Ye Chenyu pressed onward along the winding mountain path, venturing deep into the heart of South Mountain. The soil beneath his feet was slick and heavy, while the air carried a pungent mixture of decaying leaves and unknown herbs. His heart pounded in his chest with every step, each footfall feeling as though it might disturb some hidden danger. The mountain wind whistled through the deep canyon, carrying faint whispers that seemed both an ancient call and a subtle warning.
After several miles, he arrived at a secluded valley. The valley floor was blanketed with strange, luminescent plants, their pale green glow swaying in the mist and illuminating the twisted stone paths and hanging vines. The air here was thick and viscous, each breath feeling heavy as lead. Looking up, he noticed the cliff walls were dotted with eye-like stone hollows, giving the impression that his every move was being watched.
Holding his breath, Ye Chenyu stepped through the glowing vines. In the distance, he caught the sound of low chanting, its rhythm uneven and interwoven with strange cadences, reminiscent of some ancient ritual. Following the sound, he came upon an altar at the center of the valley. Built from black stones, the altar's surface was carved with indecipherable symbols that pulsed with a dim, eerie light. His gaze fell upon the altar itself—several small creatures were suspended above it, their bodies quivering slightly, yet making no sound, as if restrained by some unseen force.
The chanting grew clearer. Around the altar stood a group of peculiar beings. Their skin was a dark, bluish hue, and their eyes glimmered with a deep, abyssal light. Their fingers were long and curved, moving with an unnatural rhythm. As they traced the air with stone staffs, faint flames flowed along the cracks of the altar stones. The atmosphere was thick with the scent of biological transformation, mingled with damp, decaying odors, making Ye Chenyu's throat tighten.
As the ritual progressed, the suspended creatures became enveloped in a viscous, luminous mist. Their bodies twisted and warped, feathers, scales, and limbs fusing in strange combinations. Ye Chenyu held his breath, feeling each nerve in his body tremble with an indescribable fear. When the mist dissipated, the creatures had been transformed—they were no longer their original forms, but hybrids resembling the ritualists themselves. Their skin still shimmered faintly, their eyes glowed with a cold light, and their movements were precise and graceful, as though perfectly obeying the ancient laws of the ceremony.
Ye Chenyu clenched his fists, his heart racing. Countless questions surged through his mind: Had these creatures had their souls drawn into the altar, or were they endowed with new consciousness through some unspeakable transformation? How many more secrets like this lay hidden in the darkness of the spirit domain?
He tiptoed to the edge of the altar, careful not to make a sound. Under the faint glow, the movements of the aliens resembled an ancient dance, imbued with coldness and disdain, almost ignoring Ye Chenyu's presence. He felt an indescribable pressure radiating from the altar, seeping into the air, as though the entire valley itself were breathing and awakening.
Fear and curiosity churned within him. He realized this place was far more dangerous than the surface of South Mountain and far stranger than anything he had encountered in the spirit domain so far. He retreated quietly behind a rock, peering through the glowing vines, observing every move of the alien beings. The murmurs and chants at the valley floor seemed to resonate with the mountain stones, as if narrating an ancient covenant only the aliens could comprehend, while he was merely a spectator.
Taking a slow, steadying breath, Ye Chenyu withdrew further, hiding behind the luminescent plants. His eyes remained fixed on the altar and the aliens, a mix of fear and curiosity tightening his chest. Resolute, he gathered his courage and decided to continue along the valley path, venturing deeper into the alien territory in search of more unknown secrets.