799 Free Valley 1

In the distant eastern reaches of the Kingdom of the Sacred Dragon, hundreds of kilometers away and beyond a major river—a remote valley sat among a secluded mountain range.

The valley was set far away from the noise and bluster of the outside world. It was a place where none of the nations could maintain control over and was also the most dangerous area where all the armies were reluctant to step foot upon.

Free Valley.

Legend had it that anyone who entered that massive valley could leave behind the troubles of the outside world. It had also become the leading destination for the most wanted criminals across the various nations.

All those who had been forced to the point of no return would try their best to escape into the Free Valley. As a result, the valley had become a refuge for a bunch of the most dreadful criminals in the world.

It was also rumored that the Free Valley used to be the homestead of an ancient tribe. That mysterious tribe had disappeared without a trace and left several structures still standing within the valley.

Now, the Free Valley had been carved into three distinct cities, each governed by the three most powerful forces. Anyone who wished to seek refuge in Free Valley had to submit to those forces.

The Free Valley held the most numerous villains but was also the place most coveted by bounty hunters.

Whoever entered the valley and captured one or two criminals—would be rewarded with a hefty bounty enough to last him a lifetime.

Unfortunately…

None of the bounty hunters dared to place even a single foot into the Free Valley. Even a fully armed military troop would have to think twice before stepping into the valley.

Although the ancient tribe had already vanished, the trigrams which they had carved remained. The trigrams had been exposed to the elements over thousands of years and no longer looked as glorious as they formerly were. Nevertheless, they retained significant power enough to finish an entire army troop.

As a result…

This area had become a villains' playground.

A simple-looking horse carriage slowly rolled into the entrance of the Free Valley and came to a gradual stop amidst the flying dust.

A delicate young girl popped her head out of the carriage and looked with a smile at the endless valley. A glimmer of interest flashed across her eyes. A tiny, round thing also popped its head out and curiously observed its surroundings with huge, black eyes.

"Mother…" Xiao Tuanzi blinked in confusion at the young girl.

She smiled and pinched its soft, round cheeks before asking the carriage driver, "Is this the Free Valley?"

Linghe turned to look at the young girl and nodded. "Miss, this is the fabled Free Valley. The directions given by the Poison King were accurate."

Inside this horse carriage was indeed the very people whom the Emperor hated with a vengeance—Ji Fengyan and company. Long before the Emperor had mobilized the entire nation to capture Ji Fengyan, she had already gathered all her men and left the borders of the Kingdom.

After creating a ruckus in the capital city, Ji Fengyan could no longer stay on in the Kingdom of the Sacred Dragon. Thankfully, the little old man, also known as the Poison King, had suggested that Ji Fengyan seek refuge in the Free Valley.

"Miss, are we really going to enter this Free Valley?" Linghe looked rather dubious. Having been a good soldier for over a decade, he was very uncomfortable with being a criminal on-the-run.

Ji Fengyan smiled and surveyed the vast Free Valley. "Since it is a free place, we should enter?"