Upon hearing "Black Valley," Captain Xue's complexion changed.

Anyone who frequents the area around Xixia Plain has heard of "Black Valley," a narrow gorge located on the outskirts of the Xixia Plain.

A large number of Spiritual Beasts reside in the valley, and legend has it that an existence even more terrifying than a Ninth-grade Spiritual Beast dwells in its depths.

For thousands of years, no one has dared to venture deep into Black Valley alone.

Even the most experienced Mercenary Corps would not dare to enter Black Valley recklessly.

"Father, rest assured, your daughter knows her limits. I only want that wretched girl's life, and since she is not from the convoy, her death won't tarnish the reputation of our Mercenary Corps. If you don't help me take revenge, I might as well die here since I have no face to meet anybody anymore."

Saying this, Xue Hongyu drew a dagger and pressed it against her own neck.

For the sake of his daughter's life, Captain Xue had no choice but to agree.

In the remaining days, Xue Hongyu seemed much more subdued.

The relationship between Feng Xun and Ye Lingyue remained cool, and Lan Cai'er and Sword Slave also noticed something was off, but no matter how Lan Cai'er asked, Ye Lingyue could not explain it.

She even felt resentful towards Feng Xun, for if anyone had the right to be annoyed about that night's events, it was her, not Feng Xun.

In the blink of an eye, ten days had passed, and the convoy had entered the Northwest Daxia region.

Once they entered the northwest, the towns became sparse, and the surrounding environment grew much more desolate.

"Gentlemen, in a few more days, we will enter the Xixia Plain. This area is not like the central land of Daxia; here, there are numerous Spiritual Beasts, and we must be especially cautious at night," Captain Xue reminded everyone.

Unexpectedly that very night, as Captain Xue had warned, there came a beast attack. Despite a timely response, several members of the Blood Blade Mercenary Corps were still injured.

Due to this, the Mercenary Corps found themselves suddenly short-handed.

Captain Xue and Boss Feng consulted with each other and then approached Ye Lingyue and Lan Cai'er.

"Ladies, we've heard that you are Martial Artists. The convoy is currently short of manpower, and recently the Xixia Plain area has been peaceful. Could we trouble you to take turns keeping watch at night?" Seeing Captain Xue's troubled expression, Ye Lingyue and Lan Cai'er found it difficult to refuse. After discussing, they decided to alternate duties.

That night, the convoy camped as usual in the wilderness, unaware that they had unwittingly reached the outskirts of Black Valley.

Lan Cai'er was on watch for the first half of the night, followed by Ye Lingyue for the second half.

In the darkness, the endless Xixia Plain lay before their eyes, with only tree shadows and the occasional sounds of Wild Beasts in view.

Everything seemed normal.

"Miss Ye, some brothers went to patrol ahead, and they haven't returned for quite some time. The captain is worried and has asked me to invite you to join a patrol ahead to look for them," a Blood Blade Mercenary approached and said.

Ye Lingyue frowned but did not refuse. She stood up and followed the Mercenary into the pitch-black depths of the plains.

After walking for roughly two quarters of an hour and nearing Black Valley, a look of joy appeared on the Mercenary's face.

"The Black Valley lies ahead of us, surely your people haven't entered the Black Valley?" The person who was supposed to be behind them suddenly appeared in front, startling the Mercenary into attempting to flee.

But then he felt a sudden chill on his neck, something was already pressed against his throat.

"Miss Ye… I don't understand what you're talking about," the Mercenary swallowed hard.

"Don't think that because I've never been to the Xixia Plain, I don't know the situation around here. The Black Valley is the most dangerous place on the Xixia Plain. If I'm not mistaken, the missing brothers you mentioned, along with your deputy captain, are upfront waiting to ambush me," Ye Lingyue sneered. Without waiting for the Mercenary to plead, her wrist flicked.

In the darkness of the night, the Moon Essence traced a sinister arc, and with a muffled sizzling sound, the Mercenary fell to the ground. His legs twitched, and then he was still.

Ye Lingyue was well aware that the trip to Dan City this time was extremely dangerous, so before she set off, she had Yan Che thoroughly investigate the Xixia Plain and Dan City.

She paid extra attention to Black Valley.

Thus, when Captain Xue quietly changed the route, she already took notice. When Captain Xue later suggested that Ye Lingyue and Lan Cai'er help him, she simply went along with the plan, wanting to see what kind of tricks Captain Xue and his daughter were playing behind her back.

After hiding the body of the Mercenary, Ye Lingyue took out an Invisibility Elixir and swallowed it, then darted in the direction of Black Valley.

The notorious Black Valley on the Xixia Plain looks no different from any ordinary mountain valley from the outside.

Xue Hongyu and several Mercenaries with Innate Cultivation were waiting to lure Ye Lingyue over.

"Deputy Captain, once we capture that woman, can we really do whatever we want?" These Mercenaries were the ones who had pretended to be victims of beast attacks earlier.

They each received ten gold coins from Xue Hongyu to help catch Ye Lingyue.

"Of course, haven't you guys been complaining all the way that we haven't even seen a woman? Remember, after having your fun with that woman, disfigure her face and dump her into Black Valley," Xue Hongyu sneered as she glanced at Black Valley behind her.

That woman surnamed Ye was just Innate in cultivation, a few strong mercenary men combined with her, Xue Hongyu, should have no trouble overpowering her.

Seeing Xue Hongyu's cruel demeanor, these Mercenaries, who lived on the edge of blade, couldn't help but shiver.

Just how much hatred does the Deputy Captain have for Princess Ye.

But, taking the money to dispel others' disasters, the thought of being able to enjoy the court's noble Commandery Princess later made these Mercenaries leer with anticipation.

What Xue Hongyu and her men didn't anticipate was that as they spoke, Ye Lingyue was already hidden behind them.

Thinking of ambushing her?

Heh, with a thought of her Divine Sense, Ye Lingyue silently crept into Black Valley.

Shortly after entering Black Valley, Ye Lingyue encountered a group of Seventh-rank Blood Winged Earth Lizards. These creatures, able to travel on land and through the air, were very troublesome; being surrounded by a pack of them could spell doom even for a master of the Reincarnation Realm.

Ye Lingyue sneered coldly. Her Divine Sense stirred, Moon Essence stabbed, piercing the buttocks of one of the Blood Winged Earth Lizards that was resting with its eyes closed. That poor creature, dreaming sweetly, suddenly awoke to severe pain in its buttocks.

An angry roar alerted the other Earth Lizards. Under the control of Ye Lingyue's spiritual power, the Moon Essence sped toward the position of Xue Hongyu and the others, with the furious Earth Lizards quickly in pursuit.