Please, Young Master, Slay the Demon!
Chapter 945 - 40 Why is it different? [2 in 1]

Chapter 945: Chapter 40 Why is it different? [2 in 1]

Shenxu, Thousand Buildings Valley.

The mysterious and unpredictable land of Shenxu harbored numerous perilous areas, which were extremely dangerous even for great beings like those from Wen Dao and Tianyuan. Legend had it that the land, broader than the Nine States, was a fragment severed from the heavens by Saint Li himself, imbued with a terrifying spirituality not of this Mortal Realm.

Yet, with danger also came opportunities. Many of the top-ranked divine artifacts and magical treasures listed in the Ten Thousand Treasures Record were found here, and many rare spirit plants seen rarely in the human world were harvested from this place. For those ambitious cultivators, this land was truly a treasure trove.

As millennia passed and the Human Clan explored the lands of Shenxu, some peripheral locations had been marked as safe zones. Even some of the less dangerous areas were documented, like a foggy map slowly being cleared. Many hidden treasure sites, similar to the Sword Domain Heavenly Palace, had been secretly revealed.

Thousand Buildings Valley was one of them.

A few hundred years ago, an unconventional cultivator discovered Thousand Buildings Valley. He and several senior members of his sect were mapping Shenxu when an unexpected thunderstorm forced them off their intended path, leading them to stumble upon a land that took their breath away.

This place was enveloped with immortal breath, amidst jade buildings and celestial pavilions; there were heavenly maidens dancing and auspicious spirit birds flying about, clearly a dreamlike immortal land. Those senior members, all cultivators of not insignificant cultivation, could feel that every strand of spiritual energy here was more pure and enticing than that of the Mortal Realm—it was indeed immortal breath! They immediately forgot everything else, rushing headlong into this fairyland, shouting continuously, "I have become a god! I have become a god!"

The surviving cultivator, thanks to his slightly lower cultivation, flew a bit slower. After all the seniors had entered, the fairyland suddenly underwent a drastic change. The celestial lights vanished in the blink of an eye, transforming into a dark and vast valley. The valley was filled with over a thousand palaces and pavilions, all dilapidated and decaying, unmistakably a ghastly Ghost Region.

At that moment, those seniors who had rushed in let out sky-piercing screams of agony.

The cultivator immediately stopped in his tracks.

Now, he faced two choices: one was to rush in to save his elders, though most likely to meet his end, as a tribute to the teachings of his seniors; the other was to turn and flee, to call for help, which, while potentially leaving him with a guilty conscience, was the more rational decision.

After a moment of deliberation, he made his choice.

He made a difficult journey out of Shenxu, then marked the location where his seniors had perished on a map, which he auctioned off for a high price.

Between conscience and rationality, he chose money.

There were few forces capable of exploring new maps in Shenxu; eventually, the Nine Heavens and Ten Lands decided to explore this region together, each sending their own powerful cultivators.

The team was led by two Eighth Realm Venerables and accompanied by a dozen Seventh Realm cultivators, indeed a formidable force. However, the expedition turned out disastrous, leaving only one severely wounded Eighth Realm Venerable who managed to escape, thus revealing the horrors of Thousand Buildings Valley to the world.

According to him, there were suspected to be spirits of immortals transformed into ghosts in Thousand Buildings Valley!

Even Eighth Realm Venerables were powerless to explore it further, leading Nine Heavens and Ten Lands to abandon the map. While divine artifacts might potentially conquer this area, the risks were deemed too great and, with unknown benefits, no one was willing to attempt it.

It is also worth mentioning that one of Shu Mountain’s Six Demon-Slaying Treasures, the Demon Binding Rope, was lost during that mission.

The last time Master took plunder from Penglai, he included the Demon-Cutting Knife that originally belonged to Daoist Chi Niu among the items he sold to Chu Liang, who decided to keep it for himself.

Together with the already existing Demon-Slaying Sword, Demon-Subduing Pestle, and Demon-Beating Hammer from Shu Mountain... four of the Six Demon-Slaying Treasures had been recovered, missing only the Demon Suppression Tower and the Demon Binding Rope.

If both the Demon Suppression Tower and the Demon Binding Rope could be recovered this time, then the Six Demon-Slaying Treasures would be reunited.

The unification of the Six Treasures, unmatched in power.

This was also why Baize was so excited upon seeing this place; after Nine Heavens and Ten Lands had given up, few present knew much about Thousand Buildings Valley. Only she, a Zhenshan Guardian Divine Beast, still knew of what had transpired back then.

...

"It seems this journey is necessary after all," they concluded after hearing Baize narrate the history of Thousand Buildings Valley. Whether it was to search for Yan Renjie, the Demon Binding Rope, or the Demon Suppression Tower, they had to brave this challenge.

Although Thousand Buildings Valley was dangerous, today’s Shu Mountain possessed divine artifacts and great powers; they had both money and manpower needed to open up a perilous land. The previous abandonment by Nine Heavens and Ten Lands was merely a matter of cost-effectiveness, great risk for unknown reward. Now that there was a necessity, they were resolved to venture forth no matter what.

However, several elders did not expect Chu Liang to insist on accompanying them. The current plan was for a few Eighth Realm cultivators to go, and Chu Liang, being the prized jewel of Shu Mountain, everyone was reluctant to let him risk himself so easily. Even sending a clone was unnecessary given his Seventh Realm cultivation.

Only Chu Liang himself was adamant.

His real reason, unvoiced because, as the owner of the White Pagoda, he wanted to witness the search for the Demon Suppression Tower firsthand. If he ended up finding any clues that implicated him, it would put him in a reactive position. With no one knowing what might change, he hoped to be the first to ascertain the origins of the White Pagoda.

The final lineup for the exploration was decided: Cai Yi, Daoist Yan, Venerable Azure Dragon, and Chu Liang.