C2601 Inside!
C2601 Inside!
Just then, a slender figure emerged from the woods, and Wan Chengfeng immediately sensed her presence. "What are you doing here in the middle of the night instead of sleeping?" he asked.
It was Wan Xin, her face lit up with a smile, looking beautiful under the moonlight. She seemed unfazed by Jiang Fann and Wan Chengfeng's presence and said directly, "If you guys can be here, so can I. Are you heading into the inner valley? Count me in."
Wan Chengfeng quickly responded, "Nonsense! You need to go back and train. Your skills aren't advanced enough, and you have too many wild ideas. The inner valley isn't a place for you."
Wan Xin pointed at Jiang Fann. "His skills aren't even as good as mine."
"You're comparing yourself to him? Even I might not be a match for him. You need to head back. If your dad finds out you went into the inner valley with me, he'll never let me hear the end of it, and your grandpa won't allow you to take such risks with us."
Wan Xin wasn't upset; she simply smiled at her uncle. "If you don't take me, I'll tell great-grandpa, and none of us will get to go."
"You..."
Jiang Fann saw that Wan Chengfeng was at a loss with her and chuckled, "Why don't you just knock her out? By the time she wakes up, we'll already be inside. With your skills, handling her should be a piece of cake."
Wan Xin frowned at Jiang Fann, clearly displeased. "How can you be so insensitive? Are you sure you're not into guys?"
Jiang Fann: "..."
Though Jiang Fann was just joking, Wan Chengfeng seemed to take it seriously, thinking it made a lot of sense.
Wan Xin sensed Wan Chengfeng's intent and pulled out a piece of Spirit Attached Jade. "Great-grandfather should be here soon, right?"
She infused it with spiritual strength, making it clear she wouldn't be intimidated or back down.
Wan Chengfeng knew that once the old man arrived, they wouldn't have a chance to enter the inner valley, so he changed his approach.
"Listen, kid, the inner valley is dangerous. We have no idea what's in there, but one thing's for sure—it's extremely risky. If we find something valuable inside, I'll bring you back a gift. How does that sound?"
Wan Xin shook her head decisively. "Not good enough. Take me with you. I won't hold you back. I'm stuck at a bottleneck and need to break through to the Mortal Separating Stage. Just meditating isn't helping anymore, and great-grandfather won't let me go out to train."
Wan Chengfeng said, "Not allowed to go out? How is that possible? With your current skills, there shouldn't be any risk in going out for some experience."
"It's all because of you! I was out training, but because of your wanted status, I got followed by some jerks for over a month. I had no choice but to return to the valley and focus on my training. Otherwise, I might have already reached the Mortal Separating Stage. Uncle, don't you think you owe me some compensation?"
Hearing this, Wan Chengfeng couldn't help but feel a bit helpless. It was indeed related to him.
When dealing with outsiders, Wan Chengfeng never backed down, but with family, he was just like anyone else—caught in a tough spot.
He looked at Jiang Fann and sent a message, "What if we take her along?"
Jiang Fann smiled and replied, "I don't mind. I don't really need the spiritual strength inheritance, so it's up to you. But you're more familiar with the situation inside, so consider it carefully."
Wan Chengfeng nodded and then turned to Wan Xin.
"Taking you along isn't out of the question, but once we're inside the valley, you have to follow my and Brother Jiang's instructions. No acting on your own. If you don't listen, I'll have no choice but to knock you out and stash you in the Spiritual Treasure of Fairyland."
Hearing this, Wan Xin smiled and nodded.
"Okay."
Seeing the girl so agreeable, Wan Chengfeng couldn't help but feel uneasy. Although he hadn't spent much time with his little niece, one thing was certain—she wasn't the type to follow orders easily.
At that moment, Lin Zhan sent a message to Jiang Fann.
"Young Master, this area is vast, almost like a small world. It's filled with many barriers, covering a wide range. The area I'm in right now seems safe, but it can't be that simple. I sense powerful life forms and unique energy fluctuations within the barriers, but I can't pinpoint them."
"Be careful. You're just scouting, so don't get yourself trapped. In about half an hour, I should be able to finish assimilating."
Lin Zhan replied, "Every so often, the energy here changes. It seems like someone important set it up this way to prevent intruders. Judging by the barrier's coverage, the outside valley is also within it, but that area has been developed and utilized."
"Understood."
Lin Zhan didn't say more and continued to blend into the barrier, sensing the surroundings. But soon, his voice came through again.
"It's no use. The barriers ahead are reinforced with special power, and I can't get through. The formation skills of the cultivators who set this up are incredibly strong. I've never encountered anything like this before."
Xiao Ai chimed in, "Want me to take a look?"
Lin Zhan refused, "There's no point in you coming here. The force is incredibly strong. At first, I thought it was the power of some life form, but after a closer look, I realized it's not. It's the power from a formation, maybe some kind of seal or special pattern. Once the Young Master arrives, he should be able to sense it with his knowledge of formations."
Jiang Fann replied, "Alright, just come back for now. You've done enough."
Lin Zhan acknowledged and started heading back through the barrier. A few minutes later, he spoke again.
"Young Master, inject your spiritual strength into the barrier to assist me. There's a force chasing me."
The sudden change caught Jiang Fann off guard, but he quickly responded, channeling his spiritual strength into the barrier. Soon, he sensed Lin Zhan's presence and guided him with his own energy. As he continued to sense the area behind, he felt a powerful force approaching.
Jiang Fann's energy collided with the force and was instantly shattered, showing the strength of the pursuer. However, Jiang Fann didn't detect any life force; it seemed like pure energy, not an attack from any living being.
Lin Zhan moved swiftly along Jiang Fann's energy, quickly returning to his side, but the pursuing force didn't stop.
Until Jiang Fann cut off his spiritual strength, the force finally came to a halt. Jiang Fann sensed the state of the force with his spiritual sense and was surprised to find that it retraced its path and quickly disappeared into an area beyond his perception.
He couldn't help but ask, "What is that force?"
Lin Zhan replied, "I'm not sure right now. It seems to be some kind of defensive mechanism of this restricted area's formation. It's incredibly powerful, and I can't withstand its force."
"It seems this place is indeed not simple. The areas left by formation cultivators are always the most troublesome."
Lin Zhan continued, "There's more here than just formations. There are many powerful beings. You must be cautious as you enter."
By this time, Jiang Fann's spiritual strength had nearly assimilated. Wan Chengfeng and Wan Xin sat quietly behind him, clearly adjusting to their optimal states. Although the place was somewhat dangerous, Jiang Fann wasn't too worried. After all, with a bodyguard like Xiao Mo and considering Wan Chengfeng had mentioned that the major figures of this restricted area had already fallen, he felt more at ease. Otherwise, if there were still powerful beings hidden here, Jiang Fann would have to be even more careful.
Half an hour later, Jiang Fann's spiritual aura had almost vanished. To Wan Chengfeng and Wan Xin, Jiang Fann seemed indistinguishable from the cliff itself.
Wan Chengfeng had seen Jiang Fann's skills before, so he didn't show much reaction. However, Wan Xin was quite surprised, as she couldn't understand or even comprehend what she was witnessing.
"How can a human's aura be the same as a formation's aura? Spiritual strength isn't that easy to change!"
Jiang Fann chuckled, "This isn't some special technique; it's a unique bloodline talent, kind of like a chameleon. I acquired this ability under special circumstances. Are you both ready?"
The two nodded and stood up. Jiang Fann didn't waste any time. He used his spiritual strength to enhance them both, then led them toward the cliff. As they made contact, Jiang Fann partially merged into it, gradually guiding the two through until they vanished into the valley.
Meanwhile, not far away in the dense forest, Wan Peng and the old man were watching them. They saw the three pass through the barrier but didn't intervene.
The old man was still a bit worried. "I'm not sure if letting them go like this is a good idea. If something goes wrong, we won't be able to reach them to help. We can't even pinpoint their location. It's too risky."
Wan Peng smiled, "There are no top-level experts there. Even if something happens, Jiang Fann's skills will protect them. There's no need to worry about their safety. Besides, you saw Jiang Fann's ability to break formations. Such a unique power is perfect for venturing out. Ordinary formations shouldn't be able to trap them. I can't think of a reason to refuse their journey with Jiang Fann."
"As that girl Xin'er mentioned, this might be her chance for a breakthrough. We all know there are plenty of opportunities in the valley, but not many can leave easily," the old man said with a sigh. "If you're willing to let them go, there's nothing more I can say. Besides, they've already gone in. Even if I open the entrance now, they wouldn't turn back. Let's hope this isn't a bad idea."
With that, he turned and walked away.