The irregular lands of the world, they are known as the Void Valley.
Since the opening of the Epoch in the Yuan Central Continent, the Void Valley had been the continentâs forsaken land.
With unstable rules and often chaotic space, if not for the existence of the Void Tree, there likely wouldnât be many who were willing to venture there.
After traveling for over a month, the Nightmareâs carriage finally arrived at the location of the Void Valley in the wee hours of one morning.
The sky was just beginning to brighten, resembling an immense basin turned upside down, with the glimmering stars and the moon gradually fading away.
The glow of dawn slowly spread at the edge of the horizon.
Nearer to the Void Valley, naturally, there were more travelers encountered on the road.
From a distance, the entrance to Void Valley lay within a sunken mountain hollow.
Xu Zimei could not yet see into this hollow, but the scenery above was somewhat more conspicuous.
In contrast to other places, space above the hollow was a rampage, with streams of Void Turbulence howling through it.
Space kept shattering, its recovery hardly keeping up with the pace at which the turbulence brought destruction.
Space is originally invisible, but that disjointed void resembled shattered glass, striking and stunning.
Sunlight streamed through these broken voids and even the reflections on the ground were fragmented.
...
"Did you hear that just a few days ago, Du Laoqi died in the Void Turbulence?
Wasnât he just drinking with us not long ago? Life is so unpredictable!"
"Whatâs so surprising about that? Isnât everyone who comes to the Void Valley carrying their head on their waistband?
Just a few days ago, members of the Yellow Crane Gang found a top-notch Void Tree inside. Itâs said they exchanged that premium Void Wood with Great Zhou for countless cultivation resources."
"Thatâs why I say, whatâs the point of those big clanâs Disciples? We Loose Cultivators are the ones truly relishing the battle with the heavens, finding endless joy in it."
Near the entrance of the Void Valley was a teahouse, where several people sat scattered around, engaging in lively discussion.
Several teapots on the table, weapons placed at the corner, and on top of the wooden board there fluttered a flag.
In bold black characters, it read "No Return Teahouse."
Noticing Xu Zimeiâs arrival, a man in yellow garb chuckled, "New here?"
Xu Zimei stepped out of the sedan, parked the Nightmare by the roadside, and said with a light smile, "What makes you say that?"
"The entrance to the Void Valley is on the other side; this road is the No Return Path.
Most who come here for the first time donât know and inadvertently step into it, never to emerge again."
The teahouseâs owner was a man in his fifties, his hair at the temples already graying.
He looked at Xu Zimei and said with a light smile, "Eventually, I just set up a teahouse right here, to warn those who come by."
Xu Zimei sat down in the teahouse with interest and asked, "What teas do you have?"
"Only our homemade loose tea, would you like some?" the owner asked with a smile.
"A pot, please," Xu Zimei nodded.
"Looking at the young masterâs attire, you donât seem like someone whoâs come to venture into the Void Valley," the man in the yellow robe remarked.
"Iâm from out of town. I heard the Void Valley is quite famous, so I wanted to come and see," said Xu Zimei with a smile.
"If the young master is from a wealthy family, thereâs really no need for this.
Only those of us with no choice come here to try our luck," the man said, shaking his head with a smile.
"I have never been to the Void Valley either. Could you tell me about the situation inside?" Xu Zimei inquired.
The owner of the teahouse brought over the boiled teapot, hissing hot and held on a trivet.
The scent of the tea was somewhat invigorating; purely judging by its aroma, it was just right.
"Void Valley, well, let me just give you a brief overview," the teahouse owner sat to the side.
Sipping his light tea, he smiled and said, "The spatial area of Void Valley is infinite; even if you spent your entire life, you couldnât traverse all of it.
The dangers there are relatively few, with only Void Turbulence and Void Beasts to worry about.
Because the terrain is so special, many creatures cannot survive there for long.
Therefore, the only plants that can survive in there are the Void Trees."
"Have there been any unusual events in Void Valley, or are there any other creatures living there?" Xu Zimei continued to inquire.
Hearing the ownerâs words, Xu Zimei realized she had no way to start looking.
Void Valley had no borders, and the Void Spirit Monkey had left no cluesâhow could she possibly find it?
"We donât know either; we donât often come to Void Valley, just occasionally trying our luck.
The teahouse owner hasnât entered Void Valley either," said the man in the yellow robe next to him.
"If you want to gather information, go three kilometers east from here, and youâll find a small town.
Thereâs a family with the surname Pi in that town; they have settled here for thousands of years.
They live by searching for Void Wood and perhaps know more."
"Can you tell me about the No Return Road?" Xu Zimei asked.
"Itâs not a big secret, itâs just that newcomers donât understand," said the teahouse owner with a smile.
"The biggest danger in Void Valley is the spatial turbulence, but normally, the turbulence doesnât appear; itâs only an occasional occurrence.
However, on the No Return Road, where the spatial turbulence is most intense, almost no one dares to enter.
Any who enter are torn to pieces by the turbulence in an instant."
"Has no one ever gone in?" Xu Zimei asked.
"No, itâs said that not even Great Emperors could, they would have to turn back after only a few steps," the owner shook his head as he spoke.
"Thank you," Xu Zimei stood up, casually placing some Spirit Stones on the table, and then stepped onto Nightmareâs carriage.
...âŠ
After leaving the No Return Road, Xu Zimei went to take a look at the entrance to Void Valley.
Indeed, there was only one road leading into Void Valley, paved with white boulders, clearly constructed and maintained.
At the entrance stood disciples from several major forces, and anyone entering had to hand over their Token.
The entrance to Void Valley was a space vortex gate formed by a distorted space.
Xu Zimei merely saw these people enter the vortex and then disappear; she couldnât see the world inside.
However, she didnât go in rashly, instead planning to visit the small town to the east.
Nightmare continued forward; three kilometers was not a distant journey for it.
In almost no time, Xu Zimei arrived at a small town named Void Town.
The town was moderate in size, with two hundred-year-old Sky-reaching Great Trees planted at the entrance.
The entrance was a wooden gateway, above which the three characters for "Void Town" on the iron placard had become somewhat blurred.
The iron plaque, because of age, had long been rusted over, with rust spots all over.
The town was reasonably lively, with people occasionally walking by in groups on the streets.
The vendors on both sides calmly hawked their goods.
The scene before her was neither bustling nor desolate.
"Excuse me, is there a family with the surname Pi in our town?" Xu Zimei stopped a passerby and asked with a smile.