elders of the Hidden Valley to assist a junior in setting up a dwelling.
"Wuji, I've already requested permission from the Hidden Valley to remain here. I won't leave this place for a thousand years. If you're willing, you can stay here and practice alongside me. What do you think?" Zhao Wujie asked after the purple-robed man left.
Feng Yun Wuji sighed, giving a wry smile. "Wuji, I'll be honest. My cultivation method is very different from yours. For ordinary martial artists, building internal energy takes a lot of time, but my martial arts are unlike that. They're easy to start, but difficult to progress. Once you reach a certain level, there are no obstacles, and progress can come swiftly, much faster than regular cultivators. However, advancing from one level to another is much more difficult, and you might never break through to the next stage. It's not like your cultivation methods, where, even if it's difficult, after tens of thousands or even millions of years, you'll eventually reach the peak… My methods have reached their limits at certain stages, and further progress is impossible through mere hard work. Besides, I just ascended and still know very little about this ancient world. There are many things I still don't understand. This is a good time for me to travel, experience the ancient world, and perhaps find an opportunity to break through my current limitations and reach a higher realm."
Zhao Wujie was taken aback. "Such a cultivation method exists?" He mentally reviewed all the martial arts he knew and had never heard of a method that was easy to begin with but incredibly difficult to advance in. He thought that Feng Yun Wuji was just trying to avoid staying in the valley and was making up an excuse to comfort him.
Seeing Feng Yun Wuji nod, Zhao Wujie sighed deeply, his voice heavy with meaning. "Wuji, this ancient world is fraught with danger. Strength is the only guarantee of safety. You've just ascended and haven't experienced it yet, but one day you'll understand. You can't fully appreciate these things unless you've experienced them for yourself. Take care, and perhaps we'll meet again in a thousand years."
With that, Zhao Wujie turned and entered his newly established cave, sitting cross-legged. His hands hung naturally on his knees, his eyes lowered, and he became motionless, completely immersed in his meditation. Feng Yun Wuji knew that Zhao Wujie had fully closed off his senses and would not be disturbed by the outside world. Although this type of seclusion wasn't supposed to shut one off completely from external affairs, Zhao Wujie's innate laziness, despite having ascended for tens of thousands of years, meant that he lacked the ability to keep his awareness active outside his body.
Behind him, a voice spoke, one Feng Yun Wuji had never heard before. "He has closed off his senses completely. Perhaps it's time for you to leave. I will set up a portal shortly."
Feng Yun Wuji turned around slowly, walking out of the cave to see a man holding a whisk. With a gesture, the man began drawing symbols in the air, each one glowing faintly, connected by delicate threads of energy. After chanting lowly, the symbols merged into an intricate image before slowly fading into nothingness.
"Is this… magic?" Feng Yun Wuji muttered to himself.
The man, surprised, looked at Feng Yun Wuji, then smiled gently. "What is the Dao? What is martial arts? You'll understand eventually. If you survive in this world, you'll come to realize it after ten thousand years."
With those words, the man took a step forward, and in the blink of an eye, he vanished, leaving only the faintest trace of movement. Feng Yun Wuji, despite his keen senses, couldn't discern how the man disappeared.
"Then," Feng Yun Wuji said, turning back to look at Zhao Wujie, who was seated silently in meditation, "we'll meet again in a thousand years."
He sighed heavily and began to walk away, his heart filled with a deep sense of melancholy and confusion. His first friend in this ancient world was now a thousand years away, a span of time that felt endless.
A month passed in Hidden Valley, and every morning, Feng Yun Wuji would wake, breathe in the spirit-filled mist, and then glance at Zhao Wujie's cave.
Eventually, he made up his mind. He would leave the valley—it was not a place he felt comfortable in.
At the valley entrance, the two old men sat exactly as they had when he arrived, their white brows reaching their chins, their eyes closed in silence. Feng Yun Wuji gathered his thoughts, summoned his sword, and, with a burst of speed like a falling star, he shot through the air, gradually leaving the Hidden Valley behind.
Suddenly, a loud screech echoed behind him. He turned to see, from thousands of miles away, a monstrous bird with blood-red eyes, golden claws, and wings over a hundred meters wide, hurtling toward him with incredible speed. Within moments, the beast had closed the distance and was upon him.
The pressure emanating from the beast was like a storm, its strength far surpassing that of Zhao Wujie. Feng Yun Wuji's heart sank—this was a foe far beyond his abilities.
A series of sounds split the air as the bird flapped its wings, sending hundreds of sharp feathers shooting out like arrows. These feathers sealed off every potential escape route.
"This is bad—it knows martial arts!" Feng Yun Wuji thought, feeling the cold grip of fear. His newly ascended power was no match for the creature's overwhelming strength.
However, Feng Yun Wuji was a swordmaster before his ascension and had mastered the top martial arts of the sword. With a subtle gesture, he sent out a sword command, deflecting the incoming feathers with pinpoint precision, sending them off course.
Despite being vastly outmatched, Feng Yun Wuji found a narrow opening and, with the swiftness of lightning, darted through the feathers' path. The wind howled behind him as he flew, veering off in erratic directions to avoid the beast's faster, more direct pursuit. He dared not fly in a straight line—it would be impossible to outrun the demon bird's speed that way.
The mountains of this ancient world loomed large, and for a moment, Feng Yun Wuji took solace in the natural terrain that could slow the bird down. But the demon bird, enraged, continued its relentless chase, easily knocking aside boulders in its path. Its wings were as hard as iron, and even the mountain rocks shattered under its assault. Stones plummeted from the sky, crashing to the ground with a thunderous sound.
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