We came down through the fence. The underground forest was only for tourists to observe, not to enter. Further down, there was another high barbed-wire fence.
The barbed-wire fence, of course, couldn't stop these few. The Eagle Demon got to work, tearing a hole in the fence in no time.
Passing through the hole and into the underground forest, we saw faint paths ahead, three in total, leading to the valley floor.
However, because the canyon below the valley where the underground forest was located was long and narrow, no matter which path we took, it would traverse the entire valley. I estimated the valley to be about three to five hundred meters wide and nearly three kilometers long, resembling a cucumber. Before descending to the valley floor, with nothing obstructing our view, and still in a俯视 (fǔshì - looking down from above) state, I took a deep breath of the quality air and activated my Phase Qi Technique (Xiàng Qì Shù) towards the setting sun.
The entire valley was within the sight of my Phase Qi Technique. To be honest, this was the first time I had seen such a grand spectacle. The valley was filled with countless colorful specks of light. I roughly counted, and there were no less than three to four hundred. Most of the creatures were two-Qi demons, but there were few high-level energies, mostly low-level demons in orange and green hues.
In the very center of the valley, several purple-Qi great demons were gathered. One of them had a particularly dense purple Qi; there was no doubt it was Long Yue and her companions.
However, I didn't see any ginseng Qi, nor did I know what color the little ginseng's Qi would be.
"Hurry up, you!" Lin Xi urged again.
My hesitation was useful. As we descended into the valley along the steep volcanic ravine, the trees ahead were too dense, making the Phase Qi Technique less effective. I could only vaguely pinpoint Long Yue's approximate location, and the other purple-Qi great demons were completely hidden.
"You go behind me," I pushed the Whale God behind me. It was too dark and too big, blocking my view, but I still couldn't see.
"Anyway, it's in that position," I pointed, "about a kilometer away."
"What are they doing?" Lin Xi asked.
"They've stopped. I don't know what they're doing. Maybe having a meeting?" Kai Shu Ge
"I'll go take a look," said the Eagle Demon. With that, she made a graceful turn, shed her clothes, and soared into the sky.
She returned quickly, flying through the treetops and landing in her human form. Shaking her head, she said, "Couldn't find them. I even flew just above the treetops, but I still couldn't see them! Boss, are you sure you're not mistaken?"
"Impossible... Take me up there, and I'll look again!"
The Eagle Demon transformed back. I grabbed her claws and we ascended rapidly above the treetops. The view was unobstructed, and the distance was reduced. This time, I could see more clearly. They were right there, not having moved.
After landing, the Whale God, who had been silent all along, suddenly spoke, "At the deepest part of the valley, there seems to be another underground space. I was there three hundred years ago to meet a friend."
"If it's underground, then I wouldn't be able to see it, would I?" I asked, confused.
The Whale God shook her head. "Just a shallow layer, with logs as the roof, letting in air but not light. It might not block out the Qi."
"So, it's a semi-underground hut built with wood?" Lin Xi asked. She hadn't been here before either.
"It should be," the Whale God scratched her head. "It was too long ago; my memory is fuzzy."
"Let's go. We'll know once we get there," I said.
We all proceeded along the path. I kept my Phase Qi Technique active the entire way. Many demons were very close, but they were hiding behind trees. Although the Whale God and Lin Xi couldn't use Phase Qi Technique, their senses were exceptionally keen. They also noticed them and pointed out what they were to us three non-purple-Qi practitioners.
Pheasants, moths, rabbits, foxes, and even a creature of the same species as a sable – it was a dazzling array.
Lin Xi knew more about the demon race than the Eagle Demon. She explained that these small demons didn't cultivate here daily because it was too crowded. Cultivation wouldn't be effective. They only risked coming to the underground forest when they reached a certain realm, or encountered a bottleneck and needed to break through, to use the spiritual energy of this place to achieve their breakthrough.
"Why is it called 'risky'?" I asked, puzzled.
"Because in ancient times, this was an important altar for the mountain and sea demon tribes," Lin Xi looked at the Whale God. "Senior, am I correct?"