Soul travels through the world of immortality

As they went deeper into the valley, the strange atmosphere became stronger and stronger, as if an invisible hand was tightly strangling everyone's throat, making it difficult for people to even breathe. The air was filled with a creepy smell, like the smell of death emanating from the depths of hell.

Just as everyone was groping forward cautiously, suddenly, the ground beneath their feet began to shake violently without any warning! This sudden change shocked everyone, and for a moment they were at a loss. Then, on the bare stone walls on both sides of the valley, many stone statues suddenly appeared as if by magic!

These stone statues are extremely finely carved, lifelike, and every detail is portrayed vividly. Some of them have wide-open eyes, some have ferocious faces, some hold sharp weapons, and some have bared fangs and claws, looking as if they will break free from the stone wall and pounce on everyone in the next moment.

"What the hell is going on?" The lion king widened his eyes and looked around vigilantly, unconsciously tightening the giant sword in his hand. As the leader of this group of people, he was also full of doubts and uneasiness.

Li Mingyang on the side frowned, pondered for a moment and then said: "I think these stone statues are very likely the mechanism guarding the 'Nine Nether Stone'. If we can't find a way to disable the mechanism, I'm afraid we won't be able to reach our destination safely." Although his voice was calm, it revealed a hint of solemnity.

At this moment, a chilling voice came from deeper in the valley, as if it came from the netherworld: "Outsider, welcome to the valley. This is not a good place. If you want to obtain the legendary 'Nine Nether Stones', you must prove that you have enough strength and courage. Otherwise, only death awaits you!"

After hearing this eerie voice, Li Mingyang and the others looked at each other. Everyone's eyes revealed a trace of solemnity and vigilance, because they knew very well that the truly difficult test had just begun. The road ahead of them would be full of thorns and traps, and how far they could go and whether they could successfully obtain the coveted 'Nine Nether Stone' were all unpredictable mysteries.

However, despite the uncertain future and the dangers lurking around them, Li Mingyang and his partners had no intention of retreating. On the contrary, they had already made up their minds to bravely face the upcoming challenges. Because they knew that if they didn't even have the courage to try, then success would always be a distant illusion.

At this moment, the atmosphere in the entire valley seemed to be tightly grasped by an invisible giant hand. Every breath of air seemed to solidify into a heavy lead block, making it almost impossible for people to breathe. This suffocating pressure was like an airtight net that enveloped everything in the valley.

There was a deathly silence all around, with no signs of life. Occasionally, a gust of cold wind would pass by, and the sound of the wind was like the cries of wronged souls or the wails of evil spirits, echoing in the valley, making people shudder.

However, in this extremely depressing atmosphere, Li Mingyang's thoughts were like a kite with a broken string, drifting back to the distant past. That unforgettable night kept appearing in his mind - a dark and windy night, with everything silent and only the twinkling stars in the night sky witnessing the brutal massacre.

That night, my parents were suddenly attacked at home. The vicious criminals held sharp knives and stabbed my defenseless parents mercilessly. Blood splattered everywhere, staining the white walls and cold ground red. My mother's shrill screams pierced the night sky, and my father's desperate cries were like the last sad song.

The bloody and cruel scenes at that time are still clearly imprinted in Li Mingyang's heart, like deep scars, and every time he thinks of them, his heart aches. The murderers' cold-blooded and malicious words are like the devil's curse, lingering in his ears all the time, and he can't drive them away no matter what. These voices intertwined together, forming a nightmare that he can never wake up from, tormenting his soul.

Now, with full of expectations and trepidation, Li Mingyang finally resolutely embarked on the long journey to find the "Nine Nether Stone". This road is winding and stretches to the distant and mysterious unknown land, like a giant python lurking in the darkness, ready to devour those adventurers who dare to enter its territory. Despite this, Li Mingyang's heart is like a flame that never goes out, burning hot and unwavering.

He deeply understood that he would encounter countless difficulties, obstacles, and life-and-death tests on this journey. However, when he thought of the legendary "Nine Hell Stone" with magical powers and the shocking secrets it might hide, Li Mingyang felt that all the difficulties were no longer important. Because he firmly believed that as long as he could hold this stone in his hand, he would be able to uncover the mystery surrounding his parents' death and find a good way to avenge them.

"Captain," the lion king beside him said in a low voice with a worried look on his face, "Do we really have to keep going? What if all this is just a carefully designed trap? Maybe what awaits us is not hope, but endless despair!"

Hearing this, Li Mingyang paused for a moment, then took a deep breath and slowly turned around. His deep eyes were like the brightest stars in the night sky, flashing with a resolute light, looking straight at the Lion King.

"I know this road is full of thorns and dangers. But for me, this is the last ray of hope. Even if the probability of success is slim, as fragile as a candle in the wind, I will never retreat. I must find out the truth and find out whether the 'Shadow Blade' and the 'Netherworld Cult' are related to the tragic death of my parents. This is not only my mission, but also a solemn promise I made to my deceased parents. No matter what, I will grit my teeth and persevere to the end, and I will never give up until I achieve my goal!"

The flower fairy stretched out her delicate and tender jade hand and gently placed it on Li Mingyang's broad and solid shoulders. Although this pat did not make any sound, the encouragement and support contained in it was like a spring breeze, warm and firm to Li Mingyang. At the same time, the majestic lion king beside him also nodded slightly, and his golden mane fluttered in the wind like a burning flame. Its big eyes like copper bells stared at Li Mingyang, and said in a low and powerful voice: "Since this is the case, let's deal with it together. No matter how rugged and thorny the road ahead is, we will join hands and fight bravely!"

After that, the three of them took resolute steps and slowly moved towards the depths of the valley. As they continued to go deeper, the scene in the valley became more and more bizarre and strange. The stone statues that were originally standing still seemed to have life at this moment, and the empty eyes seemed to be spying on their every move in the darkness; and the white mist in the air became thicker and thicker, like a group of smart white snakes, quietly entwining around their bodies, making people feel cold.

At this moment, without any warning, a dazzling light suddenly burst out from the depths of the valley, instantly breaking through the dark and misty space, and directly illuminating an open space not far ahead. Everyone looked closely and saw an extremely large stone tablet standing on the open space. The tablet was towering into the clouds, and it was densely engraved with all kinds of strange and obscure ancient runes. In the center of the tablet, there was a concave groove, the shape of which was just enough to accommodate a stone the size of an adult's fist.

"This is where the mysterious and legendary 'Nine Nether Stone' is!" Li Mingyang whispered softly, his eyes fixed on the giant stone in front of him that was slightly mottled by the erosion of time, and his eyes revealed a trace of awe and expectation. "However, it is not easy to get this strange stone, because there are many traps and obstacles here. We must first crack these traps one by one."

At this moment, a light and chaotic sound of footsteps suddenly reached everyone's ears. Li Mingyang's heart tightened, and he turned his head quickly to look. He saw a group of figures in black clothes slowly emerging from the dark corners that were originally quiet. This group of uninvited guests moved quickly and silently, approaching quietly like ghosts. When they got closer, Li Mingyang and others finally saw the face of the leader - it turned out to be one of the members of the "Shadow Blade" organization who had escaped a fierce battle before!

The man's face was as gloomy as water, and his eyes were as cold as ice. He stared at Li Mingyang and his group coldly and said, "Humph, you guys who don't know how to live or die shouldn't have come here at all. This 'Nine Nether Stone' is not a treasure that anyone can get their hands on. It only belongs to the person who can truly uncover its hidden secrets!"

Faced with such arrogant words, Li Mingyang did not retreat a single step. He gripped the hilt of the sword tightly, his palms slightly sweating, but his expression remained firm. He looked directly at the black-clothed leader and said loudly: "Your Excellency is wrong. We are not here to covet the so-called 'Nine Nether Stone', but just want to explore the truth of some important matters. If you know the inside story, please enlighten us."

The man raised his mouth slightly, revealing a sneer of contempt. The laugh was like the cold wind in the cold night, which made people shudder. He swept his eyes across the crowd and said slowly: "The truth? Humph! Well, since you are so eager to know the so-called truth, then I will be merciful and give you such a rare opportunity. But... this is not easy to get." At this point, he deliberately paused, then raised his voice and continued: "The premise is that you must successfully pass the next extremely difficult trial! Remember, only those who are truly qualified and worthy of possessing powerful power are qualified to know the final answer."

After he finished speaking, the man waved his arm gently, like a conductor waving his baton gracefully. Following his movements, the group of mysterious people in black clothes that were originally scattered around moved quickly like ghosts, and in the blink of an eye, they formed a tight circle, trapping Li Mingyang and others firmly in the center.

At this moment, a shocking scene occurred - the ground suddenly began to shake violently without any warning, accompanied by dull roars, and huge cracks suddenly appeared under people's feet. In an instant, billowing black smoke gushed out from these cracks, covering the sky and the sun. At the same time, powerful dark energy surged out like a flood, interweaving in the air to form various shapes and dreamlike images.

Some of these images had hideous faces, baring their fangs and claws as they pounced on Li Mingyang and his party; others were erratic, looming, and seemed to disappear at any time. They either let out a shrill howl or exuded a creepy and terrifying aura, obviously to test whether the group's willpower and faith were strong enough.

"Is everyone ready?" Li Mingyang turned his head seriously and looked at his companions. There was no hesitation or retreat in his deep eyes, only an unwavering light, as if it could penetrate the fog before their eyes and reach the truth.

The Lion King and the Flower Fairy standing beside him looked at each other and nodded solemnly in response. At this moment, the three of them stood upright like pine trees, side by side, fearlessly facing the unknown challenge that was about to surge ahead.

Their minds were as clear as a mirror. The severe test before them far exceeded the simple comparison of power. It was more like a deep test of the rock-hard faith in everyone's heart. You know, under this vast, ancient and mysterious land, there seemed to be countless unknown secrets and deadly dangers. Perhaps in that inconspicuous corner, or in that seemingly plain but actually mysterious place, there was a key clue quietly hidden that could uncover the fog and find the core of the truth.