“Brother Nanlong, are you sure? We’re going to the Mulan Grasslands?” The cold-faced cultivator frowned, as if unable to believe what he had just heard.
The expressions of the other cultivators weren’t much better. However, every Nascent Soul old monster sitting here had weathered countless storms to reach this stage. Though inwardly shocked, they remained composed, quietly waiting for Nanlong Hou’s response.
“Fellow Daoist, you misunderstand. I said we’re going to the Mulan Grasslands, but not deep into the plains—just the edges, within a hundred miles,” Nanlong Hou explained calmly.
“That’s still an extremely risky endeavor. I’ve heard that after years of recuperation, the Mulan people are becoming restless again. The border of the grasslands is now a true danger zone, likely teeming with spellcasters of our level. Though their magical treasures may be limited, their cultivation and techniques are no weaker than ours, and their spiritual arts are astonishingly powerful, excelling in coordinated combat. If discovered, even if we escape with our lives, it’d be difficult to emerge unscathed,” the cold-faced cultivator said, shaking his head, clearly deeply wary of the matter.
“Do you think I don’t know how troublesome spellcasters are? Years ago, I fought a Nascent Soul-stage spellcaster for three days and nights. His cultivation was inferior to mine, and his magical treasures far weaker. Yet, in the end, neither of us could gain the upper hand,” Nanlong Hou said with a darkened expression.
“Given that, Fellow Daoist still intends to go to the Mulan Grasslands. It seems there must be something extraordinary there. Otherwise, Brother Nanlong wouldn’t take such a risk,” Wang Tiangu suddenly smiled, leaning back leisurely.
“Haha, Brother Wang understands me best. Have any of you heard of the name ‘Cangkun Shangren’?” Nanlong Hou shifted the topic, mentioning a name that sounded vaguely familiar to the group.
“Cangkun Shangren! That mad cultivator from five thousand years ago who dominated both the righteous and demonic paths in the South?” An elderly woman who had remained silent until now spoke up, her cloudy eyes flashing with a sharp glint.
“Lady Tai is correct. That’s the very lunatic who wreaked havoc on both factions. Though no one officially acknowledged it, this audacious cultivator was undoubtedly the strongest rogue cultivator in the South at the time, his unfathomable abilities leaving him virtually unmatched. Even the grand elder of the demonic Joyous Union Sect and the leader of the Righteous Alliance—the two acknowledged strongest of their factions—dared not claim they could best this half-mad powerhouse,” Nanlong Hou said with a hint of solemnity.
“Fellow Daoist brings him up now—does this matter relate to that madman?” Wang Tiangu asked with a strange expression.
“Heh! Brother Wang is right. The place we’re heading to is a secret cave abode meticulously arranged by Cangkun Shangren before his death,” Nanlong Hou stated gravely.
“Impossible! Didn’t that lunatic provoke public outrage and get surrounded and killed by numerous cultivators?” The old woman shook her head vigorously, refusing to believe it.
Nanlong Hou chuckled lightly, about to explain, when the white-robed elder at the mid-Nascent Soul stage suddenly spoke: “Cangkun Shangren wasn’t killed. He self-destructed two of his puppet avatars and used a deception technique to escape. The cultivators who besieged him never knew and believed they had slain both him and one avatar. However, after that battle, Cangkun Shangren was severely weakened, unable to recover his former might. After recuperating for years, he vanished from his original abode, leaving no trace. Only when Fellow Daoist Nanlong and I discovered his final resting place did we learn from his records that after his disappearance, he set his sights on the Fallen Demon Valley, risking his life to enter—and becoming the first to ever return alive.”
“Returned from the Fallen Demon Valley? How is that possible?” the old woman shrieked, her face alight with agitation.
Everyone except Nanlong Hou, including Han Li, gasped in shock. Most were torn between astonishment at the revelation and skepticism, exchanging bewildered glances.
“Even if this is true, what does it have to do with the Mulan Grasslands? Did Cangkun Shangren really bury all the treasures he obtained from the Fallen Demon Valley in a hidden cave there?” A dark-skinned cultivator sneered after a moment of contemplation, clearly unimpressed.
“Fellow Daoist Bing isn’t entirely wrong—you’ve guessed most of it. According to Cangkun Shangren’s records, he spent years inside the Fallen Demon Valley but died shortly after leaving. Whether from old wounds or new injuries sustained in the valley is unknown, but he must have brought out many treasures. Items coveted by the strongest rogue cultivator of his time are undoubtedly extraordinary. Moreover, given that he dominated the cultivation world as a lone rogue, his secret techniques and treasures must be remarkable. Are you all truly willing to pass up this trip to the Mulan Grasslands?” Nanlong Hou stroked his beard, his expression unreadable.
“With so many Nascent Soul cultivators traveling together, ordinary spellcasters won’t stand a chance. And if we encounter unexpected trouble, we can always scatter and break through individually. If anyone is unwilling to take this risk, they’re free to leave now. The two of us will simply find others to join us,” the white-robed elder added coolly.
After hearing their words, Wang Tiangu, the old woman, and a few others hesitated. But then Han Li spoke up: “I have one question. Since the two of you already know the treasure’s location, why gather us here, insisting on those with strong spiritual sense? Is the place hard to find, or does opening the cave abode require it?” Han Li voiced his long-held doubt calmly.
“Fellow Daoist Han, I was about to explain that. If the two of us could retrieve the treasures alone, we certainly wouldn’t share. But when we secretly scouted the Mulan Grasslands last time, though the location was well-hidden, we eventually found it using Cangkun Shangren’s clues. The problem was an incredibly intricate ancient formation guarding the cave. Despite our efforts, we couldn’t breach it. Since we couldn’t linger in the grasslands, we memorized the formation’s traits and returned to the South to research it. We later discovered it was the long-lost ‘Tai Miao Divine Restriction,’” Nanlong Hou said, his face tinged with resignation.
“Tai Miao Divine Restriction! One of the Ten Great Ancient Restrictions? How could it appear there?” Wang Tiangu’s expression shifted in surprise.
Most of the others had never heard of the “Tai Miao Divine Restriction,” but the mention of the Ten Great Ancient Restrictions sent a chill down their spines. Anything bearing such a title was clearly no trivial barrier.
Han Li’s eyes flickered with surprise, but his expression quickly returned to normal.
“I’ve long heard Brother Wang is a renowned formation master. It seems the reputation is well-earned—you even know of such obscure ancient restrictions!” Nanlong Hou remarked with a smile, exchanging a glance with the white-robed elder.
“Brother Nanlong flatters me. I’ve only heard the name—I know nothing about breaking it,” Wang Tiangu said modestly, as if sensing something.
The white-robed elder smiled faintly and continued, “After years of study, we discovered two methods to break the restriction: either gradually erode it through brute force or gather eight cultivators with powerful spiritual sense to dissolve it using spiritual sense materialization. The brute force approach is impractical—this ancient restriction is too profound. Even if we were to attack it continuously for months, success is not guaranteed, and we cannot afford such recklessness in the Mulan Grasslands. However, with spiritual sense materialization, if everyone’s spiritual sense is sufficiently strong, we can dismantle the formation within a single day.”
Hearing this, everyone in the hall understood why Nanlong Hou and the elder had gathered them.
Other mid-Nascent Soul cultivators with strong spiritual sense could also help break the restriction, but the two clearly didn’t want overly powerful allies, fearing they might overshadow them. After all, as mid-stage cultivators, the duo could maintain a delicate balance of power against Han Li and the others. Their planning was meticulous.
Yet, faced with treasures from the Fallen Demon Valley, every cultivator in the hall, including Han Li, was deeply tempted.
Though venturing to the edge of the Mulan Grasslands carried risks, as the white-robed elder said, compared to the treasures, the dangers were negligible. Such an opportunity was rare beyond measure, and soon, everyone had privately resolved to proceed.
After a few more confirmations and seeing no one withdraw, Nanlong Hou finally smiled genuinely.
“One last thing to clarify. If we succeed in entering the cave, the two of us will each pick one treasure first, and the rest will be divided equally. Any objections?” Nanlong Hou laid out his terms.
Tai Sui Yellow Amulet Paper FuLu Taoist Love Talisman Traditional Chinese Spiritual Charm Attracting Love Protecting Marriage