"Mm, lead the way!"
"Yes, right this way, honored guests!"
Following the hotel owner, the group arrived at the top floor of the hotel. As the door opened, the sight that greeted them felt completely out of place in this little town.
"Mm, you can leave now. Prepare dinner for us."
"Yes, sir!"
The door closed, leaving only Jiang Xiaofeng and his four companions in the room.
Hu Liena patted her stiff back and flopped onto the bed without a care.
"I'm exhausted! After riding in that carriage for over ten days, my bones are falling apart!"
Yan eagerly offered, "Nana, let me give you a massage!"
Hu Liena rolled away to dodge him.
"No way! Haven't you heard that men and women shouldn't touch each other? Hey, Feng-ge, why don't you give me a massage?" Her wide eyes looked at Jiang Xiaofeng with a pitiful expression.
Yan's eye twitched. So it only applies to me, huh? But not to Feng-ge? That's a serious double standard.
Jiang Xiaofeng said, "Men and women shouldn't touch. Let Xie Yue help you instead—he's your actual brother, after all."
Hu Liena, pouting, responded, "No way! He's not gentle at all!"
Xie Yue's face darkened. Not gentle? I'm the gentlest one toward you! You just want Jiang Xiaofeng to give you a massage and are throwing me under the bus.
"Instructor, this place feels… different. Can you tell us more about it?"
Mopot said, "Alright, everyone sit."
The four of them sat down, waiting for Mopot's explanation.
"Death Canyon—as the name implies, once you're here, you'd better be ready to die. If not today, then maybe tomorrow, or the day after. Death lurks here at all times."
"This place has a unique feature: because the soul beasts here have lived in such an environment for so long, they are extremely hostile to humans. If they see a human, they attack without hesitation. For soul masters, this is not an ideal place to train."
Jiang Xiaofeng asked, "Then why are there still so many soul masters in the town? And they seem to give off a different aura."
Mopot explained, "As I said, Death Canyon is special. Its uniqueness lies in a type of gas found only here—we call it 'Death Qi'. Soul masters who spend extended time here become tainted by it. The Death Qi can significantly enhance soul skills… but only temporarily. Once they leave the canyon, it dissipates within a year, and the boost vanishes."
Jiang Xiaofeng nodded. No wonder those soul masters look lifeless. Turns out they're infused with Death Qi, which is the complete opposite of vitality. It may enhance their abilities, but it shortens their lifespan.
Mopot continued, "You've also seen the difference in those soul masters. Their vitality is clearly lacking, yet they remain. That's because soul beasts killed in Death Canyon drop not just soul rings, but also something called 'Death Qi Beads'. These are condensed within soul beasts, but only those above 3,000 years old have a chance of producing them. Beasts over 10,000 years are guaranteed to produce one."
"Unfortunately, soul beasts here aren't isolated. Regardless of level, they act as a unit. The Spirit Hall suspects a super soul beast with control over others is behind this, but so far, no one's found it."
Jiang Xiaofeng asked, "What can Death Qi Beads be used for?"
"That's the reason people risk their lives to come here," said Mopot. "They sell for tens of thousands of gold soul coins apiece. When absorbed, they can temporarily boost one's soul power, possibly changing the outcome of a battle."
Jiang Xiaofeng shook his head. "There must be a catch. Otherwise, the Spirit Hall and major clans wouldn't leave this place alone."
Mopot nodded. "You're right. Death Qi Beads are only effective for soul masters below the Soul Emperor level, and they come with serious side effects—future cultivation can stagnate, even completely halt. Most soul masters don't dare consume them. But in a continent full of soul masters, there's still massive demand. Spirit Hall and major clans may not want them, but ordinary soul masters are willing to pay a fortune for a few—just in case."
Everyone nodded. No wonder people were willing to stay despite the harmful effects. A single Death Qi Bead was worth more than a soul beast's corpse. But high rewards always come with high risks—some make their fortune here, while others lose their lives.
"Besides soul beasts, beware of the other soul masters. They won't pass up a chance to profit—like from you four. So while fighting beasts, you'll also face threats from your own kind."
Jiang Xiaofeng nodded. Killing for treasure—of course. Since they were just Grandmasters, they'd better stick to the canyon's outskirts. If they ventured too deep, they might not even know how they died.
Jiang Xiaofeng said, "Got it. Everyone, don't go getting yourselves killed out here."
Hu Liena said, "With you here, we won't die!"
Jiang Xiaofeng shook his head. "Some of the dangers we'll face… even I might not be able to handle them. This time, we're not just here to raise our soul power—we need to work as a team. Otherwise, we won't stand a chance in the next soul master tournament."
Mopot added, "Exactly. I'll be accompanying you into the canyon, but unless it's life or death, I won't help. You'll need to rely on teamwork and coordination—whether you're fighting soul beasts… or soul masters!"
Everyone nodded in agreement.
That night, Jiang Xiaofeng lay in bed, listening to the occasional roars of soul beasts outside. Sleep didn't come easily.
He sat up, looking out the window at the dead-silent town. The place gave off a creepy, unsettling vibe.
But for some reason, it also felt… familiar.
"Familiar place, familiar scent, and that familiar sense of death. I'm back, huh?"
"Feng-ge, who are you talking to?"
Xie Yue appeared behind Jiang Xiaofeng.
Jiang Xiaofeng said, "You can't sleep either?"
"Yeah. We're going into Death Canyon tomorrow. The mortality rate is insanely high. If I die… please take care of my sister!"
Jiang Xiaofeng replied, "Dying is easy. But you're not dying."
"You've got that much confidence in me, Feng-ge?"
Jiang Xiaofeng said, "As long as you have the determination to protect your sister, that alone will keep you alive."
"Maybe. Too many people have died in Death Canyon. Every year, many students from the Spirit Academy come here… but fewer than half ever return. Sometimes, even less."
Jiang Xiaofeng patted Xie Yue on the shoulder.
"Don't worry. When the cart reaches the mountain, there will be a road. When the boat reaches the bridge, it'll straighten itself out. Hang in there!"
"Mm!"
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More:
[ Douluo II: But This Huo Yuhao Knows the Plot ]
[ Battle Through The Heavens: Rebirth of Emperor Yan ]
[ Douluo: But My Martial Spirit Is The Sharingan ]
[ Douluo: Xiao Yan Transmigrates As Tan San ]
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(End of Chapter)