Upon first entering the gorge, the presence of Exotic Beasts was noticeably scarce. Often, one could travel dozens to hundreds of miles without spotting a single Exotic Beast. Gradually, however, their numbers began to increase again. Although still not comparable to the time before the great war, one could encounter a beast every ten to twenty miles or so, most of which were quite formidable, with some even reaching the Great Sword Master Realm.

After all, the Longyan Mountain range is vast, and even the formidable Netherworld Beast could not possibly enslave every Exotic Beast, inevitably leaving some elusive ones behind.

Upon seeing humans, these Exotic Beasts instinctively displayed hostility, but did not recklessly attack like those controlled by the Netherworld Beast. Mu Hanyan and his companions focused on their journey and were not inclined to provoke them.

Strictly speaking, Exotic Beasts and humans are cohabitants of this continent. However, the great battle millions of years ago ended in defeat for the Exotic Beasts, which subsequently retreated into the Longyan Mountain range, avoiding disputes. Human cultivators, in pursuit of power or to tame Sword Pets, frequently ventured into Longyan Mountain to hunt these beasts. This time, under the influence of the Netherworld Beast, Exotic Beasts launched an all-out war against human nations, which has resulted in heavy casualties from present circumstances. Thus, Mu Hanyan harbored no intention of annihilating them entirely.

Strangely though, in recent hours, Mu Hanyan hadn’t encountered a single Exotic Beast. The mountains were eerily silent, creating an unsettling atmosphere.

Huayue and the others noticed something unusual too, their expressions becoming unusually grave.

Suddenly, Little Qiongqi stopped in its tracks, looking east and west as if searching for something.

Only then did Mu Hanyan and his companions realize that the surrounding mountains formed a vast basin-like gorge. However, this basin was not flat but was filled with undulating hills and mountains, albeit much lower, enclosed within that basin.

Clouds and mist swirled among the mountains in the valley, concealing and revealing peaks as if it were a legendary fairyland.

Surveying the ever-shifting mountains, Mu Hanyan felt a sense of familiarity.

Where had he seen it before? Mu Hanyan carefully pondered.

Suddenly, a bright idea struck Mu Hanyan. He took out the Dragon and Phoenix Jade Pendant gifted by Han Jinglun. The wispy mountain shapes on the pendant closely resembled the misty valley before his eyes.

Using his Divine Sense to probe further, Mu Hanyan quickly detected a mysterious energy lingering within the valley—venerable and profound, endlessly mysterious.

Nine times out of ten, this must be the place where the ancestors of the Han and Tang Families discovered the Ancient Relics!

Wasn’t Little Qiongqi leading them to rescue Xia Youchen? How did they end up here? Although puzzled, Mu Hanyan was more pleasantly surprised than anything.

The mountain shapes on the Dragon and Phoenix Jade Pendant were so elusive that, according to Mu Hanyan’s past experiences traveling the world, even a deliberate search would likely yield little result in decades. Unexpectedly, they chanced upon it.

With a low cry, Little Qiongqi charged into the valley, and Mu Hanyan, without much thought, led the group in pursuit. As long as Ye Lanfeng was by their side, unless encountering that mysterious expert from last time, there really weren’t many people or Exotic Beasts in this world that could harm them. Therefore, Mu Hanyan did not need to be overly cautious.

Once they entered the valley, they were enveloped by dense fog, unable to see a shadow a few yards away. The valley’s landscape of rising and falling hills and standing stones made it feel like a vast maze.

Fortunately, with Little Qiongqi leading the way, Mu Hanyan and his companions did not have to spend time finding the path.

But after following Little Qiongqi for over an hour, they noticed something amiss. After circling east and west to complete a large circle, they had returned to the valley’s entrance.

Little Qiongqi gestured frantically and cried out urgently.

"What’s it saying?" Ye Yanran asked Mu Hanyan, trying to suppress her inner worry.

"It says it can sense Senior Xia’s aura but can’t find him," Mu Hanyan replied.

In truth, Little Qiongqi and Xia Youchen had established a Master-Servant Contract. What it sensed wasn’t Xia Youchen’s aura, but a subtle connection through Divine Sense. Little Qiongqi’s statement meant Xia Youchen was still alive, which brought Mu Hanyan a slight sense of relief.

"And how is my former great-grandfather?" Ye Yanran pressed.

"I’m afraid it’s not good," Mu Hanyan replied. From Little Qiongqi’s frantic demeanor, one could infer Xia Youchen’s dire situation; otherwise, it wouldn’t appear so anxious.

"What kind of damn place is this?" After hearing Mu Hanyan’s words and seeing Little Qiongqi pacing frantically, Ye Yanran, frustrated and anxious, kicked a giant stone in front of her, only to wince in pain.

Jiang Yuzhe decisively drew his Longsword and struck heavily.

A powerful vortex surged forth along with the Sword Light like a storm. If it were normal mist, even a light breeze could disperse it, let alone a vortex storm unleashed by a Ninth Rank Sword Master.

Yet the result was beyond everyone’s expectations. Jiang Yuzhe’s strike felt like it vanished into the sea; the seemingly light and gossamer mist wasn’t affected at all, not even the slightest ripple.

"What’s going on?" Jiang Yuzhe was baffled.

"If I’m not mistaken, this valley conceals an Ancient Relic. The fog is the Defensive Array of the Ancient Relic, and this method cannot break it," Ye Lanfeng replied.

"So what do we do?" Jiang Yuzhe asked.

"Either break the Defensive Array, or we find a way to pass through the mist to locate the passage into the Ancient Relics," Ye Lanfeng suggested, adding, "However, the Defensive Array is hidden within the Ancient Relics, and since we are outside, attempting to break it would likely be more challenging than simply seeking the passage."

Everyone felt a sinking sensation. Little Qiongqi and Xia Youchen shared a contract, but even it could only sense Xia Youchen’s presence without finding the passage. They were left wandering blindly like headless flies, making it even more challenging for them to locate the passage.

"How about we search separately?" Jiang Yuzhe suggested cautiously.

"If we separate, even if you find the passage, we won’t be able to locate you. Are you planning to venture to your death alone?" This time, Zirong didn’t put down Jiang Yuzhe but was still blunt.

The others furrowed their brows and remained silent.

Although they didn’t know what Xia Youchen had encountered, his reputation as the Beast Taming Sword Saint was not unwarranted. Previously, burdened by Little Qiongqi, he was slow to regain his strength. But after obtaining the Beast Soul Relics at Flying Peak, Little Qiongqi no longer needed to draw power from him. His strength should have nearly recovered and was not weaker than any of them. Even foes he couldn’t handle would challenge Huayue’s group members, possibly costing them dearly.