The words Zhang Chenghuan spoke were hard to believe.
Butterfly spirit beasts could knock people unconscious and then escort them out of the forest?
Anyone saying such a thing must have been dreaming.
Zhang Chenghuan quickly explained, "I'm very certain—I wasn't dreaming."
Ning Rongrong sneered. "And how do you prove it? A useless scrap of a map, and you expect us to help? That's quite a stretch."
Zhang Chenghuan thought for a moment and presented evidence. "The clothes I wore back then are still intact, and there's still some phosphorescent powder on them. You're welcome to inspect them."
Ning Tianchen didn't think he was lying.
The divine trial explicitly mentioned that Butterfly Valley was located within the Evil Demon Forest.
It was likely that Zhang Chenghuan had accidentally discovered the location of Butterfly Valley.
If the map was genuine, they could complete their divine trial much faster once they entered the Evil Demon Forest.
After some thought, Ning Tianchen said, "Give me the clothes. Whether we agree or not, we'll return them tomorrow and inform you of the results."
"Agreed!" Zhang Chenghuan didn't hesitate.
Using sound transmission, Ning Tianchen quietly explained to Ning Rongrong, "Yu Die and Cai Die can identify the phosphorescent powder. Let's take the clothes back and have them examine it. If it's real, it will save us a lot of trouble."
When Zhang Chenghuan delivered the clothes, they emitted an indescribable odor that quickly filled the room.
Covering his nose, Ning Tianchen asked, "There's something I want to ask you. In the valley you mentioned, did you ever encounter anyone else—especially women?"
Earlier, they had speculated that the sisters' mother might have entered the Evil Demon Forest in search of Butterfly Valley.
According to Zhang Chenghuan, he had entered the forest over a decade ago—perhaps they had crossed paths.
However, the answer was disappointing. "Few people other than me would accidentally stumble into such a place. I haven't seen anyone else."
---
Back at the hotel, Feng Xiaotian and the others had been waiting for some time.
Regarding the commotion Ning Tianchen and Ning Rongrong had caused earlier in the city, they couldn't help but ask for details.
Ning Tianchen smiled. "Rongrong and I gathered quite a bit of information during this trip. You all go first, and I'll summarize later."
Chen Huayu spoke first.
His focus had been on gathering information about the Evil Demon Forest.
"On this continent, the only place where spirit beasts gather is the Evil Demon Forest. Soul masters who wish to hunt souls can only go there."
"Of course, some spirit beasts leave the forest and hide in other mountainous areas, so occasionally, a few can be found elsewhere..."
The two or three spirit beasts found in the wild were unlikely to meet the specific attributes and age requirements of soul masters.
Thus, for soul masters on the Sun Moon Continent, venturing into the Evil Demon Forest was the only way to find suitable soul rings.
Ning Tianchen knew that the dangers within the Evil Demon Forest were immense, and soul masters easily lost their lives there.
No wonder soul masters here didn't rush to find soul rings after breaking through.
At the same time, he understood why the overall strength of soul masters on this continent was relatively low.
Ning Tianchen added, "Soul rings can also be obtained from the sea, but clearly, no community of sea soul masters has formed here. Moreover, their maritime industry isn't well developed."
Feng Xiaotian shook his head. "I think hunting souls in the sea is extremely difficult—it's hard to find suitable spirit beasts, and the risks are even greater."
"On the ship, I heard the sailors say that sometimes they'd rather hunt souls on land than venture deep into the ocean."
After all, the ocean was vast and deep. Searching for suitable spirit beasts in its depths often placed one in grave danger.
Ning Tianchen didn't object to his statement, but this wasn't something they needed to consider.
After a pause, Feng Xiaotian shared the information he had gathered.
He had investigated the state of the continent in more detail than Ning Tianchen and Ning Rongrong.
The Sun Moon Continent wasn't just home to two empires—it also had many kingdoms, duchies, and even tribal nations. These tribes occupied small territories but were hostile to anyone entering their lands.
Ning Tianchen knew that five thousand years later, when the Sun Moon Continent merged with the Douluo Continent, this land would have unified into a single empire. These tribal and kingdom-like nations would have long vanished into the annals of history.
The unification war of the Sun Moon Continent must occur within the next five thousand years.
But five thousand years was an enormous span of time—who knew when the war would begin?
Perhaps preparations were already underway now.
Therefore, they needed to be cautious when interacting with major powers during their training to avoid being dragged into wars.
Next, everyone took turns sharing the information they had gathered.
After Ning Tianchen summarized everything, much of the mystery surrounding this continent had been unveiled.
As he spoke, Ning Tianchen retrieved the powder-stained clothes from his soul tool.
"Yu Die, take a look—is this butterfly-type spirit beast powder?"
"What a strong smell," Oscar complained while covering his nose.
Yu Die picked up the clothes, sniffed them, and said, "How long has this garment been sitting? The powder on it has been there for at least ten years. And with such a strong smell, the spirit beast must have been quite old."
"You're sure it's butterfly phosphorescent powder?" Ning Tianchen pressed.
(T/N: For clarification: Unlike fluorescence, which stops emitting light almost immediately after the radiation source is removed, phosphorescent materials absorb some of the light's energy. They then slowly release this energy in the form of light over time, even after the initial light source is gone.)
Receiving a positive response, he suddenly smiled and said, "I think we might get our hands on a map leading to Butterfly Valley."
Immediately, he relayed Zhang Chenghuan's story to everyone.
However, before replying to Zhang Chenghuan, he and Feng Xiaotian first paid a visit to the Cang Manor.
---
"Father, will they come?"
In front of the Cang Manor gates, a middle-aged man asked Cang Tianyou beside him.
Ning Tianchen had said they would come at night but hadn't specified a time.
Since they were the ones seeking help, they naturally had to wait by the gate to avoid offending their guests.
They didn't have to wait long—Ning Tianchen and Feng Xiaotian emerged from the darkness.
Cang Tianyou glanced at Feng Xiaotian—the unfathomable aura emanating from him revealed that his strength far surpassed Cang Tianyou's own.
"Another powerful individual."
Cang Tianyou wondered what kind of faction could produce so many young talented experts.
After exchanging pleasantries, Cang Tianyou led the two to the reception room in the manor.
"This is my son, Cang Jinghong."
Cang Jinghong bowed. "Greetings, esteemed sirs."
Cang Tianyou got straight to business. "Gentlemen, have you considered my proposal?"
Ning Tianchen replied, "We won't stay in Coastal City for long—we'll leave at the latest by the day after tomorrow. Elder Cang, if you want to trade for the soul bone, you must offer something truly enticing."
Cang Tianyou was prepared. "One hundred thirty diagrams for first- to third-tier soul tools, all unique. As for the introductory manual for soul tools, I'll give you a complete version along with my personal research notes."
"One hundred six diagrams for third- to sixth-tier soul tools, twenty for seventh-tier, seven for eighth-tier, and two for ninth-tier."
Of course, the diagrams weren't originals—they were all copies, as were the notes.
Exchanging a millennium-level soul bone for an entire set of soul tool technology was a guaranteed win for Ning Tianchen.
With a light swipe of his finger across his soul tool, the millennium soul bone appeared in his hand.
Its aura was intoxicating. When Cang Tianyou held it, he couldn't bear to let it go.
Ning Tianchen spoke, "I need to compare them against the originals to ensure nothing is missing from the copies."
Cang Tianyou instructed, "Hong, take these two esteemed guests to the treasure vault."
The Cang Manor was right here, so Ning Tianchen wasn't worried about them pulling any tricks.
Still, mistakes were bound to happen during the copying process—it was always good to double-check.
The Cang family's treasure vault was hidden beneath a pond in the garden. Outsiders entering the manor would almost certainly never find it.
Cang Jinghong led the two into the vault where books were stored.
Ning Tianchen meticulously compared every diagram and note Cang Tianyou had given him against the originals in the treasure vault.
The inspection lasted for two hours, and once everything was confirmed to be accurate, the two bid farewell and left.
Before leaving, Ning Tianchen reminded them, "We'll depart for the Evil Demon Forest either tomorrow afternoon or the morning after tomorrow. Be prepared in advance."
Cang Jinghong clasped his fists. "Thank you, your kindness is greatly appreciated."
---
Early the next morning, Ning Tianchen and Ning Rongrong visited the city lord's residence again.
They returned Zhang Chenghuan's clothes and gave their response.
"I have one question: how did you know you were carried out of the forest by a spirit beast while unconscious?"
Zhang Chenghuan explained, "I couldn't move my body—it was like being in a state of anesthesia—but my consciousness wasn't completely lost."
"After leaving the forest, I quickly regained awareness and recorded the entire route I took."
The map he provided contained two paths leading to Butterfly Valley.
The first path was drawn when he had gotten lost in the forest—it was crooked and winding. The second path, which was straight, was drawn as he exited the forest.
Some landmarks within the forest were also meticulously recorded on the map.
With this map in hand, finding Butterfly Valley didn't seem too difficult.
Soon after, Zhang Chenghuan's son, Zhang Heng, was summoned by the servants of the manor.
Zhang Heng was much younger than Cang Jinghong—likely no older than thirty.
Even at such a young age, he was about to break through to become a Soul Emperor. Even on the Douluo Continent, this would be considered an extremely rare feat.
Recall that Qin Ming, who broke through to become a Soul Emperor at thirty, was hailed as the second-youngest Soul Emperor on the continent.
On the Sun Moon Continent, Zhang Heng's talent undoubtedly placed him among the top-tier geniuses.
However, he seemed rather taciturn. After exchanging brief greetings with the two, he quietly stood to the side.
"When are you two setting out?" Zhang Chenghuan rubbed his hands together eagerly.
Ning Tianchen replied, "Cang Jinghong, the head of the Cang family, will accompany us, but the Cang family won't send any additional people."
Zhang Chenghuan understood what Ning Tianchen meant. Moreover, Zhang Heng's strength was sufficient for self-protection, so there was no reason to worry about his safety.
"We'll arrange the carriages. When do you plan to depart?"
"The sooner, the better."
---
That afternoon, both the Cang family and the city lord's residence prepared a carriage each.
Both families' carriages were luxurious and spacious enough to accommodate Ning Tianchen's group.
Cang Jinghong smiled and said, "Why not ride in our family's carriage? My father modified it with soul tools—it has excellent shock absorption, so the ride won't be too bumpy."
Ning Tianchen didn't care whose carriage they used.
"I know the way—I'll drive."
Zhang Heng spoke briefly and voluntarily took the driver's seat on the Cang family's carriage.
Everyone boarded the carriage, and it soon departed from Coastal City.
Inside the carriage, Cang Jinghong took out a map of the continent.
On the map, he outlined the route they would take.
"This large ferry crossing is very close to the Hamil Tribe. We must detour to the opposite bank to avoid direct contact with them."
Ning Tianchen's group was already aware of the tribes' situation, so they weren't surprised.
"Master Cang, could we make a copy of this map?" Ning Tianchen asked.
Maps weren't something that could be purchased casually, and since they had one right in front of them, he naturally wanted a copy for future use on the Sun Moon Continent.
Cang Jinghong chuckled and generously replied, "If you need it, this map is yours to keep."
"However, I do have one question I hope you can answer."
"You mentioned before that you were all training in seclusion in the mountains under your master. Where exactly did you hunt for soul rings?"
From Ning Tianchen's group's statements, he could tell that they likely hadn't been to the Evil Demon Forest and were unfamiliar with its conditions.
Ning Tianchen quickly added, "Actually, it wasn't in the mountains—it was on a large island far from the coastline."
"All our soul rings came from hunting sea spirit beasts."
Cang Jinghong nodded in understanding.
Indeed, compared to land, the sea had significantly more spirit beasts. However, hunting them posed greater risks.
---
They traveled for a long time.
Cang Jinghong was a talkative person and got along well with Ning Tianchen and the others.
On the other hand, Zhang Heng seemed reluctant to interact with others. He sat at the front of the carriage day and night, driving it silently.
One night, the carriage approached Hedu Village, just two days away from the Evil Demon Forest.
It was late, and everyone felt tired, so they decided to stay overnight in Hedu Village to rest and regain their energy.
Before entering the village, Feng Xiaotian detected an unusual smell.
Leaning his head out of the carriage window, he took a deep breath and suddenly furrowed his brow. "There's the scent of blood in the air—there's been a battle ahead."
Ning Rongrong felt a wave of nausea. "There's a strong, evil aura—it might be evil soul masters."
"It is evil soul masters!" Cang Jinghong affirmed confidently.
The Sun Moon Continent was different from the Douluo Continent.
Evil soul masters were rampant here and had formed into organized groups.
Five thousand years later, when the two continents collided to form a supercontinent, and ten thousand years later, the activities of evil soul masters reached their peak.
Some believed that the unchecked proliferation of evil soul masters on the Sun Moon Continent led to the rapid growth of their organizations after the continents merged.
But that wasn't entirely accurate. Evil soul masters had always existed on the Douluo Continent as well—it was just that the Spirit Hall had consistently suppressed them, preventing them from surfacing.
In the original timeline, after the fall of the Spirit Hall, the evil soul masters initially didn't dare to show themselves.
After the Spirit Hall was destroyed, an even more powerful presence emerged, causing the evil soul masters to live in fear.
However, over time, the evil soul masters realized that Tang San and the others paid them no mind. Gradually, they grew bolder and began expanding recklessly.
Tang San, who embodied both the Sea God and the Asura God, spent five thousand years before the merging of the two continents. Could he not have eradicated the evil soul masters on the Douluo Continent during that time?
The answer was no.
Tang San couldn't exterminate the evil soul masters—in fact, he covertly supported them.
Don't forget, the source of the Sea God's power was faith.
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