The Song Dynasty was the king for thirteen years before he knew that he was Tianlong.

Chapter 263 Eternal Spring Valley
The mountain stream ahead is deep and treacherous, but to get around it, one doesn't know how many more miles one would have to walk sideways and how many more peaks one would have to cross.

Going down to the bottom allows you to climb back up, where countless old vines, new tender green, and ancient brownish-yellow vines hang from the ravine walls, making them easy to grasp and use.

For an ordinary person, doing this would be extremely dangerous, but for a martial artist, it wouldn't be a big problem. The people of the Thirty-Six Caves and Seventy-Two Islands are not easy to deal with, and they also have unorthodox methods to help them cross this ravine without any hindrance.

Zhong Ling was the weakest in martial arts among the group, so she would encounter some difficulties. Zhao Ti looked at her and said, "Miss Zhong, let's attach ourselves to the same vine."

Zhong Ling lowered her head and hummed in agreement, knowing that she had become a burden again. Feeling guilty, she bit her cherry lips lightly and dared not look at Zhao Ti.

Knowing her thoughts, Zhao Ti smiled and said, "It's alright, it's just a mountain stream, we can get through it easily."

After saying that, everyone went down the cliff. The vines were incredibly strong, some thicker than an arm and others as thin as chopsticks, but they were all very strong and could not be broken.

As you watch, clouds and mist gradually rise all around, waterfalls cascade down, and vines hang upside down, creating a scene resembling a fairyland. However, the fact that it is neither connected to the sky nor the earth sends a chill down your spine.

By this time, they had covered about half the distance. Eagles and eagles flew about, giant pythons emerged from their caves, old apes cried out, and mandrills swaggered. In the distance, tigers and leopards roared in the forest, while insects scurried about nearby, creating an indescribable scene.

Just then, a large eagle swooped down, heading straight for Huo Linglong. Huo Linglong threw a punch, and a thunderous roar shook the eagle, killing it mid-air, its feathers falling to the ground.

After descending a little further, Zhong Ling suddenly cried out in surprise. It turned out that her internal energy had waned over time, and she had lost her grip on the vines, causing her to stumble and fall towards the ravine.

Zhao Ti, who was attached to the same vine as her, was in front of her. Upon seeing this, he gently stretched out his arm and pulled her upward, instantly drawing her into his embrace.

Zhong Ling's face turned deathly pale with fright, but she suddenly felt herself fall into a warm embrace. Looking up, she saw it was Zhao Ti, and her cheeks flushed red: "Your Highness..."

Zhao Ti felt as if she were boneless, and a faint fragrance wafted over him. Looking at her, her face was as bright as the morning sun, her eyes were like water, her skin was like solidified cream, and her breath was like orchids. Even though she still had some panic from the fall, it did not hide her fresh and refined temperament, and her beautiful and innocent appearance.

He said, "Hold on tight."

Upon hearing this, Zhong Ling's face flushed even more. She was about to say that she could continue to hold onto the vines when she felt Zhao Ti's body fall rapidly. The wind whistled past her ears, and she immediately lost her balance and instinctively lunged forward.

She suddenly hugged Zhao Ti's chest, too shy to open her eyes. Her eyelashes drooped and trembled, her heart pounding like a little rabbit.

Zhao Ti felt her hair being blown by the mountain breeze and brushing against his face, causing a slightly itchy sensation. He squinted and said, "A little higher."

Zhong Ling exclaimed "Ah!" but didn't hear what he said. She didn't dare to ask or move.

Zhao Ti then said, "Miss Zhong's hair brushed against my face, it's a bit... I'd better hold her a little higher up."

Zhong Ling heard clearly this time, but still dared not move. She was completely in the other person's arms, and even the slightest movement would cause skin to rub against skin. Even now, there was a slight caressing, as if she had been struck by lightning, her body felt numb and she had no strength at all.

Seeing that she still didn't move, Zhao Ti thought for a moment, then loosened his arms slightly and wrapped them around her again, so that Zhong Ling's body was tilted upwards.

Zhong Ling let out a barely audible murmur, her arms involuntarily wrapping around Zhao Ti's neck, her cheek pressed tightly against his, her heart pounding even harder, as if it were about to burst out of her chest, her face burning hot.

Zhao Ti suddenly felt something soft in front of him, then bounced away lightly, and then jumped and bumped into him again. It felt quite delicate and tender, and he couldn't help but let out a soft "hmm".

Upon hearing this, Zhong Ling felt even more embarrassed. She naturally knew what it was about. The two were so close that the other person noticed her body and immediately buried his head even deeper, not daring to move an inch.

After a while, they finally reached the bottom of the ravine. Zhao Ti saw that the other woman was still clinging to his neck, clearly too embarrassed to let go. He shook his head and smiled, "Miss Zhong, we've arrived."

Zhong Ling's eyes were slightly closed, her eyelashes trembling like small fans. Her mind was in turmoil, and she couldn't hear a sound.

Zhao Ti reluctantly repeated himself, and she finally snapped out of her daze. She hurriedly and embarrassedly released her hands, leaving Zhao Ti's embrace: "Your Highness, I, I..."

Seeing her shy, cute, and bewildered expression, Zhao Ti said, "In urgent situations, we should act expediently. Miss Zhong, there's no need to overthink it."

Zhong Ling steadied her breathing, stood obediently, and bowed her head, saying, "Ling'er understands. It's all my fault for dragging Your Highness down."

Seeing that she was standing upright and serious, looking like a well-behaved student who had made a mistake in a private school, Zhao Ti couldn't help but say, "Then what should we do? Let's just leave Miss Zhong here in the ravine and leave her alone."

Upon hearing this, Zhong Ling hurriedly looked up: "Your Highness, I don't want to be here alone..."

At this point, she saw the smile in Zhao Ti's eyes and murmured, "So Your Highness was just joking with Ling'er..."

Zhao Ti smiled and said, "Let's take a break. We still have to climb higher once we get there."

At this time, the others also descended to the bottom of the valley one after another, came over to report, counted their numbers, caught their breath for a moment, and headed to the other side of the valley.

No one has been here for hundreds or thousands of years. It is difficult to walk in all directions, and various primitive landscapes are presented. There are countless beasts and insects.

With Wu Xiong leading the way, even though everyone was highly skilled in martial arts, it still took them almost half an hour to reach the other side of the mountain stream.

Climbing upwards is several times more strenuous than climbing downwards, as the effort required is incomparable to that required for descending. However, apart from Zhong Ling, it wasn't a major problem for the others, only their speed was significantly slower.

Zhao Ti hesitated for a moment, then said, "Miss Zhong might find it difficult to climb by herself. I'd rather guide you."

Zhong Ling looked up and saw that the top of the ravine was incredibly high, seemingly empty. The vines stretched like the heavens, looking terrifying. She couldn't help but say, "I... I'll listen to Your Highness."

Zhao Ti nodded: "Miss Zhong, please go to the back. It will be easier for me to carry you."

Zhong Ling bowed her head and said "okay." Zhao Ti lifted her up, and she hooked her arms around him. She felt that her body was pressed even closer to his than when she was in front of him, and she couldn't help but moan softly, burying her face deeply in Zhao Ti's back.

The group then began to climb upwards, but their pace was extremely slow, taking several times longer than when they descended. By the time they reached the top of the ravine, it was already quite late.

The scenery above the mountain stream was different from that on the other side; it appeared increasingly ancient and pristine. Zhao Ti surveyed the area and ordered them to continue onward. After traveling several dozen miles, as the sun set, they began to rest and prepare food.

At this time, half of the people cut down trees to build simple houses, and the other half cooked.

The group carried dried food and meat jerky with them, as well as a small pot. They also picked various mushrooms, which Chu Wanli and Zhong Ling identified as non-poisonous before starting a fire to cook them.

After a while, the aroma filled the air, and we began to eat. When we finished eating, it was completely dark, the moon was obscured by dark clouds, and the surroundings were silent. So we rested in this place.

The next morning, after packing and eating, we continued our journey.

Zhao Ti remembered that Changchun Valley was more than 200 li away from the mountain stream, while the swallow gatherers he had met before said it was 100 to 200 li away, so it should be roughly the same distance.

However, this place was extremely difficult to travel, with no roads to be found. We had to forge our own path each time, which took a considerable amount of time. By nightfall, we had only traveled about 150 or 160 li (approximately 750-800 kilometers) before we had to spend another night there.

On the morning of the third day, they continued their journey, and this time the scenery changed in no time. The distant mountains were verdant, the water was clear, exotic flowers bloomed and the forest was covered with brocade, and tender willows swayed and their golden threads brushed the ground.

As they walked, everyone felt something was wrong. They gradually lost their way, and the beautiful scenery they had seen in the distance became blurry. They also wondered why, even though they were moving forward in single file, the distance between each person was getting farther and farther.

Seeing this, Zhao Ti said, "This place is a bit strange. Everyone should get closer together, at least two or three people should stand together, even if it's just holding hands or pulling sleeves."

Everyone agreed, and he turned back to Zhong Ling and said, "Just hold onto my clothes and walk away."

Zhong Ling agreed, then grabbed a corner of Zhao Ti's robe and continued forward.

As they walked, they heard Wu Xiong's voice from behind: "Your Highness, some people are missing. I don't know where they went. I think they have already passed by not far to the side."

Zhu Chuyi said, "Your Highness, there should be a great formation here, but this formation is too large. It is a naturally formed place that has been modified by people over countless years. Breaking it will not be a matter of a day or two."

Upon hearing this, Zhao Ti pondered for a moment. This place did indeed contain a hidden formation, making it difficult to move forward and only allowing people to move backward. However, he did not find any danger, so it should only serve as a barrier and cover.

He asked, "In Mr. Zhu's opinion, how long will it take to find a way forward?"

Zhu Chuyi smiled wryly, "This is the first time I've seen such a formation created by nature, and the array itself is perfectly aligned with it. We'll have to break it little by little as we go. It might take seven or eight days, or even ten or more. If the distance ahead is far, it will take even longer." Zhao Ti said, "This area is vast and expansive, so the array must cover a great distance. Going around in circles like this is pointless; we won't get any further. It's also not good to wait around. You take two people to break the array, and the rest of you can split up and look for a way forward. Maybe we'll stumble upon the exit by accident."

Zhu Chu nodded: "If my subordinates find it, they should leave a mark and use a whistling arrow as a signal."

Zhao Ti nodded: "If we really can't find a way forward, we shouldn't be persistent after a long time. We should retreat and wait, and not easily suffer any damage."

Everyone agreed, and Zhao Ti looked at Zhong Ling: "Miss Zhong, please come with me."

Zhong Ling glanced at him, then tugged at his sleeve and said, "Alright, I won't leave Your Highness's side..."

Tong Guan then said, "Your Highness, I will also follow and protect you."

Zhao Ti glanced at him, smiled slightly, and shook his head: "If something really happens, will you protect me, or will I protect you?"

Tong Guan's face twitched as he said, "Your Highness, this, this..."

Zhao Ti glanced at the crowd and said, "I can protect Miss Zhong alone, but I'm too impatient to protect more than that. Let's all go our separate ways and find our way forward."

Everyone agreed, and then began to separate, with Zhao Ti also moving forward.

After walking for a while and seeing no one else, Zhao Ti stopped to ponder. Zhong Ling said, "Your Highness, this place feels somewhat familiar."

Zhao Ti nodded, confirming that they had indeed passed through this area. He said, "It seems extremely difficult to devise such a large-scale formation using ordinary methods."

Zhong Ling asked, "Does Your Highness have any solutions?"

Zhao Ti looked around at the towering trees and said, "We can only go up and take a look."

Zhong Ling looked up and saw that many of the trees here had been growing for hundreds or even thousands of years, towering into the clouds. She exclaimed in surprise, "So tall, can Your Highness climb up?"

Zhao Ti squinted. These trees were indeed extremely tall. It would be difficult to see even one in the outside world, but here they were everywhere, their tops seemingly piercing the clouds.

"Getting up there isn't difficult; the difficult part is walking on it." He smiled and shook his head, which was also the reason why he told everyone to split up and search.

Only a handful of people, such as Huo Linglong, Tong Guan, and Wu Xiong, were able to reach the top, but they could not stay there for long. They could hardly move forward and would probably fall down after a few trees.

It would be useless to bring others along. If he were to walk and search above, those below would not be able to keep up. Even with the dense, towering trees, they would not be able to see him.

Zhong Ling was even more surprised upon hearing this, and said, "Your Highness can walk on the top of such a high tree?"

Zhao Ti laughed and said, "Otherwise, how can we find our way forward? This place is so vast that without looking down from a high vantage point, all other methods will only delay us further."

"Then, what about Ling'er?" Zhong Ling couldn't help but show a look of fear on her face: "I, I don't want to stay here alone."

Zhao Ti said, "Miss Zhong, you can come with me."

As he spoke, he reached out and lifted Zhong Ling's slender waist, then immediately leaped up towards the tree. He used the trunk a few times to gain momentum and reached the top of the tree.

By this time, he was already dozens of feet off the ground, his feet resting on supple branches and leaves. Zhao Ti looked into the distance, but all around him was still a vast sea of ​​trees, and he still couldn't tell where he was.

He pondered for a moment, realizing that the tree beneath his feet was not the tallest one, and that he needed to go higher. He then flew straight to the tallest tree crown nearby and arrived a moment later. There, he had a panoramic view of the surrounding mountains and could see the distant landscape below.

Zhao Ti shaded his eyes with his hand and looked around, recognizing the path he had come from. The scenery there was different from this forest. Looking further ahead, he could vaguely see small peaks stretching out in the distance, so he immediately sped off towards them.

He unleashed his fastest movement technique, activating the Divine Foot Sutra to enhance himself, moving like lightning and reaching Xiaofeng's vicinity in no time.

Looking up from the treetop, one could see that the surrounding small mountain peaks were shrouded in mist, and one could not tell where they were. Then, one walked forward, jumped down from the treetop, and saw that it was another ravine.

But this ravine was far less deep than the previous deep ravine, and one side was bordered by a small peak. However, the small peak was steep and smooth, and not even grass grew on it. On the side closer to the ravine, vines hung down and swayed gently.

Zhao Ti glanced at the small peak and frowned slightly. Calling it a mountain peak was an understatement; it was more like a giant rock that had flown in from nowhere and stood across the valley. To cross to the other side of the ravine, it was obviously not as fast as climbing over the top of the peak, but rather by swinging across the vines on the side.

He stood at the edge of the ravine and squinted at the opposite side for a moment. The mist was hazy and indistinct, making it impossible to discern what was there. He said to Zhong Ling, "Miss Zhong, that side is very likely the legendary Valley of Immortality. There might be danger inside. Will you stay here and wait for the others to arrive, or will you come in with me?"

Zhong Ling blinked: "Is Sister Wan'er inside? I want to go in and find her."

Zhao Ti's expression was solemn as he pondered for a moment: "At this moment, we cannot be certain that Wanqing is definitely here; it is only a possibility."

“Then I want to go too. I don’t dare to stay here alone.” Zhong Ling looked at the layers of forest behind her and shook her head.

“Okay.” Zhao Ti pulled Zhong Ling along, then leaped forward several feet, grabbing a vine on the cliff face with his other hand and swinging away.

He watched as the deep ravine swept past below, the wind whistling, and before the vines could reach the opposite cliff, Zhao Ti had already used the momentum to leap down first.

The ground was extremely soft, with tender green grass growing between the stones, completely different from the ground opposite.

Zhao Ti stood there and looked at the hazy white mist, then said, "Miss Zhong, have the Lightning Sable test the mist for toxicity. If it is poisonous miasma, Miss Zhong may not be able to withstand it."

Zhong Ling nodded and released the Lightning Sable from the leather pouch at her waist. The sable's two bright eyes flashed, and with a "whoosh," it darted into the mist, returning a moment later, chirping incessantly.

Zhong Ling said, "If it's making that sound, then it's fine; otherwise, it would be whimpering."

Knowing that sables express emotions differently, Zhao Ti said, "Miss Zhong, please come with me."

They then entered the white mist, where they could vaguely discern directions and objects. After walking slowly for about fifteen minutes, the mist gradually disappeared, and a clearing suddenly appeared in front of them, revealing a new territory.

Zhao Ti looked around carefully and saw that the mountains on both sides were steep and majestic, and the passage in the middle, which was more than ten feet wide, was clearly the entrance to a huge valley. He took a breath, told Zhong Ling to be careful, and walked into the valley.

It's as if you've stepped into a paradise beyond the mortal world. The scenery is unlike anything you've ever seen. Everywhere you look in the valley is beautiful. Green grass stretches out along the way, wildflowers bloom everywhere, and a gentle breeze carries sweet fragrance, attracting bees and butterflies.

Several giant trees, seemingly older than those outside, rose from the ground, their thick trunks stretching out in all directions, their lush foliage intertwining like a natural dome.

A clear stream meanders past, its waters gurgling and flowing. The colorful pebbles are smooth and rounded by the water's flow, and the stream reflects the sky and the shadows of the trees like a mirror.

“Your Highness, there is a stone tablet here,” Zhong Ling suddenly said.

A huge stone tablet stands under a tree, more than half a person tall, with five characters written on it in seal script: Valley of Immortality and Longevity.

Indeed, this was the place. Zhao Ti nodded and said, "This is Changchun Valley."

Zhong Ling, who did not recognize the characters on the stele, exclaimed with delight, "Your Highness actually recognizes those strange characters; I don't recognize a single one of them!"

Zhao Ti laughed and said, "This is considered Zhou Zhuan, but not many people outside recognize it."

Then we walked forward and saw that the scenery along the way was still beautiful, and there were even small patches of green fields on both sides, planted with some kind of grain, with huge ears of grain.

Then, not far away, they saw what looked like a market town, with many houses, what appeared to be streets, and faint sounds of voices.

The two continued forward and saw several men walking out from what looked like a market town. They were all dressed in long robes with wide sleeves, in a simple and ancient style.

Upon seeing Zhao Ti and his companion, they sized them up briefly and exclaimed in surprise, "Where are you from?"

(End of this chapter)