Chapter 279

Chapter 279

"Is the seal effective?"

The disciples of Zhenwu Sect looked at each other hesitantly and said, "With the Four Great Clans involved and the array expert, Shang Yang, the Demon Venerable, it should be effective, right?"

Although the Four Great Clans' reputation on the Pleiades Continent had changed, their foundation remained solid. Despite the discontent among the cultivators of the Pleiades Continent, they could do little but hope that the Four Great Clans could handle the current crisis.

Jiao Junhao said, "The Four Great Clans have already begun preparing for the seal. Soon, they will seal off the area around the Pleiades Valley. This place is extremely dangerous; if you have no business here, it's best to stay away."

Ning Yuzhou replied, "Thank you for the warning, Senior Jiao. We understand."

Jiao Junhao did not ask why they were there. After the anomaly in the Pleiades Valley, many curious individuals had come to investigate its condition.

The Pleiades Valley had become a demonic lair due to the greed of cultivators, evoking both sorrow and intense hatred towards those who had driven it to this state. Unfortunately, despite the weakening of the Four Great Clans, they still remained formidable forces, and some truths were better left unsaid.

From the Zhenwu Sect disciples, they also learned about the recent events in the Pleiades Valley.

After the anomaly, most of the cultivators who came with the Four Great Clans and Shang Yang perished. The ancestors of the Xiao and Chai clans died within the demonic lair, while the other three Emperors of the Yuan Realm escaped but were severely injured, needing long periods of recuperation.

Su Molan's heart trembled, and her fingers, hidden in her long sleeves, clenched tightly to control her expression.

She felt a surge of satisfaction.

Both the Four Great Clans and the demon cultivators were her enemies, the ones responsible for the destruction of the Pleiades Valley. She hated them deeply, wishing they would all die in the demonic lair.

Even if they survived, their injuries would make recovery extremely difficult.

They then heard that the corpses of the dead cultivators were corrupted by demonic energy, turning into undead beings used by the demons to attack cultivators.

In addition to these undead, demonic beasts emerged from the lair, varying in strength and ferocity, attacking cultivators everywhere.

To prevent these undead and demonic beasts from leaving and harming nearby towns, the Four Great Clans and the Eight Major Sects dispatched disciples to patrol and exterminate them. Any that emerged from the Pleiades Valley were immediately killed.

Jiao Junhao led his junior brothers from Zhenwu Sect to patrol the area, eliminating any demonic beasts or undead they encountered.

Seeing the mangled corpses of the beasts blasted by some spirit artifact, they knew these few individuals were formidable fighters.

After confirming there was no trouble, the Zhenwu Sect disciples left to check other areas.

Wen Qiao, Ning Yuzhou, and Su Molan did not leave. They continued toward the Pleiades Valley until the demonic aura became too strong to approach further, then stopped.

The surrounding demonic energy grew thicker, obscuring the sky and reducing visibility.

Wherever they looked, spiritual plants withered, leaving barren ground, revealing a desolate scene.

Su Molan felt a wave of sorrow. She was familiar with this place. Influenced by the Pleiades Valley, it was once rich in spiritual energy, with lush vegetation.

Now, it was only desolation.

They gazed at the Pleiades Valley, now shrouded in black demonic energy, resembling a monster's gaping mouth, occasionally emitting roars of demonic beasts.

Seeing this, both Su Molan and the Pleiades Star Map felt sorrow.

"Fortunately, there's no one left in the Pleiades Valley," Su Molan murmured.

The demonic energy was so strong that even demon cultivators could not withstand it, let alone ordinary cultivators. Fortunately, everyone had evacuated, and no one was sacrificed. The five Emperors of the Yuan Realm who entered earlier barely escaped, losing the Emperors of the Xiao and Chai clans.

Though there were no people, there were still many cloud beasts in the Pleiades Valley.

Thinking of those fluffy cloud beasts, Wen Qiao frowned.

"How about... I go and take a look?" the Pleiades Star Map suggested, "I am the Star Map, so entering shouldn't be an issue."

The Star Map was a divine artifact meant to suppress the demonic lair, so approaching it would pose no danger.

Hearing this, Wen Qiao and Su Molan knew he was right. If they wanted to understand the situation inside the Pleiades Valley, the Star Map needed to enter.

They pulled him aside to give instructions, and the Star Map grinned, his round face full of joy. "Don't worry, I'll be fine!"

The Star Map quickly entered the Pleiades Valley.

Led by Su Molan, Wen Qiao and the others hid in a nearby valley to wait for the Star Map's return.

After waiting for a while, a piercing howl erupted from the Pleiades Valley, filled with immense anger, spreading outward. Cultivators nearby, engaged in slaying demonic beasts, were shaken by the sound, falling from their flying swords, nearly being killed by the beasts.

Hidden in the valley, Wen Qiao and the others were also affected by the howl, their blood boiling, and blood seeping from their seven orifices.

Wen Qiao and Su Molan felt their ears ringing and their minds churning, struggling to endure.

"Open your mouths!"

Ning Yuzhou's voice rang out as he fed a spirit pill to Wen Qiao and tossed another to Su Molan.

After taking the pills, they felt better and looked toward the Pleiades Valley, their eyes filled with fear and seriousness.

"What was that sound just now?" Su Molan wiped the blood from her face, still shaken.

"The Thousand Demons in the demonic lair," Ning Yuzhou said calmly, wiping the blood from Wen Qiao's ear.

Wen Qiao looked at him, noticing his face was clean, unaffected by the demonic howl, unlike her and Su Molan, whose faces were marred by bleeding orifices.

"It sounded very angry," Wen Qiao pondered. "Could it be because of the Star Map?"

"Probably."

The three fell silent.

The Star Map was the spirit of the Twenty-Eight Constellations Four Symbols Map. Even if its body was heavily injured, it could still suppress the demonic beings in the lair, demonstrating its power as a divine artifact. How powerful must these demonic beings be, requiring such an artifact to suppress them? Without the Star Map, destroying an entire continent would be no problem.

At this moment, they could finally feel the significance of Pleiades Star's existence clearly.

Su Molan clenched her fists tightly, more determined than ever about her thoughts.

Although Ning Yuzhou didn't explicitly say it, she knew that the main body of Pleiades Star had suffered severe damage and was gradually weakening. One day, it would no longer be able to suppress the Demon Cavern, and Pleiades Star would dissipate as a result.

She must find a way to repair the Star Map so that Pleiades Star wouldn't be at a disadvantage in its struggle against the demon in the cavern. She hoped that one day, Pleiades Star could break free from its suppression, no longer be bound by it, and gain the freedom it desired, allowing it to travel freely to any continent.

Not just for the Pleiades Continent, but also for the Su family.

They waited for half a day, and finally, Pleiades Star returned.

After returning, its expression seemed somewhat joyful.

However, Wen Qiao and the other three could sense its weakness, as its spiritual body had become even more transparent. Wen Qiao quickly took out a spirit pill and gave it to Pleiades Star to replenish some strength, preventing it from falling into another deep sleep.

"Are you alright?" Su Molan asked worriedly.

Pleiades Star, however, didn't seem to care. "I'm fine. When I entered the Pleiades Valley earlier, I fought with the demon in the cavern and severely injured it again. It won't be able to gather strength and leave the cavern for at least twenty years."

Since it wanted to leave the Pleiades Continent with Wen Qiao and the others, it needed to ensure that the demon couldn't escape and wreak havoc. So, Pleiades Star willingly expended its own strength to severely injure the demon once more.

Wen Qiao reached out and touched its head gently.

Then Pleiades Star continued, "Most of the Pleiades Valley has been tainted by demonic energy, only a small part remains unaffected."

"A small part?" Su Molan was initially stunned but then became overjoyed. "Which part?"

"The Cloud Peak deep within the Pleiades Valley," Pleiades Star said. "The cloud mist protects the creatures there. As long as the mist remains, they will be safe."

Hearing this, Wen Qiao recalled the cloud mist in the Pleiades Valley. This mist, left behind by the immortal realm cloud beasts after their death, could still resist demonic energy, showing its power.

With this mist protecting them, the cloud beasts should be safe.

At this moment, Pleiades Star added, "There is another strange place."

"What place?" Su Molan asked eagerly.

"It's the northern part of the Pleiades Valley."

Wen Qiao immediately understood. "You mean the Bloodthirsty Forest?"

Pleiades Star nodded, smiling. "The demonic energy spreads outward from the Pleiades Valley, but the north is unaffected. The reason lies within the Bloodthirsty Forest. The bloodthirsty vines there not only absorb demonic energy but also devour any demons that dare to approach."

Wen Qiao couldn't help but laugh. "For the bloodthirsty vines, isn't that like food delivered right to their doorstep?"

She had a neutral view of the bloodthirsty vines, knowing that she wasn't on the same path as them. Every time she brought people there, the vines always thought she was bringing them food, which made her both laugh and cry.

This also showed the bloodthirsty vines' craving for flesh and blood.

The Thousand Demons Cavern is near the Bloodthirsty Forest. No matter how many demons escape from the cavern, if they dare to approach the Bloodthirsty Forest, they will become food for the bloodthirsty vines, reducing the fighting force on the Pleiades Continent.

Su Molan was also very happy and sighed, "Who would have thought that the safest place would be the Bloodthirsty Forest? Since the Bloodthirsty Forest formed, countless cultivators have tried to eliminate it. Even the Su family worried that the bloodthirsty vines would eventually threaten the Pleiades Valley..."

Now that the Pleiades Valley is effectively gone, and with the emergence of the Demon Cavern, who cares where the bloodthirsty vines spread? Moreover, their presence can suppress the Demon Cavern, turning out to be beneficial.

Not just Su Molan thought this; other cultivators who discovered the situation with the Bloodthirsty Forest also allowed the bloodthirsty vines to continue expanding their territory.

After understanding the situation in the Pleiades Valley, they left the valley and headed for the Blackwind Desert.

Along the way, they passed through several towns and heard many rumors about the Pleiades Valley.

When the Pleiades Valley underwent changes, all the cultivators on the continent sensed something. Later, when the ancestor of the Shen family revealed the truth about the massacre in the Pleiades Valley, many cultivators present spread the news, and the actions of the four major families against the Su family quickly became known throughout the continent.

"The Pleiades Valley has been silently guarding the Demon Cavern and protecting the continent for so many years, yet it ended up like this. Truly tragic."

"Indeed. I heard that the last descendant of the Su family was forced to death by the four major families."

"Is that possible?"

"How could it not be? Back then, Su Molan's reputation was terrible. You know that. It must have been done by someone with ill intentions to force her to her death. Now that she's dead, how could the Demon Cavern not emerge? Without the Su family's bloodline, the Pleiades Valley lost its purpose and turned into the Demon Cavern."

"I see..."

... ...

Su Molan listened quietly, her head lowered, letting tears fall.

Although the truth differed from the rumors, the Pleiades Valley and the Su family were finally vindicated. Unfortunately, the Su family was left with only her, and due to the Twenty-Eight Constellations Four Symbols Map, she still dared not reveal herself, fearing that others would learn she was alive.

Pleiades Star was still too fragile, too weak to protect itself.

So before repairing the Star Map, Su Molan couldn't let anyone know about Pleiades Star's existence, lest it attract greedy coveters and ultimately fail to survive.

"Let's go."

A gentle voice sounded, and Su Molan quickly wiped away her tears. When she looked up, her eyes were dry. She grabbed the sword on the table and walked out of the inn with Ning Yuzhou and Wen Qiao.

Two years later, they returned to Jisha City.

Outside Jisha City, the black wind still blew, but its speed had significantly decreased. In three days, it would be the annual cessation of the black wind.

Every year at this time, many cultivators gathered in Jisha City, hoping to enter the Blackwind Desert the moment the wind stopped.

The Blackwind Desert only offered cultivators six months of safety.

Six months is insufficient, and they might not even encounter a Floating Island. Therefore, cultivators tried to gain as much time as possible to delve deeper into the Blackwind Desert.

As they walked through bustling Jisha City, they could see the sand towers in the city.

The wall in front of the tower no longer displayed the wanted notice.

When the truth was revealed, the actions of the four major clans disgusted everyone, even making them feel absurdly ridiculous. Everyone was relieved that when the four major clans issued the bounty, they did not catch Su Molan and the others, allowing them to escape from the clans' conspiracy.

Where did the four major clans get the nerve to cry foul after being the thieves?

Even Xiao Minxin and Shen Yuanjin, who were originally seen as victims, now disgusted the public, with people thinking that their attempt had backfired. Why didn't those two kill them at the time, letting these revolting creatures escape?

The trio listened to the various comments around them, which were vastly different from when they were wanted.

Ning Yuzhou gave a faint sneer and paid no further attention.

Three days later, when the black winds in the Blackwind Desert completely ceased, the three joined other cultivators entering the Blackwind Desert.

The endless rolling sands, the extreme temperature changes between day and night, and the surging waves of various venomous insects and snakes formed the unique landscape of the Blackwind Desert.

Unlike those cultivators who specifically sought out Floating Island or hunted Black Devouring Scorpions, they headed straight into the depths of the Blackwind Desert upon entering.

Very few cultivators dared venture deep into the Blackwind Desert because time was against them.

By the time they reached the depths of the Blackwind Desert, half a year's safety period would be nearly exhausted, leaving insufficient time for them to return and exit the desert, ultimately resulting in death from the raging black winds.

After four months, they finally arrived at the depths of the Blackwind Desert.

"We're almost at the teleportation array," Ning Yuzhou said, glancing at the sky. "Let's rest here tonight."

Wen Qiao and Su Molan had no objections. They took out their tents, preparing to set up camp.

No other cultivators would come to this place except them. Ning Yuzhou, who valued quality of life, did not want to neglect Chui, so he made sure they were as comfortable as possible.

As Su Molan and Wen Qiao were setting up the tent, they suddenly sensed something. Su Molan's expression changed slightly, and she leaped up.

"I'll be right back!" Su Molan quickly said, already running away.