“World’s Hidden Valley? But this is clearly a forest,” Hong Qiang said.
“No. Below us is the World’s Hidden Valley. This forest is formed by a spirit formation,” Chu Feng said.
“Spirit formation?” Hong Qiang was startled.
“As expected from a Dragon Mark Royal-cloak World Spiritist. Little friend Chu Feng actually managed to see through it with a single glance. That’s right, the master of this World’s Hidden Valley is also a Dragon Mark Royal-cloak World Spiritist,” Yaojiao Guang said.
“Dragon Mark Royal-cloak World Spiritist? Could he be one of the Ten Immortals?” Hong Qiang asked.
“Haha, the people of the world only know that the Ten Immortals are Dragon Mark Royal-cloak World Spiritists. However, in reality, the Holy Land of Martialism is a place with hidden dragons and crouching tigers. The Ten Immortals are not the only Dragon Mark Royal-cloak World Spiritists. Merely, for some experts, they do not wish for others to know about them. One such example would be the master of this place,” Yaojiao Guang said.
“Indeed, the Holy Land of Martialism is truly a place with hidden dragons and crouching tigers. This senior’s world spirit techniques greatly surpa.s.s my own,” Chu Feng exclaimed in admiration. Although they were both Dragon Mark Royal-cloak World Spiritists, the strength of a world spiritist’s world spirit techniques was also related to the strength of their cultivation.
Although Chu Feng had become a Dragon Mark Royal-cloak World Spiritist, he could only contend against rank two Martial Emperors using his world spirit techniques. That said, his world spirit techniques were greatly inferior to those of Zhang Tianyi’s father, Zhang Ming.
As for the spirit formation set up by this hidden expert, it was even stronger than the fort Zhang Tianyi’s father had set up on the Gong Ba Plains. From this, it could be determined that this hidden expert’s strength would likely be stronger than that of Zhang Tianyi’s father.
“Yin Gongfu, stop pretending to be blind. Quickly, open the door!!!!” Yaojiao Guang shouted downward. His voice was so resounding that the world started to tremble.
“Buzz~~~”
Right after he said those words, a figure flew out from the forest underneath and stood before Chu Feng and the others.
It was a middle-aged man. He was wearing very plain and unadorned clothes. His appearance was also very ordinary. However, he was emitting an air that no ordinary people possessed. His cultivation was the same as Yaojiao Guang’s; he was a rank three Martial Emperor. This person was Yin Gongfu.
“Brother Yaojiao, I trust that you have been well since we last met. What brought you the leisure to come visit me here today?” Yin Gongfu was extremely surprised upon seeing Yaojiao Guang. However, he was also very happy.
“I don’t have the leisure to come to your place. I have only come here to help see my two friends here and make some introductions. This is…” Yaojiao Guang pointed to Chu Feng and Hong Qiang behind him.
“Chu Feng?” Upon seeing Chu Feng, Yin Gongfu was immediately startled. An expression of shock covered his face.
“My, you’re shocked, no? That’s right, he is Chu Feng,” Yaojiao Guang said in a complacent manner.
“Chu Feng pays his respects to Senior Yin,” Chu Feng clasped his fist and greeted Yin Gongfu courteously.
“My, there’s no need to be this overly courteous. Little friend Chu Feng, you are currently the most famous person in the Holy Land of Martialism. There is no one who does not know about you. To see you in the flesh today, I must say, you are truly outstanding, and even stronger than I had imagined you to be,” Yin Gongfu praised Chu Feng repeatedly. Then, he looked to Hong Qiang and said, “This person is?”
“Lord Benefactor, please receive this Hong Qiang’s respects,” As Hong Qiang spoke, he got on his knees and knelt in midair. He began to kowtow to Yin Gongfu.
“My, quickly, get back up. What are you doing?” Yin Gongfu immediately lent Hong Qiang an arm to help him back up.
“While benefactor might not remember this Hong Qiang, this Hong Qiang will always remember you. Back then, when this Hong Qiang was still young, benefactor, you saved this Hong Qiang’s life,” Hong Qiang said.
“Hong Qiang. Were you that young man who was being chased by ferocious beasts in the Alliance Domain?” Yin Gongfu asked.
“I am. Benefactor, you actually still remember this junior,” Hong Qiang was extremely happy.
“Of course I do. Merely, back then, you were a graceful and handsome youth. Yet now, your old bones have become as weary as mine,” Yin Gongfu sighed.
“Indeed. Time flies. However, what happened back then is still engraved in my memory, in my heart. It is still as clear as yesterday. This junior has always wanted to repay benefactor for saving his life,” Hong Qiang said.
Yin Gongfu patted Hong Qiang’s shoulder and said, “My, it’s something from the past. There’s no need to think about it anymore. For us to be able to meet each other again after all these years, it is fate.”
“Although I am much older than you, neither of us are young anymore. Thus, you don’t have to address me as benefactor anymore. Just address me as Yin Gongfu directly. From today onward, we shall be friends.”
“Right,” Hong Qiang agreed to it right away.
“Enough, enough, the two of you can slowly reminisce with one another in the future. Let me get to the proper business. Is there a young man by the name of Jiang Wushang here?” Yaojiao Guang asked Yin Gongfu.
“Yes,” Yin Gongfu said.
“That’s good then. He is Chu Feng’s brother. Chu Feng has come here for the sake of finding him. Is it possible to have Chu Feng enter and see him?” Yaojiao Guang said.
“That’s naturally no issue at all. For you all to come here, you are distinguished guests. Not to mention seeing someone, we will treat you as distinguished guests too. Come, Brother Yaojiao, let’s go in and drink some wine,” Yin Gongfu said.
“Forget about it, I’m not going into the World’s Hidden Valley. If you want to drink, come to my King Monstrous Dragon Race to drink,” Yaojiao Guang said.
“Oh you, you’re still this narrow-minded,” Yin Gongfu said with contempt.
“Pah! As if you wouldn’t be narrow-minded. If your territory is occupied by someone else, what other feeling could you possibly have? Enough, just take care of Chu Feng. If something is to happen to him, I’ll come and find you,” Yaojiao Guang turned around and left.
“That temper of his,” Seeing that Yaojiao Guang had already left and disappeared without a trace, Yin Gongfu shook his head with a smile. Then, he brought Chu Feng and Hong Qiang into the World’s Hidden Valley.
The World’s Hidden Valley was different from how Chu Feng had imagined it would be. This was not a valley. Rather, it was enormous. It was as if it were an entire separate world. There were mountains, rivers and lakes. There were white cranes flying in the sky and nimble fish swimming in the water. At a glance, this place looked like a paradise, a land of immortals.
Yin Gongfu was extremely enthusiastic toward Chu Feng and Hong Qiang. He also showed a great amount of attentiveness and hospitality toward them. After entering the World’s Hidden Valley, he immediately prepared two top-notch palaces for Chu Feng and Hong Qiang to rest in.
However, Chu Feng had come here for the sake of finding Jiang Wushang. While Chu Feng had requested to see Jiang Wushang many times, Yin Gongfu had switched the subject every time. He had refused to allow Chu Feng to directly see Jiang Wushang. This made Chu Feng realize that something was wrong.
“Senior Yin, may I see Jiang Wushang?” Chu Feng asked again.
“Regarding that… you may. Merely, Jiang Wushang made some mistakes, and is being punished right now. Little friend Chu Feng, you must not be emotional upon seeing him,” Yin Gongfu said.
“Punishment? Is he fine?” Chu Feng asked.
“It’s nothing too serious. Merely, he is being punished to work in the mine for an entire year. Here, I’ll bring you there,” As Yin Gongfu spoke, he began to show the way for Chu Feng.
Afterward, the three of them arrived at a mining site. Right after arriving at the mining site, Chu Feng’s eyes shone.
The mine was too special. It was emitting extremely hot gaseous flames. Likely, cultivators below the Half Martial Emperor level would simply not be able to approach it at all. Even if they were able to approach it, they would die within the mine.
Furthermore, the ores of the mine were extremely hard. Unless one were to use a special miner’s pick, it would simply be impossible to mine those ores. Those ores should have originated from the Ancient Era.
Looking at the mining site, Chu Feng discovered that there were many people mining. Although they were all Half Martial Emperor-level experts, they were all drenched in sweat, with expressions of exhaustion on their faces.
Finally, Chu Feng saw a familiar figure in the mining site. It was Jiang Wushang.
After several years had pa.s.sed, Jiang Wushang was already no longer a youngster. However, Chu Feng was still able to recognize him with a single glance.
Compared to before, Jiang Wushang’s current cultivation was leaps and bounds above his cultivation back then. He was a rank one Half Martial Emperor.
However, with that level of cultivation, Jiang Wushang was only barely able to survive in this special mining site.
Thus, at this moment, Jiang Wushang was extremely weary and beaten. However, even with that being the case, he still clenched his teeth, grasped the pick in his hand tightly, and continued to mine ores.
“These ores are very special. However, they provide absolutely no a.s.sistance to one’s cultivation. I also do not know what use these ores provide.”
“What might be the reason the master of this place mines these ores? Could it really only be meant to be used as a means of punishment?” Eggy inspected the mine and began to make guesses.
As for Chu Feng, what he was worried about the most was not how special the ores here were. Instead, he was worried about his brother Jiang Wushang. He discovered that not only was Jiang Wushang extremely weary and miserable-looking, there were also a lot of scars on his body. Those were scars of being whipped. They were astonis.h.i.+ng wounds. This meant that Jiang Wushang’s life here was not good at all.