Forsaken Blood Valley - The Land of No Return

Forsaken Blood Valley - The Land of No Return

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The path twisted beneath Jiang Yun's feet as he followed the group of Sword Palace disciples deeper into the mountains.

The cultivated roads leading to the sect had long disappeared, replaced by jagged cliffs and unstable trails. With every step forward, the air grew colder.

Jiang Yun had expected the journey to be silent.

He was wrong.

"Don't worry," one of the outer disciples smirked as they walked. "Forsaken Blood Valley isn't that bad. At least, not if you die quickly."

The group chuckled.

Jiang Yun ignored them.

Another disciple, a thin man with sharp eyes, glanced at him. "I give him three days."

The first one scoffed. "Three? You're being generous. He has no spiritual root. He won't even last one."

Jiang Yun remained silent.

This wasn't the first time people had looked down on him. It wouldn't be the last.

But their laughter stopped when the inner disciple in blue robes finally spoke.

"You're all underestimating him," he said, glancing at Jiang Yun with an amused smirk.

The other disciples blinked in surprise.

Jiang Yun met his gaze warily.

This inner disciple—he was different.

Unlike the others, his Qi wasn't wild or unstable. It was refined, sharp, as if he had already mastered his power. He carried a long sword on his back, but his stance showed no need for weapons—his presence alone was dangerous.

He studied Jiang Yun for a moment before continuing.

"This one isn't like the others who come begging for an easy way in. He knew what the Forsaken Blood Valley was before accepting."

The inner disciple chuckled softly. "That either makes him the bravest fool I've seen—or the most dangerous."

Jiang Yun said nothing.

The other disciples stiffened.

It wasn't praise. It was a warning.

One of the disciples scoffed, kicking a rock off the path. "Even if he's different, it won't matter. The valley kills everyone the same."

The inner disciple's smirk remained.

"We'll see."

The Descent Into Death

After hours of walking, the path suddenly opened into a massive cliffside.

Jiang Yun stepped forward—and froze.

Ahead of him stretched a massive stone bridge, old and crumbling, spanning over an abyss so deep he couldn't see the bottom. The cliffs beyond it were drenched in an eerie red mist, making the valley seem like a wound carved into the earth.

And the scent…

Jiang Yun recognized it immediately.

Blood.

This was Forsaken Blood Valley.

A land of exile, slaughter, and forgotten graves.

Even standing at the edge, he could feel it—a pressure, a weight in the air. The valley itself was wrong.

The inner disciple stretched his arms lazily. "Well, this is where we part ways."

He gestured toward the bridge. "Once you cross, you're on your own."

Jiang Yun didn't hesitate.

He walked forward.

But just as he reached the bridge, a voice called out behind him.

"Wait."

Jiang Yun turned.

The inner disciple's expression was still calm, but his eyes held something different—curiosity.

"There's something I don't understand," he mused. "Why are you so determined?"

Jiang Yun met his gaze.

And for the first time since arriving at Sword Palace, he answered truthfully.

"Because I refuse to stay weak."

The inner disciple stilled.

Then—he grinned.

"…Interesting."

Jiang Yun turned away and stepped onto the bridge.

With each step, the world shifted.

The laughter of the disciples faded.

The mountain's warmth disappeared.

And as he crossed into the Forsaken Blood Valley, the scent of blood grew stronger.

The last words he heard before the mist swallowed him whole—

"Good luck, mortal."

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Did you know?

the Forsaken Blood Valley is often depicted as a treacherous, life-threatening trial meant to weed out the weak and the unworthy. However, unlike most who would be deterred by its deadly reputation, Jiang Yun's determination to refuse weakness and face the unknown sets him apart from others. Despite lacking a spiritual root, Jiang Yun's inner strength and resolve drive him to step into the valley, where many fear to tread. In the world of cultivation, sometimes the true test isn't about talent—it's about unwavering courage and the will to rise above the odds.