242: Chapter 242 Three Peak Rank Three Evil Spirits

If the distance to the "Jade Court" was too great, crossing through layers of obstacles might not be worth the effort.

At that point, he would decisively give up the idea of competing directly for the Holy Grail and focus on hunting Evil Spirits and searching for other opportunities.

But if the distance wasn't too far, or if he was lucky enough to be in the Northern World...

Then, logically and emotionally, he should give it a try.

After all, his ability to qualify for the competition was largely thanks to Princess Anya's "help."

If he could lend her a hand, it would count as repaying part of the favor.

Moreover, given that Highness's generosity, the rewards provided afterward likely wouldn't be stingy.

One or two seventh-grade resources that could help him master a new cultivation technique were highly promising.

Having made up his mind, Qin Yan held ink trace and cautiously walked toward the exit of the valley.

He prepared to observe the external environment and look for landmark references.

However, as he followed the rugged valley path and neared the exit...

Using a protruding rock to conceal his figure, he quietly peered outside.

The sight before him instantly made his scalp tingle and his pupils constrict!

As far as the eye could see, the area outside the valley was not the open woodland or rolling hills he had expected.

Instead... it was a boundless, surging "black tide"!

Those were Evil Spirits! Densely packed, countless Evil Spirits!

They came in various forms, most maintaining distorted human or beast shapes.

There were even a few plant-types with giant black mouths!

Their entire bodies surged with varying shades of black mist.

They either wandered aimlessly, gathered in low-lying areas, or let out silent roars toward the sky.

Gray-black evil energy rose and intertwined from their bodies.

Forming a suffocating gray haze in the air.

The entire world outside the valley seemed to be occupied by this endless army of Evil Spirits.

The air was bone-chillingly cold, permeated with a strong sense of decay and malice.

Qin Yan roughly estimated that within his line of sight alone, the number of Evil Spirits... was likely no less than five thousand!

And among them were many with powerful auras, reaching at least the third grade mid-stage or even third grade late stage!

A drop of cold sweat silently slid down from Qin Yan's temple.

"Have I... dropped right into an Evil Spirit's nest?!"

This "surprise" from the random teleportation was a bit too much!

Without a moment's hesitation, Qin Yan immediately held his breath and suppressed his blood-qi fluctuations to the minimum.

He moved backward inch by inch with extremely light steps, for fear of attracting the attention of those Evil Spirits outside the valley entrance.

His heart pounded in his chest, not out of fear, but from the instinctive tension of facing overwhelming numbers.

He retreated all the way to the depths of the valley, near the area where he had first arrived.

After confirming he was at a safe distance, Qin Yan let out a long, silent breath, his back already covered in a thin layer of sweat.

"I absolutely cannot go out that way! It's a dead end!"

"Furthermore, even if I were lucky enough to break through this layer of Evil Spirit encirclement..."

"Who's to say there wouldn't be a second or third layer in the outer regions?"

"This valley is likely located on the edge or even... the heart of a massive Evil Spirit gathering area!"

His gaze involuntarily turned toward the depths of the valley, his eyes flickering.

Generally speaking, in a secret realm, the deeper and more central the area, the more powerful the beings and the more dangerous the situation.

Heading inward was undoubtedly walking into a dangerous place of his own accord.

"But I can't just sit here and wait for death either."

"If I stay here, once the external Evil Spirits return, I'll die sooner or later!"

"Venturing deep into the valley might offer a slim chance of survival, a way to find another exit, or even... discover something."

He tightened his grip on the Ink-Marked Spear; the familiar cool and solid feel of the spear's shaft helped steady his mind.

Adjusting his breathing, Qin Yan no longer hesitated and strode toward the depths of the valley.

The initial stretch of the path was relatively calm, with few Evil Spirits.

But the further in he went, the thicker the cold and foul aura in the air became, and the more powerful the Evil Spirits he encountered.

From the initial scattered third grade early stage ones, third grade mid-stage ones gradually appeared, and he could even occasionally sense third grade late stage Evil Spirits wandering in the distance.

However, what made Qin Yan breathe a slight sigh of relief was that although these Evil Spirits were stronger individually, their numbers were few, and they were all slain by Qin Yan with swift and decisive methods.

As he fought his way forward, Qin Yan's thoughts raced.

"When things are unusual, there must be something fishy."

Although Canglin Ancient Peak has many Evil Spirits, a gathering of that scale outside is definitely not normal."

He recalled the information from the records: "Evil Spirits grow and gather by devouring life and energy."

"They instinctively flock to places where energy is dense or where there is 'food'..."

A thought flashed through his mind like lightning: "In Canglin Ancient Peak, a large-scale gathering of Evil Spirits often means there's some kind of 'treasure' there that continuously emits energy!"

Ordinary flesh-and-blood life would quickly be devoured, unable to support such a large population's long-term gathering.

But some Heaven And Earth Treasure, energy ores, or even certain special ruins or natural wonders can release energy fields for a long time.

For Evil Spirits, such places are undoubtedly "cultivation treasures," and they are instinctively drawn to gather there.

The more Evil Spirits gather, the more abundant the "treasure's" energy tends to be, and the higher its value!

"And this area I'm currently in..."

Qin Yan looked back at the way he had come; although he couldn't see the valley entrance, the sight of the Evil Spirits covering the mountains and fields remained clear in his mind.

"The number of Evil Spirits is more than just 'many'; it's practically formed a small 'Evil Spirit Kingdom'!"

So, following this logic, the value of the "thing" attracting these Evil Spirits here would likely be beyond imagination!

However, Qin Yan didn't let the thought of a potential treasure cloud his judgment.

Reason told him that the most important thing right now was not searching for treasure.

It was how to survive in such a perilous environment and find a way out.

At this moment, he was still trapped deep within this eerie valley.

With an uncertain path ahead and an "army" behind, it was no exaggeration to say he was in a state of life-and-death uncertainty.

Composing himself, Qin Yan continued to sneak deeper along the rugged valley path.

However, just as he rounded a bend hidden by a massive rock, his steps abruptly stopped.

On the path ahead, three figures with black mist surging like ink were suspended there in a triangular formation.

They were completely different from the low-level Evil Spirits he had encountered before.

The black mist on their bodies was more solid, their crimson eyes burned more intensely, and they had even condensed nearly physical black energy weapons—war sabers, spears, and heavy hammers.

The energy fluctuations they emitted had all impressively reached the level of Third-Rank Peak!