Chapter 869: Feather Transformation Immortal Valley
Inside the valley, auspicious light dotted the landscape, mist curled and swirled, colorful clouds overflowed, and various spirit birds danced nearby. It looked like a peaceful and beautiful painting—how could there be any killing intent?
The tail feathers of the Lightning Phoenix Bird were stained with blood, passed from hand to hand. Everyone brought them to their noses, sniffed carefully, and revealed expressions of solemnity.
"There's no need to pass them around. This emperor has already sensed it. The orchid fragrance on the tail feathers comes from within the valley. I could even pinpoint exactly which flower it originates from," Black Emperor said, claiming this as his domain—a dog's nose being most perceptive.
"Whoosh"
A snow-white spirit fox darted out, without a single stray hair, spotless and pure. Its ruby-like eyes flashed as it glanced back at them a few times before vanishing in a flash, rushing deep into the valley. It was highly intelligent.
"Is there really killing intent? But there are many spirit creatures in the valley—why are they unharmed?" Li Tian asked, full of doubt.
A snow-white old turtle, as large as a pot lid, poked its head out, crawling slowly, also appearing within the valley. Most peculiarly, on its shell sat a small white turtle the size of a fist.
Li Heishui picked up a stone and threw it forward. "Whoosh!" The large white-shelled turtle frantically kicked its four legs and disappeared in a puff of smoke. The creatures here were all highly intelligent—this place could be called a wondrous land, showing no sign of danger.
"Let's be careful. Ever since we entered this great wilderness, I've felt something was off, as if a ghost were lurking in the deep mountains," Ye Fan murmured, activating his Source Heaven Eye to scan the surroundings, but he found nothing.
"Then let's call Lin Jia out," Pang Bo said.
"No need to call. If my premonition proves true, it's hard to say whether Lin Jia is still alive," Ye Fan said gravely. Then he had Black Emperor set up a corner of a slaughter formation, ready to deal with any attack at a moment's notice.
"Since we're here, whether it's a dragon's pool or a tiger's den, we need to get to the bottom of it," the Monkey said.
Ye Fan nodded. Having come this far, they couldn't retreat empty-handed. He and the Monkey split up, circling far around the Feather Transformation Immortal Valley to observe it thoroughly. However, they were stunned to find that this was a small world, a realm unto itself, with only the valley as an entrance.
"We can't enter with our true bodies, nor can we send our primordial spirits inside. If we fall, it would be a huge disaster. Let's send out a strand of incarnation to scout," Li Tian said.
"Damage to an external incarnation also harms the original body greatly. Don't try it lightly," Ji Ziyue stopped Ye Fan.
"No matter. I have a technique to enter the valley without harm," the Monkey said. He plucked four golden, gleaming monkey hairs from his body, and four faint beams of light shot from his brow, merging into them. The hairs grew larger in the wind, and four Battle Saint Apes appeared, identical to the Monkey—fiery eyes, thunderous mouths, baring their teeth at the group.
"Such a wondrous technique really exists?" Pang Bo was excited, rubbing his hands together as he approached the Monkey to curry favor, clearly wanting to learn it.
"This is the One Transforms into Ten Thousand technique," the Monkey explained. Ye Fan and Pang Bo listened intently, having long admired this marvelous art, never expecting to learn it today.
"Damn, I don't have that much hair," Pang Bo said in pain. After learning it, he pulled out a handful of body hairs, wincing from the sting.
Ye Fan plucked four strands of hair. The golden little figure in his Immortal Platform stepped out from his brow, blew a breath of golden light, and instantly transformed into four other versions of himself.
"It's easy at the beginning—transforming into a few selves isn't hard—but turning one into ten thousand is extremely difficult, and don't expect much combat power," the Monkey said.
Destroying these hairs wouldn't harm the original body, and their abilities naturally wouldn't be strong, but the Monkey said this was a terrifying forbidden art. When the Battle Saint Emperor executed it, he transformed into ten thousand, each with unparalleled combat power, capable of slaughtering all life in the world in an instant, annihilating an entire ancient star.
Ye Fan's four incarnations entered the valley, advancing from different directions. His original body had complete knowledge of what lay ahead. At that moment, it felt as if his true self were inside the valley, split into four parts—a strange sensation.
He focused mainly on the incarnation that took the central path deep into the valley. Ancient trees swayed, spiritual energy swirled, and rare herbs covered the ground. Walking along the bluestone path felt like entering a celestial paradise beyond the mortal world.
After traveling several li, a thatched cottage appeared ahead, harmonious and tranquil. A spirit spring gurgled, clear water flowed under a small stone arch bridge, full of poetic charm.
He quickened his pace toward the cottage, but at that moment, a sharp pain struck his brow, his vision went black, and he lost consciousness, unaware of what had happened.
Outside the valley, Ye Fan's original body trembled. He opened his eyes and said, "It's terrifying. That incarnation of mine had little combat power but strong spiritual sensitivity. Yet I sensed nothing—it fell in a peaceful scene."
Everyone shuddered. If Ye Fan's true body had entered, it would likely have been disastrous. Not even knowing how he was killed made it all the more terrifying.
Big Black Dog immediately set up a corner of the Primordial Slaughter Formation, shielding the group within, and vigilantly monitored the surroundings.
Ye Fan closed his eyes. Strands of heavenly secrets came from his second incarnation, which he perceived, walking alongside it until they reached a jade bamboo grove.
Every bamboo stalk was like carved from mutton-fat jade—warm, lustrous, and pure white. Each joint was translucent, and the leaves shimmered with white radiance. The grove wasn't large, but the spiritual energy was even denser.
These were clearly rare treasure bamboos, like the Qilin Orchid Tree, immensely beneficial to cultivators. A milky-white essence drifted through the air, making the body feel utterly comfortable.
Within the bamboo grove was a stone platform and several stone stools. The expression of Ye Fan's incarnation froze. On the platform lay a mobile phone. If he remembered correctly, it should be Lin Jia's. Some bamboo leaves had fallen on it, already withered, clearly untouched for a long time.
"Pfft"
He felt his skull cap lifted, a trickle of blood flowing down into his eyes. All color faded, and endless darkness engulfed him.
"Is this the feeling of death?" Outside the valley, Ye Fan's original body opened his eyes. The second incarnation had died inexplicably, without even seeing what the enemy looked like—truly terrifying to the extreme.
Everyone felt a chill from head to toe. What kind of being was this? Ye Fan's spiritual perception was incredibly sharp, yet he was killed on the spot without seeing anything.
Then Ye Fan's body shook again. "The third incarnation is dead too."
Finally, he jolted violently, two blazing beams of light shooting from his eyes, stretching dozens of zhang. The last incarnation died, but before its end, it saw a black demonic shadow, a hand reaching out to cover its face, crushing the entire head.
"It took four deaths just to see a blurry black shadow. This isn't the Feather Transformation Immortal Valley—it's a life-taking demon valley," Li Tian said. There was a tremendous crisis within the valley. If Ye Fan and the others had recklessly entered earlier, they would likely have been killed instantly, with no chance of survival.
"No wonder that Lightning Phoenix Bird, a king-level creature, couldn't escape death," Ji Ziyue said softly, running her hand over the golden egg, which rippled with traces of Dao patterns.
"Ye Fan, are you sure those were Lin Jia's words?" Pang Bo asked. This didn't seem like a meeting with an old friend—it was clearly a deadly trap set in advance.
And the setup was natural—a message from years ago, a few words as clues, leading people to seek it out willingly. Entering the valley meant certain death!
Ye Fan muttered to himself, "All these years, a ghost has been watching my every move. A trap laid years ago, letting me come to die on my own. Not deliberately crafted, just casually left words. Who knows how many more killing opportunities await me in the future, waiting for me to trigger them myself."
"What's there to fear? Can it be stronger than a sage? This emperor will use a corner of the Primordial Slaughter Formation to clear the way, and a corner of Emperor Void's chessboard teleportation formation to flee at any moment. I don't believe it can do anything to us," Black Emperor said proudly, deciding to enter the Feather Transformation Immortal Valley and see what kind of divine being lurked there.
They waited outside the valley for a long time but saw no terrifying existence emerge. They exchanged glances and finally prepared to enter.
The Divine Maiden Furnace was held in Yan Yixi's hand, ready to be activated to suppress and kill powerful enemies. Above Ye Fan's head, eighty-one inch-long pitch-black flags rose and fell, mysterious and unpredictable.
Big Black Dog, sweating profusely and exhausting his heart's blood, drank some divine spring water before carving a complex and unfathomable array pattern onto a jade tablet. "This is an ancient great emperor's slaughter formation. It will likely only last on this jade tablet for half a day, so we need to hurry."
They advanced several li into the valley without incident. Only when they reached the deepest part, seeing the thatched cottage, did it still feel peaceful and beautiful. The gurgling spirit spring, the white stone arch bridge—it all looked like a celestial paradise.
"Boom"
Suddenly, the jade tablet on Black Emperor's back devoured the essence of heaven and earth, emitting thousands of strands of divine radiance. Killing intent shot through the clouds, sweeping outward.
"Pfft"
Above their heads, a burst of blood exploded. They didn't know what creature had fallen, turning into a rain of blood, scattering red hairs on the ground.
"Such a powerful being! None of us sensed it—it nearly reached us and lifted our skull caps!"
"A king, and a greatly accomplished king at that!"
Their faces changed color. What place was this? How could such a terrifying creature exist here?
"No, it has no life aura. Otherwise, we couldn't have failed to sense it. But why did blood rain down?" They stood back-to-back, alert to their surroundings. If not for the corner of the Primordial Slaughter Formation, the consequences would have been unimaginable.
Crossing the small stone arch bridge, Pang Bo threw open the cottage door. In an instant, a dark wind howled, black mist surged, and the peaceful valley was no longer calm. Shrieking ghost cries pierced the ears, and various divine principles and Dao light flew about, leveling the area!
"Boom"
The jade tablet carved by Black Emperor wove "thousands of threads," transforming into chains of laws, evolving into a "sea of Dao," sweeping in all directions. Blood splattered, bloodied bone fragments flew everywhere, and figures filled the space—terrifying existences everywhere.
"How is this possible? Where have we come? How can there be such a group of people? What are they, and why are they all so powerful?!" Li Tian shouted.
Without the Primordial Slaughter Formation, they would all be finished. Even the Monkey, who had severed the Dao, wouldn't have survived. The dark wind howled, sand and stones flew, and over a hundred figures moved through the bloody wind and rain.
"Pfft"
This corner of Emperor Wu Shi's slaughter formation rotated, turning the place into a slaughterhouse. A majestic demonic shadow was slain in the black wind, and a blood-dripping arm fell at their feet.
"What's going on? Who are these people? How can such a powerful group gather together? It defies reason!" Pang Bo shouted.
"Boom"
The sky turned pitch black. A massive building, awe-inspiring and oppressive, covered the entire sky, appearing abruptly. Dense figures descended from it, surrounding them.
"Thud!"
The Primordial Slaughter Formation was unparalleled in the world. Even incomplete, less than a tenth of its full power, it was unmatched, dominating the strongest killing force of heaven and earth!
The jade tablet shot out a soaring divine light, cutting off a corner of the building, which crashed down beside them, raising endless dust.
"What?" Black Emperor cried out in shock, staring at the fallen corner of the majestic structure. "How is it the same as the Southern Heavenly Gate seen in the Divine Ruins?!"
Several ancient characters were carved on it in ancient divine script. The Monkey had mastered them all over the years, unlike before, and read them out word by word: "South—Heaven—Gate!"
"We... where have we come? What connection does the Feather Transformation Immortal Valley have with the ancient Heavenly Court of legend? Heavens, what kind of enemies are we facing? Are we fighting against heavenly soldiers and generals?!"