He Lan Tianxia

Black Overlord Cave truly lives up to its name. The vast space of several hundred acres, adorned with thousands of varieties of giant overlord flowers, nestled among ancient, craggy rocks, is already a rare sight. The woman secretly marveled; without the giant overlord flowers, this cave would be just another underground karst cave, a popular tourist destination. With the flowers, it surpasses even that, and ignoring its inherent dangers, it's an absolutely wonderful space to enjoy life.

The group walked two or three miles inside the cave without seeing any people or animals, but the smoke grew thicker and thicker, making it seem like a fairyland. Murong Junlan kept frowning, not daring to let his guard down. But the frustrating thing was that he couldn't find any flaws in the cave. He exchanged a glance with the others, and they all looked as if they had fallen into a cloud. Ling Yi didn't feel anything unusual either. It seemed that the Black Overlord Wall's strategy of using softness to overcome hardness and stillness to control movement would not easily expose its weaknesses.

After walking for about the time it takes to brew a cup of tea, everything seemed normal. Murong Junlan called everyone back. He decided to stop. He approached the colorful hibiscus flowers on both sides of the cave. Apart from the strong fragrance of the flowers, there was nothing unusual. He took out a small bottle from his pocket, poured out some pills, and threw one to everyone, including Cang Ying. He then gave one to Yan'er and himself as well. This was a pill that he had asked Cang Ying to refine on a whim after he encountered the calming herb. He didn't expect it to work so quickly. It seemed that having a Cang Ying who could refine pills by his side was a great thing.

Another short while passed, and the situation remained unchanged. Luo Xie grew impatient. He dismounted, drew his short sword, and swiftly slashed at the nearest cluster of wild roses, sending petals scattering. Murong Junlan was startled by Luo Xie's actions; the creature was too fast, and Murong Junlan was ahead. By the time he noticed, thick smoke was already billowing from the fallen petals. Danger! A snake-like creature lunged at Luo Xie. Obscured by the smoke, Luo Xie didn't see it. Murong Junlan reacted quickly, his thin sword flashing out to strike the snake-like thing.

With a "poof," the thing withered. Then, an even thicker plume of black smoke billowed out, and a voice, indistinguishable as male or female, drifted over coldly: "Prince Murong, it seems you are not a man."

"Hmm?" Murong Junlan.

"Ha..." Luo Xie couldn't help but burst into laughter. Murong Junlan glared at him, and Luo Xie finally stopped.

At this moment, a figure that seemed both real and illusory emerged from the black mist. The voice said coldly, "The only man in this world who can evade my Poisonous Love Flower is you. Therefore, I suspect you are not a man."

"Whether I'm a man or not is none of your business. What I want to know is whether you're a man or a woman," Murong Junlan said slowly to the figure.

"You?" The figure sneered. After scoffing, it casually flicked out a puff of black smoke and disappeared.

"So there was someone there." Luo Xie looked at the figure under the black smoke, then swung his short sword to chop at the nearby tyrant flower.

"Luo Xie." Murong Junlan stopped them, not wanting to cause any more trouble before finding Black Overlord. So, the group continued walking forward.

"Your Highness, this is the end of the cave ahead," Jiang He reminded him, looking at the suddenly open valley in front of him.

"The end? Could that androgynous figure just now be the Black Overlord Wall?" Murong Junlan looked back at the path she had come from. It would have been better if she hadn't looked, because what she saw was terrifying. Where were the overlord vines and flowers on both sides of the cave? Now it was just a desolate, wild cave overgrown with thorns.

"Your Highness." Everyone noticed that although the woman was sitting in front of Murong Junlan, she felt a desolate atmosphere, and she tightened her grip on Murong Junlan's waist.

Murong Junlan reached out and patted his princess, looking at her with affection before raising his head to say to everyone, "This is not the end, but the beginning."

Everyone: "?"

“If the Black Tyrant Flower were so easy to obtain, it wouldn’t be a treasure.” Murong Junlan patted the woman’s back affectionately again. “We have some good scenery to see next, turn around and sit down.” Murong Junlan gently lifted the woman up, and she turned to face forward again.

"What lies ahead is not a scene of fireworks, but a breathtaking view of sheer cliffs." Murong Junlan's words seemed to be addressed to the woman, yet also to the entire group.

The scenery is beautiful, but there's an abyss ahead. Look, towering cliffs on both sides, and even the patch of green at the bottom of the valley is too daunting to approach.

"Your Highness, is this what they call a hidden paradise?" the woman wondered to herself.

"I'll take you inside for a look; the scenery there should be even more beautiful." Before the woman could react, Murong Junlan pulled on the reins and charged towards the cliff.

If entering the Water Curtain Cave earlier was a display of youthful recklessness, now rushing into the cliff is practically courting death, especially since Prince Murong is riding his horse with a whip cracking, and the woman sitting on the horse can clearly feel the vibration of the hooves.

The moment the horse charged off, everyone gasped in surprise, thinking that Murong Junlan had been possessed.

Oh dear, what's going on? That horse is walking in the air, no, it's running in the air. Murong Junlan tossed out two ribbons, which fluttered in the wind like the shawls of fairies, creating a scene straight out of a myth.

"Jiang He, hurry up and catch up!" Murong Junlan called out from afar.

"Yes." Jiang He pulled on the reins, and the carriage rushed off the cliff. The eagle excitedly spread its wings and soared into the sky from the carriage. It hadn't felt so comfortable in a long time. With a soft cry, it chased after Murong Junlan.

Luo Xie didn't dare to be negligent either, pulling on the reins to catch up with Jiang He. Although he hadn't seen any transparent bridge or anything like that in the air, if he didn't keep up with Jiang He's carriage, he wouldn't know which way was the road. He complained inwardly that Murong Junlan never gave him any warnings beforehand, only caring about his own pleasure, but he dared not utter a word. Riding a horse on this road where he couldn't see anything, Luo Xie couldn't describe what it felt like anymore. He only knew that his heart was hanging in mid-air, never settling down to his chest.

The verdant green below the cliff stretched endlessly into the valley. The woman's initial shock turned to delight, then to gasps of surprise. She even gradually forgot she was riding a horse, mistaking it for a roller coaster, and became extremely excited. Seeing this, Murong Junlan, sitting behind her, was also in high spirits. He tightened the reins and spurred the horse on.

"You dare to roam freely in Overlord Valley? You're ruthless." The indistinct figure that had landed at the cave entrance earlier coldly stared at the departing horses and carriages, uttering a chilling remark before transforming into a wisp of black smoke and chasing after them.

The white-haired woman hesitated for a moment amidst the thorns before flashing off and giving chase.

What exactly is the Black Overlord Flower? Traversing the treacherous Overlord Valley, Murong Junlan had many guesses flashing through his mind. Strangely, if it possessed such power, why would it still flee? In the instant Murong Junlan's thoughts wandered, he inwardly cried out in alarm.

A broken bridge? There was a broken bridge ahead? Murong Junlan tried to rein in his horse, but it was too late. His Red Hare plunged irreversibly into the abyss. His Yan'er, who hadn't even seen the bridge in the air, was still cheering wildly. "Alright, my dearest concubine, let's have the most beautiful fall in the world today, so that we'll never be apart again for all eternity!" With that thought, Murong Junlan tightened his embrace around the woman's slender waist, closed his eyes, and lowered his head to kiss her red lips…

"Your Highness!" The woman's cry of alarm seemed to pierce Murong Junlan's heart like a sharp knife.

"No!" Murong Junlan suddenly shouted. He still had many beautiful days to spend with his Yan'er; they couldn't die so easily. Murong Junlan opened his eagle-like eyes and looked at the vast sky. Suddenly, a line of small characters carved in the ancient ice sculpture cave of the Valley of Destruction flashed through his soul: "All things in the world, emptiness is not emptiness, and not emptiness is emptiness." Murong Junlan suddenly shouted loudly:

"Yan'er, Twin Shadows of Dreams!" Murong Junlan swung his thin rope towards the sky with lightning speed. Although he had no certainty about what the rope could catch, it was better than giving up. Although the woman hadn't practiced in a long time, upon hearing Murong Junlan's shout, she nimbly flung the rope from her bosom. Instantly, the clear sky over Bawang Valley was covered with dark clouds, and the two ropes transformed into two flying dragons, circling beneath the Fire Red Hare. Murong Junlan was overjoyed. He had used "Twin Shadows of Dreams" hoping the ropes would slow their descent and, with the help of the "Lazy Man's Secret Manual," reduce the force of the fall so that the two wouldn't be smashed to pieces. He never expected the two ropes to actually transform into two dragons circling in the air. Murong Junlan was delighted and then added two or three tenths of his power to "Twin Shadows of Dreams," and the two flying dragons then flew towards Jiang He and Luo Xie.

Upon seeing this, Jiang He, without a second thought, spurred his carriage onto the two fire dragons. Luo Xie didn't hesitate either, pulling the reins and leaping his fiery red rabbit beside the carriage. What a magnificent sight! But no one was in the mood to appreciate it, for beneath their feet lay a bottomless abyss.

The sudden burst of magical power from the "Dreamlike Twin Shadows" invigorated Murong Junlan. This was something that had never been recorded before. It seemed that the super energy hidden within their "Dreamlike Twin Shadows" was immeasurable.

The two fire dragons carried them around the Overlord Valley twice, roughly traversing the entire valley. Then, Murong Junlan slowly released some of his power. As they approached the ground, he and Yan'er exchanged a glance and retracted their respective ropes. The carriage and horses landed on a flat area at the bottom of the valley. Ling Yi, who had been silent all along, was the first to step out. He looked around and then walked up to Murong Junlan, saying, "Your Highness, we haven't smelled any poisonous gas yet."

"Okay." Murong Junlan nodded to Ling Yi to express his gratitude. Before everyone could recover from the shock of the sudden change, Murong Junlan rode his horse around with Yan'er for a while. Once Yan'er's face, which had been flushed from fright, had returned to normal, he told everyone to move forward onto the small pebble path ahead.

Seeing what had just happened, the indistinct figure visibly trembled. It was already a miracle they hadn't fallen and broken an arm or leg; they'd even ridden two laps around Overlord Valley in mid-air carrying a horse and carriage—impressive! It seemed this newcomer was no ordinary person; she had to report to the Black Overlord immediately. But what she didn't know was that at that moment, the Black Overlord, leaning back on his throne of the Overlord Vine, was actually sipping tea from a cup. If it weren't for the slight movement of his hand, everyone would have thought the Black Overlord was asleep.

"There are very few people who can escape my 'Broken Bridge Dream,' it seems that the fortifications of Overlord Valley need to be reinforced, Azi." The Black Overlord handed the cup to the servant beside him, and then gestured for the servant to bring the large bronze mirror not far away. Then, he looked at himself in the mirror as if no one else was around.

"Azi awaits the Overlord's orders." The woman in purple stepped forward and bowed.

"Bring that old man up here." The Black Overlord used his long fingernails to pick a strand of hair from his temple, then drew on his two incomparably cold and beautiful eyebrows, uttering a sentence without any expression.

"Yes, Overlord." Azi turned and left, and soon brought the old pine tree spirit in.

"Your Majesty, the old pine tree spirit has arrived." Azi threw the old pine tree spirit to the ground, and the old pine tree spirit rolled forward a few times.

"Black Overlord, spare my life!" The old pine tree spirit, ignoring his headache, kowtowed repeatedly.

"Drag him out and behead him." The Black Overlord was still looking in the mirror.

"Your Majesty, spare my life! I was forced into this!" the old pine tree continued to beg for mercy.

"Hmph, I was forced into it too." The Black Overlord stroked his cascading black hair, a mocking smile playing on his lips.

"He gave me poison, I had no choice but to..." Before the old pine tree could finish explaining, two "crack" and "pop" sounds were heard. The old pine tree spirit felt a tightness and relaxation in its throat as a pill rolled into its stomach.

"This is also a poison." The Black Overlord grinned, gave the old pine tree spirit a sinister look, and slowly said, "If you don't get the antidote within fifteen days, your intestines will rupture."

Upon hearing this, the old pine tree spirit knelt down on the ground with a thud. At that moment, it felt like it wanted to die. With two poison pills in its stomach, how could it possibly live?

"Take the people you brought with you, and the antidote will be ready soon. Ah Zi, throw it out." Black Tyrant grew impatient and turned to walk into the inner cave.

Ah Zi threw the old pine tree spirit outside, and then with a loud bang, the hole outside the door automatically sealed shut.

"What's that sound?" Murong Junlan spurred his horse toward the closed stone gate, but it was too late. Not only was the stone gate closed, but the lush greenery of the entire mountain was restored, and the stone gate could no longer be seen.

"Ha..." A white-haired woman's maniacal laughter echoed through the valley, sending chills down everyone's spines.

The commotion that followed startled Murong Junlan. The spot in front of them, where they were standing, began to move slowly, gradually increasing in speed, and eventually began to rotate. Murong Junlan shouted "Quickly!" and spurred his horse to retreat.

"Ah!" A shrill scream came from the other side, echoing through the valley for a long time.

Murong Junlan had no time to ponder the white-haired woman's fate. He and Jiang He had just retreated to the outer perimeter when a deep chasm appeared beneath their feet. At the same time, Jiang He's carriage involuntarily fell into the chasm. Fortunately, Jiang He reacted quickly, loosening the saddle from the horse's back, ensuring its safety. Although this horse wasn't as spirited and powerful as the Red Hare, it was still a fine steed.

Jiang He mounted his horse, and Ling Yi could only leap onto its back as well. Jiang He spurred the horse and caught up with Murong Junlan and the others.

"Your Highness, are we leaving already?" Luo Xie asked, puzzled as he watched Murong Junlan walk back.

"Yes." The ground beneath our feet is cracked; if we don't move, we'll fall through. Even that elusive white-haired woman was tricked; it seems this Black Tyrant is not easy to deal with.

Just as the group ran out of the deep valley, Jiang He shouted from behind, "Your Highness, look!" Murong Junlan turned around and saw that the lush mountains had suddenly turned into a thick black mist, which transformed into a ferocious beast that was rushing straight at them. Before they could react, with a "boom," everyone was engulfed in the black mist.

Only the eagle soared into the sky from the black mist, while Lingyi fled among the tangled grass on the ground...