Chapter Sixty-Four: Leading the Way

A single, simple character—“demon”—yet it weighed upon Chu Feng’s heart like a mountain, making him tremble within. The massacre at Ancient Qilin City had left an indelible mark on him, inciting his rage, his pain, and even his fear. The demon beasts had shattered his tranquil life, destroyed the place where he had grown up, and slaughtered those who once cared for him. Chu Feng’s heart was filled with hatred toward them.

He stared at the Golden Sun Ancestral Stone before him, utterly incredulous. Facing it now, he found himself unable to summon even the slightest hatred, nor did he sense that familiar cruelty and bloodlust of the demon beasts. The floating stone swayed before him, much like an impish child.

Unable to resist, Chu Feng reached out to touch it. The Golden Sun Ancestral Stone bounced up and down, seemingly delighted. Even Xiao Yue, witnessing this scene, could not help but marvel in secret.

“Is this truly a demon?” Chu Feng murmured, his thoughts tangled and complex.

“Most likely,” Xiao Yue replied, glancing at the stone before continuing, “Demon beasts are living beings, hence they are also called demon spirits. When they first begin cultivating, their intellect is not high. Yet among the demon clans, there are extraordinary existences—such as the dragon clan—whose intelligence and innate talent are unmatched from birth, far beyond ordinary demon beasts. The entity within this Golden Sun Ancestral Stone possesses human-like wisdom and can soar through the skies and burrow beneath the earth—surely an extraordinary presence among demons.”

“If it is a demon, why did it save us?” Chu Feng asked, baffled.

“It’s clearly fond of you, wants to follow you,” Xiao Yue replied with a smile.

Chu Feng frowned, a hint of frustration in his tone. “That’s hardly amusing.”

Shaking his head, Xiao Yue asked, “Do you believe there are kind-hearted demons in this world?”

Chu Feng was silent. The question left him unable to answer.

“I do,” Xiao Yue declared solemnly.

Chu Feng was taken aback, gazing at Xiao Yue with hints of bewilderment in his eyes.

A melancholy shadow crossed Xiao Yue’s face, his gaze distant, as though recalling something from the past. After a moment of silence, he sighed and spoke softly, “Years ago, at the front lines, I was gravely wounded during a mission and pursued by demon clans. I thought I was doomed. Yet unexpectedly, it was a demon who saved me. I asked why.”

He drew a deep breath and continued, “At that time, he responded with a question: ‘Can demons not save humans?’ I didn’t trust him, suspecting ulterior motives. Yet he seemed unconcerned, merely healing my injuries.”

A trace of sorrow and guilt appeared on Xiao Yue’s face, his voice growing even softer. “Later, when my companions found me, they naturally wanted to attack him. If he had used me as a hostage, he could have escaped unharmed. But even to his last breath, he never did so. Only then did I understand—he truly only wanted to save me, while I did nothing for him.”

Even now, mentioning the incident, Xiao Yue’s expression was filled with regret and sorrow. For him, that memory was too heavy, yet it also proved not all demons were bloodthirsty.

Xiao Yue fell silent, while Chu Feng sighed deeply, his heart heavy. He had never imagined such kindness could exist among demons. This was also why Xiao Yue felt no desire to harm the Golden Sun Ancestral Stone.

Xiao Yue then looked at the stone and spoke slowly, “Humans and demons have fought for tens of thousands of years, their grievances too deep to untangle. I cannot change that, but I hope you will not repeat the mistakes that lead to regret.”

Chu Feng nodded. Even if the entity within the Golden Sun Ancestral Stone was a demon, he felt no hatred. Xiao Yue’s words gave him even greater peace.

Chu Feng stroked the stone and marveled, “Who could have imagined such extraordinary beings exist? I wonder what kind of demon spirit lies within?”

“Once it emerges, you’ll know. It’s certainly no ordinary spirit—perhaps it’ll become a great aid to you, provided we make it out alive,” Xiao Yue said.

Chu Feng was startled. “Even if I accept it, will other humans accept it?”

“That depends on your strength,” Xiao Yue replied meaningfully, then smiled and added, “You can’t bring it into the Holy City, but you could take it to the front lines. But that’s for later. Right now, we need to focus on survival.”

Chu Feng’s expression grew grave. In this forbidden land of humanity, dangers lurked everywhere. The thought made it impossible for him to smile.

Both men surveyed their surroundings. The valley was shrouded in heavy mist, making it easy to lose their way. Chu Feng closed his eyes, seeking to release his spiritual sense.

His face changed. Here, his spiritual sense felt completely suppressed, unable to extend at all.

“It’s useless. Not only spiritual sense, but even sending messages out is impossible. That’s likely why so few who enter the valley ever leave alive. They say Moonshadow Valley is riddled with deadly traps—if you lose your way in this thick mist, you might stumble into mortal danger,” Xiao Yue said in a low voice. In his view, staying put was safer than wandering.

But they could not remain forever—it would simply be waiting for death.

“Little one, since you can soar and burrow, why not fly us out?” Chu Feng addressed the stone swaying before him.

The Golden Sun Ancestral Stone shook even more violently, as if protesting.

Chu Feng laughed. He knew the stone, though capable of flight, was likely trapped in Moonshadow Valley, unable to escape. Xiao Yue had confirmed this suspicion.

“It’s impossible. Records say that in Moonshadow Valley, neither spiritual sense nor flight is possible. In such conditions, not only is finding the exit impossible, even determining direction is futile. They say there’s only one path out, and to be honest, our chances of surviving are minuscule. If we wander into the depths, we’ll be utterly annihilated,” Xiao Yue said solemnly.

“Either way, it’s death. We might as well try our luck—perhaps we’ll find a slim chance at survival,” Chu Feng replied lightly, though his heart was heavy. This was a matter of life and death.

The two stood and observed their surroundings, but in the deadly valley floor, they could not tell where safety lay.

The Golden Sun Ancestral Stone floated and swayed before Chu Feng, then darted toward another direction, seeming quite urgent.

“Hm? Something’s changed in its behavior,” Chu Feng said, surprised.

Xiao Yue frowned, observed, and then said, “It seems to want to lead us forward.”

“Could it know the way out?” Chu Feng wondered.

The stone bounced a few times, clearly indicating agreement.

Chu Feng and Xiao Yue exchanged incredulous looks. Though this demon spirit possessed high intelligence, it had yet to truly emerge into the world—how could it know so much, especially about this deadly Moonshadow Valley?

“We’ll gamble on it. Better than wandering blindly,” Chu Feng said. Xiao Yue nodded. Their lives had been saved by the stone; entrusting them to it now seemed no risk at all. If they relied on themselves, they had no hope.

“Lead the way,” Chu Feng said.

The Golden Sun Ancestral Stone bounced and flew off in a chosen direction.

The valley floor was not as terrifying as they had imagined. As they traveled, nothing seemed unusual—soft earth sprouting green grass, occasional stones, even small trees.

But they knew this was merely appearance. Ordinary places could not possess such deadly energy.

With the Golden Sun Ancestral Stone leading them, Chu Feng and Xiao Yue discovered a winding path hidden in the dense mist, its destination unknown.

Yet the stone did not follow the path. As they continued, they noticed its route was peculiar—sometimes straight, sometimes circuitous.

Passing certain spots, they clearly sensed the deadly energy intensify, making their hearts race. Had they ventured alone, they would not have survived.

“This demon spirit is remarkable—more extraordinary than we imagined!” Xiao Yue exclaimed.

Later, they came upon a towering blank stone stele, only two paces ahead. Chu Feng and Xiao Yue almost approached to inspect it, but the Golden Sun Ancestral Stone stopped them just in time.

It led them away, and eventually brought them back to the stele.

In that moment, sweat broke out on their foreheads. The stone had guided them past countless dangers.

Then, the Golden Sun Ancestral Stone flew directly to the stele and, without pause, crashed into it.

Chu Feng and Xiao Yue were puzzled, but instantly dumbfounded. As the stone touched the stele, its surface rippled like water, and the stone vanished within.

The two men glanced at each other, then stepped forward and entered the stele as well.

Upon entering, their vision was flooded with white, then a completely different world appeared before their eyes.

Here, there was no thick mist—only flames roaring skyward, magma surging, and alongside the deadly energy, they felt intense heat.

Chu Feng and Xiao Yue were stunned; it was nothing like the Moonshadow Valley they knew.

“Are we still in Moonshadow Valley?” Chu Feng asked, wide-eyed.

“Of course. The valley must be shrouded by unfathomable barriers to conceal everything. We know Moonshadow Valley is perilous, but its mysteries far exceed our imagination,” Xiao Yue said, dazed.

At this point, their hope of survival grew. So far, they had encountered no danger, and the origins of the demon spirit within the Golden Sun Ancestral Stone astonished them even more.

They continued to follow the stone, and with its guidance, traveled safely.

They moved through the Moonshadow Valley, a place even holy warriors feared, feeling as though they were dreaming—utterly unreal.

All because of this extraordinary Golden Sun Ancestral Stone, or rather, the demon spirit within.

Excited, they realized this spirit’s origins were far from ordinary. It seemed intimately familiar with Moonshadow Valley, traversing it as though strolling through its own backyard.

After more than an hour, they encountered another towering blank stone stele, and the stone quickly vanished within.

“We’ve walked so long—surely we’re near the valley’s exit? Could this be the way out?” they wondered, hearts racing with excitement, and soon followed the stone into the stele themselves.