Translator: AnubisTL
For cultivators seeking immortality, the concept of time often becomes blurred.
This was especially true for Li Qing, who had been cultivating deep in the mountains. If it weren't for the changing seasons and his steadily improving cultivation, he might have lost track of how long he'd been here.
Yes, time had flown by. Since emerging from the World of Eternal Night, Li Qing had spent a full two and a half years on Small Jade Ridge!
"Phew!"
In a natural cave on Small Jade Ridge, Li Qing awoke from a deep meditative state, completing his final major cycle of cultivation.
The heaven and earth spiritual energy he had drawn in through the Fire Origin Art had been transformed into pure spiritual energy, flowing through his meridians and finally settling in his dantian qi sea, where it became usable mana.
"It's slowing down," Li Qing muttered to himself, a slight frown creasing his brow. He was somewhat dissatisfied with his progress over the past six months. "Since reaching the second layer of the Qi Refining Realm half a year ago, this period of diligent cultivation has yielded almost no noticeable improvement."
"Well, let's continue exploring this area," he decided. "Perhaps I can find a place with even denser spiritual energy."
That's right, Li Qing hadn't been solely focused on cultivation these past two and a half years. He'd been searching for other cultivators while he practiced.
By now, he'd explored almost the entire eastern region of the vast, primordial mountain range known as Small Jade Ridge. He was now venturing into the western areas.
He used the Wandering Dragon Dagger to shave off his tangled beard and hair, then retrieved a pale green robe from his storage bag and draped it over his tall frame.
With these preparations complete, Li Qing, who had previously resembled a wild mountain man, was once again refreshed and presentable.
He emerged from the cave and let out a long, melodious whistle into the dense forest.
In response, a ferocious tiger's roar echoed through the trees.
"ROAR!"
Soon, a massive, mottled tiger burst from the undergrowth, a large python dangling from its jaws.
"You brute! My storage bag is almost overflowing with the game you've brought in lately!"
Li Qing scolded the tiger, but he still used the Wandering Dragon Dagger to skin the python and stash the meat in his storage bag. Then, he dug out the snake's gall bladder and swallowed it raw.
"Hmm~ A common python, about twenty years old. Just barely enough to strengthen my foundation and nourish my essence," Li Qing mused as he mounted the tiger's back, urging Fan Tong to head west into the mountain range.
Not to brag, but in the past two and a half years, Li Qing had devoured every edible wild beast in the mountains, making his palate incredibly refined.
The most outrageous incident happened just six months ago, when he had just advanced to the second layer of the Qi Refining Realm. Fan Tong had encountered a Mountain Bear King—a genuine demon beast!
This was the first demon beast Li Qing had ever encountered besides Fan Tong, and it left him stunned.
Fortunately, the Mountain Bear King's strength wasn't much greater than Fan Tong's, roughly equivalent to a cultivator in the Early Qi Refining Realm.
With Li Qing's assistance, the Mountain Bear King was quickly reduced to various materials, including its gall bladder and hide, which Li Qing stored in his storage pouch.
As for the demon bear meat, the two gluttons cooked it in various ways and devoured it.
"Let's head west and explore the mountain range," Li Qing said, rubbing Fan Tong's tiger head.
And so, man and tiger continued their journey through the mountains for another two or three days, finally stopping in a valley enclosed by towering ancient trees.
A few miles away from the valley's entrance, they could faintly make out signs of human settlement.
"This valley's terrain is truly strange," Li Qing mused. "Despite receiving little sunlight, these magnificent trees thrive here!"
Li Qing stroked his chin, preparing to follow the mountain path down into the valley to explore.
But he hadn't gone far when an old hunter emerged, carrying a broad-bladed knife and a hunting bow on his back.
The moment the old hunter saw Li Qing riding Fan Tong, he nearly fainted, his face instantly drained of color.
"Giant beast... a man-eating giant beast... save... save me!" The old hunter trembled violently.
He had seen tigers before, but never one of such monstrous size. This tiger, even when lying down, had shoulders nearly as tall as a person. It was truly a sight he had never witnessed.
"Roar!" Fan Tong roared in annoyance, its ferocious aura causing the old hunter to collapse onto the ground. If he hadn't been leaning against a tree, he would have fallen flat on his back.
Slap!
Li Qing frowned and patted Fan Tong's head, scolding, "Behave yourself!"
After being slapped, Fan Tong immediately became much more obedient, lowering its head and falling silent.
"Don't be afraid, old man," Li Qing said, forcing what he thought was a friendly smile. "This tiger doesn't hurt people!"
However, the old hunter found Li Qing's smile anything but warm. Paired with the massive tiger he rode, it sent a chill down his spine.
"Let's go!" Li Qing urged Fan Tong to detour, continuing down the valley.
Seeing that the tiger truly had no intention of attacking, the old hunter slowly relaxed his tense nerves.
Watching Li Qing ride the tiger down the mountain, he hesitated for a moment before finally calling out, "Hey, Little Brother! Don't go down into the valley!"
Li Qing immediately stopped and asked, "Oh? Old man, is there something special about this valley?"
The old hunter, keeping a safe distance from Fan Tong, shouted back, "This valley is called Longevity Valley. It's cursed! Once you go down there, it's easy to get lost. You might wander for days and nights without finding a way out!"
The name "Longevity Valley" piqued Li Qing's interest. "So, it's that cursed? Why is it called Longevity Valley, old man?"
"That's just an old legend from our village. They say long ago, a woodcutter entered the valley to gather firewood and vanished without a trace."
"Originally, the villagers had forgotten all about this person. But then, after two or three decades, he reappeared in the village, looking exactly as young as he had been back then—not a single change in his appearance!"
"But it's all just a legend. Every so often, someone tries to venture in to investigate, but they always get lost for a day or two, stumbling out dazed and starving."
The old hunter leaned against a tree, recounting the strange legends of the valley below to Li Qing.
After hearing the tale, Li Qing's curiosity was piqued even further.
"Old man, with so many people going down there, has anyone ever faced mortal danger?" Li Qing asked again.
The old hunter thought for a moment before shaking his head. "No, not really. They just get lost. And once they're lost, it takes days before they find their way out, driven half-mad by hunger."
"Little Brother, even though there's no real danger, it's not worth the suffering. Don't you agree?"
"The feeling of being utterly famished is truly unbearable. When I was young, I once thought about going in to hunt. But then I lost my way and ended up gnawing on tree bark after two days of starvation. It was pure misery!"
Hearing Old Zhang recount his past experiences, Li Qing couldn't help but chuckle. After confirming there was no immediate threat to his life, he tossed a silver ingot toward the old man and clasped his hands in a gesture of thanks.
"Thank you, Old man. I don't believe in such superstitions. I'm determined to see just how sinister this valley truly is!"
With that, Li Qing spurred his tiger forward, plunging into the valley below, which was densely packed with towering ancient trees.
The old hunter, both astonished and delighted, caught the silver ingot and watched Li Qing's retreating figure, shaking his head and sighing. "Ah, why won't the young man listen to advice?"
"There's not a scrap of food to be found down there. A person can survive a few days without eating, but if that tiger goes hungry, it's a death sentence!"
"Ah, well, I'll mind my own business. I hope the young man makes it out safely."
Meanwhile, Li Qing had already charged into Longevity Valley. The moment he passed the first ancient tree, the spiritual energy in the air around him underwent a sudden and dramatic shift.
A thick mist had inexplicably enveloped the forest.
When he turned back, the path he had taken had vanished without a trace!
"A fitting name for this place—Longevity Valley!"
(End of the Chapter)
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