In the valley.

A cool mist wind blew from all directions, carrying a strong, pungent scent of decay, as though it were the breath of some eerie creature, brushing against Xu Ran and the Peregrine Falcon’s faces, lingering for a long time...

It seemed to want to cling to them forever, never dissipating.

The Peregrine Falcon’s gaze was tightly fixed on the colossal corpse ahead, nestled within the valley, its enormous body in decay, skin exhibiting a nauseating bluish-black hue, covered in cracks like a piece of worn leather.

The Peregrine Falcon’s eyes widened, filled with shock and disbelief, its claws on the ground clenching tightly, unknowingly opening then closing, while its body trembled relentlessly.

Its beak slightly parted, witnessing this astonishing sight, wanting to make a sound, yet the scene before it was so shocking that its throat seemed choked, unable to produce any sound.

The originally sleek white feathers of the Peregrine Falcon stuck closely to its body in the decaying wind, growing sticky, the entire body shivering in the breeze, even while its master Xu Ran stood beside it, the trembling persisted.

"What... is this?"

The Peregrine Falcon looked at the scene, its heart filled with immense shock.

Even though it had witnessed many grand scenes alongside Xu Ran, it remained incredibly incredulous at the current setting.

The giant corpse before them emitted a presence akin to the oppressive majesty of a higher being, rendering it immobile and terrifying.

Suddenly.

From the depths of the valley.

A wave of foul, decaying breath resurfaced, sweeping past the Peregrine Falcon’s body, entering within it.

"Thud thud--"

"Thud thud--"

"Thud thud--"

...

Several thunderous heartbeats echoed within the tranquil valley, originating from the heart of the Peregrine Falcon.

With the resonance of these heartbeats, the Kunpeng Essence Blood within the Peregrine Falcon surged explosively from its heart, instantly flooding through its entire form.

Simultaneously, the exterior of the Peregrine Falcon began to swell, doubling its size within moments, growing larger than it had been even after performing the Divine Eagle Skill.

As the Kunpeng Essence Blood coursed through its being, the sticky feathers previously clung by the decaying wind returned to their sleek form, becoming sharp as steel.

At this moment.

The Peregrine Falcon’s body exuded an aura from ancient times, a presence bearing ferocity and unmatched pride.

Xu Ran stood beside it, sensing the monumental changes within the Peregrine Falcon, his expression serious, especially amid this eerie valley.

"Is it... that wind?" Xu Ran murmured.

He too sensed the peculiar breeze from the depths of the valley.

However.

Despite the shock, ever since entering the valley, the Innate Qi within him remained constant, cyclically enveloping his body, safeguarding Xu Ran.

Without this Innate Qi, had that eerie wind swept over, his fate might not have fared much better than the Peregrine Falcon’s.

"What exactly is this valley? Just a breeze can trigger the Kunpeng Essence Blood within the Peregrine Falcon."

Xu Ran gazed at the Peregrine Falcon, his eyes suddenly brightening, shaking his head.

"No, this isn’t the Kunpeng Essence Blood being triggered, it’s being stimulated by something, coming forth actively to protect its master!"

Upon realizing this, beads of sweat rolled down Xu Ran’s forehead.

The Kunpeng, a mythical creature from ancient times, a king of demon beasts, a king of raptors, ruling its kind, leaving behind numerous awe-inspiring legends.

That this Kunpeng was triggered by the enormous corpse ahead?

Initially, Xu Ran was only astonished by the sight of the massive corpse before him.

After all, he had never seen a corpse of such magnitude, its presence exuding an overwhelming dread.

But that was simply due to Xu Ran’s relatively brief cultivation period.

Now, things had changed.

The reaction of the Kunpeng Bloodline itself was enough to prove that the enormous corpse indicating that at least in terms of bloodline, it was on par with Kunpeng.

As for exceeding Kunpeng, that was uncertain.

After all.

The Kunpeng existed since ancient times; surpassing it in bloodline would mean belonging from an incredibly ancient creature.

If such an existence was realized, it was beyond Xu Ran’s imagination.

Prompted by the released Kunpeng Essence Blood, the Peregrine Falcon felt minimal fear towards the enormous corpse before them, and its body did not remain immobile.

Its body stood for an extended time, confronted by the invisible pressure from the gigantic corpse, the newly mobile Peregrine Falcon instinctively took a step forward.

"Tap-"

Its sharp claws stepped forward, touching a stone on the ground, producing a faint yet crisp sound.

In such a silent environment, even the faintest sound roared in the ears of Xu Ran and the Peregrine Falcon.

"Swoosh swoosh swoosh---"

"Swoosh swoosh swoosh---"

"Swoosh swoosh swoosh---"

"Swoosh swoosh swoosh---"

In an instant that faint sound resonated, the strange valley’s ground began to tremble erratically, as though the sky was spinning and the earth whirling, vision clouded.

Xu Ran and the Peregrine Falcon’s bodies unconsciously quivered, on the brink of toppling within the valley.

Although the tremors came unexpectedly, in this eerie valley, no event seemed too peculiar.