In Emei, start by obtaining golden attributes.

Chapter 520 The Valley of Ten Thousand Miasmas, the Bad Guys

Thirteen.

More than 400 miles away from the bustling Chang'an Prefecture, the Wanzhang Valley is perpetually shrouded in a heavy, gray-green miasma, like a veil.

The valley was dimly lit, and the air was filled with a viscous, decaying smell, interspersed with wisps of light green mist that were visible to the naked eye, drifting silently as if they were alive.

Beneath the damp, decaying leaves, colorful venomous snakes coiled; on the dark tree trunks, grotesque poisonous insects clung; even the air seemed to be filled with a faint buzzing, the sound of countless tiny venomous creatures flapping their wings, sending chills down one's spine.

At this moment, deep within the valley lies a dark and dense forest.

Underfoot was a thick layer of foul-smelling humus, which felt soft, slippery, and sticky.

Ancient trees towered all around, their branches gnarled like ghostly claws, and vines coiled and hung down like snakes, saturated with miasma and moisture, appearing oily and eerie.

Suddenly, in a corner of this desolate forest, a group of brightly colored scorpions, several fist-sized, colorful venomous spiders, and a golden-ringed venomous snake coiled around a low branch, flicking its scarlet tongue, seemed to sense a deadly threat at the same time. They all abruptly stiffened their bodies and then scattered at an astonishing speed, disappearing into fallen leaves, rock crevices, or deep tree holes in the blink of an eye.

Just as the poisonous insects dispersed, two figures appeared silently at the edge of the dense forest.

Gu Shaoan walked with ease, as if he were treading not a terrifying, poisonous wasteland, but an ordinary mountain path.

The miasma and the light green poisonous fog around him were repelled by an invisible force when they approached within ten feet of him, making it difficult for them to advance even an inch.

Mei Jiangxue followed closely behind, her gaze constantly taking in the valley with curiosity.

Just as the two stepped into this unusually empty area due to the escape of the poisonous creatures.

They stood up on the branches of a giant tree about ten feet in front of them.

It was a huge venomous snake, purplish-brown all over, as thick as an adult's arm, with scales that shimmered with a metallic gleam.

"whoosh"

However, at that moment, a three-foot-long pale golden sword aura suddenly pierced through the air, then sliced ​​the venomous snake in half from head to tofu as easily as cutting through tofu.

As the snake fell from the sky, its venomous blood sprayed through the air.

Before long, the two had passed by the snake's corpse.

Mei Jiangxue glanced at the snake's corpse and couldn't help but whisper, "Senior brother, aren't there far too many poisonous insects and snakes in this valley? Moreover, some of the poisonous creatures in this valley are just like this snake, and they are not even afraid of the insect repellent incense you made."

Gu Shaoan did not stop walking. His slow steps were particularly clear in the dense forest filled with miasma and deathly silence: "The miasma here has been lingering for hundreds of years and has accumulated a lot. The damp environment is the best place to nurture poisonous creatures. Over the years, it has naturally bred many kinds of poisonous creatures. It is normal that there are poisonous creatures that are not afraid of my insect-repelling incense."

"In the future, if you encounter a poisonous place like Wanzhang Valley while you are out, you should avoid it if possible. Even if you have no choice, you should apply the insect repellent I prepared and be careful."

Mei Jiangxue nodded and said, "Jiangxue understands."

Gu Shaoan and Mei Jiangxue traversed the dense forest filled with miasma and lurking poisonous creatures. Their steps seemed slow, but they were unusually swift.

The venomous insects and snakes around them, which were enough to make one's scalp tingle, either fled in panic or were directly killed by the sword energy that Gu Shaoan had condensed, under the invisible aura of Gu Shaoan.

Before long, the view ahead suddenly opened up, revealing a strange open space.

In the center of the open space was a pool of water about ten feet square.

The water in the pool was neither clear nor murky as usual, but rather it was an extremely thick, dark color that seemed to devour light, like a pool of solidified ink, so still that there wasn't a single ripple.

At the edge of the pool, not a single blade of grass grows; only smooth, dark rocks exude an unsettling, chilling aura.

About twenty feet away from the ink pool, near the edge of the open space, next to a huge ancient tree that had long since died and whose branches were twisted like ghost claws, a strange flower was growing.

The flower is about half a foot tall, with a slender yet tough stem that has an eerie dark purple color, like congealed poisonous blood.

At its top, a lone flower the size of a bowl rests, its petals layered upon each other, not delicate and pretty, but rather a deep, almost dark green, with an eerie, phosphorescent blue glow at the edges.

At the heart of the flower, instead of ordinary stamens, there is a cluster of fine, black crystal-like thorns that gleam with a cold, metallic glint.

What's most chilling is that the ground around this strange flower isn't soil, but rather piles of thick, layered, stark white bones.

These bones vary in size and shape, including large snake bones, fragments of the carapaces of venomous insects such as scorpions and centipedes, and even some large animal skeletons.

The entire flower seems to have sprouted from the piles of white bones, growing by absorbing death and poison, exuding a chilling and eerie beauty.

Gu Shaoan stopped in front of the area of ​​white bones. His gaze calmly fell on the strange flower, dark green and blue, a smile playing on his lips.

"Looks like we're in luck." Mei Jiangxue also stopped and followed Gu Shaoan's gaze. When she saw the strange flower blooming amidst the piles of white bones, a hint of surprise and curiosity flashed in her eyes. She asked in a low voice, "Senior brother, is this the Myriad Heart Candle Dragon Fruit?"

Gu Shaoan's gaze remained fixed on the flower as he replied, "For now, it can only be called the Myriad Hearts Candle Dragon Flower."

He paused, then turned his gaze to Mei Jiangxue and explained, "Before this flower bears fruit, it is itself a rare and highly poisonous plant. Its growth method is extremely special; it not only needs to absorb yin and poisonous energy, but the aura it emits also has a deadly attraction to surrounding poisonous creatures."

“Those poisonous creatures are attracted to it and approach, but they will be corroded by the invisible poisonous breath it emits without realizing it. In the end, they will die silently under it and become nutrients for its growth. That is why the name contains the word “ten thousand hearts”. Only in a desolate place like the Valley of Ten Thousand Miasma, where poisonous creatures gather and miasma does not dissipate for years, can this thing be nurtured.”

"The poison of this flower is extremely potent. Even martial artists at the Celestial Realm who are accidentally exposed to it will find it very difficult to remove. At best, their power will be greatly diminished; at worst, they will die from the poison."

At this point, Gu Shaoan changed the subject, "However, all things in the universe are mutually reinforcing and mutually restraining, and there are mysterious laws governing them. This flower is extremely poisonous, but only the purest substances can neutralize its medicinal properties."

"When this flower merges with the blood of a virgin, its domineering toxicity will sink and be buried deep in the roots, while the immense vitality and medicinal power contained within will condense in the heart of the flower, eventually transforming into a true Myriad Heart Candle Dragon Fruit."

After explaining, Gu Shaoan gestured to Mei Jiangxue.

Mei Jiangxue stepped forward and stretched out her right hand, hovering it above the flowers.

Gu Shaoan flicked his right finger, and a wisp of subtle yet extremely sharp energy instantly sliced ​​through Mei Jiangxue's index fingertip.

Then, drops of bright red blood immediately seeped from Mei Jiangxue's fingertips and dripped onto the Wanxin Zhulong flower.

Mei Jiangxue watched with curiosity throughout the process.

Immediately afterward, to Mei Jiangxue's astonishment, the blood she dripped onto the flower did not slide off directly. Instead, it was absorbed by the dark green flower instantly, like water droplets falling into scalding sand.

As dozens of drops of blood continued to drip and be absorbed by the Myriad Hearts Candle Dragon Flower, the petals, which were originally as dark as ink, began to change at a speed visible to the naked eye.

The deep, dark green faded quickly, like faded silk, and the color turned gray and dull.

In just a few breaths, the bowl-sized, eerily beautiful Ten Thousand Heart Candle Dragon Flower seemed to have endured the ravages of thousands of years. Its petals quickly withered, curled up, and lost all luster, becoming as fragile as charred paper.

Just as the petals withered and fell completely, three fruits, about the size of longans, were revealed, perfectly round and radiating a warm, emerald-green luster.

Its emerald green color is as pure and clear as the finest jade, crystal clear, with a life-like radiance slowly flowing within.

Looking at the three fruits, Gu Shaoan reached into his robes and took out a sandalwood box. Then, he used his strength to pull the three Myriad Heart Candle Dragon Fruits into the box.

"Senior brother, is that all?"

Gu Shaoan nodded, then put away the rapidly drying roots of the Myriad Heart Candle Dragon Flower.

"Next, all you need to do is go back and brew this Ten Thousand Heart Candle Dragon Fruit into Nine-Turn Candle Heart Pill. This will greatly increase the essence, energy, and spirit of Juechen, Uncle Juejue, and the rest of you. It will not only help you enter the level of Condensing Yuan and Forming Gang sooner, but it will also help you condense the essence, energy, and spirit later on."

After putting the wooden box into his pocket and then tossing it into his system inventory, Gu Shaoan prepared to take Mei Jiangxue on another tour of the Valley of Ten Thousand Miasma to see if they could find any useful medicinal herbs or poisons.

But just then, as if sensing something, Gu Shaoan suddenly turned around and looked back in the direction he had come from.

Noticing Gu Shaoan's actions, Mei Jiangxue circulated her true energy to stop the bleeding from her fingertip while also looking in the same direction as Gu Shaoan.

A few breaths later, as the two waited, two figures approached from a distance like shadows.

Mei Jiangxue looked over and saw two figures, like shadowy figures emerging from the thick fog, moving silently and at an extremely fast yet eerily mysterious speed toward the ink pool and the withered tree.

As they moved, their toes touched the decaying leaves and slippery rocks lightly, like venomous snakes gliding across the ground, making almost no extra sound.

Her attire was even stranger.

They were all dressed in a uniform black outfit, wearing straw hats, masks covering their faces, and carrying long, narrow swords on their backs.

However, the mask's shape is grotesque and twisted, like a personification of a hellish demon, with deep, hollow eye sockets.

After taking in the two people's attire, Gu Shaoan, who had been expressionless just moments before, raised his eyebrows slightly.

They were immediately recognized from their attire.

They were clearly members of the Bad Guys.

Looking at the two people dressed as gangsters, a smile appeared on Gu Shaoan's lips.

"Interesting, it's like a pillow being delivered to your door when you're sleepy."

(End of this chapter)