"Young Master, he was only being disrespectful under my orders; please don't blame him..." Seeing Ye Jingyu staring fixedly at Nangong Shang, Gongsun Xiangyi assumed Ye Jingyu intended to deal with him and immediately spoke up to explain...

"You need the Infant Spirit Flower?" Ye Jingyu completely ignored Gongsun Xiangyi's words and instead asked directly...

"Yes..." Facing the suddenly vastly increased power of Ye Jingyu, Nangong Shang remained perfectly composed...

"Xiangyi, give it to him..." Ye Jingyu asked for no further explanation and simply instructed Gongsun Xiangyi...

Upon hearing this, both Gongsun Xiangyi and Nangong Shang were stunned. What possible benefit could he gain from this? Why was he being so generous?

However, as Gongsun Xiangyi was already Ye Jingyu's subordinate, she naturally wouldn't question her Young Master’s command. She leaped onto the crest of the King Cobra's head, gently reached inside, and retrieved seven tiny blossoms, only the size of a thumb. She then presented them to Nangong Shang.

"One every day; after seven days, the Corpse Poison within her will naturally be resolved. However, to restore her former appearance, further medicinal treatment will be required..." Perhaps because the little flower had been rescued, Gongsun Xiangyi was in a very good mood.

Nangong Shang remained silent, holding the seven small white blossoms. He looked at Ye Jingyu with eyes full of confusion. He truly couldn't understand why Ye Jingyu would so readily hand over such a precious Infant Spirit Flower to him.

"Don't look at me like that. This Young Master isn't interested in men..." Ye Jingyu rolled his eyes, too lazy to explain further. Although he didn't know the exact function of the Infant Spirit Flower, he knew that this fellow named Nangong Shang desperately needed the flower to save the woman lying not far away.

For her sake, he was even willing to risk his own life...

"Thank you..." Nangong Shang didn't get angry at Ye Jingyu's remark; he simply offered a deep, resounding thank you before turning and walking toward Yiruo Shui, who still lay on the ground.

Ye Jingyu said nothing more. He had no intention of recruiting Nangong Shang, sensing that a person of this caliber couldn't be swayed by mere self-interest. His decision to gift the medicine stemmed purely from being moved by the genuine love between the pair.

"Xiangyi, my subordinates have entered this gorge, but they are scattered everywhere. Can you help me find them?" As Nangong Shang carried Yiruo Shui into the darkness, Ye Jingyu turned to Gongsun Xiangyi and asked.

"Ah, this is bad..." Upon hearing Ye Jingyu mention this, Gongsun Xiangyi's face changed dramatically.

"What is it?" Ye Jingyu was momentarily surprised.

"Young Master, in this gorge, besides me, there are three other great villains..." Gongsun Xiangyi then proceeded to explain the situation within the canyon.

The Valley of Hundred Burials (Bai Zang Gu) rarely sees visitors due to the perpetual miasma, which has made it a haven for ruthless outlaws fleeing imperial arrest or vengeful pursuers.

Though the gorge doesn't appear vast, that is due to ancient, primal formations layered throughout it. The interior area is actually enormous.

The conditions are merely harsh.

Dozens of people live inside, every one of them a notorious fiend outside. Take Gongsun Mai, for instance—he committed countless murders before escaping here, only to be cultivated by Gongsun Xiangyi as a mere medicine jar.

As for Nangong Shang and Yiruo Shui, they arrived only recently, seeking the Infant Spirit Flower to cure the Corpse Poison afflicting Yiruo Shui.

Because they were indebted to Gongsun Xiangyi, they temporarily became her subordinates. Besides Gongsun Xiangyi, three other formidable figures jointly controlled everything within the gorge.

One, named Xue Hengzhi, was a bloodthirsty demon who had reached the Great Grandmaster realm, responsible for countless deaths. For some unknown reason, he was hiding in the Valley of Hundred Burials, and he commanded the largest faction, with over twenty highly skilled villains under him.

Another was Ling Xingxuan, a Soul Master. Her exact realm was unclear, but to be able to stand against Xue Hengzhi, she couldn't be weak.

The last was Bing Ming. He commanded no men, operating completely alone, and rarely associated with others. Yet, neither Xue Hengzhi nor Ling Xingxuan dared to provoke him, making him the most enigmatic of the four great villains.

The fourth great villain, naturally, was Gongsun Xiangyi herself. Relying on a sixth-tier Desolate Beast and her expertise in poisons, even a Great Grandmaster could do nothing against her.

When Ye Jingyu first heard there was a Great Grandmaster in the gorge, he remained composed, but the knowledge of a powerful Soul Master made it impossible for him to remain calm.

What was a Soul Master? They were national treasures. Every power, every nation, afforded Soul Masters special immunity. Even if they committed murder or broke the law, as long as it didn't involve treason, the punishment would be light, or often, completely ignored.

Yet now, a Soul Master capable of opposing a Great Grandmaster was hiding in this gorge. What crimes had she committed? Whom had she offended?

Of course, Ye Jingyu was even more curious about the mysterious Bing Ming—what level of power could command the fear of both a Great Grandmaster and a high-level Soul Master?

The Valley of Hundred Burials, truly worthy of its name. That rascal Qin Yan must have known the danger of this place; it seems he's orchestrated my suicide.

No wonder he so easily surrendered the White Lotus Sword Canon; no wonder he sought the Emperor's decree for the marriage. It turns out these were all just excuses to force me into this gorge.

"Let's go; take me to rescue my subordinates first..." Upon learning of the terrifying entities within the gorge, Ye Jingyu felt a surge of anxiety.

His Cloud Guards could wait; he felt no deep affection for them. But accompanying him were Chi Yixiu, Ying Xiaoxiao, and the more than forty warriors of the Chi Yi Clan—they were his trusted confidantes, those with whom he had shared so much hardship. How could he bear to see them harmed?

As for Hei Ming Shixuan, he wasn't overly worried. This girl, whom he couldn't see through at all, surely possessed strength no less than his own.

On the western side of the Valley of Hundred Burials ran a narrow stream, about three meters wide. At the stream's end lay a cave entrance, three meters high and three meters wide.

Following the stream deeper inside, the space gradually expanded, and the scent of marsh gas vanished. At the deepest part of the cave was a relatively large plaza where dozens of bonfires blazed.

In front of the bonfires sat a massive stone stool, covered with animal hides. Upon it sat a bearded, fierce-looking man—it was Xue Hengzhi, one of the great villains Gongsun Xiangyi had mentioned.

At that moment, he was smiling broadly as he looked at the little girl captured by his underlings.

Purple short hair, milky-white tender skin, and large eyes—what a delicious meal this was.

How long had it been? How long had it been since he had tasted such a sweet and tender girl?

A long time, a very long time, perhaps?

Gazing at the pale, fair face, crystalline saliva streamed down Xue Hengzhi's lips.

(The Ogre King dares to eat Little Shixuan? Alas... let us all pray for him... Brothers, remember to bookmark!)