Chapter 54: Missing map
Thus, despite being more than six centuries old, the map left behind by Elder Guo remained an invaluable treasure. Holding the map in his hands, Lang Tian felt his heart growing steadfast.
Elder Guo had named this place the Myriad Demons Shadow Valley, for it was steeped in demonic aura, akin to a sacred land of ten thousand malevolent spirits. The deeper one ventured, the denser the demonic aura grew, and the greater the peril became. Legends spoke of countless powerhouses who had reached the Saintly Body Realm daring to enter. Among them all, many had perished, while others fell into demonic deviation, transforming into frenzied monstrosities.
Lang Tian gripped the map tighter, his eyes scanning the detailed markings once more. However, a subtle discomfort lingered in his thoughts; something just didn’t feel right.
"Senior Sister," he asked suddenly, voice low with uncertainty, "this map... could it be incomplete?"
"Oh? You noticed, did you?" Yue Ling let out a soft chuckle.
"Yes," Lang Tian nodded. "This map only charts the upper regions of the Myriad Demons Shadow Valley. But according to Elder Guo’s words, he ventured into the deeper layers below. Yet there’s not a single note about those areas..."
At this, Yue Ling laughed again, raising her hand to lightly tap his forehead.
"Silly boy. Do you think a place so perilous would be so easily mapped out for posterity to recklessly charge into?"
"Oh... right. Haha..." Lang Tian scratched his head, chuckling awkwardly.
Upon reflection, it made sense. It is possible that Elder Guo purposefully left out those regions, and maybe even went so far as to destroy the corresponding section of the map, so as to discourage people in the future from endangering themselves in that deadly abyss.
"Alright, is there anything else about the map that troubles you?" Yue Ling asked.
"Well... Senior Sister Shangguan, there’s one more thing," Lang Tian said hesitantly.