Chapter Fifty-One: The Ten Thousand Mountains Range (Part 8)

“Master Zhang, are you sure? Isn’t it a bit too deep?”

“Don’t worry, Miss Meng. I’ll go a bit deeper, all the way to the bottom, but it’s perfectly safe!”

“But… but…”

“Don’t you want to see, Miss Meng? To witness what kind of scenery awaits at the very bottom?”

The Ten-Thousand Mountains Range

Wushen Gorge Grasslands

The Abyssal Deep Gorge

Meng Meng stood at the edge of the deep gorge, gazing downward, on the verge of tears.

Over the past days, Zhang Ning had taken her to visit all the renowned canyons of the Wushen Gorge Grasslands. One of those canyons was originally carved out by a river, but the riverbed had long since dried up. Now, the place was littered with the carcasses of aquatic and terrestrial creatures alike—a hellish sight indeed.

To Zhang Ning, who was accustomed to grand spectacles both at home and abroad, it was hardly stirring. But for Meng Meng, who had never been more than the commanding voice behind her subordinates’ actions, the sight was terrifying. The image lingered, refusing to fade, and so today, she was like someone who, having once been bitten by a snake, now feared every length of rope.

The canyon Zhang Ning brought her to today was called the Abyssal Deep Gorge, famed for its unfathomable depth and a peculiar species of tree that grew there.

That tree was known as the Bloodsucker Wood. It clung to the very rim of the Abyssal Deep Gorge, its entire form a deep crimson, and its long, tangled roots stretched downward like countless blood vessels, reaching all the way to the gorge’s floor.

What inspired the greatest dread was that, apart from the strange rocks, nothing else grew within the gorge. Once you reached the bottom, it felt as though you’d arrived in a barren hell.

No plants meant no animals. So here was the problem: What, then, did the Bloodsucker Wood feed on? Why did it possess such an ominous color?

If it consumed animals like a carnivorous trumpet flower, people might be revolted, but they could at least understand. Yet, the Bloodsucker Wood did nothing of the sort.

No one truly knew the source of its blood-red roots and trunk. Thus, a chilling rumor spread: the Bloodsucker Wood drew its nourishment directly from the earth itself, absorbing the vitality of all things in the Azure Realm from the depths of the chasm! The mere suggestion made listeners’ hair stand on end, and some zealous members of the orthodox sects would even attempt to cut these trees down.

Meng Meng, of course, dismissed such tales as nonsense, but she had no desire to get close to the Bloodsucker Wood—never mind the fact that she also harbored a fear of heights.

To her dismay, Zhang Ning seemed in high spirits for reasons unknown, gleefully sliding down the slick roots, and enthusiastically beckoning her to follow. (He’d never had the chance to try rappelling before.)

So Meng Meng could only watch as Zhang Ning slid further and further down into the gorge, until his voice faded and his form vanished from sight. And her eyesight was no ordinary thing—she was a martial artist just a step away from the Martial Pill Realm. If even she couldn’t see him, Zhang Ning must truly be far away.

In her anxiety, Meng Meng stamped her foot, the hem of her green dress fluttering about her like the spirit of the forest—ethereal yet vividly alive.

“Hmph, that scoundrel!”

At last, Meng Meng gritted her teeth and followed after Zhang Ning, sliding down as well, though the long, red roots disgusted her. But she had to know what he was up to! After all… he just might become her fiancé!

With this thought, her heart swelled with the spirit of sacrifice for her family and an indignant sense of “if not me, then who?” Little did she know, something even more terrifying awaited her at the bottom of the gorge.

“Master Zhang? Master Zhang, where are you?”

“I’m over here, Miss Meng!”

Hearing his nearby reply, Meng Meng felt half relieved, half still putting on an act. But when she turned toward the voice, she was instantly petrified, certain that a nightmare had come to life before her eyes!

Zhang Ning appeared to be stepping out of the shadows as usual, but Meng Meng swore she’d just seen him, a moment before, licking the blood-red roots of those trees!

“Miss Meng, would you like to try this water? Its taste…”

“Aaaahhh! Help! Somebody help me!”

Meng Meng’s face went pale as she turned and ran.

Startled by her sudden reaction, Zhang Ning even took a strategic step back. For a moment, he thought Meng Meng was about to attack him. Only after a few seconds did he realize she’d been frightened by him, leaving him utterly bewildered.

“What on earth just happened?”

All Zhang Ning had wanted was to share something good with her. The roots’ red color came simply from the abundance of minerals in the earth. The roots grew thick and dense, trailing all the way down, and with such an expanse, the dew collected on them was filtered more thoroughly than any water purification method he’d ever seen on his home planet, Bluewater Star. It was pure, untainted, and delicious. Zhang Ning had been savoring it, planning to bring some back to his sect. His invitation to Meng Meng to try some was entirely sincere—how could he have guessed she’d react so violently? What in the world was going on?

“What do you all think, my audience friends?”

Even deep within the gorge, Zhang Ning enjoyed excellent broadcast signal. The clarity was impeccable, thanks to a live-streaming screen said to be Su Ye’s painstaking creation—an advanced mirrored spirit treasure. In addition, the Three-Feathered Birds hovered above, capturing tricky angles and aerial shots. Truth be told, Zhang Ning, even as a native of Bluewater Star, had no idea how it all worked…

In short, this live-streaming setup could broadcast in almost any circumstance, showing Zhang Ning from his very best angles. He’d felt a surge of pride when it was first unveiled.

“Dashing for just a moment! His Highness looked so cool rappelling down, and then the next second he scared that poor girl out of her wits!”

Only upon seeing this comment did Zhang Ning realize the truth—this girl was afraid of the dark! Emerging from the shadows, he’d accidentally frightened her.

Really now, he’d been planning to use his Bluewater Star foodie skills to make her give up, but who knew she’d be afraid of the dark… Oh well, she’s a girl, after all.

Having figured things out, Zhang Ning started bantering with the lively audience in the chat. Meng Meng, meanwhile, had finally calmed down after running for a while and felt somewhat embarrassed by her overreaction. Gathering her courage, she retraced her steps, only to overhear Zhang Ning and the chat joking around without a care, which stung her deeply and brought tears to her eyes.

He really is a true-born little devil—he can find amusement in things that terrify others. In the future, he surely will…

The more Meng Meng thought about it, the sadder she became. Unconsciously, she cast herself as Zhang Ning’s bride-to-be, imagining all the dreadful things this devil might do to her once they were wed.