Chapter 592: King's Follower

The Feather Queen, already utterly convinced by Xu Yang, preemptively removed her crown, along with the incredibly brilliant and translucent gem adorning it, and handed them to Xu Yang before he and his companions could even speak.

"Your Excellency is correct," she said. "This gem was always meant to accompany the Ice Crystal Scepter, and it is far more suitable for this young lady. I now offer this as redemption for the various actions of the White Feather clan, hoping that, for the sake of this gem, you will forgive our transgressions."

Xu Yang waved his hand dismissively. "As I said, if you truly reform, then all past misdeeds are forgiven. Your only task now is to guide us to the Valley of Malevolent Spirits."

A flicker of hesitation was visible in the Feather Queen's eyes when she heard this, but it quickly vanished.

"No problem," she replied. "Whatever Your Excellency commands, I will do my utmost. However, if we are to go to the Valley of Malevolent Spirits, I must first arrange some matters with the members of the White Feather clan."

Shi Lingyun, with her formidable powers of perception, immediately discerned a deeper meaning in the Feather Queen's words.

"It's merely a request for you to guide us," Shi Lingyun interjected. "Surely it's a quick trip; why the need for such elaborate preparations?"

The Feather Queen offered a wry, helpless smile. "The Valley of Malevolent Spirits is unlike any other place. As I mentioned before, the Violet Fiend residing there has devoured countless infernal spirit seeds. Such a place is even more dreadful than purgatory. Even if intruders do not provoke anyone, they might never return due to its peculiar environment."

As the Feather Queen elaborated, Xu Yang and his three seasoned companions quickly grasped the implications. In a place more terrifying than purgatory, various toxic entities would undoubtedly pose a significant challenge, not to mention countless other unforeseen perils!

"Very well," Xu Yang conceded. "In that case, you don't need to accompany us. Simply transfer the specific route to me via a spiritual imprint."

The Feather Queen looked as though she had received a great pardon the moment Xu Yang spoke. Even the Feather Venerable, still in his spiritual form beside her, cast a look of profound gratitude towards Xu Yang.

"Thank you for your understanding, Your Excellency," she said. "My White Feather clan will forever be indebted to your kindness."

Shortly after, Long Kun, who had been in a state of nirvana, reopened his eyes. The fiery, endless light blazing within them made him appear remarkably invigorated. Without a doubt, this successful nirvana had further amplified Long Kun's bloodline power. Now, his bloodline strength was unmatched by anyone below the Divine level.

"You foul hag," Long Kun grumbled, "you really hit hard! If I hadn't possessed the undying phoenix bloodline, I probably would have perished right then and there!"

The Feather Queen, looking apologetic, bowed repeatedly to Long Kun. However, Long Kun, always easygoing, paid little mind to such things. Since Xu Yang had already pardoned their transgressions, Long Kun naturally had no intention of troubling her further.

Having acquired the spiritual imprint and the crown's gem, Xu Yang and his group had accomplished all their objectives in Cloud Heaven City. With no reason to linger, they ascended into the sky and swiftly vanished into the distant horizon, watched by the assembled White Feather clan.

"Boss," Long Kun asked, "what's the deal with that Valley of Malevolent Spirits? Please share some detailed information with us first. I have a feeling this journey might be our most arduous battle in the underground palace!"

Long Kun, ever the talkative one, grew restless again. However, no sooner had he finished speaking than Xu Yang's response proved even more alarming.

"It's more than just the most difficult battle in this underground palace," Xu Yang stated. "Unless something unexpected happens, that Violet Fiend is likely the most formidable opponent we have ever encountered."

Xu Yang rarely used such a tone to describe an opponent. Previously, even when facing true Divine-level powerhouses, he had always maintained a calm and composed demeanor. Yet, confronting the impending Violet Fiend, even someone as mighty as Xu Yang seemed to lack his usual unwavering confidence.

"What?!" Long Kun exclaimed. "It can't be that terrifying, can it? He's just another demon, isn't he? I still vividly recall how utterly domineering it was when you, Boss, instantly obliterated that Shepherd Boy with a single strike of your Moon Shadow Asura! Is this guy just a bit more disgusting than the previous one?"

Xu Yang snorted. "According to the spiritual imprint the woman gave me, this fellow is not merely a creator of unique bloodlines. After devouring a creature with a specific bloodline, he can, to a certain extent, assimilate that external bloodline power into his own body. This talent bears some resemblance to my first sacrificial beast, the Taotie. The key difference is that this demon possesses a true Divine-level bloodline, far more potent than the Taotie's. How could a king of the underground palace, capable of making the Seven Great Primeval Demons bow in submission, be someone we can easily dispatch?"

Shi Lingyun nodded gravely in agreement. "Boss is right; regardless of how powerful our opponent is, we must proceed with extreme caution."

After flying for more than three hours, Xu Yang and his three companions finally reached the periphery of the Valley of Malevolent Spirits.

However, the moment they arrived, a distinct, sanguineous scent permeating the air immediately drew the attention of all four.

"Everyone, be careful," Xu Yang warned. "The bloodline aura here is incredibly dense. If I'm not mistaken, a major battle has just concluded!"

No sooner had Xu Yang finished speaking than faint, fragmented sounds of commotion reached their ears.

They turned to see a colossal scorpion, a species commonly found in deserts, its entire body gleaming with a purplish-black metallic sheen. Its massive tail, tipped with a razor-sharp stinger, sent a shiver down their spines.

Ling Yao bravely stepped forward. After assessing that the colossal creature's elemental attributes countered her ice-sealing power, she was the first to charge out from the group and confront the enormous scorpion.

"You four certainly have some nerve," the scorpion rumbled. "Do you even know where you are, daring to trespass here?"

Ling Yao scoffed. "Isn't it just the Valley of Malevolent Spirits? It might intimidate others, but it doesn't frighten us. By your tone, could you be the guardian of this valley?"

The colossal scorpion, however, gave a cold chuckle. "Me? I am merely the most humble sustenance within the Valley of Malevolent Spirits. With a bloodline as weak as mine, I wouldn't even warrant a glance from the higher-ranking rulers inside the canyon. There is no place for me within the valley itself. But out of my overwhelming devotion to Lord Violet Fiend, I choose to remain in the outer reaches of this Valley of Malevolent Spirits for all eternity, gazing upon the glory of the great ones."

After all that, it turned out this colossal scorpion was merely a devout follower of the Valley of Malevolent Spirits. As he himself stated, a behemoth of his power, comparable to a human Tribulation Transcendence expert, served as nothing more than a mere gatekeeper for the valley.

"Heh," Ling Yao retorted, "throughout this journey through the underground palace, I've encountered countless braggarts. But I must say, someone who willingly debases themselves like you, that's a first for me."

The colossal scorpion's gaze remained reverent, showing no trace of disrespect.

"No one willingly debases themselves or succumbs to degradation," the scorpion replied, "but the Valley of Malevolent Spirits is no ordinary place. Here, there are no eternal kings, only stronger beings continuously emerging! My words simply reflect my self-awareness."

Prior to encountering this creature, Long Kun had always considered the Valley of Malevolent Spirits to be nothing out of the ordinary, merely a den for a collection of insignificant beings.

However, upon seeing the colossal scorpion before him, an instinctive sense of apprehension began to stir within him.

If even the valley's gatekeeper was this formidable, then there was no telling just how powerful the so-called 'master-level' cultivators within the Valley of Malevolent Spirits truly were. Perhaps only by experiencing it firsthand would they truly comprehend.