The Thunder Valley is situated in the south-eastern region of the Northern Province.
Years ago, this valley used to be one of the biggest trade centers in the whole kingdom. However, one man changed the whole future.
The terrain in this valley is quite treacherous. Using this route would take about three to four days to cross the whole valley.
Even traveling alone on a Golden Ferghana is a bit complicated because there are unexpected cliffs, turns, and unsteady rocks.
Anyone walking on the path will have an ever-present fear of a landslide.
However, this place isn't barren. In fact, the whole valley used to be the Gao Clan's ancestral land, and the Gao Clan was one of the ruling clans of this region.
They controlled the whole trade route and amassed huge amounts of wealth. And this was one of the reasons why their clan was one of the Big Four, even years after they had left the Thunder Valley.
But other than the Gao Clan, the Thunder Valley was also home to hundreds of mortal villages.
And legend has it, once in one of these villages, lived a mortal couple.
They loved each other a lot, and soon, the wife was pregnant with a child.
Because the villages were scattered, and the whole terrain was not good, it would take about three days for a middle-aged couple to reach Lime Fog Town, the only place with a doctor and midwife.
However, even though they were aware of this, something unexpected happened, and the wife's water broke a month earlier.
Now, with no one to deliver the baby, a tragedy happened.
The husband lost both his wife and his unborn child.
He was so frustrated and helpless that he dedicated his remaining life paving a straight path - right through the heart of the Thunder Valley.
It took him twenty years, but he succeeded in constructing a whole path, alone, all by himself.
And the path was later called Perseverance Path.
And this path became one of the reasons why the trade route changed. Because now, crossing the Thunder Valley was much easier than before.
Gao Clan shifted to the Capital City during that time, and that decision also worked out pretty well for them.
Right now, Ye Tian Yun and his party had just left the Perseverance Path, taking a turn and heading towards the old Gao Clan village.
Now that the Gao Clan had left, the place had become quite desolate. And later, for some reason, everyone who lived in this area also left.
The main cause for this was unknown, but many traders commented that it was mostly because of the rampant bandit groups causing havoc in the once most rich places of the Thunder Valley.
But for Ye Tian Yun and his friends, the rest of the trip to the Thunder Valley went surprisingly normal.
They were expecting to encounter a few bandit groups, but they didn't encounter anyone.
And the party was happy with this. This meant no more time would be wasted, and they might come back to the village in time.
By the time they stepped into the ruins of Gao Village, the moon was already above their heads.
"So, we will be spending the night here?" Zheng Xiang asked with his hands on his chin.
Ye Tian Yun frowned, "You guys wait and make a camp. I will go look for the right spot. Once that is found, and I am done with my business, I will bring you guys to the thing which we are here for."
Zheng Xiang lightly nodded, "Alright."
The others got down from the Golden Ferghanas, and within a few minutes, they made a bonfire and sat down around it.
Even though this was the summer season, the Thunder Valley usually had a cold environment, especially at night.
But this wasn't a problem for cultivators since they could easily coat themselves with a thin layer of Qi and keep their bodies warm even in teeth clacking cold.
Just as everyone has settled down, Gao Suyin spoke, "I will also head out. I am here to look for something very important for my clan. Since we need to leave as soon as possible, it would be a waste of time if I stood here."
Ye Tian Yun frowned a bit and asked, "May I ask what you're looking for?"
Gao Suying shrugged, "Just an old relic. It has a sentimental value for my father. What about you?"
Ye Tian Yun pursed his lips, "Oh? Well, my goal is to find a certain herb. I heard it might be available here, so I have come here to look for it."
Gao Suyin simply nodded at this; on the other hand, Jun Xie frowned.
He had a strong feeling that both of them were lying to each other right now. However, he didn't say anything. 'Everyone has their own secrets…'
"I will go and hunt some rabbit or something." He stood up and said to the others, "Traveling the whole day has made me hungry."
"I will come with you!" Wu Qingwu smiled.
"No thanks."
"..."
"Zheng Xiang, come with me."
…
Just as Jun Xie and Zheng Xiang left, Ye Tian Yun also took his leave.
He didn't waste any more time and went straight to his destination.
If the information he had about this place was right, then he was going to get a whole High-tier Spirit Vein which would immensely help in his cultivation.
The Thunder Valley is full of uneven mountains and deep cliffs.
And Ye Tian Yun's destination was a cliff behind the biggest mountain near the Gao Village.
The mountain wasn't hard to find, and with his cultivation, it only took him a few minutes as he reached the peak.
And soon, he found himself standing at the very edge of a cliff.
Standing on the edge, what entered his eyes was boundless clouds and mist, and his line of sight was completely obstructed.
Ye Tian Yun, however, wasn't planning to jump. Rather, he was looking for something very common which was found in such places.
And he soon noticed that about a hundred meters below in the precipitous cliff there was actually a tilted tree that grew straight out of the cliff.
That was his destination.
...
A/n: The story at the beginning of the chapter is inspired by a real-life incident.. You can read more about it by visiting 'Dashrath Manjhi' Wikipedia page.