The morning of the Hidden Cloud Valley expedition arrived wrapped in a thick, grey fog that swallowed the sharp peaks of Nine Star City.
At the main plaza of the Lin Clan, thirty of the elite youth stood in rigid rows.
Their polished swords and vibrant silk robes looked out of place in the dreary morning light.
These were the chosen ones—the future protectors of the family lineage.
At the front of the gathering stood Lin Hao.
His knuckles were white against the hilt of his sword.
Though he had successfully used the secret chant Ye Chen gave him to stabilize his failing core, the humiliation of being blackmailed by a ‘broken-root waste’ still burned in his gut.
His eyes kept flicking toward the edge of the plaza, waiting.
When Ye Chen finally stepped onto the plaza, a ripple of quiet whispers cut through the crowd.
He wore no expensive silk, nor did he carry a spiritual artifact.
He was dressed in his usual faded grey outer disciple robes, his basic iron sword tied loosely to his waist with a hemp rope.
Yet, as he walked, the disciples instinctively parted to give him space.
The brutal image of him breaking Lin Hu’s knee in a single, invisible strike was still fresh in everyone’s minds.
“The waste actually dared to show up,” a minor disciple whispered from the back.
“Does he really think a lucky strike in the arena will save him inside a dangerous valley?”
Ye Chen ignored them entirely.
She looked stunning in her crimson robes, her sharp eyes locking onto his with a complex mixture of annoyance and curiosity.
Ye Chen’s face remained a mask of pure stone.
He looked away, completely unaffected.
“Silence!”
The thunderous voice of the First Elder boomed across the plaza, instantly crushing the murmurs.
He stepped forward, his long white beard fluttering in the wind.
His powerful aura at the Ninth Layer of Qi Condensation washed over the youths like a tidal wave.
“The Hidden Cloud Valley is the lifeblood of our clan’s medicine hall,” the First Elder announced.
His eyes were cold and demanding.
“The Crimson Spirit Fruits ripen only once every three years. Your mission is simple: harvest as many fruits as you can, and survive. The valley is filled with low-grade spirit beasts, but the real danger lies in the rogue cultivators who hunt the borders. Anyone who brings back more than ten fruits will be rewarded with a place in the Inner Sect!”
The outer disciples straightened.
Their earlier fear was instantly replaced by raw greed.
For them, entering the Inner Sect was the only way to change their destiny.
“Distribute the teleportation talismans!” the elder commanded.
A group of servants hurried through the crowd, handing each disciple a minor yellow paper slip.
In case of absolute mortal danger, burning the talisman would trigger a crude array that would teleport the user back to the entrance of the valley.
However, everyone knew that inside the chaotic energy zones of the valley, the talismans often failed to activate in time.
Ye Chen accepted his talisman.
He rubbed the rough paper between his fingers, feeling the weak, unstable spiritual ink used to draw the array lines. This chapter was copied from novelping.com without permission.
A mocking smile almost formed on his lips.
To a former Sovereign, this talisman was as fragile as a wet piece of paper.
But to the Lin Clan, it was a priceless safety net.
“Activate the valley gates!”
Four protectors of the clan stepped toward a massive stone archway at the edge of the plaza.
They channeled their Qi simultaneously into the ancient runes carved into the rock.
With a deafening grind, the empty space within the archway began to ripple, twisting into a swirling vortex of emerald green light.
“Go! And bring glory to the Lin Clan!”
One by one, the disciples leaped into the glowing vortex, vanishing instantly into the spatial rift.
Lin Hao was among the first.
He cast one last, murderous glare at Ye Chen before disappearing into the light.
Ye Chen adjusted the grip on his iron sword.
The silver Qi in his veins pulsed with anticipation.
The valley was a hunting ground, yes, but for him, it was the perfect stage to gather the resources needed to break through to the next layers of cultivation.
Without a shred of hesitation, Ye Chen stepped into the green vortex, letting the spatial wind swallow him whole.
The hunt was about to begin.