...

Beneath the Great Mountain’s vast sky, a small figure with a tender, porcelain-like smooth face sits on a wing as white as snow.

The enormous white wing pushes away the surrounding clouds, and the azure sky seems to be split open by a sword, cutting through the white robe of the heavens.

This white wing appears in the sky for just an instant before disappearing at the horizon.

Its speed is so fast that the naked eye cannot capture it, as if you can hear the whistling sound from thousands of meters away.

Xu Ran sits calmly on the back of the Peregrine Falcon, as if an immortal in exile.

Suddenly, Xu Ran opens his eyes, with a hint of doubt in his azure pupils.

"Xiao Bai, under this Great Mountain’s sky, are there so many clouds?"

The Peregrine Falcon, hearing this, looks around in confusion and finds that the clouds it had previously fanned away are gathering once more.

"Something’s not right?!"

Suddenly, Xu Ran notices something amiss.

"This is not clouds, it’s mist!"

Xu Ran’s voice, like a clap of thunder, reaches the Peregrine Falcon’s ears.

The word ’mist’ directly stirs its inner memory, for when the mist permeated, Xu Binghu disappeared in the Great Mountain for several days.

Now that this mist appears again, could it be that Xu Binghu has disappeared once more?

"Screech!"

The Peregrine Falcon lets out a long cry.

Xu Ran understands its meaning, "Are you saying that Dad might be in trouble again?"

Last time the mist appeared, it was because Xu Binghu mistakenly entered that strange village. There, he brought back the White Jade Giant Bone that perfected his Innate Saint’s Sacred Body.

But this time, could they be as lucky?

As they ponder, the mist continues to gather around them, their figures under the vast sky fleeting and disappearing instantly, one moment visible from the ground and the next moment vanished.

Simultaneously.

Xu Ran and the Peregrine Falcon’s vision starts to change. The originally clear outline of the Great Mountain begins to blur, as if a white veil covers their eyes, making the scenery beneath indistinct.

"This is not right!" Xu Ran reacts immediately, "These mists are coming right at us!"

As soon as he finishes speaking, the surrounding mist seems to understand his words, like a massive, silent white beast, swiftly engulfing everything. The howling winds cease, the all-penetrating dawn is swallowed up, the sound of surging rivers vanishes, and the figures of one person and one falcon disappear, even their hands placed on their chests are lost from sight.

Even the hands placed on the chest are lost from sight, if not for still being able to perceive the existence of hands, it wouldn’t be surprising to say they vanished!

This sudden change makes the Peregrine Falcon slightly anxious, and Xu Ran, sitting on its back, can feel its body trembling.

Seeing this, Xu Ran quickly places his tender small hand on its back, infusing strands of Innate Qi into its body, "Xiao Bai, don’t worry!"

Xu Ran’s calm voice reaches the Peregrine Falcon’s ears and similarly calms it down, its body stabilizing immediately.

Feeling the Peregrine Falcon calm down again, Xu Ran begins to think.

"Last time when the mist appeared, Dad returned safely. This time, although the mist is targeting us, perhaps it’s the same situation as Dad’s, mistakenly entering some mysterious place in the Great Mountain!"

As soon as Xu Ran finishes speaking.

His body feels weightless, the world spins, causing a moment of panic, and in the next instant, Xu Ran feels his feet standing on solid ground.

"Hmm?" Xu Ran feels puzzled, "Xiao Bai?"

"Screech!"

The Peregrine Falcon cries out, its sleek feathers brushing against Xu Ran’s body.

"What’s going on?" Knowing the Peregrine Falcon is still by his side, Xu Ran relaxes his tense body a bit.

In that fleeting moment of panic, they descend from the ten thousand meters high sky to solid ground, all thanks to that peculiar mist. However, this mist, compared to in the sky, is much thinner, allowing a faint view of the surrounding scene, as if they’re in a valley.

Xu Ran’s voice seems to enter a no-man’s land, except for the Peregrine Falcon beside him, no other sound appears, the world around is as if a mute button has been pressed.

"However?!" Xu Ran’s body gently releases strands of Innate Qi, "This mist, it’s not the same as it was up in the sky!"

"Screech!"

The Peregrine Falcon also calls in agreement.

As they speak.

The layered mist surges like tides from all directions, instantly covering the valley that Xu Ran could vaguely see.

The mist, as if traversing from ancient times, every wisp of it seems embedded with the roars of ancient beasts, directly striking one’s Heart Spirit.

In the next moment, the mist full of endless ancient aura changes again, the white mist slowly starts to transform, turning into a ghostly green.

This ghostly green mist surrounds them, as if slipping out from the Netherworld, exuding a chilling air of death and decay, each wisp seeming to hold a wailing soul crying for justice.

As the mist transforms, the barely visible ground underfoot begins to tremble, the earth as if being overturned, something is about to emerge.

In that ghostly green mist, one after another, green shadows appear. Upon closer inspection, hundreds of twisted trees sprout from the ground, their gnarled branches reptilian and monstrous, as if preparing to devour Xu Ran and the Peregrine Falcon within the mist.

The Peregrine Falcon, unable to see the scene within the mist initially, now feels its blood boiling due to the suddenness, flapping its wings frantically, letting out sharp cries.

Xu Ran’s expression turns somewhat solemn and he comforts, "Xiao Bai, don’t rush, this mist seems to bear us no malice!"

Saying so, strands of Innate Qi once again enter the Peregrine Falcon’s body, slightly calming the somewhat agitated Peregrine Falcon, but its pupils remain dilated.

Xu Ran stands still in the same spot, continuously pondering, logically, the Peregrine Falcon has witnessed significant events with him and would even sacrifice its life for him, yet why is it so agitated in this situation?

Something’s wrong?!

Things are utterly wrong?!

The Peregrine Falcon’s sudden change tightens Xu Ran’s expression instantly, becoming extremely alert to the unknown changes occurring around them.

Suddenly.

The ghostly green mist changes once again, like being drawn away, the ghostly green is extracted, and simultaneously, Xu Ran and the Peregrine Falcon are engulfed in darkness, their bodies like points of light drifting in the air, consciousness slipping away.

Not knowing how much time passes, possibly a blink, perhaps an eternity.

When Xu Ran regains consciousness, the scene before him transforms once more.

In the distance, a valley appears faintly, with countless vines and bizarre rocks standing at its entrance.

The vines, as thick as pythons, wind and coil, with scales neatly arranged, looking as if it truly is an ancient giant python.

And those bizarre rocks, oddly shaped, some resembling giant beasts with claws bared, others like struggling evil spirits from the Netherworld.

The vines tightly wrap around the bizarre rocks, as if firmly sealing them here.

Above this valley, white, black, and ghostly green mists converge, tangled, unable to merge, like a natural barrier guarding this mysterious valley.

"Where is this...?"

Xu Ran looks at this strange valley, eyes full of confusion.

"Could this be the village Dad entered last time?"

Saying that, the Peregrine Falcon has already arrived at the valley entrance, standing still before a bizarre rock wrapped in vines, motionless.

Xu Ran curiously follows.

The bizarre rock appears to be a miniature raptor, yet the ancient aura it exudes makes it formidable not to be underestimated.