Second update — please spare a few votes.
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The valley before them was enormous, spanning roughly several dozen li in diameter, and it was a remarkably perfect circle.
Standing at the edge, Yang Kai peered downward and estimated the drop to the valley floor at around thirty zhang. Below, lush greenery stretched across the landscape, no different from the jungle outside. The valley itself was picturesque — clear streams, verdant hills, quite a pleasant sight.
Xia Ningshang lowered her head to examine her bracelet. After a long moment, she let out a cheerful cry: "Good luck — there aren't any overly powerful demon beasts down there."
As she spoke, she couldn't help but release a breath of relief. Along the way, she had been able to avoid the demon beasts blocking their path, but if this valley harbored something truly formidable, a fight would have been inevitable. After all, this was the place she needed to reach.
"This place seems pretty ordinary," Yang Kai said with a frown.
"It just hasn't arrived yet," Xia Ningshang replied with a faint smile. "If my master and I hadn't happened to pass through here one July seventh a year ago, we never would have discovered this place's secret. It was back then that Master decided I should refine the Nine Yin Essence Condensation Dew."
"But why did he change his mind at the last moment? And you still haven't told me how exactly I'm supposed to help you collect it."
For the past few days they had been on the road, and Yang Kai hadn't pressed for details. But now that they had actually arrived at the destination, he couldn't very well remain in the dark. What if that Nine Yin Essence Condensation Dew appeared and he had no idea what to do? That could ruin everything.
So he needed to ask clearly and prepare ahead of time.
"I'll tell you when the time comes," Xia Ningshang said, giving no answer.
Yang Kai was puzzled but didn't push further. This whole affair was shrouded in mystery, and Manager Meng's earlier attitude had only deepened his confusion. But since he had agreed to help, he would just do his best when the time came.
"Come here." Xia Ningshang waved him over.
Yang Kai looked at her, bewildered. "What for?"
"I'll take you down," she answered, blinking her big eyes. "It's really high."
"I can manage on my own," Yang Kai refused immediately. Joking aside — he was a man, after all. How could he let a woman carry him down? What would that look like?
With that, he launched himself forward. Before Xia Ningshang could cry out in alarm, Yang Kai plummeted downward like a meteor falling from the sky.
She was terrified. Yang Kai's strength wasn't high — if he crashed down like that, he'd be done for. She immediately followed after him, her figure descending lightly, ready to lend him a hand at the critical moment.
His speed of descent grew faster and faster. When he was still a dozen zhang from the ground, Yang Kai suddenly kicked off to the side. A thunderous boom rang out as his foot slammed into the adjacent cliff face. Using the recoil, he flipped several times in the air, shedding much of the momentum, then shot diagonally outward in a wild arc.
"Boom!" He hit the ground, knees bending slightly, the impact cratering the earth and sending dust flying everywhere.
Xia Ningshang alighted gracefully beside him a moment later.
One had descended like a fairy floating down from the heavens, the other had crashed like a lump of stone — the visual contrast could not have been more stark.
But regardless, they had made it down safely.
Yang Kai's face twitched almost imperceptibly, and his legs had a faint tremor to them.