novelaction Chapter 134 Information Sharing: Despair Slope, Shadows of Corruption, Life's Flower
Chapter 134 Information Sharing: Despair Slope, Shadows of Corruption, Life's Flower
The following morning, at the foot of Despair Slope.
In the camp where the treasure-hunting delegation was stationed, the leaders of various forces and family representatives gathered in a makeshift meeting hall, silently waiting for the start of this morning's meeting.
The three family heads, Wei, Gu, and An, were in the last position. Compared to the composure of the representatives of the three collateral branches and the six major families of Ma, Mao, Zhu, Song, and Tang, they appeared quite uneasy and anxious.
The atmosphere in the conference hall was heavy, filled with a mixture of tension and anticipation.
The embers of last night's campfire still lingered, reflecting the varied expressions on everyone's faces—some worried, some deep in thought, and some wary.
The head of the Wei family frowned, glancing at the seating arrangement from time to time, his heart filled with mixed feelings.
The head of the Gu family had bright, piercing eyes, and beneath his seemingly calm exterior lay a resolute determination.
Although Manager An appeared humble and low-key, he was secretly observing everyone's reactions from a corner.
As the sun rises, the morning meeting is about to begin.
The beat of adrenaline grew stronger as everyone awaited Zhou Qingfeng's arrival.
After a cup of tea, Zhou Qingfeng slowly stepped into the conference hall.
Upon seeing this, everyone immediately stood up, clasped their hands in greeting, and said with respect, "Greetings, Special Envoy Zhou."
"I've kept you waiting, everyone. Please be seated. There's no need for formalities." Zhou Qingfeng stepped into the head seat, looked around, smiled slightly, and gestured for everyone to take their seats. His expression was gentle yet authoritative.
Upon hearing this, everyone took their seats one after another, waiting quietly for Zhou Qingfeng to speak. In such a solemn occasion, no one dared to overstep their bounds if Zhou Qingfeng did not give the opening remarks, because Zhou Qingfeng was the core leader of this treasure hunt.
Zhou Qingfeng crossed his arms and smiled: "The main purpose of today's meeting is to clarify our next action plan, and at the same time, to solve the various difficulties we may face. I hope everyone can be open and honest and discuss together, after all, we all have the same goal."
Upon hearing this, everyone nodded in agreement.
Zhou Qingfeng smiled and called out, "Patriarch Wei, Patriarch Gu, and Steward An, the three of you know more about Despair Slope than any of us. Please share some information about Despair Slope with the envoys present."
Upon hearing this, Wei Gu'an and the other two were somewhat surprised, because in such high-level meetings, only the seven major families of the Sword Tower were qualified to speak, make suggestions, and influence the overall situation.
Wei Gu'an and the other two had no say whatsoever; they were already lucky to be able to sit and listen, and they would never have a chance to speak.
Zhou Qingfeng's decision to give them a chance to speak at this moment undoubtedly broke the existing power structure, giving them a sense of being respected and valued.
The head of the Wei family was taken aback at first, then quickly composed himself and said calmly, "Everyone, Despair Slope is not as bad as it sounds. Its slope is extremely steep, reaching a height of 6,749 zhang, piercing the clouds."
"Firstly, time and space are chaotic and disordered on Despair Slope. What you think is only a day has passed may actually be ten days. What you think is going uphill may actually be going around in circles."
"Furthermore, the higher you climb, the stronger the gravity becomes. The higher you climb, the more difficult it becomes. Even a cultivator at the Devouring Fiend Realm cannot fly over Despair Slope."
"Secondly, the natural environment is harsh and the climate is extremely changeable. We will encounter blizzards of level 3, hail of level 4, and thunderstorms of level 5. In addition, the mountains are steep and rocks frequently fall, making avalanches or landslides very likely."
“A blizzard of the disaster level can scatter a person’s soul. Even a cultivator at the Disaster Relief Realm needs to take a Soul Stabilizing Pill in advance to prevent their soul from being blown away from their body.”
"The hailstones of the Turbid Realm weigh 108,000 jin each and can crush a cultivator in the Turbid Realm into a pulp. Only cultivators in the Calamity Realm can withstand the hailstones with their strong physical bodies."
"The most dangerous is the Fiend-level thunderstorm. Once the thunderstorm starts, hundreds of thousands of fiend lightning bolts will appear and cover the entire area. Even fiend-eating cultivators have to scatter and cross the thunderstorm area as soon as possible."
"Thirdly, the terrain is complex, with rugged slopes that are difficult to traverse, covered with cliffs and deep ravines. The paths are narrow, and a slight misstep could lead to a fall. There may also be unknown underground caves, fissures, and other dangerous areas."
"Everyone must be careful. These underground caves and fissures are filled with sharp, millennia-old ice of the Fiend level. Even a cultivator at the Fiend-Eating Realm who falls off a cliff will have their body pierced by ice spikes, making it a near-death experience."
At this point, the head of the Wei family paused briefly, glancing at Steward An and the head of the Gu family, signaling them to continue. After all, he had already demonstrated the value of the Wei family in this operation, and continuing would be excessive.
We must always give Master Gu and Master An a chance to perform and speak.
Patriarch Gu picked up where he left off and continued, “What Patriarch Wei just described is merely the basic characteristics of Despair Slope as a forbidden zone for life. Whether for humans or demons and monsters, the terror of Despair Slope is far more complex than it appears on the surface.”
He emphasized his words, making everyone present feel the unfathomable depths of Despair Slope.
"On this hillside that stretches for 6,749 feet, due to the influence of the special geographical environment, many demons and monsters have emerged, and their existence has further aggravated the danger of Despair Slope."
At this moment, the Gu family head took out a meticulously crafted copy of the map from the storage bag in his arms and distributed it to everyone present.
"This is a detailed enlarged map depicting the topographical features and dangerous areas of Despair Slope. All places marked with warning signs have detailed textual annotations explaining their dangerous nature. Please study it carefully and memorize it."
He emphasized, "In this way, we can minimize unnecessary losses and casualties during the climb of Despair Slope."
Upon hearing this, everyone lowered their heads with serious expressions and carefully examined the map in their hands.
They deeply understood the value of the information contained in this small map; once they stepped onto Despair Slope, it would become an important tool for guiding directions, identifying locations, and predicting risks.
Zhou Qingfeng carefully examined the map for a while; the map marked six sources of danger.
The nature of each hazard is clearly described in writing.
He then rolled it up with satisfaction and put it into his storage bag, a grateful smile on his face. He said to the Gu family head, "Gu family head, it is truly admirable and I am extremely grateful that you are so generous in sharing such important information."
The head of the Gu family smiled modestly and replied, "Since we have decided to join forces, the Gu family will naturally show sufficient sincerity and strength. Consider the intelligence recorded in this map as a small gift from our Gu family to Special Envoy Zhou and all the other envoys."
Unlike the other two families, the Gu family focuses on its future development blueprint in Jianta.
With the seven major families of Sword Tower gathered together, this is the perfect opportunity for the Gu family to strengthen their relationships and make a good impression. Therefore, any items and information they provide must be truly valuable.
Zhou Qingfeng nodded in satisfaction and praised, "We have all witnessed the sincerity of Patriarch Gu. With the assistance of the Gu family, we believe that this climb up Despair Slope will proceed smoothly and successfully."
The head of the Gu family responded with a smile: "Special Envoy Zhou, you flatter us. Our Gu family has merely fulfilled our due responsibilities."
Upon hearing this, Zhou Qingfeng smiled calmly and then shifted his gaze to the person sitting in a corner, representing the Dream Fulfillment Organization's stronghold. Everyone then turned their attention to this wise and composed leader.
Sensing the gazes of the crowd, Director An hesitated for a moment, then chuckled and waved his hand, saying gently, "Fellow colleagues, Patriarch Wei and Patriarch Gu have already detailed the current situation, so I will not repeat it. Special Envoy Zhou, why don't you guide us on the next course of action?"
A confident smile curved Zhou Qingfeng's lips as he leisurely surveyed his surroundings. He then lightly patted the storage bag beside him, and a flash of light appeared, revealing the Moon Worship Diagram in his hand.
"Gentlemen, I suppose you have already guessed why I have chosen the long way around and decided to face the Despair Slope directly rather than take another route; indeed, this is the inevitable path we must take to reach the treasure of the unknown."
His voice was low and firm: "Based on the analysis of the Moon Worship Diagram, the key step to unlocking the Xi Yi Treasure is to set up an altar on the summit of Despair Slope and hang the diagram on it."
"The moment the crimson moonlight shines through the Moon Worship Picture, the treasure gate will be revealed."
Upon hearing this, everyone's faces lit up with excitement, and their burning gazes were all focused on the Moon Worship Picture in his hand. They knew in their hearts that the legendary treasure of Xiyi was not far away from them.
At this moment, Duanmu, unable to contain his excitement, suddenly stood up and shouted, "Since that's the case, why should we hesitate? Let's set off immediately and head straight for Despair Slope!"
The stone stirred up a thousand waves, and the venue instantly boiled over. Everyone was excited, as if a treasure was within their grasp. They couldn't wait and shouted that they should set off immediately.
Seeing this, Zhou Qingfeng raised his hand and pressed down, instantly calming the commotion: "Please listen quietly, everyone. Climbing Despair Slope is fraught with danger at every turn. A large, well-organized group cannot guarantee safety and may even lead to more unforeseen events."
"We must understand that we cannot control everyone's words and actions, nor can we guarantee that everyone can calmly respond to sudden changes."
"If tens of thousands of us were to climb Despair Slope together, the line would stretch for thousands of miles and move slowly. If anyone were to lose their footing and cry out in alarm, it could trigger a series of avalanches. At that time, tens of thousands of people would likely suffer a catastrophic blow and heavy casualties. Therefore, I propose that each family send its best soldiers to form a vanguard assault team."
"In this way, we can quickly capture the top of Despair Slope, while the majority of our forces will remain at the foot of the slope to deter any villains from all directions. What are your thoughts on this?" Zhou Qingfeng asked emphatically.
After hearing this, everyone exchanged glances, then stood up, respectfully clasped their hands in a fist and palm salute to show their agreement.
Seeing that everyone had reached a consensus, Zhou Qingfeng stood up and announced: "In that case, let's proceed according to plan. Time waits for no one. We will set off immediately this afternoon and march towards Despair Slope."
As Zhou Qingfeng finished speaking, the crowd dispersed in an orderly fashion, each busy with their own preparations.
Time flies, and only half a day has passed.
Zhou Qingfeng led the vanguard team and they had stubbornly advanced a thousand feet up the winding mountainside. Despite the blizzard and hail, they had made good preparations and dealt with the situation effectively, and the journey was going smoothly.
As darkness fell, Zhou Qingfeng summoned the Battle Heart Ape in his palm, unleashing its fury to illuminate the area. After carefully examining the Despair Slope map, he said, "There is a Shadowy Mist ahead. Everyone, halt your march and remain on guard."
At the foot of Despair Slope, a thousand feet high, a thick, decaying fog pervades year-round, its gray color seemingly a testament to the weight and death of countless years.
Twisted and deformed phantoms often appear in the mist; these are the countless restless souls trapped within, struggling and wandering endlessly.
Any creature that ventures into it will lose its way.
Sight, hearing, and even intuition are completely disrupted.
In this mist, time becomes blurred, space is distorted and deformed, and one step out may lead to a fall off a cliff or spin in place, unable to escape the shackles of the mist.
Moreover, various vengeful spirits lurk within the mist, thriving through its power. They prey on their prey, devouring their flesh and souls, making the mist even more evil and powerful.
The only way to safely pass through the Shadow Fog is to wait until midnight or noon.
During these two time periods, the Shadow of Corruption will briefly disappear for one hour.
We must race against time to get through.
Under Zhou Qingfeng's command, the vanguard assault team immediately halted their march and waited for an opportunity to pass.
Soon, it was midnight, and the distant, murky shadows vanished quickly.
"Now's the time, let's go!" Zhou Qingfeng led his men forward at top speed. He didn't care about the lives of the others; if they were left behind in the Shadow of Corruption, that was their own fate.
Upon seeing this, Duanmu immediately took First Yujing and First Jinse and followed closely behind.
The troops behind them followed one after another, and no one dared to lag behind even a step.
Because there is only one hour, if one cannot pass through the area shrouded in the Shadowy Mist, the result will be either death at the hands of the numerous vengeful spirits within the Shadowy Mist, or relying on one's strength to hold out until noon the next day to escape.
An hour passed in the blink of an eye, and the Shadow of Corruption and Mist reappeared.
Fortunately, the vanguard assault team was well-prepared and was able to pass through smoothly without any casualties. Therefore, Zhou Qingfeng ordered everyone to set up camp on the spot and rest for the night.
Following the danger signs drawn on the map, they successfully climbed over the obstacles.
They quickly climbed to the 2,200-foot mark of Despair Slope.
There exists a dangerous area here known as the "Life Flower Field," where deadly "Life Flowers" grow everywhere.
When this flower blooms, its colors are complex and vibrant, like a magnificent painting of life, each flower carrying its own unique charm and story.
Even more remarkably, they exude a captivating and rich fragrance.
The fragrance seemed to encompass all aspects of human life, from sweet and sour to bitter and spicy, from love to hate. Once you stepped into the flower field, no one could resist the strong urge to pick the flowers themselves.
However, behind this beautiful and alluring facade lies an extremely terrifying danger. Once someone plucks the Flower of Life, it will instantly transform into dazzling starlight fragments and vanish into the world.
At the same time, the flower picker will inevitably suffer misfortune, with his whole body suddenly bursting into flames. No matter how strong his body or how resilient his soul, he will not be able to escape this sudden self-immolation.
After the flames are extinguished, the body and soul of the flower picker will be transformed into a new "flower of life," forever rooted in this flower field, becoming an alluring sight and an irresistible temptation in the eyes of others.
This sea of flowers is the result of countless cultivators who have perished. The quality of the Life-Giving Flowers varies, so even a cultivator at the Devouring Fiend Realm who enters the flower field and loses control to pluck a Fiend-level Life-Giving Flower will inevitably meet a tragic end.
Zhou Qingfeng said, "Master Gu, the map marks the dangers and provides detailed explanations. It says there is a safe path, and only by taking this path can we avoid triggering the curse of the Flower of Life. But why doesn't it indicate where to go?"
Upon hearing this, the Gu family head explained, "It's not that I don't want to include it, but that I can't."
"Because this safe path through the 'flower field of life' is constantly changing. It only appears when you enter the flower field, and when it does appear, there are several paths."
"Only those with pure hearts and exceptional wisdom can find the safe path. Others who rashly intrude will only lose control of their minds, get lost in the sea of life's flowers, and become new 'flowers of life' themselves."
Zhou Qingfeng nodded slightly: "I understand. Are there any other methods besides this?"